Santiago
Ultra Nomad
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Long report from our recent Wine Valley trip
Day 1
Arrived at San Diego International at 12:30; head’s up on SAN auto rental center: Literally no company now rents into Mexico at the airport. Our
long-time-go-to was Enterprise and they quit 4 months ago. Enterprise sent me to Styx, they sent me to Fox and a nice person at Fox called an offsite
company, Car Rental Help Center, who picked us up in 5 minutes, drove 3 blocks and got a 2014 Hyundai-something with 170k miles, semi-bald tires and
wiper blades way passed their use-by date; but we were happy we had a vehicle. $350 for 3 days. Insurance was thru Baja Bound and provided in the
cost. They have better vehicles but if you’re going to Mex you get the least likely thing to be stolen. Can’t say I blame them.
Crossed the border at San Yisidro about 1:00 and checked in at Hotel Hacienda Guadalupe at 3:00. We always leave the toll road at La Mision and take
the free road the back way into the valley. Road in good shape other than the climb out of the wash into the upper plateau. This property was the
first place we ever stayed 15 years ago on our first trip to the valle, now our 3rd time at this property. Get the 2nd floor units as the area is
getting built up and the view is nice from the balcony. Good location directly across from the wine museo, a must visit if you have never gone. Odd
restaurant hours: 8am to 5pm, happy hour is 1 to 3. Hotel is rated 3 stars, but I would say middle-upper for the valle, $742 dollars for 3 nights. You
can pay a lot more and a lot less. No TV (a plus) or microwave, KCup room coffee with Kirkland pods and 4 waters provided daily.
First stop was Lechuza, a tradition for us as SWMBO is a white-only drinker and their Chards and SauvBlancs are very good – so good that the French
Laundry in Napa (of Gav Newsom fame) has it available. All of their reds are excellent, the blend Amantes is my favorite. Interesting plato de queso,
just right for two and a couple of glasses. Available via LMA wines, get some. $1500np for a bottle of the cab, sheesh, what to the poor folk drink?
Dinner and wine tasting at Solar Fortun, a new spot for us on the northeast end of the valle up a draw that is exclusively their vineyard. Restaurant
and tasting areas are the far upper end of the draw, just keep going no matter what she says….. The winery itself is located in El Sauzal where
they are currently building a restaurant and tasting room as well. Get their flight of reds: Mourvèdre, syrah, CabSauv and Petit Verdot. The
Mourvedre and PV are very rare in the valle and worth the visit. Normally, PV is a blending grape but this turned out to be a great varietal. Nice
break from miles and miles of grenache and Nebbiolo the valle is known for. The syrah was a 2023 and way too young to be pouring. Interesting dinner
menu, the pasta sauce was made from smoked tomatoes, really good. Who came up with that idea? Ordered 5 little soft tacos from pork stew wrapped in
banana leaves. Total with tip for two flights, two glasses and dinner $2200 NP. ($107 ‘merican for you English lit majors) Driving back to the
hotel in the dark not for the faint-of-heart.
Day2 Old and the New
Woke at 4:00am after 8-1/2 hours sound sleep, made room coffee and went to the lobby to read. Met by the hotel dog that sleeps on the couch who
immediately woke the 24-hour-desk jockey that something was amiss. Sleepy buenos-diases all around. Perro went back to sleep as all was OK.
Hotel breakfast at 8:00am and off to find Venidos Lafarga on the south-east end of the valle, not that far from Dona Lupe but you can’t get there
from that side. Circled back, found the road just before the bridge but they were closed and a phone call confirmed not open at all that day. Too
bad as the reviews were awesome but they have no web site or FB page. Next time we hope.
That got us to a new spot for us we have seen under construction for 4 years on the road at Garza that winds past Sol y Barro and Tres Hermanas to
Vinas Marliot. Should be on everyone’s list to visit on your next trip. Great love story of how they met in Ensenada, he goes back to Italy and
invites her, she goes to meet him and does not return for a few years. They marry and come back to Baja to start a winery and build an incredible
place in the hills. The red wines are grown on the site, whites from the Tres Valley area as is common in the area. Grapes in the lower valley
struggle with the salt, grapes in San Vicente do not. Most of the really good wines served in Guadalupe are grown in San Tomas or San Vicente.
Our hostess was a young woman (well, everyone seems young to us) who has traveled the world and talked our freaking ears off and served us really good
wines. Go there.
Had a wonderful visit with old friend Aime Desponds, the owner and founder of Sol y Barro, tasting his latest 6 wines. We met him 15 years ago and
have always stopped in just to say ‘hi’ over the years. We’re all getting a bit long in the tooth, he is 85 and still at it. We covered the
gamut of issues from wine storage to production in Switzerland his home country to the wine business, down worldwide, to construction techniques that
he used. Had the place and him to ourselves until right at the end a young couple came in, a good sign for sure. We had a tearful hug on leaving,
having also discussed that there well may not be another visit for the three of us. Senior citizens do that a lot I’ve noticed. $500 per tasting, we
split one but be prepared, Aime will grill you on mouth-feel, residual flavors and aromas, etc. You will get gently corrected if you get it wrong.
Back for a nap and hot tub soak, then off to a new restaurant in Las Nubes winery, Enverno en el Valle. Grilled veggies with hummus and fresh bread,
soup, grilled fish (jurel I think), 6 copas of wine for $110. Couldn’t get close to that for twice the price at home. The valle is getting more
costly, but still way under what similar dining is NOB. Dining is al fresco with a propane heater near each of the dozen or so tables and fluffy
throws handed out if needed. Close attention paid to the entire production, the Venn diagram of laid back vs. refined has a small common area, but
these guys are right in the middle of it.
Day 3
Desayuno at Entrevalle next to Xecue winery, a great place to start the day with their rose. On to Torres Alegre y Familia winery that really
impressed us 2 years ago on our first visit but seemed a bit off this year. High point was when a 11 year old boy met us at the door, announced in
very broken English that he was on his first day as trainee and commenced to read from hand cards the history of the winemaker. Too much.
Ended the afternoon at Emeve, a favorite of ours as we have watched them grow from a small hut to a very nice facility, always making you feel
welcome. We talked for a long time with the younger sister of the woman that first served us years ago. A yellow old restored VW Beetle sits in
front and is their logo. There wines have always been good, no fall-off no matter what year of varietal/blend you try.
Last tasting at Bruma, first stop on the road to LA Cetto, made reservations so we could have the tour, amazing design where the ceiling of the barrel
storage room is the bottom of a large pond in order to control the temp and humidity. The design of the buildings and grounds lends itself to
strolling, be mindful of the non-railing cliffs, they are everywhere. Bruma has added a marketplace accessible for walk-ins, the bakery there is
outstanding.
General Notes.
Tasting fees vary from $200-700np depending on number of pours and perceived quality, i.e. “joven” or “reserve”. Minimum is 3 pours, max is 6,
most are 4. The pours, by the way, are not calibrated and tend to be 4 to 5 ounces and not 2 as is common NOB. As far as I can tell, these are not
waived if buying a bottle as is common NOB. Nearly all wineries offer food of some sort, simple cheese plates to more elaborate layouts. Easy to nosh
your way thru the day without actually stopping at a café. Even the very small operations will have a cold case stocked with local meats, cheeses,
olives and the like. The larger ones will have an attached kitchen with full menus.
We have learned that 2 or 3 visits per day, not counting dinner, is way more pleasant than trying to hit all the hot and new spots, just can’t do it
justice and you’re always in a rush. Spend 2 hours exploring and talking to the servers at each winery, we have learned a lot by just having a
conversation with the young people that are working there.
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1717
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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This is an excellent, detailed report. For those of us who have never been to the Valley (raises hand), it's a must-save.
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surfhat
Senior Nomad
Posts: 551
Registered: 6-4-2012
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Long but not long enough Santiago. Muchisimas sp? gracious. Keep them coming. Where to go next time?
I hope to not be diverted from the Valle when heading north next late Feb 2025 from a winter storm like the past two years in a row. It would have
been a muddy mess in the Valle for days and days. The weather gods were having their say. Water is good. The Valle needs it. Within reason.
Being able to access world class cuisine and vino at the end of a Baja visit is always appreciated and on my list.
Thanks Santiago.
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3514
Registered: 8-27-2003
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I may have erred on the auto rental situation at SAN: I THINK Avis and Budget will rent to Mex if you have a corporate account. Haven't confirmed
that yet.
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surfhat
Senior Nomad
Posts: 551
Registered: 6-4-2012
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My couple of overnight stays in the Valle at the Hotel Boutique with its Fiero restaurant on site were outstanding. They used to have a midweek
overnight special that included a room, dinner on the veranda with a bottle of vino and breakfast the next morning before checkout.
If only that special was still happening, I would go back in an instant.
The seven course dinner makes me salivate just thinking of it.
Thanks Santiago. I need to try a few other places next time and you are helping with your Valle reviews.
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