Wine Dinner: Zeppoli's 2/6

Zeppoli's has always been one of my favorite restaurants in Blacksburg.  When I learned that they were having a tasting special for $12 for 9 wines plus food I was very excited! I must say, the experience exceeded my expectations and I had a great time with my roommates on what would have been an uneventful Monday night.

When we first arrived, there was an arrangement of several different food dishes.  Zeppoli's offered fresh Caesar salad; garlic bread; pizza; rigatoni with sausage, peppers, onions, and mushrooms; rotini with feta cheese, onions, crab rangoon, and a platter of different cheeses with crackers.  I am a huge foodie, so naturally I took advantage of the situation.

What was left of the food after everyone had eaten-- so good!

Onto the wines:

 Crucero Sauvignon Blanc (2010)-
Price: $10.25
This Sauvignon Blanc is from the Curico Valley of Chile.
Zeppoli's Review: Sauvignon Blanc is the fabled grape of both Bordeaux Blanc and the Loire Valley (Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume).  This varietal exhibits aromas of musk melon, pine, and grass.  The finish is zesty and citrus-like, and goes well with chicken and seafood.

My Review: I really enjoyed this wine.  What a great way to start off the tasting.  This New World wine was fruity with a floral scent.  It was crisp and smooth.  It was also very night, and not overpowering.  It paired especially well with the salad served.

 Picpoul de Pinet, Coteux Du Languedoc (2010)
 Price: $8.50
- This varietal white wine comes from the South of France.
Zeppoli's Review: Citrus and exotic fruit dominate this fresh, crisp, and lively wine from the South of France.  Well-balanced with good acidity.  A perfect match to seafood and shell fish.
My Review: This Old World wine was very well put together.  I detected apple on the nose, and the taste was smooth and citrus-y, possibly with a hint of grapefruit.  When trying to compare this wine to the first one, I had trouble deciding which one I liked better.  They had very different feels to them although they appeared to be similar wines. 

Manos Negras, Torrontes (2009)-

Price: $12.75

This varietal with 5% Viognier comes from the Tulum Valley in San Juan, Argentina.
Zeppoli's Review: The high altitude desert of the Tulum Valley in San Juan, Agentina provides ideal conditions for this once minor Spanish grape to flourish in unique and exciting ways.  The warm sunny days and cool mountain nights produce wine of light yellow color, withi explosive floral aromas, citrus fruit flavors and a crisp, clean finish.

My Review: This wine was very floral.  It was crisp, and almost sharper than the first two.  It did have a very clean finish.  I learned that South America is better than other regions for this varietal due to conditions.

Sombras Del Sol Chardonnay (year not provided)- This Chardonnay comes from Valle Central in Chile.
Zeppoli's review: This refreshing Chardonnay has intense aromas of sweet tropical fruit and notes of vanilla and chestnuts.  A blend of freshness and creaminess, the citrus character comes through along with seet fruit on the palate.

Price: $6.75

My Review: This wine does not go through malactic fermentation-- which is rare.  Nearly 10% of all bottles undergo that type of fermentation.  The aromas were lightly fruity, and it had an oaky taste.  It was very smooth, and had almost a caramel taste as well.  

My roommate Lesley and I enjoying the tasting

After the white wines it was time for reds.

The first red that was poured was a Malbec.   

Allamand Malbec (2010)- This 100% Malbec comes from the Valle de Uco in Argentina.
Zeppoli's review:  Located at the foot of the Andes range, more than 3,150 ft above sea level, this region produces some of the most refined and elegant Malbecs from Argentina.  Deep purple color, lots of violets in the nose, and natural great acidity, are the typical characteristics of this typical Uco Valley "appellation" Malbec.

Price: $11.99

My Review: This wine had a fruit forward taste, complemented by a variety of spices.  It was acidic, and a little bit smokey.  It was very smooth on the palate.  I learned that 2010 was the best year for in the past 10 years for red wine in South America, which further enhanced the taste.  

Crucero Carmenere (2010)- This wine comes from Colchagua Valley, Chile.
Zeppoli's review: Herbal, powerful and varietally on the money, with common but well-executed aromas of earth, blackberry and olives.  The palate offers proper weight and intensity, while the flavors of black plum, raspberry and tea are just herbal enough to scream out "Carmenere."  Tasty and consistent from nose to finish. 

Price: $7.99

My Review: This wine had a tobacco flavor with strong peppery notes.  It had a big finish to it.  The win scored 88 points and was denoted as a Best Buy "Top 10 under 10." I liked the flavor of this wine, and was able to sample it again after the tasting.  

Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon (2010)- This richly colored Cabernet comes from the Mendoza region of Argentina.
Zeppoli's review: This Cabernet Sauvignon has an intense ruby red color with aromas and flavors of ripe blackcurrant, red pepper, mint, chocolate and vanilla hints.  The fruit and tannins are perfectly balanced to give a wine of excellent structure making it ideal for grilled meats, game, pasta or pizza.

Price: $8.99

My Review: I think this was my favorite of the red wines we tasted.  It had rich juicy dark flavors, and was dry and spicy.  It had a strong smell and taste of black cherry.  I also could detect currants.  After the tasting, my roommate purchased this bottle to share.

Gen 5 Cabernet Sauvignon (2009)- This Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Lodi region of California.
Zeppoli's review: Taking Lodi into a whole new level, the finely-tuned '09 Gen 5 Cabernet shows intricate and complex flavors; ripe for sure, yet classy and refined; long finish

After the white wines it was time for reds.

Price: $11.25

My Review: This wine had a very dark  flavors.  It was heavily spiced and almost rubbery.  I detected black currants and cherry on the nose.  It had a stelvin closure, which is just a fancy way to say that it had a screw cap.  I preferred other wines in the tasting to this one, but it was still very dynamic and intriguing.

After these wines, the waitstaff brought out cupcakes prepared especially for the tasting.  They had homemade icing and tasted amazing! They were paired with the final wine: the dessert wine.

Rinaldi Red Dream, Filtrato Dolce (year not provided)- This is a 100% Malvasia Nera grape and this wine comes from the hills of Alto Monferrato.

Zeppoli's review: The wine is ruby red but not too deep, fruity and pleasant.  It's a dessert wine, it is possible to appreciate it at it's best if you serve it chilled.  This frothy and fruity red wine delivers flavors of honeysuckle and black pepper.  Light, fun and exciting; it's great for parties and light fare.

My Review: This wine was very sweet, which is typical for dessert wines.  It was a dark redish color, and carbonated.  The light sweet fruity flavors paired well with the cupcake, and it was a good way to end the tasting.  

Zeppopli's does not charge a premium on wine.  Their prices are about the same as if you were to purchase a bottle at a local grocery store.  I really enjoyed this event, and am looking forward to returning to Zeppoli's soon!