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Doña Lupe Yi was one of the modern wine pioneers of Guadalupe Valley. The winery opened in 1968 and though its reputation and popularity have grown, the winery itself has remained small, producing only about 1,200 cases per year. It is a popular stop with tour vans from Ensenada, particularly on weekends, though weekdays are quieter. The on-site restaurant is excellent featuring locally sourced ingredients and home-cooked quality. The breads are baked in house and they even have their own artesanal craft brewery. The winery produces a number of notable varietals, both red and white. Reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, and Barbera.
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L.A. Cetto is the iconic Baja winery. Established in 1928 by Luis Angelo Cetto, the winery is the Guadalupe Valley's largest, oldest, and most successful winery, producing more than 1.2 million cases per year. Most cruise ship winery tours visit L.A. Cetto, which can become a bit chaotic when 2 or more of the big cruise ships are in port at Ensenada. A 1-hour tour is offered and a 1-hour tasting. A premium tasting of their reserve wines demonstrates the finest quality the winery produces.
Founded in 2012, the winery produces 3,000 cases per year. It's located at the end of a canyon, down a long dirt road that ends in the valley's largest grove of old-growth California oak. The wines include a 100% Mourvédre that's aged in French oak and an interesting 50-50 blend of the Mourvédre with Petit Verdot. The winery's flagship wine, labeled "O Positivo", is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
This vineyard was once part of the Rancho Malagón where Russian immigrants farmed the land in the 20th century. The winery opened in 2000 marking a new industry for a new millennium. Wineries are the name of the game in the Guadalupe Valley these days. Viñedos Malagón has been quite successful among the wine startups and now produces over 5,000 cases of wine per year. The property includes an upscale boutique bed-and-breakfast with spacious rooms decorated in bright colors with rustic pine furniture. The wines are graced with whimsically named labels, like Whistling Donkey, a 100% Nebbiolo, or Tinto a blend of five varietals. A craft brewery is also on premises under the name Cerveceria El Destino.
Museo Comunitario Ruso del Valle de Guadalupe
Between 1904 and 1906, 350 Russians from the Caucasus region, settled here, and began cultivating wheat, barley, vegetables, and wine grapes. They were fleeing the Russo-Japanese war and seeking to freely practice their religion, which was Christian but unorthodox. The museum offers an overview of the migration, foundation and daily life of the Russian colony in Valle de Guadalupe.
Large, modern winery producing over 60,000 cases per year. The main tasting room includes a covered outdoor tasting deck with comfortable seating amid a rustic natural setting. A more intimate waterfront tasting area can be reserved by special request. A large number of varietals are grown, with Chenin Colombard and Cabernet Sauvignon among the oldest, most mature vines. The wines have earned an international reputation for quality with more than 260 awards received in competitions since their first vintage in 1986.
Museo de la Vid y Vino
Modern museum inaugurated in 2012 as a monument to viticulture. Descend into the galleries as if you are entering a wine cellar, one where exhibits showcase production methods, grape varieties, climate and environmental contributions to the terroir of the regions wines, and information about the many vineyards of the region. Tastings are a given. This is a great first stop on a wine tour because it provides local intelligence about the area and includes up-to-date details about the ever-growing number of local artesanal wineries.