Zinfandel Festival Paints the Town RedART AND ENTERTAIN ME

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

It was all about temptation and succumbing to it. Not that anyone would mind. Zinfandel Advocates & Producers’ 20th annual Zinfandel Festival rocked San Francisco with hundreds of zin-producing wineries and thousands of zin worshipers attending a three-day event at the end of January.

Held exclusively in San Francisco, and traditionally a sell-out, Zinspiration included single-varietal tastings, winemakers’ dinners, flights and food pairings, and altogether presented a real danger of overindulgence.
One of the programmed events, Good Eats and Zinfandel Pairing in Herbst Pavilion at Ft. Mason Center brought together 50 wineries and 50 restaurants matched with amazing precision.
Alexander Valley Vineyards’ Sin Zin was paired with equally sinful sweet potato soufflé enriched with a trio of cheeses from Flavor Bistro in Santa Rosa.

Ravenswood (“No Wimpy Wines”) robust read – with spiced duck chili from Central Market in Petaluma. A decadent short rib in chili-zin sauce with blue cheese on a potato crisp from Q Restaurant in SF accompanied 2007 90 year-old vines private reserve zin from Sausal Winery.
Speaking of zin-inspired dishes, a divine zin risotto with duck confit, mushrooms, and applewood-smoked bacon was delivered by One Market Restaurant (SF) along with Three Wines Company 2008 Old Vines.

B.R. Cohn Winery and Olive Oil Company’s premium wines were matched with a fancy cocoa five spice pork shoulder over creamy polenta from Preferred Sonoma Caterers in Petaluma.
Another appearance of cocoa was spotted on tri tip with cherry demi sauce from Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar in Sonoma, paired with Wilson Winery’s family of 2008 zins.

2008 Bobcat Reserve, the most famous and popular of all zins made by Selby Winery, had a food accompaniment of feijoada – a Brazilian stew from Relish Culinary Adventures in Healdsburg. A framed photograph of a gorgeous fluffy kitty, presumably a namesake for the wine, graced the tasting table.
Klinker Brick Winery 2008 Old Ghost Vine came in a good company of Ruth’s Chris succulent lamb lollipops, and Grgich Hills Estates 2007 Napa Valley brought about an exquisite combination of smoked pork, romesco sauce, tapenade and Idiazabal cheese from Solbar at Solage Calistoga.

Half-way through the loop around the overcrowded Herbst Pavilion, sipping and nibbling “zinners” paused to see a succession of cooking demos featuring celebrity chef Joyce Goldstein with [her son] master sommelier Evan Goldstein; Carneros Bistro chef Janine Falvo with sommelier Christopher Sawyer; and Nadia G from the new Cooking Channel series Bitchin’ Kitchen.

Murphy-Goode Liar’s Dice and Snake Eyes dizzying zins were coupled with the most flavorful beef tartar (capers, onions, egg yolk, and fleur de sel on toasted baguette – just what the doctor ordered) from Lark Creek Steak (SF).

Deep Purple Winery and Ann Rudorf Catering from Pacifica created a great combo of rich Lodi zin and spiced lamb in collard dolmas.
Cutesy pork sliders from Grill Master Sid in Alameda enhanced Rosenblum Cellars terroir-specific zins.

Another Alameda couple came up with a nice double treat – Rock Wall Wine Company and Angela’s Bistro. The bistro’s Mongolian dumplings, mantus, were freshly made by hand, and utterly delicious.

Vegetarian-friendly beet, olive and ricotta crostini were served by A 16 (SF) to complement D-cubed Cellars. However, carnivores indulged in famous A 16 chicken-liver pate bites, too.
Zin Fest was also a place to run into old friends and to make new ones. In a collective effort to assure the legacy and future of Zinfandel – America’s Heritage Wine, dozens of sponsors extended their support for the festival.

One of the official sponsors, TEK Labels & Printing owner David Hinds, happened to be this reporter’s old friend Warren’s brother!

When we met on the festival floor, glasses in hand, David told me that TEK printed this year’s Heritage California Zinfandel label on 100% recycled paper. Talk about going green, caring for the future, and being aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

It would be impossible to mention all the tasteful and tasty presentations put together by skilled wine producers and talented chefs for the sake of majestic Zinfandel and its many graces. However, a colorful display of KollarChocolates from Yountville paired with Artezin Wines caught my eye when I wasn’t able any more to take another sip or bite.

And yet, how could I pass by a chunk of heavenly foie gras in the hands of Bisou French Bistro’s energetic chef-owner Nick Ronan? Located at 2367 Market St. in San Francisco, and highly praised by all my Castro friends, Bisou has been on my “to go” list for a while now. In-between light-hearted French dialogs with his compatriots, and French two-cheek kisses with the visiting ladies, Chef Nick treated me to a couple of sinful bites followed by 2007 Zydeco from R & B Cellars.