Vinos Zanzónico Chardonnay Reserva 2021 San Vicente - Baja - Mexico

Varietal:  100% Chardonnay.

Winemaker: Gerard Zanzonico (Chateau Montelena)

Region: San Vicente.

Fermentation: 12 months in French Oak 25% new

Visual:  Brilliant color.

Nose: Pineapple and grapefruit.

Taste:  Flavors of fresh pineapple, allspice, tropical fruit, vanilla. Smooth mouthfeel with a bright finish.

While his entry into the business was a tad tumultuous, the following four decades were pretty smooth sailing. Gerard spent about half that time at Chateau Montelena. He was part of an all star staff that helped elevate this celebrated Napa institution to rare heights. Then he went on to leave his mark as winemaker at Stonegate Winery, Staglin Family Vineyard, and Del Dotto Vineyards. Along the way Gerard worked with a lot of nice folks...he also made a lot of world class wine. Four of those wines merited one hundred point scores from wine critic Robert Parker.

In 2015 the passion that drove Gerard about Napa dimmed a bit. It was time for him to leave Napa behind, but he wasn't done with wine altogether. He was doing some consulting in Baja California, Mexico, where the Guadeloupe Valley is located. It's the most renowned region for wine production in Mexico. The people there had two things Gerard most admired about winemaking: desire and passion.

So in 2019 Gerard, his wife and partner Patricia, and their dog Misty moved to Ensenada. They launched their brand Vinos Zanzonico with a small production of Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, and Syrah. Their output of four hundred cases was minuscule in comparison with his Napa heyday. The winemaking there is a throwback to Napa in the Seventies. As Gerard consults with several clients in Baja and leads by example, it's done with a unique perspective. He was in Napa when Napa became a world class destination.