PS I Love You Seventh Annual Dark and Delicious Petite Sirah Event

Are you looking for a fun event with plenty of delicious food and interesting wine? We attended the PS I Love You Seventh Annual "Dark and Delicious Petite Sirah" wine and food event on February 22, 2013 in Alameda, California.  "PS I Love You" is the name of the organization that sponsored the event with  P.S. being the abbreviation for the wine varietal Petite Sirah. PS I Love You

PS I Love You was founded in 2002 by Christine Wells-Groff, Dan Berger and Jo Diaz while they were planning the First Annual Petite Sirah Symposium which was held at Foppiano Vineyards. Foppiano Vineyards bought the domain name and Rosenblum Cellars made initial payments to the Webmaster.

Geodesic dome with other tasting room on right

Thanks to  Jo Diaz for inviting us and providing VIP tickets as part of the media.  This allowed us to arrive an hour early for a tour of Rock Wall Winery next to where the event was being held.  The tour was conducted by Shauna Rosenblum the winemaker of Rockwall Wines.  Her family sold Rosenblum Cellars in 2008 and started Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda. Shauna is listed in Women Winemakers of California. Shauna Rosenblum

Inside one of the Rock Wall tasting rooms

The tour was conducted with so much enthusiasm and passion that I kept wondering where Shauna got all of her energy.  Then I realized that she really loves being winemaker as much as she loves the winery. It was the first winery I ever visited that was in an airplane locker with an additional tasting "room" in a geodesic dome.  I can't even remember ever being in a certified authentic geodesic dome, although I did read much about them back in the 1960's when they were referred to as "Bucky Domes", because they were designed by Buckminster Fuller.  Sort of modern Fung Shway influenced buildings with an ecological slant.  I like them, although I'm not sure I would want to live in one.  But for tasting wine it was great.  Rock Wall Wines had some very good wines and we did not just get to taste their Petite Sirahs but one of their sparkling wine as well. Rock Wall Winery

Linda Vista Winery owner Charles Melver introduced Petite Sirah to Californiain 1884. The Petite Sirah varietal was originally known in France as Durif, although the Petite Sirah grown in the U.S. was not identified genetically as such until 2003.  It is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin.  The varietal is hardly known in France anymore but has become something of an all American wine similar to Zinfandel, even though neither originated in the U.S. 

Relaxed and friendly

My first introduction to Petite Sirahs was in  1974 when I went to a blind tasting of PS with friends.  It was the first time I ever tasted one and I was hooked.  They were big, bold, tannic wines, usually very dry, with pepper and substance.  I had found an alternative to Cabernets. I remember Ridge and Stags' Leap Winery making very good ones and, of course, Concannon.  My first visit to Ridge and Concannon was in 1975.  I've had a lot of PS over the past 40 years and am very fond of the varietal, even though I know it has some limitations.  It is often blended with other varietals but, like Cabs, the PS can handle that and often excels in blends, although I'm fine with it at 100%. This is a varietal I dearly love.

PS I Love You hanging sign.

One major advantage to these festivals is that you can taste wines from wineries that are not open to the public, small wineries with very limited production and distribution. I decided to focus initially on those few wineries that my research indicated would be especially interesting. I saved the better known wineries such as Robert Biale, Ridge and Concannon for the end.  I was disappointed that Kent Rasmussen did not attend with his Esoterica Petite Syrah, the 2007 being my favorite with his 2009 also being lovely.  Kent is making some of the finest and most interesting PS I've had recently.  Of recent vintages I also loved Gustavo Thrace's 2006 PS.  I was also disappointed not to see Stags' Leap Winery, who participated in this even last year and whose Petite Sirah I've been drinking and appreciating since the early 1980s.

Wine auction

I had eaten just prior to the festival so did not sample much of the food. I had my usual spit cup in one hand, wine glass in the other and notebook in my underarm. Instead of trying to juggle these to take detailed tasting notes or simply giving 100 point scale ratings to all of the wines, I decided to spend more time focusing on and learning about small wineries with which I was unfamiliar.  As usual I prepared a plan of attack by making a list of the wineries I did not want to miss. After visiting each winery on my check off list, I tasted other wines until the crowds were becoming thicker and the music seemed to be getting too loud.  We arrived there at 5 and the event was from 6 to 9, but we left by 8 to head back to Napa. Anyhow, while we were there, I felt like I was panning for gold, and I did find some gold nuggets.

Hardly any crowd at the beginning

 

My favorite Petite Sirah of the tasting was the Trueheart Vineyard 2010 Petite Sirah ($35) from Sonoma Valley. Only 324 cases were produced by winemaker Alex Beloz. Very deep, dark purple in color, this was incredibly well-balanced, with ripe blackberry, along with very nice PS pepper, a great mouth-feel and an intense but not overly extracted presentation.  It had great structure with well integrated tannins and eschewed the fruitier, sweeter presentation that is found in some Petite Sirahs these days.  It was so good I couldn't bear to spit it out and swallowed.  This is one of the very finest Petite Sirahs I've had in recent years and the sort of Petite Sirah that makes the varietal so dear to me. I plan to order some of this and take careful notes. Trueheart Vineyard

 

My second favorite Petite Sirah was the Aver Family Vineyards 2009 Petite Sirah Blessings ($49).  I even returned at the end as we were leaving because I wanted to taste more without having to spit.  It was the only Petite Syrah beside Trueheart that I plan to purchase and explore in more detail.  Aver Family Vineyard

I also really liked the Robert Biale 2010 Petite Sirah Like Father Like Son, a Syrah and Petite Sirah blend and the Robert Biale 2009 Thomann Station Petite Sirah.  I thought the Shadowbrook 2010 Double Trouble was very good, especially at only $25.  It is 65% Petite Sirah and 35% Petite Verdot with only 96 cases having been made.  And I enjoyed the Shadowbrook 2010 Petite Sirah Pre-release ($38). Rock Wall Winery also had some very good Petite Sirahs.  Although I am usually very fond of Ridge Petite Sirahs, I was less impressed than usual with their offerings this year.

San Francisco skyline as seen from the parking lot.

The Dark & Delicious Petite Sirah event is far smaller than ZAP or the Zinfandel Festival and has a much wider variety of food.  There was no waiting at all for the food and with most of the wineries (up until the last hour) you could simply walk right up and ask for a pour without having to push through a crowd. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and I saw many smiling faces. There was plenty of parking and Google provided very good directions. The main reason for attending for me was to sample wines from small, limited production wineries that are not open to the public. But most people seemed to be attending simply to have a good time and it appeared they were doing so. I highly encourage you to check this event out when it comes around again next year. 

ZAP Zinfandel Festival Grand Tasting 2013

The Annual Zinfandel Festival, sponsored by Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP),  is an unpretentious,  down to earth, interesting event that almost any wine drinker should enjoy. On Saturday, February 2nd, 2013 we attended the Grand Tasting event during the 22nd Annual Zinfandel Festival at The Concourse in San Francisco. This was the last of four events, prior ones being the Epicuria Food and Zin Pairings, the Flights Tasting and the Zinfandel Winemaker's Dinner.  We were at the festival from 10 AM to 1 PM during the Trade section of the event, which opened later to the general public at 1 PM.  Our favorite Zins from those we sampled are listed at the end of this report.

 

Although Zinfandel is often thought of as the quintessential American wine varietal, it did not originate in the Americas. Genetic testing in 2001 demonstrated that the Zinfandel grape is the same as the Crljenak Kastelanski grape from Croatia and is related to the Primitivo grape found in Italy. Zinfandels were brought to the U.S. in the 1820’s and were originally known as Black St. Peters when they were used as table grapes. By 1857, Joseph W. Osborne’s Oak Knoll vineyard in Napa County was being praised for its wine made from the Zinfandel grape. In 1972, Bob Trinchero at Sutter Home Winery accidentally developed some white Zinfandel, a light, sweet, rose wine that became so popular that six bottles of white Zinfandel are now produced for every one bottle of red Zinfandel wine. In 1991, a group of winemakers, including Mike Grgich, Jerry Seps and Joel Peterson, founded ZAP or Zinfandel Advocates and Producers to support education and scientific research regarding the Zinfandel grape. By 1993, it was discovered that the Zinfandel and Italian Primitivo grapes were very similar. By 2001, genetic testing finally proved that the Zinfandel grape was the same as the rare Croatian grape called Crljenak Kastelanski.

Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Zinfandel is usually associated with unpretentious, reasonably priced wines that are enjoyed by a wide range of people. Zinfandels can be highly variable in their personality, making them something of a chameleon grape. They can be light, soft and fruity or big, spicy and tannic, with late harvest desert wines also fairly common. Zins are now often blended with other varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, Grenache, Dolcetto, Charbono, Barbera, etc. The Zinfandel grape itself can be highly variable in its characteristics so when blended with other varietals there is an even greater range of possibilities. I can think of no other wine that can be so varied in its presentation. There is a style of Zinfandel to accompany just about any mood or food.

Zinfandel is about as “All-American” as apple pie, bald eagles and the Fourth of July. If there was a U.S. national wine, it would be Zinfandel. People who prefer beer to wine will often only drink Zins. Zin is probably the only varietal, that would not be out of place at a rock concert. This might have been the wine that Harry Truman served to Churchill and Stalin. It certainly is a down to earth wine that Truman would have loved. This is a varietal that is so varied that there is a Zin that can appeal to those who drive Harleys or those who prefer Bentleys. 

The morning session of the Grand Tasting was open to the Press (this time referred to as "Media") and Trade but, unlike last year, there  was no special section where press representatives and wine writers could escape from the crowd and engage in some serious wine tasting by pouring their own wines and having a place to sit down and take notes. (Interesting wines tasted lead to a visit to the winery booth to try more of their wines and talk to the winemaker or representatives.) Even then, though, I was unable to taste all of the hundreds of wines.  I can't taste and spit 200 plus wines without my mouth feeling like a horse stall in desperate need of being mucked out. This year my palate was still fresh at the end, but I simply ran out of time. I had to hold a glass in one hand, spitting cup in the other with the notebook under my armpit while trying to weave in to get a pouring.  Then came the backing out to avoid obstructing others and the search for a place to put things down to take notes.  I kept dropping my notebook and finally abandoned taking tasting notes and simply scored the wines on the 100 point scale. 

I have no idea how the great wine critics are able to take such extensive tasting notes on so many wines at these events, unless they utilize some electronic recording device. Check out the 2012 ZAP Grand Tasting report of Alder Yarrow at Vinography  or the even more detailed notes by Richard Jennings at RJ on Wine (Richard Jennings' 2013 Grand Tasting report is not posted yet and Alder Yarrow indicated he was unable to attend this year.)

If you like wine and are interested in an educational experience that is fun, friendly and unpretentious, you really should consider attending next year’s Zinfandel Festival. There is  nothing else quite like it. Whether it is the Flights Tasting, Epicuria food and Zin pairings, Winemaker Dinner, or Grand Tasting, there is something for everybody and you are sure to have a good time. The Concourse is easy to find with a Google map and there is plenty of parking nearby. Glasses are provided at the tasting with enough food that you will not need a lunch.

500 Zinfandels were offered for tasting from 204 different wineries! There are were many Zinfandels that we did not have time to taste, but of those we did taste, these were my favorites:

Bachtobacchus Favorite Wines Tasted at ZAP 2013

Bedrock 2011 Pagani Ranch Heritage Wine, $37, 92 points
Bedrock 2011 Vineyard Heritage Wine-$36, 90 points
Carol Shelton 2009 Wild Thing Old Vines, MendocinoCounty, $19, 90 points

Charter Oak 2010 Old Vine Monte Rosso, $48, 94 points

Ottimino 2009 Rancho Bello, RussianRiver, $30, 91 points

Ottimino 2010 Biglieri Vineyard, Dry Creek, $38, 94 points

Outpost 2011 HowellMountain, $48, 93 points

Puccioni 2010 Old Vine Dry Creek, $29, 93 points

Ridge 2010 Carmichael, $28, 91 points

Ridge 2011 Geyserville, $38, 91 points

Ridge 2011 Lytton Springs, $38, 93 points

Ridge 2011 Primitivo, to be released 9/13, best U.S. Primitivo I've ever tasted, 95+ points

Robert Biale 2011 Black Chicken, $42, 92 points

Robert Biale 2011 Old Kraft, unknown price, 91 points

Robert Biale 2011 Rocky Ridge, Rockpile, NA, 93 points

Vino Nocento 2008 OGP, $29, 90 points

Much thanks to Julie Ann Kodmur, ZAP’s Publicist, for inviting us to this event. Here is the the Zinfandel Advocate's and Producer's web page: ZAP

Date of visit: February 2, 2013

ZAP-Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Annual Festival

Readers are encouraged to check out the upcoming annual Zinfandel Festival sponsored by ZAP or Zinfandel Advocates and Producers. There are four events (Epicuria, Flights, Zinfandel Winemaker's Dinner and Grand Tasting) with the Grand Tasting being a fun, informal event where you may sample over 200 different premium Zins.  There are smaller Pinot Noir and Petite Syrah festivals, but nothing quite like this one.  Think of it as one of those necessary lifetime experiences and put it on your "bucket list." Cheers, TJ

 

 

FROM BOAR TO MOLECULAR WINE ICE CREAM

50 ZINFANDEL VINTNERS TEAM UP WITH 50 RESTAURANTS

Rough & Ready CA, December 2012---- Epicuria: Food & Zin Pairings is a culinary adventure where 50 top Zinfandel wines and wineries collaborate with 50 chefs, taking place on January 31 in San Francisco, one of four events making up Zinfandel Advocates & Producers’ 22nd Annual Zinfandel Festival in San Francisco. Tickets are $95 for ZAP members and $125 for non-members. The meticulously crafted combinations cover a rainbow of Zinfandel-food pairings, from boar to beef to the sweet side.

 
 

Epicuria is the Festival’s first event, taking place from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at The Concourse (635 8th Street at Brannan in the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco94103-4901). “It’s an amazing gourmet adventure, exploring the versatile flavors of Zinfandel, "explains Rebecca Robinson, Exectutive Director, Zinfandel Advocates and Producers "You will have the opportunity to sample sophisticated and whimsical culinary creations from master chefts, perfectly paired with 50 top Zinfandel wines and you can savor tantalizing delicacies from the ZinKitchen celeberity chefts while you learn their techniques." she adds.

 

Want to make Muleheart Farm Pork Chili (from Central Market) or Braised Pork Belly Bahn Mi Sandwich (from the Ledson Hotel)? These are some of the recipes being presented at Epicuria which will be appearing on the ZAP website, http://www.zinfandel.org/default.asp?n1=29&n2=1212.
 

Want to experiment with desserts and Zinfandel? Several of the winery-restaurant teams had that idea----Barefoot Cellars with Sonoma Cake Creations, Dogwood Cellars with Sift Cupcake Frank Family Vineyards with Chef Tyler Stone (Frank Family Molecular Wine Ice Cream Dessert), Grgich Hills Estate with 3D Candies (Raspberry Hazelnut Caramel and Lavender Black Cherry Vanilla Caramel) and Scott Harvey Wines with Healdsburg Toffee (Assorted candies).

 

What about a combination to stretch the boundaries? Several teams are offering non-traditional combos---namely Klinker Brick Winery with Radius (Duck Liver Mousse with Blackberry Gastrique), Gnarly Head Winery with Johnny Garlic's (Sashimi Won Tacos), Peachy Canyon Winery with Swan Oyster Depot (Shrimp Cocktail), and Renwood Winery with Eastside West Restaurant (Achiote Braised Lamb - mango & olive salad, cheese fried plantains, mint, cilantro).

 

Wild boar often makes an appearance at Epicuria; this year presented by Rosenblum Cellars with Chef Joey Altman (Wild Boar Sugo over Creamy Polenta with Bellweathers’ San Andreas Sheep's Milk Cheese) and Saddleback Cellars with Rosamunde Sausage Grill (Lamb Merguez & Wild Boar Sausage with Mango Chutney and Sauerkraut).
 

Additional teams include Alexander Valley Vineyards paired with Flavor Bistro (Sweet Potato Timbale flavored with a trio of cheese), Artezin Wines with Truffle Gateau, Ballentine Vineyards with Rose’s Café, Berryessa Gap Vineyards with Le P'tit Laurent, Black Stallion Winery with Black Stallion’s Estate Chef, Bonneau Wines with Ruth's Chris Steak House, Brazin' Cellars with Sauce (Braised Beef Short Rib Sliders), Cakebread Cellars with Cakebread Cellars’ Culinary Department (Braised Short Ribs with Daikon, Carrots and Ginger- Sesame Broth), Calstar Cellars with Cabot Creamery (The World's Best Cheddar Cheese),Carol Shelton Wines with Pizzeria Rosso, Charter Oak Winery with Fifth Floor Restaurant, Chase Cellars with BarberQ, Cycles Gladiator Winery with Chef Marco's Catering, Dashe Cellars with Twenty Five Lusk, D-Cubed Cellars with A-16, Dry Creek Vineyards with Maven, Four Vines with City College of San Francisco, Harney LaneWinery with SavoyEvents, Hendry Wines with Kinyon! Culinary Services, LangeTwins with Straits San Francisco, M2 with Alebrijes Mexican Bistro, McCay Cellars with Wine & Roses, Mounts Family Winery with Savvy Production & Events (Curried Pork& Winter Squash), Outpost Estate with Mustard’s Grill, R&B Cellars with Soleil’s African Cuisine, Ravenswood Winery with Central Market, Robert Biale Vineyards with Alexander’s Steak House, Ridge Vineyards with Harris’ Restaurant (Harris' Signature Steak Tartare), Rock Wall Wine Co with Le Truc, Seghesio Family Vineyards with Winery Executive Chef Peter Janiak (Seghesio Signature Ribs), St. Amant Winery with A Winechef For You, Chef Tony Lawrence (Cuban Slow Braised, Poked, Jerked, Rubbed & Spiced Pork), St. Francis Winery with Executive Chef David Bush (Five Spice Pork Spring Rolls with Smoked Chili Hoisin), Starry Night Winery with Il Davide Restaurant (Black Truffle Porcini filled Agnolotti, White Truffle Fondue), Storybook Mountain with Rose Pistola, Terra d'Oro Winery with Taste, Three Wine Company with Starbelly, Tres Sabores with Local Mission Eatery, Troon Vineyards with Vegetarian Gourmet and Wilson Winery with Carneros Bistro.
 

The next Festival event is Flights, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at The Fairmont Hotel (950 Mason, San Francisco 94108) on Friday, February 1. A seated seminar-style tasting will further a detailed understanding of the uniqueness of Zinfandel. Details: http://www.zinfandel.org/default.asp?n1=28&n2=1071

 

Another event is the Zinfandel Winemakers’ Dinner, 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. at The Fairmont Hotel on Friday, February 1: a glamorous evening where a walkaround tasting precedes a live auction and sumptuous dinner. The proceeds benefit ZAP’s programming, education and heritage vineyard projects.

Details: http://www.zinfandel.org/default.asp?cid=1&n1=28&n2=1072.

 
 

The concluding event is the Grand Tasting, 2:00 p.m. –5:00 p.m. at The Concourse on Saturday, February 2, is the world’s largest single varietal tasting, a chance to taste more than 200 different Zinfandels. Participating wineries:

http://www.zinfandel.org/default.asp?cid=1&n1=28&n2=1073. Non-member

 

Tickets for all events are on sale online at zinfandel.org.

 

VENUE IS THE CONCOURSE

This will be the second year for ZAP to base Epicuria and The Grand Tasting at The Concourse. “The Concourse is a terrific venue for us, located in the heart of SoMa and downtown San Francisco, with easy access to public transportation and a comfortable and elegant venue for our events,”explains Rebecca Robinson.

 
 

ZINFANDEL ADVOCATES & PRODUCERS

The Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a not-for-profit, member-based, educational 501(c)(3) organization. ZAP’s mission is to advance public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. Winegrowers, winemakers and wine enthusiasts combine to form the membership. The common focus is the preservation and recognition of Zinfandel as America’s heritage wine. ZAP’s membership includes approximately 250 winery-members, 4,000 advocate members and 100 associate members. The annual Zinfandel Festival is part of ZAP’s ongoing program focused on outreach and promotion of Zinfandel as America’s Heritage Wine. The Festival provides an opportunity for Zinfandel producers to introduce their wines to a wide base of consumers, media, and members of the wine trade.

 

 

 

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Event

We really enjoy attending ZAP events. Here is a new one coming up.  TJ

ZAP HOSTS 2ND ANNUAL GRILLE-O-RAMA

August 11 at Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda

Taste Zinfandels by region and compare

Rough & Ready, CA, summer 2012----Zinfandel Advocates & Producers invites the public to the second annual Grille-O-Rama at Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda on Saturday, August 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Rock Wall Wine Company is located at 2301 Monarch Street , Suite 300, Building 24 (94501, http://www.rockwallwines.com/, 510/522-5700).

Attendees will discover the distinct flavors of Zinfandel from up and down California including the Bay Area, Lodi, Napa, Paso Robles, Sierra Foothills, and Sonoma: this is an opportunity to taste and compare 30 different Zinfandels from 9 growing regions. 4 savvy chefs---Chef Tyler Stone, Chef John Ledbetter of Bocanova, Chef Dawn Wofford of Sonoma Smokehouse and Chef Sophina Uong of Pican---will fire up the grills to create tantalizing tastes served alongside the wines. A “People’s Choice” award will be chosen by the attendees. Respected wine professionals serving as judges---Sara Schneider (Sunset Magazine’s wine editor), Luke Sykora (Associate Editor, Wine & Spirits Magazine), Lynne Char Bennett (San Francisco Chronicle), Charles Olken (Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine), Randy Caparoso (Sommelier Journal) and Frank Thorsberg (KTVU television producer and wine blogger)---will also select a winning “Grill Master.” Enjoy the views of San Francisco Bay and the spaciousness of the airplane hangar setting while you stroll, sip, taste, chat and chew.

ZAP member tickets are $40 per person if purchased before July 27. After July 27, all tickets are $50 per person; it’s suggested to buy tickets in advance (530/274-4900 or https://members.zinfandel.org/cgi-shl/TWServer.exe?EREG:OrderEvent:2012ORAMAMEM); some may be available at the door at the event.

Contact: Julie Ann Kodmur, 707/963-9632, corking@julieannkodmur.com

To buy tickets:

https://members.zinfandel.org/cgi-shl/TWServer.exe?EREG:OrderEvent:2012ORAMAMEM

More about the event: http://www.zinfandel.org/default.asp?cid=1&n1=10&n2=1062

Participating wineries are:

Bay Area: Dashe Cellars, R&B Cellars, Rock Wall Wine Company, Three Wine Company

Lodi: Brazin Cellars, Cycles Gladiator Winery, Haraszthy, Ironstone Vineyard, Jessie’s Grove Winery, Klinker Brick Winery, Macchia, Masked Rider

Napa Valley: Green & Red Vineyards, Hendry Wines, Mike & Molly Wine Company, Zinfandel Heritage Vineyard

Paso Robles: Castoro Cellars, Four Vines

Nevada County: Chacewater Wine

Calaveras County: Chatom Vineyards, Milliaire Winery

El Dorado County: Lava Cap Winery, Mellowood Vineyards

Amador County: Renwood Winery, Scott Harvey Wines

Sonoma: Carol Shelton Wines, DeLoach Vineyards, Dutcher Crossing Winery, JC Cellars, Mauritson Family Winery, Red Truck, Starry Night Winery.

2013 ZAP FESTIVAL

The 22nd Annual Zinfandel Festival takes place in San Francisco January 31 – February 2, 2013. Watch zinfandel.org for updates on all the activities. The events consist of Epicuria at The Concourse on Thursday, January 31; Flights at The Fairmont on Friday, February 1; Zinfandel Winemakers’ Dinner on February 1 at The Fairmont Hotel and The Grand Tasting at The Concourse on Saturday, February 2. Early bird ticket packages are available from August 1 until September 30; tickets for all events go on sale online on October 1.

ZINFANDEL ADVOCATES & PRODUCERS

The Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a not-for-profit, member-based, educational 501(c)(3) organization. ZAP’s mission is to advance public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history.

Winegrowers, winemakers and wine enthusiasts combine to form the membership. The common focus is the preservation and recognition of Zinfandel as America’s heritage wine. ZAP’s membership includes approximately 250 winery-members, 4,000 advocate members and 100 associate members.

Dog Days at Hendry Winery

We took a break from the blog while my friend and designated driver (who also does most of the purchasing) spent two months in Europe, but are now back in action beginning with our visit Sunday, June 10^th to the second annual Dog Days at Hendry Winery.  In addition to receiving an invitation by email there was a poster announcing the event at Alston Park, the adjacent dog park in Napa.  This was an open house where you could bring your dog, enjoy complimentary tastings and receive 20% off wine purchases.  The Napa Humane Society had representatives, and freshly barbequed food was available for purchase from Barger’s Q.  This was set up with picnic tables under an awning.  All of the dogs were very well behaved and friendly.  Some were off leash and got along splendidly.  Mike and Molly Hendry poured the wines which included all of the Hendry wines plus a Zinfandel by Mike and Molly.  We had met Mike and Molly earlier this year at the big Zinfandel Festival in San Francisco where they had their own booth for tastings.  Their Zin and Hendry's were among the standouts of the many Zins we tasted there.  You can check out Mike and Molly here: Mike and Molly Zinfandel

The even lasted from 11AM to 4 PM and we were there from noon until after 2.  Everyone was very friendly so there was much social interaction.  It was more like tasting wine at home because of the informal atmosphere and available food for pairing.  It made it very easy, for example, to try all the Zins side by side or to go back and forth between the oaked and unoaked Chardonnay.  We were also able to purchase a bottle of wine (unoaked Chardonnay) to have with our meal and it paired well with barbequed chicken.  The wines were all very good as was the food.  The weather was perfect.  My wife and our dog, both had a great time.  I'd love to find some more dog friendly wine events, especially complementary ones, so I can bring my wife and dog with me on my wine tasting ventures.

My friend, Bill,  and I had visited Hendry Winery a few months ago, so we focused on tasting wines that we had liked most. The more I try Hendry wines, the more I like them.  They are very honest wines that have not been overly manipulated by the winemaker, which means having to start with really good grapes.  Their "Unoaked Chardonnay", for example, has neither oak nor malolactic conversion so you can taste the Chardonnay varietal and all of the subtle complexities that are often either not there or are overpowered with oak and MLF. But it is best when paired with food.  Their Cab is not the super ripe Parker like Cab that has become so popular but is much more in the older Napa tradition as exemplified by smaller wineries like Smith-Madrone and White Rock.  These are wines that might not jump out in a blind tasting but that require more careful exploration to appreciate the subtleties, complexity and terroir.  It makes the wines interesting and unique and was especially noticeable in the unoaked Chardonnay (on sale for $15.20) and the Cabernet Sauvignon (on sale for $44).  My appreciation of their Zinfandels has also increased, and I was glad to be able to purchase a bottle of the Mike and Molly Zin that we had sampled at the Zin Fest but had not been able to purchase previously.  Each Zin was quite good had its own personality,

Even if you attended this event, I would still recommend that you not miss the extensive three-hour tour and tasting conducted by George Hendry himself.  With really good wines, your appreciation of them can be enhanced significantly by learning about the winery and what the winemaker is attempting to do.  We hope to attend Hendry’s Dog Days event again next year and are grateful Hendry Winery for hosting this unusual event.

Unfortunately I forgot my camera.  If you were at the event and have some photos we could post on the blog, please contact me. Here is the link about our March visit to Hendry Winery:

Our visit to Hendry 

If you would like to sign up on Hendry's mailing lest to learn about the annual Dog Days or other events, you may reach them at:   Hendry Mailing List

ZAP Zinfandel Festival 2012

If you think that all wine events are for wine snobs, think again.  The Zinfandel Festival is a down-home, fun event that any wine drinker should love.  On Saturday, January 29th, 2012, we attended the ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) Grand Tasting event during the 21st Annual Zinfandel Festival at The Concourse in San Francisco.  This was the last of four events, prior ones being the Epicuria food and zin pairing on the 26th, the Flights Tasting on the 27th and the Winemakers Dinner the evening of the 27th.

 

 

Unlike Cabs and Pinot Noirs, Zinfandels have always been associated with unpretentious, reasonably priced wines that are enjoyed by a wide range of people. Zinfandels can be highly variable in their personality, making them something of a chameleon grape.  They can be light, soft and fruity or big, spicy and tannic, with late harvest desert wines also fairly common.  Zins are now often blended with other varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, Grenache, Dolcetto, Charbono, Barbera, etc.  The Zinfandel grape itself can be highly diverse in its characteristics so when blended with other varietals there is an even greater range of possibilities. I can think of no other wine that is so varied in its presentation.  The one thing all Zinfandels have in common, though, is that they are usually drinkable now and very few are intended to be cellared.  In addition to being a drink-me-now type of wine, there is a style of Zin to go with just about any food.

 

The morning session of the Grand Tasting was open to the Press and Trade and there was a special section where press representatives and wine critics (Press) could escape from the crowd and do some serious wine tasting by pouring their own wines from the many bottles that were arranged alphabetically on tables. Much of our time was spent down on the floors talking with winemakers and representatives of the wineries. Although we could taste only a small portion of the hundreds of available wines, we did find a few favorites, including Ridge, Mike and Molly Hendry, Highlands Winery, Biale Winery, Charter Oak Winery, Hendry (George), Ravenswood, Saddleback andTurley Wine Cellars.

 

Despite all of the wine and thousands of people, I did not encounter a single person who acted or appeared even mildly intoxicated.  People seemed to be happy, smiling and enjoying themselves.  There was also plenty of cheese, bread, fruit and other snacks to go with the wine so nobody had to drink on an empty stomach.  We were there during the press and trade session and not the public session, so it might have been different in the afternoon. 
 

If you like wine and would like to taste wine while having an educational experience that is friendly and unpretentious, you really should consider attending next year’s Zinfandel Festival. There is really nothing else quite like it. Whether it is the Flights Tasting, Epicuria food and zin pairings, Winemaker Dinner, or Grand Tasting, there is something for everybody and you are sure to have a good time.  The Concourse was easy to find and there was plenty of parking.  Glasses are provided at the tasting with enough food that you will not need a lunch.

Much thanks to Julie Ann Kodmur, ZAP’s Publicist, for inviting us to this event. Here is the ZAP web page.  Check it out.  Zinfandel Festival
 

Date of visit: 1/29/2012