The Real Wine Crush: 2013 SF Chronicle Public Wine Tasting (Feb. 16)

The annual, largest wine tasting of American wine in the country takes place Sunday, Feb. 16 in San Francisco at Fort Mason.

If you'd like to try some of the 5,500 wines entered, this is your chance.

Tickets are $70 in advance or $85 at the door. Food tibits from top chefs are also part of the scene and are included with your ticket. Details here.

Note this is not as prestigious an award as it may sound, since many, many top wineries choose not to participate. However among those who enter, there are some who truly are high quality.

The organic wineries taking best in class this year include:

• Yorkville Cellars for its Bordeaux blend

• Lucas Winery for its Chardonnay - this was a hotly contested category

• McFadden Vineyards for its new Dessert Riesling (I look forward to trying it; it hasn't hit the market yet) which was a category with surprisingly stiff competition

McFadden also scored a Double Gold for their 2011 Chardonnay - most impressive.

Congratulations to these winners!

Zin Fans Annual Bash: 2013's ZAP Happens (Jan. 31-Feb. 2)

The annual Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Festival (aka ZAP) is coming up a week from now (Jan. 31-Feb. 2) in San Francisco with more than 200 producers attending the Grand Tasting on Sunday.

If you'd like to focus in on the organically grown wines in the Grand Tasting, print out this handy cheat sheet/list and take it with you.

The wineries in bold text are definitely ones to try. The ones with stars are musts.

Bonterra - a certified, reliable Zin you can find in large supermarkets or BevMo stores

***Bucklin - no longer certified but practicing organic on the "Ancient Vines" only - you owe it to yourself to try this heritage vineyard rarity, a field blend of 20+ varietals planted in the mid 1800s.

Carol Shelton Wines (*occasionally has 1 or 2 certified organically sourced Zins - ask about Wild Thing, Monga, and her Rose)

Castoro Cellars (*not sure if any of the certified vineyards are planted in Zin, so ask them)

***Dashe Cellars - McFadden Farm only - a Beaujolais (light) style Zin - you've got to try it to believe it, and then you might be hooked! I have several cases.

Green Truck Wines - certified, superbudget wine

***Grgich Hills Estate - certified organic and biodynamic from the famous Croatian winemaker who helped uncover the mysterious origins of this varietal

***Storybook Vineyards - hands down, the #1 Zin producer in America - and certified organically grown to boot - a hillside Napa Valley legend whose most recent vintages won Wine Spectator's highest Zin scores

The Lucas Winery - all certified organic and from Lodi - a very rare combination! I haven't tried their wines yet, but am looking forward to tasting all their wines.

***Tres Sabores - a Napa Valley gem, and one of the (quietly) famous and superlative (and organically grown) Zins; it made it into the Chronicle's very competitive top 100 wines of 2011. The winemaker grows only 8 acres of Zin in her Rutherford vineyards (prime Cab spot), so it's quite special indeed.

Seize the Weekend - Carpe Chocolate!

Wine and chocolate for Valentine's Day - yeah baby.

Two wine regions in the hinterlands are celebrating with festivities.

Up in Mendo, Barra of Mendocino, in Ukiah, is offering delicious treats this Saturday. Tickets are $25 and include assorted goodies. See details here.

Port, muscat and homemade truffles are on the agenda.

"Please join the wine and spirit-makers of Redwood Valley for their third annual chocolate and wine extravaganza. Professional chocolatiers will present tastings of exquisite dark and milk chocolates, truffles, dipped strawberries, heart-shaped cakes and more, paired with Redwood Valley's dark, rich ports, cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, muscat canelli and world-class liquers and brandies. Via Magazine has called this an "Esteemed Wine and Chocolate Event". Admission is $25.00 and includes an embossed wine glass as well as entry to all listed wineries and distillery. Designated drivers admitted free."

Out in Lodi, 45 wineries are participating in the Lodi Wine and Chocolate weekend. Among them is the sole certified organic Lodi grower/winemaker, Lucas. I look forward to touring it sometime soon.

The Lucas Winery
18196 N. Davis Road, Lodi 95242
(209) 368-2006
"Turn your tasting glass into a very personal memento with help from our expert tole painter, Ester Torrens, who was a huge hit during our First Sip activities.  Truffle Gateaux will be here to provide samples of their fine chocolates for pairing with our wine and purchasing for your sweetie.  Artist Mike Tate will be creating very affordable art for our guests."