The island Kaštela, in Croatia, appears to be Zinfandel's birthplace, where an almost extinct variety, known locally as Crljenak Kaštelanski, has been shown to have the same DNA as Zinfandel. The grape variety has been grown in Croatia since the fifteenth century and the earliest recorded name for this grape was Tribidrag, and remains the grape's official name in some ampelographies. The vine made its way to Italy, where early ripening clones of this variety, named Primitivo, have been farmed in Puglia for over two centuries. The grape variety arrived in America in the late 1820's, sent to a Long Island nurseryman, who imported it from the Austrian Imperial nursery in Vienna. After the California Gold Rush of 1849, shipments of New England vine cuttings, some named Black St. Peters, were destined for San Francisco. Budwood was sold to the hundreds of unlucky prospectors who turned to farming and it was in California that the grape soon became known as Zinfandel. Zinfandel vines thrive in Australia, South Africa, the south of France, Italy and Croatia, yet, it is California that established the standard of excellence for Zinfandel.

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