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Canadian Zinfandel - does it exist?
Are Zinfandel and White Zinfandel the same?
No! In fact they couldn't be farther apart. Zinfandels are big red wines
with tons of black fruit flavours. White Zinfandels are very light in colour
and super sweet.
Did you know, White Zinfandel not made from the zinfandel grape?
In fact there is no 'white zin' grape. White Zinfandel is a brand name
and can be made from any grape the winery wants!
What wineries produce Zinfandel?
Currently, I only know one winery in Canada that produces Zinfandel. Inniskillin Okanagan produced
a Zinfandel in 2003. It received very good ratings and sold for around $30 a bottle.
Reif Estate Winery in Niaraga produced a very limited run of Zinfandel in 2001. So limited they
only sold it in 375ml bottles. Unfortunately, the winter of 2002 was brutal and killed off their
Zinfandel vines.
Is Zinfandel a popular grape to grow outside Canada?
Zinfandel grows best in very hot weather; so look for Zinfandel in warmer climates.
California, specifically Ridge Winery, really put
Zinfandel on the map. Little know fact, the Zinfandel grape was the most planted grape
in California until 1984.
Hopefully this is a good introduction to Canadian Zinfandel or lack there of. If you have questions
or comments send me an email from the contact page.
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