When white is actually quite pink

The happy color of the wine advertises its characteristics. The White Zinfandel is generally a bright, slightly acidic wine with an underlying sweetness that surfaces when it is paired with a variety of food that can range from lamb skewers to perhaps a cheese platter.

It is known as a party wine, which explains why it is the third most popular wine sold by volume in the United States, where it can be said to be a uniquely American-style vintage made from the Zinfandel grape.

By all accounts, it was one of those serendipitous moments in wine-making.