Wine Dinner - Zeppolis (Italy)

This week, a classmate and I went to Zeppolis to pair wine with Italian cuisine. After placing our order, we asked our waitress which wine would go best with our meals. She suggested Pinot Noir to both of us. We had very similar pasta dishes. 

We started the meal by eating some of the bread. We then tasted the wine for the first time. I am usually a big white wine person, I prefer Pinot Grigio and Moscato, very sweet wines. I was very skeptical when the waitress brought out a large glass of Pinot Noir. 

The nose on this wine had a very berry scent. I got a lot of raspberry and strawberry. It was very sweet. There was a hint of oak at the end, but not overwhelmingly so. 

Tasting the Pinot Noir before the meal was a surprising experience for me. Red wine is usually not something I enjoy because I don't like the dry, oaky after taste. However, with this Pinot I didn't get that at all. The berry flavors from the nose came through a lot in this wine and it was very sweet. There was hardly any dryness or oaky aftertaste. I was surprised to find I actually really like this wine. 


However, this was all about to change. 

For my meal, I got a pasta dish with chicken, shrimp, mushrooms in a creamy tomato sauce. This dish was really good. I was excited to try the wine after the food, as we've been told that the food should enhance the wine. When I tasted the wine again, the sweetness was gone. The after taste of the wine became very harsh and "in your face." It was dry and oaky. The berries I tasted before my pasta dish were gone. For experienced red wine drinkers, this transformation was probably a good thing, but for me, it was not. 

After we had finished our meals, we sat for awhile and sipped on the Pinot Noir. After the meals were digested, there was a taste of apple in the wine. 

I thought this was very interesting. I always assumed I would like red wine more once it was paired with a meal. Ironically, I liked this wine a lot more before eating, and would probably choose to drink it alone in the future. 

 Me and Megan at Zeppolis.

Potluck Sweet Malbec Tasting

Name: Potluck Sweet Malbec  
Variety: Malbec 
Region: Mendoza 
Country: Argentina 
Year: 2010 
Price: $7.95 

Review:  Deep red brilliant with violet hints. Complex, fruity, andpredominant red fruits. Easy to drink, round with persistent sweetness, very well balanced with sweet tannins. 

My Review: The nose had subtle scents of honeysuckle, it smelled very sweet. I almost thought I smelled pie filling instead of the normal fruits, just much sweeter. The taste with this wine was different, because I actually thought I tasted grape juice. Whereas with other wine, a lot of the other flavors come through a lot, I could really taste the grape in this wine. There was a bite in the aftertaste, maybe of a kind of passionfruit? It was definitely an interesting finish to the wine. 

Domaine de Grange de Payan Tasting

Name: Domaine de Grange de Payan  Variety: Grenache (Majority) 
Region: Côtes du Rhône 
Country: France 
Year: 2011 
Price: $8.95 

Review: Intensely spicy and precise, with lively red berry flavors and a hint of black pepper. The Grenache, which makes up the majority of the wine, is deeper and more powerful, offering cherry and black raspberry qualities lifted by zesty minerality (Vintage Cellar). 

My Review: The nose on this wine was very subtle, I couldn't really get an exact smell out of it. But it was pretty dull. The taste was almost unbearably dry. The "oak monster" really came into play with this wine. The after taste was almost sour, something I was not expecting in a red wine. 

Tinto Figaro

Name: Tinto Figaro 
Variety: 100% Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain  
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Review: Figaro is 100% Garnacha, made from a selection of the best grapes grown in the oldest vineyards. While not truly an "oaked wine," a short stay in oak barrels provides a nice spicy flavor boost. Bright violet. Dark berry and cherry aromas show a jammy aspect. Supple and gently sweet, with good lift to its black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. Smooth and broad on the finish, leaving behind a hint of spiciness. Extremely east to drink and an excellent value. 

My Review: After tasting this wine, I cannot believe that the review said it was easy to drink.The nose on this wine was very strong, I got a lot of raspberry smells and a hint of chocolate. The taste was extremely strong, just way too intense for my palate. It was oaky and had a very long lasting and extreme after taste. I did not want to finish the rest in my glass with this wine. Probably my least favorite so far. 

Maipe Malbec Rose

Name: Maipe Malbec 
Variety: Rose
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina   
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Review: Intense pink color with violet hints. Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors, balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish. Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes.

My Review: The smell on this wine was very strong. I was hit with a lot of strawberry flavors right away. It had a very light taste, much different than I was expecting. I had expected this wine to be very dry after reading the description, however it actually had a great balance. I normally like sweet wines, and while this was dry, I really liked it. 

Cortenova Pinot Grigio Tasting

Name: Cortenova 
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy  
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections.
Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste.
Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine  Perfect also as an aperitif.

My Review: I really liked this Pinot Grigio. Before I got into Moscatos and really sweet wines, I loved Pino Grigio. I was really happy to taste this one and remember why. The nose was very apple-y to me, which is something I tend to smell in white wines. It was very floral tasting and I had trouble putting a name on the other flavors I tasted. But the taste was very light and I really liked this wine.  I would definitely buy this to have with shrimp or a light chicken meal.