No its not what you are thinking.  I was recently gifted with a bottle of Italian Zinfandel called Layer Cake.  The giver indicated that he thought it was a perfect wine gift for a “foodie” like me.  Now of course I want to surround his offering with the perfect food pairings because for me it is not the wine that stands alone but the way the drink complements the food. 

 The fruit for Layer Cake Primitivo aka Zinfandel comes from head-trained old vines and is harvested in early September.  This is truly remarkable plant material in very old vineyards; some dating to Roman times. The soils in Manduria are red iron-rich clays with large calcareous rocks, shells and coral from ancient sea beds.  We’re talking ancient, gnarled baskets hugging the ground and rocks around them, ancient chariots buried underneath, lost civilization stuff.
 

DNA analysis shows Primitivo is genetically identical to Zinfandel.

The wine tastes of a balance of elegance and power; inky black fruit, spice and white pepper, jammy black cherries, plums, blackberry fruit, truffles, tar, and espresso. Warm and rich in the mouth with a creamy texture; the ripe fruit is well supported by the deep structure of the wine. Sit back and travel through time…Relax on a hot summer evening, the fountain in the background, church-bells in the distance.
 
100% Pure Old Vine Primitivo from Salento, the “Heel of the Boot” of Italy; specifically the area of Manduria.

Kath’s quote: ” He told me the soil in which the vines lived were a layer cake. He said, the wine, if properly made, was like a great layer cake, fruit, mocha, chocolate, and hints of spice — and rich, always rich.  ‘Never pass up a good Layer Cake,’ he would say.- A TRIBUTE TO JAYSON WOODBRIDGE

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