Chris Walker

Not too long ago, you couldn't watch a sitcom like Frasier without a moment like this coming up.

Not too long ago, you couldn't watch a sitcom like Frasier without a moment like this coming up.

Never mind the joke, it's not very good. Point is, white Zin used to be everywhere. And even if it's not ringing a bell, you've surely heard of its sibling, Rosé.

Never mind the joke, it's not very good. Point is, white Zin used to be everywhere. And even if it's not ringing a bell, you've surely heard of its sibling, Rosé.

For the past 15 years, America has been in the middle of a rosé fervor. These pink wines now account for nearly 10% of the American wine market, and they've even developed their own subculture.

For the past 15 years, America has been in the middle of a rosé fervor. These pink wines now account for nearly 10% of the American wine market, and they've even developed their own subculture.

Maybe you've seen the bottles of White Girl Rosé or the Rosé All Day Tank Tops. This Barbie-colored drink is sipped on screen by the Beverly Hills Housewives and is a favorite on Instagram, backdropped by Coastal Vineyards. Hashtag no filter. But what we're experiencing right now is actually Rosé's second or even third coming in America.

Maybe you've seen the bottles of White Girl Rosé or the Rosé All Day Tank Tops. This Barbie-colored drink is sipped on screen by the Beverly Hills Housewives and is a favorite on Instagram, backdropped by Coastal Vineyards. Hashtag no filter. But what we're experiencing right now is actually Rosé's second or even third coming in America.

The real Rosé revolution, the one that really put it on the map, happened in the 1980s when White Zinfandel took over the wine world. It's worth the briefest history lesson here, not just because its rise laid the foundations for murder, but because White Zin's origin story and its staying power are kind of wild.

The real Rosé revolution, the one that really put it on the map, happened in the 1980s when White Zinfandel took over the wine world. It's worth the briefest history lesson here, not just because its rise laid the foundations for murder, but because White Zin's origin story and its staying power are kind of wild.

This is Catherine Cole.

This is Catherine Cole.

And Cole says there are many, many people just like her aunt. But what most don't know is that White Zinfandel came about because of a mistake. As Cole writes, we have to go back to the year 1975. The setting, Sutter Home Winery in St. Helena, California. There we come across winemaker Bob Trincaro, who was trying to make a name for his then-struggling family winery.

And Cole says there are many, many people just like her aunt. But what most don't know is that White Zinfandel came about because of a mistake. As Cole writes, we have to go back to the year 1975. The setting, Sutter Home Winery in St. Helena, California. There we come across winemaker Bob Trincaro, who was trying to make a name for his then-struggling family winery.

Some of his efforts included making traditional French-style rosés, which had been around for at least a few centuries. And so one afternoon, Trinchero took some leftover runoff juice from red Zinfandel grapes.

Some of his efforts included making traditional French-style rosés, which had been around for at least a few centuries. And so one afternoon, Trinchero took some leftover runoff juice from red Zinfandel grapes.

The result was a total abomination if you're trying to make a dry rosé. The kinds of pale pink wines drinkers in Europe had been used to since the days of Louis XIV. But Trinchero decided to sell his half-fermented concoction anyway. He called it White Zinfandel. And you know what? People loved it. As Cole says...

The result was a total abomination if you're trying to make a dry rosé. The kinds of pale pink wines drinkers in Europe had been used to since the days of Louis XIV. But Trinchero decided to sell his half-fermented concoction anyway. He called it White Zinfandel. And you know what? People loved it. As Cole says...

For all those who loved the iconic sugary cocktails of the 50s and 60s and often found wine too dry or acidic for their tastes, White Zin hit all the right notes. It also completely transformed Sutter Home from a struggling winery to a commercial powerhouse. With shocking speed, their blush-colored wine took America by storm. As the Chicago Tribune put it,

For all those who loved the iconic sugary cocktails of the 50s and 60s and often found wine too dry or acidic for their tastes, White Zin hit all the right notes. It also completely transformed Sutter Home from a struggling winery to a commercial powerhouse. With shocking speed, their blush-colored wine took America by storm. As the Chicago Tribune put it,