Team C&J
With a Mediterranean-like climate and an abundance of vineyards spanning over 11,000 acres, Valle de Guadalupe has something for every style of sipper. Add to that a bustling culinary scene and charming hotels, and you have one exceptional wine experience.
Valle de Guadalupe is a wine region on the rise, so it’s understandable that when wine lovers first learn about Baja wine country, the first question they ask is: where is Valle de Guadalupe located?
Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe wine region is located in Baja, California, Mexico. To put this into more practical terms, the region is about 70 miles from the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing and 20 miles north of Ensenada. If you’re driving from San Diego, expect an hour and a half drive, depending on traffic.
Like so many prosperous grape-growing regions, the climate in Valle de Guadalupe has a Mediterranean quality to it. While peak summer days can be long and hot, the coastal influence from the Pacific Ocean, along with a combination of cool breezes and occasional fog, work together to slow grape ripening and keep the fruits’ sugars in check. Nearly all of the wineries here are within a 15-mile radius of this maritime influence.
One word you will see over and over again when it comes to the wines of Valle de Guadalupe is ‘experimentation.’ Unlike more established, commercialized wine regions like Napa or Bordeaux that have thrown their weight behind just a few varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, winemakers here have the freedom to work with dozens and dozens of grape varietals.
The most prolific white grape in this part of Baja is Chenin Blanc. Other French varieties like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also popular. Smaller plantings of Spanish Palomino, mostly known for its use in Sherry but increasingly seen in stand-alone bottlings and Jura’s Trousseau Gris, are also produced.
While there are some excellent white wines coming out of Valle de Guadalupe, the region’s red wines are the real stars. While Cabernet has a strong foothold, it’s the Valley’s most planted red grape, grapes like Grenache, Carignane, Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot, Malbec, Sangiovese, and Mission grapes are also beloved by winemakers.
What about Mexican Nebbiolo?
When you go wine tasting in Baja, you are guaranteed to try a few Nebbiolos. But Italian wine lovers should know that they may not be sipping the same grape that fills their bottles of Barolo. There are, in fact, several mutations of Nebbiolo in Mexico, and a few that are not Nebbiolo at all but that are labeled as Nebbiolo. Mexico has no wine labeling laws at the moment, so rather than do DNA testing, these brands continue to “go with the flow” of using the familiar grape variety, Nebbiolo.
There are so many lovely wineries in Valle de Guadalupe, but here are a few of our absolute favorites. Keep an eye out for a deeper dive into the region’s wineries that capture the full scope of wine-tasting opportunities in Baja.
L.A. Cetto
L.A. Cetto is Valle de Guadalupe’s best-known wineries and one of the oldest. The brand owns and farms over 2,500 acres of vineyards in Baja, and produces over one million cases of wine a year. Founded in 1928 by Italian immigrant Don Angelo Cetto, today, L.A. Cetto is known for its Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc.
The 2018 L.A. Cetto Reserva Privada Nebbiolo is one of the best wines from Baja.
Casta de Vinos
Casta de Vinos crafts outstanding small-production wines thanks to founders Claudia Horta Meza and Sergio Castañeda Piña. Winemaker Sergio’s wines have been awarded 27 medals in both local and Spain wine competitions, and their daughter has recently joined the team and is releasing bottles under her own Casta de Vinos imprint.
Check out our full review of this must-visit Baja winery.
Viña de Frances
Known for its rustic but modern, industrial-style tasting room and premium wines, Viña de Frannes was founded by developer Ernesto Alvarez Morphy Camou. Ernesto brought on French oenologist Michel Rolland, one of the world’s most respected oenologists, to consult on the project, and the results speak for themselves. Today, their specialty is Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Nebbiolo.
Just like the wine scene in Baja, Valle de Guadalup’s culinary scene is on the rise. When you visit this picturesque part of Mexico as many times as we have, you start developing a list of your favorite Baja restaurants to visit post-wine tasting. Here are a few of our favorite places to eat in Baja.
Susanna’s Restaurant in Rosarito Beach
We love visiting Susanna’s restaurant when we’re in Baja. The California-inspired menu uses fresh local ingredients and lots of herbs and spices and infuses the best Spanish, Mediterranean, and Italian influences into each and every dish. The restaurant is conveniently located in Pueblo Plaza on Boulevard Benito Juarez.
El Gaucho Argentino Restaurant
Do you have a restaurant where you visit so often that the staff knows you by name, and you have your very own table? That’s El Gaucho for us. Not only is the South American-inspired menu amazing, with lots of prime cuts of meat with South American flare, but the service is excellent, and the restaurant is a short five-minute drive from Rosarito Beach Hotel.
From charming bed and breakfasts to boutique luxury, Valle de Guadalupe offers a range of accommodations for those traveling to the region for a weekend of wine tasting.
When it comes to our favorite hotels in Baja, you can’t beat Hacienda Guadalupe. We cannot say enough good things about this relaxing, boutique-style hotel. Not only is it located in the heart of wine country, but the hotel has two restaurants and its very own winery on-site. Take a look at our review of Hacienda Guadalupe before you book for the full scoop.
Another popular hotel choice in Valle de Guadalupe is Bruma Valle de Guadalupe. The rooms and villas at this upscale boutique hotel are rustic and charming and infused with natural elements from the surrounding desert and mountains. The views are breathtaking, and the hotel also has a spa that is perfect for unwinding after a day exploring neighboring wineries and vineyards.
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