Food & Gourmet Items

Item Description

Generously donated by Alexander Valley Vinyards.

This vintage marks 36 years of Sin Zin at Alexander Valley Vineyards.  Our first vintage of homemade 1978 Zinfandel was given out to family and friends, quickly attaining cult status among those lucky enough to receive a few bottles.  Everyone loved the spicy flavors, memorable name and risque' label.  The wine was so popular, that in 1980 we offered a few cases for sale and Sin Zin quickly became a cult classic.

Sin Zin is an elegant style of Zinfandel, due to our growing region and winemaking style.  We harvest grapes from throughout the Alexander Valley - including the valley floor, hillsides and benchlands looking for a balance of ripeness and acidity in each lot.  This balance explains Sin Zin's restaurant popularity; it is always a food friendly style of Zinfandel. 

The 2013 growing season was almost identical to 2012.  The year began with another dry winter  and spring, then throughout the summer we experienced a warm growing season with abundant sunshine and moderate temperatures.  Our grapes ripened evenly and maturation proceeded at a fairly quick pace. While news of the lack of rain dominated conversations, there was an upside to the drought; the grapes had more concentrated flavors than in 2012. 

There are aromas of black cherry, spice, black pepper, plum, oak, vanilla and blueberry jam.  This chewy, well balanced Zinfandel has spicy flavors of bright cherry, raspberry, plum and black cherry.  There is nice acidity and length to finish.

LABEL ARTWORK:

The Sin Zin label was one of the first whimsical labels approved by the ATF and at the time was considered rather risque'.  When tasting samples of the first vintage, the family wanted to find an image that matched the lush flavors. Leafing through an old art history book, then Assistant Winemaker Dennis Hill came upon a captivating illustration, a seventeeth-century German etching, completed by Moritz von Schwind c. 1840 titled "Des Knabben Wunderhorn", meaning "The Horn of Plenty".  The image looked perfect for a wine label, and its bacchanalian character inspired Co-Owner Katie Wetzel Murphy to name our rich lush wine - Sin Zin.  The label was used on the first vintage in 1978 and the wine was given to friends and family.

ACCOLADES:

2013:  95 points, Gold Medal & Best of Class of Region - California State Fair
2013:  95 points & Gold Medal - Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge
2013:  90 points - Natalie Maclean
2013:  Gold Medal & Best in Class - Veritage Miami
2013:  Gold Medal & Best Zinfandel - Lone Star International Wine Competition
2013:  Gold Medal - Tasters Guild International & Monterey Wine Festival
2013:  88 points & Top Value - Wine Spectator

Item Special Note

Winners present at the live event on October 19, 2017 may pick up their items at the conclusion of the event. If the winner is not present at the live event, they may pick up this item at the Program Administration offices of Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles: Ron Olson Justice Center / 1550 W. 8th Street / Los Angeles, CA  90017.