Don't Fear the Grape

In this episode Patrick and I discuss one of our favorite wines, and a wine that has become known as “America’s wine:” Zinfandel.

Zinfandel grapes can produce a robust red wine, a lighter Beaujolais-style red wine and a semi-sweet rosé wine called White Zinfandel.

Red berry fruits like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas.

Zinfandel’s high sugar content can be fermented into levels of alcohol exceeding 15 percent.

Foods to pair with Zinfandel include sausage, beef, lamb, pork and venison, either braised, grilled or roasted. The lower tannin in this wine can accommodate some heat from chiles, so ribs with a spicy barbecue sauce are considered almost a classic match. Zinfandel-friendly cheese choices include aged Parmesan, Dry Monterey Jack and Manchego.

DNA fingerprinting has revealed that Zinfandel is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also Primitivo. The grape found its way to the United States in the mid-19th century, and became known by the name “Zinfandel”.

The European Union recognized Zinfandel as a synonym for Primitivo, meaning that Italian Primitivos can be labelled as Zinfandel in the United States and any other country that recognizes EU labeling laws. American producers must label a wine according to whether it is Zinfandel or Primitivo.

Zinfandel is grown in California and 15 other states. In California around 400,000 short tons are crushed each year, placing Zinfandel third behind Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and just ahead of Merlot.

California regions and AVAs are regarded as “exceptional” for Zinfandel are: Amador, Santa Cruz Mountains, Sonoma County (Dry Creek Valley), San Luis Obispo (Paso Robles), Napa Valley, The Russian River Valley, Mendocino County, and Lodi.

Most Primitivo is grown in Puglia, or the “heel” of Italy. The main three DOC areas are Primitivo di Manduria, Gioia del Colle Primitivo (Riserva) and Falerno del Massico Primitivo (Riserva o Vecchio).

Join us for our tasting episode where we will be tasting a 2007 Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend Zinfandel.

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