Gary I am a huge fan of Storybook Mountain Zins and Jerry Seps, yourreview sounded to me like maybe the winemaker really brought out the best in the fruit he had to work with.

QOTD: Best event was put on by a retailer in Tampa in March or April of 2003, first time I ever tasted Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and it blew my socks off. I've been a huge NZ SB fan ever since!

As I've seen is the case with lots of others by the other comments- I've never been to such an event!
There should be far more of them!

Definitely the Annual Italian Festival at Raffaldini Vineyards. Best wine in NC.

Wine and chocolate in Lodi CA. I wen't last year it was cool. It's comming up on the 14th and 15th of Feburary. I always heard the wine and cheese expo was good in Riverbank CA, but I was not impressed this year.

I have yet to attend a wine festival but am preparing for a Sonoma barrel tasting tour in April.... I hear it's a pretty fun event!

QotD: The in-store Vayniac appreciation meet and greet aka The Carnival of Wine Enthusiasm, of course

I'm a huge zinhead (go Bella!), we'll have to go to ZAP one year. QOTD: I've only been to one; it was a wine dinner for an Italian wine producer who I can't remember. It was a great experience; sharing wine stories across the table, the wine maker sat next to us!

I just got into a Zin the other day. It was good to try stuff from the New World.

QOTD: I'd have to say the Boston Wine Expo. It was a lotta fun.

ZAP! would definitely be cool to attebd.

QOTD: Best wine event was probably the Cleveland International Wine Show in May 2008. I got to taste about 54 wines and that was the most I have ever had in one tasting. It was wonderful and exhausting. I hope they do it again this year.

great show! I was just at the ZAP grand tasting yesterday in SF. Some very good wines to be had. The '06 vintage was a good year overall for Zin. Less alc and not as overly jammy fruit, great balanced wines.
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best wine event is family winemakers, usually in march every year in SF and LA.

QOTD: Ive never been to an real event. I have been to the last two taste of Western Washington ( I think thats the name of it ) wine tastings here. Strictly food industry people only and like 30 local wineries in the King County area. Still a blast.

Cool show Gary! I am enjoying these more focused episodes.

I know that everybody is a critic, but for these one-bottle shows could you go into more detailed information on the varietal, area, history, etc. I know it is kinda wine-nerdy but the more info the better! I suck it up like a sponge!

QOTD: The only wine events I have been to have been wine club parties and the like at the local winery. Would love to go to Pinot Days or something like that though!

Zin is in the south a little more than sales show. I still have a problem with the blush stuff but like you I keep punching.

Gerat Show. I have been a zin fan for a long time and with a e:mail address of zinmonster I guess it shows.

QOTD - best wine event is the Russian River Barrel Tasting in early March. A three day event for $20, about 120 different wineries throughout the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Vally area. You taste out of the barrel and many offer futures at a reeduced price.

Fun show as usual Gary and it is good to see you promoting something like this.

QOTD - apart from an 11-winery tasting tent for charity at the Gilroy (CA) Garlic Festival, which was a lot of fun, I have not been to a wine function. Yet, anyway.:-)

Best Wine Event?

Easy, DARK AND DELICIOUS. Zin is PS's retarded younger brother. It's glorified primitivo, it grows fine in italy. It didn't require America to thrive.

I used to go to a Holiday Wine, Liquor and Food Tasting at Fenway Park's 400 Club. It was put on by one of the local distributors in MA. Great Time.

They would have it around Christmas.

QOTD: The Boston Wine Expo, where I got to meet YOU! Actually, it’s the only wine event that I’ve been to, but I did learn from the tasting you hosted. (True to form, Gary had us try some unique old-world style European varietals - among other things - including a Cohor Malbec and Loire Petit Verdot.)

QOTD: Hmmmmmmm...I have a feeling it's going to be the Thunder Cruise!

Although I've never attended this event...The Naples Winter Wine Festival, in Naples, FL, is a fundraiser that raises huge amounts of money for children in need ....deserves a mention. Everyone is welcome to attend, to taste and to bid on great wines. Naples Kathy aka Champagne Lady

Good episode. I have not had too many Zins but really enjoyed a 2004 Peachy Canyon "Incredible Red".

Have not been to any wine tastings as of yet.

QOTD: California Wine Fair in Edmonton...

Love the Zin, but I've never been to the ZAP festival... way overpriced and overcrowded.

There is plenty of Zin to be had at Rosenblum's quarterly Open House events.

My favorite wine event is the Winter Wineland along the Russian River in January (wineroad.com). It's like a huge party sprawling out across Sonoma County. They also have a Barrel Tasting event that is coming up in March.

Crashpad...lol. Make that CRUSHPAD! Crash is what I did very LATE that night!

I had a great time at the 500th episode taping at Crashpad, certainly not the best tasting event, but was great to meet so many people, including Gary and Mott. Oh, and I did drink a lot of Twisted Oak that night!

I'm going to ZAP for the Good Eats and Wine Pairing session!!

The best wine event I have been to is Heart Delight in Washington, DC. http://www.heartsdelightwineauction.org/ This event is a fundraiser and Robert Parker led the 2004 Bordeaux tasting when I went and he will be back this year to lead the 2006 tasting which is also the 10th anniversary for this event.

I saw the question about choosing Monday's show. Was the winner "no show"?

Charleston wine and food event,small but good.

Monterey Wine festival years ago....was almost overwhelming. The open house at Rosenblum is always great fun. The Robert Kacher portfolio tasting in DC.

What's up with the blog widget where it would change stills each day from the episode? I mean, I like Jancis -- but variety is the spice of life.

QOTD: Boston Wine Expo 2009 of course - Gary taught an amazing class!

QOTD: "Wines of the World", University Concert Series Event, University of Missouri

QOTD: The Bernalillo Wine Festival in Bernalillo, New Mexico. This is a huge outdoor event that draws tens of thousands over a weekend. It specializes in local New Mexico wines and good music by national acts. It has its own festival grounds and is so popular that the local commuter rail uses a grape cluster as the symbol for the town's rail stop.

QOTD: The Fort Mason Vayniac party this past December. It was ridonculous.

The only wine event with more than 50 people was the Texas Wine Festival in the Woodlands where you were the Wizard.

Good show...

QOTD: Probably the Classic 2005 Bordeaux tasting in Boston last year. It was great exposure to taste and understand what a great young vintage is all about. It could have been the Boston Wine Expo, but I feel that they don't keep the numbers realistic. It became far too over-crowded after the first hour back in 2007 when I went last. By the end of the Expo people where falling down drunk on the side of the room, and I actually saw one woman puking. Not what I want at a wine expo.

Tempe (Arizona) Arts Festival has a big wine tasting garden exclusively for Arizona wineries. The quality has really gone up each year, great way to keep up with the action.

I had a great time @ Amador Vintners Big Crush Harvest Festival
Great wine, great people, great weather. Check it out.
I LOVE your show Gary. Even though I've been some what of a lurker.
http://www.amadorwine.com/

QOTD: Has to be at EPCOT every year. Love the atmosphere and scenery. The only thing to make it better would be if you were there to add a little fun. Hope to see you there one day.

QOTD: Boston Wine Expo 2009 :-) we sure did have a good time with you guys!!

QOTD: My uncle belongs to a wine club in DC that puts on wine dinners at the top restaurants in DC every other month and brings wine from their own cellar. Had some stellar wine and fantastic food! Hoping I can join the club this year so I don't have to wait from him to take me as a guest ;)