Here’s a California Zin to Put on Your Must-Try List for 2020

The Prisoner Wine Company 2017 Saldo Zinfandel (about $30) – Zinfandel can have that “bull in a china shop” persona when it’s made in a high-fruit, high-alcohol style. But this selection from the St. Helena, California, winery will dispel those preconceived notions by convincing you that Zin is quite capable of taking on an air of sophistication and class when it falls into the right winemaker’s hands.

Presented with minimalist labeling and beautifully crafted (with a blend of 15-percent Petite Sirah and Syrah), it opens with fragrant gingerbread and star anise aromatics followed by blackberry, blueberry, and black plum fruit. The velvety-soft finish carries a spicy/brambly note along with a whisper of chocolate and warm vanilla bean. A flat-out delicious wine worth seeking out and savoring.