The Top Wineries In Valle De Guadalupe: Where To Go In 2020
- by Kara S.
- 9 min read
Mexico happens to be one of the world’s oldest winemaking countries. Still, it hasn’t been until the last ten years that Valle de Guadalupe’s wine has gained the attention of travelers and created a real buzz within the industry. There are over 150 vineyards producing wine and the number keeps growing. Well-known operations have historically dominated the industry, yet recently it seems that the boutique wineries are grabbing the interest of visitors. Whether you’re planning your first trip to Valle de Guadalupe or visit often, it’s always best to do your research and have a checklist of the top spots you want to go. Reservations are strongly recommended for tastings – even at places that do not necessarily require an appointment. You won’t be able to complete the checklist in one trip – but that’s great news because it just means you will have to come back. Now, it’s time to taste your way through Valle de Guadalupe using our guide “The Top Wineries In Valle De Guadalupe: Where To Visit In 2020.”
A couple of things before you dive into the list:
- Keep in mind that all vineyards and wineries are all noteworthy and listed in no particular order.
- The wine tasting costs in this article may change depending on seasonality, wine releases and dollar exchange rates. Please use it as a guide and contact the vineyards to confirm costs
- There are many more vineyards that are noteworthy and we will continue to feature more. Fo this year, this is our top list.
Top Wineries & Vineyards for 2020
- Adobe Guadalupe – Beautiful Hacienda-Style Vineyard with Premium wines
- Monte Xanic – Mexico’s first boutique winery with over 250 awards
- Vena Cava – known as “hippest” winery in Valle de Guadalupe
- Lechuza – prestigious Mexican wines, intimate tasting with owners
- Bruma – favorite eco-friendly vineyard with highly rated wines
- Hilo Negro – award-winning wines and innovative cellar design
- Relieve – recognized for their single varietals and approachable wines
- Magoni – godfather of premium winemaking in Valle de Guadalupe
- Decantos – utilizes natural law of gravity in winemaking process
- Finca la Carrodilla – first vineyard with organic certification and biodynamic agriculture
- Clos de Tres Cantos – tasting experience that brings you closer to nature
- El Cielo – grand gold medal winner at the United Nations of Fine Wines
- Rondo del Valle – modern tasting room, spacious terrace, and underground cellar
- Emeve – family owned vineyard with all estate grown grapes
- Hacienda Guadalupe – family owned and operated vineyard with exclusive service
1. Adobe Guadalupe
WHY: Beautiful Hacienda-Style Vineyard with Premium Wines from Prestigious Owner and Winemaker
A “must visit” while in Valle de Guadalupe. People may come for different reasons – harmony, love, atmosphere, upscale cuisine, animals, sunsets, and wine – yet everyone who visits agrees they feel the magic as soon as they enter the gates. Owner, Tru Miller, has created the ultimate tribute to her late son Arlo where his memory is felt around the entire property. The classic hacienda-style architecture is beautiful, the gardens are incredibly relaxing, and the wines are fittingly named after archangels. Adobe Guadalupe produces roughly 9,000 cases and Chilean winemaker, Daniel Lonnberg, is recognized for making some of the best wine in Mexico. His exquisite wine offerings include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Malbec, Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvedre.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $250 Pesos
- Premium Tastings: $300 Pesos
- Reservations required for groups of 4-20
2. Monte Xanic
WHY: Mexico’s First Boutique Winery With Over 250 Awards from International Wine Contests
No trip to Valle de Guadalupe would be complete without a visit to where it all began. Founded in 1987, Monte Xanic is one of the oldest wineries in the region and was founded by five partners to make the best wine in the country, no matter the cost. Their vision has resulted in the production of 50,000 cases a year of highly recognized wines that have won over 250 local and international wine awards. Whether you enjoy your wine out on the beautiful covered patio or take a tour of the state-of-the-art production room, your experience will be one you will not forget.
Winery Details
- Monte Xanic Experience tasting: $850 Pesos - Includes welcome drink, 4 wines, cheese board & water
- Limited Experience tasting: $1,570 Pesos - Includes 3 limited wines & Gran Ricardo, tour, cheese board & water
- Reservations required for tours
3. Vena Cava
WHY: Hip, Eco-Friendly Vineyard With Unique Architecture From Recycled Materials
As one of the most visited wineries in Valle de Guadalupe, make Vena Cava one of your first stops. The quality wine, unique architecture, and chill vibe are reasons this boutique winery has exploded in popularity and earned the title as “Valle’s Hippest Winery.” Built from recycled and reclaimed materials, the winery is truly a visual experience. Complete your tasting experience inside or outside under a canopy made from recycled irrigation hose. If wine isn’t your thing, then enjoy a local craft beer from the bar at the outdoor lounge area. The well-known food truck, TROIKA, is located on the property and serves delicious Mexican gastropub food.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $150 - $230 Pesos
- Premium Tastings: $600 Pesos with 6-person reservation
- Reservations suggested for groups 4+
4. Lechuza
WHY: Enjoy some of Mexico’s Most Prestigious Wine in an Intimate Tasting With Owners
This boutique winery is family run and strives to make all visitors feel as if they are extended family. All tastings are by appointment only and given by the Magnussen family themselves to preserve their goal of intimacy. The varietals grown at Lechuza include Tempranillo, Merlot, Nebbiolo, and Cabernet. These prestigious wines are a true expression of Valle’s ability to grow exceptional grapes and produce world-class wine. Lechuza wines are quite recognized and served in some of the finest restaurants, including French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $20 USD - Includes 5 wines
- Reservations suggested for groups 4+
5. Bruma
WHY: People’s favorite Eco-Friendly Vineyard with Highly Rated Wines
With incredible wine, stunning property, and an award-winning restaurant, it is not hard to understand why this eco-friendly winery has been an absolute favorite since it opened in 2015. The tasting room blends perfectly into the natural surroundings with a magnificent native-plant garden, an impressive 300-year-old oak tree, and architecture made from recycled materials of an old bridge in San Francisco. Bruma produces around 3,000 cases of wine a year, and their bottles can be found on the menu at prestigious places like the Wynn Las Vegas and The French Laundry. You will enjoy both the organic reds and the crisp whites during a tasting; however, the best way to sample Bruma’s noteworthy wines is to have dinner Fauna. Chef David Castro’s restaurant is located at the vineyard and was named “Mexico’s Top Restaurant 2020”. Bruma wines pair well with all menu items.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $300 - $600 Pesos (includes tour)
- Reservations recommended
6. Hilo Negro
Photos by Hilo Negro
WHY: Award-Winning Wines and Innovative Cellar Design
At the foot of the mountains in the heart of Valle de Guadalupe, you will find seven hectares of vines that produced the wine that won the gold medal from the Brussels World Contest. The vineyard’s unique, vertical structure is Hilo Negro’s cellar. The cellar design is uncommon in that it is vertical so that gravity can help prevent damage to the musts as much as possible. The tasting room is a contemporary glass structure that creates curiosity in people driving by and draws visitors inside to check it out. Different varieties at Hilo Negro include Petit Verdot, Syrah, sauvignon blanc, and others. There isn’t a restaurant on-site, but snacks are available.
Winery Details
- Tastings:
- Reservations suggested for groups 4+
7. Relieve
Photos by Vinicola Relieve
WHY: Excellent Single-Varietal, Approachable Wines For All To Enjoy
Established in 2005, this winery sits among the beautiful rolling hills of Valle de Guadalupe. When visitors enter the property, they have the choice of visiting Mixtura Restaurant or the new production and tasting room to complete the full wine tasting package that includes the Reserve wines. You will love the fine wine, expansive views, and excellent service. Keep an eye out for Merlota, the sweet cat who may visit you during your tasting.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $250 - $300 Pesos
- Reservations suggested
8. Casa Magoni
WHY: Godfather of Premium Winemaking in Valle de Guadalupe
With over 50 years making premium wine under his belt, Camillo Magoni has been nicknamed the OG of Valle by many. He has experimented with over 100 different varieties and has made a significant impact in the Mexican wine industry. Casa Magoni contains an experimental field where more than 70 different grape varieties are grown to produce the fine wines. The tasting room is modern and bright, but it is the 200-year-old Encino tree that truly inspires guests to stay and extend their visit. Enjoy a delicious cheese board and glass of wine as you soak in the restful shade and relaxing ambiance that the arms of this massive tree create. All Magoni wines are excellent and affordable, but it’s their Nebbiolo that really shines and inspires visitors to appreciate Mexican wine.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $150 - $250 Pesos
- Reservations preferred
9. Decantos
WHY: Unique Winemaking Process Utilizing The Natural Law of Gravity
The winemakers at Decantos combine tradition and modernity through the unique method of decantation or gravity. This unique winemaking process that holds true to conventional production while respecting all the raw materials used in the process. Enjoy your wine tasting in the beautiful, bright tasting room showcasing their incredible bar crafted from an old oak tree or head outside and enjoy your food and wine from one of the lawn picnic tables – the view from both spots will not disappoint. Being a relatively young winery, most of the wines you will taste are still from the 2014 harvest. Currently the three wine offerings are the Young Line, Reserve Line, and Premium Line.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $170 (Young) - $550 (Premium) Pesos
- Tour by Winemaker & Tasting: $750 Pesos
- Reservations required for tours
- More info on Decantos
10. Finca La Carrodilla
WHY: First Vineyard With Organic Certification and Biodynamic Agriculture
Establishing a sustainable logic, the growth and harvest of the grapes are governed by the moon phases and the pulses of the environment. This vineyard developed a new way of making wine through biodynamic agriculture and was the first vineyard with organic certification. La Carrodilla currently has 4 single-varietal wines – Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet, and Tempranillo.
Winery Details
- Tastings: N/A
- Reservations: N/A
11. Clos de Tres Cantos
WHY: Medieval Monastery Inspered Architecture
Owners Maria Benitez Cantarera and Joaquin Moya Cussi, invite guests to share in their vision that encompasses their passion for winemaking, ancient history, and philosophy of living a long, happy life. The property design reflects both their life experiences and combines their love for nature and focus on sustainability. Guests appreciate the roofline of the property as it is both beautiful and functional. Its purpose is fundamental to the vineyard and the winery given the massive doom catches all the rainwater. The funnels on the roof then channel the captured water down below into a large citrine. It’s the property’s water well, which allows them to further their mission to be sustainably responsible with an independent water system. Tastings include TuMismo, Nada, Noesis, and Resilencia wines.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $8 USD (includes cheese board)
- Tours: $5 USD (goes towards scholarship fund)
- Reservations required for groups 4+
12. El Cielo
WHY: Grand Gold Medal Winner at the United Nations of Fine Wines
Using only the best winemaking techniques and premium grapes, Winemaker Jesus Rivera has created award-winning red, white, and rose wines that are sure to impress. Currently, El Cielo has four different labels: Astronomos, Astros, Constelaciones, and Estrellas (The Reserved Collection). Make your tasting even more memorable by experiencing the underground wine cellar, where you can treat yourself to a creative menu that pairs well with all their fantastic wines (15 varietals). If you are interested in learning more about wine, then be sure to take advantage of the El Cielo wine seminars and wine-blending course that allows guests a chance to produce their very own personalized bottle of wine.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $245 - $680 Pesos
- Reservations required for large groups
13. Rondo del Valle
WHY: Modern Tasting Room, Spacious Terrace, and Underground Cellar
Their wine tasting and tour includes the four wine labels (3 red and 1 rosé) and a tour of the property. Learn about the production process while exploring the facilities. To elevate your experience even further, opt for the VIP Wine tasting tour given in the private tasting in the underground cellar. Be sure to take advantage of the beautiful terrace and Emat, the new restaurant offering excellent Baja cuisine.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $120 - $300 Pesos (2-5 wines)
- Reservations preferred
14. Emeve
WHY: Family Owned Vineyard With All Estate Grown Grapes
Enjoy distinctive, award-winning wines from Mr. Mario Villarreal and wine-maker Daniel Lonnberg. The recently remodeled tasting room is simple and ultra-modern, creating a chill atmosphere that offers excellent views of the property’s vines. With a small production and is recognized as one of the best wines in Valle de Guadalupe, they tend to sell out quickly, making some wines not available all the time. “Los Nietos” and “Isabella” are the standout Emeve wines to taste.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $150 - $300 Pesos
- Reservations required for large groups
15. Hacienda Guadalupe
WHY: Family Owned and Operated Vineyard Producing with Exclusive Service
On top of a hill overlooking the vineyards and valley is the beautiful and contemporary hacienda-style architecture that welcomes every guest as if they are family. Daniel and Gaby pride themselves on their exceptional service, lovely views, and relaxing, comfortable spaces. For these reasons, along with their high quality wines, this family owned and operated vineyard has remained a favorite among visitors. Hacienda Guadalupe’s winemaker Daniel Lonnberg has created wines that have received well deserved awards in the international competition Ensenada Tierra del Vino. Wine tasting options include the Basic, the Melchum line, the Complete, the Tasting with chocolate pairings, and the VIP.
Winery Details
- Tastings: $290 - $480 Pesos (different tastings)
- VIP Tasting with winemaker: $800 Pesos
- Reservations required for groups
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