Zinfandel's Problem

  First, let's admit there is a problem with zinfandel. It's been called America's grape or California's grape or even Sonoma's best-kept secret. What it's never been called is America's most popular wine. Cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and now pinot noir are the big ones. Little known fact: Until 20 years ago zinfandel was the most-planted grape in California.

  Zin has been in California for a long time and there is still a lot planted, but the majority of it is used as a blending grape. Historically, it was always a blending grape for those red jug wines. And no one even knew were zinfandel came from until DNA testing was done by UC Davis.

Yes, it's white zinfandel from Croatia
The historical home of zinfandel & primitivo

  Then there's the story how zinfandel almost went the way of carignane and french colombard and nearly died out if it wasn't for the "discovery" of white zinfandel. Poor zin being relegated to a sweet, syrupy pink wine soda. There are folks who believe zinfandel is naturally pink and sweet and not red.

  Today it's a matter of two camps. There's the old-style dry, slightly tannic, ageable zins and the lush, fruity, soft, high alcohol ones. Zin drinkers tend to like one style and hate the other. Then there's the question people have about primitivo, is it the same or not? They are related in that they are clones of the same grape from (gasp) Croatia. And then there's old vine zinfandel.

  It gets a little confusing when shopping for zinfandel, doesn't it?