When it comes to the American Dream, few grapes embody it as vividly as the classic Zinfandel. Bold, red, and robust, Zinfandel has intrigued wine lovers on both sides of the Atlantic.
In the U.S., Zinfandel—lovingly called “Zin”—has long held the reputation of being the quintessential American grape. It’s a varietal that American winemakers have embraced and refined, even presenting it in surprising forms, like the blush-colored White Zinfandel. However, Zin is, by origin and genetic makeup, none other than Italy’s Primitivo.
For three decades, the debate over the grape’s origins wavered between Italy and the U.S., until DNA analysis through the Zinquest project finally settled it in Italy’s favor. Although disappointing for the U.S., it confirmed a hard truth: the Americas are not home to any native Vitis vinifera grapes.
But Italy shouldn’t get too comfortable, as evidence suggests that before Zinfandel thrived as Primitivo in Puglia, it was actually known as Tribidrag or Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatia. So, in fact, Zinfandel’s roots trace back to an ancient Croatian grape that has since made a remarkable journey to fame in the U.S.—quite an origin story.
How the grape made it across the Atlantic remains somewhat of a mystery, though some theories suggest that cuttings arrived from Austria as part of a larger collection.
Despite the Zinquest revelation, America can take pride in elevating Zinfandel’s profile and giving it a vibrant new identity. Without its bold journey to the U.S., Zinfandel might have remained a local favorite in Croatia or Italy, cherished regionally but largely unknown to the rest of the world.
A quick note for the meticulous reader: the wine rankings below are based on aggregated critic scores, with an additional layer of weighting. As a result, some wines with seemingly higher scores may appear lower than others, as the more reviews a wine has, the stronger the score’s reliability. Thus, wines with more reviews receive a higher placement than those with fewer.
Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2022
This Zinfandel captivates with a complex fusion of blackberry, black currant, plum, cherry, and baking spice aromas. Its lively palate showcases succulent fruit interwoven with supple tannins, persisting from mid-palate to a gratifying finish.
$21.99 Available on Wine.com | Click here.
The distinctive characteristics of the region are reflected in their Lodi Zinfandel. Bold in color, the 2021 Lodi Zinfandel has an elegant mouthfeel with intense red fruit flavors underlined by notes of raspberry and subtle spice.
$15.99 Available on Wine.com | Click here.
Enchanting aromas of raspberries, white nectarine, and a hint of baking spice fill your nose. The brightened entry has flavors of succulent raspberry and stone fruit. The mid-palate hits you with crisp expressive notes of red cherries.
$58.99 Available on Wine.com | Click here.
