Synopsis:
Francesca Bernard receives a call from Enrico, the foreman on the family vineyard telling her that her father has driven the truck through the barn and doesn’t remember. Reluctantly, Francesca returns with her son and notices the changes in her father and the vineyard. The vineyard is struggling and her father is slipping toward dementia. She must make the decision to stay and resurrect the Zinfandel wine, which once put the vineyard on the map, but the secret to the wine is buried with her mother. The vineyard is in financial distress and brokers are attempting to purchase the property, but her father refuses to sell. Tension arises between Francesca and Enrico and she can’t ignore the sexual energy. Francesca and Enrico have a turbulent past, which is the reason she left the vineyard.
Her mother’s spirit visits at night, startles Francesca, and urges her to help her father because he is too stubborn and arrogant to admit he’s scared and confused. Her mother’s spirit is stuck between worlds and cannot leave until her husband is taken care of. Francesca must make the decision to work the vineyard and bring it back to its once glory. The tension between Francesca and her father is thick and she prods his mind about the Zinfandel: Bella Serrano. She agrees to represent the vineyard at an event, where she meets the dashing Giancarlo, who is also after the vineyard.
Francesca and Giancarlo begin dating, which distresses Enrico so he quits, and she is left with an ailing vineyard, sick father, and rebellious teenaged son. Her father is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and falls and hits his head, ending up in the hospital.
Giancarlo steps up his pursuit of Francesca and the vineyard. Francesca finally understands that Giancarlo wants only one thing—the vineyard—and she isn’t selling. Nope. Her father slips further and further away. Her mother’s spirit repeatedly visits and Francesca tries to talk to her about the Zinfandel, but the spirit says the wine can wait but her father can’t. Her life is in turmoil. Her father dies. Her new vineyard manager is picked up for drunk driving, and her ex-husband shows up at the funeral. She and Giancarlo have an argument and he hits her, causing her to flee in her car. She hits a deer and ends up in the ditch. She wakes up in the hospital, where she is visited by the spirit who tells her goodbye because it’s her time to cross the great divide into the next world. Her father has safely made it. Then she tells Francesca the secret ingredient. Love. Enrico will love and support her so she grows into a world class vintner, but first she needs to make it right with him and tell him he’s her son’s father, not her ex-husband. Then love will flow through the vineyard and she will create the Zinfandel wine because the grapes will flourish when there is love.
Enrico returns when he learns of her accident. The intoxicating scent of the harvest awakens her true feelings for him. Passion resumes between them and she tells him he doesn’t’ have to wait for her any longer. The vineyard connects her with the cycles of the season. Wine is the holy substance that unites her to the vineyard. Enrico tells her they are going to love each other and because of their love the Zinfandel wine will flourish once more.
