Uncle Zin 2018

This weighty red is named after an ancestor, Umberto, of winemaker Scipi Giuliani (of Papavero fame). Umberto left Italy for the US in 1890 and dedicated his life to the grape he loved – Zinfandel (aka Primitivo in Italy). No wonder, then, he gained the nickname Uncle Zin. Scipi’s aim was to produce the “ultimate Italian blockbuster” and he certainly delivered. Grapes from Puglia’s Salento were hand-picked, then dried in a special loft for weeks, appassimento style. This method concentrates the flavours and only after that are berries pressed and the juice fermented. It makes for a velvety, super concentrated wine, much like the expensive Amarones of Italy’s Veneto. This powerful red is a must with roast meats, game or hard, tangy cheeses.