The 22nd Annual Zinfandel Festival kicked off Jan. 31st at The Concourse in San Francisco with Epicuria: Food & Zinfandel Pairings, an informal dine-around experience featuring wine and food pairings from master chefs and winemakers. Guests got to mingle with the winemakers and culinary experts as they sampled pairings from 50 of the region's top Zinfandel producers including Cakebread, Ravenswood, Seghesio, Ridge, Barefoot, Gnarly Head, Grgich Hills Estate, and many more. 

Thanks to the winemakers and chefs who were pulling out all the stops, guests enjoyed several rare treats -  Ravenswood was pouring their 1997 Belloni, a deeply colored wine marked by flavors of boysenberries and blueberries, layered with the traditional spice and smoky characteristics of Zinfandel. The chefs were serving up their finest. Dishes included braised lamb shoulder, black truffle and ricotta ravioli and even zinfandel infused ice cream. The chefs came from many of the Bay Area's most beloved restaurants, including Rose Pistola, Sauce, Fifth Floor, Mustard's Grill, Central Market, and Ruth's Chris Steak House.

This annual event is is produced by the Association of Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP), a 510c3 non-profit group of Zinfandel enthusiasts who study and celebrate the Zinfandel grape, connect with one another, and educate the public about Zinfandel’s place in America’s history and culture. 

“The ZAP Festival is one of the wonders of the wine world,” explains Bob Biale, President, Zinfandel Advocates & Producers. “The Festival offers an appreciation of Zinfandel from every angle you can imagine, from the academic to the light-hearted,” he adds.

Zinfandel is considered America’s heritage wine because of its rich history. Plantings of  the Zinfandel vine in California represent some of the oldest vineyard in the world—adding to Zinfandel’s critically important role in the world of fine wine. While the Zinfandel grape originated in Europe, the Zinfandel name is truly American—the earliest documented use of the name was when a Boston nursery owner advertised Zinfandel for sale in 1832. Zinfandel was introduced to California during the Gold Rush at some point between 1852 and 1857 and became widely planted because it thrived so well in the state’s climate and soil. Today, Zinfandel is the third leading wine grape variety in California, with nearly 50,000 acres planted.

If you're a fan of zinfandel, be sure to check out the rest of The Zindfandel Festival, which continues all weekend with the following events:

• 2013 Zinfandel Festival Flights - Forums of Flavor 
  An exclusive seminar-style tasting where you may enjoy themed wine flights and learn from the experts.
  Friday, February 1, 2013 from 10:30 am to 1 pm
  The Fairmont Hotel
  950 Mason Street 
  San Francisco, California 94108
• 2013 Zinfandel Festival Winemaker's Dinner -  a benefit with taste. 
  A reception and dinner where you will enjoy private selections poured by premier winemaker hosts. 5-10pm
  Friday, February 1, 2013 from 5pm to 10pm
  The Fairmont Hotel
  950 Mason Street 
  San Francisco, California 94108
• 2013 Zinfandel Festival Grand Tasting
  Create your own Zinfari at ZAP’s Grand Tasting! This event offers you the world’s largest Zinfandel tasting where you can enjoy hundreds of barrel samples, new releases and premier Zinfandel wines. The return of the ZinKitchen will be a highlight.
  Saturday, February 2, 2013 from 2 pm to 5 pm
  The Concourse
  8th & Brannan Street, SF

For more information and tickets, visit: zinfandel.org.