A Delicioso Evening at Teresa's

I had a blast on Feb. 6 at Teresa’s in Princeton! They hosted a wine tasting event, with Maria Paola Sorrentino introducing some of her family’s vintages. I paid $25 for tastes of the four wines and a plate of small bites. (I didn’t get any discounts or receive any compensation for this write-up.)

Sorrentino is a region in Campania located on the slopes of the still-active volcano Mount Vesuvius, near the buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It’s wild that in the aftermath of so much destruction — the last eruption was in 1944 — the resulting volcanic soil is so fertile for growing crops, including vines. Vesuvio has even been its own DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) for 40 years!

All the wines were terrific! The Bianco put me in mind of sauvignon blanc, and it went great with the shrimp. The Rosso is a lovely rustic red and easy sipping. The Bianco Superiore is more full-bodied. It’d put you in mind of a chardonnay, but considering the area, it was probably more likely falanghina. I loved it with the battered and fried artichoke. My favorite, and the one I bought two bottles of, was the Rosso Superiore for about $26 apiece. It’s got virtually no tannins, and excellent acidity. The meatball with mushroom was the perfect accompaniment.

Not only did I get some great wine and taste some excellent food (thanks, Chef Matteo!), I got a chance to talk to the general manager Joe and the beverage manager Cody. I also wound up seated at the bar and chatted to a lovely lady, J., who lives nearby in town and is a regular at the Caffe. It was a very congenial evening in a great space, and I’ll for sure be back for these again.

Teresa’s is on Palmer Square in downtown Princeton. They don’t take reservations, but you can join their waitlist via their website. Hope to see you at the next tasting!