Dinner- "Zeppolis (House Wines Versus the World)"

Dinner- "Zeppolis (House Wines Versus the World)"

Walking into Zeppolis with fellow class mate, Ben Coleman.

On Sunday evening I attended my second wine dinner at Zeppolis Italian restaurant in Blacksburg, VA. This weeks wine dinner featured many of Zeppolis's house wines and was themed: "House Wines Versus the World." All the wines were served with various fresh Italian foods. We were served nine wines in total, four whites and five reds.

The first wine was actually a champagne, that was a Muscanti NV Brut Sparkling Wine from Penedes, Spain. The champagne was $7.50 a bottle and contained 11.5% alcohol. It was actually served incorrectly as it was provided in a regular wine glass instead of a tall-skinny champagne glass.  The wine was made with traditional cava grapes, but wasn't made in the traditional "methode champeinoise." It was rather made by a Charmat process, so it is called a Spanish sparkling wine. The nose of the wine was very sweet smelling with a bitter, green apple coming through very strongly. The wine tasted very refreshing and crisp with a nice lemon flavor. None of the flavors in this wine tasted too strong and the finish wasn't anything special. I actually tried this wine twice, once alone and once with a garden salad. The taste did not change in either scenario.

The next white wine served was a 2006 Mars and Venus Chardonnay from Central Valley, Chile. The wine was $8.99 a bottle and contained 13.5% alcohol. The nose of the came through with a very strong smell of pineapple. You could smell the pineapple as it was being poured from the bottle. The taste had an oakey presence along with some pineapple carried over from the nose. I tasted this wine with some focelli pasta with cream sauce, which made for a great combination. 

A picture of all the wines served at the dinner.

Our next wine was a 2009 Rubus Chardonnay from Russian Valley, California. The bottle sold for $11.99 and had 13.9% alcohol. This wine was a much darker/golden yellow than the others. It had strong aromas of apple and a little pear on the nose. The taste had a little buttery feel to it which our host, Matt said may have been to a lack of ferment. The finish featured a lingering apple taste. I tried this wine with some pesto on a cracker, which seemed to taste great, but this could just have been the pesto which was one of the best dishes of the evening. 

Our last white wine of the night was a 2010 Borealis "The Northern Whites" from Willamette Valley. This wine was $12.99 a bottle and contained 11.5% alcohol. The wine featured a blend of four grapes: Muller, Reisling, Pinot Gris and Gwverstameiner. The nose of the wine seemed to be very tropical almost featuring grapefruit and a strong lime smell. The wine was tasted cool and refreshing, went down smoothly and was not very sweet, but had hints of bananas. The finish left a very dry taste in my mouth. I tried this wine with a cracker topped with cheese and tomato, which I could take or leave as a pairing for the wine.

The first red wine of the dinner was a 2010 San Elias Cabernet Sauvignon that was $7.99 a bottle and contained 13.5% alcohol. The wine was a very dark elegant purple color that had a nose which smelled of pure liquid smoke. This left me a little timid in tasting the wine expecting to be overwhelmed with a smokey taste. The wine started off with a vague smokey taste, but ended with more of a fruity finish that featured a cherry flavor. It also left a little burning sensation in my throat. I tried this wine with peperoni which seemed to be a good pairing as I believe it brought out more flavor in the meat.

A full plate of all the foods served to accompany the wine.

The next red wine was a 2009 Kenwood Yulupa Cabernet Sauvignon from California. The wine was $11.99 a bottle and contained 13.5% alcohol. The wine is made of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot. According to our host Matt the wine was a Yulupa meaning a restaurant wine. It featured a deep, deep red color and had a very strong oak presence on the nose. The taste had hints of cocoa and was a little dry. The finish was very rich and lingered. I tasted this with pasta and meet sauce, which seemed to be a decent compliment. 

Our third red wine of the evening was a 2009 Rubus Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi from California. The wine was $12.99 a bottle and contained 14.4% alcohol. The nose had a strong pepper smell and almost featured smells of Tobasco. The taste had more of a cinnamon feel on the palate with a lingering/long smokey finish. You could also taste a little bit of cherry. I tried this with a pizza roll that went very well with the wine. The wine amplified the tatses of the sauce and the meats inside the roll.

The final wine of the evening a 2009 Trenadue Block 500 Merlot

Our next red wine was a 2007 Merlot by Mars and Venus from Central Valley, Chile. The wine contained 13.5% alcohol. The nose of the wine hit me as being very similar to an artificial strawberry smell. The wine was very easy to drink and went down very smooth, which was much different from the last Merlot I drank. I tasted a little cocoa as mentioned in the wine notes provided. I tried this wine with a red meat sauce and ravioli, which seemed to be a nice pairing. It was suggested as a wine to drink with steak, but I failed to see the possible connection.

The final wine of the evening was a 2009 Trentadue Block 500 Merlot from Sonoma County, California. The wine was the most expensive of the evening coming in at $18.99 a bottle and contained 14.6% alcohol. The wine was 96% Merlot but also featured 1% Montepulciano, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. The nose came through with a storng blackberry smell and also featured a little tobacco smell. I tasted a couple different flavors very strongly including cedar and tobacco. The finish hit me with a hard taste of black licorice that lingered for a good amount of time. I tried this wine with a pizza roll, but this did not help my opinion on the wine. Overall, I felt that it was a little pricey for its taste.

Another very successful wine dinner complete.

Tasting- "Morada Sangria"

Name: Morada Sangria
Variety: Sangria-blend
Region: N/A
Country: Spain
Year: NV
Price: $4.95 for 1 Liter

Wine Review: A traditional Spanish drink made with red wine and citrus extracts. Garnet color and fresh on the palate.  Serve well chilled, on its own or with lemonade and slices of fruit like peach, banana or apple.

My Review: Good. It was only my second time having a Sangria. After seeing the dark color it freaked me out that it was being served chilled. The nose smelled of potent, non-ripe fruit almost like 409 cleaner or pinesol. The taste was much better as it almost tasted like unsweetened or watered down lemonade. It didn't seem to have much of a finish. I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- "Cortenova Primitivo"

Name: Cortenova Primitivo
Variety: Primitivo
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Wine Review: Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and
black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and velvety on the palate. Great balance and structure. Excellent with grilled or roasted meats, game and cheeses.

My Review: Decent. The wine was very, very dark. For some reason the smell of this wine reminded me of Christmas. It could just be me, but the wine smelled like cinnamon and lavender. The taste was more of a blackberry taste with a lingering smokey feel in the finish. I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- "Canyon Road Pinot Noir"

 

Name: Canyon Road Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2010

Price:$6.95

Wine Review: This Pinot Noir expresses tantalizing flavors of ripe cherry and wild raspberry, and finishes with brown, vanilla spices and a smooth finish. 

My Review: Very Good. I actually really enjoyed this wine. The nose smelled of dark berries particularly with a strong smell of cherries. The wine went down rather smoothly and was accompanied by a berry taste. The finish featured a lingering spicy taste and also left a sense of vanilla. I did not try this wine with food. 

Tasting- "Oak Vineyards Chardonnay"

Name: Oak Vineyards Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa Valley-California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95 for 750 mL and $10.95 for 1.5 Liter

Wine Review: This light straw-colored Oak Vineyards 2010
Chardonnay expresses smokey aromatics with nuances of apple and lemon zest that continue onto the palate where they flourish into citrus, orange blossom, and smoked oak flavors until meeting a crisp, medium finish.







My Review: Decent. The wine was very light in color. The nose smelled just as the notes described as strong smells of oak, smoke and wood came through. The taste was a little different than some other chardonnays I have tasted as I could taste the sweetness but also tasted the oak as well. I have to say this was something I didn't really care for. The finish was nothing spectacular. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting- "Poysdorfer Saurussel Gruner Veltliner"

Name: Poysdorfer Saurussel Gruner Veltliner
Variety: Gruner Veltliner
Region:  Niederösterreich
Country: Austria
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Wine Review: Crisp lime flavors, white pepper and lentils, followed by a mouthful of mineral notes and gooseberry. A
long lingering finish. A great accompaniment to any
Asian or fresh seafood dishes.

My Review: Good. This wine reminded me of the beach for some reason. The nose had a strong lemon/lime to it. This followed through in the taste as it came through with strong citrus tastes, that lingered to the finish. I did not taste this wine with food, but I could see it pairing nicely with seafood as mentioned in the notes.

Dinner- "Zeppolis (Italian)"

Dinner- "Zeppolis (Italian)"

Picture of the outside of Zeppolis as we walk in for the wine dinner

Every other week Zeppolis Italian restaurant in Blacksburg, VA provides a wine dinner specially prepared for the students of John Boyer's Geography 4054 class. This week the dinner featured all Italian wines paired with traditional Italian cuisine. We were served nine wines in total, four whites and five reds. The host would poor each wine individually, not always providing you with the name, which allowed us to compare the wines directly and guess which ones were which.

The first wine we tasted was Fossi Bianco which was a white table wine. It was $6.99 a bottle and contained 11.5% alcohol. The nose was very sweet with hints of apple and citrus. This was an extremely easy wine to drink as it exploded with a strong fruit flavor. The apple from the nose carried to the taste as it left a very crisp and clean finish. I also tried this wine with some of the cold pasta salad, but I didn't seem to experience a change in taste. Based on the notes provided this wine is an excellent price and is great for large gatherings.

The next wine was a La Fiera 2010 Pino Grigio Alto Adige. The price was $14.99 per bottle and it contained 14% alcohol. This was a "decent year, as well as a decent vineyard" according to our hosts. The nose of the wine was very fruity and smelled strongly of apples.

The taste exhibited the same features as a strong apple taste was present. I didn't taste the peach as mentioned in the notes provided to us. The finish lingered for a couple seconds with a little bitter taste. I tried this wine with the garden salad and balsamic dressing. The food complemented the wine very nicely and actually helped bring out even more taste.

The bottles/labels of the wines served at the dinner.

The third wine featured was a 2010 Nals Magried Pinot Grigio Alto Adige. It was $14.99 a bottle and contained 14% alcohol. The nose had a little lemon or zest smell to it, but wasn't too strong. The lemon flavor seemed to be apparent in the taste as well and was complemented by a very crisp and fresh feel. The finish was supposed to be "thick and slightly oily," but i failed to notice that. I tried this with a cracker and light cheese, which was a good compliment.

The last white wine we tried was a 2011 Lodali Moscato D'Asti. It was a sparkling wine that was 5.5% alcohol and $12.99 a bottle. This wine is often well paired with deserts containing fruits. The nose smelled of many different fruits, such as peaches, apples and even a little cantaloupe. The taste exemplified a sparkling cider with a hint of alcohol. The finish was very cool and refreshing. I tried this wine with some of the garden salad which probably wasn't the best food pairing, as it would have been better with something sweet.

The food featured garden salad, pasta and multiple breads with cheese.

The first red wine of the dinner was a Luca Primitivo del Salento Puglia. This was a wine that is from the most eastern part of Italy, was $8.99 a bottle and contained 13% alcohol. This is also considered the "father of Zinfandel." The nose of this wine was not one of my favorites as it came through with smells like perfume or nail polish remover. After tasting the wine, I could taste burnt toast and a little bit of spice. After having the wine with some marinara sauce, the taste of the wine drastically improved.

The next red wine was a 2010 SUD Primitivo Puglia. This wine came in at $11.99 a bottle and contained 13.5% alcohol. This was a much darker red that smelled of a very strong vanilla. The taste was more of the same. I might not have been able to get the smell out of my mind and couldn't quite pick up the "plush fruit and herb." I tried this wine with pasta and meat sauce, but this failed to change my perception of its taste.

The third red wine was a Morli Neri 2009 Chianti DOCG. It sells for $9.99 a bottle and contains 12.5% alcohol. The nose of the wine was very strong as you could smell it immediately after being poured. It came through with a sense of blackberry and raspberry. The taste was more of a dried fruit taste and met the criteria set forth in the notes of a "jam" like taste. This taste was intensified when I tried it with pasta and meat sauce.

The next wine was a 2010 Bibi Graetz Casamata Toscana. This wine is also known as a "super

Seen here with Ben and our new friends Colin and Chris (front).

tuscan," made with a chianti style grape for the American palate. The wine is $12.99 a bottle and contains 12% alcohol. The nose of this wine came through with a strong dirt like smell and what almost reminded me of a wet dog. The taste was very rich and left what I would say was a tar like taste in my mouth. I had this wine with some bread dipped in red sauce, which proved to be a nice combination.

The last wine of the evening was a 2009 Lodali Nebbiolo D'Alba Sant Ambrogrio. This was the most expensive wine of the evening coming in at $17.99 a bottle and containing 13.5% alcohol. This was a much lighter color compared to the other reds we had tasted. The wine was aged for 12 months in oak barrels and this showed in both the nose and taste. The oak smell from the nose lingered and may have affected the taste of the wine, which came through with heavy wood tastes. I was also able to pick up on some hints of black licorice as mentioned in the notes provided to us. This wine may have had the largest affect on the food I tasted that night. After taking a sip of this wine and pairing it with some garlic bread it immediately amplified the garlic taste from the bread and also made the wines finish linger for even longer.

As you can tell it was a very good wine dinner.

Tasting- "Opera Prima Sweet White"

Name: Opera Prima Sweet White
Variety: White Blend
Region: Central Spain
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Wine Review: Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The flavor package of tropical
fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn’t offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor.

My Review: Good. The nose came through with a very strong mango smell. It smelled very similar to a sparkling cider with an apple hint. It was one of the most sweet wines I have ever had. It reminded me of liquid candy and almost like a lightly carbonated/flavored water. I also got hints of fruit punch in the finish, which left a lingering sweet taste. I did not taste this with food.

Tasting- "Senda 66 Tempranillo"

Name: Senda 66 Tempranillo
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $8.95

Wine Review: 90 Points, Robert Parker  “The 2008 Senda 66 spent 8 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color, it sports a fragrant nose of spice box, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, layered, and remarkably rich on
the palate for its humble price, this lengthy effort will
drink nicely over the next 5-6 years.”

My Review: Average-Good. The nose smelled of strong lavender soap, but was also very sweet and had hints of vanilla. The taste had a very strong presence of cherries and had a little bite with a very dry finish. I did not taste this with food.

Tasting- "Sierra Cruz Carmenere"

Name: Sierra Cruz Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Maule Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Wine Review: As a member of the cabernet sauvignon family,
carmenere (pronounced car-men-yare) originated in Bordeaux as one of the grapes permitted for use in the red blends of that storied region. Chilean winemakers have embraced it and several wineries in that country produce it as a single varietal. The ’09 Sierra Cruz is a very pleasant, soft, medium-bodied wine that has fresh cabernet-like aromas and flavors of spice, dark fruit and black pepper. It is a great value and also would be a nice match with marinated and grilled skirt or flank steak.


My Review: Good. The nose had very strong hints of cranberry, dark grapes and other dark fruits coming through. It went down very smooth and tasted like seasoning that goes on meat. The taste reminded me of the grill or a smokey taste, so I could imagine this going well with food. I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- "Lost Vineyards Chardonnay"

Name: Lost Vineyards Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Northwest
Country: Argentina
Year: N/A
Price: $3.95

Wine Review: Pale golden color. Perfumed peach, pineapple, and nougat aromas. Round and soft with a fruity-yet-dry
medium body. Tangy apple skin and lemon zest notes lift the fruit nicely on the finish.

My Review: Below Average. This nose carried strong smells of alcohol and smelled very strong and potent almost like aerosol. The taste was not much better as it reminded me of rubbing alcohol and almost tasted what I would imagine perfume would taste like. The finish was rather weak but left the remnants of alcohol taste for a couple seconds. 

Tasting- "Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Maule Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Wine Review:This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc just oozes with bright citrus flavors and a nose of herbs and grass.  Stylistically, it is a cross between the herbal, grassy wines so prevalent in Sonoma County and the riper, more fruit forward products of New Zealand. Match it with pasta sauced with arugula, pine nuts, mushrooms and parmesan.

My Review: This wine was decent. The nose of this wine smelled of melon, but also smelled a little like dirt. The taste was rather bitter and made me pucker. The melon I smelled in the nose was apparent in the taste. The finish was interesting as the grass flavor mentioned above lingered for awhile. I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- "Primo Amore Moscato"

Name: Primo Amore Moscato
Variety: 100% Moscato
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: N/A (2009?)
Price: $8.95

Wine Review: Straw-yellow with golden reflections and a delicate mousse. Fruity and very inviting, with intense scents
of peaches and exotic fruit. Fresh and pleasantly sweet with a taste that reveals its varietal characteristic.


My Review: Very Good. The nose was very peachy and actually almost reminded me of Blue Moon, which I found strange. It had a carbonated taste to it and almost tasted like Sprite. It had a very sweet after taste, leaving no burn like other wines. I did not have this wine with food. Overall, as a novice wine taster this was very easy to drink, mostly due to the soda like taste and qualities.

Tasting- "Faraway Farms Shiraz"

Name: Faraway Farms Shiraz
Variety: 100% Shiraz
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2008
Price: $5.95

Wine Review: Fresh, modern style, with lots of plum pudding,
sweet chocolate, mocha, blackberry and boysenberry flavors supported by round, sweet tannins and toast.

My Review: Good. The nose didn't smell as sweet as I would have expected after reading the above description. I couldn't smell the chocolate in the nose nearly at all. Despite this, after tasting the wine I was hit with a strong mocha flavor that was supported by "burnt" after taste. I did not taste this wine with food. Overall, I liked this wine and would drink it again.

Tasting- "Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha"

Name: Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha
Variety: 100% Old Vine Garnache
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Wine Review: Bright ruby color. Primary dark berry aromas are
simple but offer very good purity and focus. Juicy
blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are youthfully
tangy, with good back-end acidity adding snap. The
clean, brisk finish leaves behind notes of sweet dark
berry preserves and cracked pepper.

My Review: Average. The color seemed bright for a red. I could easily smell the blackberry in the nose, as mentioned above. The taste almost surprised me as I felt it was a little spicy. The finish had a little bite to it as well that lingered for a few seconds. It was the most interesting wine I had that day. I did not taste the wine with food. Overall, it took me awhile to realize if I liked the taste or not, but I would try it again.

Tasting- "Fox Hollow Chardonnay"

Name: Fox Hollow Chardonnay
Variety:100% Chardonnay
Region: Napa & Sonoma, California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Wine Review: Quite an interesting Chardonnay, in an era when so many are too sweet and extracted. There’s plenty of orange and apricot fruit flavor, but also a brilliant streak of minerality, like a lick of cold steel, and the overall taste is dry. Really easy to like, with lots of complexity to warrant repeated sipping.


My Review: Good. Smelled very sweet, with hints of apple and pear coming through rather strongly. The wine itself tasted very crisp/refreshing and went down smooth like water. It had an overbearing taste of apples. The finish almost gave off a rose or flower like taste, but it wasn't too strong. I did not taste this wine with food. Overall, I would consider buying this wine due to its above average taste and fair price point.

Tasting- "Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Coastal Region
Country: South Africa
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Wine Review: OBiKWA Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal summer wine and smacks of crisp tropical fruit with a smattering of gooseberries and fig. If you're planning a night out with mates- don't forget to bring along a bottle of this yummy potion!

My Review: Decent. The color was very clear, almost like water. The nose was potent, but smelled somewhat fruity. It went down smoothly and tasted very crisp/clean with a hint of pineapple. I didn't taste the fig as mentioned above. It left a very strong bitter after taste. I did not taste this with any food. Overall, this was not one of my favorite wines as I would have liked to have tasted more fruit with a less bitter after taste.