FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Julie Ann Kodmur, Zinfandel Advocates & Producers: 707-963-9632,
info@zinfandel.org

ZINFANDEL ADVOCATES & PRODUCERS ANNOUNCES 2005 DETAILS
14th Annual ZAP Festival takes place January 26-29, 2005

Rough & Ready CA 2004---Ticket sales for Zinfandel Advocates & Producers' 14th Annual Festival (January 26-29, 2005, all in San Francisco) go on sale October 1, 2004 from 415/345-7575. The organization's website, www.zinfandel.org, is a source for up-to-the-minute details.

In 2004 more than 10,000 people enthusiastically celebrated America's grape during the 13th Annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Festival, and a similar number of Zinfandel aficionados are expected in 2005.

Wednesday January 26, 2005:
Flights! A Showcase of Zinfandels San Francisco City College, 50 Phelan Avenue, Statler Wing, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies, San Francisco
In 2004 more than 155 people attended this afternoon of panel discussions and tastings. In 2005 winemakers will again be the panelists for extensive discussions of all aspects of Zinfandel grapegrowing and winemaking. Tickets for ZAP members are $100.00; non-members, $125.00.

Thursday January 27, 2005:
Good Eats & Zinfandel: Herbst Pavilion at Ft. Mason, San Francisco In 2004 this event paired 36 Zinfandel producers with 36 restaurants, offering attendees an enormous array of foods to try with Zinfandel. The same format will occur in 2005. Tickets for members are $75.00; non-members, $100.00.

Friday January 28, 2005:
An Evening with the Winemakers: The Mark Hopkins InterContinental Hotel, Nob Hill, San Francisco A walk-around tasting precedes an elegant dinner created entirely around Zinfandel, followed by an auction of Zinfandel wines and Zinfandel-related items. tickets are $200.00 for members; $250.00 for non-members. The funds raised support research at The Heritage Vineyard in Oakville and other research in the Sierra Foothills. Online bidding will be possible in 2005 as it was in 2004. Last year the event welcomed 300 attendees and auctioneer Dave Reynolds coaxed approximately $65,000 from the crowd. The top lots were a trip to Tuscany (for $8,000) and a four-way tie between trips to Zinfandel regions and "Really Big Zin," a 27-liter bottle (for which there is no name), a blend of the signature wines of Ridge, Rosenblum and Ravenswood (from the Monte Rosso, Geyserville, Rockpile vineyards), which came with its own hand truck.

Saturday January 29, 2005:
14th Annual ZAP Tasting: Herbst & Festival Pavilions at Ft. Mason "Early bird" tickets, available now, are $35.00 for the Tasting. For members, tickets are $40.00; for non-members, $50.00. Tickets for the trade tasting portion of this event are $35.00. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door for $60.00. In 2004 more than 8,000 people traveled "miles" at this event tasting new releases and 2002 barrel samples, poured by 275 Zinfandel wineries. One of the event's signatures is that tasters are handed their own baguette as they enter: 8,000 baguettes and 2,200 pounds of cheeses were enjoyed last year. This event has grown hugely from its first Tasting in 1992 with 22 wineries pouring their Zinfandels. In 2004 people came to the Festival from all over the U.S. and the world, including Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands and South Africa.

Zin aficionados could take the Festival home in several ways. This is the only place where wine from the research vineyard is sold: in 2005 the 2002 Heritage Vineyard wine will be sold (the winemakers rotate; Turley Wine Cellars was responsible for the 2002).

ZAP's 2005 Spring Tours
ZAP will be traveling to San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Orleans in the spring of 2005 (watch for details at www.zinfandel.org). In April 2004 ZAP traveled to New York City, Kansas City (Missouri), St. Louis (Missouri), Denver and Houston in its biggest market visit ever, welcoming approximately 2,500 people at ten events.

ZINFANDEL RECIPES created by chef Mark Dommen (Zinfandel BBQ Sauce, Spiced Zinfandel & Fig Compote and Zinfandel Chocolate Truffles) are available at www.zinfandel.org.

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 300 winery-members, 6,000 advocate-members and 50 associate members. ZAP supports research and education about and into Zinfandel, including the Heritage Vineyard and the evaluation of Sierra Nevada Zinfandel selections (under the direction of UC Cooperative Extension).

Join ZAP now either online at www.zinfandel.org or by contacting P.O.B. 1487, Rough & Ready, CA 95975, telephone 530/274-4900.

THE HERITAGE VINEYARD: The Zinfandel Heritage Vineyard, at UC Davis' Viticultural Research Station in Oakville (Napa Valley), is an unusual and unprecedented collection of rare Zinfandel vine cuttings from all over California. Please visit http://www.zinfandel.org/about_zin/heritagevineyard/ to read about the 2004 harvest and further details.

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