Dinner- Zeppoli's (Italy)

I went to Zeppoli's Italian Restaurant on Wednesday to have dinner. We order 2 appetizers and 2 entrées to taste 4 different wines that we ordered. Our appetizers were Italian Pizza Bread and Fried Calamari. My entrée meal was Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp. The wines that we ordered were the House Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, and Malbec. We were able to get pictures and info on some of the House wines but not all, Zeppoli's also didn't have much info on their house wines on their website.

From Left to Right: Merlot, Chanti, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon

The House Wines:

Malbec: This wine was my favorite for the wines alone. There was some slight hotness with an earthy after-taste. There was not a large tannin component to this wine which had a light start, strong mid, and then a light finish. I couldn't pick up a lot of aroma from this wine. It was hard to swirl and smell in the smaller wine glasses.

Chanti: I've never had a Chanti but had heard a lot about them so I was excited to try it. This wine was the lightest in color and had a fruity aroma possibly apple? In taste this wine was more tannic and bitter, it was hotter in the throat but still smooth.

Merlot: This Merlot had barely any nose but I did pick up a slight toast smell. It had a very strong start but smoothed out nicely. So far it had the highest tannin component so far with a taste that sticks with you. Merlot was my second favorite behind the House Malbec.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Fruity, cherry aroma. This wine had a very light start, but its mid had a high mouth puckery sensation. So a high tartaric component. I could really taste the acid in this wine and it had a very high tannic ending.

Appetizers:


Italian Pizza Bread: Freshly made from scratch Italian bread topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella. I enjoyed this bread, really good bread with cheese and sauce on top can't really go wrong with this combination.

Description of Wine with the Food:

• Malbec: This food pairing reduced the wine's hotness but Malbec's earthy after-taste didn't go well with this food. The tannin component became non-existent.
• Chanti: This wine was too fruity for the cheese, it really brought out the fruit/appleish taste in the wine and got rid of the bitter and hot component. The explosion of fruit surprised me and was interesting but not my cup of tea.
• Merlot: This wine really brought out the cheese flavor in the pizza bread. The tannin component was greatly reduced but still there. I felt this wine would have made a great pairing with this pizza bread if its after-taste wasn't so strong, this strong after-taste ruined the nice blend that was occurring. 
• Cabernet Sauvignon: This wine was not my favorite wine when standing alone but it was my favorite when being eaten with this pizza bread. Everything blended extremely well together that brought out the best components in both wine and food.

Fried Calamari: Lightly breaded calamari, flash fried and served with marinara sauce. To start with this wasn't the best calamari so my tasting notes for this could be a bit skewed.

Description of Wine with the Food:

• Malbec: To start this was a nice blend but left a little too much of the wine after-taste for me.
• Chanti: When had with the marinara sauce this was a good food pairing. There was no specific overpowering wine or calamari taste so these two blended nicely.
• Merlot: I did not like drinking this wine with the calamari, just brought out the bad tastes in each of these
• Cabernet Sauvignon: There was an initial blend between the wine and food but then the wines bitterness was overpowering with an earthy/dirt after-taste that wasn't pleasant.

Entrée:

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp: Egg fettuccine tossed with creamy alfredo sauce topped with freshly ground pepper and shrimp. This was a nice heavy cream dish I just wish there was more shrimp.

Description of Wine with the Food:

• Malbec: This went well with just the cream sauce and noodles but when I added the shrimp to the mix I just didn't like it.
• Chanti: The heavy alfredo sauce really cancelled out everything in this wine but the fruit. It was very pleasant and I can see why Chanti was a classic pasta wine over the years.
• Merlot: This was not a good food pairing! So bad, I really didn't like this! This pairing just brought out all of the bad tastes of the wine. Didn't even try this for a second time.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: This was initially a good blend but then a strong after-taste of wine bursts through the food and made the food seem bitter and "hot".

This was really a great time. I've never done a wine dinner before and was really happy I did this. I recommend anybody to do this cause it really gives you a good feel of how much a wine can change with what you are eating. A wine you hated alone could be fantastic to you if paired with the right food. Will happily do this another time!

Tasting-"Primo Amore"

Name: Primo Amore Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: Unkown
Price: $8.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Straw-yellow with golden reflections and a delicate mousse. Fruity and very inviting, with intense scents of peaches and exotic fruit. Fresh and pleasantly sweet with a taste that reveals its varietal characteristic.


My Review: In the aroma I smelled lemon and a bit of a grass earthier smell. I felt this wine was very smooth, refreshing, and enjoyable. Really liked this wine and recommend it to anyone on a hot summer day.

Tasting-"Faraway Farms"

Name: Faraway Farms Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: Unknown
Country: South Africa
Year: 2008
Price: $5.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Fresh, modern style, with lots of plum pudding, sweet chocolate, mocha, blackberry and boysenberry flavors supported by round, sweet tannins and toast.


My Review: This wine's aroma was not that strong, but I got earthy smells from it. It was smooth with a touch of tannins that I felt was a good balance.

Tasting-"Tres Ojos Old Vines"

Name: Tres Ojos Old Vines
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Bright ruby color. Primary dark berry aromas are simple but offer very good purity and focus. Juicy blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are youthfully tangy, with good back-end acidity adding snap. The clean, brisk finish leaves behind notes of sweet dark berry preserves and cracked pepper.


My Review: I wish my nose was better at picking up different scents because all I got was berry and pepper for the aroma, but you can see from the above description its a lot more than just "berry". You can really feel the tannins in this wine alluding to its young age and I could really taste the hotness of the alcohol. Personally I like my wines to be a bit smoother than this one but if you like a wine with a bit of bite this one would work for you. Also a comment on the "old vines" labeled on this bottle: there is no set age to be an old vine, I've been told it could be anything between 20-100 years so don't think much into a bottle labeled "old vines" there's too wide a range of old for it to really mean anything.

Tasting-"Oak Vineyard"

Name: Oak Vineyard Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa and Sonoma, California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Quite an interesting Chardonnay, in an era when so many are too sweet and extracted. There's plenty of orange and apricot fruit flavor, but also a brilliant streak minerality, like a like of cold steel, and the overall taste is dry. Really easy to like, with lots of complexity to warrant repeated sipping.


My Review: This wine was just in the "okay" area for me. Not horrible but not great either. I caught a hint of pear in the aroma and when first tasting this wine doesn't taste like much. Its only after a few seconds that you get hit with the acidity, which I found to be a little too overpowering. In the after-taste the acidity continues but I also got the addition of the hotness from the alcohol.

Tasting-"Obikwa"

Name: Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Unknown
Country: South Africa
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal summer wine and smacks of crisp tropical fruit with a smattering of gooseberries and fig. If you're planning a night out with mates-don't forget to bring along a bottle of this yummy potion.


My Review: I really liked this wine. I can see why its described as a summer wine. This wine was crisp and refreshing without being over the top sweet. I smelled some floral smells in the aroma and this wine had a pleasant acidity to it. It didn't have a lot of after-taste which I enjoyed. Really recommend this wine!! It was a pleasure to drink!

Tasting-"Estrella"

Name: Estrella
Variety: Merlot
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95


Vintage Cellar Review: This ruby colored Merlot has raspberry jam aromas with a subtle hint of spice. Layers of vanilla, plum and fig are revealed that linger ever so slightly on the palate.


My Review: You could really smell the raspberries in this wine. It was initially very smooth but that changed with the high tannin finish.

Tasting-"Doural"

Name: Doural
Variety: Blended Red
Region: Unknown
Country: Portugal
Year: 2009
Price: $8.95


Vintage Cellar Review: This Portuguese tinto(red) blend exhibits a deep red color with violet hues. The nose is vibrant and fruity. The palate offers notes of spice, cherry, and dark berry supported by good structure. Pairs well with red or game meat, cheeses and fish.


My Review: This wine had an extremely strong bouquet. Didn't even need to put my nose in the glass in order to get a good sniff of this one. There was some slight spice, berry, hotness, and tannic to this wine.

Tasting-"Oxford Landing"

Name: Oxford Landing
Variety: Viognier
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95


Wine Spectator Review: 88 points, Bright and lively, this white is appealing for its pear, lychee and sweet spice character, which comes together smoothly against a silky texture.


My Review: I did not like this wine at all! Just had a very bad taste for me and I didn't even want to finish my glass. But for anyone that could enjoy this it was very smooth.

Tasting-"Tierra de Luna"

Name: Tierra de Luna
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Torrontes
Country: Argentina
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Fresh and crisp, with floral aromas and flavors of quince and pear, this wine is a versatile companion to informal meals, and is excellent as an aperitif.


My Review: The aroma of this wine was some flowers, pears, and other fruity smells. This wine didn't have much to it for me, slightly hot and little to no after taste.

Tasting-"Simonet Blanc de Blancs"

Name: Simonet Blanc de Blancs
Variety: Sparkling
Region: Elabore
Country: France
Year: Unknown
Price: $7.95


Vintage Cellar Review: On the nose, there is some bread-yeast and some toast, same on the palate. Great for an everyday bubbly or for mimosas.


My Review: The smell of this wine I could only describe as "non-winey". I didn't think this smelled like a typical wine. My first taste my mouth puckered a lot! Probably a little to much for me, but I felt this wine had a very pleasant slightly dry after taste.

Winery Visit-"Chateau Morrisette"

My family and I visited Chateau Morrisette on February 18, 2012. The winery officially began as a hobby in 1978 for Nancy and David Morrisette. The wine production began at about 2000 gallons and now has grown to over 60000 cases per year.

Main House Chateau Morrisette

This winery can store 130,000 gallons in stainless steel tanks and an additional 50,000 gallons in French and American oak barrels. They recently purchased some Hungarian oak barrels but have yet to store any wine in these. Chateau Morrisette produces 19 different wines and has 150 acres of vineyards. Their wine production comes from their own vineyards as well as vineyards in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Stainless Steel Tanks

French and American Oak Barrels

All of the grapes are crushed at the winery quickly after their picking and shipping to Chateau Morrisette. The crushing occurs in one of two of these machines and then the juices are placed into storage to ferment in either the oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. Chateau Morrisette also does all of its bottling on site.

The grape crushing machines 

While visiting the winery my family and I tasted 11 different wines varying from dry to sweet:

2010 Chardonnay: This wine was absolutely fantastic! I can see why its won a lot of rewards. It had a sweet smell, was very smooth and blended well together. There was a slight warming of the throat after swallowing. I really enjoyed this wine. This Chardonnay was aged 8 months in an old white oak barrel which gave it slow barrel fermentation.
2010 Dry Rose: This wine was made from a rich red grape and the skins were with the grape juice only overnight to give it its rosy color and slight tannin texture. The Dry Rose was very smooth but close to watery, it had some tannins and a slight spice to it. It is Chateau Morrisette's newest wine and is made by separating juice from the grapes prior to fermentation. Made from 100% Chambourcin grapes.
Liberty:  This wine had a very pretty color. There was a unique bouquet but it was an extremely light red and not of my taste. There was slight warm after taste. The Liberty is blended from 5 of Virginia's finest grape varieties, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
2010 Chambourcin: The Chambourcin had a very fruity bouquet like many different berries. There was a hotter after taste and slight spiciness to this wine. Dark violet wine.
2007 Merlot: This wine was blended with Chambourcin, a small amount of Cabernet Franc for depth, and was finished with a bit of Tannat for added structure. I felt this wine had a strong rich bouquet and a very high amount of tannins. There wasn't much after taste to this wine and I remember being a bit disappointed.
The Black Dog: This wine is also known as "Hokie Red" so being a Hokie I had to buy a bottle no matter what. Luckliy I really enjoyed this wine and it was my 2nd favorite behind the 2010 Chardonnay. The Black Dog is a blend of Chambourcin, Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot that produces an exceptionally smooth semi-dry red wine. This wine I felt to be light and slightly fruity with a liitle bit of tannin. I could probably drink this food with anything. And it was named for the winery's old dog because this wine seemed to be his favourite.
Our Dog Blue: Semi-sweet Riesling-Traminette blend using Vidal Blanc and Petit Mensang for added depth. I found this wine to be very sweet, refreshing, and crisp. It was the 2nd wine to represent the chateau's dog and was described as "summer in a bottle". Even though sweet wine isn't my favourite I would enjoy this wine chilled on a hot summer day.
Blushing Dog: A refreshing semi-sweet blush wine made from distinctive blend of Vidal Blanc and Traminette, with a touch of Chambourcin for depth as well as the inviting blush color. This wine was extremely sweet to me and made my lips purse, a bit over the top for my tastes.
Red Mountain Laurel: This wine was described as "welchs' grape juice on steriods" and I completely agree with that. It smelled extremely grapey and mediciney with a warming sensation when drank. This is a dessert wine made from a blend of Native American grape varieties.
Blackberry Wine: This wine is made from 100% blackberry and is all natural sugar. There is a slight initial hotness to this wine and it can make a great sangria.

I greatly enjoyed this visit. The building was beautiful and everyone who worked there was extremely nice and very knowledgeable. This was a cheap fun way to spend an afternoon, my mom even joined their wine club! My family and I had a fantastic time and plan on visiting again to try out a different set of great wines.

Tasting-"Lost Vineyards Spumante Dolce"

Name: Lost Vineyards Spumante Dolce
Variety: Unknown
Region: Spumante
Country: Italy
Year: Unknown
Price: $4.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Pale silvery straw color. Floral aromas of apples, peaches, and potpourri follow through on a round, frothy entry to a fruity medium bodied sweet wine with good depth and tangy peach fruit and a breezy, harmonious green apple kissed finish.


My Review: This wine had a strawberry and pineapple smell. And was very carbonated like most sparkling wines. I wasn't a fan of this wine because it had a bitter and very dry after taste.

Tasting-"Charles Thomas Cotes-du-Rhone"

Name: Charles Thomas Cotes-du-Rhone
Variety: Blend, 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: Unknown
Price: $8.95


Wine Advocate Review: 87 points. From a 140+-acre estate near the well-known Cotes du Rhone village of Point Saint Esprit emerges this juicy Cotes du Rhone. Well-made, with loads of berry fruit and a heady, meaty, peppery nose with a hint of Provencal herbs, the wine is fresh, lively, and best drunk over the next 2 years.


My Review: I did not like this wine at all. The aroma was berry and I felt had a very similar aroma to the Coreto Tinto. This wine was hot with a lot of spice that gave a bad after taste.

Tasting-"Coreto Tinto"

Name: Coreto Tinto
Variety: Portuguese Red
Region: Lisboa Region
Country: Portugal
Year: 2008
Price: $6.95


Vintage Cellar Review: This red from the Coreto range has loads of dark berry fruit with a hint of new oak creating a soft, velvet structure that makes it very easy to drink. Red currant and juicy acidity.


My Review: I smelled berries and oak in the bouquet of this wine. The taste was again berry and oaky along with some spice. This was a very smooth wine with some slight tannin.

Tasting-"Morro Bay White Oak Estates Chardonnay"

Name: Morro Bay White Oak Estates Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Lodi, California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95


Vintage Cellar Review: Vanilla cream soda nose with a slice of fresh cut pineapple. Full body, tropical fruit, spice and pleasing vanilla oak note linger in the finish. Sweet flavour on the palate is from sur-lie ageing the wine on the primary yeast lees for 7 months. A versatile style of wine that can be served chilled with fine cuisine or a glass with friends. Certified Green by Lodi Rules Sustainable Winegrowers.


My Review: The smell was very fruity to me, smelled like a mix of tropical fruits to me. I didn't like this wine. The finish didn't agree with me.

Tasting- "Cantina Villafranca Frascati"

Name: Cantina Villafranca Frascati
Variety: Blend, 45% Malvasia di Candia, 15% Trebbiano Toscano, 25% Malvasia del Lazio, 15% Grechetto (Greco)
Region: Frascati
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Reviews: Intense yellow color with greenish reflections. Characteristic persistent fresh and fruity aromas. Excellent as an aperitif and paired with fish, seafood or white meat.


My Review: This wine didn't have a strong aroma and I had to really smell this wine to get any hints of a smell. I could taste the acidity and I thought it had a natural/woody taste. I tasted some slight apple and found this wine to be a little hot.

Tasting- "Faraway Farm Shiraz"

Name: Faraway Farm Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz 100%
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2008
Price: $4.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Shiraz will spoil you with flavours of rich juicy blackberry, dark spice and just a hint of black pepper. Drink with close friends.

My Review: I have left this Shiraz open to breath for a day. I can't taste any alcohol besides the slight warming of my throat. Shiraz is one of my favourite red wine varieties and I especially like this one because it is delicious for its price.

Tasting - "Opera Prima Moscato"

Name: Opera Prima Moscato
Variety: Macabeo, Parellada, and Pansa Blanca 
Region: Alella Region North of Barcelona
Country: Spain
Year: Unknown
Price: $5.95


Vintage Cellar Review: This is an amazing value for an inexpensive Moscato sparkler that is great for many occasions. Its bright fruit aromas and lychee and lime are appealing and the flavors of honeydew, lime, and lychee are delightful. Great for cake or fruit-based desserts.


My Review: This wine was pink and bubbly. I caught on to a strawberry, lemon-lime smell and taste and this drink reminded me of a bottle of sprite with a little bit of a kick. It was very enjoyable. For you fruity wine drinkers this is a wine for you.

Tasting - " Le Lapin Multiplicity"

Name: Le Lapin Multiplicity
Variety: Unknown Blend
Region: Paso Robles, California
Country: United States
Year: Unknown
Price: $6.95


Vintage Cellar Review: The nose is black cherry, blackberry, a little plum and some spice, with a touch of forest floor. The palate is full of fruit and spice, with flavours of black cherry and a slight cranberry note. Nice firm tannins and a medium finish.


My Review: I liked the smell of this wine but not the taste. The smell wasn't particularly strong and had a touch of apple and berry smells. But the taste was way too spicy for me. It started out fruity but then I was hit with a kick of spice that was too much. There was also a high tannin count, I could fell the change in texture after I swallowed. This wine isn't the wine for me but if you like spicy wines you would enjoy this.

Tasting - "Marques de Moral Crianza Tempranillo"

Name: Marques de Moral Crianza Tempranillo
Variety: Tempranillo 100% 
Region: Valdepenas
Country: Spain
Year: 2007
Price: $7.95


Stephen Tanzer Review: 87 points, Medium red. Aromas of redcurrent and cherry, plus a hint of dried rose. Fleshy and smooth, with moderate depth to its slightly bitter red fruit flavours. Finishes with decent breadth and grip, with the redcurrent element joined by a hint of white pepper.


My Review: The flower smell was very distinct to me when I smelled this wine. I also tasted a little bit of some sort of berry but couldn't decide which, overall I enjoyed this wine and would like to have it again some time.

Tasting - " Coldstream Hills Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Coldstream Hills Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc 100%
Region: Yarra Valley
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review: The nose shows fragrant gooseberry characters with unerlying passion-fruit and lychee aromas. Minerally, stalky notes are evident and provide additional complexity. The palate is a fine and elegant style with zesty lemon acidity and length. Varietal characters of passion-fruit pulp and gooseberry dominate with hints of lemon peel in the background.

My Review: I smelled a distinct apple smell with is wine and tasted some alcohol again. I had no other words to describe the after taste of this wine but bland, it left nothing behind which is something I didn't like much. I don't want the wine taste to disappear as soon as I swallow.

Tasting - "Royal Chenin Blanc"

Name: The Royal Chenin Blanc
Variety: Chenin Blanc 100%
Region: Swartland Wine Growing Region
Country: South Africa
Year: 2009
Price: $4.95

Washington Post Review: "This wine packs a deceptive punch. And that punch tastes of apples, pears and quince, with an appealing herbal note that helps it pair well with salads and other light fare. Don't drink it too cold, or you might miss all the fruit."

My Review: I tried this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting specifically mad for the Geography of Wine class. Some more information that I was given was this is an unwooded Chenin Blanc and was made from 48 year old vines. I found this wine to be high in alcohol, I could taste it as soon as I took my first taste and it brought with it a "heating" sensation. I also felt this wine was sour. But the combination I actually enjoyed and would gladly drink this wine again but next time I believe I would enjoy it more with some food.

Wine Tastings!!!

Gonna be posting about some pretty awesome wine tastings in the future for my class. I'll be describing the wines I taste either from a store, dinner, or vineyard. Should be a pretty great semester!