Zeppolis Wine Dinner

On Wednesday night some of my friends and I decided to go Zeppolis for their wine tasting. It was my first time going there and I thought it was a very nice experience. The restaurant was a good size to host large parties like the one I came with. We were able to get a table for eight without waiting very long at all. The food was very fast to come out and there was plenty for everyone.

The food included a cheese dish, baked chicken, salad, crackers, sliced potatoes and empanadas. Everything all you could eat and you served yourself. I tried everything and enjoyed every dish but some more so than others. The chicken was by far the best. It was juicy and the seasoning was used sparingly but enough to add flavor to the meat. The empanadas were average but a little too dry for my liking.

We tasted nine different wines while we were there. All of the wines were from South America with three whites and six reds. I'm did not take the greatest notes on all of them so I will just review three that I covered better than others.

The first that I will go over is Coquena Torrontes. This is a white Argentinian wine and it is a 2011 vintage. The shop review said it is fresh and fruity wine with a distinctive floral and refreshing acidity. I thought that it smelled like laundry detergent and did not taste much better. I would not try this wine again, especially with the price being $15 a bottle.

The next wine is La Lejania Carmenere. This is a 2015 red Chilean wine that goes for $10 a bottle. The shop review says that this wine has aromas of spicy cedars and blackberries and that the palate is firm and structured with more tannin than other wines. They also said this wine would improve greatly with age. I thought it was somewhat dry with an oak taste. I would drink this wine again but it would have to be with dinner.

Casa Silva Gran Merlot was my favorite red in the tasting. It was a 2006 Chilean wine that costs $15 a bottle. The shop review said that it has an aroma of red berries and cherries and has flavors of strawberries, cherries and a hint of chocolate. I found it to have a bitter taste of fruit and and a little taste of pepper. I noticed that this wine had a good deal of sediment in it. I would drink this wine again in the future.

I had a very good experience at Zeppolis and definitely look forward to the next tasting they have in two weeks. I would encourage others to go and try it out.

 

Tasting - Butterfly Kiss Moscato

Name: Butterfly Kiss
Variety: Moscato
Region: Chile
Country: Chile
Year: 2012
Price: 5.95

Winery Review: Aromas of honeydew and apricot, gently kissed by orange blossom, candied pineapple and a hint of lime zest.

My Review: I liked this wine but it was almost too sweet for me. The smell reminded me of the tropics. If I were to drink this wine again it would have be over a dinner or some sort of meal.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Purple Paws Zinfandel

Name: Purple Paws Zinfandel
Variety: Red Zinfandel
Region: Lodi, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: 7.95

Winery Review: Our 2012 Lodi Zinfdandel exhibits hints of cherry on the front of your palate and vanilla on the finish that will have you begging for more. Like most zinfandels it pairs well with good friends and barbecue.

My Review: This wine was much sweeter than I thought it would be and had quite a long finish. the main scent and flavor from this wine was fruit. I was pleasantly surprised with this wine and plan to try it again in the future.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon Non Vintage

Name: Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lodi, California
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: 7.95

Winery Review: Our 2012 Lodi Cabernet has all the classic notes of a California Cabernet Sauvignon. Cloves, olives, and oak with a no nonsense, fruit forward finish remind you why this, the heaviest wine in the Purple Paws line, lends itself to pairings of robust steaks or lamb.

My Review: I enjoyed this wine more than other reds that I have tried. I could catch an odor of berries and when I tasted it oak was the main flavor I could gather. I would drink this wine again in the future.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Rosemount Chardonnay

Name: Rosemount Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Price: 5.95

Winery Review: Vibrantly aromatic with scents of fresh juicy peaches, lemon zest and creamy toasted almonds. A slurp of juicy, ripe peaches and mouth-watering nectarines and melons, followed by subtle hints of lemon zest. As the bursts of fruit subside, a rich creamy toasted almond note joins in to provide a long and rounded finish.

My Review: I am usually a fan of white wines but this is not one of them. It was much to bitter for my liking and had too many flavors going on a the same time. It was very difficult for me to decifer the smells and tastes of this wine.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc

Name: La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Central Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2015
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:  Aromas of green apple and citrus are as classic as it gets for Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. This is straight forward but enjoyable, with modest minerality. Flavors of citrus and gooseberry carry over onto a refreshing finish

My Review: I enjoyed this wine more than I thought I would. The main flavors and smells that I could gather from this wine were citrus, but specifically grapefruit. This was a sweet wine and I would like to have it again in the future.

I did not have this wine with food.

Introduction

Hey guys, my name is Eddie and I am a junior studying Geography. My wine experience so far has not been very broad so far but I am hoping to change that this semester. I have drank a decent amount of wine around the holidays with my family but I usually stick to beer when I drink.

Most of the wine I have drank already has been sweet white wines. I enjoyed most of them but they can be a little too sweet sometimes. Most of the reds I have tried were too dry and I haven't enjoyed them as much. Any box wines I have tried were not my favorite, but I feel like most people would agree.

I hope that this class can help me to find out what I like and do not like when it comes to wine. I also hope that I can learn the differences in wines that come from different areas and how they are made. I know California and Europe have large amounts of wine exports and that Virginia is quickly becoming a bigger exporter of wines.