An insider’s guide to white Zinfandel wine

Best white Zinfandel wines to buy online

The table above is made up of a selection of the best white Zinfandel wines of this year, as determined by our team. We ranked these wines keeping in mind preferences amongst wine lovers, as well as reviews by critics and overall quality benchmarks. Check out these elite picks for a taste of the goodness white Zin has to offer, including both drier and sweet styles.

White Zinfandel wine at a glance

White Zinfandel wine is typically blush pink, produced by shortening the skin contact time with the wine after crushing. However, it can come in a diverse range of colors, including pale blush, raspberry shades and even deep plum. The shade you see depends on how long the juice was left to soak with the skins during the maceration process. 

Fun Fact: Zinfandel is the only grape in the world with a festival dedicated to it! The annual Zinfandel Experience is organised by the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP).

Best California wine brands for white Zinfandel 

70% of the world’s Zinfandel grapes are grown in the US, with approximately 11% of the vineyards in California growing them. White Zinfandel began as a happy accident in the 1970s and it has since then evolved into a famous wine in the US, with sales six times that of red Zinfandel. Amador County, Russian River Valley, Napa Valley and Lodi are all notable regions involved in its production, known for high quality Zinfandels. Let’s have a look at some wineries that have shaped the history of wine, specifically white Zinfandel in California.

What are the types of white Zinfandel wine?

There are different types of white Zinfandel wine obtained by modifying some steps of the winemaking process. They are: 

Dry white Zinfandel wine is a style of white Zinfandel wine produced by winemakers in Napa and Sonoma County. They allow the fermentation process to continue until most of the sugars are converted into alcohol by yeasts, thus reducing the amount of residual sugar in the resulting wines. Common tasting notes include citrus, floral notes and crisp acidity. 

Semi sweet to sweet white Zinfandel wine is the most popular style in which white Zin is vinified. The fermentation process is halted by killing off the yeasts before their work is done, leaving the wine with a reasonable amount of residual sugar (between 10g/L and 50g/L). Exact sweetness levels vary depending on the vintage year, how early the grapes were picked and the winemaking style. 

Sparkling white Zinfandel wine: crafted through the pétillant naturel method, where the wines are bottled before primary fermentation is completed. Secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle and traps carbon dioxide, creating bubbles and a delicate, sparkly quality. 

What is white Zinfandel and how is it made? 

White Zinfandel wine is a slightly sweet to dry rosé wine that was discovered by accident in 1972 by Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home (California). In a bid to intensify the taste and color of his red Zinfandel wines, the winemaker bled off about 500 gallons of juice before fermentation. Unsure what to do with the excess, he bottled it and labeled it “Oeil de pedrix”. To his surprise, the lighter and slightly sweet style struck a chord with drinkers,  quickly turning into the white Zinfandel we know today. 

This wine is fruity and has floral notes, with low to moderate acidity and lower alcohol levels than you would find in a typical bottle of wine (around 8% to 12% ABV). What are the steps involved in producing white Zinfandel wine?  

• Harvesting: Zinfandel grapes are picked early to preserve acidity levels. Sugar levels are moderate at the time of harvesting and this contributes to the reduced alcohol levels by the time fermentation occurs.  
• Destemming and crushing is done mechanically to separate the juice from the skins, seeds and pulp. Removing the stems before crushing gets rid of water and tannins that could cause the wine to have a bitter mouthfeel. 
• Short maceration involves soaking the crushed grapes (as well as their skins) in their own juice, or must, for a while between two and eight hours, a far less time than for red wine. This time is just enough for the wine to extract its signature light pink hue from the grape skins. 
• Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled tanks between 57°F and 62°F.  White Zinfandel undergoes a unique type of fermentation known as stuck fermentation, where the winemaker arrests the process at the right moment through cold stabilization before all the fruit sugars are converted to alcohol. Some producers may also add bentonite and sulphur dioxide to halt it. Stuck fermentation leaves the wine with a touch of sweetness and minimal alcohol (around 8 to 12% ABV.)
• Filtration and fining involve clarifying and filtering the wine to remove sediment and other impurities to achieve stability and improve the wine’s quality, taste and appearance. 
• Aging happens only for a few months in oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. White Zinfandels are produced with a focus on preserving refreshing acidity and fruity notes, so there is no need for an extended aging period. 
• Blending and bottling: different barrels of the wine are combined after aging to yield a more consistent end product, which is then bottled for commercial release. 

What are the white Zinfandel grapes?

White Zinfandel is crafted from the eponymous grapes used to make the red Zinfandel wines. Zinfandel grapes have very deep blue skins and yield wines with characteristic fruity and floral flavors. These grapes are vigorous and grow best in tight bunches in warm climates like California. They ripen unevenly, with a single cluster containing unripe, overripe and shriveled up raisin like grapes. Winemakers typically pick the white Zinfandel grapes earlier than the ones meant for red wines when there are lower sugar levels. 

Although the majority of the wines are crafted from 100% Zinfandel, winemakers may produce white Zins with white wine grapes blended in. US regulations dictate that for a wine to be labeled as white Zinfandel, at least 75% of the grapes present must be Zinfandel. 

What are the best years for white Zinfandel wine? 

Each glass of white Zinfandel wine tastes different depending on the terroir, vintage, winemaker and production techniques and even the weather conditions while harvesting. It is a pink wine designed to be consumed fresh and young (between 1 and 3 years) so it is not typically aged for a long time. Unlike Zindandel reds, white Zinfandel wines do not follow a vintage chart in the traditional sense since its character remains fairly consistent from year to year. The focus of winemakers is mainly set on capturing its bright fruit and approachable style soon after bottling. 

3 Tips to enjoy Zinfandel white wine

Zinfandel white wine can be enjoyed on its own or with a variety of dishes thanks to its light body and approachable style. However, there are some best practices to enjoy white Zinfandel like a sommelier and here are three that we swear by: 

• Serve it in a rosé wine glass with a flared lip to better appreciate its sweet notes. If you don’t have one, a standard white wine or sparkling wine glass will do just fine! 
• Serve it well chilled, around 45°F to 50°F, to highlight its crisp acidity. 
• An open bottle can last 3 to 5 days but be sure to seal it tightly with a vacuum stopper and place it in a wine refrigerator. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your white Zinfandel! Consider mixing into cocktails like a sangria or margarita, or add some ice to make the perfect spritzer. 

White Zinfandel food pairing ideas 

White Zinfandels pair greatly with a variety of dishes due to the versatility of their style. Drier white Zinfandels can be paired with white meats like poultry and bacon, or grilled vegetables and it would be a perfect wine choice for Thanksgiving. Sweeter styles taste amazing with soft cheeses or desserts. A rule of thumb is to make sure that the wine is sweeter than the dessert. Here is our guide to creative white Zinfandel food pairing ideas, as well as bottle recommendations: 

High end white Zinfandel wine glasses and accessories available on Amazon

White Zinfandel wine is a pink wine that is best enjoyed in a rosé wine glass. This could be a glass with a slightly flared tip that enhances the sweetness in sweet styles, or one with a rounded bottom and tapered body to appreciate drier, fuller bodied expressions. A white wine glass or sparkling wine glass can also work, as their narrower shape enhances delicate tasting notes and highlights the wine’s crisp acidity. Discover our selection of 5 premium White Zinfandel wine glasses, each chosen for its elegance and craftsmanship. Conveniently available on Amazon, they can be delivered to your doorstep as soon as the next day. 

Comparing two sweet wines: white Zinfandel vs Moscato

White Zinfandel and Moscato are two sweet wines that may have similar taste profiles, especially if you consider pink Moscato. However, there are some key differences between these two. Moscato is a dessert wine crafted from white Muscat grapes and pink Moscato is produced by adding some Merlot to white Moscato wine. White Zin, on the other hand, is made from red Zinfandel grapes through a unique winemaking process. Let’s see in detail what are some other similarities or differences between these two

White Zinfandel vs Moscato comparison table