Something to Wine About: 2019 Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel

Not entirely certain what the groundhog saw yesterday, but today saw temperatures plummet here on Long Island. What does a deep freeze mean for wine drinkers? For most, it means it’s time to indulge in rich, warming reds.

One red that’s sure to warm your soul, if you can find it, is the 2019 Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel. Prices online range from as low as just under $25 up to $45 for this wine, but it seems like it’s become very hard to track down.

The 2019 Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel is lush with raspberry and cranberries and brambly fruit flavors. It has notes of cinnamon and clove and light notes of licorice. It is 100% zinfandel. The grapes are from the Morisoli Vineyard located in the Rutherford area of Napa Valley.

The judicious use of oak, the wine is aged 11 months in French oak, 60% new, creates a well-structured, elegant wine, with firm tannins. Delicious with any warm weather foods, rich Italian foods, stew, red meats, pizza, and warm chocolate brownies are all complemented by this wine.

Zinfandel lovers know Zinfandel is an underrated wine. The zinfandel grape produces robust, sometimes jammy, and slightly spicy, big red wines. It is also used to produce a semi sweet blush wine called white zinfandel.

The sales of white zinfandel are about six times the sales of the classic zinfandel wine. This perception of zinfandel being the sweet pink wine could be one reason red wine drinkers might be less likely to ask for it. But red wine drinkers who haven’t yet, should definitely give zinfandel a try. It’s a wonderful winter red to add to any wine drinker’s repertoire.