Since we were standing in front of Macchia at the time who had 2 Old Vine Zins on the list, Mischievous and Generous, we decided to start there. Although both had very different flavor characteristics, one more fruit forward and one a bit more on the spicy side, they were both obviously Lodi style Zins; a big luscious mouthfeel, bold in the attack with ripe fruit, lots of spiciness, and some wonderful oak overtones. No doubt here why they were on the list.
From here it was on to Cooking School to taste four more Zins with Sommelier Ellen Landis, one of the wine judges as the San Francisco Chronicle competition. Ellen did an admirable job of talking over the often boisterous crowd and keeping everyone interested. As she poured each wine a group of helpers spread throughout the crowd pouring the same wine for the audience so we could all take a try at finding the same profiles in the wine that Ellen did. The wines were also off the list of the 12 best Zins of Lodi and included wines from Jessie's Grove, Van Rutten Vineyards, Macchia and St. Amant. The tasting lasted about half an hour and included information on her choices of the best foods to prepare with the wine and what specific profile in the wine made that pairing work.
It was time for lunch and we headed off to the food booths to see what they had to offer. These booths did not fix your standard picnic style fare, these were restaurant prepared foods for reasonable prices. At least twelve restaurants were represented and the food at the ones we tried was quite good. As we ate we watched juggler Greg Frisbee at the Amphitheater on the river's edge. What a sport! He was a very entertaining performer who not only had to contend with a crowd that wondered in and out as he tried to perform and a stage that was not much more than a grassy spot, but also ski boats traveling up the river behind him. Even with all that against him he never missed a beat and even managed to keep his sense of humor.
We tried several more wines from some of our favorites, like Vino Con Brio, Peirano Estate Vineyards and Michael David before making our way over to the University of Zinfandel's Blending Booth. For just $10 each you got four wines poured in lab style beakers and a pipette to make measuring more precise. The object was to taste each of the wines and then decide what you think should be blended together, and in what percentages, to make your perfect wine. We were given an unoaked Zin, a Zin aged in Oak, a Petite Sirah and a Syrah, all from Michael David Winery, to work with. They supplied you with suggested recipes based on four different wine styles if you were unsure where to start as well as having several volunteers that would help you if you needed it. Continued ...
