What this means for you is a night of wonderful wine and great food. There will be a flight of three Chateau Beauchene wines available as well as all of these wines by the glass. The specials of the evening will be Mexican inspired Zampa creations to pair with the wines described below. Anyone participating in the wine night will also receive a complimentary bonus tasting of one of the premier wines of the Cotes de Rhone.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin.

Most people don't really know the significance of Cinco de Mayo. It just serves as a good excuse to go to your local restaurant and throw back a couple of Margarita's. You can do that with us as well, we have a nice selection of Tequila and we make our own sour mix using fresh squeezed lime juice. The difference at Zampa this year will be that both sides will be represented.

Join us for a special Cotes de Rhone flight night May 5th from 5:30-8:30 pmEnjoy a flight of 3 Cotes de Rhone wines for $15 and receive the bonus tasting and $5 off a glass of any of the featured Chateau Beauchene wines.

Chateau Beauchene Grande Reserve Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc

Winery: Chateau BeaucheneRegion: Rhone, FranceVarietal: 55% Marsanne27% Rousanne17% Clairette1% Bourboulenc

Wine Notes: The appearance of the wine is extremely pale golden yellow. On the nose, the bouquet is of meadow flowers-acacia and honey. On the palate, it is a rich, fat, unctuous wine. There is a wonderful harmony of length and roundness. Hints of cinnamon and vanilla complete the finish.Pairings: perfect as an aperitif, fresh asparagus, white meats and fish

Chateau Beauchene Marsanne

Winery: Chateau BeaucheneRegion: Rhone, FranceVarietal: 100% Marsanne

Wine Notes: The Marsanne grape is relatively new as a single varietal offering. Marsanne has historically been used as a part of the traditional RhĂ´ne white wine blend. The round, medium gold to amber Marsanne berries make deep colored wine that is also fairly full bodied. This wine has a wonderful floral nose and is fruity and very full bodied in the mouth with a nice nutty finish

Chateau Beauchene Cote du Rhone Villages

Winery: Chateau BeaucheneRegion: Rhone, FranceVarietal: Proprietary blend

Wine Notes: Deep red color in appearance with a bouquet of red fruits with a woody hint. On the palate, powerful but well balanced with harmonious and very subtle tannins. Aromas of vanilla and roasted almonds. It is a subtle wine, well constituted, with a good persistence in the mouth.

Special Complimentary Bonus Tasting

Chateau Beauchene Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Winery: Chateau BeaucheneVarietal: Grenache 84%Syrah 10%Mourvedre 6%

Vinification: De-stemming of the grapes, maceration for a minimum of 20 daysPart of the wine is stored in barriques for 1 yearAppearance: Deep ruby redNose: Raspberries, spices, vanilla with a hint of violetPalate: Strong structure with well-blended tannins, Flavors of jammy red fruit with a touch of vanilla and developing earthy notes and hints of truffle

Join us for a New Year’s Eve to Remember!

Our 8th New Year's Eve Celebration is just around the corner. This is the time we let our talented kitchen crew play a bit more and shine with a specially designed five course menu to sweetly kiss goodbye 2009 and make a warm welcome for the 2010.  

This year, we are paying homage to one of the all time great Masters of the Classics – Julia Child. Featuring Julie (DiTursi that is) and (inspiration from) Julia, New Years Eve 2009 will be celebrated with a five course menu offering classic recipes created by this modern day epicurean pioneer. Think about crepes and baked Alaska – we are!  Menu to come – we're still reading, testing and tasting.

 As tradition stands, this will be one seating only, December 31, 2009. Bubbly pours at 6:30pm. Five courses to follow. $60 per person. Space is limited. Call 603.679.8772 today for reservations.

Spring has brought about some exciting new things around here. First and foremost, Cory and I are thrilled to introduce you to Nola – the newest epicurean member of the Zampa family – she arrived not a moment too soon on the 19th of March. She pops in from time to time- so if you see her – please say hello. Also – you can check her out on our friend Jay Reiter’s website -   http://www.jayreiter.com/blog/?tag=nola

There are new wines and new summer elixirs on the drink menu. Alongside an excellent wine selection we have a new Zampa homemade sangria – sure to quench your thirst.

We were fortunate to host a recent wine dinner with R&B vineyards from California and that helped us to kick start the new menu selections. For all that attended – thanks for a great evening!

We are rolling out the new menu now! Please stop by and have a taste! Back by popular demand we have the Duck Walnut Ravioli, a Zampa classic, and we are introducing such delights as Hot Buttered Sea Scallops and Duck Two Ways. There are many new items, so please make plans today to join us for dinner!

Hope to see you soon! Julie

The following is a press release from Perfect Wine Company:

EPPING, NH   A tasty mix of music and gastronomy is in store at Zampa in Epping, as the popular restaurant welcomes winemakers and musicians Kevin and Barbara Brown on Wednesday, May 20. The Browns, owner-operators of R&B Cellars of California will be on hand to share their fine wines and their prodigious jazz talents, with Kevin on piano and Barbara on vocals.

Zampa owners Cory McPhee and Julie DiTursi will make the festive evening complete with a sumptuous gourmet dinner with courses that harmonize beautifully with each of three R&B Cellars wines.

R&B, of course, stands for rhythm and blues, and the integration of music and wine is obvious in the philosophy of the Browns – that wine should be fun, not pretentious – and in the names they have given their wines.

The dinner will begin with a "down beat" of mesclun greens, spicy sweet pistachios, curry Clementine citronette, and baked Vermont Goat Cheese, paired with Serenade in Blanc, the Browns' 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, a complex yet elegant wine with an exceptional balance between crisp, exotic tropical citrus flavors of tank fermented wine and the creamy character of barrel fermented wine. 

The dinner will then segue into an appetizer course of pan-seared crispy Margret duck breast with a strawberry rhubarb compote, and sweet potato crisp. The accompaniment will be R&B's 2004 Saxy Syrah, a wine with intense color, aroma, and flavor. The winemaker describes the wine as a "blockbuster of blackberry fruit with exotic spice and the subtle tarry components one expects of a great Syrah." 

The evening will reach a crescendo with an entrée of black pepper braised Northeast Family Farms short ribs with wild mushroom pan sauce, rainbow Swiss chard, and twice baked truffled potato, paired with the R&B 2005 Zinfandel called Swingsville Zin, a lively wine and aroma of fresh strawberry and raspberry with hints of pepper and spice, and flavors of ripe berry with creamy cherries and an elegant spicy aftertaste.

The evening will end with a dessert course coda of almond cheesecake with a pairing of CafĂ© Brulot, a treat from the cradle of jazz.  The quaff was developed in New Orleans during Prohibition for customers to discreetly enjoy a Cognac laced coffee.

Zampa's unique four-course tasting dinner with wine and music accompaniment begins at 6:30pm and is prix fixe at $50 per person. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. For reservations, call 603-679-8772. Zampa is located at 8 Exeter Road in Epping.

R&B Cellars wines are distributed in New Hampshire by the Perfecta Wine Company. Sarah MacKinley, Certified Sommelier and Seacoast Sales Representative for Perfecta, assisted in the planning of the event.