Updated September 2026

September is California Wine Month, and one of California’s most distinguished wines is Zinfandel (it’s known there as a “heritage grape).” National Zinfandel Week is the third week in November and National Zinfandel Day is November 19th.

It’s time to celebrate one of California’s great red wines.

> What is Zinfandel?

> What is White Zinfandel?

> Ridge Zinfandel: the benchmark for great Zin.

> Other top Zinfandels.

> Food pairings with Zinfandel.

> Zinfandel in other countries.

> The history of Zinfandel.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The year’s 25 red wine holidays.

> The year’s 22 white wine holidays.
 
 
1. WHAT IS ZINFANDEL

Zin, as it’s called for short, is a black-skinned wine grape (photo #6) that produces a robust, bold and spicy red wine that can stand up to the most robust and rich foods.

While the Zinfandel grape is only grown in some 10% percent of California vineyards, one of the Zins, made by Ridge Vineyards near Santa Cruz, California, is known the world over.

Zinfandel grapes have a high sugar content, that enables the wine to be fermented into higher levels of alcohol, the best frequently reaching 15.5% A.B.V.

The taste of the Zin depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made and the microclimate in which it is grown.

• Red berry fruit flavors like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas.
• Blackberry, anise and pepper notes in wines made in warmer areas.

Classic California Zinfandel is defined by ripe, plush, jammy fruit, higher alcohol, generous oak aging, and a full-bodied mouthfeel.

• Dark Fruit Profile: Ripe to overripe dark fruits—think blackberry jam, stewed plums, sweet black cherries, and raisin notes.
• High Alcohol Level (ABV): Typically ranging from 14.5% to 15.5%+ ABV, the alcohol provides noticeable warmth (“heat”) on the palate and a round, viscous body.
• Aging In Oak: Substantial aging in American or mixed French oak imparts distinct aromas of vanilla, sweet tobacco, coconut, cinnamon, and baking spice.
• Moderate Tannins & Acidity: The wines have medium-to-low acidity and smooth, soft tannins, making the wine approachable and lush when young.

 
 
2. WHAT IS WHITE ZINFANDEL?

While White Zin was the darling of 1980s and 1990s boxed wine culture—and a punch line among serious wine drinkers.

The wine was created by accident at Sutter Home Family Vineyards in 1948, when the fermentation of a vat of Zinfandel, suddenly stopped in the middle, leaving wine with a pink shade.

The winemaker tasted it, and found it to be like a semi-sweet rosé. He named the blush-style (i.e. pinkish) wine White Zinfandel.

It subsequently had six times the sales of his Red Zinfandel (a function of America’s sweet tooth), and the California blush wine craze was on.

At its peak in the mid-1990s, White Zinfandel accounted for more than 20% of all California wine sold by volume, far surpassing traditional red Zinfandel and even Chardonnay.

While mass-market brands like Sutter Home, Beringer, and Barefoot still produce millions of cases of sweet, inexpensive White Zin, the category has contracted largely because subsequent generations pivoted heavily toward dry Provence-style rosé wines, leaving the sweet White Zin behind.

There Is Quality White Zin

These Zin makers produce a quality white Zinfandel that will blot out memories of the past. Look for:

• Martha Stoumen Wines: Zinfandel Rosé / White Zin
• Monte Rio Cellars: Dry White Zinfandel
• The Prisoner Wine Company: Saldo White Zinfandel
• Turley Wine Cellars: White Zinfandel (Dry Rosé)

Also take a look at Bedrock Wine Co.’s Ode to Lulu Rosé—not Zin but a rose made from old-vine Mourvèdre, blended with Carignan and Grenache.
 
 
3. RIDGE VINEYARDS ZINFANDEL

The best Zinfandel, hands down, is produced by Ridge Vineyards, headquartered in Cupertino, California, which has been producing Zinfandel since 1964.

A collector’s wine, it is made to age.

The vineyard focuses on single-vineyard bottlings, with each vineyard’s bottlings displaying the unique qualities of its terroir*.

Ridge has some 20 different Zinfandel vineyards†. Some produce full-bodied wines, others are medium-bodied. Each vineyard’s harvest is labeled with its vineyard’s name.

You can see all the vineyards on the company website.

We could tell you that two of our favorite vineyards are Geyserville and Lytton Springs—but why drive the prices up even more?

The signature wine of Ridge is its Monte Bello, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with varying percentages of other grapes grown in the same location: usually Merlot, Petit Verdot, and occasionally, Cabernet Franc.

Monte Bello is simply splendid, a wine ready for long aging. Just about every wine collector wants it.

 
A good vintage can lay down for several decades, and still show its great structure, complexity, and balance.

[1] Ridge Monte Bello, Ridge’s signature wine, is not a Zin but a Bordeaux blend. Sought after by collectors, it’s hundreds of dollars a bottle. The Zinfandels are more “accessible” (all photos © Ridge Vineyards).

[2] Ridge Lytton Springs Zin with rack of lamb.

[3] Ridge and other Zins are also great drinking with a burger.

[4] Ridge Geyserville, one of the top three Ridge Zins, with roast duck.

[5] You can’t go wrong drinking Zinfandel with steak.

[6] A cluster of Zin grapes: black-hued, large and juicy.

While Ridge Vineyards is a benchmark for balanced, site-driven Zinfandel, other prestigious California producers showcase the grape’s diverse expressions.

Styles range from historical old-vines to modern, low-intervention styles.

The Old-Vine & Heritage Zins

• Bedrock Wine Co. (Sonoma Valley): Complex, structured, and terroir-focused heritage wines from pre-Prohibition vineyards. Look for the Bedrock Heritage, Monte Rosso, and Old Hill Ranch bottlings.
• Carlisle Winery (Sonoma County): The winery specializes in small-batch, old-vine Zinfandels and mixed-blacks from sites like Papera Ranch and Montafi Ranch in the Russian River Valley. The wines are deep, aromatic, and dark-fruited with refined structure.
• Turley Wine Cellars (Napa Valley & Paso Robles): Turley focuses almost exclusively on historic, old-vine sites across California, producing wines that are old, plush, and opulent, yet balanced with vibrant acidity. Look for Hayne Vineyard (Napa Valley), Uberroth or Pesenti (Paso Robles), and the widely accessible Juvenile blend.

 
Napa & Sonoma Defining Zins

• A. Rafanelli Winery (Dry Creek Valley): Classic and velvety with a refined balance of spice and brambly red fruit. The wines are highly sought after and have limited distribution.
• Limerick Lane Cellars (Russian River Valley): Fresh, high-acid, and energetic wines with bright fruit notes, these estate-grown old-vine Zinfandels benefit from cool coastal breezes, yielding grapes that deliverconcentration without heavy heat.
• Robert Biale Vineyards (Napa Valley): Elegant, polished Zins made in the historic Napa Valley style. Famous for their flagship Black Chicken Zinfandel, and single-vineyard benchmarks like Morisoli Vineyard.
• Seghesio Family Vineyards (Sonoma County): Producing Zinfandel since 1895, the style is spicy and structured. Their Cortina (Dry Creek) and Old Vine bottlings are classics.

 
 
Mountain Zins

Mountain-grown grapes are defined by their elevation, which brings extreme diurnal temperature swings and rocky, nutrient-poor soils.

Vineyards planted in regions like Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Moon Mountain, or the Sierra Foothills also face high ultraviolet exposure and well-draining slopes, forcing vines to struggle and yield very small, concentrated grapes.

In the hands of the right winemaker, the Zins are powerful with dark fruit, rich spice, and long cellaring potential. Exciting on their own, it’s fascinating to taste and contrast them with lower-elevation Zins.

Profile characteristics include:

Look for:

• Bella Vineyards (Rockpile AVA, Sonoma): Rock’s Edge Zinfandel. Rockpile sits high above the fog line with fierce winds, forcing grapes to grow thick skins that create massive structure and concentrated fruit.
• Opolo Vineyards (Paso Robles): Mountain Zinfandel. Sourced from steep, limestone-rich hills in Paso Robles, the grapes producing bold, dark-fruited wines.
• Outpost Wines (Howell Mountain, Napa Valley): Howell Mountain Zinfandel. Sourced from iron-rich volcanic soils around 2,200 feet, the wine delivers notes of dense dark berries, game, and crushed black pepper.
• Storybook Mountain Vineyards (Mayacamas Mountains, Napa Valley): Mayacamas Range Estate. Perched at up to 1,300 feet, the wines showcase minerality, firm tannic structure, and ageability that rivals classic Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Turley Wine Cellars (Mountain Vineyards) Rattlesnake Ridge or Cedarman Vineyard (Howell Mountain). While Turley makes valley wines too, wines from their mountain sites are dense, brambly, and intensely tannic.

 
 
Alternative Zins

Some winemakers have a different vision of Zin, and produce lighter styles.

These winemakers pick earlier, use minimal intervention, and aim for low extraction, resulting in translucent, high-acid, translucent reds around 12.5%–13.5% ABV. Wines to look for:

• Arnot-Roberts (Sonoma/Lodi): Kirchenmann Vineyard Zinfandel. With grapes sourced from 1930s sandy-soil vines in Lodi, the wine has a relatively low ABV, 12.5%–13%, with delicate rose petal and red berry notes.
• Birichino (Santa Cruz/Central Coast): Saint Georges Old Vine Zinfandel. The wine focuses on delicate aromatics, moderate alcohol, and high acidity rather than heavy extraction.
• Broc Cellars (Sonoma County/Lodi): Vine Starr Zinfandel. Fermented with native yeast in neutral oak and concrete, the wines are light-bodied, highly aromatic, and tart.
• Dashe Cellars (San Francisco Bay): Les Enfants Terribles Zinfandel. Made using carbonic maceration (similar to Beaujolais), the lively, crunchy, fruit-forward style meant to be served slightly chilled. (Crunchy in wine talk describes a wine with vibrant, mouth-watering acidity and a fresh, snappy texture that feels like biting into a crisp, just-ripe or slightly underripe fruit.)
• Martha Stoumen Wines (Northern California): Benchlands or single-vineyard Zinfandels. The winemaker advocates natural winemaking and organic farming, prioritizing freshness, snappy acidity, and dynamic drinkability over heavy oak.

 
 
5. PAIRING FOODS WITH ZINFANDEL

While a good Zin pairs with the finest steak, it also pairs with a more humble burger. With turkey, it’s a winner (we always have a bottle on Thanksgiving).

Zinfandel pairs with food that demand full- or medium-body red wines. Note that different brands of Zin are light, medium or full-bodied. Most of the Ridge wines are full-bodied.

• Cheese: Zin stands up to hearty cheeses: aged Cheddar, Asiago/Parmesan, Gorgonzola/Roquefort, Gruyère, smoked Gouda and other smoked cheeses.
• Rose Zinfandels
• Fish & Shellfish: grilled/seared fish, seafood stews and soups.
• Meats: Beef, lamb, pork, venison, sausage; and meat-based dishes like chili (great with barbecue, too).
• Pasta/Pizza: With tomato-based sauces.
• Poultry: Duck, game fowl, turkey and chicken (roasted or with a heavier sauce).
• Soups & Stews: bold and hearty recipes.
 
 
6. ZINFANDEL IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Other countries produce Zinfandel, although it often goes by different local names. Key producing countries
are:

• Australia. Australia has a small but dedicated footprint for Zinfandel, grown in McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Margaret River. Winemakers often style it like a local Shiraz—rich, dark-fruited, spice-heavy, and high in alcohol. (Notable producer: Kalleske in Barossa).
• Croatia (as Tribidrag or Crljenak Kaštelanski). This is the grape’s ancestral homeland. Grown today along the Dalmatian Coast and offshore islands, Croatian winemakers have revived native plantings under their historical names. These wines have notes of vibrant red berries and Mediterranean herbs, with firm structure and high natural acidity.
• Italy (as Primitivo), grown in Puglia, the “heel” of Italy’s boot). Primitivo tends to ripen slightly earlier than California Zinfandel. The wines are full-bodied and warm, but generally lean more savory, earthy, and mineral-driven compared to California’s sweeter, jammy fruit profile. Under European Union wine regulations, Italian producers in Puglia are allowed to label their Primitivo wines as Zinfandel for export markets (especially the U.S.), while U.S. labeling laws traditionally keep the terms distinct.
• Mexico. In the Valle de Guadalupe of Baja California, the warm, coastal Mediterranean climate produces plush, rustic, highly concentrated Zinfandels with distinctive salinity and ripe fruit notes.
• South Africa. A small amount of Zinfandel is grown in Stellenbosch and Paarl. South African Zinfandel yields deep, smoky, dark-berry flavors influenced by warm-climate clay and granite soils. (Notable producer: Blaauwklippen).

 
 
7. HISTORY OF ZINFANDEL

Based on archaeological studies, domestication of the wild grape vine, Vitis vinifera, occurred around 6000 B.C.E. in the southern Caucasus. A mountainous region at the intersection of Europe and Asia, it stretches between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
Shortly thereafter, winemaking commenced and grape cultivation spread to the Mediterranean and surrounding regions. Different grape varieties mutated or were bred. Zinfandel’s progenitor seems to have come from Croatia.

Croatia once had several indigenous grape varieties related to Zinfandel. This diversity suggests that the grapes have been grown in Croatia longer than anywhere else—perhaps as early 1300 B.C.E., making it one of the oldest grape cultivars grown today [source].

Known as Crljenak Kaštelanski (“black grape of Kastel,” prounounced tserl-yee-EHNAK kashh-tell-ANN-skee), these wines formed the basis of Croatia’s wine industry in the 19th century.

Many of the vines of Europe were wiped out in the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, including Crljenak Kaštelanski. Today just nine vines of locally-known “Crljenak Kaštelanski” remain, discovered in 2001 on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia.

In 2001, DNA profiling confirmed that Zinfandel (United States), Primitivo (Italy), and ancient native grapes in Croatia (Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag) are genetically the exact same grape variety.

The Primitivo grape variety was introduced in the 18th century to the Apulia region of Italy (the “heel” of the boot)—likely from Croatia.

Crljenak Kaštelanski found its way to the U.S. in the mid-19th century. In 1829 Colonel George Gibbs, a horticulturist on Long Island, received shipments of different grapevines from the Schoenbrunn Collection of horticultural materials in Vienna, which documented and maintained grapevines from the Austria-Hungarian Empire.

His estate in Queens, Long Island ultimately became Ravenswood Winery and is now located in Sonoma, California.

Gibbs visited Boston in 1830 and sold some vines to local horticulturist Samuel Perkins, who began selling “Zenfendal” soon afterward [source].

In 1830, Gibbs also supplied Prince with “Black St. Peters,” a similar variety that may have come from England, where many vines have “St. Peters” in their names. Little is known about this vine, except that the Black St. Peters vines that arrived in California in the 1850s were the same as what became known as Zinfandel by the 1870s [source].

Zinfandel grapes were brought to California in 1852 by Frederick Macondray, a sea captain who carried on trade between California and Massachusetts and who was also involved in horticulture ventures.

Zinfandel soon was planted in Napa and Sonoma Valleys and rapidly became California’s most important wine grape. “Zeinfandall” was first exhibited at the Mechanics Institute Exhibition in San Francisco in 1858.

Much of the early planting of Zin was done by New Englanders who had come to California with the Gold Rush. They had planted 34,000 acres of Zin by 1888, making it California’s most planted wine grape of the time. [source]

(Today, the red grape plantings are 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Pinot Noir, 14% Merlot, 9%-10% Zinfandel, with lesser amounts of other grapes [source]).

Zinfandel was adopted by the Italian immigrants who arrived in the late 1800 and early 1900’s who kept it alive and thriving during Prohibition with their home winemaking.

We thank them for the survival of this wonderful wine.
 
 
Where Did The Name Zinfandel Come From?

A lot of research has been done to make a connection between Crljenak and Zinfandel. Here’s a full discussion.

The short version includes the names found in a Czech ampelography book—ampelography being an area of botany focusing on identification and classification of grapevines.

The names were Zierfandler and Zierfahndler, vines which may have been the Czech versions of Crljenak. A version of the names likely arrived with the Schoenbrunn grapevines. “Zinfandel,” or a variation of the spelling, was likely bestowed by Gibbs on the Crljenak Kaštelanski vines.

At least, that’s how we piece together the story!
 

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*Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affect a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics gives the wine (or other agricultural product) its character.

†In addition to Zin, Ridge produces an acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon; and in small quantities, Carignane, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah. Its one white wine, Chardonnay, is made in limited quantities.
 

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