Dinner-Zeppoli's (Wines You Might Not Know)

Zeppoli's Italian Restaurant and Wine Shop

Last week, a group of friends and me attended Zeppoli's wine dinner called "Wines You Might Not Know" hosted by Matthew Burch.  This wine dinner was a great way to see how different delicious foods react with different wines.

Food Spread

There was a plethora of different food dishes as depicted to the left.  Some of our options included olive bread, white cheddar cheese, yellow cheddar cheese, Italian bread, Caesar salad, pita bread, hummus, carrots, sausage stuffed pastry, cheese stuffed pastry, tilapia, crackers, and  pasta with meat and mushroom tomato sauce.  We were able to try each dish was the nine wines served.  A description of the wines pared with different foods is explained below.

Sau-Rus-Sel Gruner  Veltliner

The wine shown on the right was the first wine we paired with all the different foods.  It is called Sau-Rus-Sel Gruner Veltiner from Austria and sold at Zeppoli's for $8.99.  This wine is called pigs wine because of the pigs nose on the front of the bottle.  It is 100% Gruner Veltliner.  A critic's description was "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."  I thought this wine smelled like beer.  It did taste delicious with the cheese pastry.  It had a great finishing taste.

Meinklang Burgenland White

The wine to the left is called Meinklang Burgenland White and sold at Zeppoli's for $11.99.  This wine is a 2011 vintage and is an organic wine.  A critic's description was "this biodynamic white wine is a blend of 80% Gruner Veltliner and 20% Muscat, both indigenous to Austria.  It bursts with lively minerality and citrus fruits on the palate, complimented by notes of apple and a dash of pepper.  A great match for white meats, seafood or salad!  Bright and crisp with hints of citrus.  Great with seafood, salads, and soft cheeses."  I thought this wine smelled and tasted delicious!  It was a little more acid with cheese and crackers.  It, however, did not have a great taste with the sausage pastry.

Vouvary

The wine shown to the right is the Michel Picard 2011 Vouvray from Loire Valley, France and is sold at Zeppoli's for $11.99.  A helpful hint from the host said that Chenin Blanc grown in South Africa is good with raw oysters.  A critic's description was " alcohol 11.5% off-dry in sweetness, this Chenin Blanc has freshness on the palate with hints of apricot and stone fruit.  Its hint of sweetness is counterbalanced by a high level of acidity making this a wine that is round and fresh easy to drink now or a wine that can age well.  Pairs well with pork, salads, fish, vegetables, chicken, or seafood."  I thought this wine smelled like grapefruit.  It did have a great taste and went down very smoothly.  It tasted delicious with tilapia.

Case Ibidini  

This wine shown on the left is the Case Ibidini 2010 Insolia from Sicily and sold at Zeppoli's for $11.99.  This wine had an orange cork.  A critic's description was "alcohol 12% 88 pts. Case Ibidini is the second label of Valle dell' Acate.  The wines are made from vineyards on the valley floor and aged in stainless steel.  The 2010 Insolia is a crisp, floral, refreshing white best suited to near-term drinking.  The mid-weight white offers gorgeous balance and class at this level."  I thought this wine tasted dry, and did not have much of any smell.  It, however, did taste delicious with tilapia.

Serie Terra Sparkling Malbec

This wine shown on the right is the Serie Terra 2010 Sparkling Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina and sold at Zeppoli's for $14.99.   A critic's description was "alcohol 12.9% Intense red color with violet shades.  It offers a rich and intense aroma of red fruits such as cherry, cranberry, and plum.  Good equilibrium between sugar and acidity.  Malbec tannins enhance structure and complexity."  I thought this wine smelled like cherry cough syrup and rubbing alcohol, and had a burnt taste.  It tasted terrible with cheese pastry, sausage pastry, and pasta.  It did not pair well with any foods.  It is best just by itself.

Campos De Luz Garnacha Old Vine

This wine shown on the left is called Campos De Luz Garnacha Old Vine and sold at Zeppoli's for $8.99.  Robert Parker's wine advocate gave this wine 86 points.  A description of this wine was "a fleshy red berried nose is to be expected from old Garnacha vines.  These are between 25-80 years old, bush trained and 100% handpicked, Estate fruit.  Carinena means field of light and the fruit-forward warmth of this region near Catalonia is evident as it is also balanced with mineraled acidity.  This wine is plump, heavy with ripe red currants and wild berried.  It will go nicely with pork shoulder in tart, spicy braise."  I thought this wine smelled like a spicy Earth.  It tasted very strong with pasta and cheese, but tasted very good with cheese pastry.

Riebeek Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine shown on the right is the Riebeek 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Swartland, South Africa and sold at Zeppoli's for $7.99.  This is a 14% alcohol made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Shiraz.  A critic's description was "an exciting new world style wine with upfront blackcurrant flavors.  The black fruit is well-balanced with subtle French oak for a complex nose and an elegant and lingering follow-through.  An exceptional example of a lighter style Cabernet Sauvignon that can be enjoyed young.  Excellent with red meat dishes or veal."  I thought this wine smelled spicy.  There was a spicy overload with sausage pastry, however, it tasted delicious with pasta.

Domaine de Fontsainte

This wine shown on the left is the Domaine de Fontsainte 2009 vintage from Corbieres, France and sold at Zeppoli's for $12.99.  It has a 13% alcohol content.  Robert Parker said in February 2012 " an attractive blend of 60% Carignan, 30% Grenache, and 10% Syrah exhibiting lots of lovely, spicy, red, and black fruit notes intermixed with notions of roasted herbs, new saddle leather and a foresty/earthy component that ads an intriguing, wild Mediterranean sort of character.  Drink it over the next 2-3 years."  Robert Parker also scored this wine 88 points.  I thought this wine smelled acidic and spicy.  It tasted delicious with pasta; however, it tasted terrible with Caesar salad.

Salice Salentino Cantele

The last wine of the night shown on the right is the Cantele 2008 Salice Salentino Riserva from Puglia, Italy and sold at Zeppoli's for $11.99.  It has a 13% alcohol content made from 85% Negroamaro and 15% Malvasia Nera.  A critic's description was "carmelized red fruits and juicy dark fruits, with a layering of tobacco, spice and earth, all balanced by smooth tannins and a refreshing acidity.  This is a complex, easy-drinking, versatile red for a bargain bottle price.  Only one of 14 wines in the Puglia region deemed the prestigious 3 glasses award."  I thought the wine straight from the bottle smelled like a classic red wine and tasted smooth and delicious.  When the same wine was air-aided it still smelled like a classic red wine but tasted smoother and calmer.  After the same wine was decanted for about 2 hours it smelled like a classic red wine but this time tasted the smoothest and calmest.  The decanted wine tasted the best out of all the options.

Wine Dinner Group

Overall, the wine dinner was very educational and worthwhile.  I had a great time with my friends comparing opinions about which foods tasted best with which wines.  I have so much more to learn and can't wait to do it again.

Ian and Me