A beginners guide to...Zinfandel ðŸ‡ðŸ‡·
Zinfandel. A difficult grape for growers to master but the rewards are worth the risk; a dry, jammy and full red or a fruity rosé are both possible.
Origin: Zinfandel is a black-skinned grape that many countries have claimed as their own over the years. Californian winemakers refer to it as their grape, while in Puglia (where it is called Primitivo) it is treasured. Yet, neither of these regions can truly claim it as their own, as research has revealed Croatia as the country of origin.
Growing: Zinfandel has vigorous vines that enjoy warm climates. It is an early-budding variety, and as the Italian name suggests, the grapes are early-ripening (primitivus = first to ripen). However, this is a generalisation, and a fairly unique feature of the variety is its tendency to ripen unevenly. As such, there can be a wide range of grape ripeness at harvest - potentially spoiling the wine if too many are underripe. The thin skins of the grapes do not help, as they allow for ripe grapes to raisin, whilst there are potentially still green grapes in the bunch.
Zinfandel is planted in greatest numbers in California, where it is made into a range of styles: the main winemaking choice being whether to make White Zinfandel (a rosé wine) or a red wine. Interestingly, 85% of Zinfandel in California is made into what they call ‘White Zin’. In Puglia and Dalmatia (Croatia), it is almost exclusively made into a red wine.
Tasting Profile: When made into a red wine, the uneven ripening can shine through: raisined grapes giving dried berry and liquorice flavours, whilst underripe grapes give herbaceous notes. These wines are typically dry, with tannin, body and alcohol on the higher end. Alcohol levels can often reach over 15%. To pick these wines at blind tastings, look out for medium acidity and underripe characteristics alongside jammy flavours. American oak is often used for maturation, even in Italy now, to impart a vanilla flavour which compliments the berries nicely.
White Zinfandel on the other hand is a fruity, pale rosé. The grapes are picked early and fermentation is stopped early, giving an off-dry to sweet wine, with low alcohol. Red berries, citrus and melon come through on the nose. Usually produced in high volumes, these wines are often not premium and can suffer from reductive aromas being present (e.g. rotten eggs).
Posted Jun 18, 2023, 10:27 AM UTC