Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Adobe Guadalupe's El Jardin por Ryan Steyn Reopens March 5


The winter weather in the Valle tends to be so good that it's hard tell when spring has sprung.  One sign that it is getting close to Easter (other than the fact the Valle's goats start getting little frisky) is that the seasonal campestres start to open.

It looks like Chef Ryan Steyn will be getting an early start this season.  

According to Facebook, he'll be back preparing his delicious food on the grounds of the Adobe Guadalupe Winery on March 5.


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Monday, February 23, 2015

Restaurant Report: Insert Food - Laja


Insert Food - Great name or greatest name for a dining blog?  These bloggers are not only clever but have great taste in restaurants.  Here's their report:


   



Trip Report: Travel the World


Katherine Belarmino escapes to Ensenada and the Valle.


Event Alert: History of Carnitas - April 10th



I kinda kept this one in my back pocket until I bought tickets.  

C'mon now.  A whole pig carnitas cookout with Doña Esthela and Javier Plascencia.  I certainly didn't want to miss this party.


Sunday, February 22, 2015

Uno Año


Just wanted to take a minute to mark the end of the first year of publishing this blog.  

It appears that I published nearly 500 posts and thanks to the work of a relentless group of Ukrainian hackers the blog was viewed about 30,000 times.  (Little known fact - Ukrainian hackers love tempranillo/garanacha blends.)

Looking forward to sharing another year's worth of Valle de Guadalupe's news and info.

Cheers! 

Progress Report: Rondo del Valle

About a year and a half ago Albert, the proprietor of the winery Rondo del Valle, gave us a tour of the winery he was constructing under a hill on his property.

It was spectacular. Built with all concrete and glass it looked like the lair of a villain in a James Bond movie.

During the course of the tour Albert told us of his plans for completing the winery. The plan included a building that he was going to construct above ground that would house a tasting room etc. I remember thinking that his plans were equally as ambitious as the below deck portion of his winery.

Jumping to the present, construction of this project is well on its way.

Here's a picture of the model of the building.


And, here's a picture of the construction posted on Facebook on 2/18




Friday, February 20, 2015

Lodging: Glamping - Ruta de Arte y Vino



For those visiting the Valle on a budget and/or looking for unique lodging,  Glamping - Ruta de Arte y Vino just might fit the bill.  They offer nightly rentals in Airstream trailers. 





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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Roganto Vinicola

Valle de Guadalupe is the home to well over 60 wineries.  And while I enjoy visiting the Valle's very small boutique operations, some of the best wines and tasting experiences can be found at the other end of the spectrum.  Places like LA Cetto, Monte Xanic, and El Cielo are producing fantastic wines and have beautiful spaces to enjoy them.

Roganto's plans for their new winery certainly places it in the upper echelon of the Valle's better financed operations.

Here's a 3D Rendering video of the project:





Roganto

Roganto Facebook


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Annotated List - Wineries of Valle de Guadalupe

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Winery/Restaurant Report: A Gringo in Mexico - Bodegas F. Rubio


Not much to add to this report except for the fact that the tasting room/deli is air conditioned.  Which will make it a desired location in the heat of the summer.


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Sunday, February 15, 2015

Brasa del Valle Opens in March



I posted last week that the restaurant, Santa Brasa, would reopen this spring with a new name - Brasa del Valle.  At the time I was unsure of the exact date, but it looks like they are planning start anew on March 21.


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Saturday, February 14, 2015

Restaurant Report: La Cocina de Dona Esthela (and Muelle 3)


I'm a little late posting this link.  We were on vacation when this article was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune.  It highlights two of our very favorite restaurants, Muelle 3 in Ensenada and La Cocina de Dona Esthela in Valle de Guadalupe.


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Friday, February 13, 2015

Lodging: Rancho Cien Piedras


The choices for places to stay in the Valle are somewhat limited, so it's a very good thing when I find a place that I can add to the list.



Thursday, February 12, 2015

Finca Altozano's New Bike Trail


@javierplascencia posted this picture on Instagram today with the caption:

bike trail around finca altozano coming soon! good 5 km of beautiful views around vineyard and olive trees.#fincaaltozano #baja #mexico

Looks like a great way to work off a few calories. 



Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Monday, February 9, 2015

Winery Report: SanDiegoRed.com - Clos de Tres Cantos


Architecturally Clos de Tres Cantos is one the most unique wineries in the Valle.  Designed by renowned architect Alejandro D'Acosta it is reminiscent of a medievil castle.  The very proud owners, Javier and Maria, are often at the winery and are more than happy to share their story and their plans for the future.

Here's a link to SanDiegoRed.com's report:  


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Shout Out: Mother Nature Network





No duh!

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Santa Brasa Rebrands


Santa Brasa made its debut last summer and when it reopens (possibly this month) it will have a new name - Brasas del Valle - in a redesigned space.  

More details as they become available 

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Photo Gallery - ABM Wedding Photography - Encuentro Guadalupe


Some excellent photos here:


Interview with Life & Food



Set & Drift founded by Sean and Stacey Kelley produces events in Southern California and Mexico that are described in their web site as merging the various  disciplines of art and design.

In this post on their blog they interview Kristin and Antonio Diaz de Sandi of Life & Food about the region's culinary scene.

Life & Food on Baja's Culinary Arts

Monday, February 2, 2015

Trip Report: Sam the Cooking Guy

La Cocina de Dona Esthela
Not a lot of information in this report, but I expect we will be hearing more from Sam the Cooking Guy about the virtues of Baja's culinary scene this year.

Meet Baja's New Foodie Ambassador: Sam the Cooking Guy

We spent most of January on vacation (alas, not in Valle de Guadalupe) in locales where internet access was spotty at best.  As a result, I'm way behind updating the blog.  I'll try to catch up in the next few days.