There was a lot of really delicious food that accompanied our wine tasting:
After feasting:
the first wine we tasted was Lison Pramaggiore Pinot Grigio (2010) $7.99-
Zeppoli's description- With original vines from Burgendy, this wine is grown in clay, loam, and slightly alkaline. The color is yellow when young and has a pleasant fruity aroma, but with the passage of time tame a characteristic bouquet of hay, walnut, and toasted almonds. It is a wine to be consumed early. Perfect for lighter meals including salads, light pasta, and seafood.
My description- This wine had a floral smell. I could taste hints of oak. There was a slight alcohol bite in the after taste. However, at first it was a very crisp and light.
The second wine: Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc (2010) $7.99-
Zeppoli's description- This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc features a bright citrus flavors and a nose of herbs and grass. It is a cross between the herbal, grassy wines so prevalent in Sonoma County and the riper, and the more fruit forward products of New Zealand. Match it with pasta sauced with pine nuts, mushrooms, and paramesan. "A lovely Sauvignon Blanc, dry, crisply acidic and clean, with complex citrus, flower and mineral flavors. A great value for the money."
My description- For this wine I could not really detect very many smells. However, this wine was very smooth going down. There were hints of citrus and floral elements in the taste. It was a very crisp wine and was my overall favorite of the night.
The third wine: Leese-Fitch Chardonnay (2009) $11.99; California
Zeppoli's description- This Chardonnay is bursting with aromas of ripe tropical melon, and crisp Anjou Pear. TAfter the blast of fruit your senses will be bathed with aromas of roasted chestnut, vanilla caramel apple, and an ample dose of rich French Oak. The palate is full-bodied with a fresh entry, medium weight mid-palate, and a creamy, lingering finish that just won't quit! This is a very versatile wine that has great balance of fruit notes with rich and memorable creaminess.
My description- I thought that this wine smell particularly of flowers. There was a sense of fruit, but not as much as I would have expected given the description. I did pick up hints of both pear and apple in the taste of the wine. After the initial fruit flavor, there was a bit of an alcohol bite. This was another crisp wine.
Fourth wine: Opera Prima Moscato (NV) $5.99; Spain
Zeppoli's description- A great value and a crowd-pleasing pour, Opera Prima Moscato presents an intense aroma of fresh grapes, fruit syrup and hints of white flower petals. Delicate bubbles caress the palate offering a silky and pleasant sweetness, balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. Ideal on its own, or with all types of sweets and desserts. Serve well chilled.
My description- This wine is very, very sweet. It also has an unsettling taste of soap. There were hints of fruits such as pears, but overall the sweetness overwhelmed all other tastes. Not my favorite sweet wine.
Red Wines
Fifth wine: Kenwood Yulup Pinot Noir (2010) $14.99-
Zeppoli's description- 2010 is the first vintage of our Yulup Pinot Noir. The grapes are sources from select coastal vineyards that have excellent varietal character that are fermented separately in stainless steel tanks. Fruity aromas of boysenberry, strawberry, and cherry are joined by notes of vanilla and spice smooth tannins with a hint of sweetness make for a well balanced wine with exceptional finish. 99% Pinot Noir 1% Syrah, 11 months in French and European Oak.
My description- This wine had a tobacco smell, which was inviting. When tasting this wine it was very creamy. There were hints of dark fruits, as mentioned in the description. The most prevalent fruit taste was of dark cherries.
Sixth wine: Poggio Vipere Chianti (2009) $11.99
Zeppoli's description- Ruby red color, it has a good body and persistent aroma with hints of cherry and spice. In the mouth, it reveals itself as soft, fresh, and pleasantly balanced.
My description- I could definitely pick up the spice aromas that were mentioned in the Zeppoli's description. This wine also had hints of tobacco aromas as well. When tasting this wine there were again dark cherry tastes. It was a very smooth wine to drink.
Seventh wine: Hope Merlot Hunter Valley (2009) $11.99; Argentina
Zeppoli's description- Aroma is of dark plums and vibrant fruit. A dense, well rounded palate of cherry, chocolate richness with some spicy, integrated oak characters. This is a full bodied, richer style of Merlot. A dry year has given concentrated characters and complexity with typical Hunter earthiness leading to a long finish. An elegant Merlot with serious weight.
My description- This wine was rather tart. There was a slight mouth puckering effect, that was not entirely unpleasant. It was also a very bright wine. It was a very nice wine to taste. There were also hints of cherry in the taste of the wine that accented the tartness.
Eighth wine: Cholila Rnach Malbec Fatagonia (2010) $10.99; Argentina
Zeppoli's description- Named for the former ranch owned by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Tasting Notes deep purple color, aromas of ripe plum, mulberry with violet hints, ripe black fruits and fig on the palate, and touches of smoke and vanilla. A truly powerful yet balanced wine with a persistent finish. "Spice box, plum, black cherry, and violets; supple, round and easygoing; drink now- 4 years."
My description- This wine had a creamy/buttery smell. The aroma was very inviting. Tasting this wine there were hints of spice and fruity elements. It was a bright wine, that had a slight alcohol- bite at the finish. This was a very delicious Malbec, something that I would drink regularly.
Ninth wine: Chasing Lions Cabernet Sauvignon (2008) $13.99; North Coast California
Zeppoli's description- The 2008 Chasing lions shows wonderful scents of blackberry, cassis, tobacco, leather and plums on the nose followed by a deep and concentrated roundness on the palate with lovely textures and pure flavors of dark fruits, black licorice and toasty oak. This wine should age nicely through 2015. Varietals: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 6$ Cabernet Franc. 60% aged in two year old French Oak, 40% aged in two year old American Oak.
My description- This wine smelled slightly like a cigar box that I would find in my father's office. There were hints of spice in the taste of the wine. There were also noticeable tannins in this wine. The tannins were balanced by flavors of dark fruits which was very nice.
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