guadalupe valley
Tourist Influx Raises Fears For Mexico's Wine Heartland
When Pau Pijoan began winemaking in Mexico's Guadalupe Valley it was home to little more than a dozen producers. Two decades later, he fears it is becoming a victim of its own success. The growing popularity of Mexico's wine heartland in Baja California has brought an influx of tourists -- and with them a proliferation of hotels, restaurants and other development. "When I bought land, there were 15 to 18 wine producers. Today, there are more than 200," said Pijoan, a veterinarian by trade. "We are responsible for this brutal and disorderly growth typical of Mexico," he said.