Wine review

The actress, Jane Fonda, who now advertises anti-wrinkle cream, at this time was very much the number one fitness guru world wide and her fitness video a huge seller.

However, legend has it that Jane Fonda unwittingly helped to create the Californian blush wine style that has continued to enjoy great commercial success since the 80s. Californians had been mainly red wine drinkers but Jane Fonda advocated drinking white wine because there were less calories in it. Almost overnight many health conscious Americans (and Britons too) abandoned their penchant for red wine and switched to white wine as part of their calorie controlled diet.

However, because it takes four to five years for vineyards to be switched from red grape varieties to white ones, there was an enormous surplus of red grapes and a shortage of white wine in California. The brand, Sutter Home, was probably the first to circumvent the white wine shortage by using the excess of red Zinfandel to produce the blush wine style – it was an instant commercial success.

Although some wine drinkers may turn their noses up at such confected offerings, these blush wines can act as a stepping stone to dearer and better wine for many who are new to wine.

Blossom Hill White Zinfandel – a light salmon coloured wine with lively aromas and flavours of strawberries and raspberries that finishes medium sweet. Price 5.99 (widely available).

by Paul Abraham