Zin was the “darling of the California wine industry in the 1880s,” says wine historian and author Charles L. It grew well in the Mediterranean climate and made good-quality wine in various styles, from sparkling and dessert wines to red and rosé still selections. Production began to surge after the 1849 Gold Rush, well before the now-common French varieties were popular. While it appears to have originated in what’s now Croatia, the grape came to the state in the mid 1840s. Zinfandel is known as California’s heritage variety. The best Zin masters turn the fruit of gnarled old vines into bold, nuanced and expressive wines. Yet, such winemakers do exist, and the world is better because of them. The vines are difficult to manage, the wine is challenging to make and sales are perennially lukewarm, except among a small, dedicated following of Zin lovers. Only a winemaker with a deep independent streak and an intentional avoidance of marketplace realities would devote their career to Zinfandel.
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