Valle Wine Tasting - 7/9/16

Last Saturday wife and I woke up and decide to head down for the day to do some exploring. We hit the SY border southbound at 10:30 and it took about 25 minutes to cross. We were eating lunch at La Guerrerense at about 12:30. This is the gold stanadrd for street food IMHO. Never disappointed and cnat wait for the next time.

We headed back north into the Valle and made our first stop at Mina de Penelope. Our last trip we had a bottle of their red blend with dinner at Malva and really liked it (bought a 2nd bottle to go) so we had to check out the rest. They know what they are doing here. Husband (Malagon family) tends the vines and wife (local who schooled in Australia) makes the wines. Very small production but some of the best wine we have tasted to date. They are just about out of everything red and for sure white but ended up selling us a bottle of Sauv Blanc from their personal cellar. Cant wait to taste it before summer is over.

Next stop was Xecue and we ended up spending about an hour 'tasting' and chatting with Jose Luis who is a very charming host. We were the only ones there and ended up tasting 5 different wines including a very interesting Rose. We were just about ready to get a 'tour' of the gardens and facilities when a 15 passenger van rolled up and we bid an hasta luego to Jose Luis. We will definitely head back here and hopefully Alberta the wine maker will be there.

Then it was back out to the asphalt and up the hill to Clos De Tres Santos. It was a warm day and there were lots of happy people tasting and no place to sit outside in the shade, inside was too warm, so we walked around and checked out the very unique architecture and then headed back down the hill.

I had contacted Finca Altozano via email with no reply and tried calling them with no answer and we decided to head that way to see if we could get a reservation for dinner later. You could hardly get in the parking lot so we kept going. Next time we will plan ahead and maybe go on a Thursday.

We end up at Quinta Monasterio and found this to be another very inviting winery. Beautiful grounds and buildings and really friendly folks. We shared a tasting and it was good. At one point I notice one of the gals behind the bar pouring a clear white liquid out of a skinny tallish bottle into shot glasses for some locals and I asked 'Mezcal?'. Si senor! I tasted it had the perfect mix of smoky and smooth. Friends of the winery on the mainland make it and send a case or two over a few times a year. I was told this time it was one case and they just got it the day before and when its gone its gone until the next time. It is called Mi Chingon. I got a bottle for $25.00 US which was a great value IMHO. I should have bought more.

For dinner we went to Laja. This was maybe our 20th time there over the years but our first since Jair Tellez turned the reigns over to his well trained kitchen staff and headed for DF. The food was still very good and fresh (a couple times we watched the chef walk out to the garden and grab some beets, lettuce, carrots, etc.) and interesting but it was not quite the same as we remember it but maybe that's on us or fact that to us Jair set the bar pretty high when he was there. We are planning to give it another go but only after we eat everywhere else. I will say that we got there early (5:30) and by the time we left at 7:30 it was full and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was kind of funny that I spent all day in shorts but changed in the parking lot to longs for dinner and when we sat down there were three locals in shorts.

We had a fun day and knocked a few more places of our list. Plan to head back down to the Valle again before Vendimia starts and the area is over run with people.

Nice report. It's nice to read about the lifestyles of wine drinkers in Baja.

Let me know when you want to check out some of many breweries in TJ. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2016/apr/27/cover-taste-m... We had a nice conversation with the owner of El Zopilote Brewing in Loreto. And I keep hearing about the underground beer tavern in Bahia Asuncion. Great selection from what I hear.

Glad you two had a great day!

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy

Nice report. It's nice to read about the lifestyles of wine drinkers in Baja. Let me know when you want to check out some of many breweries in TJ. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2016/apr/27/cover-taste-m... We had a nice conversation with the owner of El Zopilote Brewing in Loreto. And I keep hearing about the underground beer tavern in Bahia Asuncion. Great selection from what I hear. Glad you two had a great day!

Quote: Originally posted by bajadock

4 out of 5 star post Gato. No photos? Excellent adventure.

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view

Mi Chingon.....mmmmm! sounds like its got some kick to it.

It has a nice smoky kick up front and Its smooooooth at the end.

Quote: Originally posted by bajajudy

Gato...try Deckman's next time. Their tasting menu is excellent.

The last few trips we have worked hard not go to Deckmans. Only because we first 'stumbled' across it 3 summers ago and then went there every single time we could and took others there just so we had another excuse to go there. Once we had lunch there and the went back that night for dinner.

We have not been there in 2016 so we are due! Next time maybe lunch at Finca then dinner at Drews! So much good food. So little time!

Quote: Originally posted by Udo

If you like Deckman's and their barn-like atmosphere, you'll really enjoy Tre Galline. Their map and information is on the link I included. Their food is over the top! https://www.facebook.com/Tre-Galline-in-Guadalupe-6121199718...

Just put it on the list of places to explore. I do notice that the pin on the map on their page has them located east of Puerto Vallarta.

Google Maps shows them a bit closer.

Thanks for the tip.