Page 37 - San Diego Woman Amy Haber Issue

TR A VEL

The Lure of the Valle de Guadalupe

The Wild West Wine Region of Baja Mexico

Photos and Feature by Robin Dohrn Simpson

Ruta del Vino. Home to over
100 wineries, the valley boasts
winemakers who have been
trained in Europe, America,
and at the local winemaking
school Estación de Oficios el
Porvenir. The Escuelita (the
school) as it is locally known Europe, she returned to her
offers either winemaking or homeland to help bring the
craft beer brewing classes that new wine region onto the
do not require a lot of time or world map. The tasting room
financial investment. is enclosed in glass with a
In the Valle, you will find two-story tree in the center.
small micro wineries all the Here you can try many of
It’s rustic. It’s elegant. It’s rugged roads with the inevita- way to large commercial win- their wines. Lulu makes an
primitive. There is art. There is ble potholes, and by the way, eries that export their wines assortment of White, rosé,
dust. It’s absolutely charming, you’re going to love it. around the world. Mexico is and red wines that are very
the true “Wild West” of the transitioning from predomi- food-friendly. Wine barrels
North American wine world, nately a tequila and Cerveza line the perimeter and different
and really good wine at that. consuming culture to a culture artists are featured every few
There are gorgeous wineries that includes, and is proud months.
with beautiful architecture, of the local wines. But the Lechuza is a family-run
both above and below ground charm of this ruta still includes winery, now in its second
tasting rooms, state-of-the-art boutique wineries where the generation. The Magnussen’s
winemaking equipment, restau- winemakers sit and talk with strive to be an approachable
rants, and lush vineyards, but visitors and give a personal ex- winery with a variety of wines.
there is still a bucolic charm. Ruta Del Vino perience in the tasting rooms, Enjoy an afternoon on their
The hillsides sprinkled with Mexico has produced wine helping educate people on lovely patio tasting the flavors
oak trees that line the valley on for centuries, and Valle de what they're tasting. of the valley. Try their Char-
both sides remind us of Italy or Guadalupe is the largest
Napa Valley. There is a paved wine-producing region in
road that encircles the Valle, but Mexico, with 90% of the wine
if you want to dissect that ring, made here. The quality of wine
then you will be on dirt roads. has increased substantially
Some of the roads can be rough, over the past ten years. The
especially after rain. It’s best to wineries have teamed up with
have a vehicle that can handle chefs and hoteliers to create the

Bruma Winery is graced donnay. It’s hard to produce a
with a Bordeaux trained great Chardonnay in a warm
Lulu Martinez Ojeda, head climate. This one will delight
winemaker. After working in your taste buds.

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