White Zinfandel

What are the typical residual sugar, acidity and ABV levels of White Zinfandel?

"Typical"? I don't think there's any typical, and 'average' doesn't really do you any good, but you can generally assume that there's anywhere from 3%--6% RS in White Zinfandel.

Don't have any idea about acidity levels, honestly.

Alcohol generally runs around 12-14%, as posted on the label. But there's that pesky 1.5% leeway from what's posted on the label...

[Jenise]

Not to hijack the thread, but it happened again just last week: we were taken to dinner by friends, and I was asked to select the wine from a list that had just one option per grape variety. "I'm thinking either the Rodney Strong zinfandel or the J. Lohn cab, any preferences?," I asked, looking at the husband of the other couple. "Well," he said, "How about the cab? I like red wine better than white."

"Typical"? I don't think there's any typical, and 'average' doesn't really do you any good, but you can generally assume that there's anywhere from 3%--6% RS in White Zinfandel.

Don't have any idea about acidity levels, honestly.

Alcohol generally runs around 12-14%, as posted on the label. But there's that pesky 1.5% leeway from what's posted on the label...

Sorry for demonstrating my ignorance on this but I've never read a White Zin label, much less drank its contents. Will have to do so.

I was thinking that 3%--6% RS isn't sweet (as I heard White Zin was) then spotted the % rather than grams/litre.

What's the conversion ? x 10 ?

Nice story Jenise. Good thing that the Cab wasn't a Blanc de Noirs Champagne or similar.

[Jenise]

Warren, the sad thing is that this story plays out over here all the time. White zin is so wildly popular among the jug wine crowd that they don't realize there's a red version, and once they find out they presume the red's something "new". Meanwhile, white zin is the premier mother-in-law wine.

I agree Jenise, it’s a shame that most people do not know a red Zin even exists.
On the numbers of White Zin I agree with Hoke.

Salute

Warren, next time I visit London I will bring you some White Zin!! None of this Blossom Hill for you matey!!

[James Roscoe]

Warren, next time I visit London I will bring you some White Zin!! None of this Blossom Hill for you matey!!

Are they allowing WMDs in Britain?

"Typical"? I don't think there's any typical, and 'average' doesn't really do you any good, but you can generally assume that there's anywhere from 3%--6% RS in White Zinfandel.

I think that might be a wee bit high but I'm sure some run up that high. Amador Foothill used to make one around 0.8 to 0.9% but quit on White Zin some years ago and that was admittedly on the very dry end of the scale for White Zin.

The best one on the dry side used to be Sausal, Mark...but I haven't had that in years and years, and don't know (or, obviously, care) if they still make it.

You might be surprised about sweetness levels. They've gotten higher since the stuff was first propagated.

Good news is there is a real choice out there now with drier roses. Seems like every winery around in CA is making at least one. And they are becoming more common, even in the grocery chains and such.

I was thinking that 3%--6% RS isn't sweet (as I heard White Zin was) then spotted the % rather than grams/litre.

What's the conversion ? x 10 ?

30 g/l is the same as 3.0 percent residual sugar, which will taste distinctly sweet, Warren.

I was thinking that 3%--6% RS isn't sweet (as I heard White Zin was) then spotted the % rather than grams/litre.

What's the conversion ? x 10 ?

30 g/l is the same as 3.0 percent residual sugar, which will taste distinctly sweet, Warren.

It isn't the residual sugar so much as the lack of acid and anything resembling balance. BLEH!!!!!!!!

You might be surprised about sweetness levels. They've gotten higher since the stuff was first propagated.

Good news is there is a real choice out there now with drier roses. Seems like every winery around in CA is making at least one. And they are becoming more common, even in the grocery chains and such.

I'll take your word for it, I'm sure not going to find out by actually putting the stuff in my mouth. Six percent. Yeesh. AFW gave up on white zin around 2000, I'm guessing, for economic reasons. The white zin crowd wasn't going to pay more than $6-7 for a bottle and prices on zin fruit had gotten to the point where that didn't make economic sense. They were early on the new rosé bandwagon you mentioned about the same time, starting to make what they call Rosato - a dry rosé of Sangiovese. In some years, I believe they've included some Grenache. In WA, where I now live, a good example comes from Barnard Griffin, which makes another nice Sangiovese rosé.

Warren, next time I visit London I will bring you some White Zin!! None of this Blossom Hill for you matey!!

Are they allowing WMDs in Britain?

WMD????

I was surprised to find out that Ridge used to make White Zin, sometime in the early 80s. I've seen a picture of a label. They made White Cabernet too, so I hear.

Dave

WMD????

Wines of mass destruction.

Warren, the sad thing is that this story plays out over here all the time. White zin is so wildly popular among the jug wine crowd that they don't realize there's a red version, and once they find out they presume the red's something "new". Meanwhile, white zin is the premier mother-in-law wine.

Thanks all. I've lived a sheltered life.

Bob, I'm going to try some of this White Zin in Toronto next month.

So is a White Zin white (as in Blanc de Noirs Champagne) or a rose (of varying hues) say like a US version of Mateus Rose?

Which are the best sellers (to mothers in law) I should try?

Bob, I'm going to try some of this White Zin in Toronto next month.

So is a White Zin white (as in Blanc de Noirs Champagne) or a rose (of varying hues) say like a US version of Mateus Rose?

Don't let me stop you trying white Zin in Toronto, but what's stopping you buying it over here? Fear of being spotted by someone you know?

It's a pale rose. Blush, vin gris, or whatever you want to call it.

So is a White Zin white (as in Blanc de Noirs Champagne) or a rose (of varying hues) say like a US version of Mateus Rose?

Warren


Time you gave 'er indoors a hand with the supermarket shopping. Then you can tak ethe opportunity to browse the UK supermarket shelves and you'll see plenty of example of USA white Zin.

So is a White Zin white (as in Blanc de Noirs Champagne) or a rose (of varying hues) say like a US version of Mateus Rose?

Warren


Time you gave 'er indoors a hand with the supermarket shopping. Then you can tak ethe opportunity to browse the UK supermarket shelves and you'll see plenty of example of USA white Zin.

I heard that a third of UK Rose sales were US produced. Must be White Zin then.

I'm just doing research, Peter, for my June CLWS tasting with White Zin as the opener. I would not dream of trying it on my own.

I heard that a third of UK Rose sales were US produced. Must be White Zin then.

I'm just doing research, Peter, for my June CLWS tasting with White Zin as the opener. I would not dream of trying it on my own.

Are you trying to ensure you will not get invited back?

Today, white zin is a byword for sweet pink wine for non-winedrinkers...

..

Today, white zin is a byword for sweet pink wine for non-winedrinkers...

Never tried some and will have to.

Trouble with such an image is that if there was a good White Zin then it would not be touched by wine lovers.

I wonder if the reported 100% per annum growth in Rose sales (from a 2% base) is dominated by White Zin growth ?

Dangerous to follow trends as one can easily be whipsawed by the backlash. (Liebraumilch / German wines generally in the 70's and 80's till even now)

c
Trouble with such an image is that if there was a good White Zin then it would not be touched by wine lovers.

I wonder if the reported 100% per annum growth in Rose sales (from a 2% base) is dominated by White Zin growth ?

Well, can a white Zin ever be good? As good as a red Zin? Define good. Zin is a red grape -- how many good still white wines are made from red grapes?

White Zin first came about because of a combination of events --one was a immense drop in purchases of big red wines as the result of some health scare in the late 70's that encouraged white wine at expense of red. The growers had all these Zin fields and no-one wanted red Zin. Lots got pulled up but luckily white zin saved many more until sense returned.

The first white Zin I came across was white and dry, a crispish dry white wine. OK, but.....

Over time they made it sweeter and pinker to suit an increaisng market of new drinkers.

In UK a combination of over production of mass market wines in California and the plummeting value of the USD has resulted in our shelves being flooded with cheap Cal wines with multiple labels but seemingly mostly from Gallo. And, yes, I think most of the sales increase in rose is Cal blush wines (white zin/merlot/grenache)

Beringer White Zinfandel might be one of the better ones. I had a chilled glass of it with lunch on a restaurant patio on a hot day and found it somewhat refreshing. Sutter Home is the one that I first encountered when I wasn't really serious about wine. I think it is a sweeter wine than the Beringer version. I've also heard Buehler recommended but I'm not sure I've ever tried it.