Zinfandel is a dark red wine.
Zinfandel wine is a deep, fruity red made from the zinfandel grape. It pairs well with red meats, game, lamb, spicy foods, pasta and pizza. The zinfandel grape is believed to have its origins in Croatia; it made its debut in the United States in the early19th century. Many of the zinfandel wines on the market come from California, where the grape is grown plentifully. It is also made in parts of Europe, where it goes by the name "primitivo."
Instructions
1. Refrigerate wine for just 20 minutes before opening. Zinfandel is best at 65 degrees--just a bit cooler than normal room temperature, but not chilled.
2. Open the bottle. If it has a cork, use a corkscrew. With a pocket or "waiter" corkscrew, twist the screw so that it goes straight down into the cork until the screw is embedded; firmly pull straight out of the bottle, with a finger on either side of the screw. Some types of bottle openers, such as butterfly, screwpull or rabbit corkscrews, can make inserting the screw and removing the cork easier.
3. Pour the wine into glasses as soon as the bottle is open and swirl. Allow the wine to breathe in the glass for about 10 to 20 minutes before drinking. Most zinfandels are young wines, and don't have to be decanted like older red wines or breathe in the bottle before pouring.
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