Zinfandel

Often called "America's Grape," Zinfandel originated in Croatia in Eastern Europe and migrated to the U.S. in the early 19th century. By the middle of the 19th century, Zinfandel had made it all the way to California and was prospering throughout Sonoma County.

Zinfandel vines are naturally vigorous, requiring careful pruning, canopy management and irrigation to balance the health and fruitfulness of the vineyard. Wines made from Zinfandel grapes can range from refined and elegant to hearty and robust, and are characterized by flavors of black or red fruits and spicy notes of pepper and ginger.

At Rancho Zabaco, our Zinfandel wines offer exceptional quality and complexity, as we use a variety of Zinfandel grapes from Sonoma County’s "Zin Zone" to experiment with new grapegrowing and winemaking methods. For example, we use multiple field selection clones from some of our longtime growers in the Dry Creek Valley, which affords us more options when it’s time to blend: a little more spice from one batch, a little more dark fruit from another. Our unique 101 Zinfandel clone produces smaller berries and looser clusters, which translates to more color and flavor intensity in our wines.