Pourtal Hosts Tasting Tour of Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Plavac Mali Wines

Eight taps in the Enomatic system at the Santa Monica wine bar will feature a variety of big, bold red wines from California, Italy, and Croatia.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar in Santa Monica is hosting a special Tasting Tour featuring eight Enomatic taps dedicated to Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Plavac Mali wines from California, Italy, and Croatia. The tour, curated by Sommelier Rachel Bryan, includes five California Zinfandels, two Italian Primitivos, and one Croatian Plavac Mali. Pourtal is offering customers the opportunity to explore the similarities and disputed origins of these related grape varieties through this tasting experience.

Why it matters

Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Plavac Mali are grapes with a shared history and genetic relationship, though their exact origins remain a topic of debate among wine enthusiasts. This tasting tour allows customers to directly compare and contrast these bold, flavorful red wines from different regions, providing insight into the connections and distinctions between the grape varieties.

The details

Pourtal's Enomatic system has been converted to feature eight taps dedicated to Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Plavac Mali wines. The tasting tour includes five California Zinfandels from producers like Dashe, Ridge, Quivira, Four Vines, and Turley, as well as two Italian Primitivos from Guttarolo and Vigneti Reale, and one Croatian Plavac Mali from Dingac Peljesac. Sommelier Rachel Bryan curated the selection to highlight the similarities and disputed origins of these related grape varieties.

  • The Tasting Tour will be available at Pourtal through the middle of February 2026.

The players

Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar

A wine bar located in Santa Monica, California that offers an Enomatic wine tasting system featuring a variety of wines.

Rachel Bryan

The sommelier at Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar who curated the Tasting Tour of Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Plavac Mali wines.

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What they’re saying

“Some say California Zinfandel came from the Croatian grape, Plavac Mali, stopping by Italy, where they call it Primitivo. All wine grapes have roots from Western Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, however their exact origins are sometimes unknown, disputed, or have been genetically proven. Zinfandel's origins have been the subject of dispute since the 1800's.”

— Rachel Bryan, Sommelier (nowandzin.com)

The takeaway

This tasting tour at Pourtal provides wine enthusiasts with a unique opportunity to explore the connections and distinctions between the bold, flavorful red wine grapes of Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Plavac Mali, whose shared history and genetic relationships continue to be a topic of fascination in the wine world.