Winemaker Gerard Zanzonico may very well be the first winemaker I interviewed when I began writing about wine in February 2012. I had sent an email to the winery he was with for many years, Del Dotto in Napa, and someone agreed to let me meet with him. From our first meeting to what I hope hasn’t been our last just yet he has treated me with respect, shared his wealth of knowledge, his sense of humor and a great deal of his time.
Fast forward to today and Gerard has retired to Baja California and is making wine under his own label, Vinos Zanzonico, from vineyards in the Valle de Guadalupe. This is not the first time I’ve reviewed his Baja wines. But this is the first time Gerard shared with me that during the recent Los Angeles International Wine Competition his Vinos Zanzonico 2022 Chardonnay won Gold, and it was the only Baja wine to win a gold medal. I also bought a bottle of his latest Syrah, which also garnered a silver medal at the same competition. My tasting notes and reviews are below.
Vinos Zanzonico 2022 Chardonnay
Gold medal
Aromas that reminded me of lemongrass, fruit cocktail, apple, crisped plantains, wet stones, minerality, and talcum powder. On the mouth I got that same fruit cocktail, a creamy palate with very low acid, lemonade or Sprite soda, and a mild salinity. I’m going to need more bottles of this to get me through the summer months. 95 Eve Points.
2020 Syrah
Silver medal
On the nose I was greeted with notes of black fruit – black cherry, blackberry, and Italian black plums. After that came milk and dark chocolate, red rose petals, tri-color peppercorns, and sweet charred filet. Couldn’t wait to wrap my tongue around it next: then I was rewarded a rich and balanced mouthfeel, sweet and tannic at the same time, and seemingly older than a 2020 with no need to hold or decant. Then came flavors that matched some of the aromas – that same dark fruit, chocolate, and char. Very pleasant without food, with the tannins allowing for a nice long finish.
And if you have feelings about Baja wine based on the location, just wipe that silly thought out of your head and try this amazing Syrah. 98 Eve Points.
More
This is the link to my reviews on Vinos Zanzonico 2020 Reserva Chardonnay and 2019 Reserva Syrah. This is the link I did on Gerard when he made the move from Napa to Baja.
These wines are available at LMA Wines and Vintage wines of San Diego:
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
