From Bad Roads to Good Tourists: The Struggle to Protect Valle de Guadalupe
Baja wine country’s resourceful fight for survival, and against commercialization
Pioneer and modern-day founder of Mexico’s premium wine business, Alex D’Costa famously stated that “Bad Roads make Good Tourists.” It’s one of the survival mantras even today for Valle de Guadalupe wine tourism and its premium wineries.
Located only two hours south of San Diego, and tied closely to tourist and cruise ship destination Ensenada, the fine wine business in Baja California is thriving despite many challenges. However, Valle de Guadalupe’s wine business struggles to maintain balance, not with its wines but rather with its visitors. As anyone who has been to Cancun, Tulum, and Rosarito Beach can confirm, the proverbial and literal “Mayan Train” has arrived, and overconsumption with it.
According to many in the region, the rustic, “bad roads” that traverse the region help mitigate this in some ways. Fernando Perez Castro, owner-winegrower at Finca La Carrodilla, talks about the importance of consumer education when it comes to agritourism. “We need to get the word out to the media,” he says. “Our valley is already facing many challenges, including water scarcity and infrastructure. We can’t handle mass tourism. We need the right kind of visitors who understand how fragile our ecosystem is. We need them to adapt to the region, including driving the same roads as the locals.” He continues by explaining the unique position growers and winery owners are in. “We don’t have problems with environmental organizations, because wineries and winegrowers here are the environmentalists! The only way for us to survive is to protect the resources in the valley and create a ‘Comunidad Sostenible’ (Sustainable Community). This goal is the greatest ambition of growers and producers here. Our primary concerns are with the large developers, hotel and event groups, and travel organizations.” Indeed, bad roads are unfriendly to tour buses, large conventions, casual day-trippers, and sightseers.
History and Legacy
The existential battle to maintain the essence and character of Valle de Guadalupe started when Monte Xanic winery decided to raise the quality bar on Mexican wine in the mid-80s. “There was no fine wine business in Valle de Guadalupe in the mid-80s,” says Monte Xanic CEO Hans Backhoff. “We sold grapes and made Tinto or simple red blends like Baja Red, and there were very few wineries doing that.” His father, also named Hans, was a food science engineer and decided he had a responsibility to do better. Monte Xanic is widely acknowledged by the wineries in the valley for its pioneering use of technology, analysis, and modern viticultural techniques, including the measuring, testing, and night harvesting required to retain freshness in premium wines. At the time, none of this had been done as standard practice.
Other early-stage families from the 1980s include the Badans of Mogor Badan, the Bravos of JC Bravo, Fernando Martain of Cavas Valmar, and Victor Torres of Torres Alegre. In the 1990s, the Millers of Adobe Guadalupe, the Gregorys of Vena Cava, the Paolonis of Vinos Paoloni, and many others would also play a role in elevating the fine wine industry in the region. All are in agreement that preserving agricultural land and community is still vital to the survival of the Guadalupe Valley.
The Innovative Use of Resources
Guadalupe Valley is a place where resourceful entrepreneurs are generally free to experiment and define how they develop their businesses. Building regulations are less stringent here, so using materials not recyclable in the U.S is allowed. Wineries like Clos de Tres Cantos, Vena Cava, Parallelo, and Bruma have turned the lack of resources to their advantage by creating a culture of environmentalism through recycling to leverage wasted and reusable materials. It’s common to see all manner of building materials being cleverly repurposed, including pre-modern construction hand-cut stones and timbers from mining operations, wood from old homes and churches, creosote beams imported from the U.S., iron from old manufacturing facilities, and even entire wooden boats.
Looking Ahead
Today’s success comes with challenges, and the wine business is living with the reality of the situation. State and local governments see revenue opportunities for growth, while not committing the capital for roads and infrastructure management. Is this a blessing or a curse, or possibly both? Mass tourism requires ease of access, which is not the case in Guadalupe Valley. Water shortages and poor roads filter out bad tourism, leaving only the most committed wine lovers and foodies to reap the benefits.
“Our job is to maintain the culture of wine in this valley,” says Wenceslao Martinez, president of Provino, a winery association and intermediary with the state government in Ensenada. “It is the only way we will survive. State and Federal governments are oriented to commercial tourism, not ecotourism, which is what we want to communicate and promote. There’s been good legislation passed in the last few years, but the problem as always is enforcement. For now, mass visitation is limited by poor roads and lack of water, and that’s mostly been a good thing.”
The wine and food business has mostly been successful despite its “Bad Roads.”. Committed “Good Tourists” will brave the worst driving conditions and take the proverbial road (much less) traveled for exceptional food, wine, people, and cultural experiences.