TalkBaja.com » Baja Mexico Forums » Baja News Wire

'Vino-Tourism' by Steve Dryden
Mexidata.info

Several months ago I hosted an event for a group of American wine lovers who call themselves Amigos de Vino. Most of these men and women live in the Ensenada region and are familiar with the blessings of our wine and culinary cultures — in fact, many also belong to Ladies Who Lunch and Men Who Lunch. Each month these separate lunching clubs move about the various culinary establishments in town, where most attendees bring a bottle of wine to share.

Over the last few years these local Americans have educated themselves about the many Mexican “bottled treasures of delight,” as well as the large portfolio of gourmet cuisine offered in the area. Interestingly, these folks have witnessed and taken part in the movement that has made Ensenada “the Wine and Culinary Capital of Mexico.”

It is inspiring to me that so many locals in this region have grown wiser and savvy along with our emerging wine industry, fully understanding Mexican wine and the universal culture of wine. Amigos de Vino is a prime example, so I conducted an interactive survey during a recent evening with these wine and cuisine lovers.

One important point that came up was that the majority of these local wine and food aficionados selected Casa Vieja as their favorite winery. According to them, “it really isn’t all about the wine or the food; it is about the ambiance, hospitality, casualness and tranquility.” Some members stated that they love the “old rancho” feeling, the two hundred year old vines and olive trees, the new, simple country cuisine menu, and the surrounding vineyards and orchard.”

Casa Vieja is a nice place to visit and spend part of or the entire day in Mexico’s premier wine country. And, being located in San Antonio de las Minas (about seven miles from the sea) their facility remains cool during the hot summer months where every day is a new experiment in exploring ways to enjoy the simple and natural blessings of life.

La Palapa Restaurant at Casa Vieja is operated by chefs Erwin Chavez Puga and Armando, with assistance from waitresses Karla Aviles. Chef Erwin is a former lawyer now attending culinary classes at UABC in Ensenada. He’s originally from Puerto Vallarta and tells me, “creating artisan cuisine is my passion; it gives me an opportunity to express my emotions and feelings. Here at Casa Vieja we focus on providing simple country cuisine at reasonable prices to accommodate individuals, families and groups of friends. This is a relaxing and tranquil venue within the wine country where I enjoy seeing a diverse group of people who enjoy our culinary creations. As far as my future goals, someday I’ll have my own place with a focus on Mexican and/or Cuban cuisine.”

Waitress Karla Aviles is a family member who loves the fact that her young daughter can roam the rancho, vineyards and orchards, exploring and discovering life, while she works in the restaurant.

The most recent addition to the restaurant operation is Sam Toscano, who has moved from San Diego to manage his family’s culinary venue. According to Sam, “my goal is to fully meet the needs of our guests and clients by keeping our service personal, casual and user-friendly. In addition, we’ll be experimenting with our menu based on what our customers request or desire.”

Colleen and Humberto (Tito) Toscano are the owners of this legendary old rancho and adobe. Tito is a multi-talented guy who can fabricate, create, invent or renovate anything from almost nothing. If you look closely around this property you can see Tito’s ingenious art work in the wine bar, tasting room, restaurant area, and throughout the grounds. Colleen is one of the nicest people in the valley, keeping busy helping guests, managing family affairs, and “keeping things going.”

Colleen's latest success is found in her consignment store featuring high-end women’s clothing at bargain pricing. In addition, she gathers, grows and packages local herbs and spices for her retail shop located in one of the oldest adobes in the Valley.

One other key player here is Adriana Serratos, who creates over 20 flavors of jams, jellies and marmalades, along with spicy and herbal olive oils.

Culinary delights from La Palapa Restaurant include six hamburger options, three chicken dishes, New York and rib eye steaks, New Zealand boneless loin of lamb, and the popular (feeds four) Parrillada Casa Vieja y vino de la casa. Of course, they offer fresh ranch-grown salads, homemade soups, cheese plates and various snack items.

The restaurant sits under a “rain-proof” palapa with a fireplace, providing a warm and relaxed ambiance. Food service is offered Thursdays thru Sunday, beginning at noon until 8 p.m., with live music on Sundays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The winemaking duties are split up between Tito and son, Tom. This family is typical of a few local families who have a long history in the valley, worked in non-wine related occupations, and then embraced the wine culture as it grew up and evolved around them.

Tom Toscano took winemaking classes at a small artisan school in the valley that provides aspiring students or moonshiners with basic winemaking information. The focus on winemaking at La Casa Vieja is “as natural as possible with little intervention, allowing the grapes to express themselves in a simple, flavorful manner.” Today, the Toscano boys make three single varietal wines from Mission, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. In addition, they made a nice blend of all three varietals.

One aspect of this winery that I enjoy is that they sell other wines from little known regional producers who make a barrel or two of vino each season. This gives you an “insider's view” as to what the other local vintners are creating via artisan expression.

For example, I recently discovered some very nice wine made by an American named Ana Katz. Her seductive label, Besos, draws you into a dynamic blend from the 2009 vintage of 52% Zinfandel and 48% Tempranillo with 11 months of oak aging. She also creates a delightful 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache blend, aged in new oak barrels for 12 months. It’s fun to stop in just to see whose wine they are pouring at any given time. Ana can be reached at besitosdebaja@gmail.com.

La Casa Vieja Winery will be the latest location of the Annual Baja Book Fair in October. Check out their Facebook at La Casa Vieja Baja for upcoming events and specials. They are known to host weddings, birthdays, family reunions and winemaking classes. Their annual Grape Stomping event held in September draws people from all over North America. The new underground wine cava offers barrel storage rentals, and the Toscano’s offer help to locals who want to make and process their own wines at the facility.

In addition to wine, culinary delights, women’s clothing, hospitality and ambiance, you can often find fresh ranch eggs, produce, goat cheese, organic coffee beans, jewelry, art and gift items. They are located in Guadalupe Valley, at La Casa Vieja in the village of San Antonio de las Minas, Km. 93.5 on the Ensenada-Tecate Highway 3. Closed Mondays. Telephone [52] 646-155-3153; email lacasavieja.baja@hotmail.com.

source...