I’m going to make a confession. The first wine I ever had came in a box. It was white Zinfandel. Its name was Franzia. Did I roll a spliff on the surface of the box like in this photo? No.

But feel free to judge away. Franzia has quite the reputation from shows like “Workaholics,” as being that chuggable, quaffable wine perfect for getting 20-somethings wine drunk on a Sunday. And it’s all good, baby.

Zinfandel is usually the first wine people try, essentially it’s a gateway grape.

Zinfandel is the weed of wine. If you ask most wine industry professionals if they remember the first wine they’ve ever had, they’ll probably give you two answers: Franzia Box Wine or Charles Shaw (2 Buck Chuck.)

Zinfandel has multiple names—

Did you know Zinfandel is actually old AF? Though I’m sure a lot of us think of Zinfandel as a, “California” varietal — I know I did —but Zinfandel actually originated in Croatia of all places. The original name? Tribidrag.

I learned this a couple of years ago when I was a broker, tasting wines at the incredible Lagier Meredith Vineyard in Mt. Veeder from the one and only Carole Meredith. If you don’t know who she is, look her up.

This woman is one of the most gifted, brilliant - not to mention personable - American grape geneticists who was a professor at the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis. I could hear her talk about grapes all day.

In addition to figuring out the scoop on Tribidrag - aka Zinfandel - Carole Meredith also led the team that discovered Cabernet Sauvignon is the lovechild of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

The history of Zinfandel (and White Zinfandel) in the United States

Zinfandel was brought to California in the 1850s. Zinfandel thrived in sunny CA, and quickly became one of the most planted grapes in this fine state.

Though Zin produces a rich, spicy, fruity high-octane (high in alcohol) wine, the majority of Zinfandel is used to produce White Zinfandel - aka, Zinfandel Rosé.

White Zinfandel — Because accidents happen.

It seems like all the most popular things in wine have been made by accident. Cabernet Sauvignon and - gasp - White Zinfandel!

This happy, pink little accident happened at the Trinchero estate in Napa when Bob Trinchero and his family inherited the winery in the swingin’ ‘60s.

Bob was trying to beef up his batch of Red Zinfandel, so he drew off some of the free run -the juice that flows from grapes during the de-stemming and crushing process - and tried to ferment it as white wine.

It turned into the delightfully sweet and zingy pink beverage we know today. And a star was born.

OTHER COUNTRIES KNOWN FOR ZINFANDEL

Zinfandel (Primitivo) Grows in Italy

Did you know Zinfandel also grows in Italy? Except over there it goes by a different name — Primitivo. This grape grows in the Puglia region and is often blended with other varietals such as Negroamaro.

Technically, the US does not allow winemakers to put the word, “Primitivo,” on the labels of Zinfandel wines. That being said, Primitivo and Zinfandel are used interchangeably.

WHAT RED ZINFANDEL TASTES LIKE

I’m just gonna talk about Red Zinfandel for now.

In red wine, Zinfandel can be really great — and in certain parts of California it can be surprisingly complex. It’s not just some fruity alcohol bomb.

That body tho.

Zinfandel definitely has got quite a bit of body, and it’s very rich.

When I taste Zinfandel, it’s usually bursting fourth with jam-like flavors, with hints of spices like five spice powder. I also pick up on some raisin-y notes.

If you like to grill a lot - Zinfandel is definitely the next wine you want to bring to a BBQ. A lot of Zins have really attractive hickory flavors that pair great with any smoked meats.

There are some fabulous Zins in Sonoma, Paso Robles, the Sierra Foothills, Lodi and Napa - specifically the Dry Creek AVA.

I tend to like my Zins from cooler growing climates. They’re a bit leaner, with higher acidity and darker fruit.

IF YOU LIKE ZINFANDEL, TRY THESE WINES:

So you’ve tried Zinfandel and have fallen in love with this delicious, fruity beverage.

Might I recommend — Red Garnacha from Spain, Trincadeira from Portugal, and Negroamaro from Italy.

And this leads me to the…

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Ridge Vineyards “Three Valleys” Sonoma County Zinfandel 2018 $24.95 @K&L Wines

#burgerwine alert.

Let me leave this here — I do not consider myself a, “Zin person.”

I try to be as unbiased as possible on this site and not let my prejudices get in the way of a perfectly good wine review.

Because, what business would I have writing about wine if I only wrote about varietals I liked?

I have to say, for someone who is not a “Zin person” I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this wine and the alcohol content didn’t blow my nose hairs off.

It was not the typical experience with I usually have with a Zin to say the least.

No — this time I got beautiful peppery notes with raspberry jam, allspice, hickory, and some butterscotch. The second I took a sip that gorgeous red fruit burst fourth but was tempered with something else.

There was a subtle intensity that I wouldn’t really expect from a Zinfandel.

Regardless, this wine was friendly. If it were to drive a car it would drive a Jeep. If it were to go to concerts it would probably watch Chris Stapleton.

It lets its hair get messy and wears jeans and T-shirts but still lives in a really nice house somewhere in the mountains. And you know what? I’m totally okay with that.

This wine is not to be dismissed as a, “typical Zin.”

The Three Valleys Sonoma County Zin is a wine has a really nice complexity because it’s actually a Red Blend featuring 70% Zinfandel, 14% Petit Sirah, 12% Carignan and 4% Mataro.

The additional Petit Sirah gives the wine some great structure, adding some dark, brooding intensity.

It’s also kind of cool that there’s a little bit of Mataro - otherwise known as Monastrell in Spain or Mourvedre in France - in this wine. There’s an unmistakable meaty quality that comes from the addition of this grape.

The Ridge Vineyards, “Three Valleys,” Sonoma County Zin comes in at a hefty 14.5% for the alcohol percentage so it doesn’t play around.

It’s a “minimal intervention wine.” That means the winemakers didn’t put a lot of crap — in terms of sulfur — in this wine, and only indigenous yeasts are used during the fermentation process.

Definitely something I can get behind.

If you love your Zins and hearty, fruity, friendly Red Blends - definitely pick up a bottle from K&L. If you’re not into Cheeseburgers, have it with some BBQ. We had this wine with smoked chicken and it was to die for.

#ZINNING: ALL THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS YOU’D EVER WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GATEWAY GRAPE