Blog
Did somebody say, “Drew Deckman?”
May 22, 2018I have heard Drew’s name around the campfire when traveling with my Off Road buddies. It didn’t mean anything at the time, but clearly I wasn’t thinking clearly. My partner, Eric Morley, had been telling me for months that, just like the wine, Deckman’s was a “Must” experience in the Valle.
Read MoreMy perfect day in Baja
May 10, 2018My trips to Baja traditionally start early in the day so I can beat San Diego traffic as I blast towards the border as I crave some street tacos and a Mexican Coca Cola in a bottle. I have Motown music on the radio, thanks to Candela Bar in LA…
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Baja is Calling
March 16, 2018If you don’t know what I’m talking about then you have never been to Baja. This is a magical place that hits your soul and never leaves. I am fortunate enough to have been traveling South since 1983…
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Meet Jim Riley of Baja United Group
March 1, 2018Jim, President of Baja United Group, has had an epic journey on his way to importing wine and beer from Baja, Mexico. A decorated professional off-road racer with a high school education, Jim has turned his innate business acumen and can-do attitude into a series of business successes…
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Costa Mesa entrepreneur imports Baja wines to Orange County
February 22, 2018Jim Riley’s love affair with the Baja peninsula began as a teenage surfer, driving down from his Orange County haunts to catch the famed waves along the “lower” portion of what was once greater Mexican California. Riley’s appreciation for the peninsula — which extends from the U.S. border at Tijuana 1,000 miles south to Cabo San Lucas — only grew during his south-of-the-border trips to race off-road vehicles…
Read More2015 Monte Xanic Gran Ricardo Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot (65/25/10)
February 9, 2018To be honest, I feel like a review of “current vintage” Gran Ricardo is premature. Everything about this bottle – thick glass, waxed over cork, deep punt – screams “take me seriously!” and “give me time,” but I also think it’s fair to treat this wine with the immediacy expected by consumers. One of the more traditional blends produced in the Valle, the Gran Ricardo is arguably also one of the best-known prestige bottlings. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot…
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