Totally ZIN at ZAP-Fest

by Frank Mangio

The ZAP-Fest, an annual gathering of Zinfandel fanatics in San Francisco by the Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) was everything I had heard that it was, and more.

Not your usual namby-pamby gathering, it was an exciting delight from the start of its 3 days of creativity to the Grand Tasting that filled two large buildings with over 200 wineries at Fort Mason, with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop.

8,000 guests poured over the wines offered. It was the 20th ZAP gathering so a Roaring 20’s theme was cut loose and burst through expectations with new ways to learn about this grape with a strong European influence.

Chiarello Family Vineyards was a new entry in the ZAP Festival, the creation of Napa Valley’s master chef Michael Chiarello.

This “used-to-be” jug wine with boyish fruit and high alcohol has its roots in such far away places as Campania, Italy where it is known as Primitivo, with traces of this varietal verified across the Adriatic, in Croatia. Cuttings were brought to California in the 1820s from Austrian sources who gave it the Germanic name. It grew vigorously and later in the 1900s became popular as a blush wine, White Zinfandel. Old vines were preserved for their lengthy production.

Joel Peterson, founder and winemaker for Ravenswood since its beginnings in 1976, is also one of the founders of ZAP. He is also a member of the 2011 Vintners Hall of Fame as the Zinfandel Pioneer who held the varietal together and changed its perception to that of a premier, premium wine.

Joel Peterson, is founder of the popular Ravenswood Zinfandel, now producing 800,000 cases of red wine.

Joel works with over 100 plus growers that provide grapes for Ravenswood, which offers a huge variety and range of Zins, from the Vintners Blend Zin, seen in most supermarkets, to select vineyard premiums from Napa Valley, Sonoma and Lodi ( $35.) www.ravenswood.com.

Other Zin favorites at the festival included: BR Cohn Sonoma Valley($28.), Bogle Old Vine Zin from Lodi($11.), V Sattui Winery Napa Valley make 12 different styles of Zin($36.), Seghesio Family Wineries has won world-wide awards for its 6 collections of estate Zins ($36.), Pedroncelli in Sonoma has scored well with its Mother Clone Old Vine and Dry Rose’ of Zin($15.), and a newcomer, Wine Guerrilla of Sonoma is worth a try($30.).

The next Zinfandel Festival is in Paso Robles March 18 to 20. From great Paso Zins, food from master chefs and auctions, there are many ways to enjoy this major event. See all the options at www.pasowine.com.

Wine Bytes

Il Farro Italian Restaurant in Newport Beach has a Sardinian Wine Dinner Thurs. March 10 at 6:30pm. Wine owners Pina and Francesco Soletta will present the wines. $59. pp. Call 949-723-5711.

Orfila Winery in Escondido has a 8-wine blind tasting Thurs. March 10 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. $25. ea. includes a How to Taste guide. Top score wins a bottle of Orfila Wine. Call 800-868-9463.

Cakebread Wines are the select feature at the Wine Bank in the Gaslamp, downtown San Diego Fri. March 11 from 6 to 8pm. Cost is $20. for Napa Valley’s elite wines. Details at 619-234-7487.

Canapes in the San Marcos Restaurant Row has the Robert Hall wines for a tasting Sun. March 13 from 3 to 6pm. $10. pp includes paired appetizers. RSVP at 760-510-2088.

Firefly Grill and Wine Bar in Encinitas has a Treana Winemaker Dinner Mon. March 14 at 6:30pm. These wines are some of Paso Robles’s best. Cost is $59. Reserve your place at 760-635-1066.

Il Fornaio at the Del Mar Plaza has its next Festa Regionale with a salute to the wine and food of the Trentino-Alto Adige districts of Italy, March 6 to 20. Local wines and food featured. See www.ilfornaio.com.

A Salute to John and Sally Thornton

by Frank Mangio
John and Sally Thornton, owners of Thornton Winery in Temecula with their son Steve, recently added three more awards to their decades-long accomplishments in wine and hospitality. The Southern California Restaurant Writers bestowed their Golden Bacchus Wine Award and Golden Five Star Sceptre Award to the winery’s Café Champagne after a year-long evaluation from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border. Both are the organization’s highest awards in their category.

Kudos to Café Champagne’s top chef, Steve Pickell, who has guided its success for over 13 years. He saluted the Thornton’s “contribution to the culinary vision with their expertise, dedication, talent and integrity.”

The Thorntons were also honored as Humanitarians of the Year due to the constant and major giving to community charities. Their name is on one of the largest medical centers in San Diego. Thornton Winery has a 20 year legacy of winemaking that has brought it world acclaim, especially in blending “Methode Champenoise” Sparkling Wine/Champagne, which created worldwide excitement for its freshness and bursts of flavor as an ideal celebratory drink, best expressed by the Brut Reserve series.

John and Sally Thornton toasting with one of their popular Methode Champenoise Sparkling Wine/Champagne varietals which brought fame to their winery.

The distinguished old world look of the property displays elegant French influence with an overlook of the pristine vineyards that bear the estate fruit of Thornton. Their champagne jazz series is in full bloom and the lineup reads like a who’s who of talent. Yet the best part of this success story is the work of winemaker Don Reha and his movement into Mediterranean style red wines since his arrival in 2003. Latest release names to know are: 2005 Viognier, 2006 Nebbiolo, 2005 Estate Bottled Syrah and the 2006 Late Harvest Zinfandel.

You can now pick up a 30% discount on any case purchase with free shipping. Check out this short term offer by calling 951-699-0099 or visiting www.thorntonwine.com.

Temecula Wine Country Has Busy Season Ahead

Photo: Guitarist Craig Chaquico

Up and down Rancho California Road, and recently DePortola Road, the wineries of Temecula are busy creating lovely new wines and new and bigger facilities. The visitor count rises as nicer weather takes on a more consistent pattern.

It is an exciting time to be part of the wine scene is this growing area. Just a few days ago, a new winery opened its doors on DePortola: Robert Renzoni Vineyards, capturing the essence of Italian style winemaking. More about this in a future column.

At the New World International Wine Competition in Ontario recently, Temecula Valley wines captured 52 medals, after scoring 12 medals earlier at the San Francisco Chronicle showing. It was spread out among a number of wineries that are pulling some strong ratings from Sauvignon Blanc to Zinfandel.

Wilson Creek is meriting a lot of attention with its major upgrade, to include Wine Country’s newest restaurant as well as more banquet space. The Creekside Grill will feature “Mediterranean home-style,” elegantly presented cuisine. It should be ready to go in June. A ballroom above the restaurant will hold parties of 350 people. A barrel room will hold 75 guests. New Food and Beverage Director is Mindy Smith and will be handling the bookings of the new operation.

The biggest boost to Wilson Creek is the appointment of Etienne Cowper as winemaker. He has been in the Valley for 17 years and before coming down to Temecula he was at Kendall Jackson in Sonoma. At a recent party to introduce a new Zinfandel 2005 release, Etienne told me that “the fruit and its fullest expression is the most important part of the wine process. You have to know the grape and what it can do.” He went to say that “I believe in blending…some grapes like Sangioves tend to be thin in the middle and blending will enliven it and build up the body.” I asked him about how he knows when to harvest the grapes. “I sample (grapes) myself, walking, looking, feeling, and examining the seeds and skins.”

Concert season is just about ready to kick off and Wilson Creek has its Sunset jazz lineup in place, with headliners like the Sax Pack June 28, Eric Darius and guitarist Craig Chaquico (shown in above photo) July 19, among others. Tickets and information at www.wilsoncreekwinery.com or call 951-699-9463.

Thornton Winery, which invented “Champagne Jazz” concerts some 20 years ago, has its most ambitious venue ever with some 21 dates. Names like Richard Elliot, Jeffery Osborne and Mindi Abair are set to entertain in the next few months. Check out the lineup at www.thorntonwine.com or 951-699-3021.

If your entertainment likes are more intimate, try Keyways Vineyard and Winery Piano Bar on Friday nights 6:30 to 9:30pm, and Sunday “Music in the Vines” from 2pm to 6pm. More information at 951-302-7888.

by Frank Mangio

Give Thanks to these Holiday Wines

The Fall season is always an exciting one for wines as new releases are brought to market and the current year’s harvest is completed. I understand that California from coast to coast had a banner harvest with little rain as an impediment and rich concentration of juice, with no overproduction. The only exception was the Pinot Noir crop. The dry weather has left vineyards scrambling for grapes to make this wine. The shortage of Pinot could lead to rising prices for this fragile grape. But we won’t be able to taste the goods for a year or two.

• San Diego Wine Company is touting the Chateau Bellisle Mondotte, St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux, 2005, for just $28.95. ‘05 was an incredible year in France.
  
  
• Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve 2004. Just out as the #9 wine in all the world from Wine Spectator at 95 points. $125. This was the last year that the Mondavis had a hand in the winemaking before being taken over. But wait…I just tasted the ’04 Mondavi Cab, not the reserve, but a rich, beautifully structured non-reserve wine, for just $20… your choice. Just don’t bother with the ’05: a stinging taste and flavor…ugly!
  
  
• Banfi Chianti Classico, 2005. Well balanced, easy to please the palate Sangiovese grape. Easy price at $10.
  
  
• Pedroncelli “Mother Clone” Zinfandel 2005. Sonoma’s most pleasing old vine Zin. Full-bodied classicDry Creek Valley wine. Just a touch of Petite Syrah for a bit more bang. “ Mother” is 100 year old vines. Great concentration. Worth a look at www.pedroncelli.com. $18.