Check Out Mexico’s Coolest Under-the-Radar Festival

You might be surprised to learn that the latest of-the-moment wine region isn’t along California’s coast, or in the rolling hills of the Pacific Northwest—but is rather just south of the border, two hours from Tijuana, Mexico.

We’re major fans of the gorgeous Valle de Guadalupe in northern Baja, as much for its world-class wines as for its sunny climate, spectacular culinary scene (honed by celebrity chefs), and architecturally stunning tasting rooms and hotels popping up across its vineyard-lined hills.

This weekend, the valley is hosting a proper celebration of its many strengths, and we’d do just about anything to be there. The Guadalupe Valley Wine, Food, & Music Festival sounds like the ideal marriage of a few of our favorite things: pours from award-winning local winemakers; cooking demos and tastings starring local ingredients; global culinary talent like Bricia López (of L.A.’s Oaxacan hotspot, Guelaguetza) and Mexico’s own Alfonso Cadena (behind Puerto Vallarta’s ultra-hip La Leche); and a dynamic lineup of funk, house, and R&B musicians, all set to play under the stars.

The hosting venue, Decantos Vinícola, is a destination in its own right, set on 20 acres of sweeping vineyards that produce some of the region’s best Cabs, Syrahs, and Tempranillos. Best of all, the boutique one-day event is limited to 1,500 attendees, so the visions of overwhelming crowds and long lines that might come to mind when you hear “music festival” are a nonissue.

A last-minute flight to Mexico might be out of the realm of possibility for most, but if we lived closer to the border (looking at you, San Diego), we’d be tempted to hop in the car and get there.