12/30/2023 0 Comments Lechuza tacosIt seemed poignant that my wife and I were at home enjoying the literal fruits of Ray’s science, art, and life at that moment. When we heard the news about Ray on Sunday, we happened to be drinking Lechuza’s 2014 Amantes blend, which was my one bottle choice during our Saturday tour. And that her two-year old son, Ray’s grandson, is inspecting those vines as he eats the sweet pea groundcover between the rows, looking for imperfections as well as perfections. I have no doubt that Kris will be successful in continuing the vineyard and her dad’s legacy. Although Ray wasn’t with us, he was still very present that day at Lechuza. Kris laughed and explained that he was burning the weeds, and let leak that the flamethrower was one of her dad’s favorite “toys”. I recounted that the last time we’d stopped by, Ray had been out in the vines with his flamethrower. Kris and I shared a few Ray stories with our guests. In Ray’s absence, Kris tended to our tasting, expertly explaining the science as well as the art behind each wine we sampled. Ray always called me Gringo in a way that felt like a humorous, shared term of affection - knowing that we were both really gringos in Mexico, though he is far more worthy of the moniker.ĭuring our visit this weekend, Ray was at Major League Baseball’s spring training in Arizona, the sport being another passion of his. “Yes, Dad has you down here as Gringo party of 8”. When I IM’ed Kris last week to confirm our visit, she replied. The last trip was just this past Saturday. ![]() Some left with two or three – willing to take their chances at the border since they were over their legal crossing limit of 1 bottle. I’ve had the pleasure of hosting two tour groups at Lechuza, and both times our guests unanimously agreed that the wines and tasting with Ray and/or Kris were their favorite part of the entire experience (with apologies to our other hosts, who are also amazing).ĭuring our tours, nearly everyone left with a bottle of their favorite Lechuza varietal or blend. That was in 2007 and his family have been in the winemaking business ever since. Amado Garza, an established winemaker from nearby Viñas de Garza, interrupted his own harvesting to deliver the needed equipment and Ray’s first vintage. During his first harvest, a piece of crucial equipment failed in the processing of his grapes. I’ve heard stories of gringos and gringas who have had difficulties starting business in small-town Mexico, due to the suspicion of the local population. He studied winemaking at UC Davis then decided to move with Patty to the Valle de Guadalupe in 2002 to found the winery. He was a janitor for 30 years - first with mop in-hand and later as the founder of a successful commercial janitorial service in San Diego. Ray was one of the most laid-back yet hardworking people I’ve ever met. Gringos in Mexico, Scott Koenig & Ray Magnussen. To this day, it’s still one of our favorite Baja California whites. He was particularly proud of and generously shared a bottle of his “Wedding” reserve Chardonnay, which he created to celebrate Kris and Adam’s nuptials. That afternoon, we enjoyed wine, cheese, olives, hospitality, and great conversation with Ray on the vineyard’s front porch, overlooking his vines. When we arrived at Lechuza that summer, Ray, his wife Patty, his daughter Kris, and her husband Adam greeted my wife, son, and I like we were old friends. That year, Ray sent me a message via Facebook, inviting us to come visit his small winery the next time we were in the Valle. Though I’d learned about Lechuza Winery on the the popular Life and Food blog and was intrigued by the San Diego-born owner, I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Ray until 2015. I regret that I didn’t have the time to get to know Ray as well as I would have liked to. ![]() As the news and shock spread, I woke up to no less than a dozen tributes to Ray Magnussen on Facebook this morning, along with an outpouring of love for his wife and family from their many friends. – One of my favorite people in the Valle de Guadalupe winemaking community passed away suddenly yesterday. La Central: A Taste of Oaxaca in Baja’s Wine Country Manifesto to Protect the Valle de GuadalupeĬelebrating Baja California’s Women Winemakers Three Amigos Announce Worry-Free Tijuana Taco ToursĪ Gringo in Mexico’s Top 10 Baja Bites 2019 The Legend of the Baja California Fish Tacoįlour Tortillas Are Authentic Mexican CuisineįIRST LOOK: El Original Pastel de Crepas Tijuana Bistro I Almost Killed Latin America’s Best Chefīaja Window to the South Showcases Best of Baja CaliforniaĪ Gringo in Mexico Offers Fine Art & Accessories
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