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Have you ever wondered about wine tasting in the Guadalupe Valley? If you haven't been yet then now is your chance! This wine region is just south of the border, less than two hours from downtown San Diego, yet finding Mexican wine in a local restaurant is not that common. The Valle, as the locals call it, is responsible for about 90% of Mexico's total wine production, so is quite important. By some counts there are more than 150 wineries, many of which are Mexican-owned. The primary grapes in Guadalupe are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel, although in my experience there are quite a few Italian varietals like Nebbiolo and Tempranillo as well. In addition to a robust wine industry, the Valle de Guadalupe has a thriving food scene with over 20 restaurants having received a Michelin nod last year when Michelin started giving stars in Mexico last year.

I have been visiting the Valle for more than 25 years, and organizing wine tours there for over 10 years. It is a labor of love and I don't make any money on the deal, so I am able to have extremely competitive pricing; you won't find a better deal for a guided tour. While we won't be visiting any of the Michelin starred restaurants this year (we have in the past, including Deckman's and Malva), I have planned some excellent wine and food pairings for us.

First of all, the bus ride. We will all meet at the Park-n-Ride at Sweetwater Road in National City (off the 805) bright and early. This Park-n-Ride is about 10 minutes from the border, so once on board we will proceed directly there. As soon as we cross the border I will serve a light breakfast along with mimosas, and we will reach the first winery around 11am. Our first stop is Vinos LT. Juan Carlos, the owner, is a famous paella chef and wins awards in competitions in Baja with his creations. We will taste various wines from his collection as well as local craft beers while we enjoy the paella. Next we will go to Montefiori for some traditional Italian wines. I've been going to Montefiori for over 15 years and have seen it grow up from a teeny tasting patio on the roof of the winery to a gorgeous tasting room with expansive views across the Valle. Paolo Paoloni, the charismatic winemaker, will lead us through a tasting of four different wines accompanied by fresh Baja ceviche and chips. After Montefiori, we will move on to our third stop at Magoni. Here my favorite server Mar will lead us through a four wine tasting accompanied by artisan charcuterie boards under the incredible live oak tree that grows on the property. It's an idyllic setting and we may be lucky enough to have live music while we are there. After Magoni we will continue to our fourth and final stop at Cava Maciel. You may remember the winemaker Jorge Maciel from an SDWG tasting last year that was very well received. Now you have a chance to visit him at the winery where we will get to taste his full line up accompanied by some specialties of his chef. Jorge's winery is located on a hillside with views to the west and the sunsets there are gorgeous. By 7pm we will all re-board the bus for the drive back across the border and to the Park-n-Ride.

The bus is a luxury coach with a bathroom on-board, and in addition to breakfast I provide snacks, beer, and water. I just ask that you bring your own reusable cups as I will not have any disposable cups on-board. The bus company I use specializes in cross-border travel and its drivers are experts at the crossing. About one week prior to the trip, I will email detailed instructions to fill out your Mexican tourist card to be presented at the border crossing. You just need to have a valid passport (or passport card) to enter Mexico. (Note your passport only needs to be valid for the duration of travel; there is no six month requirement for entering Mexico.)

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and I hope to see you on the trip!

When: Saturday April 26th

Cost: $245 per person (all taxes and gratuities are included)

I hope to see you there!