Wine · Medium strength

Zinfandel

Brambly, jammy, high-octane — California's heritage grape with a leather jacket.

How to order it: Old-vine Lodi or Dry Creek. The red kind; white Zin is a different conversation.

Flavor profile

Sweetness5
Bitterness2
Strength7
Freshness2
Richness8
Sparkle0
Daring4

The proper serve

  • Serve at 60–65°F
  • Large red glass
  • Mind the ABV — often 15%+
  • Pairs: ribs, burgers, barbecue sauce
  • Old vine bottlings have the depth
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Adjacent pours

Malbec

Wine

Plush, plummy, and unmistakably Argentine — the steakhouse's house red.

Speyside Single Malt

Spirit

Honeyed, orchard-fruited, endlessly polite — the diplomat of Scotch.

Bourbon, Neat

Spirit

Corn, char, and caramel — America's front-porch philosophy.