What does zinfandel mean?
Zinfandel is the name of a grape variety and of the red wine made from it, especially in California. It is now one of the best-known American wine varieties and is often associated with ripe fruit, spice, and rich, full-bodied flavors. Although many drinkers imagine Zinfandel as a sweet or jammy wine, it can range from crisp and dry to rich and moderately sweet, with considerable variation among vineyards and producers. The term is also used more broadly in the American wine industry, where labeling rules generally require wine sold as Zinfandel to come from the Zinfandel grape. Its name has a German history, although the precise origin of the German term is uncertain. Today, Zinfandel is especially useful for recognizing a distinctive part of American wine culture: a grape associated with California's history of immigration, old vineyards, and an independently developed winemaking tradition.
nounA red wine made from the Zinfandel grape, particularly in California. The name can also refer to the grape variety itself.
- A red wine produced from the Zinfandel grape, especially in California.
- The Zinfandel grape variety itself.
"We opened a bottle of old-vine Zinfandel with dinner."
"The restaurant recommends a chilled Zinfandel for the warm afternoon."
"This old-vine Zinfandel is richer and less sweet than many examples from California."
Usually unnecessary when referring to Zinfandel as a type of wine, which is normally a mass noun; the plural is used for individual bottles, servings, or examples.
"The tasting included three zinfandels from different parts of California."
The name came from German, but Zinfandel became one of California's signature reds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of zinfandel
The name Zinfandel entered English from German, where Zinfandel was already used as a wine term. It was established in English during the 19th century for the grape variety and its wine. The ultimate origin of the German name remains disputed, so it cannot confidently be traced to a particular person, place, or cognate.
Related word forms
How zinfandel is actually used
Zinfandel is normally an uncountable mass noun when referring to wine, although zinfandels is used for individual bottles or separately identifiable servings. As a grape name, it denotes a distinct cultivar rather than a general category of red grape.
Easily confused with zinfandel
A zinnia is a flowering plant, whereas zinfandel is a grape variety and the red wine made from it.