A few years ago while visiting my friends Jeff & Sue Pavone (yes, that Jeff Pavone) in Scottsdale, I was intrigued by a Zinfandel labeled ‘7 Deadly Zins’. Knowing nothing about the wine and unable to sample it at the wine store, I took a chance, rationalizing that if the winemakers could have fun with their wine, maybe we would also. At the time, I believe I paid about $25-30. We drank it and enjoyed it.

After my first introduction, I searched high and low, but was unable to find this California wine in my home state. A couple of years later, while crawling the wine section of Costco, I stumbled upon my old friend…7 Deadly Zins! It was the same wine I’d previously enjoyed, and due to its commercial success, it is now available in larger quantities, and at a much lower price. Now it’s my everyday vintage, I buy it by the case (for under $12/bottle), recommend it often, and gift it regularly.

It turns out, the name of the wine is really a tribute to the blend of Zinfandel grapes from seven different vineyards. It’s a big wine that is great with anything grilled or by itself on those evenings when a glass of wine is a deserved reward for a day well done.

While my selection method isn’t scientific, and certainly not recommended by wine connoisseurs, it works for me. On that day in an Arizona wine shop, I met a wine that was memorable because of its label. What has 7 Deadly Zins taught me?

What’s inside should be good, even great…but presentation is just as important!

I’m not a wine snob…I just love the taste of wine (mostly big reds like Zinfandel, Malbec, & Sangovese). I won’t pretend that I’m particularly educated; I just enjoy drinking what tastes good to me.

‘Vin-yet’ is the phonetic spelling for vignette. But to me it also means ‘time for wine yet?’ So, I think it’s very appropriate for a laid-back (SoCal) Friday post. I’ll try to keep my wine drinking to a minimum until I’ve finished writing my post in the hopes that it will make sense, but there are no guarantees! My partner, Debra Baker, and I do some of our best work over Friday lunches…and wine.

Since Fridays kick-off weekends, I thought it would be a good time to muse about my love of all things wine and my other great love…the legal market.

Most often, I’m drawn to wines with interesting titles or unusual label designs. The wine has to taste good, but the passion and quirkiness of the winery are important to me too. It winemakers can have fun with their products and not take themselves too seriously, that adds to my experience.

Here’s an example: Last weekend while shopping at Hi-Times in Newport Beach, I couldn’t pass up a bottle of ZINZILLA, labeled “A California Monster Zinfandel.” It’s produced by members of the Parducci family, pioneers in the California wine business. One glance at the label says it all! Bold, fun, even outrageous!

Besides a really drinkable Zinfandel, what can we learn from ZINZILLA?

Believe in what you do, deliver outrageous products & services, and most of all…have fun while you’re doing it!