courtesy of Matthew Burch and Zeppoli's
Tonight I went to the wine dinner at Zeppoli's, it was an interesting evening. Overall we tried 9 different wines and had a variety of foods. Unfortunately, there wasn't a clear method for the food pairing. They had a buffet and sort of let us free for all on the tastings. I wish they had taken the time to thoughtfully pair each wine to each dish but it felt slapped together.
The spread! Manicotti pasta, teriyaki chicken and rice, olive bread, garlic and gorgonzola flat bread, greek salad and assorted cheeses.
Firesteed 2011 Pinot Gris Oregon
$13.50/bottle
They say: 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.
Smelled like: Strawberries. It was very sweet.
Tasted Soft on the palate, it was fruity and light yet a little bitter on the aftertaste. Tried it with cheese which made it much crisper. Also tasted it with the manicotti with which it was useless.
Lamplighter Chardonnay 2009 California
$9.99/bottle
They say: 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.
Smell: Very strong apple and pear notes.
Taste: Pretty good! Honestly this was the only wine during the entire dinner that I would consider purchasing (especially at that price point). It was great with the teriyaki chicken. It was full bodied but not overwhelming. It was soft and dry to the palate. Lightly spicy on the finish. Yummy.
The White Knight Viognier 2011 Clarksburg
$11.99/bottle
They say: With blonde color, sone 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 cheeses and fresh fruit.
Smell: Definitely caught strong apple notes. It was extremely aromatic but smelled a lot like an air freshener.
Taste: I tasted roses and cherries. It was sour on the back end. I was not crazy about this wine, it was incredibly unmemorable.
Beringer 2011 Chenin Blanc California
$8.99/bottle
They say: 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.
Smell: Plum, dryness and lots and lots of cinnamon.
Taste: It was sweet! Definitely tasted the ginger, apple and cherry. A great soft mouth feel and a very unique spicy flavor. Unfortunately it didn't really match any of our food, it was better on it's own.
Simple Life Pinot Noir 2011 California
$12.99/bottle
They say: 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 richer fare.
(very very light color)
Smell: So spicy!! Light color but smells crazy hot. It was stinging my eyeballs.
Taste: It tasted like dusty, musty cranberry juice. There were light tannins but they are present. It was insanely peppery. I wanted a breath mint after tasting this. It had a complex blend of grapes but tasted just like dry cranberry juice. Apparently 2011 was a bad year for pinot noir and I will gladly back that up. This wine was not good.
Riven Rock Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
$9.99/bottle
They say: This Cabernet Sauvignon from California is an exceptional value and a perfect interpretation of what a tradition Cab Sauv should taste like - with a good flavor profile. Light and drinkable but with a good body.
Smell: BOOZE! It smells like alcohol and nothing else!
Taste: This was not good. Talk about false advertising. I felt like I was taking a shot. It was insanely hot and tanniny without any flavor. It was so dry and burned on the way down. Really terrible.
Renwood Syrah 2008 Sierra Foothills
$12.99/bottles
They say: The 2008 Syrah has classic aromas of berry jam and truffle. The wine has medium tannins, a refreshing acidity anda long finish. The fruit flavors dominate, and the oak character is subdued. This is a nice example of Syrah grown in the Sierra foothills."
Smell: It smelled great. Like a yummy winter dinner of lamb and rice. It was a bit hot on the nose, and I caught some plum notes. Very woody.
Taste: Like drinking a cigar. There were heavy tobacco notes, a little bit of hamburger grease. It was very dry and oaky. Soft mouth feel. Underwhelming. Smelled better than it tasted.
Cypress Vineyards 2010 Merlot Central Coast California
$12.99/bottle
They say: Alcohol 13.5%. 80% Merlot, 16% Malbec, 2% Cab Sauv, 2% Petite Sirah. A garnet red color of medium density with hues indicative of a full maturation. Fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry and passionfruit 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 this wine is followed by a sweet, mature finish. 2010 Cypress Vineyards Merlot would pair wonderfully with beef filets with a red wine sauce or barbequed ribs. This wine can be enjoyed in its youth or cellared up to five years.
Smell: Good! Nice body, traditional color. Smells like bread and butter.
Taste: I like the initial taste but it gets oily and salty on the finish. It was fruit with a decent dryness. High, high alcohol content. It was good with the manicotti sauce which really brought out it's cranberry notes.
Trentadue Old Patch Red Lot #34 2010 California
$13.50/bottle
They say: The 2010 Old Patch Red Lot #34 is comprised of 41% Zinfandel, 25% Syrah, 24% Carignane, and 10% Petite Sirah. This is a delicious "bistro" style blend with abundant jammy berry 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 County in the early part of the 20th century. This versatile wine has rich, plummy fruit with hints of vanilla and red cherries.
Smelled: Pretty plum color with strong plum and vanilla notes.
Taste: Nice tannins, lots of vanilla and cherries. Pretty bland.
Overall Review:
I was not crazy about of the wines we tasted. It seemed like they didn't feel like taking the time to thoughtfully pair any of the wines with the food. They were more interested in doing it on the cheap than doing it well. All of the wines were at a pretty low price point, which I understand for a college tasting, but they weren't even good. I left feeling very underwhelmed and was completely uninterested in purchasing any of the wines afterwards.
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