With grapes sourced from vineyards planted in rich, black soils, the Felline 2016 Primitivo di Manduria Zinfandel Sinfarosa is openly sweet and succulent. The bouquet shows black currant and blackberry marmalade. The full-bodied mouthfeel is extremely chewy and rich, wrapping up with raisins, dried prunes and figs. If you're unafraid to pair Zin with sweets, as plenty of Italians do, this is a great one for Pugliese pasticciotti, or custard-filled pies. Gregory Perrucci bought his grape cuttings from Ridge Geyserville in 1998 and planted the Zinfandel in Manduria. Because this wine is in the Primitivo di Manduria DOC, I have left the Italian name of the grape and the English one as well. Some 48,000 bottles were made.

Here's an interesting wine made from Zinfandel cuttings taken directly from Geyserville, California. It has long been documented that California's Zinfandel grape and Puglia's Primitivo are long lost genetic cousins. The 2013 Primitivo di Manduria Zinfandel Sinfarosa is a modern and chocolaty wine with soft cherry fruit and chewy blackberry confit. The wine is a bit awkward and rough in terms of mouthfeel, but those sweet fruit flavors help to smooth over the palate.