zinfandel

noun

zin·​fan·​del ˈzin-fən-ˌdel 

variants often Zinfandel

: a dry red table wine made from a small black grape that is grown chiefly in California

also : the grape

Examples of zinfandel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Olney says more than half the growers Ridge buys zinfandel grapes from have names ending in ‘i,’ including Pagani, which is in a little bowl south of Kenwood where the fog comes in. —Laura Ness, Mercury News, 9 June 2026

And while those neighbors to the northwest are certainly synonymous with California wine, Lodi has been making it since just after the Gold Rush era—with zinfandel long serving as its signature grape—and its agricultural roots stretch back even further. —Ligaya Malones, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026

By Mary Winston Nicklin August 16, 2019 Why Zinfandel Lovers Should Head to Croatia America claims zinfandel as its own—but Croatia has something to say about that. —Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 May 2026

According to the latest California Grape Crush Report, zinfandel and other grapes in the Lodi wine region are on the decline. —Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably modification of obsolete Hungarian tzinifándli, czirifandli, a white wine grape (misapplied to a grape variety of Dalmatian origin), from German Zierfandler

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing zinfandel

• white zinfandel

Rhymes for zinfandel

• bagatelle
• calomel
• caravel
• carousel
• carrousel
• citadel
• clientele
• commonweal
• coronel
• decibel
• demoiselle
• fontanelle