In the reflective relationship between wine and man, Zinfandel possessed more reflective properties than any other grape; In its infinite variability, it was able to express almost any philosophical position or psychological function. As a result, one`s own “true” nature may never be known. Zinfandel (also known as Primitivo) is a variety of black-skinned grapes. The variety is grown in more than 10% of California vineyards. [1] DNA analysis has shown that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag grapes, as well as the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia (the “heel” of Italy), where it was introduced in the 18th century, and Kratošija in Montenegro. [2] The grape took place in the middle of the 19th century. It was found in the United States in the nineteenth century, where it became known by variations of a name applied to another grape, probably “ornamental fandler” from Austria. The Croatian form Crljenak Kaštelanski was not bottled in Croatia as an independent grape variety until the link with Zinfandel was revealed. [35] UCD has since sent clones of Zinfandel and primitivo to Professor Maletić in Croatia, which it planted on the island of Hvar. [36] He produced his first ZPC wines in Croatia in 2005. [36] There is a high demand for red grapes in the country, and the government has supported ongoing research. [36] Figures from the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Zagreb state that out of only 22 vines of Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatia in 2001, about 2,000 were vines in 2008.
[47] A small black grape from which Zinfandelwein is made. The taste of red wine depends on the maturity of the grapes from which it is made. Aromas of red berries such as raspberry predominate in wines from cooler regions[5], while notes of blackberry, anise and pepper are more common in wines from warmer regions[5] and in wines from the formerly ripening Primitivo clone. Zinfandel is grown in the continental United States, although California has the largest share. [42] American producers produce wine in styles ranging from late dessert wines, rosé wines (White Zinfandel), and brilliant Beaujolais-style red wines to large hearty red wines and fortified wine in the style of Port wine. The quality and character of American zinfandel wines depend largely on the climate, location and age of the vineyard in which they are grown, as well as the technology used by the winemaker. Grapes have an uneven ripening pattern: a single grape can contain both dried and overripe grapes and unripe green grapes. Some winemakers choose to vinify the grapes with these different levels of maturity, while others harvest the grapes, even with individual berries, by hand in several passes through the vines over several weeks. This extremely tedious practice is a component of the high cost of some Zinfandels. [42] Zinfandel has long been considered “the vine and wine of America,”[25] but when Austin Goheen, a professor at the University of California, Davis (UCD), visited Italy in 1967, he noticed how Primitivo wine reminded him of Zinfandel.
[26] Others also established the link during this period. [27] Primitivo was introduced to California in 1968, and ampelographers declared it identical to Zinfandel in 1972. The first wine made from these Californian vines in 1975 also seemed identical to Zinfandel. [28] In 1975, PhD student Wade Wolfe showed that both varieties had identical isozyme fingerprints. [29] In the 2012 book Wine Grapes Masters of wine Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding and Swiss grape geneticist Dr José Vouillamoz describe in detail the search for Zinfandel`s origins. After years of research and DNA testing of vines from vineyards around the world, a single 90-year-old vine from an elderly lady`s garden in Split, Croatia, has provided evidence that Zinfandel was a Croatian grape known as Tribidrag since at least the 15th century. In 1972, Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home Winery decided to drain some juice from the barrels to add more tannins and color to his Zinfandel Deaver Vineyard.[2] He vinified this juice as a dry wine and tried to sell it under the name of Oeil de Perdrix, a Swiss wine made according to this bleeding method. [22] The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms insisted on an English translation, so it added “White Zinfandel” to the name and sold 220 boxes. [22] At the time, the demand for white wine exceeded the availability of white grapes and encouraged other California producers to make “white wine” from red grapes with minimal skin contact.
[23] However, in 1975, Trinchero wine experienced a blocked fermentation, a problem in which yeast dies before all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. [24] He put the wine aside for two weeks, then tasted it and decided to sell this more rosé and sweet wine. [22] Just as mateus rosé had become a great success in Europe after World War II, this moderately sweet white Zinfandel became immensely popular. [24] White Zinfandel still accounts for 9.9% of the United States. Wine sales by volume (6.3% by value), six times more than red Zinfandel. [3] Most white Zinfandels are made from grapes grown for this purpose in California`s Central Valley. By 1930, the wine industry had weakened due to the Great Depression and Prohibition. [18] Many of the vineyards that survived by supplying the domestic market were located in California`s Central Valley, an environment far from optimal for growing high-quality Zinfandel. [16] Thus, the end of prohibition left a lack of quality wine grapes,[16] and Zinfandel fell into oblivion when most of them were mixed into discreet liqueur wines. However, some producers were still interested in making red wines with a single variety.
Historically, California`s Zinfandel vines were planted as a mixture of fields interspersed with Durif (Petite Sirah), Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Mission and Muscat. While most vineyards are now completely separate, California winemakers continue to use other grapes (especially Petite Sirah) in their Zinfandel wines. [42] Zinfandel is grown on about 11% of California`s wine-growing area. [1] According to the harvest, about 400,000 short tons (350,000 tons) are crushed each year, placing Zinfandel in third place behind Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and just ahead of Merlot. [43] Since December 2007, the TTB has listed Zinfandel and Primitivo as approved grape varieties for American wines, but they are not listed as synonyms; [40] United States.