Clueless

[Jerry D Mead]

Zinfandel is the name of a grape, a red grape...when the name is referred to simply as Zinfandel (or when the name is on a wine list) it refers to the red wine made from that red grape...which is usually dry.

White Zinfandel is kind of like Rose wine. It is usually pink or slightly orange in color. It is called White not because it is white in color, but because it is made in a white wine style...that is, only the juice is fermented without any contact with the red grape skins. Let me clarify...White Zinfandel is made from red Zinfandel grapes but without extracting any color (or flavor) from the skins. White Zinfandel almost always have from a little to a lot of sweetness.

Cabernet Sauvignon (red), Pinot Grigio (white) and Chardonnay (white) are usually (but not always dry...Piesporter is made from the Riesling grape which is very fruity tasting and can be anything from bone dry to very sweet.

If you're not quite clear on what the word "dry" means...it is simply the absence of sweetness.