If you like this, try…
Wines like White Zinfandel
A sweet pink wine created by accident in the 1970s that sold in enormous quantity — and inadvertently saved California’s old Zinfandel vineyards. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.
Refine
What do you like about White Zinfandel?
Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.
What these words mean
- The bright red fruit
- Raspberry, redcurrant, sour cherry — lighter and sharper than dark fruit, usually from a cooler place or an earlier picking.
- That it is not too strong
- Alcohol you notice as warmth at the back of the throat. Some people find it a pleasant part of a big red and some find it tiring.
- How light it is
- A wine you can drink without it feeling like a commitment. Usually lower in alcohol as well as lighter in the mouth.
- That it is not oaky
- No barrel character — just the fruit and the acidity. Chablis and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are the reference points.
- The floral character
- Rose, violet, elderflower, orange blossom.
- The touch of sweetness
- Actual sugar left in the wine, which is a different thing from tasting fruity. A wine can smell of ripe peach and be completely dry.
Looking for something moving away from too tart or sour-fruited and too light or thin.
Change the structure
Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
Condrieu
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Viognier
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Primitivo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Alicante Bouschet
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
Grenache Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Marsanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Condrieu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Viognier
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Similar but more structured
More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.
Alicante Bouschet
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Primitivo di Manduria
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Petit Verdot
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Tannat
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
Grenache Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Marsanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Condrieu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Viognier
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
Similar but drier
Reduces perceptible sugar while keeping aromatic character.
Garnacha rosado
Both sit in the same style family.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Grenache Blanc
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.
Marsanne
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.
Condrieu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Change the flavour
Same shape, different aromatic character.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
California Chardonnay
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.
Alicante Bouschet
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Primitivo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Marsanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Condrieu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Viognier
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Gewürztraminer
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Condrieu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Viognier
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Gewürztraminer
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter.
Similar but less floral
Some drinkers read floral aromatics as soapy or perfumed. This holds the structure and removes them.
Garnacha rosado
Both sit in the same style family.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Grenache Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Marsanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
California Chardonnay
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Grenache Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Marsanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and stronger and warmer.
Mourvèdre
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Tempranillo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Change the place
Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.
Same grape, warmer climate
Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.
Change the mood
Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
California Chardonnay
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.
Barossa Shiraz
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and stronger and warmer.
Super Tuscan
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Ribera del Duero
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.
Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.