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Kcwhippet · 01-29-2002, 07:41 AM,

Found these notes on the annual ZAP event on another board - marksquires.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=005028. Did anyone here attend? As I recall, Bucko usually makes it down there. After all he did get his picture in the WS from a prevous event. Unfortunately, it's a bit harder to make it out there from the east coast. We do get to go to the Boston Wine Expo, though if it weren't for the trade ticket, I'm not sure we would the way the ticket prices have escalated. Have to see if any of those Zins make it back here. I suspect the majority won't.

~~Bucko~~ · 01-29-2002, 11:34 AM,

I have quit going to ZAP. They have let the event grow far too big, even during the trade portion. The crush of humanity no longer makes the event any fun for me.

Kcwhippet · 01-29-2002, 02:02 PM,

That was my problem with the Boston Wine Expo last year. I'm hoping a lot of the marginal attendees that came last year will be doing their Super Bowl partying this year.

Thomas · 01-30-2002, 09:59 AM,

Yeah, every year I used to go to the American wine event held at the Desmond Hotel in Albany, NY (same week as the Boston event). But it got so big, and also so much a drink fest instead of a wine fest, that I stopped going two years ago.

In fact, I have begun to despise slugging (as in the speed of a slug) along through crowds at wine events. Been thinking about writing a book about wine tasting etiquette--the first entry would be, "after you get your pour get out of the way of the people behind you..."

~~Bucko~~ · 01-30-2002, 11:05 AM,

And don't wear a pint of perfume that destroys any other odors within the 100 megaton nuclear blast range.........

~~Bucko~~ · 01-30-2002, 12:23 PM,

Does anyone know if the Boston Wine Expo has a trade portion, where the crowds may be more manageable?

Kcwhippet · 01-30-2002, 09:25 PM,

It sure does. It's a bit sparse on time, though. On Saturday it's from 1200 to 1300 and on Sunday from 1100 to 1300 (That's military time for those who don't know. Bucko being former Army would know). The public portion is from 1:00 to 5:00 (non-military time). I'll be there Sunday bright and early, but I'm going to stick around if the crowds are as sparse as I'm hoping they'll be. Otherwise, I'm out of there at 1:30.

~~Bucko~~ · 01-30-2002, 11:03 PM,

Thanks for the info -- I may actually venture my left coast butt out to the right coast for the event next year. Have a great time and please report back on any stunners that you find.

Kcwhippet · 01-31-2002, 08:06 AM,

If you want to see info on this year's BWE, here's the link - www.wine-expos.com/boston/index.html

Thomas · 01-31-2002, 10:53 AM,

Last year, at an Italian wine event in the Hyatt Hotel--NYCity--I saw as I left the crowded room a man maneuvering towards the escalator. He was going down; the escalator was going up; the facts did not get in his way. He began to walk down the up escalator and then lost his footing and stumbled to the bottom. As he made it on to the carpet he let out a howl, spun around and then shouted "I'm going to fall." He did; right on his face. It took five minutes for the guards to get him righted.

Another piece of tasting etiquette: spit the excess!

~~Bucko~~ · 02-01-2002, 01:14 AM,

Hey! It only took three minutes for them to haul me up..... harrump! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/eek.gif[/img]

chittychattykathy · 02-17-2002, 08:56 AM,

So Bucko, Is the ZAP event here in Seattle not worth the downtown parking price?

Botafogo · 02-17-2002, 04:32 PM,

More important than even the humanity, oh God...the humanity is the fact that MOST of the wines are undrinkable. Dan Berger went OFF last week about this, check out:

http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template=story_full&id=B959100D-7923-4E21-AB67-E96F2A960AF8

to get an earfull. Here is the gist:

"Curiously, despite the passions of the huge crowd for this grape, I believe zinfandel no longer is one of the most engaging wines on the shelf. As I looked out over the teeming mass of folks queueing up for yet another sip of this stuff, I was amazed so many liked this grape in the manner it's now being made.

I realized how utterly bored with it I am. And the reason is: the stuff is too big, too high in alcohol, too Port-like. For the most part, I believe, few producers have the courage to make it with the balance it once offered and allow it to work with food. I figure that table wine, the stuff we serve with our meals, should have about 11 percent to 13.5 percent alcohol. When the alcohol reaches levels it has in zinfandel these days, of 15 percent and up, and some up there in the 17 percent-plus range, my mouth starts to tire after a single sip.

Moreover, I do not like table wines that smell like oak-flavored high-proof. Port is for after-dinner sipping with cheese, not trying to mate with a slab of beef or lamb. The latter foods work perfectly well with a cabernet or a Bordeaux, or even a barbera, a Chianti or a Rioja.

These days, zin has become a parody of itself. Once a rakish and fresh-faced youth with a sprightly nature, it now has become a brooding, boorish oaf with about the same grace as a 250-pound ballerina. Today, instead of cavorting toward the dinner table, it staggers toward the gutter."

Amen! Roberto

[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 02-17-2002).]

Thomas · 02-17-2002, 10:32 PM,

Roberto, (and Dan too, I suppose) this style ain't new; it's been around since before that other abomination--white Zinfandel.

My theory--if you want it--is that Americans never seem happy with simple pleasures. They always want more added, like massive containers for their cherry-cinnamon-coke or seventeen different ingredients to mask the taste of coffee, or bagels with toppings that read like a grocery list.

Nothing wrong with a fresh, fruity, fine Zinfandel but no--we gotta have alcohol and extract and oak and who knows what's next...

...and I am sitting here writing this diatribe as I sip a simple Zinfandel with no appellation, save California, but known to have been produced up north, and by a large concern; it's called Moss bridge $12. Yet the wine is raspberry-like, bright, and did quite well up against my ricotta stuffed ravioli in slightly hot tomato-basil sauce.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 02-17-2002).]

~~Bucko~~ · 02-19-2002, 09:21 AM,

CCK, I've never been to the Seattle ZAP....

chittychattykathy · 02-22-2002, 10:30 PM,

"These days, zin has become a parody of itself. Once a rakish and fresh-faced youth with a sprightly nature, it now has become a brooding, boorish oaf with about the same grace as a 250-pound ballerina. Today, instead of cavorting toward the dinner table, it staggers toward the gutter."
Very Visual quote thanks Rob!
Thanks Bucko,
I'll let you know!

mrdutton · 03-13-2002, 09:32 PM,

Actually, I like my garlic bagels with a bit of lox, a bit of sour cream and a few sprinkles of chives........

Nothing fancy there, just pure flavor. Kinda like Zin used to be, eh CCK?

There used to to be Zin and then there were big Zins and now all there are are big ZINS. Wha happen here? And even Cline and Bonny Doon seem to be jumping onto the BIG Wagon.......

Now seriously, I read something a bit back that seemed to suggest that big zins were a product of the changing environment. As the sun and soil and the rain change so do the grapes and that accounts for the higher content of alcohol. That's what I read.

What about the rest of ya'll. Do you agree or not?

[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 03-13-2002).]

winoweenie · 03-14-2002, 08:29 AM,

What is even more distressing to me than the alcohol is the price points. Ridge lost me in the 98 vintage as they put a 30 buck tag on most of the VD Zins. After tasting the 99s' I admit I sprung for 2 mixed cases and think they'll be killer wines in 5-10. Still don't enjoy mortaging the cat to pay for them buggers tho. WW

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