California's heritage wine

Sunset, Oct, 1995 by Lora J. Finnegan

It's poetic but also true: when you enjoy a of Zinfandel, you're getting a vivid taste of California's heritage.

The quintessential California grape was planted extensively in the Sierra foothills more than a century ago, producing a rough-and-ready wine eagerly consumed by thirsty argonauts. Zinfandel later became the backbone of the "Italian field blend" favored by small commercial and home winemakers, yielding a full-bodied beverage of rustic simplicity and no great finesse.

For a great many years, the grape was grown widely and indiscriminately. Only recently have growers and winemakers begun to pinpoint those locales where Zinfandel can take advantage of specific vineyard conditions to produce truly exceptional wines. A remarkable upsurge in quality has been the result: California's vintners are learning how to make this familiar varietal express its highest potential.

It's been a dramatic turnaround for a wine that not long ago seemed on its way out. Already associated with undistinguished homemade or bulk wines, Zinfandel fell into further disfavor in the 1970s, when a new generation of American winemakers set about trying to emulate the great wines of France. Unlike the noble grapes of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), the homely Zinfandel had no distinguished European legacy to lend it panache. Worse yet, a confusing variety of styles (including some dense, high-alcohol, late-harvest monsters) left consumers unsure of what to expect from Zinfandel when they opened a bottle.

By the next decade, white wines had become so popular that thousands of acres of Zinfandel vines were in danger of being pulled up, to be replaced by Chardonnay and Sauvignon from Blanc. Ironically what kept them in the ground was the dramatic commercial success of white Zinfandel -- in reality a sweetish rose whose popularity allowed growers to continue harvesting fruit from long-established vines.

At last, in the 1990s red Zinfandel has come roaring back, riding a crest of enthusiasm for red wine in general. Much of the credit goes to a cadre of dedicated Zin makers who provide a thirsty, quality-conscious marketplace with world-class wine at more than reasonable prices.

Many of those vintners are working with fruit from surviving acres of old vines, which produce smaller crops than young ones do but compensate well in quality. "Old vines bring character and a concentration of rich fruit," says Ridge Vineyards winemaker Paul Draper, who has made artisanal Zinfandels for more than two decades. "There's a kind of depth and austerity to old-vine Zins, something that adds another dimension."

That said, the majority of today's Zins are medium-bodied, lightly tannic, and exuberantly fruity -- with flavors that often suggest raspberries, cherries, and strawberries as strongly as grapes, and a cornucopia of aromas that range from leather, mint, and eucalyptus to cola, licorice, and coffee. Some Zins are complex enough to serve with sophisticated entrees -- lamb is an especially happy partner -- while most sport enough acidity to allow them to pair up with pizza. pasta, and condimentladen hamburgers. The jury is still out on how well these wines age. though most winemakers and critics agree that well-made Zin is at its best within four to five years of the vintage.

"People don't buy, Zinfandel for snob appeal," Ridge's Draper reminded us. "They love what they taste in the glass. It tastes good younger than, say, Cabernet, which is often drunk too early in its life. You can open a Zinfandel tonight and it can just be glorious." For every powerful, complex old-vine Zinfandel that may ultimately repay long-term cellaring, there are dozens of more approachable Zins -- from familiar makers like Mondavi and Beringer as well as small-production specialists in the wine country's most obscure corners -- ready to give their all as soon as you find the corkscrew.

Based on our visits to Zinfandel specialists in three key regions -- Sonoma County, Amador County, and Paso Robles -- we've compiled a list of wineries doing special things with California's heritage grape.

Sonoma's Zin Riches

Sonoma County has made Zinfandel feel at home since Italian families started growing the grape here in the 1870s. The warm days and cold nights produce a wine with juicy fruitiness, strong raspberry and black-cherry aromas and flavors, and (usually) soft tannins.

In meandering loops through the Dry Creek and Russian River valleys, you can hit several wineries making superbly good Zinfandel. For a helpful overview of the region, visit the handsome new Wine & Visitors Center, at 5000 Roberts Lake Road, Rohnert Park (707/586-3795); open 10 to 5 daily. The Sonoma County, Convention and Visitors Bureau, (800) 326-7666, can provide information on lodging and dining.

A tour of the Dry Creek Valley can begin off U.S. 101 about 7 miles north of Santa Rosa at Healdsburg. Head west out of town, under the highway and out onto West Dry Creek Road. You can pick up picnic supplies at the rustic Dry Creek General Store, where Dry Creek Road meets Lambert Bridge Road.