Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

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Batter Up… And Drink Up [Another Fine Wine Tasting at Tropicana Field]

Posted Jul 21, 2010 by Jeff Houck

Updated Jul 21, 2010 at 03:37 PM

Last month, I wrote a story about how ballparks and convention facilities were upgrading their food offerings by partnering with notable chefs and improving the beer and wine menus.

The story included Tropicana Field, where vendor Centerplate has wine carts at the first- and third-base food concourses.

On July 30, Centerplate and Zachys will present a Taste of Tuscany free wine tasting at the Trop during the Tampa Bay Rays game against the New York Yankees.

Italian wine maker Alessandro Landini will offer tastings at the Zachys wine carts as well as in the Batter’s Eye restaurant behind centerfield and throughout the stadium’s luxury suites. Landini and his wife, Nicoletta, owners of Tuscan vineyard Fattoria Viticcio, will be pouring their featured wines.

The Viticcio Estate is located in Greve, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. The estate’s vines are farmed organically.

According to the press release, the wines selected for the tasting at each location include:

Zachys Carts:


• Bere Tuscan Red Viticcio 2007 - “There’s a lot of Cabernet character on the nose and palate, with dried herbs and black currant. Full and very rich on the palate, with chewy yet fruit-coated tannins. Long and flavorful…Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot…90.” Top Values - Wine Spectator 10/31/09


Batter’s Eye/Suites:


• Chianti Classico Riserva Viticcio 2006 - #35 Wine Spectator Top 100 2009…“Fabulous aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate, with supersilky tannins and amazing richness and subtlety. Goes on for minutes on the palate…93” Wine Spectator 9/09


• Monile Viticcio 2006 - “Currants, berries, lightly toasted oak and light coffee. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe fruit, soft, silky tannins and a rich finish. Ripe and beautiful. Lovely texture too. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot…94.” Wine Spectator 10/31/09

• Greppicante I Greppi 2007 - #46 Wine Spectator’s Top 100 2009…“Deliver currant, toasty oak and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a lot of rich fruit. Very polished and attractive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc…92.” Wine Spectator 10/31/09

• Greppicaia I Greppi 2006 - “This has a fabulous nose of crushed raspberry and blackberry, with coffee, vanilla bean, tar and spices. Full-bodied, with rich, velvety tannins. There’s plenty of fruit, but this is refined and persistent on the palate, with pretty oak influences. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc…93.” Wine Spectator 10/31/09