White Zinfandel can be an easy wine to appreciate but difficult to pull off from a winemaker's perspective. In the vineyards, as the grapes reach maturity, a close watch must be kept up if one is going to harvest the moment the grapes graduate from flavors of watermelon to a deeper, richer character of fresh, ripe strawberries. Great White Zinfandel is less a product of the cellar and more the result of patience, experience and careful timing in the vineyards. As harvest draws near, the winemakers do everything but camp out in the vine rows to insure that optimal ripeness is not only achieved, but that picking begins immediately. It's also not uncommon for harvesting to be done at night, when the grapes, because of the cooler temperatures, are less prone to damage and flavor compromise.