Valle de Guadalupe - Wine Museum

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I was going to post about the vineyards but the museum was so overwhelming and informative I decided to share those details today and the wineries tomorrow.

We hung around the house in the morning for a bit and took the bus down to the marina which is really an extension of the downtown area.   We hadn't had breakfast yet and we found a small place with a few tables inside.  Juan asked me to take a look and decide.  I opened the door and the aroma of great Mexican food filled the air.  There were less than 10 tables and all but two were taken.  I knew this was going to be good.  Chorizo and egg and I ordered an omelet with the best-refried beans in a long, long time.  Served up with some super thin flour tortillas. 

After, we walked over to the malecon to pick up our rental car.  Everything was ready and in order and off we went.  In the end, it was the best decision ever.  Public transport can take you to the five small towns in the Valle de Guadalupe but there is no way to get to the wineries from there.  Most people use motorcycles, company transport or bicycle depending on how far they have to go.  Uber would have left us with an impatient driver and out in the valley it was hot.  Plus we used the car this morning for the hour-plus drive to La Bufadora (blowhole).

Off we went on Hwy 3 to the Ruta del Vino.  You can't get lost in Baja!

Before we reached the vineyards we wanted to see, (there are several small vineyards, countless actually along the highway) we saw the museum.  The car steered itself into the parking lot.  By looking at the picture below you wouldn't expect much.

The place is huge, and the architectural design fits right in with the desert surroundings and the vineyards.  Grapes and vines are literally everywhere on the route and you just can't seem to see beyond them.  It's like going to Tequila or parts of Jalisco and seeing acre after acre of blue agave.

You actually enter through the staircase that goes underneath the building as this second floor is used for display and events such as weddings.  You can tell, this is not a government-run museum and that it is heavily supported by winegrowers.  

The museum is chock full of information about the history of winemaking, the process, colors, flavors, grapes, you think you know about wine but after this trip, you find out that isn't necessarily so.  Did you know wine was first developed in Georgia?  In this picture, they feature La Cetto and Domecq which were the two major wineries we wanted to visit.

Aromatic descriptors or flavors that can be found in wines.

Organoleptic sensations are the aspects of food, wine, liquors and even water that help us describe the taste, flavors, smells that stimulate our experiences.  You really get that in wine.

 Colors of wine have a wide range and depend on several factors.  Most of it has to do with the skin and the process of maceration, fermentation and filtration. 

This was new for us.  We were looking through the glass cases of different labels and types of wine.  This clear bottle was included with the reds under Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is a distilled liquor made from wine that is similar to Tequila and has an alcohol level of 38%.  It is called grappa and is very popular in Europe, so if you've been to Europe you probably know all about it.  Served as an aperitif. 

The art gallery is at the end of the museum and there are some very interesting paintings.  Here are a few examples.  It exemplifies the history of the grape and wine.  

This is an excellent representation called Vino y Asada (wine and grilled steaks).  It truly shows what wine and grilling have to do with Mexicans as well as others, being together, sharing the experience of tasting and drinking wine, mixing it with other flavors such as meat and seafood.  For me it is about the experience, sitting around, enjoying a glass of wine whatever it may be and listening to others stories, adventures and hearing laughter.

The last room is a homage to the country of wine origin, their traditional winemaking process of burying large clay pots in the ground, still done today and you can see examples of those from several thousand years ago.

I see this picture of myself and I can't believe I have lived 62 years.  Where did the time go?  I used it enjoying my life and I hope doing some good for others.  I'm hoping for many more like maybe 52 more years, I always have had in my head I would live to 113. 

I'm hanging in the shadows, I like it better that way.  You can see all of the vines in the background.  Truly amazing.

Leaving the museum after quite a learning experience.