Amanda's Wine Blog

Wine Dinner Blog 3

Dinner: Zeppolis “West Coast Wine Showcase” Dinner and Wine Tasting

All the west coast wines lined up after the tasting!!

For the third wine dinner, definitely not the last, I decided to check out the highly regarded Zeppolis Sunday night regional wine and food pairing. Arriving at 8.00pm with my boyfriend and friends we entered the quaint restaurant tucked in a far back shopping center behind in the Holiday Inn in Blacksburg. Gorgeous Italian style décor filled the restaurant; vines with dark grapes swept the walls around the wine racks and all around while classic Tuscan pictures filled the rest. The wine tasting place was in the left side of the restaurant with 7 or 8 nice little black wooden tables set with napkins and water. The presenter, very enthusiastic and knowledgeable worker, was waiting at the small bar in the front of the room.

Presenter giving the down low on the first red!

Once the rest of the guests were seated the appetizers were bought out. These were anything but appetizers, absolutely a full dinners amount of fantastic Italian cuisine. Warm Italian bread, raisin rolls and toasted bread topped with red pepper and cheese started the buffet. An olive oil and oregano blend waited eagerly on the tables Crackers and three types of cheese including cheddar and provolone waited next. A crisp salad followed filled with slice carrots, olives, tomatoes, and eggs. Main course type foods began with bowls of teriyaki chicken on top of seasoned rice. Next came sesame rolls filled with sweet pork barbeque. Last, but not least, was my personal favorite, bowls of steaming cheese filled manicottis, absolutely delicious. The food was served all at once before the wine was poured. Understandable when dealing with large groups, however it was very difficult to wait for the wine to try with each food. The experience would have been a little more pleasing if the food was served spaced out according to desired wine and food pairing from the restaurant.

Chicken and Bqq Pork filled Rolls!

Cheese and crackers may not be alot of work but they are one of my favorite to enjoy with wine!

Our plates filled before the wine tasting, Ryans already sneaking bites!

The wine tasting finally began once everyone had full plates in front of them. The presenter have a detailed introduction of the wine, price, aroma, taste pairing, and anything else he could add from his own knowledge, it was very informative! The dinner started out by dry whites moving along to sweeter reds.

The first wine poured was Firesteed 2011 Pinot Gris Oregon. The owner’s description was “Alcohol 12.6% Tropical aromas of kiwi and mango followed by flavors of perfectly-ripe summer melon and citrus. With each return to the glass, the flavors expand on the palate with increasing complexity and texture.” With a swirl and whiff I began the tasting. I unfortunately did not get any distinguishing smell, at most a delicate smelling sweet flower. On the palate it was smooth orange and flower flavor at first with an acidic, bold, but dry finish. I choose to pair this wine with the salad and it was on key. The sweetness of the Italian dressing really livened up the dry wine. No overpowering just really helped bring on the slight fruit flavors. I gave a nibble on the teriyaki chicken with this wine and I regretted it almost at once. The salty sweet of the teriyaki just had no place in pairing with this wine; it was too strong of a sauce to be mixed with the light white.

The next wine on the menu was Lamplighter Chardonnay 2009 California. Owners description is “alcohol 13.5% Aromas and flavors of citrus balanced with tropical fruits and honey apricot notes. With just enough vanilla oak and creaminess to know it’s a California Chardonnay. Recommendation: Pair with chicken, seafood, or enjoy on its own.” This wine was my absolute favorite; my palate definitely has a taste for chardonnays. On the nose I got a light whiff of a very sweet pear. The wine was very smooth on the palate the whole time no acidity or bitter kick. Not a very sweet wine or very dry either definitely in the middle of the spectrum. The taste did not trigger any fruit flavor however I did get an creamy oaky on the tongue with a smooth floral finish. This is a wine that does not need any food by far, I would actually suggest drinking it on its on. I tried it with the chicken and again the teriyaki sauce really just didn’t work with the wine, the sauce was just too much. I enjoyed this wine the most with the crackers and cheese. A very light snack for a light wine, the cheese was complemented by the taste of the wine was well; the cheddar gave the wine a little zing.

Following the Chardonnay was The White Knight Viognier 2011 Clarksburg. Owners description “ With blonde color, stone fruit aromatics dominate this blend and aromatics. Ripe peach skin, apricots, and hints of green apple aromas lean toward flavors of the similar description. This blend is medium weight with bright acidity to keep the finish refreshing. Tropical fruit sings throughout this wine from start to finish. A perfect summer sipper with your favorite cheese and fruit.” I got an aroma from this wine that I did not expect from a white, a woody meaty smell. Smells just like a slim Jim actually on top of some wood. The taste was not much better. A cherry cough medicine tasted blasted the top of the palate with a mild slim Jim and cherry flavor blended finish. I attempted to try this and the bbq pork rolls together, figured the meat flavorings would complement each other but not at all. Theres just no reason to drink this wine.

The last of the white wines was Beringer 2011 Chenin Blanc California. Owners’ description “Alcohol 11% A well-balanced wine with aromas and flavors of crisp citrus, melon, and spicy ginger. It’s meant to be enjoyed with a variety of foods, from Asian and Mexican foods to a casual backyard barbecue with friends. Finally found a found that went not only with the terakyi chicken but also the bbq pork roll!! This white smell like a grapefruit, a little more of a zing in the smell than an orange would have. The taste alone was ok like a pineapple that lost its sweetness and was replaced with some spiciness. Not the best, however when paired with the teriyaki chicken it was really wonderful. The terakyi dressing matched the slight grape fruit/pineapple flavor extremely well, the perfect blend of salty, sweet, ginger. The wine was just good with the bqq, the mild sweetness of both just went together. I would not suggest drinking this wine alone like the chardonnay but absolutely give it a whirl with food.

The red wine portion of the tasting began with Simple Life Pinot Noir 2011 California. Owners’ description “Pleasantly fruity with aromas of boysenberry, candied cherry and baked apple highlighted by notes of baking spice. Flavors range from bright raspberry and lemon preserve to cherry cola accented with a bit of English toffee. Moderately light bodied, the soft tannins and fresh acidity strike a nice balance, creating a light but lingering finish. Pinot Noir easily pairs with a wide variety of foods both lighter and ricer fare. This wine was a really nice red, not super dark; an red that looks like it should be served on your back porch with friends opposed to a romantic dinner. Aroma of this red was a sligty burnt raspberry pie is the only way I can think to describe it. Not burnt in a bad way though it was a very intriguing smell. On the palate it had more of a cherry kick. Started out smooth but had a big kick of acidity at the end. I tried this wine with the salad and was not a fan the flavors of the olive oil dressing did not match up with the odd sweetness of this wine. I decided to give the manicotti a go and I was pleasantly pleased. The baked mozzarella cheese complemented the aroma of this wine perfectly and the taste just suited after.

The next red, Riven Rock Cabernet Sauvignon 2011. Owners description “This Cabernet Sauvignon from California is an exceptional value and a perfect interpretation of what a traditional Cabernet Sauvignon should taste like- with a good flavor profile, light and drinkable but with a good body.

Following the Cabernet Sauvignon is Renwood Syrah 2008 Sierra Foothills. Owner’s description “The 2008 Syrah has classic aromas of berry jam and truffle. The wine has medium tannins, a refreshing acidity and a long finish. The fruit flavors dominate, and the oak character is subdued. This is a nice example of Syrah grown in the Sierra Foothills” –winemaker “A great value, easy drinking Syrah from the Sierra Foothill’s Zin masters, Renwood, who have produced here a mouthful of blackberry and plum juiciness that is full and sweet. Pair with roasted beef or lamb for a succulent meal.” –Virginia Boone, Wine Enthusiast Magizine “A pleasantly rustic and aromatic red, featuring supple plum, mineral, pebble and roasted herb flavors that are medium bodied and easy drinking. Drink now through 2019, 5,340 cases made”—James Laube, Wine Spectator. A must start out this description of the words of my boyfriend “Best grape juice I ever had.” While I guess you could say all wines taste like grape juice with alcohol this one really had that classic grape jam smell and flavor with an aftertaste of a darker fruit. When I tasted this wine I immediately thought nothing here is going to complement this wine because all I can think of now is how it would be perfect with a peanut butter and jelly. I decided to give the baked bread with cheese and roasted pepper a whirl with this wine and I was pleasantly please, while it was no peanut butter and jelly the crispiness of the bread and slight sweetness of the peppers was really heightened by this wine.

The next red on the list is Cypress Vineyards 2010 Merlot Central Coast California. Owners description “ Alcohol 13.5% 80% Merlot 16% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Syrah. A garnet red color of medium density with hues indicative of full maturation. Fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, and passion fruit are complemented by a bouquet of toasted oak and cocoa powder. A large portion of Malbec in the blend increases the fruit signature with a hibiscus character. The round texture and comfortable weight of th is wine is followed by a sweet, mature finish. 2010 Cypress Vineyards Merlot would pair wonderfully with beef filets with a red wine sauce or barbecued ribs. This wine can be enjoyed in its youth or cellared up to five years. I did not enjoy this wine one bite. It did have a nice heavy berry smell, however the taste was just blah followed by a long ending or what reminded me of a burnt smore. I have the barbecue pork roll a nibble because of the suggestion from the description but it didn’t do anything for me. Someone with a more experienced palate may enjoy this wine much more than me

The last wine of the tasting was Trentadue ‘Old Patch Red’ Lot #34 2010 California. Owners description “ The 2010 Old Patch Res Lot #34 is comprised of 41% Zinfandel, 25% Syrah, 24% Carignane, and 10% Petite Syrah. This is a delicious “bistro” style bend with abundant jammy flavors, black cherries and plums. Peppery and spicy with a long juicy finish. Named in honor of the original 1896 estate plantings, this is very typical of the field blends traditionally produced by the Italian farming families that settled in Sonoma Country in the early part of 20^th century. This versatile wine has rich, plumy fruit with hints of vanilla and red cherries. This wine is definitely one that needs to be paired with food. I tried it alone I got a deli shop smell from the whiff, and on the plate it was much to much start of sugary finish by spice I really didn’t enjoy it, however when I complemented this wine with the manicotti it was on point. The baked cheese and the fluffy cheese in the noodle really smoothed out the wine so I could taste more of cherry flavor on the whole palate.

After the last wine was poured and food was moved the bottles were lined on the counter for observation and free tasting of any wine left. Full of spectacular food and an array of wine my boyfriend and me headed home very happy with the experience. I would highly recommend this wine and food pairing to anyone. The best time to go would be when this wine class is not in session as the large majority of the attendance was from class. Less people would make the experience more intimate and pleasing, the wine tasting room filled with 20 or so people were a bit to much for full enjoyment. However, again the whole experience was truly great and I would love to do the dinner again!!