Zinfandel should be served at room temperature. The more structured styles will benefit from being poured into a decanter and allowed to breathe for up to one hour before serving.

Most Zinfandel is meant to be consumed within two to four years of vintage date to fully appreciate its intense fruitiness. Some examples are made to age longer, but very few will last more than eight years.

Buying (and drinking) an older bottle will typically get you a mellower wine whose fruit has gone from zesty and fresh to dried and muddled. A younger wine will offer brighter, juicier fruit flavors and a firmer texture.

Store bottles in a cool, dark place. While it is now common for wine makers to use plastic corks or screw-top closures which may be stored vertically or horizontally, those with the traditional corks should be laid on their sides to keep them moist.