Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a popular grape in California, although it appears to have originated in Croatia, where it is known as Crljenak Kastelanski, and southern Italy, where it is known as Primitivo. Zinfandel produces powerful, spicy reds with forward raspberry and pepper notes. It can also be used to produce a semisweet rosé (blush) wine called White Zinfandel. You can use Wine Enthusiast’s online Buying Guide to find the top-rated Zinfandel among our extensive Zinfandel wine reviews and easy-to-use database. Our Zinfandel reviews will give you a general idea what to expect from wines made from Zinfandel, and will help you find one that best suits your needs.
De Loach 1998 Barbieri Ranch Zinfandel (Russian River Valley)
- $22
One of a series of single-vineyard Russian River Valley Zins from this winery. Medium color, with beautiful berry, chocolate and plum aromas. Fabulous extract and complexity, it’s ready to drink now.
— S.H.
(2/1/2000)
De Loach 1998 O.F.S Zinfandel (Russian River Valley)
- $35
A blend of De Loach’s finest vineyards. Dense color. Complex and complete nose. Voluptuous and rich. Tastes remarkably complex, with attention paid to every detail. A rewarding experience. Very fine Zin, but pricey.
— S.H.
(2/1/2000)
Ridge 1997 Lytton Springs Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley)
- $28
Paul Draper continues to label this bottling without a varietal designation—as he has since 1993—despite this vintage’s 80% Zinfandel. A dark, briary wine, this has plenty of everything you want in a Zin: berry fruit, mild acidity and a decent lashing of oak. Purely delicious, and Ridge’s best Lytton Springs of the past five years.
— J.C.
(9/1/1999)
M. Cosentino 1997 The Zin Zinfandel
- $22
A briary, full-throttle wine with a ripe, appealing nose. Plenty of bright, forward fruit; strawberry preserves and raspberry jam pleasantly mingled with cocoa and toast. Wonderful spicy highlights of cinnamon and allspice. This one is really something, with exceptionally jammy fruit, great balance, and alcohol (13.8%) right where it should be.
— P.G.
(11/15/1999)
Forchini 1998 Papa Nonno Old Vine Clone Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley)
- $20
One of the most textbook Zins you’ll ever have. Bursts with ripe, sweet raspberry, blueberry and black-cherry fruit, tangerine, tobacco and spice. Wonderfully fruity; good winemaking has controlled the alcohol and tannins. The net effect is a rollicking good wine, at a fair price for great Zin.
— S.H.
(5/1/2000)
Cline 1998 Big Break Vineyard Zinfandel (Contra Costa County)
- $28
A blast of spice, mint, bramble and pepper explodes from the glass. The wine is dense, dark, deep and mysterious; the flavors pungent, penetrating and persistent. Tannic, layered with herbs and spices, powered with big, punchy fruit. This is classic Cline.
— P.G.
(3/1/2001)
Cline 1998 Live Oak Vineyard Zinfandel (Contra Costa County)
- $28
There’s a lovely sweetness to the fruit, which tastes like ripe, just-picked blackberries. Old vines, 100+ years, deliver sweet, supple, sexy fruit. The wine has very dry tannins, and it might profit from some blending, but with a vineyard this special you have to admire the single-vineyard approach.
— P.G.
(3/1/2001)
Claudia Springs 1998 Rhodes Vineyard Zinfandel (Redwood Valley)
- $24
A juicy, jammy, alcoholic style, tannic and young. This is gutsy, high-toned wine, with fat, extracted fruit. Very dry tannins, good balance. This wine needs time; it’s a very different style from the other Claudia Springs Zins. But it shows the same attention to detail, intense fruit, and stylish, sensitive winemaking.
— P.G.
(3/1/2001)
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