CURATED BY Denise Tavera May
Just under 2 hours from the San Ysidro border crossing you will find Valle de Guadelupe. Known as the most important and fastest-growing wine-making areas in Mexico, the weather in this region is ideal for cultivating grapevines.
El Cielo Resort is located in the center of this area and boasts a Tuscan-Californian style surrounded by beautiful vineyards and mountains with some of the most gorgeous sunsets you can imagine. Our rooms were very large with a sitting area, balcony and huge bathroom.
The view to part of the vineyard was an added bonus.
This is how we started our exclusive FAM of San Diego based Advisors. We easily walked across the border and were met by SOL Travel DMC in an air-conditioned Mercedes Sprinter. The drive was picturesque as we passed Ensenada giving us the opportunity to get to know each other, most for the first time.
Our SOL DMC Representative joined us throughout sharing the history of this DMC located in Guadalajara and how they provide every service related to travel including but not limited to transfers, tours & experiences, hotel accommodations, domestic flights/charters, for individual as well as groups.
We were treated to private wine tastings, sunset cocktail pop-ups throughout the grounds and meals that ranged from family style to delectable wine pairings. A motorized wagon took us through the vineyards as we sipped various wines and discussed the vision of this family-owned enterprise. No detail was left to chance, from the décor to the menu and all of the incredible experiences one can enjoy while on property.
The Wine Cellar tour and Build Your Own Wine experience were among our favorites as we learned about not only the making of the wine but were taught how to create our very own blend. The activity included bottling, naming and corking our wine, it was such a fun and interactive experience that everyone enjoyed.
Although we did not want to leave this beautiful part of the country, we were excited to spend a few nights exploring Guadalajara. We were among the first guests to stay at Origen 438, a Luxury Boutique Hotel within walking distance to the colonial part of the city. Our rooms had all the amenities of a luxury property including a full-service restaurant, huge bar and Spa. We each had a spa treatment included which was exactly what we needed after walking throughout the city including the charming Tlaquepaque.
Before browsing the shops and arts & crafts that are abundant, we were thrilled to have a crafting moment of our own. We were surprised with a visit to a local workshop that encouraged us to paint ceramic figures. It was such a unique experience and let us be as creative as we wanted. Lunch was at a spot that had live music, dancing devil-masked waiters and some of the best food we had up until that point. Stuffed and ready for a siesta we strolled through the streets of Independence Avenue and picked up mementos to bring back home.
Our last full day was spent at Casa Centinela, a privately-owned tequila manufacturer that is not generally opened to the public. We were hosted by their Chemist that walked us through the tequila making process from plant to distillation while allowing us the opportunity to try each and every one of them. Eterno is aged in American white oak barrels for over 36 months and their warehouse houses the most barrels of Tequila in the world. To tour the warehouse is incredible, they even offer a private area for special functions and tastings, it was such an unforgettable and magical experience.
For curated experiences in Mexico, please get in touch with us at hello@biggeriuniverse.com
or get in touch with our partner SOL Travel Premium DMC at Request@soltraveldmc.com.mx
