Zinfandel is truly a versatile red wine. Or so was the consensus after we tasted dozens of fruit-forward, dry, smokey, sweet and savory Zins at the Good Eats & Zinfandel Pairing at Fort Mason on Jan. 27. Put on by ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers), the kickoff event to a weekend of wine tasting married 50 Zins from California and beyond with bites from 50 local eateries. A few favorites included lamb lollipops from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse paired elegantly with Klinker Brick Winery’s “Old Ghost,” decadent porcini mushroom-filled tortellini with truffle oil from Il Davide Restaurant, and pink Champagne cupcakes from Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar. From chocolate to hearty meat dishes to housemade jerky from Krave (think: smoked chipotle jerky paired with a spicy Mantra Winery red), the event was proof that Zinfandel pairs swimmingly with a wide array of different dishes. In its 20th year, the ZAP Zinfandel [...]
Kicking off ZAP
by Erin Archuleta Last night the Fort Mason Center Pavilion was packed with what promises to be a weekend-long dedicated group of Aloha shirt-wearing festivalgoers for the “Good Eats & Zinfandel Pairing” dinner kick-off event of the 19th Annual Zinfandel Festival. This year’s fest theme is “Zin in Paradise,” and dedicated nonprofit ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) created a totally warm, festive mood amidst the chilly bayside San Francisco location. Celebrity Chef Beverly Gannon of the famous Maui Hali`imaile General Store (think Barefoot Contessa, meets dreamy island beef, pork, and in a cheeky, fun nod to the Mainland, meatloaf) reminded attendees just why we should be booking our next trips to the Valley Isle. Slack-key sounds emanated around the room where close to 50 Northern California and Maui-based restaurants paired dinner bites with 49 wineries showcasing their finest zins.
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