Zinfandel
The reputation of the United States' wine industry is based largely on the ability of European grape varieties to grow well here. Zinfandel became a particular source of pride in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries because it was considered the only indigenous American grape variety to produce wines that Europeans could respect.
However, thanks to genetic testing courtesy of the University of California at Davis, Zinfandel was determined to be identical to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski. No one truly knows how the grape arrived in America, but the reputation of American Zinfandel wines is secure.
Many Zinfandels are labeled “old vines.” As vines age, they produce fewer grapes and — as the theory goes — more flavorful and intense grapes. This is obviously good for the wine. The term “old vines,” however, is not regulated, so it can mean different things to different producers.
One Grape, Two Very Different Wines
Zinfandel would probably not occupy as much California vineyard land as it does today were it not for the success of White Zinfandel in the 1980s. Zinfandel is a red grape, but when it is crushed and the skins are left to soak in its juice for a few hours, the juice turns pink. Quick removal and partial fermentation results in a sweet, pink, fruity wine that has captivated wine drinkers in the United States.
Red Zinfandel is a completely different story. Zinfandel can ripen to high sugar levels, creating high-alcohol wines with a pronounced viscosity and raspberry, peppery aromas and flavors. Growing Zinfandel requires skill as its large grape bunches often do not ripen evenly.
BLOCKBUSTER ZINS
Storybook Mountain Vineyards Estate Mayacamas Range Zinfandel (Napa Valley, California)
Ravenswood Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California)
Rosenblum Cellars Monte Rosso Vineyard Reserve Zinfandel (Sonoma Valley, California)
