Rough & Ready CA---The 15th Annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Festival will take place January 25-28, 2006. All tickets areavailable from www.zinfandel.org or by calling 415/345-7575. The only event where tickets will be available at the door is the Tasting on January 28. Details about the Festival are updated regularly at www.zinfandel.org Napa(details at www.zinfandel.org ).

“The ZAP Festival is a wonderful place to observe America'swine community in microcosm. Youcan see the newest and most established wineries, the family businesses and the corporations--all focused on one of our tastiestwines— Zinfandel. As an educator and observer, I find it fascinating to be there andsee the Festival up close,” comments Mack Schwing, Director of The WineBusiness Program at The School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University.

The specific events making up the Festival:
January 25: Flights: A Showcase of California Zinfandels at City College of San Francisco, Ocean Avenue Campus, 50 Phelan Avenue, San Francisco(94112), 2-5:00 seminars/tasting, reception following 5:00-6:00 p.m.; tickets are $125.00 for non-ZAP members, $100 for ZAP members; no ticket purchases at the door. This event is produced in collaboration with The City College of San Francisco Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies program;students from this program will prepare hors d’oeuvres to be served during thesessions and during the reception. Julie Johnson (Tres Sabores) is the opening andclosing host.

The Panels Are:
Out of the Barrel: The 2005 Vintage, moderatedby Duane Dappen (D-Cubed Cellars), withJonathan Lachs (Cedarville Vineyard), Pam Simpson (Chase Family Cellars), Grady Wann (Quivira Estate Vineyards & Winery) (tasting duringthis panel will contrast 2005 and 2003 Zinfandels from the same vineyards) What a Pair! Zinfandel & Food Matches, moderatedby Tannis Reinhertz (City College), with Carol Shelton (Carol Shelton Wines), Tim Crull (The Terraces), David Phillips (Michael-David Vineyards), Tom Mackey (St. Francis Winery & Vineyard) Generations of History & Heritage, moderatedby Justin Boeger (Boeger Winery), with PeteSeghesio (Seghesio Family Vineyards), Mark Beaman (Parducci Wine Estates), Leon Sobon (Sobon Estates), Julie Pedroncelli (Pedroncelli Winery), Jeff Bundschu (Gundlach-Bundschu Winery).

January 26: Good Eats & Zinfandelat Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco (94123), 6-9:00 p.m.;tickets are $100 for non-ZAP members and $75 for ZAP members. A‘dine-around’ extravaganza, where 47 Zinfandel producers haveteamed up with restaurants and purveyors to offer fine-tuned food-wine‘marriages!’ Please see complete listing of wineries and restaurants at http://www.zinfandel.org/festival/default.asp?cid=1&n1=9. No tickets will be available at the door for this event. Sweet potato ravioliwith tuna sashimi, homemade cherry-chipotle sausage sliders, wild boar burgerson blue cheese crostini, zinfandel-infused foie gras mousse, zinfandel-braisedwild boar on truffled polenta, duck confit burger with zinfandel fig compote,pork on a stick with pomegranate gremolata, dark chocolate fondue….

January 27: An Evening With The Winemakersat The Mark Hopkins InterContinental Hotel in San Francisco(1 Nob Hill between Californiaand Mason, 94108); tickets are $250 for non-ZAP members and $200 for members.Guests arrive at 6:00 p.m., pre-dinner tasting begins at 6:30 p.m.; receptionand dinner follow; auction takes place after the dinner. Start with a taste ofthe 2004 Heritage Vineyard Zinfandel; proceed to a walk-around reception andthen a magnificent dinner by Executive Chef Clayton Van Hooijdonk. No ticketswill be available at the door. Auctioneers Fritz Hatten and Tom DiNardo willpreside over a collection of 25 one-of-a-kind lots including lifestyle packagesand rare Zinfandels. This evening is an opportunity to dine elegantly with yourfavorite Zinfandel winemaker and help raise funds for ZAP’s support ofThe Heritage Projects including The Heritage Vineyard.

January 28: The 15th Annual ZinfandelAdvocates & Producers Tasting at the Festival and Herbst Pavilions at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco (94123); tickets are $50 for non-ZAP members and $40 for ZAP members. A limited number of tickets will beavailable for purchase at the door for $60.00. The trade and media are welcome between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.; the public is invited 1:30 – 5:00 p.m. Explore the depth and breadth of Zinfandel as 300 Zinfandel wineries offer current releases and barrel samples, with a special focus on the 2004 vintage. Each year finds wineries new to the Tasting (in 2006 there will be 14 wineries who have never before poured at this event). The Festival is the only place where Zin aficionados can purchase the Heritage Vineyard Zinfandel; in 2006 the 2003 vintage will be available (made by Paul Draper of RidgeVineyards). Wineries are positioned in alphabetical order. Upon arrival you aregiven a ZAP logo’d glass (yours to keep), a baguette and the program (which itself may be the most comprehensive listing of Zinfandels available); throughout the two buildings are numerous food stations with breads, cheeses,fruit, coffee and water. ZAP’s Marketplace offers caps, tshirts,chocolates and other items. A silent auction will be taking place at the rear of the Festival Pavilion throughout the Tasting.

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. ZAPis dedicated to advancing public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. Winegrowers, winemakersand wine enthusiasts combine to form the membership. The common focus is thepreservation and recognition of Zinfandel as America’s heritage wine. ZAP’s membership includes approximately 300 winery-members, 6,000advocate-members and 50 associate members.

Contact:
Julie Ann Kodmur
707/963-9632
corking@julieannkodmur.com

Digital photos available at www.zinfandel.org