Wine with Gerard Richardson

To Zin or not to Zin, that is the question and the answer these days is far more likely to be ‘yes, please’. Zinfandel is of Italian origin where it’s called Primitivo but there are major differences.

The Italians have far more of that unusual component for a red wine, acid, the Italian production is almost perfectly matched to the dishes of the region and they do like their tomatoes in Italy.

Yep, I call it tomato, you call it tomato but they are a nightmare for most red wines to cope with. The Italians also tend to have a touch more tannin and that’s not a bad thing either, especially if you like to age your wines.

In California, however, things are different. Food pairing rules are flexible and very few buyers are bothered whether the wine can age so the focus is very definitely on the fruit and, crikey, what a lot of fruit there is in a Californian Zinfandel. From the ripe spicy nose to the rich autumn fruits, and peppers on the palate, the fruit just keeps on coming.

Granite Cellars Old Vines Zinfandel, California

What a corker for the price.

www.richardsonsofwhitehaven.co.uk

There’s enough fruit in this for three bottles. Think of warm blackberry jam with a soft slightly smoky finish.

Oddbins £14

M&S Classic No 24 California Zinfandel

I’m not usually a big fan of supermarket own-label wines but this one is made by the Delicato family who rarely release a pup. Soft but complex fruits with a touch of spice on the palate. Fabulous paired with barbequed or smoky dishes.