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Grape that is considered California’s red-wine grape because it’s not widely grown in other parts of the world. Zinfandel vines were brought to California in the 1850s. By the 1880s, this variety was rapidly gaining acceptance by California growers, and it is now that state’s second most extensively planted red grape behind Cabernet Sauvignon. For years Zinfandel’s origins were very mysterious. Initially, research confirmed a relationship between Zinfandel and Primitivo (a variety grown in Italy’s Puglia region), causing speculation that Zinfandel might have originated in Italy. However, in late 2001, DNA fingerprinting determined that Crljenak Kastelanski (a little-known grape from Croatia) and Zinfandel had identical DNA profiles. Further analysis proved that a more popular Croatian grape, Plavac Mali, was a descendant of Crljenak Kastelanski (and therefore of Zinfandel). Outside of the Zinfandel grown in California (and Italy’s Primitivo), there are only isolated plantings of this grape, mainly in South Africa and Australia. Zinfandel is vinified in many styles, which vary greatly in quality. One popular style is White Zinfandel, a fruity-flavored blush wine that’s usually slightly sweet and ranges in color from light to dark pink. The Zinfandel grape is also used as a base for sparkling wines. When made into red wine, Zinfandel can produce wines ranging from light, nouveau styles to hearty, robust reds with berrylike, spicy (sometimes peppery) flavors, plenty of tannins and alcohol, and enough depth, complexity, and longevity to be compared to cabernet sauvignons. Another style is late-harvest Zinfandel, which exhibits higher alcohol levels and some residual sugar. Occasionally, Zinfandel is fortified and marketed as a California port-style wine. Large Zinfandel plantings exist in California’s Central Valley where the hot weather tends to produce lower-quality grapes, which often make their way into jug wine. The Italian DOC, Primitivo di Manduria, produces dry red Primitivo grape-based wines that are similar to some California Zins. As Zinfandel’s popularity increases, more and more enterprising Italian Primitivo growers are labeling their wines “Zinfandel” and exporting them to the United States.