There IS a Santa Claus, and her name is Julie Ann.
Julie Ann is a publicist in St. Helena, CA, and has offered me two pairs of tickets to give to my readers for the 19th Annual Grand Zinfandel Tasting on Saturday, January 30 from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m. at the Festival and Herbst Pavillions at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Over 200 top wineries will be pouring their Zinfandels. Tickets are regularly $59 each, $69 at the door.
http://www.zinfandel.org/default.asp?n1=14&n2=474&member=
I have been to this event several times in the past, and I have said it before: this is my favorite tasting event. If you like red wine, better still if you love Zinfandel like I do, everybody pours their Zinfandels at this event. It is just incredible. Now you have an opportunity to find out for yourself just how great the ZAP Grand Zinfandel Tasting is…Free! That is a savings of $118-$138 per pair of tickets.
How do you get your hands on the tickets? You have to win them in a contest.
The terrific news is there are two contests.
Contest #1: for the first pair of tickets, simply tell me why you should get them. Has life been getting you down and do you need a ray of sunshine? Are you the greatest fan of Zinfandel in history? Are you attracted to short, bald, bearded, round, old wine bloggers? Is January 30 your birthday? In 150 words or less make me laugh, make me cry, make me blush, make me want to give you two tickets. I’ll award the tickets to the person who offers me the best reason to give them to you. To enter contest #1, enter your 150 word, or less, reason as a comment to this blog entry. Preface your comment with “Contest #1 Entry” and include your email address or other contact info for if you win.
Contest #2: for the second pair of tickets, write a poem about Zinfandel, with as few as 5 lines (limerick) up to a maximum of 14 lines (sonnet). I’ll award the tickets to the person who submits my favorite original poem. The madly talented Randall Grahm, who does not need tickets anyway, is not eligible for this contest. Poetry skill points will be given for weaving “Julie Ann” and/or “Zinfandel” into your poem. To enter contest # 2, leave your poem as a comment to this blog entry. Preface your poem submission with “Contest #2 Entry” and include your e-mail address or other contact info for if you win.
My birthday is Monday, January 25, and birthdays are for gifts, so that is the day I will be awarding these tickets. Only 1 entry per person per contest, entries accepted up until 2:00 p.m. on January 25. I will announce the winners of the two contests by 5:00 p.m. on January 25, and arrange for your your tickets to the Grand Zinfandel Tasting to be available under your name at the event.
January 22, 2010 at 9:26 PM
There once was a guy named JC,
For years he sold Zin next to me.
We pitched and we pitched,
But not as much as we bitched.
So I married his boss, Melanie.
Bonus poem
January 22, 2010 at 9:27 PM
Contest #1 Entry
You should give them to me because I know where the bodies are buried. Christ, I helped you bury a lot of them.
January 22, 2010 at 9:31 PM
There once was a guy named JC,
Who had Zin coming out of his pee.
Although meloncholic,
Not yet an alcoholic.
His pee was the source of much glee.
Bonus Poem
January 22, 2010 at 9:31 PM
Contest #1 Entry
I want to go to ZAP 2010 to see how this heritage grape is doing in it’s latest releases. I like to write about the wines I taste and am judicious in making even and consistent notes and highlights. This is a grape event to point out, talk with grape growers and winemakers and truly understand their science and art.
I love ZAP, Zinfandel and this yearly event is something that beckons that wine is still alive in keeping in these challenging times. Wine reminds us there is something that brings us together; it is the social glue that binds.
January 22, 2010 at 9:36 PM
JC is a guy who loves Zin,
To most, we don’t think it a sin.
It does make you think,
How much Zin he can drink,
But explains why he wears such a grin.
As there is only 1 entry per contest per person, this and any other poems from Hans are bonus poems but will not replace the original entry, unless that is made clear in which case the original entry will become bonus poetry for all to enjoy. Hans is prolific. Unsurprisingly, Hans is quite adept at the limerick form.
– J.C.
January 22, 2010 at 9:39 PM
Contest #1 Entry:
Ok, I am a poor little wine blogger. I’m new, and frankly, wine cognoscenti scare me. My wife was just last year diagnosed with a horrifying genetic disorder, and while we deal with that (it’s called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) i am putting her through graduate school for a PsyD in Clinical Psychology. And oh. my. god. I love Zinfandel. LOVE IT.
January 22, 2010 at 9:44 PM
Contest #2 Entry:
There once was a great Julie Ann
Who of Zinfandel was a huge fan
She offered tickets to ZAP
Which I tried to snap
I hope it’s a super good plan.
January 22, 2010 at 11:22 PM
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter: There are TWO contests for 1/30 S.F. ZAP Grand Zinfandel Tasting tickets on my blog. Please spread the word. Thanks! http://bit.ly/6fT2jd…
January 22, 2010 at 11:34 PM
Contest #1 Entry
I should get the tickets because even though I am in the biz I have never been to ZAP and my birthday is also 1/25; I have the ID to prove it
January 22, 2010 at 11:51 PM
Somewhat ironic and entertaining to me, although no bonus points accrue, I sent you an email today and your bot sent me the following “out of office” message:
“Thank you for the email. I will be out of the office until January26th.
I will have limited email access while I am away and will do my best to reply to
urgent needs. For all of the rest please expect a reply on 1/26/10.
Cheers,
Christophe Smith”
Win or lose, Happy Birthday 48 hours and 10 minutes early.
John
January 22, 2010 at 11:39 PM
Okay, offering free tickets to the best Zinfandel tasting event in the known Universe might have something to do with it, but I want to thank all of the readers who showed up today to make this day my biggest blog day so far. Cheers, and keep those contest entries coming.
January 23, 2010 at 4:59 AM
Contest #2 Entry
There once was a man from Nantucket,
Who daily drank Zin by the bucket.
Wiping Zin off his chin,
He said with chagrin,
“If I can’t go to ZAP, well then…bummer!
January 23, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Contest #1 Entry
You should give the tickets to me but I can’t make it next weekend so the next best thing is to give them to Hans Dippel, the King of the Limerick. He made me laugh and I know him from Facebook…
January 23, 2010 at 7:19 PM
Hey John…I already have tix…I’m going in hopes to learn more about wine since my 2 good friends are opening a new wine shop in Los Gatos. I found your blog after seeing your post on Melanie’s FB! I remember your name from Comstock, cuz you were one of the popular people! So if some crazy red head comes up to you at Zap…it’s me!!!
January 23, 2010 at 7:38 PM
Hmmm. Redhead coming up to me. Wine. She’s a Sur La Table kinda gal? Be still my heart.
I look forward to seeing you at ZAP! I’m disappointed that Melanie hasn’t tried to win a pair of tickets for her and her beau; ZAP is a great date event.
January 23, 2010 at 8:42 PM
Melanie would win for sure…but since she didn’t enter, my vote is for Hans…since he knows where the bodies are buried…I’ll find you! Are you pouring? I’ll be hanging with the Pasalaqua’s at GioDomella’s! Great Blog!!!
January 23, 2010 at 9:30 PM
Thanks for the compliment.
A combination Santa/Angel is covering me with a press pass for Saturday’s seated tasting and Sunday’s Grand Zinfandel Tasting. I was trying to win a pair of tickets through someone else’s contest, and I was going to write about Sunday’s event here after, when Julie Ann (Santa/Angel combo) contacted me. I will happily write about both events.
See you next week. Cheers!
January 24, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Contest #1 Entry
I’m a virgin and I really need to get cherry popped. A big, bold Zin with a eye-brow, raising long finish was THE varietal responsible for my love affair with wine. Pair it with a bit of melt-in-your mouth, eye fluttering Belgian dark chocolate and heaven is found. It’d be a shame to miss out on swinging with other Zins.
January 25, 2010 at 6:14 AM
Good luck everyone. And advance congratulations to the big winner.I too love Zinfandel from all other wines.
January 25, 2010 at 9:21 AM
I went to your site and love it, I am a huge Sonoma County wine fan, having grown up in Sonoma County and having worked for Sonoma County wineries. A quick perusal found a couple of wineries missing, I didn’t see Windsor Vineyards or Toad Hollow listed. I also found it ironic that you chose a good Farley video to feature where she describes what to expect when visiting a tasting room, while I recently referenced and linked to a terrible Farley video where she casts ill aspersions on all while Zinfandel and the people who enjoy it. I find her ignorant and myopic on the subject of blush wines, but she did a nice job in describing tasting room etiquette.
I would encourage you to list all of Sonoma County’s wineries on your site and produce and feature videos with Sonoma County wine personalities instead of Farley who worked at a Santa Cruz Mountain winery. Let me know if you need any help. Cheers.
January 25, 2010 at 9:48 PM
Thank you for liking our site and for the tips as well. Our site is new and we are still updating on it.
February 6, 2010 at 4:05 AM
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February 6, 2010 at 9:49 AM
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February 19, 2010 at 11:36 AM
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February 20, 2010 at 6:52 AM
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