sargentodiaz
Nomad
Posts: 259
Registered: 2-20-2013
Location: Las Vegas, NV
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Wine From Baja California?
Huh? Wine of the barren Sonora Desert of Baja? That makes no sense at all.
Except, being a student of Mexican history, I know the Jesuits and other Catholic missionaries brought grapes from Europe to use in their religious
rites. It appears their small mission vineyards have grown somewhat.
Learn more about the Valle de Guadalupe @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valle_de_Guadalupe
But, back to the story.
Winemakers in the Valle de Guadalupe region of Baja California are betting on an innovative solution to their water shortage problem.
An Israeli company, Odis Asversa, will build an aqueduct between Tijuana and the well-known wine region to carry recycled wastewater to the area’s
vineyards.
Although the company won a state government tendering process to complete the project — the first of its kind in Mexico — the winemakers will foot
the US $1.5-billion bill.
An Israeli company? In Mexico?
Why not? They practically survive on such stuff in Israel. They’re also leaders in turning sea water to fresh.
Anyhow, more of this story @ https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/aqueduct-will-carry-recycle...
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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An Israeli company built the Ensenada DeSal plant. Supposed to be up and running in April, still waiting........Can't get a straight answer as to what
the problem is
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
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Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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Wasn't just the Spanish that brought the grapes; during the numerous revolutions so did the French advisors, as well as the German ones bringing their
hops.
 Bless Mexico for good libations all around. 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64864
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hi Dale.
I miss your posts on Historum.
Nice that you are still writing stories about the colonization of California.
I have sent messages to you on your Facebook page...
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Rainer
Junior Nomad
Posts: 65
Registered: 1-16-2007
Location: Las Cruces, NM
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Mood: Missing Baja
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LOVE Valle de Guadalupe
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy  | An Israeli company built the Ensenada DeSal plant. Supposed to be up and running in April, still waiting........Can't get a straight answer as to what
the problem is
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it is up and doing just fine I love the water, why are you posting this on a wine thread?
the water is 150 ppm tds pretty nice
[Edited on 10-23-2018 by Bruce R Leech]
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Martyman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1904
Registered: 9-10-2004
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Dry farming grapes(no watering) does work. Vines need to be established with irrigation (chitewater works) and then weaned off. Supposedly, this will
lead to wines that will be richer in flavors.
I've got a nice Napa Cab going now at Don Gus's. Love wine!
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vandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 10-10-2003
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I was just down in Valle de Guadalupe doing my annual olive and olive oil run.
A long drive from Phoenix to find that the olive harvest failed in the area.
The grape vines were looking brown and unhealthy, and I was told that the grape harvest failed too.
Maybe more irrigation is a good idea...
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Don Jorge
Senior Nomad
Posts: 648
Registered: 8-29-2003
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| Quote: Originally posted by vandy | I was just down in Valle de Guadalupe doing my annual olive and olive oil run.
A long drive from Phoenix to find that the olive harvest failed in the area.
The grape vines were looking brown and unhealthy, and I was told that the grape harvest failed too.
Maybe more irrigation is a good idea... |
I recently have been spending a lot of time in the Valley. I have a bit of history in that area going back 35 years. In the early to mid 1990's just
about every well in the Valley that was not located in the main arroyo failed.
In the early 1990's the well water became too alkaline for most plants and by 1995 many of the wells away from the arroyo went dry. This was before
the wine grape planting craze went into overdrive and before the federal government began registering and permitting wells and well developments.
By the time well regulations were in place in the early 2000's, hundreds of both hand dug and machine bored wells had been added to the aquifer. There
were decent rains in the late 1990's and the aquifer recovered.
The photo posted earlier is looking west across the Valley over Cetto's fields.
Cetto has lots of water, as their production wells are on top of the main aquifer in the arroyo. The City of Ensenada has a battery of wells there
also and pipes water from the Valley all the way to Ensenada.
Most of the vineyards in the Valley which are not located near the main
arroyo had terrible yields this year due to alkaline and failing water supplies. Many vineyards are supplementing their meager well water supplies
with purchased water brought in with water trucks.
We have seen several new vineyards being developed now with trucked in water being their primary irrigation supply source. Crazy yes, but that is what
bubbles are, crazy.
If it does not rain copiously this winter the Valley is on course for a serious problem. Let's hope it does rain. Hope is what all farmers have in
common.
Enough water to properly care for a vineyard is not that common though in the Valle de Guadalupe. This is manifested by the pitiful look of the
vineyards planted in the last ten years away from the arroyo. Hope it rains cats a dogs this winter. We need it.
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"All models are wrong, but some are useful." George E.P. Box
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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