Gregg Johnson and Brent Wittrock in the barrel room at Trentadue discussing future blends for Minsky’s new wine, Pizza Red.
Minsky’s is proud to introduce a new private label wine sold exclusively sold at Minsky’s locations: Minsky’s Pizza Red. Minsky’s has worked diligently to create the perfect wine to accompany pizza for nearly a year and Pizza Red is now ready to to debut! Said Minsky’s Founder and CEO Gregg Johnson, “Having our own wine is something we’ve envisioned for quite a while now. Seeing it come to fruition is a really proud moment for us – we think our customers are going to really enjoy it.”
Gregg and Osteria Il Centro partner and General Manager Brent Wittrock have long been fans of the wines of Sonoma – specifically Alexander Valley. Working with local wine distributor JP Gilmore of Vintegrity Fine Wines, their interest was piqued by Trentadue winery – one they were long familiar with – for the winery’s track record for big, rich, age-worthy reds. After some discussion, Gregg and Brent selected Trentadue to create private label wines for both Minsky’s and also sister restaurant, Osteria Il Centro. The Trentadue family has a long history in Sonoma County having purchased 208 Acres in the Alexander Valley in 1959. Their vineyards contain a wide range of different varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals as well as Old Vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah with additional planting of Italian varietals.
Gregg and Brent with some of the old vine Zinfandel plantings at Trentadue that form the backbone of Minsky’s Pizza Red blend.
Gregg and Brent wanted to work with a winemaker that had control of all aspects of the wine-making process – from grape growing, harvesting, fermentation, aging and finally, blending the finished wines. They were thrilled to work with Miro Tcholakov, winemaker at Trentadue for over twenty years. Gregg and Brent enjoyed the process of working with Miro to bottle their first vintage of Pizza Red and also a second wine, a special blend made exclusively for sister restaurant Osteria IL Centro, a Cabernet Sauvignon labeled “GJ Reserve.” Said Brent, “We chose two wines that we felt would match well with a wide variety of our menu items and really elevate the overall dining experience.”
Pizza Red – Flavor Profile
The 2018 Pizza Red is predominately Zin blended with Petite Sirah, Carignane and Merlot resulting in very fruity yet complex and full bodied Rhone style wine. The wine is dark red in color and features intense black cherry aromas, blueberries and cherry cola as an immediate impression. With aeration, nuances of ripe plums, vanilla and cocoa are showing with a slight dose of oak and toast. On the mouth the wine is fresh and juicy with youthful brightness, finishing long and fruity. This is a wine that will drink well with a variety of foods but it is also very enjoyable on its own. Minsky’s 2018 Pizza Red is delicious now but it will also reward your patience with 2-5 years of aging.
Gregg and Brent identifying specific Cabernet Barrels in from the 2019 vintage that could be part of the GJ Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon in the future.
Blend:
- 56 % Zin
- 18% Petite Sirah
- 11% Carignane
- 11% Merlot
- 2% Syrah
- 2% Sangiovese
Harvest: October 2018
Aging:
- 14 months in small oak barrels
- 15 % new French oak, balance in neutral oak
Production:
- 952 cases
Bottled:
- 12.12. 2019
Try Pizza Red at Minsky’s today, or for Kansas City, Missouri residents, have it delivered with your next meal. Cheers!
