BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) – In a move that could bring a merlot low – and make a chardonnay shudder – a state lawmaker is proposing making zinfandel the official wine of California.

State Sen. Carole Migden introduced the bill this week, saying the heady varietal is a “quintessential” California wine dating back to Gold Rush days and versatile enough to stand up to the spicy diversity of California cuisine.

“It’s about time we give it the recognition it deserves,” Migden, D-San Francisco, said in a news release.

But others say singling out just one varietal would be a cardinal zin.

“What’s the basis?” said Doug Shafer, president of Shafer Vineyards, makers of highly prized cabernet sauvignon and merlot. “There’s some wonderful wines, lots of different varietals, from all over California that are all great, including zinfandel.”

Preliminary figures for the 2005 grape harvest put zinfandel at 10.4 percent of the crop, behind cabernet sauvignon’s 12.5 percent. Chardonnay was the harvest heavy at about 17 percent.

“Growing wine grapes in this state is a beautiful thing,” said Shafer. “Look what you get to pick from.”

The bill is headed to committee and could be heard next month.

Being the state wine would be a symbolic honor, giving producers a boost of prestige and publicity and putting zinfandel in such august company as the official state color, a combination of blue and gold, and the state insect, the dogfaced butterfly.

Carlos Machado, Migden’s legislative director, said the intent is to benefit more than just zin.

“I think it brings recognition to all California wines when you do this. It’s like a rising tide,” he said.

The bill got a big thumbs up from winemaker Van “the Vanimal” Williamson, who specializes in single-vineyard zins at Edmeades Winery in Mendocino County.

Zinfandel may not have the biggest numbers, says Williamson, but it’s uniquely Californian in that it’s been grown in the state for generations by small, independent farmers, many of them immigrants.

“It embodies a lot of the spirit of America,” he said.

Williamson sees zinfinadel as the democrat of wines, full-flavored enough to go with lots of different types of food, pizza and burgers included.

“There’s not a better wine to drink out of the bottle, in my opinion,” he said.”You don’t need fancy stemware.”

Red zinfandels pack a punch, with some edging up to 15 percent alcohol and beyond.

Lower alcohol levels are found in white zinfandel – often sniffed at by critics but popular nonetheless – which is made from the same grape but with less juice-to-grape-skin contact, resulting in a pale pink color.

Williamson doesn’t make white zinfandel, but he does not despise it either, saying the ‘70s boom in the sweet pink wine helped save a lot of old zinfandel vines.

Eric Potashner, Migden’s deputy chief of staff, said any issues between red and white zin factions will be “flushed out” in the legislative process.

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On the Net:

http://www.zinfandel.org/

http://www.shafervineyards.com

http://www.edmeades.com/

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