While most folks might immediately think of cold, crisp and dry white wines for hot weather, I often think of something very different—zinfandel. When firing up the grill (or watching while my husband fires up the grill), thinking about the smoky, spicy meats and veggies about to be consumed, I want something other than a tangy white to quench my thirst. Fruit-forward and peppery, red zinfandels are perfect with barbecue and therefore perfect for summer.
Zinfandel is, for the most part, considered a California grape because it is very sparsely planted anywhere else. In fact, in California, zinfandel is the second most widely planted red grape varietal, after cabernet sauvignon. There has been much debate about the origins of zin: some say that zinfandel is related to Italy's Primativo grape. Others say, after 2001 DNA fingerprinting, that zinfandel's DNA is identical to an obscure grape varietal from Croatia. The jury seems to still be out on this matter. All I know is that I like it a lot.
Zin can take many forms—blush wine, sparkling wine, red wine and late harvest wine. In its blush (white zinfandel) form, zinfandel has a very light pink color and is very high in residual sugar. Blush can also be in a dry, rose style. (Pedroncelli makes a great one.) In red wine form, zin can be light and fruity with very little tannin or big and bold, peppery and spicy, with higher-than-average alcohol and firm tannins.
In the early 1980s, zinfandel was experiencing a serious decline in plantings, but the sudden popularity of white zinfandel (thanks to Sutter Home) really raised the acreage back up. The 1990s saw a huge increase in red zinfandel's popularity and it has not waned since.
Zinfandel grapes are a bit finicky to grow and harvest because the bunches do not ripen evenly. While some of the bunch may be ripe, many berries are still green. If the grapes are left longer on the vine, the bunch will begin to raisin. The process of picking through the berries is quite wasteful and can be expensive, which is why great zins are not cheap. The finest, most intense zinfandels are made from grapes that are carefully picked through, leaving no substandard berries in the vats. This results in a very concentrated, spicy wine with a big price tag. Less expensive zins do not go through such a thorough process, resulting in thinner, much lighter wines.
What zins should you try? Well, I'd say the most legendary producer of zinfandel, without question, is Ridge Vineyards. Founded in the late 1960s, they offer many different styles from many different vineyards. The most intense styles of zin can be found in the Lytton Springs, Geyserville and York Creek (all about $30) designations. (The York Creek is often a "late-picked" style, which is port-like.) The Sonoma Station, Three Valleys and Paso Robles (ranging from $20 - $30) designations tend to be thinner, lighter styles.
Another great, but underrated producer of zinfandel is Karly Winery. Their Pokerville Zin (about $12) is quite light and fruity with virtually no tannin. The much more intense and robust Warrior Fires (about $25) offers plenty of spice and pepper and very jammy, ripe fruit.
Zin is the perfect wine to take to a party or cook-out because it will appeal to so many people. Merlot lovers will be attracted to its fruit character, while shiraz-lovers will like the spiciness of it.
No matter what your budget, you can find a great zin. Cheers to summertime.
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