Courtesy of Oak Farm Vineyards
Thanksgiving is on its way, with the other holidays not far behind. Given how 2020 has unfolded thus far, chances are you haven’t even thought to mark your calendars on November 18. That’s National Zinfandel Day, and one more reason among many this year to drink some good red wine and lots of it.
California winemakers often like to crow about their Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay or moon over their Merlot or Malbec as if they were California grapes of their very own. Unfortunately, they’re not. All four of the Golden State’s popular wine grapes are French classics that have their origins in either the Bordeaux or Burgundy regions. Granted, California’s winemakers have done wonderful things with them but they are, in truth, immigrant varietals.
That’s not the case with Zinfandel—sort of. The grape has long been considered native to the United States, as American as apple pie and concealed-carry permits. Its time here has been traced as far back as the 1820s to a Long Island, N.Y. plant nursery prior to beginning it’s trek west in the 1840s. But in the 1990s wine grape geneticists at the University of California-Davis discovered a genetic link between Zinfandel and Primitivo, a wine grape widely grown in the Puglia region of Italy’s boot-heel, which casts a suspicious eye on the wine grape’s supposedly indigenous origins.
But wait, there’s more. In 1998 other UC-Davis geneticists discovered a link between Zinfandel and Plavac Mali, a wine grape grown along the Croatian coast just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. The two grapes are related, they said, although they are not the same grape nor as strongly linked as Zinfandel is to Primitivo.
Courtesy of Oak Farm Vineyard
Of course, suspicions about Zinfandel’ origins could have been addressed much earlier had the varietal’s champions bothered to check the purchase records of George Gibbs, who ran the Long Island nursery previously mentioned. Among his purchases Gibbs records some plant cuttings acquired from the Imperial botanical collection in Vienna. In fact, Zinfandel’s unusual name is thought to have resulted through confusion with Zierfandler, an Austrian grape vine.
Robust and Rustic
But that’s all wine under the vine at this point. With its robust and what some call “rustic” character, Zinfandel has become a fan favorite among wine growers and drinkers alike. In addition to California, it’s grown in some quantity in 13 other states, along with Latin America, South Africa and Australia. It grows well in poor soil and dry conditions, occasionally shows up in blends but more often stands tall all by itself.
There are a lot of very good and even great Zinfandels on the market for you to try. Here is pair currently available that are well worth your attention. Lodi, California, is thought by many to be the Zinfandel capital of the world. A lot of Zin grows there, much of it on old vines, which produces fewer grapes, but ones with more concentrated flavors. Lodi Zins can be very good, even the low-priced one, but one we especially like is the Oak Farm Zinfandel ($24) from Oak Farm Vineyards.
The 2017 varietal comes from grapes picked from just a few specific vineyards that are sustainably farmed and certified green under local rules. The wine pours dark, with an earthy nose redolent of eucalyptus. The well- structured palate is long on notes of dark fruit with a fine, subtle finish.
Lodi is northeast of the San Francisco Bay area, but Zinfandels are grown throughout the state, including the Central Coast area and Paso Robles. That’s where you’ll find Justin Zinfandel ($30) from Justin Vineyards & Winery. The winemakers at Justin use an Old World technique, including aging the wine in small French oak barrels to provide maximum exposure of the wine to wood to enhance the flavors.
Justin’s Zin pours a deep purple with lighter notes and a nose of black raspberries, cherry and maybe a little black pepper. The palate is a full-bodied complex blend that mirrors the nose, adding a little vanilla flavor from the oak and licorice from the grape. Well-managed tannins give it a long, pleasant and even slightly spicy finish.
So mark your calendar, fill your wine rack and get ready for National Zinfandel Day. Given what we all have just been through we deserve it.
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