Zinfandel, also sometimes called Primitivo, is a type of black-skinned wine grape. This popular grape is grown in over 10 percent of vineyards in California. These grapes usually make a spicy red wine, however in the USA, a semi-sweet rosé wine known as White Zinfandel is over six times as popular .
Why is White Zinfandel so popular?
White Zinfandel is commonly the first white wine a person tastes. Today, almost 85% of the overall Zinfandel production is White Zin! Wine slobs may slam it, but White Zinfandel provides every little thing a newbie could desire:
- A low alcohol content - 9-10% ABV
- Reduced calories-- 125 calories per 6 oz.
- Wonderful flavors
You can find a good bottle of White Zinfandel for pretty cheap. A $5 bottle of White Zin generally tastes great! But, many do not have the intricacy to be compared to the red variety of the very same grape. Red Zinfandel wine can provide a major presence as well as sophistication.
What does Red Zinfandel wine taste like?
The main tastes of Zinfandel are jam, blueberry, black pepper, cherry, plum, boysenberry, cranberry, and licorice. When you taste Zinfandel it's rich with candied fruity flavors followed by spices and a tobacco-like ending.
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The History of Zinfandel
Domestication of Vitis vinifera grape took place before winemaking was even a practice! After the vine was tamed in 6000 BCE in the Caucasus area, the grapes made their way to the Mediterranean and Croatia. This consequently developed with the winemaking industry during the 19th century.
Zinfandel was first called "Primitivo" by the Italians, which defined the grape's likely hood to ripen earlier than others.
The USA was introduced to Zinfandel in 1797 from the Imperial Nursery in Vienna, Austria. In the 1850s, nurserymen entered the Gold Rush and relocated to The Golden State of California with Zinfandel in hand. California and the rest of the globe have benefited ever since then.
What are good Zinfandel food pairings?
Zinfandel is a particularly vibrant wine as compared to other types of red wines. Each bottle has a distinct spice, so matching your favorite Zinfandel with its parallel spice is the key to a delicious flavor combination.
Eating spicy foods with Zinfandel is key, so foods like curry or spicy barbecue pair wonderfully. Lighter meats such as quail as well as pork also pair nicely.
Some lovely herbs that highlight the Zinfandel tastes are ginger, garlic, rosemary, curry, turmeric, cayenne, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, and black pepper.
Hard cheeses such as manchego and cheddar, as well as vegetables like roasted tomatoes, red peppers, caramelized onions, and baked squash, are all excellent choices to pair with Zinfandel.
What are Zinfandel grapes?
Zinfandel's thin-skinned grapes flourish in warm temperatures but don't do well in very hot climates, because they are prone to shrivel. They grow in big bunches that are exceptionally tight weaved which causes them to rot oftentimes.
The grapes have a high sugar content due to the vine's early ripening period. The longer they sit in the sunlight, the more prone they are to ending up a dessert wine grape.
Most Zinfandels increase their price because the grapes ripen at different times in the bunch, and this causes a much more laborious and costly cultivation process as compared to other varietals.
How does Red Zinfandel compare to other red wines?
Red Zinfandel has a lighter shade than both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wine.
Although it is a lighter-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir, Red Zinfandel's modest tannin and high acidity make it taste quite strong. Typically, the majority of Zinfandel wines have a higher alcohol content from about 14-17% ABV. The greater alcohol content means the wine will have a more oily texture as well as a bigger, bolder body.
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