Over the weekend, we popped a bottle of a true American Classic and this baby is hard not to love! 2013 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel is one of the greatest Zinfandel made to my palate year in, year out! This fourth generation family owned winery, in the heart of the Dry Creek Valley, planted their gnarly old-vine Zinfandel in the early 1900’s and now make a small amount of great wine from these 100+ Year Old Vines! The focus at A. Rafanelli is always on quality over quantity and you normally only see this fine wine at the best restaurants and in the cellars of savvy older wine collectors. This wine has a cult status for people that love honest, old school Zinfandel with wild, brambly raspberry and cherry flavors, warm spiciness and excellent grip and body! The wines are not black in color or super syrupy sweet / over-ripe like some wineries prefer to make Zinfandel nowadays.That is not to say that Rafanelli makes a “light wine” by any means! Far from it: this Zinfandel is classically structured and styled with an expressive vibrancy of deep dark fruit and intriguing layers of spice and vanilla. Framed by toasty oak, with flavors and nuances that play on your palate, it is hard to stop drinking this amazing wine once the cork gets pulled! Take this chance to grab some today for the best price in the USA! Grab a case while it lasts for an even better deal!  You know where to reach me: kim@graileys.com. Stock up on this benchmark Dry Creek Zinfandel-  If you drink only one Zinfandel this year, make it this 2013 Rafanelli!  You will love it! Have a great day!

2013 A. Rafanelli Old Vine Zinfandel

Graileys Price: $49.95 per bottle | $564 per case ($47/btl!!)

Superb purity, wonderful fruit, and the classic black raspberry/cherry, spicy Zinfandel aromatic and flavor profile. The wine’s deep ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet attack, dried, full-bodied flavors, copious quantities of black fruits, and a long, lusty finish. This is what Zinfandel should be!