Unpacked Minis, Five Questions: For Some of the World’s Most Exciting Wines, Travel to Mexico

Welcome to Unpacked, Five Questions, a new series where we go behind the scenes of one great travel story.

In this inaugural episode, host Katherine LaGrave sits down with award-winning writer Anya von Bremzen to discuss her journey through Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico's exciting wine region just two hours from San Diego, which she wrote about in Afar's spring issue.

Von Bremzen, a James Beard Award-winning culinary writer who recently published National Dish in 2023, shares why this area is the fascinating "anti-Napa" and worth the bumpy ride.

On this episode you'll learn:

Why Valle de Guadalupe is emerging as one of North America's most exciting wine regions

How the region's lack of established traditions is fostering incredible creativity

Why female winemakers are flourishing in this innovative Mexican wine country

What makes the region's difficult access part of its charm and protection

Don't miss these moments:

[04:12] Why "bad roads make good tourists" according to local winemakers [05:05] Anya's favorite natural wines from the region, including an amber sauvignon blanc called "La Poubelle" (trash can) [08:20] The surprising prevalence of women winemakers in a traditionally patriarchal country [10:15] How Valle de Guadalupe's freedom from tradition allows for experimental winemaking that would "make Europeans faint"

Featured in this episode:

Lunario - Michelin green-sustainability-star restaurant

Silvana Pijoan - Natural winemaker of La Poubelle amber sauvignon blanc at Pijoan Winery

Veronica Santiago - Winemaker at Mina Penelope Winery

Lulú Martínez Ojeda - Winemaker at Bruma who trained in Bordeaux

David Castro Hussong - Chef at Bruma

Karina Campos - Guide from Baja Wine, Eat and Travel

Resources:

Read Anya's complete feature story on Valle de Guadalupe in AFAR's 2025 Culture issue.

Explore more of Anya's work in her 2023 book National Dish, which examines iconic dishes from Paris, Tokyo, Istanbul, and beyond.

Follow Anya on Instagram and Twitter for more culinary explorations.

Join host Katherine LaGrave in two weeks for a conversation with AFAR contributing writer Bonnie Tsui about her journey to Guangzhou, China, and her new book, On Muscle.

Follow AFAR Media on Instagram and TikTok @AfarMedia.

Subscribe, rate, and review Unpacked, Five Questions on your favorite podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.