You don’t have to be passionate about wine to enjoy a good glass, and this happens in one of the best destinations in our country, Baja California. I traveled to Baja California to experience the 2024 Harvest Festivals at five incredible vineyards that offer activities and labels of excellent quality.
Walking through the vineyards and enjoying a wine surrounded by grapes such as Tempranillo, Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, Merlot is a rare experience in your life, however, when it is possible, it is worth being in the moment to learn from the experts and enjoy an excellent glass.
What does the grape harvest mean?
The word grape harvest comes from the Latin vindemia, which is divided into the words vinea, which means vine, and demere, which means to remove, pluck, take or withdraw; this means that the grape harvest is the action of taking the grapes from the bush and is done when the fruit is already ripe. Later, the fruit goes through a transformation process to finally become wine.
The grape harvest in our country takes place between July and October, giving way to the great celebration parties for the good harvests made by the wineries, in which tastings, grape stomping, guided tours of the vineyards and wineries, among other activities to celebrate the good harvest, are mainly held.
5 vineyards to enjoy the best wines in Baja California
El Cielo Valle de Guadalupe
The Cielo Valle de Guadalupe winery, with 10 years of existence in Valle de Guadalupe in Ensenada, Baja California; the most important wine region in Mexico, offers this year the celebration of the 2024 Harvest Festivals, with a series of spectacular events. From tastings and master classes, pairing dinners, to the possibility of harvesting, stomping grapes or taking tours of the vineyard and the winery.
Among the winery’s activities is El Cielo de Noche, an experience where you can enjoy a nighttime wagon ride through the vineyards, observing the starry sky with telescopes, a delicious barbecue dinner and a pairing with the exquisite wines from the Constelaciones line.
During the 2024 Harvest Festival there are various activities and workshops, such as traditional tastings, dinners and tours to celebrate the land.
Another option is A day of harvesting in El Cielo, where you can immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the harvest, get up close to Harris’s hawks, birds in charge of animal control in the vineyard.
The harvest experiences began on August 1 and will end on September 30, lasting three hours where visitors are invited to experience the harvest, grape stomping and a visit to the tank and barrel room in the underground cellar. The experience culminates with a wine tasting accompanied by a cheese board and cold cuts.
Where: Guadalupe – El Tigre Highway Parcela 118, Km. 7.5 Valle de Guadalupe Valle de Guadalupe, 22755 Ensenada, B.C.
How much: It will depend on the activity you want to do
Encino de Piedra
Recognized and awarded restaurants by the Michelin Guide Mexico offer their diners the great wines of Encino de Piedra, a winery located in the Magical Town of Tecate, Baja California.
Encino de Piedra, located inside the Tecate Ranch, is an oenological project that honors this vocation through the labels created by the oenologist Andrés Blanco who affirms that the wines do not need justification, it is simply necessary to understand the plant and know how to listen to it to obtain wines of the quality of Encino de Piedra.
The wines from this winery are unique for being in Tecate, a place that, being far from the coast, is less influenced by the sea breeze and more by the snow that covers La Rumorosa during the winter.
If you visit this vineyard, you cannot leave without trying a glass of Merlot Gran Reserva, Sauvignon Blanc or a Nebbiolo Rosé, the ideal companion for your sunny days.
Where: Km 10 Tecate-Ensenada Highway, Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, C.P. 21530, 21536 Tecate, B.C.
Instagram: @encinodepiedra.vinicola
The 2024 edition of the Fiestas de la Vendimia that will take place for 19 days in Ensenada, Baja California / Photo: Shutterstock
Corona del Valle
This winery is considered one of the best wine tourism projects in the Guadalupe Valley, with great winemaking processes that result in high-end wines.
For its ninth anniversary, they launched a sparkling wine using the traditional method as well as a 5-course pairing dinner by chefs Benito Molina, Solange Muris and Alex Méndez.
Corona del Valle offers high-quality Mexican wines such as tempranillo-nebbiolo, malbec, sauvignon Blanc, a pressed Grenache rosé and many more.
This site offers a great atmosphere for tourists, with its wagon tour of its 17 hectares of vineyard that allows them an annual production of 120 thousand bottles.
The experience is complete when you visit their gastronomic proposal with seafood and fresh fish prepared to perfection.
Where: Tecate-Ensenada Highway KM 89 100, 22760 Valle de Guadalupe (Baja California)
Instagram: @coronadelvalle
Casa Veramendi
This project is the creation of two women, mother and daughter, lovers of good wines. Casa Veramendi began in 1985 at Rancho La Ciénega, located in the San Valentín Valley in Tecate, Baja California, planting table grapes. In 2010, the vineyard was born where the Vitis-Vinífera grape was planted.
By 2013 they achieved the first vintage of young red and white wines, totaling 1,800 bottles. Currently they have a production plant, we incorporate French and American oak barrels with the purpose of creating quality wines.
They are currently part of the Association of Winegrowers of the Northern Gate with the intention of professionalizing and promoting wine tourism in Tecate, Baja California.
Where: Carretera Libre Mexicali – Tijuana Km 117.5, Tecate, Baja California.
Instagram: @cveramendi
Source: es-us.vida-estilo.yahoo
