Z

Zabaglione - A rich, foamy Italian dessert made by whisking egg yolks, Marsala wine and sugar together over a gentle heat. It's usually served barely warm. Some versions might have the addition of fresh fruit or fruit coulis. Zabaglione is quite similar to the French sabayon.

zero dosage - Dosage is the mixture of sugar, wine and sometimes brandy, that is added back to Methode Champenoise wines to create the sparkle through secondary fermentation. Zero dosage is a blend of wines that contains no sugar, thus creating the driest style sparkling wine.

Zinfandel - The much loved red grape of California, zinfandel is grown almost no place else in the world. In fact, its history is still a mystery, though scientists think that the grape may be related to a Croatian grape. Zinfandel has a mouthfilling, thick berryness that is sometimes described as being jammy or chewy. White zinfandel (not a separate grape variety) is made when zinfandel grapes are fermented without their dark purple skins.

zymology - See zymurgy.

zymurgy - The branch of chemistry that deals with fermentation processes, as in brewing.