Hello. I’m Terry and I’m a ZinHead.

An all-star team of California Zinfandel makers rolled into Vancouver. For me, it was Nirvana.

We work the room and taste (on your behalf, of course). Then we head for The Similkameen Valley and a very special dinner in the barrel room at Orofino Vineyards. Plus you get an update on next weekend’s Okanagan Summer Wine Festival. AND we announce two more contest winners, who get to fly anywhere West Jet does. What’s not to like??

THE SHOW

The ZAP Tour hits Vancouver (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers). A roomful of winemakers preaching the gospel of Zin. Become a ZinHead!!

They’re different these Zin winemakers, perhaps it’s because Zin is a heritage grape, especially in California. Many of the vines are older than 50 years. Zin began many years ago in Croatia, then moved through Italy (as Primitivo) and finally to the USA. www.zinfandel.org

Here’s who we talk to:

Doug Hackett – Dogwood Cellars www.dogwoodcellars.com

Chris Tietje – Four Vines, The Biker and Freak Show www.fourvines.com

Joel Peterson – Ravenswood www.ravenswood-wine.com

David Amadia – Ridge Vineyards www.ridgewine.com

Robert Biale – Robert Biale Wines www.robertbialevineyards.com

Camille Seghesio – Seghesio www.seghesio.com

Steve Storrs – Storrs Winery www.storrswine.com

Rick Slamka – Vancouver Organizer

And, that’s just the first Hour.

HOUR TWO

We start this hour with a review of the above wines with Wine Diva Daenna van Mulligen and Sommelier extraordinaire DJ Kearney.

Then we leave Vancouver, pass through Hope, Manning Park, Princeton, Keromeos and finally the area known as Cawston and the Similkameen Valley!! I give you that travelogue because many people have no idea where this valley is but you can bet that MANY of the foods you eat come from this stunning valley. Well over 50% of the farmers are organic, which is why they lay claim to being Canada’s Organic Capitol. As you would expect, the winemakers have moved in with a passion and zeal. One of the very best is John and Virginia Weber’s Orofino Vineyards. www.orofinovineyards.com

They moved from Saskatchewan, where Virginia was a nurse (still is) and John was a teacher.

To celebrate their portfolio of really fine wines, they threw a two night feast in the barrel room as a fundraiser for a local park. Doing the cooking was Chef Darren Patterson from Bogners of Penticton. We talk to John, Darren, Eric Pateman from Edible Canada, Rhys Pender and George Hansen from Seven Stones Winery. www.sevenstones.ca

And finally, we give you an update on next week’s Okanagan Summer wine Festival at Silver Star in Vernon. AND we give away two more roundtrip tickets anywhere that West Jet Flies.
So, if you entered the Calgary or Toronto contests, listen up and good luck.