Did you know Baja California has a wine growing region that’s easily accessible for day trips from San Diego? I didn’t know anything about Mexico’s prestigious wine region until taking my WSET Level 2 certification last summer. Valle de Guadalupe produces over 70% of Mexico’s wines!
So, once I found out I passed WSET level 2 with distinction, I thought it’d be fun to take a little wine trip to celebrate and learn even more. Last September during my annual trip to Twitchcon, my mom and I took a fun day trip to Valle de Guadalupe which was surprisingly easy from San Diego. We hired a private driver through a wine tour company and it was the perfect way to have a carefree adventure with a designated driver who knows the area well.
Day Tripping to Valle de Guadalupe
Getting to Tijuana
We took the San Diego trolley to San Ysidro, the last stop on the line at the United States and Mexico border. Once disembarking the train, follow the path to the gate to Mexico. A brief entry questionnaire and passport check at immigration grants you entry as an American into Mexico. This was my second time doing the pedestrian Tijuana crossing. In the early morning the process was really quick and easy. We left our hotel in Chula Vista at around 7:30am and got into Tijuana around 8:15am.
Getting to Valle de Guadalupe
We booked with Red Wine Tours in Baja and opted for a Private Wine Tour for 2 people. We prepaid a $50 USD deposit online and then an additional $200 USD cash to our driver at the end of the trip. Communication with the company was easy via Whatsapp and our driver picked us up at Farmacias ROMA which is directly at the end of the pedestrian crossing via Rampa Xicoténcatl into Tijuana. So easy!
My Spanish speaking skills are very minimal, but we used Google translate dictation to easily translate any questions back and forth to our driver when needed. Our driver Sebastian was fantastic!
The drive to Valle de Guadalupe is about 90 minutes south, and we went along the coast, passing Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo. Driving is necessary to get to this region, since it’s fairly remote and not easily accessible by public transit. The flexibility of a private tour can’t be beat, because you can choose your pickup time and when you’re ready to head back.
Valle de Guadalupe Wineries
We let our driver select the wineries of the day, but he asked us if we had any preferences. The three wineries we visited were Decantos Vinicola, Viña de Frannes, and Xolo Vino. We did a series of wine tastings and even a few wines by the glass. iPad menus and QR code menus were available at most wineries. And at every winery we had bilingual hosts as well. We tasted French, Spanish, and Italian grape varieties across these wineries as well, including carbonic reds, crisp rosés, and fresh whites, so there’s a nice selection of wines for all sorts of palates.
VDG is a warm Mediterranean climate, but benefits from strong maritime influence sweeping up the valley from Ensenada, Mexico. The grapes benefit from cooling ocean breezes and morning fog, much like Napa Valley.
All three wineries offered bites as well, so no need to stop for a separate lunch break. We feasted on charcuterie and fresh local tuna crudo, seafood locally caught in Esenada.
Is Valle de Guadalupe safe?
In my brief experience, yes! VDG is an area busy with tourists, but not as crowded as you might see in Napa Valley. Safety is always super important when I travel, and ironically enough I always feel less safe at home in San Francisco.
How much wine can Americans bring back into the states?
Sadly, the limit is 1 liter per person. Standard wine bottles are 750ml. So choose your purchases wisely! I got scolded for bringing back too many bottles. I now know for next time…
In conclusion, Valle de Guadalupe is an amazing day trip from San Diego for the adventurous traveler. It will be a long day, but with the right private tour company it can be incredibly fun and worry-free trip to Mexican wine country. And the dollar value is incredible compared to wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma, my usual stomping grounds. I am already planning my next visit to VDG after my next San Diego trip this fall!
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