43 California wines have gained their popularity due to the unique climatic conditions and the variety of grape varieties. The first developments of this alcoholic drink began in 1800. But despite this, only about sixty years ago they began to engage in professional winemaking in this area.
California wine
America is a country in which unique alcoholic beverages, such as whiskey, are actively produced. It would seem common to everyone to drink with the same recipe, but this country was able to make bourbon - alcohol from corn syrup with a specific taste. This is not spared and winemaking, successfully developing in southern America.
Favorable conditions on the coast contribute to the retention of sugar in the grapes, which is why the alcoholic drink acquires a tart taste and a thick consistency. And in the center of California, varieties for a soft drink with a fruit flavor are grown.
Due to the fact that the south of America is quite large-scale in the area, grapes are grown in it for both white wine and red. In general, California produces about 500 different varieties of this alcoholic beverage, ranging from table and budget wines, to elite varieties with unique tastes.
Wine "Zinfandel"
The origins of this type of alcoholic beverage are in Croatia and Hungary. It was there that a variety of grapes was grown, which was subsequently taken as the basis for its creation. Active cultivation of it in America began in 1990, when, after a series of experiments, wine-making specialists revealed the unique properties of this variety. Prior to this, the Zinfandel red wine was used as the basis for creating cheap drinks. Material for him was grown in the valleys of Napa and Paso Robles.
The main features of this wine are:
- unpretentiousness;
- minimum shutter speed;
- saturated color of grape juice;
- high productivity;
- compatibility in a blend with other grades;
- saturated fruit bouquet.
Red wine "Zyfandel" has a rich ruby color, a fruit base in taste, complemented by notes of currant and cherry. The strength of an alcoholic drink depends on the area and climate, it can vary from 16 to 21%. The highlight of the wine is that even despite its thick consistency, it is drunk easily and reveals its entire flavor bouquet at room temperature.
In the preparation of each drink has its own nuances, all of them contribute to the creation of a unique taste and aroma of alcohol. So, in "Zinfandel" a distinctive feature are the vines of grapes. Due to the unpretentiousness and resistance to diseases, a good crop can be harvested from them within 50-100 years. The taste of the product from this changes only for the better, saturating the drink with excellent fruity notes.
Another feature in the manufacture of wine "Zinfandel" California is a variety of recipes. Such wines can be either classic, with deep taste and low sugar content, or younger and sweeter, made from the fruits of a new vine.
Wine Paul Masson White Zinfandel
The brand of this wine begins its history in 1852. During this time, alcoholic beverages managed to achieve worldwide recognition, and the manufacturer established itself as a company that produces only high-quality products. Paul Masson White Zinfandel is part of California's rosé, semi-sweet, table wines.
The strength of the drink is 10.5%. It is recommended to eat chilled, in combination with fruit or meat. The wine is easy to drink, has the color of champagne. The cost varies from 600-1200 rubles, depending on the area in which it is purchased.
Dry red wine Cline California Zinfandel
Although in Russia there is a meager selection of Californian Zinfandel wine, all the brands that can be found on store shelves have high quality and excellent taste. Prices for such alcohol, by the standards of table wines, are considered a bit overpriced, but this is offset by the excellent taste of beverages made in California. One of these wines is Cline California Zinfandel - a ruby red dry drink aged in French oak barrels.
It contains a fruity flavor, with notes of prunes, raisins, cherries, raspberries, watermelon, fresh pastries, mint, coffee and chocolate. Alcohol strength - 14%. A wine drink is aged for about a year, but it is better to drink it immediately after purchase. Excessive exposure does not benefit red wine, and from the year he loses all his subtle notes.
It is recommended to use Cline California Zinfandel at a temperature of + 16 ... + 18 ° C, with red meat, fruits or Italian pastas.
Semi-dry red wine RIDGE York Creek Zinfandel
An alcoholic drink of light consistency, with a berry, multifaceted taste. Included in the section of red, semi-dry, table wines. A distinctive feature is the low sugar content. The drink is not acidic and easy to drink. Fortress - 13.5%.
Pleasant aroma of plums, strawberries and cherries. It is recommended to drink chilled, in combination with meat or red fish. Price - from 600 to 900 rubles. Find wine "Creek Zinfandel California", according to reviews, you can in alcohol stores or large hypermarkets.
Beringer white zinfandel
Such an alcoholic drink is made by insisting grape juice on the pulp and peel of black berries. So it turns pink wine "Zinfandel." A drink is made in the Napa Valley, which is why the taste of the original drink is sugary, without astringency.
Due to the small strength of the wine - 9%, it is recommended to drink it at a temperature of +10 ° C. It goes well with poultry, dishes rich in seasonings and spices, fruits and berries. Semi-dry wine Beringer White Zinfandel has a pale pink color, light texture and delicate fruity aroma.
Gastronomic features
Oddly enough, but the wine "Zifandel" goes well with spicy and salty dishes, a variety of sauces, pastas and fast food. In America, the use of this drink with heavy food, hamburgers, is considered popular. The bright taste of the dishes and their long finish does not overlap the aroma of wine, but rather contributes to its full disclosure.
Consumption culture
Each alcoholic drink has its own traditions and rules for drinking. Wine "Zinfandel" also has such. For the full disclosure of its taste, it is necessary to have an idea of the ways of serving and snacks that will not spoil the process of drinking wine, but only emphasize its merits.
Sweet and semi-sweet drinks are recommended to be consumed at a temperature of +9 ... + 12 ° . Due to the high sugar content in such wine, only such conditions can reveal all the taste and not turn it into juice. Dry alcohol is allowed to drink at a temperature of +16 ... + 20 ° C.
Among the Zinfandel alcoholic beverages there are both dry and sweet. It is on this criterion that you should rely on when choosing a snack for wine.
Sweet red varieties are recommended to be combined with desserts, berries and fruits, red, spicy meat and fish, chicken breast with spices, blue cheese. In fruits and berries, preference should be given to citrus fruits, apples, blackberries, cherries, kiwi and strawberries. It is products with sourness that are able to show the whole gamut of sweet wines.
Dry varieties of alcoholic drinks are recommended to be combined with a meat plate, on which different types of red meat and poultry should be present, with soft and fresh cheeses that can overshadow all the astringency of alcohol. Fruits and desserts most often with dry, red Zinfandel wines are not served due to the high content of acid and sugar in them. You can replace them with tartlets, fish and seafood.
Zinfandel variety can destroy all stereotypes about cheap California wines. If in 1900 table wines made available to everyone were made from it, today such alcohol is considered high-quality and elite. Drinks are endowed with excellent taste of fruits and berries, the aroma of blackberries, currants and cherries. Unique cooking conditions and quality ingredients make Zinfandel drinks a highlight in California winemaking.