This year, many plans and trips have been cancelled. Out adventurous spirit is not cancelled, though. We’ve been taking small road trips to unique places. This month we took a 4 hour road trip to Mexico’s wine country – Valle De Guadalupe. Go on a culinary journey to discover gorgeous hotel design, vineyards, and of course, some of the best restaurants!
What you need to know:
- The roads are well maintained.
- The Mexican border on the way in is a breeze, but you will need to wait in line on the way back.
- You will drive through the beautiful Baja California coast and then the gorgeous mountains.
- You can use American dollars everywhere.
- Most people at hotels and restaurants speak English very well.
Where to stay:
Bruma- Casa 8 or Villas
It is an agritourism project composed of a winery, restaurant and rooms – eight at Bruma’s Casa 8 plus spacious villas. The floor-to-ceiling windows here make for epic sunrise views.
Oeno Wine Lodge
This great lodge has different types of accommodation from loads of privacy to more centrally planned bungalows. There is an active restaurant and bar; i-petra, with great music and gorgeous views.
Encuentro Guadalupe
There are 22 lofts designed for total relaxation. With wide views of the mountains and vineyard grounds, the rooms have a private terrace, an outdoor clay kiva. You can do wine tasting at the wine cellar in the lobby.
Where to drink wine:
Alximia
A very unique and completely different winery than what you will find anywhere else in the world. Started by a mathematician turned winemaker, this amazing winery was built by an innovative architect, the mathematician-winemaker and his astronomer father. It’s a 3 story round building that has been called “the flying saucer that landed in the Valle de Guadalupe”, the “Cathedral of Wine”, or “a sculpture disguised as a winery”. Great wine and fun vibe with loads of hammocks and swinging chairs.
Vena Cava
The hipster winery of all the wineries. Vena Cava is well known for its architects, Alejandro D’Acosta and Claudia Turrent of Ensenada. A visit here is more than a wine tasting experience. It will include this very memorable structure made from nearly all reuse materials, but with an extremely modern interior. The husband and wife team both have a passion for reclaimed materials and have secured a niche designing upscale wineries and other buildings. Great music, gorgeous sites, and delicious food from their Troika food truck.
Monte Xanic
In 1987 Monte Xanic changed the history of Mexican wine by making the first premium Mexican wine, leading to recognition this region. Beautiful architecture and great wine!
Where to eat:
Deckman’s En El Mogor
They created a truly sustainable dining experience and all in front of your eyes! All of the vegetables are produced in the 3 family farms that supply the restaurant. Olive oil is extra virgin and from their own production. The fish and seafoods are sourced sustainably and 100% from the Baja Peninsula. The food and the aesthetic of this restaurant is undeniably one of the best dining experiences you will have.
Fauna
This sophisticated restaurant has all the elements. The bar, the restaurant, the dish-ware, and of course the food create one of the best atmospheres! The food is experimental thanks to the amazingly creative team led by young chef David Castro Hussong.
Primitivo
You embark on a romantic and rustic experience as you are surrounded by smells of fresh fire. Each table gets their own fire pit to stay warm in the cool nights. The restaurant is fully sustainable and the kitchen is outdoor. Everything prepared is in front of your eyes. The menu is exquisite with each dish being so memorable, we can still taste it. You choose your own adventure with the prefixed menu to ensure nothing gets wasted. If you choose the animal version, each part of the animal gets used for different courses. The romantic ambiance and the service are unbeatable.
Finca Altozano
Part of the experience is to venture around the grounds and find yourself petting animals and having a coffee at the small coffee bar just off of the restaurant. It is serenely beautiful and relaxing here. The restaurant is open air and the stunningly simple and rustic decor puts everyone at ease. You can take stairs up to the top of the giant oak wine barrels, where you’ll find a seating area and spectacular views to accompany your glass of wine.
Then there’s the food in the restaurant that’s so delicious and thoughtfully prepared you can’t help but marvel over each bite. The food is all local, so the menu changes on a regular basis and is based on what’s available from the orchards, farms and ranches in the Guadalupe Valley. The kitchen is open so you can watch the meat cooking on the barbecue and observe the chefs preparing the fresh ingredients.
We’re obsessing over the sophisticated blends of flavors and fresh ingredients. Don’t miss out on the oyster bar!
Buen viaje!
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