Zin - Repost

****This is a manual re-post of the Zin entry. Technical errors on my part have forced this. I'm very sorry to those who made comments that were lost.****


The Pink Stuff
Evil Pink
The Pink Death
A Mortal Zin
NASCAbernet

I am about to defend my rather bold comments a regarding White Zinfandel.

DISCLAIMER*** What you must know about me is that I am a wine-appreciation instructor and have been making my own homemade wine for about 8 years now. I am currently in the process of writing a down-to-earth sort of wine book; one that is fun, not snotty, and actually educational instead of snooty. Let it be known here and now that I hate wine snobs. I do not consider myself to be one. However, I believe White Zinfandel to be the scourge of the wine world, especially here, in America, where it remains the most popular wine on the shelves. ***END DISCLAIMER

Ever peek into a red grape? Inside, it's pretty much the same color as a white grape. Red grapes would make white wine unless the winemakers allowed the juice to sit with the skins for quite awhile. This is the only thing that makes red wine red. The skin. The humble skin is also the only thing that gives red wine its wonderful flavors, aromas, and complexity. The tannins in the skin give the wine the power to age gracefully and taste better with each passing year. It's a beautiful thing.

Now, consider the lovely Zinfandel grape. Ah, the Zinfandel. This grape is agruably the only noble (vitis vinifera) grape originally from America. It is the Uncle Sam of grapes. If handled properly (with skins) it produces one of the most delightful wines in the world. A rich, gorgeous wine of deep garnet. A wine that inspires many winemakers to give it cool, gothic, mysterious names. I love Zinfandel. If I were trapped on a desert island and told I could have only one variety of red wine for the rest of my life, I would choose Zinfandel. Hands down.

So, given all that, why is it that most of the Zinfandel grown in California is manhandled? It is separated from its skins very early on, allowed to be merely pink, stripped of it's flavors and aromas and then sweetened with sugar. It becomes a parody of its potentially great self. It becomes acoholic soda pop. Shamed. Why? Because Americans drink it by the gallon.

And why do American drink it so enthusiastically? I have a theory, and it won't go over too well with my conservative friends, but I'll put it out there anyway. Many Americans want to appear worldly and sophisticated, and they know that ordering wine gives that illusion. So they choose the most unsophisticated wine on earth and call it a day. They never bother to explore what the world has to offer.

In my wine classes, I have seen it many times. People who proudly state that they "only drink White Zinfandel" come to my class. I tell them up front that if I don't have them hating the stuff in two months (class meets once per month) I'll eat my own foot. I still have both feet. One woman, in particular, said she couldn't stand anything other than White Zin, but desperately wanted to broaden her horizons. This woman now eschews the evil pink and enjoys Pinot Noirs. If you know anything about wine, you know what an accomplishment this is.

The problem is, Americans have not had the inclination or the knowledge to educate their palates. Once they do, they find out what the rest of the world already knows. White Zinfandel sucks. It sucks loudly. It is repsonsible for robbing people of the true appreciation of wine.

I could go on forever, but I believe I've made my case. In spite of what you've just read, I still do not consider myself to be a wine snob. I believe wine is for everyone and does not need to be expensive to be excellent. I also think that folks should drink what they like, even if it is White Zinfandel. But please, don't let that be the only thing you ever try. I recommend a Riesling. Coax yourself to really quaff a Cabernet. Savor a Sauvignon. Share a Shiraz. Purchase a Pinot.

And let's all start to call White Zinfandel what it really is. Yucky.