Dinner - Zeppolis (Italy/USA)

My (fully loaded) dinner plate
(all but dessert included)

 On Wednesday, my friend Ellery and I went to Zeppolis for dinner and a wine tasting. The meal was served family style and included a variety of dishes. There was a cheese plate with blue, Asiago, and Parmesan cheese, there was a cucumber and tomato salad, mashed potatoes, pasta roll ups, bean spread on bread, stuffed mushroom, mushroom frittata, and creamy pasta dish. There was also a flour-less chocolate cake in a raspberry sauce for desert. All of the food was absolutely delicious.

Folonari Pinot Grigio (on left)

One of the wines we tried was Folonari Pinot Grogio from Italy (2013). This was a tart and acidic but light wine. It was very easy to drink and had a smooth quality to it. I liked this paired best with the cucumber salad because I really enjoyed it paired with the balsamic vinaigrette on the salad. I also liked it with the creamy blue cheese and the bean spread.

Woodwork Pinot Noir

Another wine we had was the Woodwork Central Coast California Pinot Noir (2014). This wine had a smokey earthy scent. It started smokey and sweet but had a slightly acidic finish. It also coated my mouth a bit. I liked this with both the stuffed mushroom and the frittata (which I think also had mushroom in it). I think this relatively light red wine just paired well with the mushrooms because the flavors really complemented each other.

Kickstand Cab Sauvignon

We also had the Kickstand Cabernet Sauvignon from California (2013). I thought this wine had a slightly chocolaty scent. It tasted of dark berries, like raspberries, and had a peppery aftertaste. I liked this best with the pasta roll ups which were made with some sort of red pasta sauce. I liked how neither the wine overpowered the pasta nor the pasta overwhelm the wine.

Bonus SIP Rose

We also got a bonus wine, a Rose from SIP (California) made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that I liked a lot. It had a very floral and berry scent. It was light and slightly acidic with just a hint of sweet and it had a strawberries and cream finish. I found this extremely refreshing.

One of the foods I tried that I had a hard time pairing was the flour-less chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. It was so sweet it made most of the wines we tried taste dry.

My friend Ellery and I about to enjoy our dinners!

Winery Visit: Beliveau Estate Winery

A picture of one of the buildings on the property (the Bed and
Breakfast?) from the balcony of our tasting room

Today my friend, Ellery, and I went to a wine and chocolate tasting at Beliveau Estate Winery. I had been to Beliveau once before but it was at night and I didn't get the full scope of the estate. During the day the estate is absolutely beautiful. Beliveau has been growing grapes since 2009 and producing wine since 2012. They grow about 51% or more of their grapes on the property and produce their wine on site.

First my friend and I went to one of Beliveau's upstairs rooms to do the chocolate and wine tasting. There were seven chocolates: white, milk, dark, an amaretto truffle, cappuccino truffle, salted caramel chocolate, and a mint chocolate. We tasted the chocolates with three wines. 

The chocolates (left) and three wines (upper right)

The first was a semi sweet white called Lovers Quest which is a 60% Vidal Blanc and 40% Chardonnay blend. This was a buttery sweet wine that had a hint of citrus. I liked it paired with the white chocolate best because the buttery sweetness from the chocolate sort of canceled out those flavors in the wine which brought forward the citrus notes in the wine.

The second was a Cabernet Franc named celestial. It had a earthy nose and a smokey and tannic taste. I like this paired with the milk chocolate best because the milk chocolate brought out a coffee flavor in the wine.

The last wine was a desert wine called Serenity made with a Chambourcin grape. I found this to both smell and taste like a spiced apple cider, like one you might have in the fall. I like this paired with the Amaretto truffle, which muted the strong sweetness a bit but brought out the spicy cinnamon flavor.

The pizza my friend and I shared. We meant to
take a picture before hand but it was so delicious
we forgot!

After the tasting my friend and I walked around the property and had a Vineyard pizza which is a special provided in their downstairs restaurant and bar. The pizza had grapes, caramelized onions, feta, and arugula and it was topped with balsamic vinaigrette. It was absolutely delicious and I would have loved to try it with a wine but unfortunately we were running out of time at the winery. 

Myself sitting on a bench on the winery patio.

A picture of some of the vines on the property.

The wines available in the shop at Beliveau.

Ellery and I at the end of our visit.

Overall I had a wonderful experience and I would love to go back another time. I would recommend a trip to Beliveau Estate to anyone who loves great wine and beautiful scenery,

Tasting - Jam Jar Sweet White

Name: Jam Jar Sweet White
Variety: Moscato
Region, Country: Western Cape, South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: "This charming, easy-drinking Moscato offers flavors of peach, apricot, lychee and orange blossom. A lively jolt of acidity keeps it fresh and fruity. Fancy enough for a special occasion toast, yet sweet-natured enough to enjoy every day."

My Review: Strongly sweet nose both smells and tastes of honey. This was more fruity, specifically apricot, rather than floral like the other white wines of the day seemed to me. I usually avoid sweeter whites but I liked the fruity flavors in this. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Fox Creek Shiraz

Name: Fox Creek Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region, Country: McLaren Vale, Australia
Year: 2012
Price: $9.95

Steven Tanzer Review: "Bright purple. Exotic, expansive aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, vanilla and cola, along with a peppery overtone and a hint of violet pastille. Broad, fleshy, appealingly sweet boysenberry and cherry liqueur flavors show excellent depth and a seamless texture. Finishes juicy and long, with building spiciness, an echo of blue fruit and round tannins."

My Review: Woodsy and dark fruit aroma. Smokey and plum flavors with hints of plum and blackberry with a more tannic and slightly spicy finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Candoni Buongiorno

Name: Candoni Buongiorno
Variety: Blend (Organic Primitivo and Syrah)
Region, Country: Puglia, Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: "Black ruby color. Mild, spicy, earthy aromas of spiced berries and plum with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a tingling, brisk earth and cinnamon finish with dusty, coating tannins and moderate oak. A sturdy, earthy red for the table."

My Review: This has a black/darker fruit and earthy scent. It tastes jammy and like dry fruit. This is not very spicy and has an overall light bodied taste that is just slightly tart. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Maipe Torrontes

Name: Maipe Torrontes
Variety: Torrontes
Region, Country: Salta, Argentina
Year: 2016
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: "Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well-balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish."

My Review: This wine has an obviously sweet scent that is a bit more in your face. I thought this was a bit floral, like maybe rose. Mostly I found this to have a lot sweet tree fruit flavors with just a hint of tartness on the finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Oxford Landing Viognier

Name: Oxford Landing Viognier
Variety: Viognier
Region, Country: South Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95

Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Review: "This wine may not be quite as rich or expressive as the other Viogniers in the Yalumba stable, but it's still an attractive effort. Pineapple and apricot flavors pick up hints of gingery spice on the vibrant finish. "

My Review: I had a hard time trying to pick up any certain scents in this wine. I found this to be quite dry and a bit more of a subtle wine. There were obvious citrus flavors and tropical fruit flavors with a hint of floral taste. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Gewurztraminer

Name: Crane Lake Gewurztraminer
Variety: Gewurztraminer
Region, Country: California, USA
Year: 2015
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: "This floral wine has notes of rose, peach, and apricot, with a smooth, lingering finish. This wine pairs well with both smoked Gouda and Munster cheeses. Also try it along with roast pork, turkey, red snapper or sautéed abalone."

My Review: I'm not usually a big fan of very sweet white wines but I found this interesting. The scent is strongly sweet but the wine did not have a syrupy quality to it. Fruity flavors like peach were present, but I found it to have an overall honey sweet taste. Although I did not try this wine with food, Randall from Vintage Cellar suggested trying this wine with spicy food, such as Thai food, which is definitely something I will be looking into.

Tasting - El Ganador Malbec

Name: El Ganador Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region, Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Beverage Testing Institute Review: "Garnet color. Aromas of black cherry, plum jam, rich dark soil, and violet honey with a lightly tannic, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, complex, medium-long black cherry, rich garden soil, crushed plum, and cinnamon toast finish with medium tannins and moderate oak. Dense, dark and chewy with earthy complexity, balancing the luscious jammy fruit qualities of new world with earthy qualities of old world wines."

My Review: Malbec is wine I tend to love so I was really excited to try this one at the tasting. The scent was spicy and dry. Overall a very peppery wine with a hint of cinnamon. There was also a hint of dark berries, like blackberries. Did not try with food.

Tasting - Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Name: Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region, Country: California, USA
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: "This ruby-colored wine has aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with appetizers and main courses. This wine goes well with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon, lamb shanks and pork tenderloin."

My Review: The initial scent was smokey with subtle fruity flavor. I found the taste to be more on the fruity side. Definitely darker fruits like plum and cherry. Although I did not try this wine with food, after reading the winery review, I would really love to try this with some of the suggested food pairing as I think the plum like flavor would go well with the cheeses.

Tasting - Douglas Hill Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Douglas Hill Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region, Country: California, USA
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: "This light, crisp Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of grapefruit, bell pepper, and asparagus. On the palate, hints of floral and honey are revealed to yield a well-balanced, refreshing wine."

My Review: I found this to be sweeter than the Prime Brume Soave (also from this tasting trip). I thought this had a dried fruit specifically a raisin flavor. Honestly I thought this tasted a lot like grape juice I drank when I was a kid. However I did like it. Did not try with food.

Tasting - Prime Brume Soave Garganega

Name: Prime Brume Soave Garganega
Variety: 100% Garganega
Region, Country: Soave, Italy
Year: 2015
Price: $10

Bevarage Testing Institute Review (August 31, 2016): "Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of Brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced Soave with a great range of fruit flavors."

My Review: Initially just an overall tree-fruit taste. After further tasting more like a peach or apricot with a hint of some sort of citrus fruit. It was light and mildly nutty. I liked this wine and I think it may have been one of my favorites of the white wines I tasted today. Did not try with food.