Zinfandel: the spicy red from California's old vines
21 Zinfandels, from weekday reds to old Sonoma vinesA red of ripe black fruit, pepper and bramble that goes as well with grilled food as with pizza: Zinfandel is the grape variety California has made its own. Its old vines, some over a hundred years old, bush-trained in Sonoma, Lodi or Paso Robles, give dense, spicy wines.
Here you will find Zinfandels from Sonoma, Lodi and the Santa Cruz Mountains, plus a red from Baja California in Mexico. Every price is given per bottle, along with the sales format when the cuvée is sold in lots or by the case.
Kautz Family - The Big Top Zinfandel 2023
A charming and spicy Californian zinfandel
L.A. Cetto - Zinfandel 2023
A supple and fleshy red wine with flavors of jammy red fruits.
Birichino - Saint Georges Zinfandel 2021
A zinfandel from old vines over 90 years old, of incredible complexity and freshness!
Decoy - Zinfandel 2019
Blackberry, plum and black pepper: Sonoma Zinfandel in its most indulgent style.
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022
Seghesio Family Vineyards - Old Vine Zinfandel 2021
A Zinfandel from old vines combining richness of fruit, spices and depth typical of the best terroirs of Sonoma.
Seghesio Family Vineyards - Sonoma Zinfandel 2022
A generous, fruity and balanced Sonoma Zinfandel. The warm, delicious signature of Seghesio.
Ridge Vineyards - Three Valleys 2023
A generous Californian blend, driven by Zinfandel and fine freshness. The Ridge signature in a delicious, approachable style.
Ridge Vineyards - Pagani Ranch Zinfandel 2023
A great old-vine Zinfandel, deep and vibrant. The freshness of Sonoma Valley balances its generous body.
Ridge Vineyards - Lytton Springs 2022
A great blend from old Californian vines, deep and structured. The power of black fruit meets spicy freshness.
Ridge Vineyards - Geyserville 2023
A blend from old Californian vines: intense, fresh and deeply savoury.
Ravenswood - Zinfandel Lodi 2022
A generous, spicy Lodi Zinfandel, supported by a fine oaky structure.
Hahn - Boneshaker 2020
A powerful and generous Californian Zinfandel, where rich fruit combines with a velvety and warm texture.
Cycles Gladiator - Zinfandel 2021
A generous and velvety Californian Zinfandel, where the richness of the fruit is balanced with sweet spices and a warm finish.
Seghesio Family Vineyards - Home Ranch Zinfandel 2021
A Zinfandel from the Russian River Valley that is both generous and structured, combining aromatic intensity and balance on the palate.
Seghesio Family Vineyards - Cortina Zinfandel 2019
A Zinfandel from the Russian River Valley combining fruity intensity, freshness and spicy depth.
Francis Ford Coppola - Director's Cut Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021
Kautz Family - Burlesque Zinfandel 2020
A charming and spicy Californian zinfandel
Sebastiani and Sons - Pepperwood Grove
A rich, full-bodied and spicy zinfandel from California.
Francis Ford Coppola - Rosso & Bianco Rosso 2018
Where the cellar's Zinfandel grows
The grape variety loves heat, and each valley strikes its own balance between ripeness and freshness, from the gravels of Dry Creek to the limestone of Paso Robles.
| Area | Climate and style | The cellar's cuvée | Price per bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Creek ValleySonoma | A narrow valley, hot days, gravel beds: the historic terroir of Zinfandel, peppery and ripe. | Director's Cut Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021Francis Ford Coppola | €41.80 by the case of 6 |
| Alexander Valley and Russian RiverSonoma | Heat in the north, Pacific fogs further south: old vines with dense, spicy fruit. | Old Vine Zinfandel 2021Seghesio Family Vineyards | €59.80 in packs of 2 |
| Sonoma Countya blend of valleys | Grapes from several parts of the county, for a generous style: blackberry, plum and black pepper. | Decoy Zinfandel 2019Decoy, a house linked to Duckhorn | €43 sold individually |
| LodiCentral Valley | Deep sands, a breeze from the San Joaquin delta: old vines, round fruit of raspberry and spice. | The Big Top Zinfandel 2021Kautz Family | €10.90 sold individually |
| Santa Cruz MountainsCentral Coast | Cool climate, vineyard planted in 1922 at the foot of the mountains: a 13.5% Zinfandel, as taut as a Pinot Noir. | Saint Georges Zinfandel 2021Mischievous | €42 in packs of 3 |
| Californiastate appellation | Grapes from several regions blended for a rich style that stays consistent from one vintage to the next. | Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022Francis Ford Coppola | €22.90 by the case of 6 |
| Guadalupe ValleyBaja California, Mexico | Mediterranean climate, Pacific mists: a supple Zinfandel, jammy red fruit and a salty finish. | Zinfandel 2023L.A. Cetto | €11.50 sold individually |
The Guadalupe Valley, about a hundred kilometres south of San Diego, shares California's cold Pacific current. See also our wines from Mexico.
Zinfandel or Primitivo: what changes in the glass
The DNA is identical; the climate and cellar practices differ. Open two bottles at a similar price to taste the difference.
| Criterion | California Zinfandel | Primitivo from Puglia |
|---|---|---|
| History of the name | Brought from an imperial nursery in Vienna, planted on the East Coast around 1830, then in California during the Gold Rush. | Named in the 18th century by a priest from Gioia del Colle, for its early ripening. |
| Climate and vine | Heat tempered by the Pacific, old bush vines often planted before Prohibition. | Dry heat between two seas, alberello on red soils around Manduria. |
| Typical style | Black fruit, pepper, ageing in American or French oak, from 13.5% to 15%. | More cooked fruit, fig and dried plum, sometimes a hint of sweetness. |
| Around €11 | The Big Top Zinfandel 2021Kautz Family, Lodi · €10.90 per bottle | Primitivo Puglia 2024San Marzano · €10.71 per bottle |
| Around €20 | Cycles Gladiator Zinfandel 2021€20.40 per bottle, by the case of 6 | Primitivo di Manduria SUD 2022San Marzano · €19.71 per bottle |
| Old vines, for ageing | Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel 2021€59.80 per bottle, in packs of 2 | Primitivo di Manduria Riserva Dionysos 2019Masseria Surani · €31.80 per bottle |
The grape's third name, Crljenak Kaštelanski, refers to a few surviving vines on the Dalmatian coast, which Croatia is replanting under the name Tribidrag.
A Zinfandel for every occasion
Start from the dish or the budget, and the bottle follows.
An everyday red for under €15
Old Lodi vines, raspberry and spice: the weekday Zinfandel, to serve slightly chilled.
Kautz Family The Big Top Zinfandel 2021 · €10.90 per bottleFor chilli or tacos
Jammy red fruit, pepper and a saline finish: a supple red from Baja California that stands up to spicy dishes.
L.A. Cetto Zinfandel 2023 · €11.50 per bottleFor pizza with friends
A generous, velvety Californian Zinfandel with sweet spices, which loves tomato, salami and oregano.
Cycles Gladiator Zinfandel 2021 · €20.40 per bottle, by the case of 6For barbecues and pork ribs
A powerful Lodi Zinfandel, 15%, with a velvety texture, for smoked meats and spicy sauces.
Hahn Boneshaker 2020 · €33 per bottle, by the case of 6A fresh Zinfandel, Pinot Noir style
Vines from 1922 at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, 13.5%: medium body, lively acidity, crunchy fruit.
Birichino Saint Georges Zinfandel 2021 · €42 per bottle, in packs of 3Tasting Sonoma's old vines
Old vines across several historic plots, from a family settled in Healdsburg since 1895.
Seghesio Family Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel 2021 · €59.80 per bottle, in packs of 2A bottle to give or to keep
A single vineyard on sandy soils: intense fruit, freshness and spice, with an ageing potential of five to ten years.
Seghesio Family Vineyards Cortina Zinfandel 2019 · €72 per bottle, in a pack of 2Compare with Primitivo from Puglia
The same grape variety under the southern Italian sun: round, warm reds, from Manduria to Gioia del Colle.
Primitivo section
A Croatian grape variety turned American
For a long time, Zinfandel was thought to be a grape variety born in California. In the 1990s, geneticist Carole Meredith of the University of California, Davis, used DNA to prove it was identical to Primitivo, then in 2001 traced its origins to Dalmatia: Crljenak Kaštelanski, recorded as Tribidrag in archives as early as the 15th century.
In America, the grape came close to disappearing after Prohibition. It was saved by a sweet rosé, White Zinfandel, launched by Sutter Home in 1975: its success kept in the ground old vines that were destined to be pulled up. These are the vines that now give the “old vine” cuvées of Sonoma and Lodi.
How do you choose
Zinfandel ripens unevenly: within a single bunch, raisined berries sit alongside berries that are still green. The grower has to choose between harvesting early, for freshness, or waiting, at the risk of going over 15%. We taste every bottle looking for that balance: ripe fruit, pepper, and an acidity that keeps you coming back for another sip.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What we are asked about Zinfandel
Are Zinfandel and Primitivo the same grape variety?
Yes. DNA analysis carried out by Carole Meredith at the University of California, Davis, established that Zinfandel, Primitivo from Puglia and Crljenak Kaštelanski from Croatia are one and the same grape variety. The wines differ through climate and winemaking: Primitivo is often rounder. Compare with our Primitivo range.
What does “old vine” mean on a Zinfandel label?
The term refers to old vines, and US law lets each estate set the minimum age. In practice, it means bush-trained vines over fifty years old with concentrated fruit. The Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel 2021 is a good example, at €59.80 a bottle, sold in lots of 2.
What is white Zinfandel?
A pale, fruity off-dry rosé, born in 1975 at Sutter Home from a fermentation that stopped by accident. Its success in the 1980s gave growers a reason to keep Zinfandel vines that were due to be replaced with Cabernet. Many of today's great red Zinfandels come from these old vines saved by the rosé.
Why is Zinfandel often high in alcohol?
Its bunches ripen unevenly: some berries shrivel while others stay green. The grower waits for the whole bunch to ripen, and the most advanced berries concentrate the sugar. Hence wines at 15%, such as the Hahn Boneshaker 2020. Cooler climates produce lighter versions, like the Birichino at 13.5%.
What food goes well with Zinfandel?
Its ripe fruit and pepper call for grilled food: pork ribs, burgers, lamb skewers, chili con carne. It also loves pizza and firm pressed cheeses. For a barbecue, Francis Ford Coppola's Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022 costs €22.90 a bottle, sold by the case of 6. Serve it at around 16 °C.
Which Zinfandel should you choose to discover the grape?
Start with a fruity style: the Kautz Family The Big Top Zinfandel 2021, from old vines in Lodi, costs €10.90 a bottle. Then open a denser Zinfandel from Sonoma, such as the Decoy Zinfandel 2019 at €43. All our American reds are in the wines from the United States range.
Why are some Zinfandels sold in packs or by the case?
Some estates ship their cuvées by the case of 6, or in lots of 2 or 3, and our shop follows that format. The price shown is always the price per bottle: the Coppola Director's Cut Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021 works out at €41.80 a bottle, sold by the case of 6. An adviser can help you via the contact page.
How long should you keep a Zinfandel?
Most are best drunk within five years, while the fruit is at its peak. Old-vine and single-vineyard cuvées keep for five to ten years: this is the case with the Seghesio Cortina Zinfandel 2019, at €72 a bottle, sold in lots of 2. Store them lying down, away from light, at around 12 °C.