As promised in today’s column on Mexican wines, here’s a selection of the best Baja wines I tasted at the Copia event last weekend. Check each winery’s Web site to locate a distributor (most are in Los Angeles) and find out if and when they will be available in the Bay Area. Some are headed into our stores as early as spring. As you’ll see, I was particularly taken with their blends.

Not to be a downer, but I do have to warn you about something that’s come to my attention. There has been a significant rise in the kidnappings of American tourists in Baja this past year. Seems our respective federal governments are too busy working on other security issues to shed light on this problem. So please be informed before you visit.

On to the wines:
Monte Xanic: 50,000 cases produced annually.

2004 Chenin Colombard: Well-balanced and bursting with tropical fruits and acidity.
2004 Gran Ricardo: A velvet-cedar-raspberry blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot that is aged for 18 months in French oak.

Casa de Piedro: 3,000 cases produced annually.

2005 Vino de Piedra Tinto: An elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo that has become quite the trend in Baja blends. This one showed tart berries, light grilled meats and vanilla on the finish. It was gorgeous.

2005 Parallelo Ensemble Arsena: a medium bodied blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah and Barbera from the hillsides of San Antonio de las Minas. This wine is very balanced with dark fruits, leather and smoke. Very impressive.

Chateau Camou:

2004 Gran Vino Tinto Merlot: Beautiful ruby color with good, structured tannins and a floral finish. What Merlot should be.

2004 Gran Vino Tinto: A traditional Bordeaux Blend where the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are aged separately in stainless steel tanks and then in new French oak for 13 months. Blending occurs just before bottling and the result is cassis, coffee and spice.

L.A. Cetto: 600,000 cases produced annually with 14 different labels.

Vinicola Cabernet of Rose: I was blown away by the crisp, sherbert acidity of this dry rose made from Cabernet Sauvignon. Have it with sushi and be dazzled. And here’s the kicker: it costs $6.50 and is widely available in the U.S.

Reservas Privada Nebbiolo: This is L.A. Cetto’s premium label. This wine is tar-kissed with rose petals and violets on the nose. It’s got great tannins and impeccable finish. Here’s to the new Piedmont.

I went to a great dinner party over the weekend. It was at Shirley and Wouter’s place in Hayes Valley. They belong to my wine club, the Wine Groupies, and Shirley’s guest- blogged in Corkheads a few times. She’s got a killer palate and is a wealth of information.

I arrived with a raw-milk brie I picked up at that little international market on the corner of 7th and Washington in downtown Oakland and my go-to crowd pleaser, Taltarni Brut Tache, which I’ve written about before. It’s an Australian sparkling rose and even I wasn’t prepared for how well its crisp acidity and fruit would cut through the decadent and pungent double cream.

But I was there for the Jo Pithon Savenniere. And to hang with Shirley, Wouter and their fab friends, Rachel and Joey, of course! Last year, my buddy Ian wrapped up the viticulture program at Cal Poly and headed to an internship with the biodynamic winery in the Anjou region of the southern Loire Valley. So I’d heard a lot about Jo Pithon and his hypnotically botrytised Chenin Blancs. I was anxious to try the wine.

Shirley and Wouter made baked salmon and gorgeous organic cauliflower that was brimming with buttery flavors. We all expected the Chenin to show at least some grapefruit and cream but it was all clove and spice. The color was of dark clover honey, the nose was sweet (probably the botrytis) but the wine was bone dry. Very lovely and unusual. Get your hands on some Jo Pithon wines at K&L in San Francisco.