Zinfandel
California, and Croatia before that
Bramble fruit and spice, often at high alcohol. Ripens unevenly, so a single bunch can hold green berries and raisins together.
At harvest
Each bar drawn against the full range of all 54 varieties
Sugar
24-28 Brix
24 - 28
Titratable acidity
5.5-7 g/L
5.5 - 7
pH
3.4-3.8
3.4 - 3.8
Juice yield
0.66 L/kg
free run plus a gentle press
Sugar per kilogram
191 g
at 26.0 Brix, the midpoint
Fruit for 23 litres
35 kg
before racking losses
Potential alcohol
14.3-15.6%
from 1.110 fermented dry. A range, because conversion varies by strain
What it punishes
Runaway sugar. Zinfandel routinely arrives above 26 Brix, and the resulting alcohol can stall the ferment.
Made into
- Dry red
- Rose
- Port style
Sulphite at this pH
At pH 3.60, protecting a red wine to 0.5 mg/L molecular SO2 takes 31 mg/L of free SO2. Work it out for your own reading.
More vinifera red
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bordeaux, and now everywhere warm enough
23-25 BrixMerlot
Right Bank Bordeaux
22-25 BrixCabernet Franc
Loire and Bordeaux
22-25 BrixPinot Noir
Burgundy
23-26 BrixSyrah
Northern Rhone
24-27 BrixGrenache
Southern Rhone and Spain
24-26 BrixMourvedre
Bandol and Spain
23-25 BrixSangiovese
Tuscany