Zinfandel
Arriving in California from Europe in the early years of the 19th century, this dark-skinned red wine grape became an immediate success particularly in the Napa Valley and Sonoma. However, DNA profiling carried out in 1994 confirmed this variety was in fact Italy's Primitivo under a different name, and a clone of the Croatian variety, Crljenak Kastelanski. Zinfandel is one red varietal that is probably best enjoyed in young, and certainly within three to five years of the vintage. At its best, Zinfandel (red) is a lively, fruity wine with a raspberry-like aroma and flavour and a "jammy" quality.