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| - I dropped by Grazie Pizzeria & Wine bar to surprise my friend Ebony K. who was attending a wine tasting event put on by the AZWinebats. It was my first experience with Grazie & the Winebats. Thankfully the recent rains had stopped and it made for a pleasant afternoon that could be enjoyed on the patio or inside with the doors open. I loved the interior and décor.
The event was $20 and provided tastings of 8 wines and samples of food. The food consisted of three different types of Bruschetta, two types of salad and about five various types of pizzas. If you left hungry, it was your own fault. The food kept coming! I had the Bruschetta Salsiccia which was loaded with Melted Provolone covering sausage & fennel. I didn't try the Caesar salad, but the Emiliana was excellent. The pizzas were thin crust, and the first was a little soggy. It was a pepperoni pizza and most of the toppings were slid off - but it was good. A second piece was better. I am not sure all of the varieties, but I do know Vegetariana was one that I remember.
The wine presented a nice sampling. The best for me was the first one, which also happened to be the cheapest - the Orvieto Amabile from Bigi. It was a sweet, white wine. I liked the Sangiovese Riserva from Umbeito Cesari, a red; and Rosso di Podernovo from Castello Delle Regine. The one most people seemed to not like the most was the most expensive - a champagne Brut Rose' from Hello Kitty.
The owner and the staff were extremely nice and explained each wine selection, they held a raffle for a few prizes and kept the food coming. The atmosphere of the restaurant was excellent. One thing that was distracting was the restaurant seemed to retain sound well and the place was loud, even with the doors open. Sometimes it was a little difficult to hear. As for the food, the wine, the event and the company - excellent all the way around!
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