The Zinfandel Festival Turns 22

2013 Zinfandel Festival LogoIt’s time for the 2013 Zinfandel Festival!  ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) proudly presents the 22nd Annual Zinfandel Festival in San Francisco, from January 31 – February 2, 2013.  You’ve probably heard about the massive Grand Tasting before, but did you know the Zinfandel Festival offers a total of four fantastic options spread out over three days?  Activities include a Food and Wine Pairing event, a Seminar-Style Tasting experience, a Winemakers Dinner, and the famous Grand Tasting with hundreds of wines.  Keep reading and we’ll give you the rundown on each event, and why you should consider attending as many of them as you can.

For complete details on the 2013 Zinfandel Festival, and to purchase tickets, please go here.  ZAP members can get tickets at discounted prices, but you can also purchase a membership at the point of sale to take advantage of the discounts.  In fact, tickets for the Winemakers’ Dinner automatically include a membership in the ticket price.

Zinfandel Festival:  Epicuria

Mustards Grill

Mustards Grill, one of the restaurants at Epicuria

Epicuria, Food and Zinfandel Pairings unfolds between 6:00 and 9:00 pm at The Concourse (635 8th Street at Brannan, San Francisco) on Thursday, January 31.  Embark on a gourmet adventure as you explore the versatile flavors of Zinfandel at ZAP’s popular dine-around event.  You can sample sophisticated and whimsical culinary creations from master chefs, perfectly paired with 50 top Zinfandel wines.  Dishes including beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck, and boar await you, as well as cupcakes and confections.  Non-member tickets are $125 each.

Need a little more temptation?  Here are just some of the winery/restaurant teams joining forces on January 31st and the small plates being offered that evening:

  • Bonneau Wines paired with Ruth’s Chris Steak House, serving Lamb Lollipops with Zinfandel Demi-glace
  • Carol Shelton Wines paired with Rosso Pizzeria, serving Braised Short Rib Ravioli, Mushrooms, & Caramelized Shallots with Goat Cheese
  • Dogwood Cellars paired with Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar, serving Pink Champagne Cupcakes
  • Dry Creek Vineyard paired with Maven, serving Zinfandel Braised Pork Belly, Currant and Tarragon Marmalade, Cinnamon Candied Orange Rind
  • Four Vines paired with City College of San Francisco, serving Five-Spice Duck Confit Sliders
  • Grgich Hills Estate paired with 3D Candies, serving Raspberry Hazelnut Caramel and Lavender Black Cherry Vanilla Caramel
  • Klinker Brick Winery paired with Radius, serving Duck Liver Mousse with Blackberry Gastrique
  • M2 Wines paired with Alebrijes Mexican Bistro, serving Chicken Croquette with Chipotle Aioli
  • Outpost Estate Wines paired with Mustards Grill, serving Mongolian Pork Sliders
  • Ravenswood Winery paired with Central Market, serving Muleheart Farm Pork Chili Rojos with Petaluma Gold Rush Beans
  • Ridge Vineyards paired with Harris’, serving Harris’ Signature Steak Tartare
  • Rosenblum Cellars paired with Chef Joey Altman, serving Wild Boar Sugo over Creamy Polenta with Bellwether Farms San Andreas Sheep Milk Cheese
  • St. Francis Winery paired with Executive Chef David Bush, serving Five Spice Pork Spring Rolls with Smoked Chili Hoisin
  • Troon Vineyard paired with The Vegetarian Gourmet, serving Swiss Style Open-Face Gruyere Tart and Swiss Style Open-Face Onion Tart

 

Zinfandel Festival:  Flights

Robert Biale Vineyards

Robert Biale, of Robert Biale Vineyards. is a presenter at Flights

Flights, Forums of Flavor happens on Friday, February 1 from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm at The Fairmont Hotel (950 Mason Street, San Francisco). Designed for the enthusiast with a passion for the legendary, this exclusive seminar-style tasting helps you delve into the history, culture, and science behind the many flavors of Zinfandel.  Moderators and speakers will guide you through tastings of Zinfandel from the Lodi, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma regions.  (unfortunately, this event just sold out)

Zinfandel Festival:  Winemakers Dinner

Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards, one of the wineries at the Winemakers Dinner

The Zinfandel Winemakers Dinner, A Benefit With Taste is from 5:00 – 10:00 pm on Friday, February 1 at The Fairmont Hotel (950 Mason Street, San Francisco).  The Fabulous Forties reign as you enter this Casablanca-themed VIP benefit.  ZAP’s premier winemakers host this elegant reception and dinner while pouring their specially chosen private selections of Zinfandel.  The evening’s festivities include Live and Silent Auctions featuring rare and one-of-a-kind lifestyle lots, with proceeds benefiting ZAP programming, education, and Heritage Vineyard Projects.    Non-member tickets are $250 each (which includes one annual ZAP membership).

This extravagant dinner showcases wines from 27 participating wineries, including Robert Biale Vineyards, Hendry Wines, Mauritson Family Winery, Ridge Vineyards, and Seghesio Family Vineyards.  Dining selections include Peking BBQ Duck Sliders, Mushroom and Fontina Arancini, Roasted Butternut Squash and Ricotta Cheese on Rustic Bread, Seared Day Boat Scallops, Sonoma Lamb Chop with Cauliflower Gratin and Heirloom Baby Carrots, and a Chocolate Decadence Cake with Salted Caramel.

 

Zinfandel Festival:  Grand Tasting

Kokomo Winery

Kokomo Winery, one of the Grand Tasting participants

The Zinfandel Festival’s Grand Tasting is at The Concourse (635 8th Street at Brannan, San Francisco) between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm on Saturday, February 2 (although ZAP Members are able to enter at 1:00 pm) – This is the world’s largest Zinfandel tasting where you can enjoy over 200 premier Zinfandel wines, including new releases and barrel samples.  Journey through the varietal’s unique growing regions to experience the diversity of America’s Heritage Grape.  Non-member tickets are $65 each.

Participating wineries at this crowd-pleasing event include Acorn Winery, Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves, Black Sears, Chase Cellars, Dashe Cellars, DeLoach Vineyards, Four Vines Winery, Frank Family Vineyards, Gamba Vineyards and Winery, Hartford Family Winery, Hendry, Kokomo Winery, Mauritson Family Winery, Ridge Vineyards, Robert Biale Vineyards, Rock Wall Wine Company, Rosenblum Cellars, Seghesio Family Vineyards, Storrs Winery, Storybook Mountain Vineyards, Talty Vineyards and Winery, Tres Sabores, Troon Vineyard, Turley Wine Cellars, Vigilance Winery & Vineyard, Wilson Winery, Woodenhead Vintners, and ZinAlley Winery.

 

zap logo_blackThe Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) is a not-for-profit, member-based, educational organization whose mission is to advance public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history.  Consumers can become ZAP’s “Advocate” members and have unique opportunities to explore Zinfandel, meet other Zinfandel enthusiasts and discover new wineries.  An annual membership is $44 (for two people) and membership benefits include numerous special and behind-the-scenes events and resources.  Members also receive early entrance to the Grand Zinfandel Tasting at ZAP’s Zinfandel Festival, winemaker workshops held in the exclusive Members’ Lounge, and ticket savings for the Festival and other events.

 


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