Springtime Touring through Mexico's Finest Wine Country
By Steve Dryden
Steve Dryden is a wine, food and travel writer living in northwestern Baja California, in the heart of Mexico's premier wine country, where he also guides individual and small group wine tours and books lodging. He can be reached through
Here is his article:
This is my favorite year-round tour for wine tasting in Mexico's premier wine country, located near Ensenada, Baja California. The Valle de Guadalupe is home to over 25 wineries, several restaurants and lodging. I've designed this guide in the appropriate order so that if you follow the narration and directions it will make for a wonderful day or two of wine tasting.
Some of the wineries are hidden, and the dirt roads can be rough in a regular vehicle, but it makes exploring this region so much more of an "off road" adventure. Wine tasting in Guadalupe Valley is like prospecting for gold – sometimes you really have to dig into remote locations, but more than likely you'll find hidden treasures! Be warned: temperatures in July and August can exceed 100 degrees (F), so spring and fall are better times to visit! Hydrate yourself with fresh bottled water on hot days, and pace yourself. You won't need a 4WD on back roads, just go slow and use common sense. It does get muddy after rain, so be cautious.
Most visitors travel from San Diego or Tijuana via Scenic (toll) Highway 1 along the beautiful coastline from Playas de Tijuana towards Ensenada. The Mexican wine country is located seventy miles south of the border – a two hour drive from San Diego.
There is an alternative route winding thru the back country of San Diego on Highway 94, and then south through Tecate on Highway 3.
Most travelers use the coastal toll road where, before reaching Ensenada, you'll come to the third toll station at Playa San Miguel. Pay your toll, continue south for about 1.5 miles to a sign reading Tecate Highway 3 or Ruta del Vino. Exit to the right onto Highway 3 and then drive east over the foothills towards Tecate for seven miles, until you drop down into the wine country at San Antonio de las Minas.
I suggest that you don't drive this route at night or when intoxicated, as it is a narrow, winding, one lane road, often occupied by slow-moving trucks.
Here in San Antonio de las Minas the wine country begins and extends along Highway 3 for about 14 miles. Scattered about the valley and foothills are about 25 wineries, several restaurants with great food, specialty shops, art galleries, gourmet coffee and lodging. And you'll find wonderful people!
At this point I'm going to share with readers my favorite and most popular day tour to the wine country.
Some of the wineries are user friendly, while others don't focus on tasting room sales or hospitality. Some of the wineries sell out their inventory each season, market their wines to commercial distributors and could care less if you visit their wineries or sample their wine. I'm going to save you time and frustration by sending you to my friends – who love sharing their wines and hospitality. You'll meet some great folks!
You need to know that all valley restaurants and food establishments are closed by 6 p.m.
This tour focuses on the region of San Antonio de las Minas and you'll have to double back some, but this is an easy tour for newcomers as well as experts. If you are an early bird Casa Vieja opens at 9 am, and you can adjust your tour as needed.
San Antonio de las Minas, Leonardo's Pie Shop, and Los Globos Creamery
Let's start in the metropolitan area of San Antonio de las Minas at Km 94.5. As you approach this village from the coast, on Highway 3, don't blink or you'll miss the town! Watch the shoulder of the road and look for mile markers (in kilometer) as this will aid you in your search for those "bottled treasures of delight." Look to the right as you enter the town and you'll see two large signs for Tecate and Corona beers.
At this point note that just before the signs, on the right side are two businesses of interest. Leonardo's Pie Shop – you'll need a chain saw to cut in to their eight-inch thick homemade pies, they serve amazing breakfasts, and right up the street fifty yards is Los Globos Creamery – where you'll find a nice selection of local cheese. Los Globos is a nice place to purchase gourmet cheese from Ojos Negros or Rancho Cortez, as many wineries have the perfect spot for wine and cheese tasting on their patios or terraces.
Continue on Highway 3 for about one mile beyond the village towards Tecate and you'll see a large white building on the right at Km 93.5. This is Viña de Liceaga.
Liceaga Winery
The Viña de Liceaga's newly completed complex offers amazing wines, great hospitality and it is staffed with knowledgeable employees. The tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tasting fees ranging from US$3 to US$10 per person. US$10 gets you a wine glass, samples of one white wine, four red wines, and one taste of their Grappa. US$3 gets you one taste of white wine and one red wine. Large tour groups of more than ten people need to make advance reservations with Marisa at 52-646-155-3281.
This winery is famous for their Merlot, but Viña de Liceaga continues to make a good Chenin Blanc from grapes grown in the Valle de San Vicente. Their 2007 Chenin Blanc is aged in stainless steel tanks which allows for a refreshing and light white wine with hints of pineapple, green apple, honey, and peach. Their 2007 Vino Tinto is a palate pleasing blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, both varietals that are grown in the Valle de Guadalupe. This user-friendly table wine was released in mid-July 2008 after aging for nine months in American oak barrels. Vino Tinto is a smooth red blend, medium bodied and easy to drink.
Liceaga's 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is a mellow red blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah –most delightful and smooth. The grapes are from Guadalupe Valley, and the wine is aged for two years in new American oak barrels. Aromas of tobacco, violets, vanilla and coffee, with flavors of black fruit and bell pepper. Smooth, elegant, and complex with 13.5 % alcohol.
Their 2005 Gran Reserva Merlot is an elegant blend of grapes grown in San Antonio de las Minas with 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new French oak barrels and with 13.5% alcohol this wine makes for a smooth, fruit forward, rich, complex and palate pleasing Merlot. Their newest 2006 Gran Reserva Merlot was released in November 2008, with a slightly different blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (no Cabernet Franc added).
My favorite wine for 2009 is their new 2006 L – Selection #1, which is the Eduardo Liceaga Campos Memorial Wine. This remarkable wine is a superb blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Merlot, aged for 20 months in new American oak – a connoisseur's delight!
For those who missed their morning cup of coffee, you can still wake-up with their potent distilled Grappa, called Aqua de Vid Viña de Liceaga. But don't try driving, dancing or walking after a sip or two! Grappa is a distilled spirit without color made from black grape pomage, fermented, gently pressed from several wine varieties, and aged for three years in new American oak. Their Grappa is a powerful clear beverage that will awaken even the most laid back individuals.
Now return to Highway 3 and turn left, back towards Ensenada. Drive 1/2 mile and turn right into the driveway of Casa Vieja Wine Bar and Gift Shop.
Casa Vieja Wine Bar and Gift Shop
This new addition to the Baja California wine culture is a cozy and remarkable business, hosted by an American-Mexican family with deep roots in the valley. Here everyone is fun and entertaining, they speak English and Spanish, and the complex is user-friendly. This historical adobe home, along with its olive orchard, old vine vineyard and ranch, was established in the early 1850's.
Today their relaxing and tranquil ranch features a wine bar, art and crafts gallery, picnic area and restrooms. Several artisan (homemade) wines from the region are offered by the glass or bottle. The atmosphere is a country setting where individuals and families can relax and enjoy the natural surroundings with friendly and hospitable hosts.
According to the owners, Humberto and Colleen Toscano, "we wanted to create an environment where guests can feel at home, relax, walk around the ranch, vineyard and orchard, reunite with family, friends and nature, and enjoy the country life in San Antonio de las Minas." La Casa Vieja is open daily (except Monday) from 9 a.m. until sunset.
Now if you're ready for the best lunch in the valley, leave Casa Vieja, turn right, drive 1/2 mile back towards Ensenada and the Los Globos creamery, then turn left at the large Corona Beer sign in San Antonio. This is the only paved road there (Av. Juarez), so follow it towards the hills and then turn left at the third stop sign, where you'll see a sign/arrow for La Hacienda Restaurant.
La Hacienda Restaurant
Follow this bumpy dirt road for 500 yards across the riverbed and make the first right into the La Hacienda Restaurant driveway.
Here you'll find outdoor dining within a retail plant nursery, with a nice selection of fresh seafood and traditional Mexican cuisine, all offered with good service and a reasonable price. They have a dynamic brunch and lunch buffet on Sundays!
After lunch, drive back up the dirt road to the stop sign and make a left. Go to the first stop sign, go straight, pass the school and turn left when the pavement ends and turns into a dirt road. Follow it to the first stop sign, turn right for 100 yards and enter Vinisterra Winery. You'll be amazed with the wine!
Open Weds - Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Hosted by knowledgeable winery staff who provide hospitality and excellent samples of wine. Their newly released Macouzet 2005 Tempranillo is an outstanding wine aged 40 percent in new American oak with almost two years bottle aging. Dark ruby color with aromas of black cherry, vanilla and a hint of oak. Flavors of black stone fruit mix with good mid-mouth mild tannins, good acidity with a balanced finish. Good quality wine, a bargain at under US$30 per bottle.
Vinisterra Winery, Art Gallery, and Ceramic Studio
Try their Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend if you want to enjoy samples of high quality Mexican wine, or let your palates explore their new Vinisterra premium wine, Tempranillo 40% and Grenache 60%. Their winemaker, Christoph Gartner, is one of Baja California's top winemakers. Their wines rate among the top wines in Mexico, and they are a prime example of this country's "silent revolution" in creating world class wine. Give them a taste, you won't regret it!
In addition to great wine and hospitality, there is a new art gallery, a ceramic studio and beautiful vineyards on site for guests to explore.
Head back down to Highway 3, and if you want to explore more wineries turn right and drive towards Tecate about six miles to Km. 88. One awesome artisan winery that you must not miss is called Three Women winery – a bit of a challenge to find but well worth the effort.
The Three Women Winery and Ceramics
At Km 88 you'll see a cell phone tower on the right, where you continue around the curve in the road for one mile. Near Km 87 you'll see a blue sign reading Ruta del Vino. Just past the sign you'll see two rock columns at an entrance to a dirt road. Take the road towards the foothills for about 1/2 mile (it is not the winery on the hill to the right as you enter), and follow the hand-painted tile signs.
Three women, Ivette Vaillard, Eva Cotero Actanirano and Laura MacGregor Garcia, have teamed up in a cooperative manner to create three interesting and unique styles of winemaking. These wine artisans pool their energy, talent and vision into perfecting the art of handmade wines.
This communal effort has built a dedicated family of friends and visitors who seem to embrace the idea that "cooperation can achieve anything." Quite often visitors and wine drinkers to this winery are touched by "the spirit of it all," and they find themselves jumping into action. Total strangers who happen along have been known to help with harvesting, bottling, moving barrels, cracking walnuts, gathering fresh eggs, or whatever else seems to be happening at the time.
In addition, Ivette Vaillard is a skilled and talented ceramic tile artist. She creates individual tiles and designs unique custom tile work for stairways, walls, bathrooms, murals, walkways and more. Her ceramic tile work can be found in galleries and in homes from Ensenada to San Diego. She began her courses on ceramics in 1985 at UCSD, studying with French artist Irene de Waterville, and at continuing art classes in the Rhode Island School of Design. Hand-painted tiles have been her major interest since 1989, allowing her to develop a variety of designs from Mediterranean, surrealistic, medieval and, more recently, focusing on the flora and fauna of Mexico's premier wine producing Guadalupe Valley region.
Now get ready to drive (turn right onto Highway 3) ten miles towards the end of Valle de Guadalupe. You'll drive over a bridge and past the village of Francisco Zarco – keep going on Highway 3 for five miles. Near Km 73.5 you'll see a large billboard – L.A. Cetto Winery. Turn right and follow this dirt road for two miles.
L.A. Cetto Winery
Eighty years of hard work and dedication by the Cetto family and Camillo Magoni have resulted in over 100 awards for quality and excellence in regional and international markets. L.A. Cetto makes an outstanding Petite Sirah which has received eight gold medals and many other awards throughout the world. Their Cabernet Sauvignon has won nearly 20 international awards, Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve gained 13, and Zinfandel six awards.
They also produce an award-winning classic Bordeaux style red wine, Terra, blended with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 10% Petite Verdot. This wine is from their Don Luis Cetto line of premium wines that are made from select grapes grown with the highest possible standards and daily management.
Outside of Italy, L.A. Cetto is the largest producer of Nebbiolo wine in the world. This deep red and rich grape is often found in Piedmont, Italy, and it is known to produce some of the finest Italian wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco.
L.A. Cetto's Nebbiolo has won 21 international medals, including a recent gold medal from the Winemakers Association of France – and their trophy for "the best red wine of the year." This private reserve wine is aged in French oak for 14 months and bottle aged for two years, with an alcohol content of 13-14%. It has an intense ruby red color with flashes of garnet, concentrated red and black fruits with undertones of prune, vanilla, spices and wood, mature tannins, velvety, dry and well rounded. This wonderful Mexican wine compliments red meat dishes, tomato sauce based entries and strong cheeses, plus it is a "Baja Best Value Wine" with a retail price of about US$15. This Nebbiolo is probably the best value for any red wine in Mexico – an absolute steal!
Wine tasting here is free and they make over 20 different wines, as well as an excellent extra virgin olive oil that is US$6 liter or US$25 gallon.
Doña Lupe Organic Winery, Deli and Bakery
As you leave the parking lot of L.A. Cetto, turn left on the dirt road and drive about 500 yards to Doña Lupe Organic Winery, Deli and Bakery.
This is a very popular destination and you're always greeted with first class hospitality by a friendly staff, including their bilingual parrot, Baby. Doña Lupe greets all of her guests with open arms and an open heart. She puts loving and creative energy into all her natural and organic jams, jellies, salsas, cookies, pies and wines. She planted the vineyard herself over thirty years ago, and has practiced organic and natural farming for several years. Her end of the valley still has some of the purest water in the region, and combined with rich riverbed soil her vineyard produces high quality organic grapes. And there is gourmet pizza on Saturdays and Sundays!
Doña Lupe's son, Daniel Yi, creates unique and interesting wines. His wines are pure, organic and fantastic! Try his Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Grenache, Merlot and others. Her daughter Shirley is baking some amazing pastries, while expanding the organic food selection and gift shop.
Don't miss this beautiful boutique winery that is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hopefully at this point you are safe and sober.
Accommodations
If you want to spend the night I suggest the upscale Hotel Hacienda Guadalupe (call 52-646-151-3273). From L.A. Cetto winery drive back on Highway 3 towards Ensenada, watch for mile marker Km. 81 on the left side.
Or, if you are seeking the ultimate in peace and quiet on a 500 acre ranch setting, you should visit Rancho Malagon B&B or Viñedos Malagon (52-646-155-2015). In addition to having a most relaxed and exceptional atmosphere, one of their wines was given 92 points by Wine Spectator Magazine.
If you're on a budget, Plaza Fatima Hotel in San Antonio de las Minas offers rooms for about US$50 per night. Call 52-646-192-4531.
This is a wonderful day trip that I've developed over the last five years. It's simple and to the point. But it can really take several days to explore the region, get to know the people and experience the many high quality wines. I've exposed you to several wineries, ranging from the largest in Latin America (L.A. Cetto) to some amazing artisan winemakers. This is a well-rounded tour that offers visitors the opportunity to discover why everyone is talking about the premier wine country of Baja California, Mexico.
Enjoy!
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