TABLAS CREEK Esprit De Tablas Mourvedre Syrahs Grenache Counoise, Paso Robles

RIDGE VINEYARDS Lytton Springs Zinfandel Petite Syrah Carignan, Sonoma

RIDGE VINEYARDS Geyserville Zinfandel blend, Alexander Valley

Sustainably farmed Estate vineyards provide top quality fruit for this premium Californian red. Rich and peppery with hints of juicy raspberry this is the perfect match to succulent roast beef.

From the same vineyard as the Saint Georges Pinot Noir (Besson’s Home Ranch), the Zinfandel vines were apparently planted by an Italian bootlegger in 1922. Rooted in granite and sandy loams, Besson’s ungrafted Zinfandel benefits from morning and afternoon sun, while the unusually fresh marine-moderated night-time temperatures permit full expression and flavour development without requiring exacerbated degrees of alcohol. The yields from these old, well-established, own-rooted vines are meagre, averaging just one tonne per acre. To showcase the grape’s fresher, nuanced, and silkier side, the Birichino boys pick their Zin early, usually between 13 and 13.5% potential alcohol. At the same time, the low-impact winemaking is geared towards balancing the fresh acidity and juicy fruit offered by this unique Santa Cruz vineyard. In 2020, full maturity and equilibrium in the vineyard were reached at 14.5%. So, while it may not be super-typical of the Birichino style, it still remains a mile away from the brawny, hulk-like examples of brand Zinfandel.

Zesty raspberry jam flavours and blackberry zing combine in this mouthwatering Zinfandel by US wine stalwart, Kendall-Jackson. Your tastebuds will be seduced by silky cedar, subtle white pepper and spice accents in this long-finishing wine.

RIDGE VINEYARDS Gaudagni Zinfandel, Santa Cruz Mountains

Deep violet in colour, this wine exhibits aromas of cassis, ripe plum with an influence of vanilla bean and summer dry hay. On the palate this medium bodied red displays rich primary fruit flavours along with white pepper and dark cherry, and undertones of clove and ginger. Mid-palate is characterised by smooth fine tannins expressing the small percentage of new oak used. Its velvety tannins paired with pleasant acidity add a positive finish to this cheerful red.