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Wine varietal
Zinfandel (zin-fan-dell)
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Regions and Vineyards
Lodi, Plymouth, Camino, Sutter Creek, Galt, Auburn, Winters, Murphys, Placerville, Clarksburg, Lockeford, Grass Valley, Somerset, Rescue, Vallecito, Shingle Springs, Ione, Manteca, Fair Play, Newcastle, Nevada City, Drytown, Camino , Mokelumne Hill, Stockton, Mt. Aukum, Valley Springs, Acampo, Fiddletown, Davis, Elk Grove, Ripon, Linden, Mt Aukum, Penn Valley, Sacramento, Loomis, Truckee, Pilot Hill
Wineries
Abundance Vineyards, Amador Cellars, Amador Foothill Winery, Auriga Wine Cellars, Avio Vineyards, Bantam Cellars, Barsetti Vineyards, Baumbach Wines, Bella Piazza, Berryessa Gap Vineyards, Black Sheep, Boeger Winery, Bogle Vineyards, Boitano Family Wines, Borra Vineyards, Bray Vineyards, Burch Hall Winery, Busby Cellars, C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery, Cantiga Wineworks, Carvalho Family Wines, Cedarville Vineyard, Charles Spinetta Winery, Chateau Leidigh California's Most Exclusive Estate Winery, Chateau Rodin Winery, Chatom Vineyard, Chevalier, Chevalier/One Pearl, Clos Du Lac Cellars, Cloud 9 Winery, Colibri Ridge Winery & Vineyard, Conti Estate/Charles B Mitchell Vineyards & Winery, Convergence Vineyards, Cooper Vineyards, Crystal Basin Cellars, Crystal Valley Cellars, D'Art Wines, Deaver Vineyards, Delicato Family Vineyards, Dillian Wines, Dkcellars, Dobra Zemlja Winery, Domaine Becquet Winery, Dono dal Cielo, an Estate Vineyard, Double Oak Vineyards & Winery, Drytown Cellars, E2 Family Winery, Fawnridge Winery, Fenton Herriott Vineyards, Findleton Estate Winery, Fitzpatrick Winery & Lodge, Fleur De Lys Winery, French Hill Winery, Garsa Winery, Gnekow Family Winery, Gold Hill Vineyard, Gold Note Wine, Grands Amis, Granite Springs Winery & Vineyards, Harmony Wynelands, Hatcher Winery, Hello Wines, Heringer Estates, Heritage Oak Winery, Hidden Jewel Winery, High View Vineyards, Housley's Century Oak Winery, Il Gioiello Winery, Illuminare Estate Winery, Indian Rock Vineyards, Irish Vineyards, Ironstone Vineyards, Iverson Vineyards And Winery, Jeff Runquist Wines, Jessie's Grove Winery, Jodar Vineyards & Winery, Karly, Karmere Vineyards & Winery, Klinker Brick Winery, Latcham Vineyards, Lava Cap Winery, Lodi Wine & Visitor Center, Lone Buffalo Vineyards, Lucas Winery, The, Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery, m2 Wines, Macchia, Madroña Vineyards, Marr Cellars, McConnell Estates Winery, McManis Family Vineyards, Michael~David Winery, Milliaire Winery, Miraflores Winery, Miramont Estate Vineyards, Mokelumne Oaks Vintners, Montevina Winery, Mount Aukum Winery, Mt. Vernon Winery, Narrow Gate Vineyards, Nevada City Winery, Newsome-Harlow, Nine Gables Vineyard And Winery, Oak Ridge Winery, Oakstone Winery, Olde Lockeford Winery, Omega Cellars, Pasos Vineyards, Peirano Estate Vineyards, Perry Creek Winery, Pescatore Vineyard & Winery, Pilot Peak Vineyard & Winery, Primus Vineyards, Renwood Winery, Revolution Wines , Scott Harvey Wines, Secret Ravine Vineyard & Winery, Shenandoah Vineyards, Sierra Knolls Vineyard & Winery, Sierra Oaks Estates, Sierra Starr Vineyard, Sierra Vista Vineyards And Winery, Single Leaf Vineyards & Winery, Sobon Estate, Sogno Winery, Solune Winegrowers, St.Amant Winery, Stama Winery / Kapiniaris Vineyards, Stevenot Winery, Stonehouse Vineyards & Winery, Story Winery, Sutter Creek Wine Tasting, Sutter Ridge Vineyards, Szabo Vineyards, Talus Collection, Tanis Vineyards, Terre Rouge & Easton Wines, TKC Vineyards, Todd Taylor Wines, Toogood Estate Winery, Traverso Winery, Truckee River Winery, Ursa Vineyards, Van Der Vijver Estate, Van Ruiten Family Winery, Venezio Vineyards & Winery, Villa Toscano Winery, Vina Moda, Vino Con Brio, Vino Noceto, Watts Winery, Wilderotter Vineyard, Windwalker Vineyards, Winery By The Creek, Woodbridge By Robert Mondavi, Young's Vineyard, Zucca Mountain Vineyards ...more
Flavor
As much as any wine, zinfandel comes in a wide range of styles, from rose to port, but as a table wine it's distinguished by blackberry, raspberry and strawberry flavors, tending more to plums, prunes and raisins the longer the grapes are left on the vine before harvest.
Body
Balanced zinfandels are dry and solid, with a mass that while formidable also can be easily handled, especially after the tannins have a couple of years to calm down.
At the table, pour it with...
Zinfandel is the wine of the backyard barbecue and tailgate party, versatile enough to accompany foods ranging from simply dressed hot dogs to thickly glazed ribs.
Curiosities
If not for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto in 2006, zinfandel would be California's "historic wine," a proposal that breezed through the legislature but fell short of getting the governor's nod.
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