ZAP: The Big Annual Zinfandel Event

Every Superbowl weekend I get ZAP-ed. The Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) have an annual tasting at Fort Mason in San Francisco. The festival began in 1992, only 22 wineries participated. This year's festival showcased 291 wineries, including 53 new ZAP members pouring for the first time. Apparently, 776 wines were poured for the estimated 9,000 Zinfanatics.

Once entering, attendees are given a ZAP glass, a baguette, and a pamphlet listing all the wineries. Many of the winemakers are present so folks can ask them all kinds of technical stuff. Wineries tend to pour more than one zin so you can compare which ones you prefer. It is a great way to learn of new wineries, revisit your favorite ones, and be around fellow zin lovers.

Zinfandel is a remarkably versatile grape. Stylistically, it can be made as restrained and focused style like Ridge or a big, robust, fruit-bomb like Turley. From what I tasted this year, a majority were made the opulent, over-the-top style. Several I tasted were bordering 17% alcohol. From a winemaking perspective, I prefer the refined style like Ridge or Hendry. The consumers seem to like the big fruit bomb style, much like Australian Shiraz. In this style, the wine must be well made or else it tastes overoaked, unfocused, and flabby.

Some of this year's highlights were:

• Aida Vineyard
• Brown Estate Vineyards
• Carlisle Winery
• Cedarville Vineyard
• Charter Oak Winery
• Dashe Cellars
• Edmeades
• Hendry
• Jeff Runquist Wines
• Outpost Estate Wines
• Ridge Vineyards
• Sineann
• Tres Sabores