Wines made from Zinfandel grapes of Rhode Island
Discover the best wines made with Zinfandel as a single variety or as a blend of Rhode Island.
From Croatia where it is called crljenak kastelanski or pribidrag. According to genetic analyses carried out by Professor Carole Meredith of California University in Davis (United States), it is related to the Croatian plavac mali and Zinfandel. It is also found in South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, Germany, Bulgaria, Albania, Italy under the name of Primitivo, Malta, Greece, Portugal and to some extent in Croatia. In the United States (California), it is one of the most widely planted grape varieties, having been introduced in the 1830s well before Primitivo. In France, it is registered in the official catalogue of vine varieties on the A1 list under the name Primitivo.
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States, with an area of 3,140 square miles in the far Northeast of the country. Cool Climate vinifera and Hybrid grapes are grown in this sea-influenced state, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Vidal. Rhode Island has only one AVA (not surprising, given that nearly 30 AVAs are larger than the entire state) - the fairly general southeastern NewEngland region, which it shares with Massachusetts and Connecticut. There are approximately 11 wineries located throughout the state.