Oregon Wine Tours

When it comes to Zinfandel, the Americans are just crazy on both red and white versions, making it the third largest grape crushed in the U.S., just behind the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. When it comes to growth and filling zins, California is king, so if you like a glass of slightly sweet refreshing White Zinfandel on a hot summer day, or if you prefer the intense fruity, spicy versions red there is something for everyone in California. With beautiful weather all year round at any time of year is a good time to visit some of the best places to grow this favorite American.

Originally a Croatian grape obscure Zinfandel arrived in America in the early 19th century. It is cultivated in many California grape growing regions of the Cucamonga Valley in the extreme south of the northern border with Oregon. Of all the major cities of California, you can enjoy an experience in the wine country Zinfandel in no time.

Although the Zinfandel grape has been around a long time, White Zinfandel is not come into existence until 1970. Sutter Home Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley is widely credited with creating the so-called "blush wine" when they made a Zinfandel rosed, but the fermentation stopped a little early to ensure she had a little residual sugar. Today, cheap white zin sells more far more expensive counterparts red and tends to be produced by large wineries like Beringer and Sutter Home.

When it comes to red Zins, there is a wide range of styles, quality and price. They tend to have high alcohol content and when ripe, making dessert wines with a good flavor profile a bit like a port. Three of the top regions of California are red zins for Amador County in the Sierra Foothills, Sonoma County and Paso Robles.

Amador County is the ideal place to spend a few days in California Gold Rush country and checking sipping zins rich red, while only one hour from the city of Sacramento. Tasting rooms here are mostly small family businesses where one can often talk to the producer, the pet of the family and enjoy a picnic. And yes, you can still pan for gold and see traces of the rustic Wild West that inspired writers such as Mark Twain.

In Sonoma County there are many good micro-climate Zinfandel, including the Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile areas. Making the city of Healdsburg your point of departure for a tour driving many producers zin outstanding. If fine dining is on your agenda is also the ideal destination to discover some of the best cuisine of northern California.

If your vacation plans in California will take you to the Central Coast, be sure to stop in Paso Robles Zinfandels and Zinfandel to taste based on mixtures of red will knock your socks off. Although wine has been made in the field for a long time focus winemaking began to move away from cheap wines to wines of high quality shop in the 1980s and today some of the most exciting wines of California is in Paso Robles.

When you're headed to sunny California, a good Zinfandel wine tasting tour is never far away. Try some on your next visit and you'll know why the love affair with America Zinfandel is likely to remain a sustainable.