The aromas and taste of zinfandel are blackberry, boysenberry, raspberry, and dark
August 24, 2011
Zinfandel
From LoveToKnow Wine
In the Beginning
Zinfandel is considered to be America’s Heritage Wine. For many years the origin of the grape has been hotly debated within the wine culture, with one side claiming it came from Italy originally, and the other side claiming that since it has been here and propagated here for so long, it’s its own grape. Recently the origin was discovered to have DNA relating back to the Italian grape Primitivo, but it actually goes farther back than that to a grape in Croatia called “Crljenak.” Historians have traced it back to the 1820’s when a nursery owner brought back cuttings from Austria. It was brought to California by Frederick Macondray who is credited with bringing Zinfandel to the state. It was widely planted by many of the Italian immigrants who moved to the wine country counties of California, and was made into table wine for mostly personal consumption, or used as a blending grape for other varietals.
Old Vineyards
The oldest vineyards in California are Zinfandel. Some vineyards in Amador, Central Valley, and Sonoma County are 130+ years old…it can really hang in there compared with other planted grape varieties. The old vineyards you see are what they call “head-trained”. Basically they are planted and left to grow into “stumpy” old gnarled vines. The older the vine, the less fruit is produced, thus making that fruit concentrated in flavor and tannins, which is what many zinfandel producers look for. Many of the wineries use the term “old vine” to describe older vineyards where the grapes are sourced from, but in reality there is no law or rule stating how old “old vine” has to be before it can officially be called that. Most wineries tend to use that term only if the vines are 50+ years old, but frequently the back of the bottle will tell you.
Zinfandel’s Dirty Secret
Zinfandel was used, as stated previously, as a blending grape for many decades before coming into its own in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Winemakers began to bottle it on its own because of the fresh, big, concentrated flavors that the grape has to offer. The name zinfandel really got shoved into the spotlight in the mid 1970’s by Sutter Home Winery. The winemaker, Bob Trinchero (now CEO) bled some juice off of a zinfandel lot he was fermenting to give it big color and concentration. He didn’t really know what to do with the “pink” sweet juice that he drained from that lot, so he bottled it and called it “White Zinfandel” and just sold it through the tasting room. It was a big hit! People bought it and demanded more, and the boom of white zinfandel hasn’t stopped to this day, with Beringer Winery selling the most in the U.S.A. Although many people frown on this wine, it is a great starting wine for many people who are new to wine and want to get their feet wet, so-to-speak. Many wine connoisseurs of today got their first experience from this wine (although they won’t admit it easily). Since the heyday of the white zinfandel, there has been an emergence of a new breed of red zins. These wines are full-bodied, rich, and the best frequently garner top ratings from Parker and others.
Flavor Profile
The aromas and taste of zinfandel are blackberry, boysenberry, raspberry, and dark cherry. The term jammy is usually associated with it because of the concentrated flavors that are similar to berry jams. These fruit flavors are oftentimes laced with black pepper, herbs, and warm spices such as clove and anise. Styles vary probably more than any other mainstream varietal out there because of the extreme differences in alcohol. You can see anywhere from 13% all the way to 18+% alcohol in zinfandel, so the spectrum in styles is a big one. The lower alcohol wines tend to be more acidic, with red fruit characters (red raspberry, bright cherry). These tend to go better with food because of the acidity and lower alcohol. On the other end of the spectrum is the big brooding monster zinfandel. These are 16%+ alcohol, raging ripe blackberry jam and raisins. It’s concentrated and can color your teeth pretty easily! This style has been popular, but lately winemakers have been easing off on the alcohol levels because of the lack of balance and delicacy that is hard to achieve with huge, ripe, alcoholic flavors.
Best Red Zinfandel Pairings
Zinfandels (Red) are big, so you need to match them with a big food. Barbecue is probably the single best Zinfandel pairing. Ribs, burgers, and grilled steak are all excellent pairings. Zins are also great with cheeses, or for after dinner. Don’t bother with lighter foods, as a big zin will overpower a light food or fish.
Source: http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Zinfandel
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How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
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