GROUP2: The Return of Zinfandel and Burgers

THERE WAS SO MUCH INTEREST IN THIS ANNUAL EVENT THAT I'M GOING TO EXPAND IT TO 16 PEOPLE BY ADDING THIS 6 PERSON EVENT.

THE PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP FOR THIS ONE WILL BE DINNING WITH EVERYONE ELSE, BUT THEY WILL HAVE THEIR OWN BOTTLES OF ZINFANDEL. IT IS ALMOST THE EXACT SAME LIST, BUT WITH ONLY 4 BOTTLES FOR THE ADDITIONAL 6 PEOPLE.

Get ready for Zinfandel and Burgers and Bobby Van's! Since so many group members love this annual event.

For this dinner we will SKIP the usual opening white wine so that we can have an ALL RED ZINFANDEL night! We will have 4 Red Zinfandel and Zinfandel blend wines.

We will return to perennial favorite, Bobby Van's on Park for a 7pm reservation. They are located on the corner of E. 46th Street and Park Ave, and the entrance is in the walkway that connects E. 45th and E. 46th Streets.

Here is a link to their menu...
Bobby Van's on Park Menu

Just a reminder of our usual rules:

** The cost of this event is $35 and is for the cost of the wines only.

NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It comes to approximately $4 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. Sorry! Meetup+ members are exempt from this charge.

You will also have to pay the cost of your food (plus 33% for tax and tip). Please order at least two courses (i.e. a main dish and either appetizer or dessert) for your dinner. There are very few restaurants that allow us to bring our own wine for a Zero corkage fee. We must be good guests to encourage the restaurant to continue to be generous to us.

Please read and understand the group's cancellation policy. If you take spot, then cancel, and no one else takes the spot, you will not receive a refund or credit. No refunds or credits will be given for no-shows or late cancellations (unless someone else takes your spot). All cancellations are subject to a $6 service fee.

Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!

The Wines :
2022 Ridge Botticelli Vineyard Rockpile ($50) - A blend of 68% Zinfandel and 32% Petite Sirah. OB 94, WS 93 points, "Vibrant and zesty, with multilayered cherry and raspberry flavors laced with river rock, white pepper and dried sage notes that build toward fine-grained tannins" Bargreen noted Chocolate and roasted Figs on the palate.
2022 Two Vintners Zinfandel Stonetree Vineyard ($36) - A rare WA State Zinfandel! Like some of its CA counterparts, it is high in alcohol, but it never tastes hot. Well balanced. Dark color and a long finish.
2023 Ridge Zinfandel St. Peter's Church Vineyard ($50) – Owen Bargreen 93 points, “The 2023 ‘St. Peter’s Church’ Zinfandel has 5% Petite Sirah blended in. Sourced from this location in Sonoma set on clay and loamy soils, this has terrific tension and brightness once on the mouth. A hedonistic melange of red and dark fruits combine with salty soils, tobacco leaf, kumquat zest and shades of bramble on the palate. Really good now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2038.” 14.4% Alcohol.
2006 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel Dragon ($50) –WA (91-93) which means it was a barrel sample, from 12/2007, “One of my favorites is the 2006 Zinfandel Dragon Vineyard, which is actually from some of the younger vines that Turley bottles separately. This Howell Mountain offering tips the scales at nearly 16% alcohol and offers a southern Rhone Valley-like notes of lavender, kirsch liqueur, pepper, spice, and loads of blackberry and sweet cherry fruit. The wine has decent acidity, ripe tannin, and a long, heady finish. This is a seductive, complex, and beautiful Zinfandel”