What's the Difference Between White Zinfandel and Rose?

If you are relatively new to the world of wine then you will probably have come across white Zinfandel wines and rose wines. The common misconception is that these wines are the same as they are roughly the same colour and some were called "Zinfandel" as a way to make them appear a bit more upmarket. The fact is they have different names because they are different.
So let's start with rose wine. It is made using the same grapes - ie red, purple and black- as red wine. When these grapes are crushed the juice produced is actually clear, and it is the pigments in the skin which give the wine it's colour. With rose wine the skin has very little contact with the juice, being removed very early in the fermentation process, between a few hours to a few days, so that the liquid is only lightly coloured. The skin is left in for much longer when making red wine, anything from several weeks to a few months. This also helps explain why red wine is supposedly better for you as most of the life-saving qualities are in the skin.
So what of Zinfandel? Well to begin with, Zinfandel isn't just a fancy name for a type of rose, it's actually the name of the grape used. Zinfandel grapes are red and were used to make red wine in Napa Valley, California, but in the 70's this particular wine became unpopular (white wine was becoming the trendy drink at that time). So as not to waste the Zinfandel grapes that were already growing the Sutter Home wine company decided to use the grapes to make their own brand of rose. Sweet white grapes such as Muscat are also added and give the wine an almost punch-like flavour.
So then, the real differences between rose and Zinfandel are that rose can be made from any grape used to make red wine and it still retains some of the varietal flavour peculiar to that specific grape.
Zinfandel wine almost exclusively comes from Napa Valley, is made with the Zinfandel grape plus some white grapes and is very sweet compared to the dryness of a good rose. It doesn't retain it's varietal flavours the way a traditional rose does.
The bottom line then, is that Zinfandel could technically be called a rose, a rose is not Zinfandel.
And just a footnote to anyone who thought rose was a mixture of red and white wines (as I once did, I admit). Try making some in this way. It will be neither rose nor very drinkable!

How Do You Make Red Wine Vinegar?

Fortunately the first thing you need to know about how to make red wine vinegar is that the red wine part is already done. Go to the store and buy 4 bottles of your favorite red wine. If you like a sweet red wine vinegar - buy a sweet red wine. If you like a dry. . .well you get the picture.
That's the easy part. In fact, if you're reading this because you have a dinner party tonite and you want to serve some homemade red wine vinegar, then call your local farmer's market because you won't be done with this red wine vinegar recipe for about 4 more months.
Now you need to buy a wooden barrel or a crock. Once you do that, pour two of the bottlesof wine in and set them aside, covered with a cheese cloth for 3 months. Pick an airy spot that is not too hot, not too cold and a place it where the crock won't get knocked around. Before you set it aside, add 1 jar of Mycoderma Aceti, that's the bacteria that's going to further ferment the wine.
3 months from now a top should have already started forming. It's not a pleasant looking top, a bit greyish and a bit leathery. Once it has formed, go ahead and add a glass of wine to the mix each week. Keep doing this until this 'top' which is actually called a "Mother" sinks to the bottom.
Once the Mother sinks, strain the red wine vinegar through many coffee filters. At this point it is done and ready to be used, but some people let it age longer. The longer it ages, the mellower it will get. I'd suggest letting it age in a wooden barrel - let the flavors sink in.

Red Wine Vinegar is not hard to make like a soufflé, but it does take patience and time, and you'll likely have to make a few batches until it's perfect for you.

Grapes That Make the Best Wine

The wine making process can make wine out of any fruit that contains residual sugar after harvesting. I can guarantee that many of these wines will have some alcohol in them, but most will not be very tasty since they are usually sweet and poorly balanced. The grape has emerged as the champion wine making fruit over the years because it contains the highest sugar of most other fruits and yields about 11 percent alcohol. The tartaric acid and tannins found exclusively in grapes is responsible for its unique tastes. There probably is also a little snob appeal since grapes have royal origins, and fruit wines are more associated with home brews during prohibition.
The variety of grape is the most important factor in your wine's style and taste. Of course red grapes make red wine and white grapes make white wine, but many other factors such as levels of sugar, acidity, and tannins make a huge difference in taste. The varieties discussed below have proven over the years to make the best wine and are the most popular. Any new research in developing new vines looks at tweaking these varieties to be more disease resistant, more productive, and to grow in colder climates. Most of these wines originated in Europe, but now are planted around the world in temperate climates.
Top White Wines

• The Chardonnay grape variety is a classic white wine grape grown all around the world. Origins are in the Burgundy and Champagne regions of France. It makes a full bodied, complex wine that is often aged in oak.
• The Sauvignon Blanc grape from Loire and Bordeaux can be grown in warmer regions and are higher in acid that most whites. It is often identified by its grassy flavor, and is often called Fume Blanc.
• The Pinot Blanc grape is used to produce light, dry, pleasant white wines. It originated in Alsace region of France.
• The Pinot Gris grape variety is known as Pinot Grigio in Italy and Rulander in Germany. In general it produces wines of average quality except in Alsace and Tuscany.
• Riesling makes wines from very dry to very sweet but are usually made in semi-dry styles that accent the fruity flavors. They are originally form the Moselle and Rhine valleys of Germany as and the Alsace region of France.
• Gewurztraminer originated in Germany and Alsace and is known for its floral fragrance and spicy flavor. It grows well in cool climates..
• The Viognier grape from the Rhone valley is becoming more popular as more is planted in California. It makes wines of medium body with a fruity flavor..
• Chenin Blanc is a white grape from the Loire Valley (Vouvray). It makes white wines that are fragrant and high in acid, and is often used as a base for jug wine.
• The Muscat family makes wines that are generally sweet and very floral. It is known as Moscato in Italy and Moscatel in Spain and also is often used for sparkling wines.

Top Red Wines

• The premier red wine grape is Cabernet Sauvignon and is the dominant grape in the Bordeaux region of France. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape produces distinctive wines that are tannic and full bodied. They are always barreled in oak and may age for up to 10 years in the bottle..
• The Merlot grape is very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon but makes a wine lower in tannins that matures faster and is softer in texture. Merlot is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to make the famous "Bordeaux Blend" which is know as Meritage in the US.
• Pinot Noir is the top wine in the Burgundy region of France. It is also a major grape in most fine quality Champagne and sparkling wines. It low in tannin and relatively high in acid and produces a medium body wine with exceptional flavor.
• Known as Syrah in France and Shiraz in Australia, this grape originated in Persia. It produces full bodied wines of intense color and flavor.
• Zinfandel's origin is unknown and it is grown almost exclusively in California. It probably arrived in the US from Italy or Croatia. This grape makes solid red wines with good fruit and structure. It was popular with home winemakers during prohibition and were the only vines that survived those "dark ages".
• Sangiovese is the primary grape grown in Italy's Tuscany and is used to make Chianti. Sangiovese wines are spicy, have a smooth texture, medium body and good acid levels,.
• Barbera is a red wine grape grown mostly in Italy. It has some of the flavor characteristics you would find in Cabernet Sauvignon but with higher acid levels
• Cabernet Franc is a grape most often used in Bordeaux blends to add acidity and aroma. It is lighter and fruitier than Cabernet Sauvignon and was first planted in the Loire region of France.
• Carignane grapes are widely planted throughout the world. They originated in Spain and grow well in Mediterranean climates. Wines are full bodied with strong fruit and tannin characteristics.
• The Gamay grape started in the Beaujolais region of France. These wines are light, low in alcohol, high in acidity and very fruity. They should not be aged very long
• Grenache grapes are a sweet grape that started in the Rhone valley. It is one of the most popular because its wines are fruity, full in flavor, and have overtones of spice. It is often the base for jug wines.