On Zinfandel

Doing some casual research in preparation for a quick wine review, I unearthed such a deposit of information that I've decided to write an entire post on Zinfandel wine and the grapes it comes from.

Beside having the easiest name to pun of any wine varietal, a quick round of Google Roulette has confirmed that the Zinfandel Grape is the only varietal with it's own website and associated  support organization, Z.A.P. (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers). Certainly it's deserving of this sort of care; the Zinfandel grape arrived stateside in the 1850s, making it one of the oldest varietals in California. Further, Zinfandel plants are traditionally kept not on long wood-and-wire trellises, like most varieties of grape, but rather are trained to grow into a sort of drumstick-shaped shrub by a process known as head trimming. This made Zinfandel grapes extremely popular during the Gold Rush when trellis materials were all being used elsewhere. (A fact that ZAP makes quite a big deal out of.)

Zinfandel grapes are unique in the number of equally critical factors that determine the qualities of the finished wine. It's important to know that all Zinfandel wine is made from essentially the same fruit. Zin grapes have exclusively red skins; however, the juice of the fruit is clear. By separating the skins and stalks from the flesh of the fruit prior to juicing, a sweet, white wine can be produced (a process that dramatically increased the popularity of the grape after its invention in the 1970s). The individual grapes in a given bunch all mature at different (and often seemingly arbitrary) rates; in a given cluster, one will find an admixture of perfectly ripe, slightly under-ripe, and nearly dessicated grapes. Thus, Zinfandel wines are characterized by their stunning combination of bright, young acid and complex sugar, balanced by a mature tannin and trademark peppery quality. Zins produced from younger harvests are clear and subtle (try Alexander Valley's 2004 Sin Zin); older crops yeild magnificently jammy bottles of robust body, full mouth feel, and 15% alcohol by volume (Michael David's 2004 7 Deadly Zins). (By a curious blessing, many zins are also excitingly easy on the budget -- both bottles I suggest here retailing for under $15 each.) Zinfandel also varies widely in character depending on the age of the vine the fruit was taken from. Thus, one will often see the appellation "Old Vine Zinfandel," indicating a particular wine was made from vines of atleast 50 years in age.

Despite Vienese roots, the Zinfandel grape has become  quintessentially American. Almost all the worlds Zinfandel is produced in the U.S.A., most of that in California, with notable crops growing only in Australia and South Africa. Zinfandel might be related to an Italian varietal called Primitivo, though this hasn't been agreed on by authorities.

In the overall wine continuum, Zinfandel has many well priced options for the fuller-body seeking palate. On average, in my experience, it falls between Pinot Noir (on the lower end) and Syrah/Petit Syrah in terms of body and intensity of flavor.  

 I've now been in the Online Coffee Shop long enough for my mocha to attain a death-like chill and the sun to chase me from  one seat to another until now, when I've run out of new chairs. I bid you buon apetuto, dear reader. And if you have any drink suggestions, please post them!

Comments

[Camronski]

I learned something! Nice job. Your style is approachable and personable, which makes sense knowing you... but those are not to be taken for granted. This medium lacks prosody, so to come out friendly is an accomplishment.