Baja Mexico Wine Excursion

There are three light rail lines in San Diego and they go from the Mexican border to well north of the city as far as Santee.  Too bad it doesn't go to La Jolla or Miramar; perhaps in the future.  The San Diego Convention Center stop is directly across the street from our hotel.  Our destination is the Morena/Linda Vista stop, the first one after Old Town.

The Baja Winery Tours van departs for Valle de Guadalupe in Baja Mexico at 0900 with eight tourists including an Aussie from Melbourne and her son now living in San Diego. We're warned of bumpy roads and a long drive.

It's motorway sailing all the way to Ensenada about an hour and a half of the two hour drive. Shortly after entering Mexico, the Ensenada Scenic Highway is indeed just that. It runs up high with scenic views of the Pacific and the modern construction growth along the Mexican Pacific coast.

A short drive to the east from Ensenada, still on good roads delivers us into the Valle de Guadalupe.  The first winery is La Lomita.  There is a long, slow bumpy dirt road to the winery. Having the place to ourselves on arrival, it quickly fills to the point where our driver/guide, Mario gives us the tour of the winery. The way they use the earth to assistance temperature control is fascinating.

 

 

The next tasting and tour is at Finca La Carrodilla; a sister winery to La Lomita.  The slowest crude elevator on the planet delivers us to the upper deck tasting area. The succulent gardens are magnificent. Their more inexpensive blend shows much better than their three single grape options. The dirt road into this one was thankfully much shorter.

 

 

A very long, very bumpy dirt road leads to lunch at Finca Altozano, the best restaurant in the Valle de Guadalupe. The restaurant is located in the middle of nowhere.  By looks, this restaurant is not terribly inviting.  The food is very good.

The first dish is a rare tuna, followed by a delicious zucchini platter and a pork enchilada.

 

 

The wind has come up and a cold front pushed through.  Mario recommends that the plan be changed.  Our next stop was a mountain top winery.  The shivering group agrees to an alternate winery in the valley; Emeve.

The wait at the border is 90 minutes.  Mario considers 60 minutes the minimum acceptable. Although scheduled to return at seven its nine by the time we return; and we still have the tram return.