I’ve been holding off sending you a message. It’s been a tough couple of weeks; just the latest round of fire devastation in California. But, staying in touch with friends, family and our wine community has never been so important. And ZAP is a community like no other! I continue to be inspired and grateful to our many supporters—both our wineries and our advocates—as each new day seems to test us like never before.

Thanks to the tremendous bravery and determination of the first responders, the latest fire news for Sonoma and Napa Counties is now greatly improved. There is even rain forecasted for the near future. With heavy hearts, we have witnessed wine country face unprecedented peril and loss. We’ve also seen incredible generosity and miraculous stories of survival. I read one recent article commenting on what winery owners are now up against. Julie Pedroncelli St. John of Pedroncelli Winery said: “With the winery tied to our grapes, we have no plans on leaving. Four generations, 93 years and we will continue growing grapes despite the challenges. We still believe this is one of the best places to grow wine grapes.” We’re with you, Julie!

ZAP will soon unveil new opportunities for us to connect virtually. We will also post the latest opportunities to safely visit wine country throughout the state. And, we look forward to the day when we can gather together and toast to Zinfandel. In the meantime, from the ZAP team, we hope you will continue to take pleasure in being a part of this amazing community of Zinfandel lovers.

With gratitude,

Rebecca Robinson

Executive Director