Wine of the Week

Here’s an elegant example of what Zinfandel is capable of when a winemaker has the courage to go after finesse rather than power and high alcohol. It’s a wine to enjoy with food, an idea which seems not to have occurred to all those Zinfandel producers intent on making the biggest, baddest, most concentrated juice known to man.

Bravo for this graceful, beautifully balanced wine. Tasting of berries and spice, it’s particularly well matched with the bright, fresh flavors of contemporary cuisine. Also look for the even more elegant 1999, which is trickling into the market now.

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About $23. Available at fine wine shops and retailers.