Zinfandel, along with its East European sibling Plavac Mali, came from the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Vine researchers have finally established this clear heritage. Many in the wine industry have tried to uncover the mystery of Zin's past.

Well over 50,000 acres are planted to Zinfandel in California. With the range of wines from blush to late harvest dessert wines, it would seem there is a wine for everyone from this one grape. Unlike other grapes, there are no rigid dictates as to how Zinfandel wine is made. Light spicy berry-flavored red wines are produced from less mature red Zin grapes with little barrel aging. Bigger, richer Zins are normally produced from very ripe grapes. They are full of fruit bouquet and flavor.

The most usual characteristics are aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, boysenberry and cherry, laced with black pepper, cloves, anise and herbs. Rich styles of Zin might have several layers of flavors, from raspberry to cedar to chocolate.

Zin requires a long growing season. Ripening is carefully monitored to insure the balance of acid, tannin and sugar.

Zin pairs well with a variety of foods, from a traditional leg of lamb to chocolate! And everywhere in between these two seeming opposites.

Are you a big fan of Zinfandels? Here's the website for you: www.zinfandel.org.

ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) is a Non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Zinfandel. Contains information about the grape, membership details, and a list of events.

In 1928, after a succession of entrepreneurial enterprises, Italian immigrant Valentín Bianchi realized his dream of owning a vineyard and small winery. First known as "El Chiche", the winery produced a fine red wine that was once called "Super Medoc."

A few years of struggle paid off for Valentín when, in 1934, his wines were awarded the Maximum Quality Price at the Official Wine Exhibition and Contest, a national event held in the city of Mendoza. It was this same year that fine wine shops in Buenos Aires discovered his wines, recommending them to the Capitol's wealthy sophisticates.

In the early 1950s, when Valentín's sons started joining the now successful enterprise, he decided to rename the company - and Valentín Bianchi SACIF was born. It was this winery that he handed down to his sons Alcides Jose and Enzo Arnaldo. Along with thier brother-in-law, Aurelio Stradella, they took a teamwork approach to running the company, each one handling that part they most enjoyed and in which they excelled.

In the mid-1980s Valentín's grandsons, Valentin Eduardo, Ricardo Stradella and Alejandro Ruben rose to positions of prominence within the company. Today with the continued expertise of their fathers, they are the third generation to run what is now called Valentín Bianchi S.A.

The three Valentín Bianchi vineyards - Asti, Las Paredes and Doña Elsa - comprise over 716 acres and are located in San Rafael, which is thought to have the best soil in the Mendoza region. The vineyards are filled with rootstock from Valentín's native Italy, as well as vines from California and France. The high quality of the grapes is matched by the use of cutting-edge technology to develop wines that have received praise and awards both in Argentina and abroad. Francisco Martinez is the wine maker of all Valentín Bianchi labels, and has been with the winery since 1979.

Today, Valentín Bianchi wines are appreciated by aficionados as well as the causal wine drinker, which is a testament to the hard work and efforts of the third generation. The grandsons of Valentín's Bianchi - like their brethren wine families in the U.S. and the rest of the "new world" - are keeping their grandfather's dream alive.

The Role of the California Winemaker
In 1996, Valentín Bianchi's grandsons hired winemaker Robert Pepi, of Napa Valley's famed Robert Pepi Winery, as a consultant to introduce new techniques while maintaining the wines' Argentine character. His expertise with the vineyard management and talent at producing "wine lovers" wines have helped keep Valentín Bianchi competitive and successful in many countries where they are sold.

Winemaker Michael Beaulac brings more than 13 years of committed winemaking experience to St. Supéry. His charisma and sheer love of winemaking have won over consumers, trade and media nationwide.

His consummate interest in wine began while working in the restaurant industry in Portland, Maine. In 1989 Michael decided to make the move to Northern California to pursue winemaking. A short year of learning the ropes at Laurier Vineyards & Winery lead to an assistant winemaker position at Murphy Goode in Sonoma County, and later a promotion to winemaker of the Zinfandel and Pinot Noir wines. He has never looked back and after eight years, Michael was recognized by the prestigious Napa Valley winery, Markham Vineyards. For over four years, his responsibilities included winemaking, vineyard management and production of all Markham brands, including Glass Mountain Quarry and La Jota.

Michael Beaulac joined St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery in 2001. As an integral member of the winemaking team, Michael is responsible for the entire portfolio of St. Supéry wines; developing blends for the Napa Valley, Meritage and Dollarhide Ranch Limited Edition wines and managing the entire production staff.

Of his winemaking philosophy, Beaulac states, "I subscribe to the school of honoring the grape variety's fruit integrity, which is already a philosophy in place at St. Supéry. I enjoy working with Bordeaux varieties, and look forward to working with St. Supéry's three estate vineyard properties."

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1 lb baby carrots
• 1 zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 lb tri-color fusilli
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. On a large baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Arrange vegetables evenly on the sheet. Bake until the carrots are just tender and the vegetables lightly brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 15-20 minutes total. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetables in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. (serves 6)

Serve with a fresh spinach/mushroom salad with honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Try the recipe with : Vino dei Fratelli Pinot Grigio
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Until the 17th century, wine was stored in vessels of stoneware or pottery. Glass then became the material of choice as technology in its making and shaping advanced. Early wine bottles were rounded. The shape was streamlined when it was discovered the wine improved with laying down. Now, a heavier glass tends to signify quality wine, and irregular sizes and shapes are used to make design statements.

Bottle Shapes & Colors
Individual designs are becoming popular, yet the greatest influence on bottle shape and color is still the region from which it comes and the style of wine in it. The two most common styles are the classic Burgundy and Bordeaux shapes. If they are used, it tends to suggest the wine's style - red or white - is similar to that of a classic Bordeaux or Burgundy, giving you extra clues about the contents.

Cooking with wine, like drinking wine can add another dimension to a recipe. Cultivating and enhancing flavors while accentuating textures are the main incentives for adding wines to recipes.

How to Decide Which Wine to Use
When deciding what kind of wine to cook with, many agree that your best bet is to cook with a wine that you would drink. Remember, it is only the alcohol that diminishes during the cooking process, not the poor quality or undesirable flavor. Wines designated as "cooking wines" tend to be cheap, salty and often incorporate additional spices or herbs. Bottom line - they will do little to enhance your recipe. You do not need to spend big bucks on a wine that you intend to cook with.

However, if you shoot for ultra cheap (less than $5) you will likely be disappointed in both the flavor and the overall contribution to your recipe.

Using Wines as a Spice
Think of flavoring a recipe with wine in the same light as you would adding a spice. The flavors tend to mellow the longer you cook the wine in the dish and it is recommended that a young, strong red wine is allowed to cook for at least 45 minutes. The next question, is typically should I use a red or a white wine? Reds tend to bring color, clarity and a distinctly dry characteristic to the foods they flavor. White wines are known to bring an acidic quality with a bit of pucker power. Use reds for flavoring red sauces with red meat. For example, a bold red wine would be perfect for a meatball marina or stout stews with lots of heavy vegetables. Steer towards white wines if you are making cream sauces or emphasizing white meats or seafood.

Alcohol and the Cooking Process. Keep in mind that not all of the alcohol will evaporate from the cooking process. The concentration of residual alcohol that remains in your dish depends on the length of time and way in which it was cooked. For example, boiling a sauce for 25 minutes will remove considerably more alcohol than merely baking a dish for 15 minutes.

A Rule to Remember
Cooking with wine should be fun. If you are just starting out, keep it simple - try a young bold red (Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon ) in your spaghetti sauce recipe or a dash of Chardonnay in your Creamy Alfredo Chicken recipe. Experiment with using wines in recipes, it is not rocket science and shaking recipes up with a splash or two of wine will likely make your favorite recipe that much better!