Chris Walker

Delicato had promised to deliver thousands of gallons of America's favorite wine, White Zin, even though Zinfandel grapes were becoming increasingly hard to come by. All of it lined up in Michael and Nick's favor, so much so that heading into the 1988 season, they decided to expand their operation.

Delicato had promised to deliver thousands of gallons of America's favorite wine, White Zin, even though Zinfandel grapes were becoming increasingly hard to come by. All of it lined up in Michael and Nick's favor, so much so that heading into the 1988 season, they decided to expand their operation.

This included bringing in Nick's younger brother, Frank, as a reliable man on hand to coordinate deliveries. As the young men figured, why not continue giving the higher-ups at Delicato what they wanted? Zinfandel. At least, on the tags. I reached out to both of the Bavaro brothers as part of my reporting. Nick declined to be interviewed. But I did meet Frank at a farm he owns in Escalon.

This included bringing in Nick's younger brother, Frank, as a reliable man on hand to coordinate deliveries. As the young men figured, why not continue giving the higher-ups at Delicato what they wanted? Zinfandel. At least, on the tags. I reached out to both of the Bavaro brothers as part of my reporting. Nick declined to be interviewed. But I did meet Frank at a farm he owns in Escalon.

At first, I wasn't sure I'd get an interview. Frank was nervous, skittish. But after drinking a couple beers and fixing an irrigation line between two rows of his peach tree orchard, he did let me turn on my recorder.

At first, I wasn't sure I'd get an interview. Frank was nervous, skittish. But after drinking a couple beers and fixing an irrigation line between two rows of his peach tree orchard, he did let me turn on my recorder.

He wasn't too keen to get into the mechanics of the fraud, just how he helped ensure that so many imposter grapes ended up in America's favorite rosé, but he was at least willing to talk about how he justified things back then.

He wasn't too keen to get into the mechanics of the fraud, just how he helped ensure that so many imposter grapes ended up in America's favorite rosé, but he was at least willing to talk about how he justified things back then.

After all, this wasn't like they were misrepresenting grapes destined for a luxury Napa Valley cab.

After all, this wasn't like they were misrepresenting grapes destined for a luxury Napa Valley cab.

That might sound snobby, but Frank's take on white zin wasn't all that uncommon. If anything, the disdain is even more pronounced today.

That might sound snobby, but Frank's take on white zin wasn't all that uncommon. If anything, the disdain is even more pronounced today.

There are a plethora of internet videos just like that, like this one from comedian John McClellan.

There are a plethora of internet videos just like that, like this one from comedian John McClellan.

Shop around, and you can even find t-shirts with slogans like, Friends Don't Let Friends Drink White Zin. And for those in on the scam, like Frank, the wine's low-class status only heightened the sense that they weren't doing any real harm. It was just a cheap, mass-produced product, being purchased by people who hadn't yet developed a wine palate.

Shop around, and you can even find t-shirts with slogans like, Friends Don't Let Friends Drink White Zin. And for those in on the scam, like Frank, the wine's low-class status only heightened the sense that they weren't doing any real harm. It was just a cheap, mass-produced product, being purchased by people who hadn't yet developed a wine palate.

While White Zin might have been the gateway wine for millions of Americans, the joke was on them. The ironic little secret that their very entry point to wine was based on a lie, and they weren't even suave enough to know. But the reality is, this sentiment completely missed the point. And hang with me for just a sec here. This is important.

While White Zin might have been the gateway wine for millions of Americans, the joke was on them. The ironic little secret that their very entry point to wine was based on a lie, and they weren't even suave enough to know. But the reality is, this sentiment completely missed the point. And hang with me for just a sec here. This is important.

Because at the exact time this fraud was unfolding, California had only recently passed something called the 75% rule. As it related to winemakers, it was meant to champion the types of grapes they used. As famed wine writer Jancis Robinson explained it to me...

Because at the exact time this fraud was unfolding, California had only recently passed something called the 75% rule. As it related to winemakers, it was meant to champion the types of grapes they used. As famed wine writer Jancis Robinson explained it to me...