Napa Valley Wine Radio

Well, I’d just put the finishing touches on our Winemaker Notes for our State Lane Zinfandel and was crowing about Zinfandel being named our state historic wine and the governator pulled the plug! Seems he didn’t want to show favoritism toward any one variety.

I think he missed the point. We’re talkin’ history, here. In the first wine-boom in California’s history in the 1880s, Cabernet and Chardonnay weren’t it. They were planted here, but Zinfandel was by far, BY FAR the most widely planted grape variety in the state and also here in Napa Valley. Aside from Zin, you probably wouldn’t recognize a lot of the most popular grapes of that day like Mission or Palomino. But Zin is the one that came roaring back after repeal of prohibition while those other formerly popular varieties faded into obscurity. It’s one of the most widely planted varieties in the state. I think it has something to do with the combination of being adaptable and yummy (they used to eat Zin like table grapes).

No, I’m not a spokesperson for ZAP! I know a lot of people think that this was all a publicity ploy on their part, and maybe so. But they’re certainly right that Zin has played a key part in California’s wine history. Whether or not we need official state recognition is another question, but I don’t see why it was necessary to veto such an affectionate little bill.  As state Senator Carole Migden said, “Here was at least one thing that Democrats and Republicans came together over - wine!” Bully to that!