The World of ZAP Changes, The Vintage Insights Remain the Same

by Chuck Hayward


If there's one thing that the wine industry can once in a while guarantee, it's a bit of consistency. The vines wake up in the spring, champagne sells like crazy as the holidays approach and the annual ZAP tasting is held during the end of January. In fact, ZAP has traditionally occupied the weekend before the Super Bowl just so zin enthusiasts don't have to sacrifice football to enjoy their favorite wine.
 
After more than 20 years of the same tasting format, ZAP undertook some radical changes in the structure of this year's event. Instead of the "Grand Tasting", which has usually been held at the pavilions at Fort Mason in San Francisco, the day's festivities were spread amongst three nearby buildings. Re-branded as the "Zinfandel Experience", ZAP created three themed tasting sessions which lasted two hours with each session held three times over the course of the day.
 
Most importantly, "this revolutionary new format" was also significantly downsized with each of the nine tasting sessions allowing only 350 people. Compare this with the almost 9000 people who showed up each year under the old format and we are talking a big reduction in the number of people who can attend.

Not only was there a decrease in the number of attendees (and the long lines waiting for the tasting to start) but there was a significant decline in the number of wineries who poured their wines. This slimmed down tasting had about 30% fewer wineries sharing their wines and even fewer available for the trade portion tasting a few days earlier. It's pretty clear that the ZAP of old is changing.
 
In addition to providing consumers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the pleasures of zinfandel, ZAP’s traditional January date has also allowed some folks in the trade to gain a look into the latest vintage coming to market, in this case, the wines from 2012. While zinfandel and cabernet don’t have much in common in the vineyard or the glass, over the years, the ZAP tasting has provided an insight about the style of the soon-to-be released California cabs. Generally, the basic qualities of a zinfandel's bouquet and palate are a good indicator of what can be expected in cabernets from Napa and Sonoma from the same vintage.

The hype surrounding California's 2012 vintage has been building since the grapes were crushed. Following a dismal 2011 harvest, winemakers were keen to have some good news to tell the trade and the drumbeat has been fairly insistent ever since. Not only was the quality deemed exceptional but there was going to be plenty of it.

With that background, I was looking forward to tasting as many 2012s at ZAP's trade tasting as possible and was ready to be impressed. Maybe I arrived with high expectations but there was clearly nothing among the zinfandels I tasted that made the 2012s stand up and be noticed. The bouquets were moderately intense with soft expressions of pure fruit. There wasn't much complexity to be found aromatically but that can be expected at this early point in their development. The palates of the best 2012s mimicked the aromatics with medium bodied flavors of dark red fruits. While pleasant, there was something missing, that wow factor that separates the best vintages from the rest.

It's important to remember that this is just a small window on what the 2012 vintage has to offer. It's interesting to note that similar observations have been made about the 2012s that were recently poured at the Premiere Napa Valley Auction. There will be opportunities to taste 2012 cabernets will be coming soon during the next few months. Check in with JJ Buckley's blog to get the latest on the vintage!


Host your own ZAP tasting!!

2012 Brown Estate Zinfandel

2011 Ridge "Ponzo Vineyard" Zinfandel

2010 Tofanelli Family Zinfandel



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