ENSENADA The award-winning winemaker refers to her latest creation in personal terms.
"It's like a son to me," said Laura Zamora, who has worked for Vinos Santo Tomás for 33 years, the last five in charge of production. "And it tastes like Baja California."
She is referring to a red wine called Único Cabernet-Merlot Gran Reserva 2005, the latest release from the oldest winery in Baja California and one of the most prestigious in Mexico.
The aroma is unique. It's a mix of plum, chocolate, vanilla and wood from the barrels. Its flavor is very expressive, "you can feel the fruit in the palate and the subtle integration of the wood," Zamora said.
The wine has drawn attention from a wide range of experts, who recommend it to their customers.
It comes from one of the best harvests by the grape growers in the Santo Tomás Valley (at kilometer 48 south of Ensenada) and of the Guadalupe Valley (25 kilometers northeast of the port), where 90 per cent of Mexico's table wines are produced.
"There was more humidity and a lot of sun during 2005, which created the special conditions for this wine," said Leonardo González, president of Chefs of Baja California.
Zamora's imprint is noticeable at Santo Tomás, which has been in business for 123 years old, since she took over the production.
And proof of that is the red wine Único, "whose flavor is more harmonious, more pleasant. It's a great wine," said González, who represents chefs across the state.
For Zamora, this wine, whose bottles carry her signature, was a team effort, which included the field hands, the growers, the winemaker as well as Mother Nature, which all combined to yield a quality grape.
The Guadalupe and Santo Tomás valleys "are privileged areas that yield excellent wines," Zamora said. "The marine winds blow in and surround the valleys, making the grapes more potent."
That harvest yielded 50,000 bottles of the Único Cabernet-Merlot. Approximately 10 per cent is being exported to Southern California, where gourmet restaurants such as Romesco, in Bonita, serve it.
Zamora, who has won 12 international medals, said the wine can be served with a good cut of meat, although ideally it should be savored alone "but in good company."
One of the leading wine distributors in the Baja California region, José Ceja, has his own recommendation.
"It's a special wine from Laura, of great quality. It's not aggressive, nor too soft, rather very subtle. She took the greatest care with this wine. It's like her son."
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
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A bottle of the award-winning Santo Tomás red wine Único Cabernet-Merlot Gran Reserva 2005 retails for around $46 and at restaurants around $100.
The wine is available at select locations in Mexico. In Tijuana, the wine can be purchased at Arballo Vino y Licores, in the Morelos neighborhood, and Bodega La Playa, in downtown, as well as finer liquor stores.
Bilingual information is available at http://www.santo-tomas.com/.
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