Zinfandel Advocates & Producers

What Zinfandel Advocates & Producers does

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit trade and consumer membership organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Rough and Ready, California. Its stated mission is the preservation, education, and appreciation of Zinfandel as a varietal and cultural heritage, and it serves two principal member segments: 300+ Producer members (wineries, growers, and vineyards) and 5,000+ Advocate members (consumers). The organization runs the principal flagship experiences and programs that anchor its membership value proposition, including the Zinfandel Experience (ZinEx) tasting event, the Heritage Vineyard Project (a long-running research partnership with UC Davis's Department of Viticulture and Enology documenting historic Zinfandel plantings), the Legendary Zinfandel Wine Club, the California Zinfandel Trail, and the University of Zin Cruise.

ZAP generates revenue through a multi-stream nonprofit model. Producer members pay tiered annual dues, Advocate consumers pay individual or family memberships, and the organization supplements these recurring streams with event ticket sales, sponsorships (notably for ZinEx), donations, and grant funding. The organization has received a California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Specialty Crop Block Grant and runs ancillary programs such as the Zinfandel Stories media/grant project. Operations are run by a small professional staff headed by Executive Director Rebecca Robinson, with oversight from a board composed of senior industry figures including Joel Peterson (founder of Ravenswood Winery), Kent Rosenblum (Rosenblum Cellars), and other prominent producers. Notably, ZAP does not sell or distribute wine directly; it functions as a community, education, and trade-body organization rather than a commercial enterprise, and there is no proprietary software platform or technology product underlying its operations.

Name

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers

Legal name

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers

Website

https://zinfandel.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 serving 300+ Zinfandel wineries and growers and 5,000+ consumer advocates through preservation, education, events, and research programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Vineyard Certification & Sustainability Programs (Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative, GAP) (AFAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Wine advocacy association
• Zinfandel preservation
• Wine industry membership
• Heritage vineyard research
• Wine consumer education

Headquarters

HQ city

Rough And Ready

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from Producer members (wineries and growers of Zinfandel) and Advocate members (consumers). Heritage members receive VIP hospitality benefits at Premier Experience wineries including behind-the-scenes tours and barrel tastings.
2. Event Tickets and Experiences: Revenue from Zinfandel Experience events, wine cruises, tasting events, winemakers dinners, and auction events. Events include ZinEX Weekend Classic, Fijords and Nordic Spotlight Cruise, Aegean Sea Wine Cruise, and regional tasting events.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from wine industry partners, wineries, and related businesses. ZAP also receives grant funding for specific projects such as the CDFA grant and the Zinfandel Stories grant-funded project.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from supporters. ZAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ZAP is supported by members, donors, sponsors, and benefactors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that brings together Zinfandel wineries, growers, and consumers to preserve, educate, and advocate for Zinfandel wine. It delivers value through annual flagship events (Zinfandel Experience), research (Heritage Vineyard Project with UC Davis), educational content, wine club programs, and consumer experiences (passport program, cruises, regional tastings).

Product overview

Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization dedicated to Zinfandel preservation, education, and appreciation. Rather than a unified software product, ZAP operates as a portfolio of programs and events centered on promoting America's heritage grape. The core offerings include the annual Zinfandel Experience (ZinEx) signature event, The California Zinfandel Trail travel planning tool, the Heritage Vineyard Project research initiative in partnership with UC Davis, the Legendary Zinfandel Wine Club, Passport to Zinfandel, and Premier Winery Experience VIP programs. ZAP also provides educational resources including Zinfandel 101, video galleries, recipes, and hosts the University of Zin cruise. With over 300 Producer members (wineries and growers) and 5,000+ Advocate members (consumers), ZAP connects the global Zinfandel community through events, tastings, and research funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zinfandel Experience (ZinEx): The signature annual event featuring Zinfandel tastings, seminars, and winemaker gatherings. Originally held in San Francisco for 26 years, with events expanding to other locations including Healdsburg.
• The California Zinfandel Trail
• Heritage Vineyard Project
• Legendary Zinfandel Wine Club
• University of Zin

Products and services

• Zinfandel Experience (ZinEX)
• The California Zinfandel Trail
• Passport to Zinfandel
• Premier Winery Experience
• Legendary Zinfandel Wine Club
• Heritage Vineyard Project
• Zinfandel Wine Clubs
• University of Zin Cruise
• Zinfandel Stories

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $450,000 in cumulative grants raised for Heritage Vineyard Project research
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UC DaviscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Partnership with UC Davis to create greater diversity of Zinfandel selections for growers. Research began on 90 selections from 50 vineyards in 14 counties, conducted in three phases at the Oakville Experimental Vineyard. The collaboration has resulted in 19 new Zinfandel selections released to nurseries. ZAP has contributed over $450,000 to the Heritage Vineyard Project.
• Sonoma State University Wine Business InstituteminorOthersZAP sponsors the Donn P. Reisen Memorial Scholarship Fund supporting students pursuing a Wine Business MBA at Sonoma State University's Wine Business Institute, in memory of the distinguished wine industry executive who was one of ZAP's founders and long-time leaders.
• City College of San Francisco Culinary ArtsminorOthersSince 2005, ZAP has sponsored scholarships and provided critical funding for the CCSF Culinary Arts wine program. ZAP is proud to support this important program and our continued, mutually beneficial partnership. Barbara Haimes, Wine Instructor, noted ZAP's grant has been important for providing students access to a wide variety of wines.
• Old Vine ConferenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZAP is a meeting of the minds with the Old Vine Conference, working together across Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, and Lodi regions to preserve old vine Zinfandel and raise awareness of California's heritage grape.
• Constant ContactminorOthersEmail marketing service provider used for ZAP's official newsletter and email communications with members and event attendees.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rhone Rangers: A trade and consumer organization dedicated to American Rhone-style wines, operating very similarly to ZAP as a varietal-focused nonprofit with member wineries, tastings, and educational events. Direct structural parallel as a single-category advocacy group.
• Old Vine Conference: An organization focused on preserving old vineyards and raising awareness of heritage viticulture. ZAP explicitly partners with this group across Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, and Lodi, and they share mission and member overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Sonoma County Vintners: A Sonoma-based wine trade association promoting Sonoma County producers, similar in nonprofit membership and event-driven model to ZAP, but covering a region and multiple varietals rather than a single grape.
• Society of Wine Educators: A nonprofit wine education and certification body. Comparable to ZAP's educational mission and consumer/professional training role, though focused on credentialing across all varietals globally.
• Family Winemakers of California: A California nonprofit trade association of family-owned wineries, similar in nonprofit, membership-driven structure to ZAP, with comparable tasting events and consumer education programs.
• Napa Valley Vintners: A well-established regional wine trade association representing Napa Valley producers. Comparable as a winery-led nonprofit trade body with membership, events, and advocacy, though broader in geographic and varietal scope than ZAP.
• American Wine Society: A national consumer-and-amateur wine education nonprofit with chapters, tastings, and conferences — comparable to ZAP in nonprofit, education-driven model, but broader in scope across all wines and producers.
• Wine Institute: The public policy advocacy association for California wineries, broadly comparable to ZAP as a wine industry nonprofit with membership, lobbying, and education programs, but statewide in scope and far larger.

Regional players

• Lodi Winegrape Commission: A grower- and region-led commission (with grower assessments) that promotes Lodi wines, including its old vine Zinfandel. Comparable to ZAP in category development and grower-funded advocacy, though region-specific and government-affiliated.

Others

• Ridge Vineyards: One of ZAP's flagship Producer members (with Mark Vernon serving as Board Treasurer). Ridge is itself a leading Zinfandel producer and old-vine steward, and is sometimes cited as the kind of category-defining winery ZAP's ecosystem supports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thezinfandelorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCt93ZngJPDcr90T1Fn6gAlw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZAP.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/zap.zinfandel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zinfandel Advocates & Producers