Zinfandel - wine grape variety

Zinfandel is the Californian name for this variety and is the name under which it has been established in Australia. With the relative decline of Carignan, Zinfandel is now the second most widely planted red wine grape in California after Caber-net Sauvignon, with more than 13 800 ha in 1992 being grown successfully in all the wine grape areas. It appears to be the Italian variety Primitivo, which is grown on more than 30 000 ha in the province of Taranto. It is also grown in the Dalmatian region of Yugoslavia under the name of Plavac Veliki.

Zinfandel is a variety of moderate vigour with fairly upright shoots which mature to rather brittle canes. It has medium to large, 5-lobed leaves folding inwards with a few small tufts of hair on the lower surface. The petiolar sinus is lyre shaped, usually open but sometimes with a little overlapping of the edges. The bunches are medium to large, more or less cylindrical and compact with medium to large, round berries with a noticeable brown scar at the apex. Exposed fruit is liable to sunburn and if the vines are managed too restrictively the fruit is very liable to bunch rot.

The variety is noteworthy for the amount of second crop it produces, enough in Italy to justify a second harvest. The fruit is severely damaged by mechanical harvesting.

Zinfandel should give wines of a good bright colour and distinctive varietal character. In California it is recommended that such wines should not be blended.