At a glance
- Founded
- 2015
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Style
- Chenin and Sauvignon whites · orange wine · Bordeaux school
- Visits
- By appointment
The house
Editorial review · reviewed on October 11, 2026Henri Lurton owns Château Brane Cantenac, a classified second growth of Margaux, and since 2015 he has also made wine in Mexico. His Francisco Zarco winery began as a family project: he runs it with the help of his older sons, Vincent and Nicolas, and travels to Baja California several times a year to follow the winemaking and the operation. The house presents itself as an adventure that joins France with Mexico.
The labels speak French and the grapes come from the Ensenada valleys. Some arrive from San Vicente, source of the Chardonnay for the orange wine, which macerates for a month on its skins. The orange wine spends ten months in neutral barrels and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Importers who bring it to the United States also point to native yeasts on some labels.
The whites lead the house, with Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, joined by Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon reds. The white lineup also includes the Chenin Centenario. It is the Bordeaux eye turned on a grape that grows between the Pacific and the mountains.
The tasting room in Francisco Zarco is small and is visited by reservation only, booked by email or message. The visit includes a tour of the winery and a tasting.
The wines
Single-variety whites such as Le Chenin and Le Sauvignon, alongside a Nebbiolo and an orange wine from Chardonnay. Importers describe French-style winemaking, with native yeasts and neutral barrels on some labels.
White
Le Chenin
Chenin Blanc
White
Le Sauvignon
Sauvignon Blanc
Red
Le Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo from Guadalupe Valley.
Orange
Vino Naranja
Chardonnay
Chardonnay from San Vicente with one month of skin maceration, native yeasts, and ten months in neutral barrels, unfined and unfiltered.
White
Chenin Centenario
Chenin Blanc
Grapes it works with
- Chenin Blanc
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chardonnay
- Nebbiolo
- Cabernet Sauvignon
What to taste
The Vino Naranja, a Chardonnay from San Vicente macerated for a month on its skins, and Le Chenin, to see the whites the house introduces itself with.
Why go
See how a Margaux family reads Guadalupe Valley, in a small tasting room that starts with the whites.
The visit
Receives visitors by appointment. Reservations are required.
Offers:TastingsTours
Tastings and tours
By advance reservation only, booked by email or message.
Getting there
Francisco Zarco, Valle de Guadalupe · Get directions ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Open the driving route in Google Maps:
- Directions from your location (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from San Diego, CA (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from San Ysidro Port of Entry (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Ensenada (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Tijuana (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Tijuana Airport (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Tecate (opens in a new tab)
