wine & food

We tried to visit as many vineyards as possible and made a number of reservations in advance, although that isn't totally necessary depending on where you're going and what kind of experience you're looking to have there.

VINEYARDS & WINERIES

Quinta Monasterio

We had some of our favorite wines of the trip here - the "Cosecheros" series dedicated to the men and women whose hard work in the vineyards and wineries gives us wonderful wine to enjoy! There is a small and cozy tasting room and plenty of outdoor space. They offered some delicious cheese with a tasting of one white and two reds. We returned on our last day for an amazing spa visit and lunch at Viniphera Spa on the premises.

Adobe Guadalupe

We reserved for a lunch and tasting at Adobe Guadalupe and nearly had the place all to ourselves! This would also be our next choice for lodging after Encuentro Guadalupe - a much more traditional colonial style, but with many unique and inviting touches and a very good restaurant. You can also go horseback riding here. We really enjoyed the wines: a favorite red was Kerubiel and white was Jardin Magico. The tasting is generous - we tried five or six different wines.

Decantos

While the wine here was somewhat underwhelming, the view was the most beautiful we saw besides our hotel. Unlike most of the tasting rooms Decantos' is elevated on a small hill, allowing for a wide open view of the surrounding vineyards. It is one of the newer wineries, with an almost excessive number of different varietals and blends. Definitely go here for the view and lively atmosphere - the food looked good though we didn't eat. Don't expect to be blown away by the wine and you'll have a good time! It was a spur of the moment decision to come here after seeing a picture in a brochure along the way and it was no problem that we had no reservation.

Mogor Badan (& Deckman's)

Deckman's is one of the best known names in dining in the Ensenada area. They've set up a mostly outdoor restaurant on the grounds of the Mogor Badan vineyard, and it is clearly one of the hot spots for dining in the valle. It was probably one of the only places that was full or even crowded during our whole off-season visit. It reminded me a little of Hartwood in Tulum with their woodfire open-air cooking and kitchen on full display to guests. Straw on the ground, dogs roaming and mud walls make this a decidedly casual place, but with high-end dishes you would expect at a chic city restaurant. We scheduled a tasting at Mogor Badan for 6:30pm to watch the sunset and then have dinner at Deckman's, which was a great end to the day. The tasting was one of the least involved we experienced - two wines and minimal conversation with the employee, but the wines were good and it was nice to wander around the grounds and watch the geese, hens and roosters. Dinner at Deckman's was pretty spectacular - oysters, duck and octopus!