Dinner & Wine report (March 20, 2025) Tizzone Wood-fired Kitched

 

Occasion: dinner with my wife and daughter

Location: Tizzone Wood-fired Kitchen & Wine Bar

Food Selection and Wine Pairing (3 dishes with 3 wines): 

When approached by the waiter, his first question was asking what we'd like to drink.  Other than a Sprite for my daughter, we informed him that we would be interested in wines that paired well with our dinner selections.  This is what we decided on:

    FILLET & BROCCOLI - Coconut rice topped with 6oz. of sliced fillet mignon, broccoli, and fresh mushrooms, saute's in a ginger-scallion dressing.  Paired with Remhoogte Chronicle Cape Blend   

    CHILI-AGAVE SCALLOPS - pan seared scallops with spicy chili-agave sauce served with asparagus and scalloped potatoes.  Paired with Two Mountain Riesling

    MARGHERITA WOOD-FIRED PIZZA - with mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil.  Paired with Felino Malbec

Pairing comments: 

FILLET & BROCCOLI with Remhoogte Chronicle Cape Blend:

This red blend from South Africa is described as a Pinotage blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinotage.  It was a medium bodied red that smelled of berry and raisin.  The taste was dry, and slightly peppery, but the dark fruit notes were still apparent.  I thought it was well-balanced with a nice aftertaste.  It paired deliciously with the spicy beef.  I even started tasting a sweetness in the wine, but that may have just been a reaction to the beef/broccoli dish being slightly too salty (soy sauce?).  I almost detected a vanilla flavor during the meal, but I couldn't put me finger on it - overall, delicious all around.

CHILI-AGAVE SCALLOPS with Two Mountain Riesling:

This wine, from Washington state, had a surprisingly floral smell.   It was described as a dry Riesling, but I did not find it overly dry - I would have guessed it be described as a semi-sweet, but that could have just been my palate playing tricks on me.  There was a very full texture to the wine - coating my mouth and giving a soft apple flavor with the floral notes still present.  I found it very well balanced between sweet and acidic.  It paired excellently with the spicy scallop dish!  Both would have been great on their most likely, but together the soft texture of the scallops and asparagus supported the soft wine, and I think the spiciness of the dish made the "dry" wine come across slightly sweeter.  Great pair, these two!

                   

(my daughter thinks it's funny to take selfies instead of photographing whoever is posing)

MARGHERITA PIZZA with Felino Malbec:

This Argentinian Malbec was highly recommended by the waiter.  It was one of the priciest wines they sold (of course), so I had high expectations.  Luckily, I wasn't disappointed.  This was a dark, full-bodied red with notes of cherry, wood, and dark fruit.  The taste was balanced with vanilla (or maybe a chocolate - are these even close?) offsetting a mild tartness, and it had a soft mouthfeel.  I loved the dark fruit and complexness of the wine - and of course, it mixed well with the wood-fired pizza.  I rarely find red wine that doesn't word with Margherita Pizza, but this one made the taste even better.  

Overall:  Great Success with dinner and wine tonight - this establishment knows what they are doing with the pairing recommendations, and the wines they have on hand to pair are great.