Media Advisory: 13TH Annual ZAP Festival Details, January 21-24, 2004

WHAT:   13th Annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Festival, San Francisco

WHY:   Four days of tasting, a Zinfandel paradise of aromas and flavors

WHAT'S NEW:

Flights   Zin-friendly foods accompany the 28 wines

Good Eats   new venue at Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park

Evening With the Winemakers   celebrity guest chef Mark Dommen and online auction bidding

Tasting   silent auction and an artist creating sculptures out of cardboard and glass

WHO:   275 Zinfandel wineries from seven California growing regions playing host to members of ZAP and the public

WHEN:   Wednesday, January 21-Saturday, January 24, 2004

WHERE:   Napa, Golden Gate Park, Mark Hopkins Hotel, Ft. Mason

1/21:   Flights: A Showcase of 2001 Zinfandels at COPIA: The American Center for Food, Wine & The Arts, 500 First Street, Napa, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. New event format: four themed flights of 2001-vintage Zins with 28 winemakers, hosted by Spencer Christian of ABC News. Tasting includes selections of Zin-friendly food from Julia's Kitchen: Sonoma Jack Artisanal Cheeses, Cured Salmon with Crème Fraiche, House-Smoked Pork Bouchee, Wild Mushroom Crostini with Confit Truffle Oil, Chocolate Bites. Tickets: $120 members, $140 non-members.

The first flight is Terroir/Grape Growing (old vine, new vine, trellis vs. head pruning, clonal selections, soils, and regions), moderated by Joel Peterson, Ravenswood, with David Pearson (Rancho Arroyo Grande), Fred Nickel (Brutocao), Patrick Llerena (Chateau Felice), Tim Meinken (Sapphire Hill Vyds), Will Bucklin (Bucklin), Barbara Spelletich (Spelletich Cellars), Ken Deaver (Deaver Vineyards).

The next flight is Winemaking (maturity, fermentation, blending, cooperage, filtration, harvest decisions, alcohol) moderated by Paul Draper, Ridge, with Chris Corley (Monticello Vyds), Kimberlee Nicholls (Markham Vineyards), Matt Cline (Trinitas Cellars), Rick Sayre (Rodney Strong Vineyards), Mike Dashe (Dashe Cellars), Jeff Meyers (Montevina), Victor Manuel Torres-Alegres (Chateau Camou).

The next flight is Consumer (styles, regions, alcohol, settings, service, aging), moderated by Debbie Zachareas, Bacar & Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, with Donn Reisen (Ridge Vineyards), Joel Butler (Beaulieu Vineyard), Mike Grgich (Grgich Hills Cellar), Britt Moore (Murphy - Goode Winery), Charlie Meeker (Meeker Vineyard), Mark Fedorchak (Van Ruiten Family), Doug Beckett (Peachy Canyon Winery).

The next flight is Kitchen: Putting it all together at the table (Zinfandel's versatility with food, regional characteristics and styles), moderated by Nancy Oakes of Boulevard Restaurant with Ryan Swarthout(Justin Vineyards), Lou Foppiano (Foppiano Vineyards), Nancy Walker (Fetzer Vineyards), Marketta Fourmeaux (Chateau Potelle), Quincy Selback (Niebaum-Coppola), Brad Clarke (Maison Basque Winery), David Noyes (Kunde Estate Winery).

1/22:   Good Eats & Zin: 36 Bay Area restaurants are teamed with 36 Zinfandel wineries in a walk-around tasting at Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 9th Avenue & Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Tickets: $70 members, $80 non-members. This is a new location for this event. Participating wineries/restaurants are Alexander Valley Vineyards/AVV Restaurant Catering Group, Ballentine Vyds/Destino Restaurant, Beaulieu Vyd/Pilar's, Bella Vyds/Mirapoix, Brutocao Cellars/PJ's Oyster Bed, Carol Shelton Wines/Willie's Wine Bar, Chateau Felice/Chez Felice, Clos du Lac/Ione Hotel, Cosentino Winery/Shanghai 1930, Crystal Basin Cellars/Pearl's Café, D-Cubed Cellars/Fume Bistro, Dry Creek Vyds/Mixx, Dunnewood Vyds/Duck Club, Eric Ross Winery/Olive & Vine, Hendry/Lark Creek Inn, Karly Wines/ZARE, Koves-Newlan Vyds/Compadre's Bar & Grill, Lake Sonoma Winery/Korbel Catering, Lamborn Family Wine Company/Postino, Lolonis Winery/Walnut Creek Yacht Club, Montevina Winery/Piatti-Santa Rosa, Moss Creek Winery, Ottimino/Barn Diva, Rancho Zabaco Winery/Zin Restaurant, Ridge Vineyards/BBQ Boys, Robert Rue Vyd/Village Inn & Restaurant, Rosenblum Cellars/Bucci's, Sharp Cellars/Sonoma Sausage Factory, Sobon Estate/PF Changs, St. Amant Winery/Tresetti's World Café, Storybook Mountain Vineyards/Dean & DeLuca, Sunset Cellars/Fusilli, The Terraces/Brenda Bosetti Fine Foods, THEA Winery/Indigo, Tin Barn Vineyards/Zu-Zu, Zoom Vineyards/North Main BBQ. Dishes will include Caribbean Spiced Duck Breast Crostini, Lamb Lentil Stew, Herb-crusted Lamb Chops with Black Truffle-Zinfandel demi-glace, Mussels with Bacon & Zinfandel Reduction, Crimini Mushroom Short Rib Ragout, Jambalaya and Cocktail Tamales with Pork in Red Mole.

1/23:   Evening With The Winemakers at The Mark Hopkins InterContinental Hotel, 1 Nob Hill, San Francisco. A walk-around tasting precedes a spectacular dinner created by two celebrity chefs followed by a live auction and dancing to music by Full Spectrum Jazz. The tasting begins at 6:30 p.m. Auction proceeds benefit the Zinfandel Heritage Projects. Tickets: $150 members, $200 non-members and are not available at the door. Celebrity Guest Chef Mark Dommen's first course will be Zinfandel and Duck Risotto with wild mushrooms. Executive Chef Sean Olmstead of The Mark Hopkins will create the entrée, Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb served with a Foie Gras- Zinfandel Reduction with Goat Cheese- Mashed Potatoes and Baby Vegetables. Dessert is a "Mark Hopkins Sampler Plate"---Pate Sucre Tart with Chocolate Ganache, White Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry with Dark Chocolate Drizzle, Peanut Butter Mousse Square, Espresso Cheesecake and Chocolate Decadence Cake.

Auctioneer David Reynolds will encourage bidding on an enormous array of Zinfandel-themed entertainment packages and collections of wine. For the first time the lots will be offered in a live auction format online through Ebay (from January 5 until January 23 at www.zinfandel.org). Bidding will continue during the live auction.

Participating wineries are Acorn Winery/Alegria Vyds, Amphora Winery, Bogle Winery, Charter Oak Winery, Chateau Potelle Winery, Downing Family Vineyards, Gabrielli Winery & Vyds, Gallo of Sonoma, Gustavo Thrace, Hunt Cellars, Joullian Vineyards, Limerick Lane Cellars, Norman Vineyards, Peachy Canyon Winery, Quivira Estate Vineyards & Winery, Ravenswood, Ridge Vineyards, Robert Biale Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Rosenblum Cellars, Saddleback Cellars, Sapphire Hill Vyds & Winery, Sebastiani Vineyards, Spelletich Cellars, Starry Night Winery, Steele Wines, Trentadue Winery, Tres Sabores, Trinitas Cellars, Turley Wine Cellars.

1/24:   13TH Annual Zinfandel Tasting: Ft. Mason Center, Festival and Herbst Pavilions, San Francisco, 1:30-5:00 p.m. for the public; 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. for the trade and media. 275 wineries (including 30 new wineries which have never poured their wines at this event before) will offer 2002-vintage barrel samples and new releases; tasters receive their own loaf of bread as they enter. An array of ZAP-logo'd merchandise will be available to purchase. This is the only opportunity to buy wines from The Heritage Vineyard (2001 vintage). Tickets: $40 members, $50 non-members, $55 at the door (limited availability at the door). New to this event this year is a silent auction which will run all day at the rear of the Festival Pavilion. About 100 lots----a mix of entertainment packages and collections of wine----will range in value from under $100 to $2,000 and a "takeaway bid" feature will insure that if a bidder can pay the top price, the lot is theirs (even at 10:01 am). One lot will be "California Gold," a collection of Zinfandels which have received ratings of 90 points and above in wine industry publications.

TICKETS: Call 415/345-7575 Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. or download form from www.zinfandel.org to fax or mail. Advance ticket sales end Tuesday 1/20 for Flights (no tickets available at the door) and Wednesday 1/21 for Good Eats (none at door). The Evening With The Winemakers is sold out. Advance ticket sales for the Tasting stop on Friday 1/23 (limited number of tickets at the door will be $55 for all categories).

MORE: Visit www.zinfandel.org to join ZAP, research Zinfandel and more! The Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) is a non profit, educational 501(c)(3) organization. ZAP is dedicated to advancing 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 over 320 winery-members, 6,000 advocate-members and 50 associate members.

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