What put the zip in the zinfandel?

Q: What happened to change the style of California zinfandels so dramatically? I recall drinking them with pleasure over the years, but recently they are so ripe and rich and high in alcohol, one glass knocks you out!

A: I, too, have been dismayed by the change in zinfandel, once my favorite California red, and now, as you say, almost undrinkable.

In brief, the wines that used to clock in at maybe 13 percent alcohol have jumped up to where 15 percent is average, 16 percent not uncommon and 17 percent or more seems to be the new "standard."

Why is this?

Many factors contribute, but it starts, as always, in the vineyard, where extreme measures are being taken to ripen the fruit evenly and to maximize the "hang time" — the actual number of days that the grapes are left to ripen before being picked. Back in the day, zinfandel was just picked, no muss and no fuss, and ripened unevenly. A single bunch of grapes might have some that were green, some perfectly ripe and some raisined. The net result was that the finished wine included elements of green olive/herb, of tart raspberry and of sweet raisin, and combined to make a wine of moderate alcohol and a rich mix of flavors.

Today's high-octane wines show none of the herb and focus almost exclusively on jammy fruit. The alcohol is somewhat masked with residual sugar and/or new oak flavors from barrel aging. To find more moderate, old-fashioned zinfandel flavors, you need to focus on the least expensive bottlings such as this week's Pick of the Week, the Woodbridge 2005 Zinfandel, and wines from the most northern parts of California, such as Mendocino.

Paul Gregutt answers questions weekly in the Wine section. He can be reached by e-mail at wine@seattletimes.com.