Sometimes…
I drink White Zinfandel.
Yeah…
I said it.
Considering that 10% of all wine sold in the United States is White Zinfandel, it’s hard for me to imagine that anybody reading this post right now has never had a taste of that sweet, pink, fermented grape juice.
Considering that you are the type of wine drinker that reads blogs, it would be hard for me to imagine that your personal wine cellar has anywhere close to a 10% composition of White Zinfandel. In fact, I doubt that your collection has any White Zin at all.
Why would you?
It’s pink. It’s sweet. It’s one-dimensional.
Dare I say…
In my neck of the woods, you’d get your ass kicked for drinking that stuff.
So…
What the hell was I thinking when I brought home this?
Sutter Home 2012 California White Zinfandel: The Original
Now…
I know that most of us say that we would not be caught dead with this sweet stuff in our houses, but you’ve gotta know that there is a time and a place for White Zin.
A while back, I went to a wedding in Phoenix, Arizona (and wrote about it here). It was 95 degrees out, and I was wearing a warm-ass suit.
They were serving some White Zin at the bar, and I decided to go for it.
And…
It was exactly what I needed.
Cool.
Slightly sweet.
Versatile.
It was exactly what I needed at the time.
From that moment forward, I swore that I would never overlook any type of wine just because it’s not en vogue.
There is a time and a place for everything.
Now…
It’s been quite some time since my last White Zin experience, so I thought I’d try my hand at a food pairing with the original pink stuff… Sutter Home 2012 California White Zinfandel.
First, let’s give it a taste, and see what we’re working with…
Color: Pink. I mean… seriously. This is what you would expect White Zin to be.
Nose: The fruit is definitely present on the nose. Big, juicy strawberries, with a bit of lemon/lime soda poured over the top. There’s a surprisingly nice minerality here.
Taste: More of the same. Sweet strawberry juice with lime citrus and some nice mineral notes.
Score: There’s nothing that exciting about a wine like this. It’s neither an in-your-face mind-blower, nor is it a nuanced thought-provoker. It just is what it is… A delicious, and refreshing, adult beverage. Crack one open right after finishing some yard work, and you’ll be stoked. It’s an easy 82 for me. That’s right. I said it.
Now…
On to the food!
Cabbage and Carrot Slaw with a Spicy Peanut Dressing. The acid of the wine, elevates the peppery notes from the slaw.
Hot and Sour Soba Noodle Soup with Peas and Gyoza. The wine provides a refreshingly fruity note to the sour and earthy edges of the soup.
Seriously, guys…
If it’s been a long time since your last White Zinfandel, you may want to give it another shot.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Okay, guys… Here’s your homework assignment. Head on down to the grocery store with five bucks, pick up a White Zinfandel, and leave your tasting notes below. We want to know your take on the pink stuff.
Stay Rad 