Posted on 02/12/2006 8:51:59 AM PST by george76
In a move that could bring a merlot low - and make a chardonnay shudder - a state lawmaker is proposing making zinfandel the official wine of California.
State Sen. Carole Migden introduced the bill this week, saying the heady varietal is a "quintessential" California wine dating back to Gold Rush days and versatile enough to stand up to the spicy diversity of California cuisine.
"It's about time we give it the recognition it deserves," ...
Preliminary figures for the 2005 grape harvest put zinfandel at 10.4 percent of the crop, behind cabernet sauvignon's 12.5 percent.
Chardonnay was the harvest heavy at about 17 percent.
The bill is headed to committee and could be heard next month.
"There's not a better wine to drink out of the bottle, in my opinion," he said."You don't need fancy stemware."
Red zinfandels pack a punch, with some edging up to 15 percent alcohol and beyond.
Lower alcohol levels are found in white zinfandel - often sniffed at by critics...
any issues between red and white zin factions will be "flushed out" in the legislative process.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
So I guess there's nothing for these state senators to be doing, like cutting wasteful spending, auditing the budget or programs, finding some more cost efficient way to do something? Maybe digging through the state laws and regulations for ones that are obsolete or intrusive? Those kind of things are all done, then?
Make mine Two Buck Chuck.
Zinfandel? Ugh.
Your tax dollars at work...not.
Carole Migden,, lesbian, 'ghost' voter, and one of the biggest whiners in California political history.
Ugh, white zin. My stomach hurts just remembering drinking that stuff in college, usually purchased at Meijer at one in the morning. With all the great wines from California, why would they want to choose that stuff?
Hey - don't forget the upscale bum wines either!
I thought Cindy Sheehan was the official California whine?
I suspect that you are not familiar with some of the better zinfandels coming from the Rosenblum or Turley vineyards. Ravenswood makes good zins also. I joined the Rosenblum club for mailouts and received nothing but outstanding wines from them. As a matter of fact, the 12/15/05-1/15/06 edition of Wine Spectator listed the Rosenblum 2003 Rockpile Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel as the third best tasting in the world (all wines, not just zins) It was taste tested as a 94 for a measly $29. High end zins are among the best bargains available, seldom have to be held or aged, and pack a massive punch with many in the 16 to 17% alcohol range.
I suspect you have had some bad experiences with some low end wines. BTW, no serious zin drinker considers a "white zin" to be a zin.
Hooray! Zinfandel SHOULD be the state wine of California. If were not going to honor aqua caliente, then Zinfandel is IT!
.....There's not a better wine to drink out of the bottle, in my opinion," .....
He apparently never got ahold of some vintage Boone's Farm.
LOL.
" Cindy Sheehan was the official California whine"
Me too. It must be because of all that Strawberry Hill I used to drink.
Interesting story thanks for ping.. when I first started drinking wine I had zif.. Many people told me I would eventually "graduate" to other wines.. and that is true.. but I am guessing that Zif is a big part of the economy for california.
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