Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
- Amaris Scipione
- Jun 2
- 4 min read
Today we are docked in Ensenada, Mexico and it is a part of Mexico that I don’t know. I normally do a ton of research on every port before arriving to one, but that was not the case for this one. We looked at the shore excursions offered by Royal Caribbean and my friend who is also a travel advisor looked at options elsewhere. We ultimately decided on seeing wineries and booked a private winery tour.
The six of us that are going to the winery met at the Solarium and then we walked off the ship together. Since we booked outside of Royal Caribbean, we met our tour guide just outside of the port. It took about ten minutes to walk along the ship and out the gates for the tour. There was a nice sign that said Ensenada which we stopped to take pictures at as well. Overall, this port wasn’t what I was expecting. It is a city and not the little port town that I had in my head.
We found our guide and then we moved into the nice and air-conditioned vehicle. It was spacious for six of us. We drove about 45 minutes North into the valley. Our first stop was Vinos Paoloni which our guide said is the current name, but the old name was Montefiori which is what most people know this place as. The sign into the winery had both names. The weather here is significantly warmer compared to at the port. I’m glad I listened to my gut and went with a dress despite the somewhat chilly forecast for Ensenada. Ensenada and Valle de Guadalupe may be near each other, but their climates are different. We walk from the car into the winery and I am surprised yet again. This place is gorgeous! We see green vineyards with a mountainous backdrop. The tables are made from large, beautiful pieces of wood that sit on top of wine barrels and the chairs are sturdy and black. There is an inside area and an outside area with a roof for shade. We opt for the outside area. We order two bottles of wine for the table, and we sip, chat, and take in the views. I’m not a sommelier or anything close to one, but I did enjoy both wines.
Our second stop is Las Nubes which translates to The Clouds in English. This place is amazing as well. There is an inside area with cozy couches in neutral tones and a variety of seating options outside. Some shady options and some sun options. We have the place to ourselves, and we choose comfy couches surrounding a large square coffee table. We order two more bottles of wine here and then an appetizer to share. The food comes quickly and it's a gorgeous charcuterie board I’d expect to find at a high-end restaurant. The board includes fresh bread with olive oil, shaved meats, cheese, cookies, grapes, and some unusual options. It’s the perfect snack! This place is amazing, and I could have spent the whole afternoon here.
We visit one last winery, and this one was chosen because they have more food options. We need lunch after drinking four bottles of wine between the six of us! Decantos Vinicola is our final winery stop. This winery is much busier than the other two, but still not that busy. I ask the waiter questions about the food to make sure I order something I can eat. I go for the safe option of pizza, and he takes my order. I assume he is saving it in his notes for when the rest of the table orders, but he doesn’t. He puts the order in and then comes back to get the order for the table. The rest of the table orders. My pizza comes out and it’s huge! It worked out well that it came out early because then I could share it with the table. There is no way I would have eaten that whole pie. We use my pizza as an appetizer and then the rest of the meals come out a little later. We all share and everything was delicious. After two more bottles of wine, it is time for us to go back to the ship.
Discussions of vanilla arise. Mexico has amazing vanilla extract, and it is inexpensive and so much better than what we can get at home. A decision is made to make a stop at a grocery store for vanilla.
Bottles of wine were purchased along the way as well and we have a box full of wine to take back to the ship. Our driver drops us off as close as possible to the ship, but we still have a walk. The security guard asks to see our SeaPass cards and asks us to wait. He waves over his colleague and his colleague gives us a ride in a golf cart from the entrance to the ship. No walk needed today! So, if you bring back a lot of heavy wine, you may luck out and get a ride to the ship!
Valle de Guadalupe exceeded my expectations! This is a must-see place for anyone whole loves wine or beautiful views. Hanging out with a small group of amazing people was truly a highlight of the trip.
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