Jul 2013
White Zinfandel turns 40!!!
July, 2013 Filed in: Wine varieties
Any discussion of White Zinfandel, needs to be prefaced with a declaration, that there is no White Zinfandel grape. Rather it is produced from the red Zinfandel grape. So when we say Zinfandel, we mean a red wine, and when we say White Zinfandel, it is a blush. Any time someone asks us for a Zinfandel kit, we have to ask them if they want a red Zinfandel, or a blush White Zinfandel.
Called the gateway wine, as most people when they start drinking wine, start with a White Zinfandel. Well White Zinfandel was born 40 years ago.
At that time to make red Zinfandel wine, the winemaker would remove some of the juice, to allow for concentration of the flavours in the wine. This removed juice went down the drain, until 1973, when Sutter Home wineries started to market it as White Zinfandel. They were not very successful until 1975, when an accident happened.
After the 1975 harvest, Sutter Home’s chief winemaker suffered a “stuck fermentation” where the yeast died prematurely. He left to the side for a few days, but then tasted it and preferred this wine to their existing commercial offering. This became the new White Zinfandel which is immensely popular today, comprising some 10% of all commercial wine sales.
This all happened back in 1975, against another huge marketing problem they had in California. You see, no one wanted Zinfandel wine. At that time California Zinfandel lost commercial interest due to a combination of Zinfandel wines being unpopular due to their high-alcohol style, and the popularity in the early 1970’s of Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact a lot of Zinfandel vineyards were plowed under and replaced.
Well the great marketers like Mondavi and Gallo, recognized an opportunity to sell cheap and plentiful Zinfandel juice as light fruity and off-dry White Zinfandel, and sales soared. However, it gained a bad name as Kool-aid, and that is too bad. White Zinfandel can be an awesome patio wine served chilled and sipped, its refreshing. It is great when paired with spicy food, such as Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. This month our Selection White Zinfandel is on sale.
Called the gateway wine, as most people when they start drinking wine, start with a White Zinfandel. Well White Zinfandel was born 40 years ago.
At that time to make red Zinfandel wine, the winemaker would remove some of the juice, to allow for concentration of the flavours in the wine. This removed juice went down the drain, until 1973, when Sutter Home wineries started to market it as White Zinfandel. They were not very successful until 1975, when an accident happened.
After the 1975 harvest, Sutter Home’s chief winemaker suffered a “stuck fermentation” where the yeast died prematurely. He left to the side for a few days, but then tasted it and preferred this wine to their existing commercial offering. This became the new White Zinfandel which is immensely popular today, comprising some 10% of all commercial wine sales.
This all happened back in 1975, against another huge marketing problem they had in California. You see, no one wanted Zinfandel wine. At that time California Zinfandel lost commercial interest due to a combination of Zinfandel wines being unpopular due to their high-alcohol style, and the popularity in the early 1970’s of Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact a lot of Zinfandel vineyards were plowed under and replaced.
Well the great marketers like Mondavi and Gallo, recognized an opportunity to sell cheap and plentiful Zinfandel juice as light fruity and off-dry White Zinfandel, and sales soared. However, it gained a bad name as Kool-aid, and that is too bad. White Zinfandel can be an awesome patio wine served chilled and sipped, its refreshing. It is great when paired with spicy food, such as Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. This month our Selection White Zinfandel is on sale.