10 Essential Facts on Zinfandel

While Zinfandel may bookend an alphabetical roll call of grape varieties, that doesn’t make it last place in our hearts. Sometimes called “America’s Grape,” Zinfandel is considered an American, and particularly Californian, vinous specialty with a history in the Golden State dating back to the pioneering Gold Rush era. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Zinfandel was the state’s 3rd most harvested variety in 2017, trailing only Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon . But even though the United States cultivates more Zinfandel than anywhere else on earth, this grape’s story neither begins nor ends there. From Croatia to Italy to California, get to know Zinfandel in ten essential facts. 1. AMERICA’S GRAPE? —Despite its epithet as “America’s Grape,” Zinfandel is of European descent. Like Pinot Noir , Sauvignon Blanc , and essentially every quality European wine grape, it is of the same species, Vitis vinifera. Zinfandel’s exact parentage remains unconfirmed, but it is believed to be one of the most ancient varieties from which wine is made today. 2. CROATIAN HERITAGE—Zinfandel was born in Croatia on the Dalmatian Coast , where it is called by the names Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag. Despite its origins, the grape grew nearly extinct in its homeland by the turn of the 21st century, with supposedly a mere 22 Tribidrag vines remaining in Dalmatia. Once DNA studies revealed the variety to be genetically identical to Zinfandel, Dalmatian producers found a resurgence of interest in their indigenous grape. Today, over 200,000 Tribidrag vines grow in the region. 3. ITALY TO BOOT—Zinfandel’s more famous Old World home, however, is Puglia – the high heel of Italy’s boot. Here, it goes by the alias Primitivo , and the region boasts two appellations for the grape: Primitivo di Manduria and Gioia del Colle Primitivo . 4. COMING TO AMERICA—Zinfandel first reached America’s shores in 1829, when George Gibbs imported vine cuttings from a Viennese nursery to Long Island. Less than a quarter-century later, the variety crossed the continent in an 1852 shipment to Gold Rush-era settlers who had just begun to experiment with winegrowing in California. 5. OLD VINE ZIN—Extraordinarily, a tremendous number of 19th century Zinfandel vineyards survive in California and count among America’s greatest viticultural treasures. These gnarled bush vines are some of the oldest in the world to remain actively in production, yielding wines (often labeled “Old Vines”) of concentration and structure. 6. ZIN IN THE MIX—While Zinfandel can be vinified on its own into outstanding varietal wines, in some of California’s most historic vineyards, the grape is cultivated as part of a field blend. In these vineyards, different varieties are interspersed over the same stretch of land, and Zinfandel will often find the company of such other grapes as Petite Sirah , Alicante Bouschet , Carignan , and dozens of others. Sometimes referred to as “mixed blacks,” these California field blends can include white varieties as well. 7. RISK OF JAMMINESS—Growing Zinfandel can often prove to be a headache for viticulturists, as the grape bears a propensity for uneven ripening. In a single cluster, individual berries can reach maturity at shockingly different rates. If that time gap is too wide, the earliest grapes to ripen can turn overripe while waiting for the slowest grapes to catch up. Taming this inclination is a chief objective for producers of Zinfandel, as otherwise the variety can give way to wines that are overly “jammy” and sky high in alcohol. 8. THE RISE OF WHITE ZINFANDEL—While Zinfandel is most respected as a dry red wine, in the 1970s a new style for the variety emerged: White Zinfandel. In 1975, Bob Trinchero invented White Zinfandel by accident in the cellars of Sutter Home when the yeasts stopped fermenting his Zinfandel rosé, yielding a not-yet-dry wine. This sweet, pink “blush” wine skyrocketed in popularity, swiftly becoming America’s most consumed “premium” wine by the late 1980s. In 2006, White Zinfandel still outsold red Zinfandel six bottles to one. While White Zinfandel is rarely considered a serious wine, the phenomenon is credited for saving California’s old Zinfandel vineyards, which easily could have been ripped out in favor of more fashionable grapes. 9. THE SWEET STUFF—Beyond white (or, “blush”) and dry red, Zinfandel can also come in dessert form. A number of California producers will make sweet late harvest or fortified wines from Zinfandel, the latter often labeled as “Zinfandel Port.” While bearing little semblance to authentic Port from Portugal, Zinfandel’s dessert offerings can nonetheless satisfy with their own raisiny, fruit-laden, unctuous profile. 10. A CELLAR-WORTHY ADDITION—Zinfandel rarely commands the same prices as California’s top Cabernets, but it should not be ruled out as a candidate for the cellar. Although juicy and gratifying when young – not to mention an essential accompaniment to hamburgers or other grilled fare – the best Zinfandels have the ability to age gracefully for decades, evolving into wines of nuance and purity, with a complex yet rustic spiciness. — Bryce Wiatrak Are you planning on uncorking a bottle of Zinfandel? We can’t wait to see what’s in your glass! Scan the label or search by name to add your tasting notes on Delectable.