“Valle de Guadalupe moves toward its promise as Baja's 'Napa'.
The sacramento bee, 9 de junio de 2013. Por Mike Dunne.

Almost inevitably, travel and wine writers smitten with Valle de Guadalupe in the northern reaches of Mexico's Baja peninsula call it "the next Napa Valley."

Maybe in 50 years, I thought after spending several days there four years ago.

After returning this spring, however, I need to revise my prediction. Now, Valle de Guadalupe may be just 20 years from qualifying for fitting comparisons with Napa Valley for its wines and the amenities it offers wine tourists.

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“I Feel Safe in This City” said U.S. Consul General at the Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride.
Baja Times, 16 de mayo de 2013. Por Editor.

Nearly 7,000 cyclists joined the 34th edition of the Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride. According to Ana Maria Castro, manager of the Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride, the number of American tourists to the ride increased about 25% compared to last year.

This year, Andrew Erickson, U.S. Consul General in Tijuana, was the guest of honor at the event. “I feel safe in this city, and to me, is something historical to see so many people participating in this event. I am very happy to see all these people feeling safe too; you can see the joy in their faces. I am very happy to see so many Americans, I was told that the participants from the U.S. increased 25% this year. These kind of events generate trust in tourists, and boosts the local economy. I know there were some problems in the past, but I think Rosarito now is very safe.” Said Erickson.

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San Diego Mayor Building Economic Bridges to Tijuana.
The New York Times, 15 de mayo de 2013. Por Jennifer Medina.

SAN DIEGO — Opening a satellite city office in a far-flung neighborhood is not unusual in sprawling cities like this one. But one thing sets apart Mayor Bob Filner’s newest outpost: it is in another country.

When he opened San Diego’s Tijuana office this year, Mr. Filner spoke in grand terms about the future of cross-border relations. “Dos ciudades, pero una region — we are two cities, but one region,” he said, using the phrase popular among those who want more collaboration in the area. San Diego would put in a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, he said, but only to host jointly with Tijuana.

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Escape to Baja.
Spa Expectations.com, 2 de mayo de 2013. Por Tammy Kincaid.

If you are looking for a safe, fun, and inexpensive getaway this summer then look no further than Rosarito Beach.  Rosarito Beach is a coastal resort city in the Mexican state of Baja California located approximately 30 miles south of San Diego. There are several accommodation choices for your visit. Probably the most famous and popular is the Rosarito Beach Hotel. The resort has been welcoming guests since 1925. The hotel is rich in history since it first opened. Many famous guests have stayed here over the years, including Marilyn Monroe, Orson Wells, and Gregory Peck to name just a few. Since that time the resort has grown to 500 rooms and offers their guests a multitude of activities, dining, entertainment and my favorite, their spa.

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Vino Banditos.
Pacific San Diego, 30 de abril de 2013. Por Kyle Hall.

Whether for a night on Calle Sexta in TJ, tequila shots at Papas & Beer in Rosarito or wet T-shirt contests in Cabo, Baja has been seen as a drinking destination for decades.

Over the past few years, however, a region for more cultured imbibing has been rising to prominence — Valle de Guadalupe, home to more than 50 well-respected boutique wineries. Located 70 miles south of the border, this burgeoning mecca is the perfect destination, but seeing as how the journey is supposedly more important, planning the best way to get there is vital.

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South of the Border Wine Country.
Traveling boy, 24 de abril de 2013. Por John Blanchette.

It was 2 a.m. my last night in Baja. Standing on the veranda of my hotel room on Rosarito Beach, the full moon illuminated the slate gray ocean and a phosphorescent white glow in the foaming waves as they ebbed and receded from the shore.

Millions of years ago these salt waters covered the peninsula, layering in shell that would become limestone. When the tectonic plates rose and forced the waters back they cracked the granite that lined the earth's crust into boulders, which later mixed with the illuvial soils of clay, sand, and other minerals to form the land that would so influence the vineyards.

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Viva Tijuana!
Modern Luxury San Diego, 23 de abril de 2013. Por Derrik Chin.

he corner of Miguel Aleman and Agua Caliente, on the western edge of Colonia Gabilondo, is all the proof needed that Tijuana is en fuego, thanks in part to the new La Caza Club. The ruggedly sleek supper den boasts taxidermy stags, lampshade chandeliers and real-deal local art. “We’re detonating the area,” says co-owner Omar Monroy, who is opening El Escoto, a Scottish-themed whiskey bar, just across the street. “It will be minimal, classy and cool.”

On any given night, Caza Club is teeming with dolled-up sophisticates slinking into the black leather booths or drinking mango martinis at the custom-carved white cocktail bar. From the kitchen, chef Humberto Aviles, a Culinary Art School darling, doles out an all-local, all-organic menu that includes grilled octopus so tender, it sells out nightly. “I go through 200 pounds a week,” says Aviles. No need to wander far for after-dinner plans. Upstairs at the cozy-cool Cafe Sabina, spoonfuls of Nutella accompany espresso brewed from veracruzano beans amid a colorful collage of rescued wood.

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Baja California's new convention center set to open.
Union Tribune San Diego, 20 de abril de 2013. Por Sandra Dibble.

Baja California’s new convention center rises at northern end of this beachside community, an oblong building with a wavy roof that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and a coastal toll road — but not much else.

Still, tourism promoters count on drawing visitors here from all corners of Mexico, luring them with regional attractions that include an internationally known Baja Med restaurant scene, a growing arts community, numerous domestic airport connections and proximity to shopping and tourism opportunities across the border in San Diego.

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Radio Personality/Renowned Chef Les Kincaid Brings Wines du Jour to Rosarito.
Baja.com, 2 de abril de 2013. Por Jack E. George.

World-renowned Chef Les Kincaid brought a new dimension to the Casa Blanca Restaurant at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, when a full-house attended for an evening offering Baja’s best food and wine and a discussion of Baja’s gastronomy. It began just when the clock reached 6:56 p.m., the speakers blaired “4-3-2-1 Test, 3-2-1- Test.” Kincaid prepared to broadcast his international radio show.

Many of us had arrived at 6 p.m. We were fortunate we did, as we then had the opportunity to be entertained by singer Maryam Malak. Standing on a small stage, dressed in an elegant gown, there is no doubt she is one of the sensational singers in Baja. Her rich voice was flawless as she performed a variety of songs. She sang again after the radio program concluded, including a beautiful rendition of Time to Say Good-bye. The song, made popular by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, was as good as it gets.

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Confidence Rises in Baja California.
TravelAge West, 1 de abril de 2013. Por Mark Rogers.

When Tijuana entered a dark period of drug cartel violence in 2007-2009, tourism to Baja California suffered. It didn’t help that, at the same time, the U.S. was in an economic downturn and enhanced security at the border crossing into the U.S. was creating longer wait times. In 2010, tourism began to improve through a series of tourism initiatives and the fact that much of the cartel violence moved to other parts of Mexico.

Tourism statistics from 2012 show that 28.7 million Americans visited Baja that year, and statewide hotel occupancy increased by five percent. There are other encouraging figures being revealed. Last December, Baja California's Office of the Secretary of Tourism partnered with U.S.-based DAPA Research firm and the Mexican think tank El Colegio de la Frontera Norte to conduct a perception survey among 600 Southern Californians and found a 95 percent confidence level among potential visitors to Baja California.

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The New Convention Center in Rosarito will be a Great Addition to the Area.
Baja Times, 1 de abril de 2013. Por Jack E. George.

If you have been driving down the ‘toll road’ you have undoubtedly seen the huge, new building being constructed. The name is not anywhere to be seen, but, it is the Baja California Center. This is the new convention center which promises to pump millions of pesos into our area economy, starting in April, as well as bring a variety of interesting venues to the Rosarito area.

Although there is still work to be done to complete the structure local residents will be amazed to learn that our new center will offer 100,000 square feet. This is just in the exhibition area. There is also a 2200 square feet lobby along with 17 meeting rooms ranging in sizes to provide for a small or medium sized conference. These rooms add another 20,000 square feet to the center.

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Wine, Dine, and More in Baja Mexico’s Wine Region.
Womens Toolbox, 26 de marzo de 2013. Por Patti Morrow.

Move over Napa! The heart of Mexico’s wine district – the Valle de Guadalupe in Baja, Mexico – is demanding critics’ attention.

Off the beaten path, but rapidly gaining respect is Adobe Guadalupe – a vineyard, winery, stables, and sprawling hacienda open to tourists. Founded by American Don Miller and his Dutch-born wife, Tru, Adobe Guadalupe is a great place to escape the frenetic pace of life.

Don, a former international banker has always been passionate about wines. His dream was to retire from banking and make wines. From their current home in Laguna, California, this would be impossible.

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Explore Valle de Guadalupe wine country.
Sunset.com, 25 de marzo de 2013. Por Claire Martin.

In this Mexico, there’s an easy blend of traditional and new, refined culture—and it’s all shaped by nature. The long growing season allows for a vast array of produce and wine grapes with exciting, complex flavors. All around the valley, people are utilizing the bounty to create special flavors: Farmers raise lambs that go into both fine cuisine and roadside tacos; cowherds graze their animals with precision to please French-style organic cheese­makers; stalks of Swiss chard, naturally salty from soil that used to lie at the bottom of the sea, flavor a dessert. The wines, too, carry a river of sea salt, captivating when not overblown. As in all fast-emerging wine regions, the wines here still span a palate-challenging range of quality.

Wine grapes were originally planted in the valley by Jesuit priests in the 18th century. The first visitor boom began in 2006, when the ribbon of road between Ensenada and Tecate was paved. Production is so small, and Mexico’s wine tax so high, that very few wines are exported—the only way to taste them is to visit. Tourism took off, and with San Diego only 1 1/2 hours away (it took us less than 4 hours from Los Angeles), wine-curious Americans led the way, making up about 75 percent of the visitors.

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Les Kincaid’s Wines du Jour Live Radio Broadcast Showcases Baja’s Gastronomy.
baja.com, 1 de marzo de 2013. Por Carla White.

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Spring Break in Baja : from Fiestas to Shopping.
Sandiegored.com, 22 de Febrero de 2013. Por Meghan Fitzpatrick.

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Wine Tasting the Baja Way:The Great Baja Grape Adventure.
Baja.com, 2 de Enero de 2013. Por Carla White.

The chilly December wind carried a hint of smoky piñon wood with it, a smell evocative of the Christmas holidays throughout much of Mexico.  My girlfriends and I stepped out of our car, parking in front of the famous brick arches that feature prominently on Barón Balché’s wine bottle labels.  We had traversed the Valle de Guadalupe, Baja’s famous wine country just outside of Ensenada, to get to this iconic winery.  As much as we would have loved to spend our afternoon sipping on the vinicola’s renowned Double Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc), we were here for another reason:  Our objective was to find out more about The Baja Grape Adventure, a fun activity that caters to wine lovers and to those who are seeking a safe, guided off-road adventure through the region’s fascinating wine country.

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