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A picture of the Zinfandel grape--currently producing big, rich, luscious styles of red wine--has a large, loyal, even fanatical following in California and around the world. A picture of the zinfandel grape, which is grown predominantly in California, has acquired an almost mythic status--in part because of the caliber of its wines and its remarkable versatility, and in part because of the mystery surrounding its origins.
Charles Sullivan, a leading expert on the history of California wine, has at last written the definitive history of Zinfandel grape and provides many a picture of the grape. Here he brings together his deep knowledge of wine with the results of his extensive research on the zinfandel grape in the United States and Europe in a book that will entertain and enlighten wine aficionados and casual enthusiasts. In this lively book, Sullivan dispels the false legend that has obscured Zinfandel grape history for almost a century, reveals the latest scientific findings about the Zindandel grape European roots, shares his thoughts on the quality of the wines now being produced, and looks to the future of this remarkable Zinfandel grape.
The origin of the zinfandel grape has been debated for decades. See picture of the zinfandel grape above. It was once believed that the zinfandel grape was introduced to California in the 1860s by Count Agoston Haraszthy, a Hungarian nobleman who founded Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma County. Another early theory was that zinfandel grape originated in England as a table grape, was brought to New England in the 1830s, and made its way to the West Coast. More recently, some vine researchers claimed that zinfandel grape was identical to a southern Italian grape called primitivo. In 2002, DNA fingerprinting conducted at UC Davis purportedly established that zinfandel grape is, in fact, identical to a Croatian grape called Crljenak. See the picture of the zinfandel grape in Sullivan's book.
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