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How to Choose Zinfandel & Merlot on Long Island

Zinfandel and merlot sit at opposite ends of the red wine spectrum, yet both earn a permanent place on Long Island tables. Understanding the difference makes the choice simple, whether you are stocking a party, planning a steak dinner, or looking for a soft, fruit-forward pour for a weeknight.

Red Zinfandel vs. White Zinfandel

Red zinfandel is a bold, high-alcohol red, often 14 to 16 percent ABV, with jammy blackberry, bramble, and black pepper notes. It pairs with barbecue, burgers, and spiced ribs. White zinfandel is a different wine entirely: the same grape, pressed early and fermented with minimal skin contact, producing a lightly sweet pink wine at roughly 9 to 11 percent ABV. It is served chilled and built for warm-weather sipping, picnics, and casual gatherings. Our shelves carry both, including Sutter Home White Zinfandel 750mL, Vendange White Zinfandel 750mL, and 1.5L formats from Crane Lake, Estrella River, Livingston Cellars, and Coastal Ridge for entertaining a crowd.

What Merlot Brings to the Glass

Merlot is softer and rounder than cabernet sauvignon, with plum, black cherry, and cocoa notes and gentler tannin. It is the ideal red for guests who find bold wines too tannic, and it works with roast chicken, pasta, and mushroom dishes. White merlot, a blush style like Sutter Home White Merlot 4pk 187mL, offers the same easy-drinking appeal in a chilled, lightly sweet format.

How to Choose

• By occasion: chilled white zinfandel for parties and warm afternoons, red zinfandel for grilled meat, merlot for dinner parties and everyday meals.
• By sweetness: white zinfandel and white merlot lean off-dry; red zinfandel and merlot are dry.
• By format: 750mL for a couple, 1.5L for gatherings, and 187mL four-packs for single servings and gifting.
• By budget: value-priced labels cover everyday drinking, while single-vineyard zinfandel and merlot from California step up in concentration and price.

Not sure where to start? Take our wine taste quiz for a personalized match, or browse the full wine department to compare against cabernet and chardonnay. Planning a gift? Add custom bottle engraving to any eligible bottle.

Local Delivery and Shipping

Long Island Wine & Spirit Merchant has served Commack for more than 30 years from 1171 Jericho Turnpike. Order online for free curbside pickup in Commack, same-day or next-day delivery across Nassau and Suffolk, and free local delivery over $250. We also ship wine via UPS or FedEx to the states where it is legal, confirmed at checkout; spirits are local delivery , in-store pickup, and shipping to the states where it is legal, and no PO boxes. An adult 21+ signature is required on delivery. Call (631) 343-7200 with questions.