 Zinfandel:
Our All-American Grape
By Andrew Campbell
Celebrate your Independence Day with the
uniquely American wine…Zinfandel. There is no other wine in the
world quite like it!
It is also one of the last true values
out of California. And despite challenging vintages, winemakers
tend to make these great wines consistent from year to year.
The Great Grape Mystery
The origin of this grape is quite mysterious. While there are
some distant cousins to Zinfandel, no one really knows where
it comes from. Recent DNA tests indicate that Zinfandel is most related to Primitivo, an Italian grape
in the Puglia region (where Salice Salentino is made). An
important link in this mystery is Agoston
Haraszthy, a Hungarian immigrant who planted over 300 different varieties
and over 100,000 cuttings of grapes in California, supposedly brought Zinfandel
from Europe. Haraszthy was living the American Dream by starting
his own winery in Sonoma, Buena Vista, and made wine in the late
1850's. He was beset by the loss of his financial backing and
later moved to Nicaragua where he died a horrible death…he was
eaten alive by alligators near his plantation in 1869.
A Dynamic Grape
Zinfandel can come in an array of styles. The range is immense.
White Zinfandel comes from the Red Zinfandel grape and the
California style tends to be off dry to sweet. This rosé wine gets
its color from the lack of skin contact during fermentation.
Generally, these wines have bright berry flavors with a very
smooth finish. White Zinfandel is the transition wine which white wine
drinkers often use when starting to try red wines.
Red Zinfandel wines vary in
style and complexity. They can be drunk young, like White Zins, or
can be cellared for a short amount of time (5-8 years). They
exhibit a variance of flavors also, ranging from bright berry
fruit, to dark blackberry and cherry flavors, and often with spices like
white pepper. These wines are fantastic with the BBQ grill and
even pizza.
Other styles of Zinfandel are fortified wines (port),
and some late harvest styles that contain residual sugar.
America's Grape
The success of Zinfandel in the United States is huge. It is
the most planted variety in California, and is the most consumed
wine in the United States. In fact, the 106th US Senate has even
considered designating a "Zinfandel
Grape Appreciation Week!"
So start up your grills America, and
let the fireworks of Zinfandel explode in your mouth. Below are
some recent recommendations from WineSquire.com, perfect for July
4th: Celebrate
America's birthday with our All-American wine…Zinfandel!
- o -
Rancho Zabaco Heritage Vines Zinfandel (California) 1999 $11
Previous vintages have been reviewed by WineSquire.com, and Rancho
Zabaco has done it again! This may be the best vintage yet from
them. Flavors of big blackberry, hints of pepper, and a velvety
mouth feel make this an outstanding value that would be great
drinking through the summer for BBQ's or picnics. -Sean
Boyd
Alderbrook OVOC Zinfandel 1998 (California) $21
From hand-selected grapes where the vines are heavily pruned, this
wine has great flavors of raspberries and bright cherry, followed
by great spice and a dollop of cream. OVOC stands for "Old
Vines Old Clones." -Andrew Campbell
Terra Rosa "Deaver Vineyard" Zinfandel 1998
(California) $20
This is a massive Zinfandel, that will please even the strongest
Zinfandel critic. When I had the 1997 version, I thought it was
the best Zin on the market for around $20. This 1998 offering is
another great effort, and will please for years to come. Big
fruit, nice pepper spice, and some blackberry jam notes make this
a hearty wine. Pair this with steak or heavy hors d'oeuvres. -Sean
Boyd
Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Vines Sonoma County 1998 (California)
$19
This great bottle is a step-up from the deliciously valued
Vintners Blend. Fruit for this wine is harvested from mature
vineyards - primarily 60-80 years of age - that range from
Cloverdale to Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek. Classic Zinfandel
flavors of black cherry, raspberry jam, dark plum, and pepper, as
well as zesty fruit acidity with fine-grained integrated tannins,
are noteworthy. One of Ravenswood's flagship products, this is a
rich red with fine balance offering attractive drinking at an
early age in addition to the substance and structure for aging. -Rowena Saturay
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