You don't sip Zin, You survive it.

You Don’t Sip Zinfandel. You Survive It.

There’s a special kind of frustration that lives in the space between knowing something deeply… and having someone confidently tell you that you don’t.

We were talking about wine. I was excited because the study had just begun to get challenging, WSET level 3, the theory and the tasting along with it.

He loved Zinfandel. I didn’t.

I said it was hard to pair with food — too loud, too spicy, too much drama.

He laughed and said, “You probably couldn’t tell it apart from a Cabernet anyway.”

We were dating. Which, looking back, adds a beautiful hint of absurdity to the whole thing.

Later that night, he set up a blind tasting like he was about to prove something. Three glasses. No labels. I picked up the first, brought it to my nose, and said: “Zinfandel.”

No hesitation. No sip needed. Just scent.

He blinked. I waited.

It was Zin. A bold Californian one.

That bottle was practically shouting.

Zinfandel doesn’t whisper, it doesn't converse, it announces itself with flair.

It shows up late, overdressed, and demands a solo.

It’s the drag queen of red wines — dazzling, chaotic, a little much, and completely unforgettable.

There’s no nose in the world that wouldn’t recognize it.

Except his, apparently.

And this wasn’t the first time. This is the same man who had an underage waiter choose a wine for me after I had selected one I really wanted to try. This was when I was quite advanced in my wine studies ....but he thought one who couldn't legally taste what was chosen for me would make a better choice.

He didn’t trust my palate.

But wine? Wine never lied to me.

It told me everything I needed to know, loud and clear.

🍷

A Lesson in Scent, Power, and Being Underestimated

Zinfandel taught me something. Not just about red wine — but about people.

When someone tells you that you don’t know what you know, they’re not trying to teach you. They’re trying to shrink you. And when you refuse to shrink? Suddenly, you’re the problem. Or worse — the “difficult” one.

But wine doesn’t care about your gender or your résumé.

It either sings or it doesn’t. If you listen long enough — it will always speak to you first.

🥂

So Here’s to Zin

Big, beautiful, and unignorable.

Like me. Like you.

And like everyone who’s ever had to prove themselves just to be heard.

This isn’t wine school.

It’s Somm’n Different.