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2026 SUMMER WINE ROAD TRIP: Valle de Guadalupe
Join Master Sommelier David Glancy & San Francisco Wine School Co-Owner Kristin Campbell for another incredible edu-tasting vacation as they head to Valle de Guadalupe in Baja Mexico. They'll explore the the grapes, vineyards, wines and culinary delights of this up and coming wine region. Learn more below....
2026 SUMMER WINE ROAD TRIP: Valle de Guadalupe
Sale price$ 2,000.00
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Description
Join us for another incredible edu-tasting vacation May 31 - June 4 as our annual summer wine trip returns! This time we're heading to the wine region of Valle de Guadalupe in Baja Mexico where we'll be exploring the the grapes, vineyards, wines and culinary delights of this up and coming wine region. We'll meet in San Diego and enjoy private transportation across the border to arrive at the gorgeous El Cielo Winery and Resort located in the heart of the wine region where we'll indulge in pure luxury during our 5 day-4 night tour.
What Last Trip's Guests Had to Say...
Amazing trip with wonderful people! It was great learning and visiting a new wine region and making so many great memories!! Thank you!!!
El Cielo was well situated and a great place to explore the up and coming food & wine destination of Valle de Guadalupe. The people at every stop rolled out the red carpet to ensure we had the best time.
The San Francisco Wine School really knows how to plan a wine trip. Their wine trip to Valle de Guadalupe Mexico was spectacular in every aspect from lodging at the luxurious El Cielo to the intimate, informative, and fun winery tours. We got to know not only the wines but the people behind the wines and that’s what made this trip so special. If you have a chance to take a wine trip with the San Francisco Wine School- book it! You will gain knowledge and have memories that will last a lifetime while making new friends.
This was hands down one of the best vacations I have had. I had never taken a trip that was so wonderfully curated. I hope to return next year.
I was blown away by the experience in Valle de Guadalupe. El Cielo resort and surroundings of the whole valley were stunning and can rival any wine country in the U.S. Another impressive offering from the SFWS, they never disappointment. :-)
Activities & Itinerary
Co-Owners Kristin Campbell, CWAS and Master Sommelier David Glancy will lead our intimate, private group. We'll enjoy a number of edu-taining activities together including welcome reception, Valle De Guadalupe regional overview and seated tasting, VIP vineyard and winery tours and tastings, private group lunches and dinners, and transportation. You'll have the option to take advantage of our preferred resort rates and extend your stay in either Valle de Guadalupe or San Diego to give yourself some free time to relax and choose your own adventure. View Draft Itinerary
Host & Activity Fees include:
- round transportation between San Diego's Sheraton Marina & El Cielo Resort
- admission to the regional trade seminar
- all tastings & tours
- all group meals (they're an exquisite culinary adventure!)
- transportation around Valle de Guadalupe
Host and Activity Fees do not include lodging.
To keep our experiences intimate and allow access into smaller wineries, we limit this private group trip to only 30 guests.
Lodging
Group rates are available at El Cielo and include full breakfast at Polaris Restaurant daily, room and breakfast taxes, and service. Room Block Expires May 2nd!
Need a roommate? Contact us
RATES PER NIGHT, PER SUITE
Junior Suites
$384.19 single occupancy
$419.19 double occupancy w/ 1 king or 2 queens
Master Suites
$719.19 single occupancy
$746.19 double occupancy w/ 1 king or 2 queens
Additional guests up to 4 for total per room $90.64 per guest
Reservations may be made by phone at 011 52 55 5327 7777 or by emailing hotelesreservaciones@grupopresidente.com. Make sure to tell them you're attending San Francisco Wine School´s Group in order to book special rates.
Tour arrives and departs at Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Reservations may be made one their website or by phone at +1 619-291-2900.
About the El Cielo Resort
El Cielo Resort in Valle de Quadalupe is a dream among the vineyards. This Boutique Hotel is strategically located on the famous "Wine Route" of Ensenada, Baja California, surrounded by beautiful vineyards and mountains that create harmony with the landscape and nature. Their Tuscan-Californian design offers a free and relaxed atmosphere, where you can enjoy beautiful views, spectacular sunsets and picturesque landscapes.
About Valle de Guadalupe and How This Trip Came to Be
By Master Sommelier David Glancy
In July 2016 Kristin and I took a magical, spiritual, wine & food journey through Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe. Prior to this I had heard of and tasted a few Baja Nebbiolos and they were interesting but not motivating me to visit. When we heard about the food scene from colleagues in San Diego we started packing.
Some quick background is that wine has been made in Mexico longer than in California but the Valle de Guadalupe has grown from a handful of wineries in 1989 to over 100 today. The most common wines you will find are from Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, but one winery, Casa Magoni (where we'll be touring with the founder), is experimenting with 120 different grape varieties as the region searches for their wine identity. There is experimentation with single variety and unusual blends of various warm climate grapes from France, Italy, and Spain, including Barbera, Tempranillo, Syrah, Zinfandel, Vermentino and more. There are also a few wineries making dry white wines from the Mission grape. Nebbiolo here is different from Piemonte Italy and numerous theories about its true DNA range from it actually being Lambrusco or Dolcetto, to it being a cross of Nebbiolo and Piedirosso. Regardless, the wines from Baja Nebbiolo are darker with less acid and tannin than those of Barolo and Barbaresco. The wines have salinity from the heat drenched soils and having the Pacific and Sea of Cortez on each side of the Baja Peninsula.
The architecture and creative hospitality of the restaurants, wineries, & hotels are even more interesting. We visited a winery and restaurant made entirely from recycled boat parts, looked up at a dozen yurts scattered along the steep slopes above a winery, and sipped wine sitting on benches in the top of a large oak vat in the middle of a vineyard. And every restaurant it seems is more than half outside seating with farm-to-table embraced here more than anywhere we've traveled. The quality and diversity of the food was spectacular. Even entering restaurants we saw a brigade of culinary school jackets from around the world and heard of this Michelin-starred chef or that who decided to open a restaurant here similar to the explosion of destination dining in Las Vegas.
I was so impressed that I still place Valle de Guadalupe as one of my top 5 food & wine destinations on the planet along with Verona Italy, Alto Adige Italy, Barcelona, New York City, and Napa-San Francisco. But VdG's playfulness and passion has mi corazón!
We returned with a small group of students in 2023 and it did not disappoint. View Our 2023 Trip Slideshow. The growth of the wine industry and continued cullinary innovation has us excited to return in 2026! We hope you'll join us!
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