Three years is far too long to go without seeing your first born, his young sons and their mother, but Covid-19 complications and a passport that disappeared into the maws of government in March, has put me in that position. On Sunday that came to an end, and my wife prepared a fine welcoming meal that was served in our home.

We started the evening with a glass of 2021 Sasha LichineThe Pale rosé. In 2006, Sacha took over Chateau d'Esclans with the goal of creating some of the world’s greatest wines.

He revolutionised Provence rosé and developed Whispering Angel into the trendiest Provence pink. He has turned his attention to new areas with The Pale. Crafted with grapes from the Vin de Pays Du Var region of Provence, it’s classic Mediterranean rosé with a twist.

It’s a blend of grenache, cinsault and syrah – but from an area known for great value. It’s deliciously dry and refreshing with bright red fruit flavours and a clean, crisp finish. Wine Enthusiast magazine writes, “bright and fruity, bubbling with pink fruits and perfumed acidity, this is an attractive, immediately drinkable wine”. $23.70 (Stock #8113).

A tenderloin of beef was on the barbecue and my son has often told me of the zinfandels that he has enjoyed over the years. This sounded most appropriate, and we were ready.

2012 Wild Hogge Moongate from Paso Robles was poured, and in January of 2021 I wrote: “If you were using the grape in Croatia, you would call it ”tribidraq“ or ”crljenak kastelanski“; in Italy the label would read ”primitivo“ and in California ”“zinfandel“. Huw and Dale Morris call their blend of 75 per cent zinfandel, 13 per cent syrah and 12 per cent cabernet franc, moongate, and we know they do that because of their long association with Bermuda. They prefer to call the major grape primitivo.

Their website reads: “Primitivo, an Italian zinfandel, contributes a unique taste of rich ripe fruit. The Cab Franc adds a little black pepper, and the spicy syrah balances out the richness of the primitivo. Matured in American oak for two years and in the bottle for another two years, the wine exhibits a powerful aroma of earthiness and dark berry fruit. The palate has a rich texture and notes of blackberry jam. One hundred seventy-seven cases were produced.”

This wine, at ten years, is at the optimum age for me, with a little of the excitement of youth still there, but now showing what tertiary flavours age can offer. $39.90 (Stock #5967).

Although the bottle was not finished, we opened a bottle of 2019 Dry Creek Heritage Vines Zinfandel just to compare young, and then aged versions, of this grape. The younger wine is 81 per cent zinfandel and 19 per cent petite sirah. It is always a favourite in our home and critic Jeb Dunnuck rates this vintage 92/100 as he comments: “showed beautifully with a pure upfront, silky, and textured style as well as classic plum and berry fruits, notes of incense, pepper, and orange blossom. Drink this charming, pleasure-bent beauty over the coming five to seven years”. $32.95 (Stock #6507).

We could have opened 2017 Sbragia “Gino’s” Zinfandel that we keep on hand, and it would have invoked fond memories of our old friend Ed Sbragia and his family winery at the extreme northern end of Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma. He went out on his own after thirty-two years of heading up the winemaking team at Beringer.

This very special zinfandel was aged in new French oak for 20 months, to help highlight its quintessential Dry Creek zinfandel characteristics, which include aromatics of brambly fruit, and intense blackberry, raspberry flavours.

Subtle floral notes, brown sugar and spice are apparent mid palate as a wonderful depth of flavour leads to a juicy finish. $42 (Stock #6803).

I very recently wrote about 2019 Bogle Old Vines Zinfandel so will not say much about sixty to eighty-year-old vines that add raspberries, peppercorns, juniper, dried herbs and vanilla to this wine that has been aged for a year in American oak. At $24.30 it is the perfect accompaniment to burgers on the grill. (Stock #8042).

Let’s wrap this mostly zinfandel column up with 2020 Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert. You understandably may wonder how a wine could be saddled with such a name, and so here is my take on it. Dave Finney, founder of Orin Swift, developed a uniquely named wine that became a big success.

A large wine company came along and bought this brand for $285,000,000, but as the wine was zinfandel based, an agreement was signed that said that he would not work with this grape for eight years.

He has wandered in this wasteland for the required time and so now gives us this zinfandel, syrah and petite sirah blend.

The winery comments: “our relationship with zinfandel goes back 20 years. Orin Swift Cellars was started with two tonnes of zinfandel in 1998 – perhaps the most important two tons we have ever purchased. Quite often, you learn more from your failures than you do from your successes. What we learnt from those two tonnes is that there is neither a silver bullet nor alchemy once the grapes are in the winery. You can only make great wine from great grapes. This truism applies to zinfandel more than any other varietal”.

This wine is bright violet in the glass and is the epitome of their style, the reason they are here in the first place.

As it is being poured, the aromatics hit squarely on the nose with a perception of sweetness: pure brambly raspberry juice and blueberry preserves with a hint of white pepper and High Sierra forest floor.

Yet, the perceived sweetness on the nose is just that – perceived – and does not carry through on the palate. Lush and enveloping with a beam of acidity, notes of blackberry pie, plum and kirsch flourish. It finishes with ultra-round tannins and lingering raspberry. $62.35 (Stock #6651).

Rest assured that any of these zinfandel based wines will enhance meats cooked on the outdoor grill. Enjoy!

• This column is an advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Contact Michael Robinson at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). Visit www.wineonline.bm