A little-known region a few miles east of Ensenada is called Valle de Guadalupe, which is Mexico’s main wine-producing area. It is about two-thirds the size of Napa Valley. There is a regionally famous wine school called La Escuelita run by Hugo D’Acosta in the valley. A good friend of mine made wine for the first time and won first place in the evaluation of a blind tasting event for local artisan winemakers. Jo Ann’s Zinfandel and Nebbolio blend are amazing, so it didn’t surprise me that it got the top spot among some experienced vintners. Forty-four wineries are considered large enough to be put on a map above the wine valley. World-class wine is made at wineries such as LA Cetto, Santo Tomas, and Baron Balche. The main grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo and Chardonnay. Other excellent vintage grape varietals that are also made into wine here include: Chenin Blanc, Palomino, Mission, Tempranillo, and Viognier in smaller amounts.
Steve Dryden is known as one of the top experts in the area and offers tours for as low as $25 plus food and wine tasting fees. He drives and tells you a lot of details about the valley. I’ve been on his tour twice and learned a lot in an interesting way each time. He tells how Russian Molokans helped colonize the valley in the 19th century along with Dominican missionaries. This particular sect of Russians was persecuted in Russia by the Russian Orthodox Church. There is a beautiful winery called Bibayoff in the valley and it produces about 200 cases a year. There is also a small museum dedicated to the Molokans on the winery property.
Two of my favorite wineries are located just around the corner in the eastern part of the valley. Their names are LA Cetto and Doña Lupe. LA Cetto is a major player in Mexican wines and sells to the best restaurants in Mexico, as do some of the other wineries. Most of what is made in Mexico stays here, one of the reasons why it is not a known fact that wine is produced here. LA Cetto has a free tasting of five wines. However, it is common to tip the server, who can tell him anything he wants to know about the wine he is drinking and the history of the winery. You can get a good wine starting at around $4 a bottle for their Cabernet Malbec, very good value for money. His Nebbiolo has won five gold medals. Do not forget to sit on your terrace with views of roses and peacocks. A plate of bread, cheese and meat can be had for a reasonable price. Or bring your own picnic and purchase wine for your enjoyment.
Dona Lupe is just around the corner as you continue to exit LA Cetto and head west. She started the first woman-owned winery in the 1960s. Her wines are all organic and all reds have a deeply complex flavor. A five-wine tasting here costs just five dollars. She can not only buy the wines from her, but also see the jams, jellies, honey made from vineyard flowers, olive oils, herbs, and bread made on the premises. Outdoor seating is also provided here. If you’re hungry, don’t miss the pizzas made with a thin whole wheat crust and topped with locally grown organic ingredients. A pizza that will feed four costs around $16 and comes with a spicy sauce that you can add if you like. I have been known to do a lot of my Christmas shopping here for friends who live across the border.
Drive through the valley and stop along the way. At the other extreme in San Antonio de las Minas is my third favorite winery, La Casa Vieja. They make smaller amounts of wine, but always seem to have something on hand to sample and purchase. One can buy a tasting of five wines for only four dollars. The best thing is that their wines are not expensive, from three dollars a bottle. They keep costs down by sanitizing and reusing wine bottles. Plenty of parking makes it a great location for events, like the annual Baja Writers Book Fair held there last October. The event attracted about six hundred visitors. It was a beautiful day to sit under the trees and drink wine, talking with friends here in Baja.
So come and spend a day or two discovering wine country with great restaurants and places to stay like Adobe Guadalupe Vineyards and Inn, which has its own wines and horses to ride for your pleasure. It reminds me of California about forty years ago. Come and visit our wine country and you’ll be glad you did.
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