If you've never experienced Valle De Guadalupe and want to (safely) then Baja Test Kitchen is the best way to go. I booked a three winery tour for my fiance's birthday and we both loved it! Chris picked us up at our home in his super clean SUV equipped with an iphone charger, usb ports, a trash can, hand sanitizers, EVERYTHING you'll need for the day. It was a gloomy day so he even had umbrellas and blankets. Started our tour at Decantos, then to Vena Cava, and then ended at Pijoan. They are all located on dirt roads so getting there can be a struggle if you were to go by yourself. All wineries had delicious wine but our favorite was Vena Cava. Luckily, some of the wine is sold near our home so we bought what you can only get in the Valle. We had lunch at Troika (located just outside Vena Cava) and the food was DELICIOUS!! He dropped us off back home with a nice buzz from all the wine and full tummy. Chris is very knowledgeable about the history of Baja, the wine, and how to get around safely in mexico. We never felt like we were unsafe. I recommend exploring the valle through them 100% read more

I cannot say enough good things about our Tijuana Beer and Foodie tour. Chris was welcoming, accommodating, and knowledgeable and made sure the day was perfect. The restaurants, breweries, and tasting rooms were all wonderful and there was not one that we did not enjoy. Overall, our group was extremely happy with the tour. Thank you Baja Test Kitchen for making this experience so special. read more

Chris was very knowledgeable, professional and courteous. The service he provides is invaluable to anyone who is not familiar with the region or has reservations about going to Baja. We had a great time and felt completely safe the entire time. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking to experience Bajas best kept secret. read more

I took a fantastic one-day wine-tasting tour to Baja in Mid-March with Chris, the owner of the business. My daughter and niece (both adults) also came along. We were all pleasantly impressed with Chris' professionalism, extensive knowledge and friendliness! I have been to Guadalupe Valley several times before, and found that it is well worth it to have a guide who knows EVERYTHING (wine, winemaking, wine history, history of Baja, history of the world!) and speaks the language! His vehicle was spotless, he has a great personality and chose the perfect wineries for us as well as an amazing lunch. Traffic and borders were no issue for Chris. I would definitely go on more tours with Baja Test Kitchen and hope soon to do a culinary tour. read more

On 5/26, I reserved two spots on a group tour for 7/1. Unfortunately, a completely unplanned and out of our control life change required my wife and I to have to cancel. We reached out to BTK on 6/4 (roughly a week after reserving and a month prior to the tour) to relay the bad news. To their credit, they were quick to respond and provided a list of policies. But the cancellation policy is harsh, especially considering the circumstances of when we booked and how far in advance we were notifying them that we had to cancel. There is a $75 cancellation fee and another 10% deducted from your overall cost. All in all, it cost me over $100 to cancel. I understand the need for cancellation fees, but charging roughly 40% of the tour cost a month out seems abusive. We were really excited to go and I promised my wife we would reschedule for the fall, but I can't justify going back to BTK. Edit: I reached out to BTK on 6/4 to cancel, not 6/2 as previously stated. The date has been corrected in the original review. read more

This day trip was awesome. We were planning a last hurrah for our friends who are leaving to move abroad, so what better way to do that then with some delicious wine and food. Our guide Chris obviously knew his stuff. The itinerary he had planned for us was thoughtful and delicious, and we arrived back at the border with stomachs full. It was a great experience and we can't wait to see what else they have to offer! read more

Chris was amazing! Made our travel so easy and informative. Great food great craft beer.

Seeing Valle de Guadalupe with Chris from Baja Test Kitchen was amazing. Chris has such passion and respect for the area, the wine makers and the workers. We visited 3 boutique style wineries, the pace was perfect. Never felt like we were rushed. The staff that poured made us feel so welcome. Of course it helped we visited midweek and not weekend. Lunch was fabulous. I am so glad I chose Baja Test Kitchen and can't wait to experience the foodie tour they offer. The drive from San Diego to Tecate is beautiful, but if you do not like driving one 2 lane windy road, pay the extra to be picked up in San Diego. read more

What a fantastic experience! For my 70th birthday celebration, my husband booked us on a surprise custom tasting tour with Baja Test Kitchen of the Valle de Guadalupe wine region in Northern Baja California, Mexico. Upon recommendation from Baja Test Kitchen, we stayed in the heart of the Valle for two nights at La Villa del Valle, a lovely Tuscan-style B&B on the grounds of the Vena Cava winery. Baja Test Kitchen also recommended eating at Corazon de Tierra for my birthday dinner, the restaurant adjacent to the Inn--which we did, and it was fantastic! After a restful night at the Inn, our private full-day wine and food tour of the Valle de Guadalupe started the next morning, with Chris as our guide. We rode in luxury in their meticulously clean Land Rover, outfitted with water bottles, hand sanitizers, and tissues for our personal comfort. We visited 3 wineries, and each winery was very unique, with remarkably different architecture and scenery. We tasted 4 to 6 wines at each of the 3 wineries--and these were good-sized 'tastes'! At each location Chris arranged a small appetizer, such as bread with local cold-pressed olive oil, and artisan cheese nibbles. Our tour with Baja Test Kitchen was not at all regimented like some other tours we have taken in the past. We lingered and relaxed at the beautiful wineries throughout the afternoon, tasting as we went! Since this was a custom tour, Chris had tailored the itinerary specifically to our requests, and there was a perfect flow to the day. After all of the delightful wine tasting, we had worked up a pretty good appetite. And Baja Test Kitchen didn't disappoint for supper! Chris took us to Malva, where rising star Chef Roberto Alcocer delivered an unbelievable 7-course tasting menu, paired with wines from the Guadalupe Valley. It was farm-to-table, organic, artistic, gourmet, and scrumptious from appetizer through dessert! With a beautiful view of the sun setting over the Valley, we lingered over this delectable meal for at least 2 hours, including a long chat at the end with the Chef, who had trained in Bordeaux, France. By the time Chris dropped us off back at the Inn to conclude our day-long food and wine adventure in the Valle de Guadalupe, we were just about ready to collapse into bed, feeling completely fulfilled, but still thrilled and exhilarated as we relived the events of the day. I am hoping that this was not a 'once in a lifetime experience' for me, but if it was, it will sustain me for a long time to come! Maybe 'someone' will surprise me with another similar tour when I turn 80! I can't say enough good things about our day with Baja Test Kitchen. We were treated like royalty, felt pampered, and Chris is very knowledgeable about the Valley, Mexican wine making, and the area's culture. They may not offer the cheapest tours available, but their tours are high end, and trust me when I say that you will get more than your money's worth with this tour company, all while creating lifelong memories. read more

My husband and I had the pleasure of a BTK tasting tour of Tijuana last Sunday. We live in San Diego, but it seems we never go to Tijuana. My daughter, knowing we like food tours, selected a tour with BTK for our Christmas gift. It turned out to be a super good idea. BTK provides you with detailed instructions on where to meet the group, and then takes over to provide you with a wonderful introduction to "street food" in Tijuana. We went to places that provided the most delicious tacos, tamales and tortas. The kind that you dream about afterwards. The kind that make you understand why people get excited about "street food". While we were touring, our guide, Chris, kept us comfortable, and provided us with cultural and culinary commentary. We were well fed, and well informed. It was a great tour. If you are considering a food tour, do yourself a favor, and book this one. It has made me anxious to do another BTK tour, and to return to Tijuana for another meal. read more

I had been dying to visit Valle de Guadalupe for months and had high expectations for my visit there. Our wine tasting tour with Chris from BTK far exceeded those expectations! It was such an enjoyable and memorable day! Chris was always accommodating and quick to respond to my e-mails when planning the tour and I really enjoyed getting the itinerary beforehand so my friends and I could sneak a peek at the wineries we were going to visit. We did a 3 winery and lunch all inclusive tour and had the best time! Each of the 3 wineries we visited were unique and had wonderful wine and views. The lunch provided was really delicious and felt like a gourmet meal. Chris was a wonderful host to spend the day with and had a wealth of knowledge of the different regions we drove by in Mexico along with each wineries personal details and wine making process. The transportation to and from San Diego was also a huge perk of the tour, and the Land Rover we rode in was extremely comfortable and clean. Chris even followed up with pictures he got of us from the tour! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone that is considering it! read more

Magic happens in unexpected places. For us, it happened in Mexico with Baha Test Kitchens. Upon arriving at the border, we were greeted by our knowledgable guide Chris Mejia for our two-day private culinary tour of Ensenada. In that time, we visited large, small and medium scale makers, each of whom regaled us with origin stories, behind the scenes tours and delicious tastings. Previously unknown to us, this region of Mexico creates a large variety of wines, many of which are sourced by sommeliers at world-class restaurants like French Laundry and Pujol. As we tasted and learned, we were surrounded by the vast beauty of the dessert where "tortured vines make the best wines". Each day also came with plenty memorable meals, all of which we shared together with our guide, Chris. At the end of the two days we were escorted back to the border and crossed into the USA without any issue. It was a surprising, delicious, educational and surreal experience filled with great food, great wine and good company. We would recommend Baha Test Kitchens to anyone with a sense of adventure who loves food/wine and wants to discover the culinary magic of Baha, Mexico." read more

This is the first time I've been motivated to write a review on Yelp. Our customized day trip with door to door service was first class from initial contact with Chris, designing our tour, door to door service, and follow-up with personalized photos from Chris of our experience. We had a private tour for 4 of us on a beautiful April day and the stops at two wineries, the cheese-making operation and the al fresco lunch could not have been better. The Valle de Guadalupe is beautiful and Chris was a very knowledgeable and enjoyable host. We are recommending Baja Test Kitchen to our friends. read more

My husband and I attended a wine tasting with Baja Test Kitchen in January 2018. We were thrilled with every aspect of our tour, from start to finish. To start, know that this is a not a tour where you will guzzle bottles of mediocre wine. I've been on this type of tour before (up in Sonoma/Napa), and while those are also fun, BTK's tour is about sipping tastings of high quality wine and eating delicious food. I also will admit I was a bit apprehensive about crossing the border. There are so many horror stories in the media, but I never ONCE felt unsafe during our tour. Chris speaks fluent Spanish and lives in Tijuana. He really knows his stuff. I'm not quite ready to cross the border on my own, but know that you will be safe and have a wonderful time (and I think this would be true with any reputable Baja tour company). We met at the San Ysidro border crossing, and found our group. Chris started off by explaining how we will cross the border in the AM and PM, making sure we all had the documents needed to cross. We then loaded into the van, and were on our way. The trip down to Valle de Guadelupe was just over an hour, but very scenic (and included a pit stop). Our van was very comfortable, with plenty of water for all. We arrive at our first winery just around 11am at Montefiori. We tasted 4 different wines and sampled bread and cheese in their private tasting room and on their patio. We enjoyed the wine, but my husband and I opted to hold purchasing a bottle (NOTE: you can only bring back 1 bottle of wine per person over the border; this is not BTK's rule, but apparently a CA law!). We were then on our way to Las Nubes winery, which was far and away our favorite! We sampled 4 or 5 wines (sorry, I forget!) and enjoyed an olive tapenade and baguette. Delicious! Their patio was absolutely gorgeous--this is one I'd love to come back to one my own and stay at all afternoon. Chris also lead us on a tour of their wine cellar, explaining the process of making wine and the contributions of Victor Torres to Baja wine making. I do wish we had a bit more time up on the patio to enjoy more wine--my brain was out of space to absorb Chris's vast knowledge of Baja wine. After our tour, we went ahead and bought our 2 bottles at this winery (it was that great! And cost less than $30 for 2 bottles of amaz ), and were on our way. Our stop for dinner was at Finco Altozano. Chris designed the menu with each of us in mind (we had a vegetarian in the group, so there were selections for all). The meal was delicious; I don't eat lamb, but decided to try it here because, well, when in Rome (or Mexico...)...and I don't regret it for a second. Our stop here was also an opportunity to try a local craft Mexican beer. And So. Much. BREAD. And homemade corn and flour tortillas. I also received a special birthday treat--a corn cake! Something I would have never selected, but so tasty. With our bellies stuffed, we left for our final stop to Vena Cava. Another unique, beautiful facility with tasty wine. They were also the most expensive, but still SO much less than what you'd spend on the other side of the border. We enjoyed our tastings and conversation with our tour guide, and were soon on our way back home. The ride back to the border goes quickly, and Chris dropped us off at the pedestrian border crossing. We walked back across, with NO WAIT--although I think this was an anomaly, since our tour was on Sunday over a 3-day weekend. Easy, peasy. TL;DR: Chris clearly has a passion for Baja and it's wine, and will show you a wonderful time where you will learn so much. It's safe, you have fun, and you'll come home with some amazing vino. read more

We had a group of 11 guys, and did the beer/taco tour. Chris took us to a bunch of amazing craft breweries, with some taco stops mixed in between. We not only got to taste some of the best beers that I've ever had, but we got to eat a huge variety of tacos from the Guadalupe Valley to Ensenada. Chris is extremely personable and very knowledgable about the entire area. He picked us up from our house in a very nice A/C equipped van. The tour was top notch, and we all highly recommend BTK! read more

If you have any desire at all to visit the Valle de Guadalupe wine country, I highly recommend going with Baja Test Kitchen tours. It could not have been any better. Chris is so organized, and made sure that we were comfortable and enjoying everything. Because his knowledge of wine making, and his love of Baja, was so obvious, you could not ask for a better wine tour. Lunch at Finca Altozano was exactly the right cuisine, and ambiance. No wonder it is so popular. Delicious, I want to go back. I am recommending this tour to everyone I know, San Diego locals, and our visitors. read more

Went with my wife on a wine tasting tour with Chris of Baja Test Kitchen to the surprisingly sophisticated Guadalupe Valley in Baja. What a great operation Chris runs. Never felt rushed heck never really felt like we we on a "tour". More like a well curated day of good eating and wine drinking with a knowledgeable and interesting host. Great value loved it. We will definitely be watching their website for future tours. read more

A great excursion during our day at Ensenada, easy pick up, great conversation throughout with our wonderful host, Chris, and exceptional food and wine! read more

I highly recommend Baja Test Kitchen for anyone interested in exploring the bourgeoning Baja food and drink scene. My parents, husband and I had an incredible day on the Valle de Guadalupe wine tour with Baja Test Kitchen last week. We visited three wineries, and I was blown away by the wines, particularly the plentiful bold, complex, and spicy reds. I am thrilled that I now have a local wine region to visit that is much closer and much more affordable than Napa. In addition to the excellent selection of wineries, Chris and Jen also kept us well fed with a delectable selection of artisan cheeses at each winery, and a delicious tapas lunch of around 10 incredible courses, including pork cheek tacos, roasted octopus, sizzling brussels sprouts, accompanied by a selection of fresh, flavorful salsas. Chris and Jen are great tour guides- they educated us about the region and its history throughout the day, and there was not a question asked that they could not answer. The trip was also logistically stress-free- Chris and Jen met us on the US side of the San Ysidro border crossing, drove us over, and dropped us off at the entrance of the by foot border crossing on the Tijuana side at the end of the day. Over all, it was a great trip, and we look forward to future tours with BTK! read more

Wonderful experience wine tasting in Valle de Guadalupe. Chris was a great tour guide and was very knowledgeable. I especially enjoyed that he took us to his top 3 favorite wineries to give us a more personalized tour. He taught us a lot about the region of Mexico and wine culture. We went wine tasting as a group for my friends birthday. I can say that she had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed her birthday celebration. The tour was very organized and was worth the price. I highly recommend booking a tour with Chris at Baja Test Kitchen! read more

We had a wonderful day out with Chris. It is rare to have such an accomplished guide. We saw many sides of the Baja food and drink scene as well as visiting several outstanding venues. Unforgettable. read more

Did you know that many wine makers play music in their barrel rooms during the fermenting process? Did you know Dr. Victor Torres-Alegre was the first Mexican to earn a PhD in the science of enology from the University of Bordeaux? Neither did we until we spent one rainy but wonderfully informative day with Chris on our wine tasting tour in the Valle de Guadalupe. We rode in comfort in his 4-wheel drive over paved and unpaved roads to tour three unique wineries and dine on delicious food in an extremely unique al fresco restaurant all the while learning so much about the history of wine in Mexico from Chris. This was not your run-of-the-mill wine tasting tour. This was far and beyond what we expected. It was a behind the scenes and off the beaten path experience with a passionate and knowledgeable guide. We would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in exploring wine regions outside their borders. read more

This was an absolutely fabulous tour. The wines were astonishingly good (yes, I was a skeptic at first too!), the restaurants were totally fantastic, and Chris has a deep, deep wealth of knowlege about the region, it's history, it's complexities, and it's beauty. It was my 40th birthday, and it was a perfect day. If you're thinking of doing it, definitely go to Dona Esthella's for breakfast! read more

It was a superb experience. Baja Test Kitchen did an amazing job. It was so comfortable driving around with Chris. Chris picked us up and took us to two wonderful wineries, fabulous gourmet lunch. Plus, he was so knowledgeable about all of our questions about Baja, be it food, wines, history, local products grown, current situation. My friends who are from New York, major food and wine people, just said today that they still talk about what a magical day we all had and they can't wait to come back and do more tours with Baja Test Kitchen. Me too. read more

Thank you for a memorable experience visit the Valle de Guadalupe. Having only vague knowledge of wines from Mexico, I was thoroughly impressed with the wines and area. Your tour exceeded our expectations and look forward to visiting again. read more

A great fun time was had by our group! This was the second time I enjoyed wine tasting in the Valle de Guadalupe with Baja Test Kitchen leading the way. This last trip was mothers/daughters trip and it was wonderful. Our trip was well planned, we went to three wineries and had an amazing lunch. Highly recommend Chris Mejia and Baja Test Kitchen !!! It is an experience I highly recommend. read more

I've visited the Guadalupe Valley before, and have lived in Baja for over a decade. We (a young couple) took a tour with Baja Test Kitchen along with another couple this weekend and were delighted with our experience. We wanted to try out wineries that were less commercial, more boutique, and of course we didn't want to have to worry about navigating around on our own. We visited three wineries: Clos de Tres Cantos, Tres Mujeres and Torres Alegre. At each one we were given tours of the wineries/cellars and wine tasting by the owners themselves. The experience of touring the Valle's wineries is unlike anything you will find in the US - sure, you will see big stainless steal tanks and equipment, but many of these places are works of art such as one wine cellar that feels more like a cave with beautiful walls made of recycled wine bottles. We were served lunch beneath olive trees on our second stop - the flavors, service and wine was fantastic at each place we visited. In the Valle it is not about quantity, it is about quality and this is something that large tours simply cannot provide. It is about enjoying each winery, hearing the stories told by the owners and staff, enjoying the beauty of the scenery with the changing light throughout the day - these are simply things that you will miss out on if you are herded along with dozens of people on large buses. Visiting the Valle also makes you appreciate the importance of sustainable tourism as the area has limited water resources - this area is designed for small batch tourism and at each winery we were treated like guests, not just customers. Just like travel anywhere, it is important to be mindful of the culture and environment and we felt like Baja Test Kitchen allowed us to experience the Valle as it is meant to be. read more

The plan was skiing in Mammoth for our 7th wedding anniversary. Weather report said 60! So I made an executive decision to check out Baja Mexico! Wow, did I score big points after this trip with the wife! We are both wine enthusiasts and have traveled through many different wine countries touring and sipping along the way. I thought why not, Baja is on the come with Micro Beers, Wine and Culinary Food experiences. I started searching via the internet for Baja Wine Adventures. Since I had never been to Valle de Guadalupe before, I thought it would be a good idea to hire a guide especially since I knew my wife and I were going to take part in tasting many, many of the wines, and we didn't want to have to think about driving. I came across several companies but many just did not meet my requirements of luxury and experience. A la, Baja Test Kitchen was located. Catchy name right? Anyway, I left a message with Baja Test Kitchen. Chris Mejia from Baja Taste Kitchen called me back but received my voice mail. He left me a message with an appointment time so we could discuss options and an itinerary. Anyway, after a brief discussion Chris learned quickly what I wanted in an experience so as to meet my wife's lofty expectations for our anniversary. See, I have never done anything by way of an anniversary celebration besides cooking dinner for her and doing the dishes. I know I'm terrible. I knew shortly after my phone call with Chris, I was going to book Baja Test Kitchen for our anniversary adventure. Chris picked us up at our hotel in Ensenada. His car was very nice, clean and well kept. The vehicle was extremely comfortable with leather seats and air conditioning. High end luxury ride for sure. He provided water for the ride which was nice. Chris was extremely friendly and professional. As we began our tour, he really talked about the history of the Valle de Guadalupe wine history. He took us to three wineries which were all very nice, clean and beautiful. Chris took us to lunch a little more than halfway through the tour. The location of the restaurant was beautiful and the food was fantastic. The Chef is currently up for the James Beard Award. That is exclusive company! My wife at the end of the day was so thrilled over this trip. Words to describe her appreciation would be inappropriate for this site, fun but inappropriate. Chris is extremely educated and knowledgeable about food and wine. His life experiences around the world really made our conversations a learning experience. Chris has soaked up the knowledge of Valle de Guadalupe's wine history which he shared with us with a passion. I would hands down, book with Baja Test Kitchen again. I'm currently working with friends who are very apprehensive about touring Baja Mexico. It only took a few minutes and pictures to convince them to a trip with Baja Test Kitchen. Chris went out of his way to recommend hotels, restaurants and even what corner Taco Carts to eat while stayed in Ensenada. Even after the trip was already paid for, after we raved to him about the fantastic Octopus we had, he researched and sent me several articles so I could prepare my own Pulpo at home! Thanks Baja Test Kitchen for a wonderful experience!!" read more

We booked our trip with Chris after reading all his excellent reviews here. It was an absolute delight! What a terrific day! My 83 year old mom was visiting from back east and had never had a wine tasting experience and I was interested in the wines of Valle De Guadalupe. Chris met us on the US side of the border and walked us across into Mexico than in to his extremely well kept and appointed Range Rover. He asked for our preference in music (jazz) and started our trip with a detailed and incredibly interesting history of Valle De Guadalupe and the surrounding area. Chris is a wealth of information and knowledge. I can't emphasize enough that EVERY review you read here raving about him and his tours is absolutely true and well deserved. He made sure every detail of our trip was taken care of and that we enjoyed our day. Don't hesitate to see this amazingly beautiful part of Mexico with Chris. It will be a trip to be remembered. read more

My friends and I used Baja Test Kitchen for a 3 winery tour and lunch in Valle de Guadalupe. Jen was our driver/guide for the day (we also met up with her husband Chris at one point). She was so knowledgeable, friendly and the tour they planned for us was fantastic. We visited Las Nubes, Vena Cava and Lechuza. I have been to Napa, Sonoma and Temecula wineries (and even to Bordeaux 30 years ago!) but I had no idea what to expect in Mexico. I must say I was very impressed with all 3 wineries - very unique and beautiful! I love their resourcefulness in building. All the gorgeous rock siding on Las Nubes was pulled right from the site, plus they created their own water reservoir that holds rain and the run-off from the hill. Vena Cava used old fishing boats from Ensenada to create their caves and the cut-off ends of the irrigation hoses to create the shade cover over their dining area. Just beautiful! The wine was delicious to boot. We had four or five tastes at each winery, delicious snacks at Las Nubes and a four course lunch at Vena Cava. We also received a mini-seminar from the owners at Las Nubes and Lechuza which were fun and informative. Learning about their processes, their grapes and how they manage to grow wine in the desert was awesome. Jen not only knows her wine and the Valle like the back of her hand, she also tells you so many interesting stories about other wineries, restaurants and local experiences while you are driving from place to place. Even if you really like someplace, you think, 'next time I'll try something different', but honestly, when I go back to Valle de Guadalupe, I'm certain I will use Baja Test Kitchen again. You get everything you were hoping for and then some! Jen even writes tour books on Baja California and her parents have had a Discover Baja tour agency for decades. Jen and Chris have an incredible operation - couldn't recommend any higher. read more