After exploring Ensenada, our next stop was to head inland and check out Valle de Guadalupe, Baja’s emerging wine region. It’s safe to say we fell in love! Our first few days along La Ruta del Vino was incredible. Not only was it beautiful, the wine was fantastic and the food was absolutely incredible! The locals are very kind, and their hospitality rivals that of their Napa counterparts. Vinepair recently named Valle de Guadalupe one of the best wine destinations to visit. While we only spent two full days here, I’m confident that our recommendations will not disappoint.
Before We Get Started…
First things first – get your hands on La Ruta del Vino map. This can be found at Ensenada and Valle de Guadalupe Tourism offices, or at any winery or brewery in Baja Norte. You’ll quickly realize that there are TONS of vinacolas (aka wineries) to choose from. While we stuck to wine tasting, there are also many cervecerias (craft breweries) in this region as well.
Valle de Guadalupe is located about 30 minutes east of Ensenada, and it’s a very pleasant drive on the Mexico 3. As soon as you drive into this region, you’re swept away by the lush countryside and at-home feel. Instantly, we knew were in the right place!
What also makes Valle de Guadalupe an interesting place to wine taste is the fact that each winery varies greatly in the grapes they use. One might specialize in a Malbec, while another Cabernet. As an emerging wine region, they have yet to settle on a specialty. Complicating matters further, water availability and climate have been fairly unpredictable of late in this region, so the wines you taste today could vary dramatically tomorrow.
Depending on the season you’re visiting, make sure to look up which wineries are open. Because we were here during the low season, a lot of wineries were only open Friday-Sunday. This may change depending when you’re visiting. We lucked out that our visit fell on the tail end of a holiday weekend, because a lot of wineries that wouldn’t normally be open on a Monday when we visited.
As with anywhere you taste wine, you can probably visit 3-4 wineries in a day. Don’t rush the experience though! Spending ample time at each vinacola gives you the opportunity to talk to the locals, find excellent recommendations and better understand the culture. We found that each winery we visited had at least one employee pouring wine that spoke fluent English and had intimate knowledge of the wine they were pouring, as well as the history of their respective wineries and the region.
We also soon discovered that you’re only allowed to bring in two bottles of wine back from Mexico into the U.S. Which is a TOTAL bummer, given how incredible the wines are here! Keep that in mind as you buy bottles at your tastings. Luckily for us, we would be spending the next two months south of the border so storage space was our only constraint.
Finally, if you’re traveling with children, be advised that many establishments will not allow kids inside of tasting rooms. The exception is if food is served on-site. I’m sure you’re asking – how did you go wine tasting at places if kids aren’t allowed? Easy. We gave the boys their iPads and a walkie talkie, and left them secure in the van with Ruby. Trust me – they were thrilled! We were usually the only patrons at each winery we visited, so it was easy to park the van within eyesight of the tasting rooms.
It’s also worth noting that many wineries in the region employ private security that greets you at their entrance and sometimes takes note of your license plate number. It was unclear if this was for the benefit of tourist and to project a sense of security or to protect the wineries from theft. Either way, don’t be surprised if you have to clear security with you vehicle at wineries or restaurants in the area.
Although you’ll find yourself driving through some areas that are quite obviously not developed to U.S. standards, don’t confuse undeveloped for unsafe – we had zero issues in Valle de Guadalupe.
Wine Tasting
Vinacola Eméve
Our first stop was a gorgeous, modern winery in the heart of Valle de Guadalupe. We weren’t entirely sure which wineries would be open, as it was Mexico’s Constitution Day. Fortunately, we learned that locals celebrate this holiday as we would in the States – an opportunity to eat, drink and celebrate their day off.
Eméve is a play on the initials of owner Mario Villarreal, written in the same way you would pronounce MV. Mr. Villarreal planted grapes in 2004, with his first wine production in 2006. At first, he only shared his wines with family and friends – but after recognizing the quality of his wines, he officially started selling to the public in 2008, producing 5,000 cases annually now.
Today, Eméve’s boutique winery sits on 18 acres in the heart of Valle de Guadalupe and features a beautifully designed modern tasting room. We tasted Eméve’s Malbec Rosé, Malbec and Los Nietos, a red wine blend composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Since I’m a big fan of white wine, we also got to taste the Isabella, a crisp blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Ultimately, we bought a bottle of Isabella, but we can easily say that all of the wine was fabulous!
Also, a big shout out to Pearl and Brenda for their hospitality. Since this was our first winery of the day, we weren’t sure where else to go (besides trying to find which wineries were open via Google). Both were extremely helpful in identifying some of the region’s best wineries, as well as places to eat. I recommend stopping by Eméve early on in your trip to get some solid recommendations!
Cost: There are three wine tasting packages. Cost is per person, and starts at around $11/person. 1 Rosé + 2 Reds for $200 pesos, 3 Reds for $250 pesos or 4 Reds with a free wine glass for $350 pesos. Bottles range from $150-600 pesos.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm (closed on Mondays)
Location: San José de la Zorra, Parcela 67 – Ejido El Porvenir, Valle de Guadalupe
Children Allowed: No
Vinacola Adobe Guadalupe
I’ll be honest, we made a rookie mistake before we set off wine tasting. We didn’t eat breakfast! Steven and I are so used to fasting in the morning that we completely blanked on eating. Fortunately, we were really close to a winery that had a well-known food truck on site. Perfecto!
Before we started up on the wine tasting again, Steven and I went straight to the Adobe Guadalupe food truck. Oh. Em. Gee… let me tell you, this lunch was a highlight on our trip! We ordered croquetas de jamón serrano (ham & cheese) and an assorted cheese board. So yummy! It was the perfect amount of food for two. (The kids ate peanut butter sandwiches in the van.)
After fueling up on grub, we moved on to our second wine tasting. Adobe Guadalupe is fairly small, and probably needed another staff member on site to give each set of guests undivided attention. Nonetheless, we had an enjoyable experience. We tasted the Gabriel (a red blend composed of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec), El Jardin II (sorry, I can’t remember and also cannot find online!) and Jardin Secreto (Tempranillo). One perk is that the tasting room has olives and bread available as you enjoy the wines! The wine was good, but the real MVP is the food truck. After our tasting, got back in line and split a delicious duck confit sandwich.
Cost: $250 pesos for 3 wines. Bottles range between$300-950 pesos.
Hours: Open everyday from 10am-6pm
Location: Parcela A-1 s/n, Rusa de Guadalupe, 22750 Baja California
Children Allowed: Yes, outdoors – not within the wine tasting room. Tastings can be accommodated outside!
L.A. Cetto
L.A. Cetto was our final stop on Day 1. This is easily the largest production facility based out of Valle de Guadalupe, and it’s evident as you walk along the property. The tasting room was buzzing with guests! The winery has been around for more than 90 years, which is a testament to its quality of wine. You can purchase one of two tastings: the Classic, or the Reserve wines. We opted for the Classic as it offered more white wines (again, personal fave): Blanc de Blancs (Chenin Blanc and Colombard), Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and the Petit Syrah. Our host Clemente also let us try the Peninsula Espaldera (Sangiovese and Aglianico), which we bought a bottle of. He also told us that L.A. Cetto produces 1.5 million cases of wine, annually! In fact, you can find their wines at Trader Joe’s or Total Wine & More in the U.S.
Clemente was gracious enough to provide some guidance on our Baja travels. We circled around one of the large maps in the tasting room, where he shared his favorite stops along our route. Being from La Paz, Clemente recommended that we definitely spend some time down there.
Cost: Around $150 pesos for the Classic tasting.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm (closed on Mondays)
Location: Rancho la Gotita, Carretera Tecate – Sauzal Km. 73, 22750 Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California
Children Allowed: Not inside the tasting room, but children are welcome in the outdoor gardens.
Vena Cava
Our second day started with Vena Cava. Let me first say that getting to this winery is a trek! Be prepared for some bumpy dirt roads. You feel like you might be going absolutely nowhere if it weren’t for the signage along the way. Steven and I looked at each other upon arrival as if to say this better be worth it. Don’t worry – it was!
As we walked into this boutique winery, we realized that we had the entire place to ourselves. Winemaker Phil Gregory, who is originally from England, established Vena Cava in 2005. What’s unique about this winery is the architecture. It honors Gregory’s English roots as there are several boats along the property. If you look up in the tasting room, you’ll see that there’s an overturned boat hull as the ceiling.
The wine itself is nothing short of amazing. We tried the Sauvignon Blanc, Rosado (Rosé) and the Tempranillo. What also stands out about the wine is that it’s completely organic. The Gregory family has a love of nature, and their commitment to repurposing materials and sustainability was very well integrated into the design of their indoor and outdoor facilities. It was also evident that every detail was carefully considered in the making of their wines.
Side note… We had just eaten breakfast before tasting at Vena Cava, otherwise we would have tried Troika, the food truck on site. The menu sounded fantastic and gets rave reviews!
Cost: Regular tasting (three wines – a white, Rosé and red); Basic tasting (four wines – a white, pink and two reds)
Hours: Every day from 11am-5pm
Location: Rancho
San Marcos, Toros Pintos s/n, Ejido Fco. Zarco CP 22750
Guadalupe Valley, Ensenada, Baja California
Children Allowed: Yes, outdoors – not within the wine tasting room. Tastings can be accommodated outside!
Foodie Heaven
Adobe Guadalupe Food Truck
As I mentioned earlier, the food truck at Adobe Guadalupe is well worth the stop. It’s a slow food kitchen specializing in tapas, which means you know you’re getting incredibly fresh food. It’s worth mentioning the croquetas de jamón serrano again as these are so tasty! If we had more time, we definitely would have tried one to two more items, like the patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) or brandy-infused chistorra sausage.
Cost: Ranges between $75-136 pesos. For three dishes, we paid $285 pesos (just over $15) – a steal!
Hours: Open everyday from 10am-6pm
Location: Parcela A-1 s/n, Rusa de Guadalupe, 22750 Baja California
Finca Altozano
At the end of our second full day of wine tasting, we stopped by Finca Altozano for a late lunch/early dinner. Little did we realize that we were eating at one of the most well-known dining experiences in all of Baja!
I can honestly say that it was such a treat to dine here, for several reasons. First, the ambiance is designed for the ultimate dining experience. The rustic restaurant is open air, providing stunning views of vineyards in the valley. Finca Altozano also takes in stray animals, so there were around 8-9 dogs just lounging around the place… as well as a pig!
Second, the food is OUTSTANDING. Javier Plascencia, a Tijuana native who is renowned in Baja as an excellent chef, started Finca Altozano in 2012. Steven and I enjoyed five tapas-style dishes: oysters, tostadas de Ahi tuna, Pulpo de Pacifico a las Brasas (octopus in a peanut sauce), calabazas rellenas de queso oredo (pumpkin stuffed with cheese and spices) and churros for dessert.
Cost: Varies; $85-580 pesos/dish
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 1-8pm; Friday-Saturday 1-9pm and Sundays from 12-8pm (Reservation highly encouraged)
Location: Carretera Tecate – Ensenada Km 83 Ejido, Francisco Zarco, 22750 Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California
La Cocina de Doña Esthela
La Cocina de Doña Esthela is easily one of the top recommended places to eat in Valle de Guadalupe – and maybe even in all of Baja. The restaurant is off the beaten path, but upon arrival you know you’re in the right spot based on the number of cars outside. Doña Esthela is best known for its breakfast, which we can affirm is absolutely phenomenal! We actually loved the food so much we ate here two days in a row. Once you’re seated, the server immediately brings out complimentary chips, queso fresco and spicy salsa. I’ve never eaten queso fresco with tortilla chips and salsa, but this might change how I eat it forever! The kids enjoyed regular hotcakes (pancakes), while I opted for the elote (corn) hotcakes. Both were delicious!
On our first visit, Steven ordered the machaca, which is a mix of scrambled eggs, dried mash beef and refried beans. The second day he ordered the borrego tatemado, which was TO DIE FOR. It’s lamb meat cooked in a stew. You can make tacos with the meat, or simply eat the stew. We highly recommend trying this dish! Even the kids loved the juicy and tender meat. Oh, and be sure to order the café de olla. It’s a cinnamon coffee that tastes incredible. It honestly might just ruin coffee for you forever, but that’s the price you pay when drinking perfection in a cup. What’s also fun about this place is that there’s a playground in the back, as well as a large farm with pigs, sheep, goats, cows and more. Perfect for the kiddos!
Cost: The price varies depending on what you order, but we ordered three dishes for a family of four and it came out to about $25.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 8am-5pm (closed on Mondays)
Location: Ranchos San Marcos, El Porvenir, Ejido San Marcos, Baja California
Where to Stay
Because Valle de Guadalupe is a premier destination, there are plenty of places to stay along La Ruta.
Our first night, we stayed at Glamping de Arte y Vino. You can read our full review here. Not only do they offer sites for vans and RVs, there are also renovated antique Airstreams available for rent. There are a few other basic campgrounds in the area as well, like El Valle RV Park. If you’re going this route, we highly recommend downloading iOverlander for more info. The last two nights in Guadalupe we were able to boondock at two of the wineries, which is a great option if you’re already buying a winetasting or bottle.
There are also some affordable and super adorable Airbnbs in Valle de Guadalupe. A quick search based on your needs will pop up plenty to choose from.
Of course, there are also B&Bs in Valle de Guadalupe as well, like Adobe Guadalupe Inn and Hotel Partana next to Finca Altozano.
Although we’ve decided to keep traveling south, Steven and I know that we’ll definitely return to Guadalupe before heading back to the States in April. (We’ll be sure to add to this list of places to wine taste, stay and eat at that time.) If you’re a foodie and/or wine lover, you must add Valle de Guadalupe to your travels!
