Share A Glass - January 2021
Featuring Internationally Acclaimed Winemaker
Gerard Zanzonico with an Exclusive Taste of Vinos Zanzónico Chardonnay and Syrah, direct from Baja California.
Gerard Zanzonico - Vinos Zanzónico
Gerard Zanzonico's rise in the world of winemaking started in 1979 at the world-famous Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley, California. The winery had just won the now-famous “Paris Tasting" in 1976 for their 1973 Chardonnay—rated the "Best Chardonnay” in the world.
With Chardonnay being the sought-after wine, the goal at Chateau Montelena was to produce a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon from their estate vineyard. Gerard spent twenty years at the winery as Assistant Winemaker helping to shape the style of Cabernet Sauvignon Montelena would become known for. Their 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon got 99 points from renowned wine critic Robert Parker.
The wines of Chateau Montelena were ripe with flavor development, balanced mouthfeel, and a long, silky finish—a style Gerard would embrace for his career as a winemaker.
After twenty years at Montelena, Gerard moved on to a small winery in Napa Valley—Stonegate Winery. Here Gerard took over a struggling winery and began producing world-class red and white wines to help revive the winery.
The Chardonnay was full-bodied, layered with aromas of pineapple and tropical fruits. A rich mouthfeel and a long, balanced finish— all characteristic styles of Gerard's wines over the years. The Cabernet Sauvignon was full of ripe fruit, textured flavors of terroir, and a silky-smooth finish—balanced wine from the front to the back palette.
Gerard left Stonegate and went on to make wine for the Staglin Family Vineyards in Rutherford, Napa Valley. Here he produced Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon of high quality, again rich in flavors with a balanced texture. The 2002 Staglin Chardonnay was rated number 12 on the Wine Spectator top 100 wines of the world list. One year later the Staglin 2001 Cabernet was rated number 7 on the Wine Spectator top 100 wines of the world list.
Gerard took his style of winemaking to a new winery in 2006, Del Dotto Family Vineyards. Here he produced single-vineyard Cabernets from seven different appellations in Napa Valley. Within four years, Gerard's style of wine (with ripe fruit flavors, rich mouthfeel, smooth, and balanced finish) became known at Del Dotto as “Silk Juice". Del Dotto received four 100 point wines for his effort from Robert Parker, and the winery became a destination.
After 40 years of winemaking in Napa Valley, Gerard decided to move on. He is now making wine under his own label in Ensenada, Baja California Norte. To describe Gerard's wines, you must think of them as food. Gerard spends much of his time in the vineyards, for this is where he believes the wine is made. "We grow wine...not grapes.”
The grapes are ripe with flavor, picked at the optimum time, and layered with earthy characters of vineyard personality. Finishing balanced and elegant, Gerard’s wines can be equally enjoyed today, or aged for 5-25 years.
