Zinfandel: California’s Comeback Kid featuring Chris Morisoli
Zinfandel has been called California’s grape: it’s a little rebellious, often misunderstood, and always the life of the party. In this episode of Unfiltered, we’re diving deep into Zin’s roots with Chris Morisoli, fifth-generation Napa Valley grapegrower, helicopter pilot, and host of the Nine One Wine podcast. From the old vines of Rutherford to the spicy, fruit-driven bottles from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley, Amanda and Chris unpack what makes Zinfandel so uniquely American—and why it’s poised for a major comeback. Along the way, Chris shares family stories dating back to the 1800s, what it’s really like during harvest season (spoiler: it starts at 3AM), and why the “Old Vine” label isn’t always what it seems. Wine Featured on This Episode: 2023 Dancing Zinfandel Fresh Take Dry Creek Valley 📦 Join the Unfiltered Podcast Wine Club 4 bottles per shipment hand selected by Amanda Delivered every 2 months (1 wine/episode) / 6x per year $120 + tax Shipping Included Cancel anytime 10% off all Wine Access purchases Follow us on social! IG: @wineaccessunfiltered Twitter: @wineaccesspod Host: Amanda McCrossin Shop all the wines at Wine Access 🍇 Where to find Chris: Morisoli Vineyard – https://www.morisolivineyard.com Nine One Wine Podcast – https://www.nineonewine.com 🌎 Other Producers & References Ravenswood Winery Bedrock Wine Co. – Heritage vineyards & old-vine Zinfandel champions from Morgan Twain-Peterson MW Turley Wine Cellars – Referenced for “Old Vines” benchmark; Larry Turley’s 50-year rule Robert Biale Vineyards – Morisoli single-vineyard bottling, including the famous Black Chicken Zinfandel. Sandlands Wines (Tegan Passalacqua) – Celebrated for authentic, small-lot old-vine Zinfandel and lesser-known varietals Elyse Winery – Producers of Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel from 1987–2018 🥂 Restaurants, Food & Fun Mentions Buster’s Southern BBQ (Calistoga) Taco Azteca (Napa Valley) Cook St. Helena COTE Korean Steakhouse Coqodaq - Featured for “fried chicken & Champagne” pairing, as seen on Apple TV’s Chasing Stars Dry Creek General Store – Amanda’s rec for best sandwiches while exploring Dry Creek Valley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
