If it’s January, it’s time again for the world’s largest single-variety wine event. In 2012 the Zinfandel Advocates & Producers burst out of its cavernous warehouse environment at San Francisco’s Ft. Mason and expanded into an even more spacious venue at the Concourse Exhibition Center.
The 2012 ZAP Festival
The three-day event featured cooking demonstrations (Zinfandel Ice Cream using liquid nitrogen), top sommelier Zinfandel choices, a winemaker dinner at the prestigious St. Francis Hotel, workshops covering Zinfandel blends and the distinctions of major growing regions, and a Grand Tasting open to the public.
In addition to a very upscale venue, ZAP organizers provided stylish shuttles to major public transportation operated by tuxedoed drivers and running continuously from 11 am to 5 pm on the day of the Grand Tasting.
A bit of Zinfandel history
Zinfandel is America’s distinctive winegrape. Every other popular variety is a French, German, or Italian analog. But Zinfandel, while grown elsewhere, is America’s unique contribution to the international palette of red wines.
The history of Zinfandel styles is not unlike America’s national history, which includes pioneers, the wild west, industrial revolution and digital revolution. Which means—rocky, diverse and intensely interesting. Zinfandel has experienced more style changes than any other single variety, ranging from thick, sweet red wines, prickly tannic monsters, and pink wines to the classy, stylish, balanced wines we are finding today.
The mixed black vineyard
California’s original Zinfandel vineyards were almost entirely composed of multiple red varieties (with occasionally some whites thrown in as in Chianti). The vines were interplanted and harvested together. While the overwhelming constituent was Zinfandel, some Petite Sirah, Carignane, and up to 20 other varieties added complexity to the final blend. But since different varieties ripen at different times, every vintage exhibited different characteristics. The harvest was always based on the ripening of the Zinfandel component. The other varieties could be under- or overripe. The ensuing wines were said to be “field blends.”
Trends in 2012
Most notable in 2012 is a renewed emphasis on field blends. New vineyards are being planted in the historic way and increased attention is being given to existing field blends such as Ridge’s splendid Geyserville, which has a 65% Zinfandel component.
Like Cabernet Sauvignon, few high quality examples are 100% varietal. Most vintners add small amounts of Merlot to soften Cabernet’s tannic edges, or Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot to enrich the texture and color. As long as the blend base is above 75% of the named variety it can be named as a varietal wine. This is also true of high-end Zinfandel. There are some 100% single-vineyard Zinfandels on the market, such as Toucan Zinfandel from Arroyo Grande; but few vineyard sites are capable of producing a complete wine that needs no amelioration.
Zinfandel and alcohol
The trend over the past decade has been towards ever higher ripeness and alcohol levels. While typical Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah based wines tend to top out around 14.5% or lower, Zinfandels can achieve alcohol levels up to 16% or even higher. Such wines are massive, overpowering, and often headache-inducing. They do not enhance the dining experience (except for chocolate). We are happy to report that of the hundreds of Zinfandels offered at the 2012 ZAP Grand Tasting, most were delightfully balanced over a spectrum of styles from light and elegant to rich and fruity. The wine press has bemoaned overly high-alcohol wines for many years. Now it appears that the buying public may be tiring of Zin monsters, too. The listed alcohol by volume is often a key to the wine’s style. Most balanced Zinfandels will be below 15% and the lower the alcohol, the lighter the style will likely be.
Alan Boehmer - Alan Boehmer has conducted regular wine seminars and wine tours since 1967. Originally based in Los Angeles, he served as a consultant for ...
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