zinfandel
zinfandel Lexical Profile
zinfandel Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A dry, full-bodied red wine (or a sweet, blush-colored rosé known as white zinfandel) made primarily in California from the zinfandel grape.
"The sommelier recommended a bold, peppery California zinfandel to pair with the grilled lamb."
The dark-skinned wine grape of the species Vitis vinifera, originating in Croatia and widely cultivated in California vineyards for producing robust red wines and sweet blush wines.
"Because zinfandel ripens unevenly within the same cluster, harvesting the grapes at optimal sugar levels requires careful timing."
Word Origin & Etymology
Introduced to the United States in the 1830s, the name is likely derived from Austrian German Zierfandler, a grape variety from the Thermenregion, though DNA profiling has proven the vine itself is genetically identical to the Croatian variety Crljenak Kaštelanski and the Italian Primitivo.