Although produced in a limited geographical area, there are a few different styles depending on producer and vineyard location.

Inexpensive bottles tend to be medium-bodied with fresh red berry fruit and lively brambly notes.

Zinfandel grown in cooler climate valleys or mountain vineyards usually is less fruity, with more earthy tannic structure and black peppery fruit.

While some wineries manage to tame this brash varietal and produce relatively elegant examples, others take the opposite approach, reveling in its ability to produce heady, intensely flavored wines packed with extra ripe berry fruit and luxuriously velvety textures.