L. A. Cetto Zinfandel 2006

80 points. This wine has a bright pure red color with a lightness that is somewhat surprising for the fairly high (14%) alcohol content. The nose is very interesting with a distinct desert terroir. I was expecting oceanic nuances because of how close to the coast this wine is, but instead, I get a rustic, sun-baked theme that seems to run through everything in the aroma. There is a clear strawberry jam tone, but it is tinted with a tumbleweed and dried tobacco leaf component that makes me think of a farmhouse out on the plains somewhere. I also get a little bit of espresso, licorice, and something slightly charred and minerally, like the stones around a fire pit. That same smoky stone is the first thing I notice on the palate. There is also a dried strawberry, leather, kind of prickly pear and cactus pad flavor going on as well. There is some sun-baked fruit, clay, and tumbleweed on the finish to really drive home the desert terroir that I pick up. Sure, those might sound like strange descriptors, but what I find most unusual about this wine is that it’s salty. It actually tastes like there is a good kick of soy sauce in there. I don’t know if I like it or not, but it’s definitely not something that you encounter everyday. Plus, to me, it does kind of make sense, Baja is a hot, arid, peninsula right next to the ocean, and I think this wine does an excellent job of capturing the seemingly opposing essences of desert and sea spray. This is not the most enjoyable Zinfandel I have ever had. It is very dry with almost no acidity and it has a little bit of heat from the alcohol. Plus, that salty quality might scare away most people. That being said, I think this wine has an amazing sense of place and just for that alone I would say that it is, although maybe only for the brave Worth Trying. Source: What's Worth Drinking: Mexican Wines for Cinco de Mayo ( http://whatsworthdrinking.com/2010/05/05/post-11-mexican-wines-for-cinco-de-mayo/ )

fresh and clean, very well balanced, light on the nose, strong yet not overwhelming raspberry flavor, just the right amount of sweet, this is a happy wine great for beginners but will please many,very refreshing and easy to drink, i am not a big fan of whites but this one will be a keeper in my cellar, perfect for sipping with friends, kick back after a long day, only downside is i had not seen this anywhere in the states at least here in colorado but i do visit baja every once in a while