I'll drink to that where we get behind the scenes of the beverage business.

I'm Levy Dalton.

I'm Erin Scala and here's our show today. Oh, There's nothing quite like a good perfectly aged Zinfandel. In this variety focus,

we'll hone in on what makes this grapes so special.

Zinfandel, how you get here, where is it grown, why is it so popular?

Where did it come from?

Why does it taste like that?

What is the deal with those field blends?

Zinfandel.

It's a grape with quite a unique history.

Long before DNA profiling, it traveled to many places, assumed many names, and today has a unique

and varied diaspora throughout the globe.

It's generally accepted that Zinfandel is from Croatia, though there is some push back from certain geneticists that it may have an Italian Genesis.

Zinfandel goes by a few names in Croatia, but the most ancient reference is as tribut drag, and these references

date back to the early 1500s.

The grape is also a staple in Pulia, where it is known as Primitivo.

Primitivo has a unique second fruiting zone.

When trained VSP style, the grapes will come forth in the usual fruiting zone,

but also in a second fruiting zone farther up the vine.

This is usually discarded, but can be used to retard the ripening of the primary fruiting zone.

Only a few grape varieties have this unique characteristic of a second

fruiting zone. Those Infandel and Primitivo are widely grown. I've only heard one producer

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