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— B. D.
62-67 Degrees considered optimal serving temperature for zinfandel
5,401 Acres of zinfandel vines in Sonoma County
1852 Year zinfandel grapes imported into California
Sources: Sonoma County Winegrape Commission; "The New Wine Lover's Companion"
The roots of zinfandel
Like many an immigrant to the United States, the zinfandel grape has hard-to-find roots.
Zinfandel is a cousin of primitivo, a grape grown in Puglia, which is the "heel" of the Italian boot, according to "The New Wine Lover's Companion." DNA testing in 2001 confirmed both grape varieties descend from a little-known Croatian grape called Crljenak Kastelanski.
California is the major production center for zinfandel, which was first planted there in the 1850s.
