The Coppola Wine Tasting & Movie Event

The Francis Ford Coppola Winery held a wine tasting event on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 at the Rosebud Cinema and Drafthouse. It was sponsored by Rays Wine and Spirits in Wauwatosa, WI.

The event featured 25 wines for sample, appetizers from Juniper 61 & The Godfather playing on the big screen. The movie played with just the soundtrack playing, no dialogue to consume your attention or distract from the tasting.

I focused my tasting effort on red wine, targeting a few specific wines of interest. There was really no need to waste time on a Rose', I was not going to purchase one in this lifetime.

The wine of the tasting in my opinion was the Zinfandel "Edizione Pennino" Napa Valley. I had sampled a few other wines prior to this and a few after, but this was the wine I will remember from the tasting.

The Edizione Pennino Zinfandel pays tribute to Francis Ford Coppola's maternal grandfather, Francesco Pennino. Born in Italy, Francesco emigrated to the United States as a young man and started a music publishing and import company known as "Edizione Pennino." The company's logo depicted two images: the last view of Francesco's homeland, the Bay of Naples, and his first view of America, the Statue of Liberty. Francis Ford Coppola took the design in its original form and used it to identify the estate Zinfandel which, like Francesco Pennino's journey, is the grape most identified with the Italian influence on the California wine industry. To add to the nostalgia, each vintage bottling has one of Pennino's song titles imprinted on the cork.

Color: Deep purple, Ink.

Nose: Completely in your face, rich blackberry-cranberry-pepper spice.

Structure: A complete full body, chunky mouth feel, not syrup.

Attack: Again, completely in your face with a bit of heat, strong attack of the mouth.

Finish: This wine lingered for about 15 to 20 seconds without an after burn, just a pleasant reminder.

Overall: I really enjoyed this wine and imagined it with many different food parings. At around $50 a bottle, it is out of the range I personally like to spend on wine. As a special occasion wine I can see this being a wine to consider, but then again there are many others also.

Cellar Addition: Torzi Matthews

Red Wine and Olive Oil......they go to together when dining like no other combination in the world.


Imagine extra virgin olive oil with minced garlic, a small amount of balsamic vinegar, chopped basil, freshly ground pepper and a little rosemary. Pair that combination with your favorite bread, open a healthy bottle of Shiraz and indulge. If you are feeling a bit hedonistic, add some Boursin cheese to the mix.





When I received an email from the Wine Cellar of Wisconsin about an Ozzy wine steal, my interest was raised immediately. I did not know I was in for a boutique vintner from the Eden Valley, east of the Borossa Valley.



Torzi Matthews , a food and wine making partnership between Domenic Torzi and Tracy Matthews have passion and the firm conviction of appreciating the value of heritage tradition in the crafting of their wines and extra virgin olive oils.

I purchased two bottles of the 2007 Schist Rock Shiraz, and I was lucky to get it. There were only 1200 cases produced for the entire world. The inventory at the Wine Cellar sold out in 40 minutes.

A review I found describes this wine as:

Saturated red. Brisk, finely etched red berry and cherry skin aromas are underscored by dusty minerals and cracked pepper. Clean, mid weight red fruit flavors betray no rough edges or excess fat, picking up silky tannins with air. There's something pinot-like about this elegant wine, and the finish is distinctly racy and energetic, leaving sweet strawberry and smoky minerals behind.

The Wine Spectator gave it 92 points.

I will post my review when I get the courage to open a bottle with some extra virgin Olive Oil.

For additional reviews visit Cellar Tracker.

Cellar Addition

Vintage: 2006; Grenache

Always an enduring favorite within the Kilikanoon family portfolio, the Prodigal seeks to deliver the single fruit purity of an old vine Grenache.

Sourced in equal parts from two 60 year old hand pruned and hand picked vineyards, the fully ripened fruit was crushed, fermented traditionally in small open topped fementers, then basket pressed and allowed to mature for 22months in older French and American oak hogsheads.

Intensely perfumed and redolent of cherries, dark chocolate and spicy older oak flavours, the palate offers sweetness and softness yet exquisitely mouthfilling and persistent on thefinish. Another great wine to complement a range of fine foods and cheeses.

An ageing potential of at least 8 - 10 years with careful cellaring.

Cellar Addition

Shild Estate - 2006 Shiraz


Reviews and Awards

Commended

2008 International Wine Challenge
91 Points
Totally full and rich southern Barossa fruit, slightly ripe summery plums with an underlayer of vanillin oak, soft and generous on the palate and plenty of drinking at this price.

Double Gold Medals
DOUBLE GOLD - 2008 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Silver Medals

2008 Mundus Vini Great International Wine Awards
Bronze Medals

2008 Decanter World Wine Awards2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show2007 Royal Hobart International Wine Show

Mollydooker Update

There has been a sighting of the 2008 Vintage of Mollydooker Wines at Thief Wine, in the Milwaukee Public Market. Get it before it sells out.

Wine and Movie Night - Another Round.........

Lookin for a fun diversion on a Thursday night?

The fine people at Ray's Wine and Spirits are hosting another event at the Rosebud Cinema. This time it will be 25 wines from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

The movie playing in the background will a classic 1972 masterpiece directed by none other that Francis Ford Coppola. "The Godfather."

There will be specials on wine products, the vintner will be on hand and wine to sample.

I am looking forward to the Shiraz and Syrah and will post my opinions on each wine and others after the tasting.

Until then, try not to get sacked and don't be a nong.