The wine trail of Baja California is one of Mexico’s most exquisite experiences. Natural beauty, good wine and food, and relaxed ambiance imbibe each winery with a feeling of being among friends. Several private companies will arrange tours to both boutique and big-name wineries, so you can soak up the sun and vino of Baja. Here are a few of our favorite spots along the Ruta de Vino.
Las Nubes
Las Nubes
A relatively new vineyard near the tiny town of El Provenir ouside of Ensenada, Las Nubes has 12 meticulously cultivated hectares of various grape varieties. Their stone and red-roofed tasting room and production facilities blend with the natural mountainous backdrop, creating a picture-perfect postcard of the area’s wine trail. Several companies offer balloon rides over their gorgeous property for an even better view.
Callejón Emiliano Zapata, Ejido el Porvenir, Valle de Guadalup, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 156 8037
Lechuza
Winery
Lechuza
Owned and operated by the Magnussen family, the Lechuza vineyard is a boutique operation with beautiful yet simple grounds – an outdoor tasting patio, a few tables under the roof of their processing room and the family home. They create stunning and romantic events right in the middle of their grape vines and with the mountain views all around, you can’t ask much more from a tasting experience.
Carretera Tecate-Ensenda Valle de Guadalupe KmM 82.5, San Jorge, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 947 6315
Monte Xanic winery
Winery
Casta de Vinos
Winery
Casta de Vinos
A big, circular tasting room sits in the middle of the desert, with rocking chairs swaying on its beautiful porch. A local weekend hangout with a full menu and live bands, Casta de Vinos was the oenological dream of Sergio Castañeda and Claudia Horta from Tijuana, who built their production facilities with lots of room for the winery to grow. The landscape is desolate and sweeping, but the dining room is inviting and warm and the wine is fantastic.
Región Porvenir, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 664 648 3161
Santo Tomás Entre Santos
Santo Tomás Entre Santos
Grandiose is one of the only way to describe the Santo Tomás Entre Santos (meaning “among the saints”) tasting room. The massive bottle-lined back wall has a tasting counter with experts on hand to explain numerous Santo Tomás varietals. Out in the fresh air is a dining patio and an outdoor concert space, all surrounded by the oldest commercial winery in the Valle de Guadalupe.
Carretera Ensenada – Tecate Km. 94, San Antonio de las Minas, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 155 3137
Cuarto Cuartos
Boutique Hotel, Eco-Lodge, Winery with Rooms
Adobe Guadalupe
Bed and Breakfast
Adobe Guadalupe
The Adobe Guadalupe vineyard is designed as a traditional Mexican hacienda in the midst of the Valle de Guadalupe. Sprawling spaces, row upon row of grape vines and traditional Mexican hospitality are all part of the vineyard’s charm. You can see the ground by horseback arranged through their Azteca Breeding and Training Centre, enjoy a meal in their restaurant and even stay the night in their six-room bed and breakfast right on the property.
Viña de Frannes
Viña de Frannes
Founded in 1985, Viña de Frannes has 25 hectares and six varieties of grapes surrounding their Mies Van Der Rohe-style wood and glass facilities. The vineyard was founded by world renowned winemaker Ernesto Álvarez Morphy Camou with the assistance of French enologist Michel Rolland. You can enjoy the beauty of their natural setting from the patio or dining room at the vineyard’s Restaurante Campestre, offering regional ingredients and dishes.
Camino Vecinal al rancho Cañada del trigo s/n Valle de Guadalupe, San Jorge, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 155 2433
VIñas de Frannes winery │© Viñas de Frannes
Vena Cava
Bed and Breakfast
Vena Cava
Winemaker Phil Gregory, his wife Eileen, architect Alejandro D’Acosta and chef Diego Hernández have all had a hand in creating the ultra-hip and delicious experience you will find at Vena Cava. The spaces are ethereal yet grounded in the natural environment that surround them. You can hop from their open air tasting area, to the dining room overlooking the organic garden, to the view of the vineyards from the property’s bed and breakfast rooms.
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 156 8053
Finca La Carrodilla
Finca La Carrodilla
More than simply a vineyard, the Finca La Carrodilla is a biodynamic farm committed to organic and sustainable wine production. Enjoy fresh and seasonal produce surrounded by their sprawling organic garden and mingle with the various animals that roam the property. Enologist Gustavo González, along with the Pérez Castro family (owners of La Lomita vineyard), offer four monovarietals, one red wine blend and a Bordeaux blend for your tasting pleasure.
Parcela 99 Z1 P14, Ejido El Porvenir, 22755 Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 156 8052
Viñas de Garza
Viñas de Garza
The Viñas de Garza ranch almost entirely blends into the fields surrounding it, with high trees and bugambilia bushes shading it from the intense desert sun. Started by Amado and Ana Garza in 2003, the vineyard is boutique, with only about nine hectares currently in production. But quality counts more than quantity and they have plenty of that. They offer a basic tasting out on their patio for folks who come without a reservation and another, more elaborate tasting if you reserve in advance.
Valley de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico +52 01 646 175 8883
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.