Wine Dinner - Zeppoli's "Spain and Italy, Vino Di Vino" (Italy)

I reserved seats for my boyfriend and I in the middle of the week, I was really excited, even if it was cold and snowing outside. I did not really know what to expect. I figured we would sit down, order from the menu and they would serve wines that complemented our orders. We arrived early, before anyone, and saw the set up of the dinner in a smaller room. We met Matthew Burch who seemed excited and overwhelmed. When I had called to make my reservation earlier that week, there had not been many reservations at all. He tells us that on that same day, all the seats became reserved! It was definitely an adventure!

My boyfriend and I, I promise he was more excited for this in person!

As we sat down and explored the room we saw the different bottles of wines for sale, several wine glasses on all the tables, and the food. I was quite hungry so I was glad to see it was a buffet- style dinner. There was a great variety of food! We had cheese and pepperoni pizza, barbeque meatballs, turkey pesto wraps, pasta smothered in Alfredo sauce, bread, Greek salad, and a tray of cheeses and crackers.

That night we tasted a whooping 11 wines! We had five white wines and five red wines.I had wines from different vineyard and from different regions of Spain and Italy. The prices of the wine bottle were affordable, plus tasting all of them for $15 was luck! As a bonus, we had a Sangria! 

White Wines

Cortenova NV Prosecco DOC Treviso Italy: Alcohol 11% Light straw colored with greenish reflections. Fragrant bouquet full of flowers and almonds. In the palate it is fresh and clean with a soft body and a pleasing sparkle. The fruit is subtle and reminiscent of apples and pears with a hint of almond in the background. The finish is inviting. Can be drunk by itself as an aperitif or with seafood and fish, pastas with cream sauces, chicken, and fresh cheeses. 

Cortenova Pinot Grigio DOC Italy (Magnum) 2011: Brilliant Straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots, and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine. Perfect also as an aperitif.

AV Vinho Verde AOC Portugal 2011: "Spring flowers and fresh fruit essences a natural freshness to dance across your palate." For a hot summer's day, you don't want an expensive rich white; you want Verde! There are few other wines that scream "summer" in the way Vinho Verde does. It seems as though that gently fizzy, wet stone-scented thing works equally well with hot dogs, raw clams, corn on the cob or any of the other classic foods of the season. Enjoy this at your Fourth of July barbecue, and consider it for summer picnics, shore outings and other alfresco events all the way through Labor Day.

Opera Prima NV Sparkling Moscato: 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, as an aperitif or with all types of sweets and desserts. Serve well-chilled.

Opera Prima 2011 Chardonnay La Mancha DO Spain 2011: Alcohol 12% Chardonnay clean and bright in color, with an attractive tone. From fresh aroma on the nose, with a complex compendium of tropical fruits. Flavor is tasty, well balanced acidity and with memories of sensations obtained in the nose.

Red Wines

Aviva Vino 2009 "Aletta" Garnacha Campo de Borja Spain: Alcohol 14%. While most Campo de Borja Garnachas under $15 are simple, easy-drinking, medium-bodied fruit bombs, this is a dark, brooding wine that demands to be taken seriously despite its bargain price. This is like if someone just took the skins of blackberries and blueberries and through some sort of arcane beverage alchemy turned it into a bottle of lush-fruited elixir with great acid and firm tannins and only the slightest hint of the tell-tale cigar leaf common to its origin.

Opera Prima 2011 Tempranillo La Mancha DO Spain: This Opera Prima Tempranillo has a bright ruby red attractive and clean with blue trim of his youth. The nose displays intense fruit aroma characteristics of the variety, red and black fruits of the forest: blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries with Litter flavors and floral aromas as interesting violets and roses. The palate confirms the explosion of aromas of red and black fruits of the forest, reappearing for the initial retronasal aromas found on the nose.

Cortenova 2011 Sangiovese di Puglia IGT Italys: Alcohol 12.5% intense, ruby red color. Strawberry, cherry fruit aromas. Fruity flavors, great body, supple tannins and a long finish. Food friendly style of wine. Excellent with rich pasta dishes and grilled red meat.



Cortenova 2010 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Italy: Alcohol 12.5% Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity. Excellent with pasta dishes and red meats.

Damilano 2009 "Marghe" Nebbiolo d'Alba DOCG Piedmont Italy: Alcohol 14%, Characteristic notes of violet and red fruit. Dry on the palate with good body and character; velvety and harmonious. Pairs well with hearty first courses, red meats, roasts, braised meats, game and aged cheese.


Morada San Gria: A traditional Spanish drink made with red wine and citrus extracts. Garnet color and fresh on the palate. It is a very refreshing Sangria with around 85 grams of sugar. Serve well chilled, on its own or with lemonade and slices of fruit like peach, banana, or apple.