Zinfandel

Zinfandel is the darling red grape of California, though it is also a significant variety in southern Italy where it is known as Primitivo. Originally from Croatia (called Tribidrag), the Zinfandel/Primitivo grape tends to be big, powerful stuff, relatively high in alcohol and kind of stewy in character. In Italy these robust reds tend to have a touch more acidity and charm than their Californian counterparts which win out in the bang-for-the-buck stakes, showing loads of jammy, almost over-ripe fruit character with richness and power to burn.