Wine & Spirits - August 2019 - 67

FOCUS: BAJA CALIFORNIA
up from 12 months in French and American
oak barrels, it's an ageable red to serve with
shredded pork in alambre. § La Competencia
Imports, Napa, CA
123949

91 | Villa Montefiori

$29

2014 Valle de Guadalupe Cabernet
Sauvignon ^ Carlo Paoloni grew grapes in
Italy's Marche before emigrating to Baja
in 1985. He now runs his own winery, with
94 acres of vines spread throughout Toros
Pintos, Guadalupe Valley and Ensenada,
mostly planted to Italian varieties. For his
flagship red, he blends 25 percent sangiovese
into a base of cabernet sauvignon to produce
a wine that's both bright and ripe, with fresh
strawberry flavors, juicy tannins and firm
acidity. Pair it with Italian dishes like pasta
and white beans with slow-braised pork.
Elixir Wine Group, Bend, OR
124073

90 | Casta de Vinos

$37

2016 Valle de Guadalupe Syrah ^ Sergio
Castañeda Piña presses his syrah lightly, to
capture the variety's signature black-pepper
spice while keeping the wine's scents lifted,
hinting at rose and peppermint. Fourteen
months in American oak gives the wine
a soft texture and cocoa flavor. § La Misión
Associates, San Diego, CA

90 | El Cielo

$22

2014 Valle de Guadalupe Copernicus Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot (Best Buy) ^ The
Rivera family owns 54 acres of vineyards
planted to 12 grape varieties in the Guadalupe Valley. This blend is dark and rich, with
scents of violets and blacktop, and flavors of
black pepper, chocolate and plum. Bring it to
the grill. § La Misión Associates, San Diego, CA
124054

90 | Las Nubes

$45

2016 Valle de Guadalupe Nebbiolo ^ Victor
Segura farms 47 acres of vines in El Porvenir,
blending this nebbiolo with a touch of grenache to create a fresh, supple red. It's rich in
cassis flavors balanced by notes of black tea
and thyme, with a strong backbone of acidity. §
La Misión Associates, San Diego, CA
124203

90 | Roganto

$26

90 | Santos Brujos

$45

88 | El Cielo

$22

88 | Bodegas de
Santo Tomás

$21

2016 Valle de Guadalupe Piccolo (Best
Buy) ^ This is a youthful blend of cabernet
sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and
tempranillo from three valleys north and
south of Ensenada. It feels airy and juicy,
with savory notes of sage and soy sauce. Pour
this with a charcuterie board of cured meats
and hard, herbed cheeses. § La Competencia
Imports, Napa, CA
124200

Tomás, 28 miles south of Ensenada and
slightly more inland. This barbera captures
the warmth of that region in its sunbaked
flavors, its plummy fruit deepened by notes
of game and spice. Give it some time in the
bottle, or drink it with a crisp-skinned roast
chicken. § La Misión Associates, San Diego, CA
124068

86 | El Cielo

$22

86 | Bodegas de
Santo Tomás

$21

2014 Valle de Guadalupe Hubble Merlot
(Best Buy) ^ This merlot is rustic yet
refreshing, with flavors of macerated blue
fruit. Decant it to serve with beef tacos. § La
Misión Associates, San Diego, CA
124025

2015 Valle de Santo Tomás Cabernet
Sauvignon (Best Buy) ^ Winemaker Hugo
d'Acosta blends this cabernet sauvignon with
40 percent merlot. It balances chocolatecherry flavors with a touch of bitterness and
balsamic, as well as grippy tannins that need
sliced flank steak. § La Misión Associates, San
Diego, CA n

2015 Valle de Guadalupe Tempranillo ^
Sergio Salgado farms the only certified biodynamic vineyards in the Guadalupe Valley.
He focuses on two varieties-chardonnay
and tempranillo. This red is reminiscent
of young, modern Ribera del Duero, with
scents of raspberry bush and tobacco, while
its grippy, sandy tannins bring it back to
Baja. Decant it now or give it some time in
the bottle. § La Competencia Imports, Napa, CA
124067
124375

90 | Chateau Domecq

$14

2016 Valle de Guadalupe Red Blend (Best
Buy) ^ The Domecq family of Jérèz, Spain,
founded a winery in Mexico in 1972, now one
of the longest standing in the region. Their
Tinto is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and nebbiolo. It tastes of fresh strawberries, with a meaty texture and a mineral lift.
Splash it into a decanter to let it open up,
and drink with carnitas. § González Byass USA,
Chicago, IL
124065

2013 Valle de Guadalupe Galileo Tempranillo (Best Buy) ^ This wine's black-cherry
flavors stay high-toned and fresh, with anise
notes to spice them up. With 12 months in
American and French oak barrels and more
time in bottle, this is ready to drink now,
with mole poblano. § La Misión Associates,
San Diego, CA
124024

2015 Valle de Santo Tomás Barbera (Best
Buy) ^ Founded in 1888, Santo Tomás is one
of the oldest wineries in Baja. Over the years,
the winery has accumulated some 890 acres
of vines throughout the region, with the
largest concentration in Valle de Santo

T HEN O MA DHOT EL . C OM
https://www.thenomadhotel.com https://www.gonzalezbyass.com/en/wines/
Wine & Spirits - August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - August 2019
