subject: Differences Between California Zinfandel And The Other Big Reds [print this page] There are a few very popular red winesThere are a few very popular red wines. In California and the United States, two particular red wines stand out as the most consumed: Cabernet Sauvignon and California Merlot. Chardonnay is the third most popular wine. But California Zinfandel has something to say to the top dogs, and there's no denying that as number three, it has a lot to offer. In fact, if you love red wine you stand to gain quite a bit by trying a selection of popular bottles, getting familiar with their differences, and figuring exactly which ones you like and why.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, powerful wine. It's popular in part because some of the best aged wines from France and Europe are cabernets. Cab sauv ages well because it tends to be a harsher, stronger wine, with more tannin. The other major reason it's so big in the United States is that it grows very well in California, where warmer weather and moister air leads to fully ripe grapes that make wine perfectly ready to drink within the first 12-20 months of bottling. So you can get the perfect glass of wine to go with your steak for a great price. And that's about the kind of food you have to pair California Cabs with because of their gripping, full-bodied flavor.
Merlot, perhaps more often maligned since the movie Sideways, is one of the most drinkable wines. It has a soft, medium body with simple juicy fruit flavors. It is a major wine in California's history and popular makes from Napa Valley tend to show notes of black cherry, plumb, or raspberry notes. It's lower tannin content, more up-front and accessible fruit flavors and milder taste make it especially popular among new wine drinkers, and also lend it well for blending in the Bordeaux style. Of course, more serious Merlot can be barrel-aged to create a more complex and nuanced flavor profile. It's unlikely that you will love an average Merlot and an average California Cabernet, as the two wines tend to be very different.
California Zinfandel, though lacking the international attention of the Cabs and the popularity among newcomers of Merlot, has long been central to California winemaking. It is somewhere in between Cab and Merlot, but closer to the more intense, powerful red. It has a high alcohol and tannin content, similar fruit flavors to other California reds, and the grapes grown on older fines are known to have intense color and flavor that is unparalleled. The range of fruit flavors that you can find in a California Zinf have made it ideal for blends as well as meaning it serves well as a transition wine for new drinkers looking to branch out to more complex flavors than the average Merlot. It also enjoys a broad appeal for lacking the characteristic harshness of a Cab that prevents many people from enjoying it. And it's another grape that has flourished in California.
If you're looking to try a broader spectrum of the awesome red wines that the Golden State has to offer, California Zinfandel is a perfect stepping stone to get away from the more common varietals that you've probably seen on many shelves.
