if you are going to ZAP, please make sure to visit m2 Wines-our first time at the ZAP festival.

from the magazine "Wines and Vines"...

Zin Is Busting Out All Over
ZAP Festival Jan. 24-27 includes 35 first-time participants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


San Francisco—Judging by the roster of wineries scheduled to pour Zinfandel for the first time at the 16th annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) Festival in San Francisco Jan. 24-27, California's heritage grape variety continues to appeal to both winemakers and growers. Thirty-five wineries have been added to the mix of about 250 total wineries for the giant walk-around tasting on Saturday, Jan. 27, at Fort Mason Center, which is an important event for members of ZAP and Bay Area Zinfandel drinkers.
Operations pouring for the first time this year are as big as Sterling Vintner's Collection, a national supermarket brand, and as small as M2 Cellars in Lodi, which made 224 cases of an old-vine Zin in its first commercial vintage, 2004. GiaDomella Winery will be pouring its second vintage of Zinfandel from its family property, E. Passalacqua vineyard, which falls in two Sonoma County appellations, Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley.

Boutique wineries with dedicated followings for their other wines are also branching into Zinfandel for the first time. Hagafen of Napa Valley made its first Zinfandel in 2004, with a modest quantity of 400 cases, and equally modest alcohol content of 14%. An even more famous Napa name, Cakebread Cellars, is also making Zinfandel and will pour its latest.

Many of the wineries new to Zinfandel, or at least new to ZAP, hail from Sonoma County, while others are scattered around the state. "More wineries are including Zin in their game plan," says Rebecca Robinson, executive director of ZAP. "We’ve seen the trend that there are many small start-ups who are Zin specialists."

The big tasting takes place at the Festival and Herbst Pavilions at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco from 2 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 27. Tickets are $45 for ZAP members, $55 for nonmembers, and a limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door at $65.

Members of the trade and media are welcome earlier, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Jan. 27. The 16th Annual Tasting will welcome more than 250 Zinfandel wineries. Wines to be tasted will be primarily the 2004 vintage, as well as 2005 barrel samples.

The tasting is the only place where Zin aficionados can purchase the Heritage Vineyard Zinfandel; this year, the 2004 vintage will be available. It was made by Kent Rosenblum of Rosenblum Cellars from vines grown from heritage clones in a section of the UC Davis Oakville Research Station in Napa Valley. It's for a good cause, the furtherance of ZAP’s Heritage Projects, including the Heritage Vineyard, so winemakers and growers who haven't experienced this wine may want to buy it for their own education.

Each attendee receives a commemorative wineglass (to use and keep) as well as a baguette upon entering. Logo merchandise and mixed cases of Zinfandels are available for purchase as well. Water, coffee, cheeses, breads and fruits are available throughout the two pavilions. Parking is limited; ZAP recommends public transportation. New this year: Ft. Mason is charging $8 for parking. There will be a complimentary shuttle to the parking lot at Marina Middle School, Bay & Webster (a $10 charge there supports the school).