History of White Zinfandel White Zinfandel

two disposable plastic tumblers filled white zinfandel , ice in new york city.

zinfandel first made rosé wine in 1869 el pinal winery in lodi, california. resulting wine thought of highly enough california viticultural commissioner charles wetmore, later founder of cresta blanca winery, advocated zinfandel s use white wine grape.

in 1970s sutter home winery producer of premium zinfandel red wine in napa valley. increase concentration in wines, used saignée technique bleed off of grape juice before fermentation, increase impact of compounds in skins on remaining wine. excess juice separately fermented dry, white wine sutter home called white zinfandel.

in 1975, sutter home s white zinfandel experienced stuck fermentation , problem occurs when yeast dies out before consuming of sugar. problem juice set aside. weeks later winemaker tasted it, , preferred accidental result, sweet pink wine. style became popular , today known white zinfandel, in days known cabernet blanc. sutter home realized sell far more white zinfandel had produced date, , gradually became successful producer of inexpensive wines. remain 1 of biggest producers of wine, annual shipments of on 4 million cases.

the demand white zinfandel resulted in extended commercial viability of old vine zinfandel vineyards, saved them being ripped out. when fine wine boom started in 1980s, demand red zinfandel picked considerably , these vineyards became prized low yields century-old vines. white zinfandel outselling red zinfandel 6:1 volume, there s not enough juice left on red wine production satisfy demand white zinfandel. sutter home (and producers today) grow grapes use in white zinfandel, in places central valley of california. production costs substantially lower , fruit quality not important final taste in dry table wine.