White Zinfandel has been around almost as long as red Zinfandel. However, few people know how it came to be or its short history.
White Zinfandel’s popularity may be traced back to one man, Bob Trinchero.
He was the first to successfully create this sort of wine in large quantities, and since then, he has been a driving influence behind it. White Zinfandel quickly became a favorite of many drinkers, from elderly to young and sophisticated to casual.
It was as though this unintentional event had produced a wine champion. The components were mixed with red table wine to create a new beverage. They bottled it up and sold it under the new label – White Zinfandel – to get rid of their stock fast because they felt it would be more pleasant and innovative to customers than using the name rosé.
Is There a White Zinfandel?
White Zinfandel is typically a pinkish tint, usually light, but never entirely free of pink hue. Zinfandel grapes are often found in areas with rich soil and warm weather, with big, fruitful plants that make a lot of wine. Zinfandel is a name that comes from the Italian word for “new branch.” This grape variety originated in Croatia before making its way to California.
White Zinfandel is a famous wine created from the Zinfandel grape, red skin. It derives its rose-pink hue from crushed grape skins quickly removed from the liquid. The wine is often promoted to women, although it is suitable for everyone who likes light wines with lower alcohol concentration than classic dry wines.
Because of its natural sugars, white Zinfandel has a somewhat sweet taste with fruit flavor.
Difference Between the Taste of White and Red Zinfandel
White Zinfandel is made from the same grape variety as red Zinfandel, and this lighter wine has a somewhat unique taste profile. This lighter-hued, lighter-bodied wine has fewer tannins and lowers alcohol content, resulting in a less dry wine. White Zinfandel wine is sweet and simple to drink due to this absence of bitterness.
Beginner wine drinkers often enjoy white Zinfandel due to its fruity and sweet tones. Its dominant flavors tend to be strawberries, watermelon, and peaches. Additionally, it is an easy-to-drink quaffable wine that will delight practically any taste.
On the other hand, the Red Zinfandel is a high-alcohol red wine with an extremely high amount of acidity. This wine gives it a somewhat more pungent taste than other red wines, complementing a wide range of meals.
Red Zinfandel is created from the same grapes as white Zinfandel, but it is fermented and aged for a longer time. Due to its rich, luscious berries and various spices, red Zinfandel wine is a winemaker’s joy since it may take on a wide variety of taste characteristics. It’s known to have a powerful aroma of blackberry, blueberry, and cherry, as well as a spicy aftertaste that lingers in the mouth.
We’ve done all the legwork for you so that you can judge the tastes for yourself.
Best White Zinfandels Examples
Monte Rio Cellars Dry White Zinfandel – This dry white Zinfandel has a rich, lively flavor. A delicate aroma of raspberry and earthy red fruit is followed by flavors of strawberry jam and tart cherries in a wine that is both thrilling and smooth to drink.
Barefoot White Zinfandel N.V. – This American classic is mostly strawberry in both taste and aroma. It’s a light rose with medium sweetness, medium acidity, and low alcohol. A perfect wine for sipping during your favorite movie or game show.
Beringer Vineyards White Zinfandel – White Zinfandel, the most popular product from Beringer, is a light-bodied wine with a warm and sweet finish perfect for summer. This bright wine will have your taste buds dancing in no time, and it is the ideal option to combine with an appetizer or dinner.
Fetzer Anthony’s Hill White Zinfandel – A California wine everyone should try at least once. Open a bottle to a gentle and rich aroma of summer berries. Not overly sweet and not too dry, just a perfect balance for an enjoyable drink.
Sutter Home Fre Alcohol Removed White Zinfandel – Sutter Home Alcohol-Free White Zinfandel is a unique twist on traditional wine. This light white wine spritzer is alcohol-free, gently sweet, and nicely balanced. Slightly sweet in the beginning and refreshing in the finish. This Alcohol-Free White Zinfandel is a perfect substitute for alcohol or sweet beverages.
What Food Pairs with White Zinfandel?
White Zinfandels have a moderate sweetness and a gentle acidity, making them a favorite match with smoked meats, creamy pasta dishes, and soft cheeses such as mozzarella, among other things. Asian cuisines like Thai or Chinese are also excellent pairings with white Zinfandel.
Shellfish – The light taste of the wine is a perfect match for seafood. Seafood is also an easy and quick dish to prepare, which makes it ideal when entertaining friends in the warmer months. Prawns or Shrimp skewers are a great summer dish to enjoy with white Zinfandel.
Spicy Food – If you like to add more heat to your kitchen, Thai, Indian, or Mexican food is great for pairing with white Zinfandel. The spicy recipes with chili and lime in them pair great with the soft blush wine.
Cheese – This is one of the most classic food pairings with wine. While there are different kinds of cheese you can pair with white Zinfandel I suggest blue cheese.
It also pairs well with roasted vegetables and salads since it is a gentle wine without excessive acidity.
How is White Zinfandel Made?
The method of producing white Zinfandel differs significantly from producing red Zinfandel since the finished product must be light in color, more lightweight in alcohol concentration, and somewhat sweeter.
Here are some essential aspects to remember in making white zin:
The process of making this wine starts with the grape selection. White zin vines are harvested sooner than red wine vines because white wine requires less alcohol and more acid. The sweetness of white Zinfandel is derived from grape juice sugar, providing natural sugar.
White Zinfandel is a pale pink wine prepared by pressing white grapes before fermentation. This method produces a lighter, sweeter wine with tastes similar to Champagne.
Fermenting at the proper temperature and with the appropriate quantity of sugar produces sweet white zin, while fermenting at lower temperature yields a drier version.
When the fermentation process is finished, the clarifying step starts. Winemakers may either rack or siphon their wines from one tank or barrel to the next. As a result, they leave sediments in the bottom of the fermenting tank, which may damage a wine’s fragrance and flavor and shorten its shelf life.
Oak barrels are used to age wine toward the end of the winemaking process, during the aging phase. Wine barrels come in various shapes, sizes, and capacities. The amount of wine that each barrel can hold varies greatly depending on the winemaker and the wine’s quality.
Summary
As a wine enthusiast, that is everything you need to know about white Zinfandel.
I hope this article has given you the motivation to try it the next time you’re feeling adventurous.
I suggest adding it to your wine hitlist and trying it on a warm summer day.
Let me know if there is anything I missed about this unique wine. Feel free to contact me on here or via our Facebook group.