Zama Latin American Cuisine

Zama looks the part — upscale Latin American interior, energetic patio, the kind of room that makes you want to order a bottle. The wine list arrives and it's fine, recognizable, inoffensive. Nothing here is going to surprise you, but it's also not going to embarrass you.

The list runs about 30–40 labels across California, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Chile — which sounds more exciting than it is. What you actually get is a greatest-hits collection: Caymus Cab, Bonanza, Simi Sauvignon Blanc, Mionetto Prosecco, Schmitt Söhne Riesling. The Latin American angle the restaurant markets is real but thin — a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from Mayu and a handful of other South American selections round things out, though exact labels are hard to nail down. There's no deep bench here, no interesting grower Champagne, no Rioja producer worth getting excited about — just crowd-pleasers doing their crowd-pleasing thing.

Eight to ten pours by the glass, ranging $9–$14, with bubbles, whites, and reds all represented — which is a reasonable spread for a mid-sized restaurant list. The Mionetto Prosecco at $9/glass and the Simi Sauvignon Blanc at $10/glass are the obvious entry points, and the Schmitt Söhne Riesling at $10/glass is the most interesting of the bunch. Rotation doesn't appear aggressive — this reads more like a set program than a frequently refreshed selection.