Dinner- Zeppoli's (Italy)

Last night I went to Zeppoli’s Italian Restaurant with my friend, Katy, and her boyfriend, Matt.  I had never been there and didn’t know what to expect, but upon walking in, the restaurant was very comfortable and homey.  All 21 of us who were doing the dinner pairing sat in one room with only a few tables, so we all sat with people we didn’t know.   This made it fun because we got to meet and talk with other people in the class and get different opinions about each wine.

This is a picture of the outside of the restaurant.

The dinner was buffet style with a plethora of different Italian dishes.  The food included garlic bread, cheese (brie and Swiss) with crackers, Caesar salad, crab and cheese Rangoons, a pasta with marinara sauce and sausage, a pasta with a light dressing and feta cheese, and pizza bites.

This is just a small sample of the food that they had at the buffet.

The vibe was very casual.  We all sat around and began eating our food while the guide of the tasting began describing the wines.  He was a great leader throughout the meal.  He would describe each wine, what we should smell and what we should taste, as well as what the best thing would be to pair it with.  It was especially helpful when he said what food on our plates we should eat with that particular wine.  It really enhanced the experience because we were able to correctly pair the wines and understand what a really good food pairing can do for the flavor of a wine. 

Katy and Matt enjoying their food before the tasting began.

The wines we had with our meal last night were awesome.  Sometimes I feel like I don’t like many of the wines that I have at a tasting, but it is safe to say that I liked every single one of the wines we had last night.  This is my review of the nine South American wines we tasted.

These are the bottles of the wines we tasted.  My review of each one goes from left to right.

2010 Crucero, Sauvignon Blanc, Curico Valley: On the nose this wine smelled strongly of citrus.  I could tell that it was going to be somewhat acidic and it was.  However, the acidity wasn’t too strong and it was balanced nicely with an element of sweetness.  I tasted this with a pasta dish dressed with a light sauce and feta cheese.  I couldn’t really tell a difference after I tasted the wine with the food but overall this was my favorite white of the night. ($10.25, 13% alcohol.)

Picpoul de Pinet 2010 Coteux Du Languedoc: This wine was very light and dry.  It had a high level of acidity that made it really refreshing.  I could tell that it would go really well with seafood.  This wine was very similar to the Sauvignon Blanc that we had just tasted and I really liked it. ($8.50, 12.5% alcohol.)

Manos Negras 2009 Torrontes San Juan Argentina: On the nose this wine was pretty subtle.  I could detect some flowery hints but other than that it didn’t smell like much.  It tasted a little bit bitter and acidic.  I drank it with a piece of mildly spiced sausage and really enjoyed that pairing.  More of the sweetness of the wine came out with the food, which made it much more appealing. ($12.75, 13% alcohol)

Sombras Del Sol Chardonnay Valle Central Chile: This one smelled and tasted a lot more oaky than the other wines.  It was very creamy and buttery which I don’t usually enjoy but this one wasn’t too bad.  I tasted this with a crab and cheese Rangoon, which caused the creaminess of the wine to lessen and the fruitiness reveal itself.  It was much better after that in my opinion. ($6.99, %13.5 alcohol)

Allamand Malbed 2012 Valle de Uco Argentina: This wine was great.  The nose was very subtle but to the taste it was somewhat spicy and light.  I tasted this with Swiss cheese and my sip with the cheese was delicious.  ($11.99, 14.1% alcohol)

Crucero 2012 Carmenere Chile: This one was my least favorite of the reds, but I still liked it quite a bit.  The problem that I had with it was that it was so spicy my nose would burn a little bit with each sip.  That aspect of it really overwhelmed all other flavors and aromas but after tasting it with a piece of sausage, the spiciness of the wine lessened and I was able to enjoy it. ($7.99, 13.5% alcohol)

Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Argentina: I loved this wine (and the next one)! I was finally able to really detect a specific flavor on the nose which was blackberry.  It was fruity and sweet but not overwhelmingly so.  It coated my mouth and had a long aftertaste that I really appreciated.  I paired it with pasta with marinara sauce and I feel like the two complimented each other really well.  ($8.99, 13.5% alcohol)

Gen 5 Cabernet Sauvignon California: This wine was my favorite of the night.  It was comparable to the Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon but something about it really moved me.  It was fruity but a little bit spicy, full-bodied but really drinkable.  I can’t think of how else to describe it other than to say I bought two bottles of it at the end of the night- luckily there was a 10% discount!  ($11.25, 13.9% alcohol)

Rinaldi Red Dream Filtrato Dolce: This was the dessert wine of the night and was paired with a cupcake made by the owner of Zeppoli’s just for us.  This wine was carbonated and very low in alcohol so it almost tasted like a soda.  It was very sweet and paired perfectly with my vanilla cupcake with homemade vanilla frosting.  ($12.99, 7% alcohol)

A cupcake made just for us by the owner!

My experience at Zeppoli’s was amazing.  I had a great time with my friends and meeting new people.  The wines were delicious and so was the food.  I loved the vibe of the restaurant and how casual the tasting was.  I’m hoping to do it again soon!