Valle de Guadalupe is a spectacular place to visit, perfect for a weekend getaway. It is located in the Northwest of Mexico, about a 90 minute drive from San Diego, and it is home to over 70% of Mexican wine production. The region has been around for 30 years and only gained popularity as a tourism destination in the last decade, drawing visitors through its laid-back attitude and innovative spirit. In addition to good wine, you'll get extraordinary food at a fraction of what it would cost in the US.
If you're familiarized with Mexico, you might know there's often an ugly side to every story and Valle de Guadalupe is not an exception. A year ago, Huffington Post Mexico published an article showing how politicians have diverted resources that were meant for farmers to build their own wineries. The article highlighted three cases of politicians that used their influence to obtain federal funds that wouldn't be accessible to your average wine producer.
The three culprit wineries: Hilo Negro, Relieve, El Cielo.
I encourage you to visit this up-and-coming wine region of the world, but strongly suggest against visiting these three wineries in particular.
Sources:
[1] Forbes: Valle De Guadalupe Is The Napa Valley Of Mexico <https://www.forbes.com/sites/julietremaine/2018/10/02/valle-de-guadalupe-is-the-napa-valley-of-mexico/#1b5ad6854efe>
[2] https://www.sandiegored.com/en/news/168869/US-media-discloses-corruption-in-Valle-de-Guadalupe
[3] https://vanguardia.com.mx/art%C3%ADculo/ni-el-sector-vinicola-se-salva-de-la-corrupcion-pol%C3%ADticos-mexicanos-recibieron-apoyos
I hate stories of the misappropriations of government funds- but like that you highlighted this rising star wine region!
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