Customer Reviews

Zin: The History And Mystery Of Zinfandel

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Normally I do not write reviews about books, especially those that I have a featured if small part in. Yet after being mentioned in the rambling pontifications of a poorly-written and rather stunningly ignorant review I felt like perhaps I should comment on Darlington's work. In doing so I will try to focus on the actual text of the book rather than "crying foul" at rather normal publishing practices that occur regularly.

It is hard for me to decide which aspect of "Zin", or "Angels Visits" I like the most. First of all, the structure of the book is well done, in that it nicely parallels the known historical facts and theories of Zinfandel's presence as the only truly "American" grape varietal with the stories of Paul Draper, Joel Peterson, and their current philosophies regarding the varietal. Darlington's strength lies in his ability to capture the evolution and mystery surrounding Zinafandel in a coherent and fascinating manner, while painting accurate and detailed potraits of some of the main players in the industry. "Angels Visits" is something of an archetype in the area of wine literature because it successfully draws the reader into a world known by very few, and pretended to be known by very many.

I always thought it a shame that a second edition of the book never came out, and although I dislike the simpleton name on the cover and the packaging, it is really what is underneath these that counts. Perhaps more should have been written about the current status of Zinfandel, but this critique is outweighed by the very nature of the book. In being a historical review of the Zinfandel varietal, and a case study of the two best wineries during the early boom of Zinfandel, there is really no need for more to be written. Whatever needs to be included is written in the new epilogue by Darlington, where he notes the new styles of Zinfandel being pioneered by producers such as Turley and Martinelli and updates the reader on the current status of the two wineries and the people involved in the book.

There is no doubt that personal bias is involved when I write this review, remember, Darlington "labored in constant dread of rounding a corner and finding (my) precociousness scattered across the floor," I feel that this is a great work. I have been born and raised listening about, tasting and working with Zinfandel...yet everytime I pick up this book I learn something that I have never known. So, I say, as a picky and educated "Zinfandel aficionado", and a wine aficionado more generally, read this book, you will not be dissapointed.

D. Darlington committed no sin by reprinting "Angel's Visits" under the new title "ZIN"...he did us a favor. I can not tell you how many times I recommended "Angel's Visits" to zinfandel lovers and then had to warn them that their search for it would be difficult as the book was now out of print. BUT NO MORE. Now a new generation of Zin fanatics can add to their wine library a book that is one of its kind. Get the book, settle down with a nice glass of Zinfandel and enjoy a journey into the world of winemaking, joyful characters, passionate people and ZIN!!!

This is a re-issue of an out-of-print book -- and a classic, at that. That's why nothing's been changed. As for the new title, it's got a new publisher and that publisher wanted a less esoteric title. Sheesh. Get a clue.

Lovers of Zinfandel will find it even more appealing after reading this book. Where it came from, how it's made and how personal the appeciation of this wine remains. You come away from the read knowing that your taste for Zin is as valid as the most discriminating expert.

Interesting history of Zin and its major players in the 70's and 80's. Author describes the evolution of this grape into one capable of making high quality wine and the obstacles and economic challenges producers were faced with in California, given the various grapes competing for space in vinyards and the need to make enough money to stay afloat. Much time is spent on the vintners at Ridge and Ravenswood... could have mentioned a few other important characters but I suppose you have to keep the book at a reseanable size. Love how the author discusses the various production techniques that made each wine so unique. Overall a fantastic read... love to see a part two taking us from 1988 - 2008!!! Epilogue does note a few more modern happenings.

The reviewer who trashed this book has no sense of history. Yes, it is a reprint of an out-of-print ten year old book. However, Zin provides a wealth of history on the origins of Zinfandel that doesn't exist in depth anywhere else. And more interestingly, Darlington provides detailed portrayals of a number of major players in the Zinfandel world that provided me with enormous insight into why artisanal winemakers are in the business, and how they make their decisions. While the focus is on Ridge and Ravenswood, still two of the best Zin makers today, he covers the White Zinfandel phenomenon, as well as how Zin tends to change based on fashions. The book has stood the test of time well, and is a must read for anyone interested in how and why small winemakers make wine or anyone interested in the history of Zinfandel.

Consumer beware! This book is a tired retread masquerading as a shiny new model. Darlington published the identical material (with a few minor changes) as "Angels' Visits" in 1991. As wine books go, it was a best-seller and received much attention among wine lovers. Except for a line of fine print on the copyright page "Zin" does not aknowlege its former life. "Angels' Visits" does not even appear on the list of Darlington's other published works in the front pages of "Zin" The Author and/or his publisher seem bent on pawning this off as a new piece of work.

Let's list the differences: "Zin" is a paperback published by De Capo Press while "Angels' Visits" was a hardback published by Henry Holt. There is a different bottle of wine pictured on the label and the subtitle has been changed from "An Inquiry Into The Mystery Of Zinfandel" to "The History And Mystery Of Zinfandel". A new name has been added to the orginal two on the dedication page. New press quotes have been added to the blurb page, but they come from reviews of "Angels' Vists" -- thus adding to the dishonesty of this publication. The most substantive change is a four page "epilogue" which primarily updates the biography of winemaker Joel Peterson, who was the central figure in "Angels' Visits".

Putting misleading publishing practices aside, Darlington's unbalanced "history" of Zinfandel has not aged well. It skims quickly from a New England nursery in 1830 to 1976 when Joel Peterson started Ravenswood Winery. Many high quality producers get scarecly a nod and only Petterson escapes Darlington's catty barbs. A lot has happened on the Zinfandel scene since 1991 -- most of it more important to Zinfandel aficionados than the fact that Morgan Petterson is attending college in New York and working part time in a wine shop.