Zins are great because they have lots to offer, and are very undervalued by the wine public. Thus, you can get some excellent Zins for less than a Cab or Pinot. Zin is a California grape, so don't venture outside of this state for it. Ridge makes the best Zins, and you can order them off the web. However, you need to spend about 40 bucks for a really good one. Their cheaper stuff isn't really that good.
If you're looking for a truly dynamite Zin, then order it from
www.fellom.com. The 2000 Saratoga Zin is absolutely tremendous, and quite ready to drink (15 bucks a bottle!). This winery is really just a dude in his house, who has some grapes, and buddies who have grapes. This wine is as good as anything made right now, and this vintage is good to go. It's as good, if not better, than anything Ridge is putting out (where a 2000 might run about 100 bucks). I'm debating gettting a case myself, but I don't have room to store it. Also, you can get Port made from Zin grapes. Very nice, too, and nobody will ever have had it. A truly nice gift.
Of course, all of this is contingent on the fact that you live in a "wine treaty state" for insterstate shipping. If you don't, then the Ravenswood stuff that Diablo recommended is pretty good, but not nearly as nice as the Fellom. Trust me.