The Voice of the Wine Industry
Is White Zinfandel really "wine"?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Evelyne Resnick on -
Good question! I would say all the people drinking white zinfandel consider it wine. One of my friends had a very interesting comment once we were discussing white zinfandel. He said he didn't understand why "serious" wine consumers were so dismissive of white zinfandel drinkers. To him it would be more productive to introduce white zinfandel drinkers to semi sweet wines, such as Riesling. It is a very clever idea. White Zinfandel could be considered the "gate opener" to more complex wines.
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Permalink Reply by Catie on -
Okay, maybe I'm not getting this - serious? Of course, it is wine. It is fermented from vitis vinifera and contains alcohol. Do I keep it in my house and would it be my wine of choice - -
Ick. No.
But then again, I would defend it a bit when it comes to a newbie wanting to try wine - if someone was not a drinker of alcohol and stumbled upon white zin and enjoyed it. Sure why not, but I would recommend to that newbie to branch out and try other off-dry wines. And then, once they are ready for a good solid red wine, I would recommend to the newbie to try the red wines with food.
I spent seven years behind a tasting room bar and I can honestly say I never put down a person if they asked why we didn't make a white zinfandel and that was their wine of choice. Sure, my mind might of thought differently, but my answer was diplomatic and it gave me an opportunity to give out some wine education and give them other wine suggestions.
Funny - I was behind the tasting room bar and a young woman walked in. It was first thing in the morning and she was the only customer. I guess I made her comfortable because she told me that this was the first winery she had ever been into and wanted to know what was the first thing she should NOT mention or do as she went around visiting other tasting room. I told her, "Whatever you do - do not ask for a white zinfandel."
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Permalink Reply by Katie Pizzuto on -
Agree with you ALMOST completely...I believe the technical definition of a wine is that it must be fermented from FRUIT. Any fruit. But seriously, is this topic a real "question"? ;-)
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Permalink Reply by Amy Corron Power on -
It's a real question in the sense of research. But I didn't want to ask specifics or "leading questions". Better yet:
1. What do you think of when someone says "White Zinfandel"
2. When someone asks you about wine, does White Zinfandel cross your mind at all?
- Why or Why not.
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Permalink Reply by Catie on
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>>>What do you think of when someone says "White Zinfandel"
Usually I don't think about it. But then again, it all depends on the person who mentions it. But for the most part, I try not to stand on my soap box about that subject anymore.
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Permalink Reply by Richard on -
Not having tried a Zin Blanc, I take it that is is rather like asking for a glass of chardonnay (said with a squeaky 'WAG' voice).
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Permalink Reply by David Honig on -
I'm sorry, but silly question. Yes, it's wine. It just happens to suck. A lot.
Also wine- Manischewitz Concord Grape, MD 20/20, Thunderbird, and many others.
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Permalink Reply by Richard on
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Thunderbird, that brings back fond memories :) oh to be a a teen again!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Amy Corron Power on
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Further: Say you are asked by a group to select wines for a fundraising event. One of the people on the "event committee" suggests the following:
"Some big bottles of white, some big bottles of red and a big bottle of White Zinfandel"
How would you handle it, when the event is billed as a "Wine Tasting?"
If anyone has had this experience, I'd be interested in hearing what you did, and how it was received.
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Permalink Reply by Richard on
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"a big bottle of White Zinfandel"You just ignore them. Smile, not and forget what they said :)
For a point of fact. Wine is any drink between a certain % (10-15) and classed so for tax law, which dates back (in the U.K.) to the 12th Cen. i.e you can have turnip wine,a wine which my parents gardener used to make, along with many others wild concoctions.
This is a rough idea of %/tax listing. It's been a while since I had my snout in a tax law book.
1-9 = beer/ale/cider/lager
10-15 = wine
16-20 = fortified wine
21-30 = Liqueures
31+ = Spirits
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Permalink Reply by Amy Corron Power on
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Okay just to clear it up...I know that technically White Zinfandel is wine ;)
But here in Texas when folks have events with a cash or non-cash bar, they serve chardonnay, merlot and white zinfandel, as if that's all there is. Annoying!
I am also doing some background research on how wine bloggers and industry personnel deal with "White Zinfandel" especially when it's requested. :)
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Permalink Reply by Catie on
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"Some big bottles of white, some big bottles of red and a big bottle of White Zinfandel"
How would I handle it? I would probably faint. Oh dear...
I would ask what the event committee hopes to accomplish with this event billed as a "Wine Tasting" - - to taste some new wines, perhaps education, or just to get a quick buzz? Then I would ask if they have ever been to a "traditional" wine tasting and if they have then they should cop a clue what a wine tasting is all about or if they have never been to a traditional wine tasting, then this is your opportunity to share...
And you could also explain that "big" bottles are not the best for "traditional" wine tasting as they are not as easy to pour from as a 750 ml and it takes longer for the opened bottle to "breath." I know...I know...White Zin really doesn't need to "breath," but this is a legit excuse on why larger format bottles are not the best to use at a wine tasting.
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