Zinfandel delivers hit of intense flavour
California lays claim to wine’s tasty success
Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel 2006; Amador County California $40; CSPC: 425504
Jammy, soft, peppery, spicy, big, bold, intense and instant gratification are all descriptors that have at one time or another been used to characterize Zinfandel.
The quintessential barbecue wine, long claimed by California as the state’s heritage grape, Zin comes in a multitude of flavours and styles.
At the time Prohibition began in the 1920s, Zinfandel was actually the most widely planted grape varietal in the state.
First introduced to California by Italian immigrants during the Gold Rush in the mid1800s, Zinfandel was long thought to have come from southern Italy’s Puglia region, where the genetically familial grape, Primitivo, makes its home. But it was discovered that Primitivo arrived in Italy after Zinfandel had already established itself in California.
Its actual origins were uncovered in further genetic studies led by University of California Davis professor emeritus Carole Meredith (Dr. DNA as she is popularly known). Her work ultimately showed that the origins of both Zinfandel and Primitivo actually lie up Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast with a grape known locally as Crljenak Kastelanski.
Regardless of where Zinfandel originated, there is no doubt that Californians have not only embraced this wine as their own, but are leaders in marketing the varietal. Australia, Canada and even France, are now producing Zin because of its success in the Sunshine State.
The Renwood Winery is a Zinfandel specialist in northern California’s Amador County in the Sierra Foothills. Amador County is one of the state’s oldest wine regions, settled by European immigrants in the 19th century.
At one point, the area claimed more wineries than any other wine-producing region in California.
Some of the vineyards planted over a century ago survive and continue to produce intensely flavoured grapes and concentrated wines. Tasting notes: Focused, ripe, peppery, intense and rich with expressive black raspberry, dark plums and white pepper. Toasty oak aromas and jammy wild fruit and spice flavours lead to zesty tannins on the finish. Great balance with penetrating flavours without being over-extracted. Food pairings: Barbecue and anything off the grill, especially ribs, burgers and steaks.