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Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $24.94
Ripe crunchy red forest fruits with notes of candied dark cherries. Rich and bold, with juicy tannins. (Bronze) -...
DC
89
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $11.54 $12.57
Deep ruby red with violet reflections; intense fruity bouquet with notes of plum and cherry, hints of Mediterranean...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $13.65 $15.17
12 bottles: $12.36
Our smooth Zinfandel is layered with hints of rich blackberry, luscious caramel, and aromatic toasted oak.
Red
750ml
Bottle: $11.70
12 bottles: $11.47
Deep red colour. A particularly vinous bouquet. A delicate, dry taste.
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $16.71
Red
750ml
Bottle: $22.80
6 bottles: $22.34
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.43 $13.87
Broad, ripe black fruit and spice aromas, with notes of pepper, toasty vanilla and Mediterranean scrub. On the...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $18.94 $21.10
12 bottles: $18.91
This elegant Dolcetto is ruby red in color with a garnet rim. Aromas of red cherries mingle with notes of lavender,...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $9.94
12 bottles: $8.94
Notes of ripe plums, cherry jam and tobacco characterize the bouquet of this pure varietal Primitivo from the Apulia...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $18.36 $20.40
12 bottles: $16.63
A fruit bomb, with just enough character to keep things interesting. Reveals jammy blackberry and licorice flavors...
WS
88
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.94
12 bottles: $21.50
Eight Spur Zinfandel displays loads of blueberry and strawberry flavors, with hints of cinnamon, tobacco leaf, and...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.38 $17.09
12 bottles: $13.18
Our old vine zin has a wide array of strawberry and plum aromas followed by black cherry and vanilla flavors with a...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $16.25
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.94 $16.66
12 bottles: $15.83
Aromas of ripe blueberries and mulberries with rose petals and peppery undertones. Medium-bodied with polished...
JS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.20 $18.00
12 bottles: $14.25
Complex and layered. Rich in dark fruit, cassis, and black currant. Aromas of chocolate, toffee, sandalwood and...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.90 $17.09
12 bottles: $13.71
The Zin opens with aromas of dark red fruit, boysenberry and baking spice with a velvety mouthfeel and balanced...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $17.09
Aromas of plum and black currant frame ripe, juicy flavors of black cherry and strawberry jam. Well-integrated...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $17.09
Red
375ml
Bottle: $17.94
12 bottles: $17.58
Plump and generous, with jammy cherry and raspberry flavors laced with black pepper and briar patch accents. Ends...
WS
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $27.94
12 bottles: $26.60
Black-purple in color with aromas of blackberry, hints of plum, cherry and chocolate. Flavors of sweet blackberry,...

Dolcetto Primitivo Zinfandel

In Italian, Dolcetto means 'little sweet one' – a slightly misleading name, as the black grapes of this varietal have relatively little natural sugar and almost almost produce dry wines. However, the Dolcetto grapes are remarkably popular with those looking for a full, rounded and highly flavorful wine, and are grown extensively in their native Italy, and in many other countries around the world. Dolcetto varietal grapes tend to have quite a high level of tannin, due to their thick, black skins, and low acidity, resulting in interesting wines with a large feel in the mouth, despite being relatively light in body. They are most commonly associated with big, complex flavors such as liquorice and prunes, and are regularly described as having a finish similar to the flavor of bitter almonds.

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.

The precise origins of what became known as the Zinfandel grape variety are uncertain, although it has clear genetic equivalents in both Puglia and Croatia. However, when it was brought to the New World in the mid 19th century, it became known as the Zinfandel, and has been consistently popular and widely grown ever since. These very dark and very round grapes have a remarkably high sugar content, resulting in relatively high levels of alcohol in the wines they are made into, with bottles often displaying as much as fifteen percent. What makes the Zinfandel such an interesting grape, though, is the fact that the flavors produced by this varietal vary considerably depending on the climate they are grown in. In cooler valley regions, the Zinfandel grapes result in wines which hold strong flavors of tart and sweet fruits; raspberry, redcurrant and sweet cherry, held in a very smooth and silky liquid. Conversely, warmer regions result in more complex and spicy notes, including anise, pepper and hedgerow berries.