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This Kitten Has Really Scratched My Summer Itch!

António Lopes Ribeiro
Nina
Vinho Tinto
About 20 different varieties, red & white grapes that are co-planted in 60 year old vineyard
Certified organic, foot tread, indigenous yeast, dried chestnut blossoms, no added sulfites
Tondela, Dão, Portugal

Chill it a little (I started at 58F) or a lot and either way you’ll be sooo happy. Cranberry stained glass pour. Sniffing and there’s nose wiggling cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries & more, a tiny citrus squeeze, hint of anise but I bet it fades, and a breeze of pump house mineral cool. All of the sniffs are there joined by white pepper & a smooth citrus zest that mellows out into a gentle blend that is just so delicious. Chilled this baby even further in the normal fridge last night, and it’s even more of a fresh & fun party.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: pretty good but not needed

You probably recognize António’s name from his & his partner Sara Dionisio’s winery Casa De Mouraz. They were the 1st to go certified organic in Dão, and are now farming entirely biodynamic. Nina is from the label under just his moniker, but you can find they share equal presence & love on their IG page. If you browse around enough you can find a cute pic of this meowser peeking through the vines. She’s not the only winery member gracing his bottles. There’s also a goat named “Chibu”, a sweet little pup named “Bolinha”, a feisty looking chicky, “Pita” branco bubbly or as I’ve seen it called their “Pita-nat”, and not to be outdone her rosa cocky partner in wine “Pito”. Personally, I now want to collect the whole menagerie because this kitten has really scratched my summer itch and perked up my curiosity on the inhabitants of Ribeiro & Dionisio’s “Planet Mouraz”. 🍷

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“A Toast To Italian Lifestyle”

Bellafina
Prosecco DOC
100% Glera
Grapes are sourced from vineyards around Treviso
Veneto, Italy

Pale straw yellow with a twinkle of teeny bubbles. Sniffing and it’s all very light. There’s apples, lemon/lime zest, a pinch of that apple pie allspice spice, fresh rained on paver/minerally vibe, and clean teeny spring blossoms but ever so gentle & tiny. All of the scents are in the sip with a touch more apples both green & red and a fizzy touch of fun but no firework bubbles which is just fine with me.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Most definitely yes

This little screw cap frizzante pleasantly surprised me and is priced just right. You can drink as is or come up with a creative cocktail to jazz up a hot night. Originally I thought I was having a bit of a fruitless search on the family or the history behind the bottle. Then  I remembered a tidbit that links back to my June 16th post “Small Roots Branching Out”. Casa Vinicola Botter has been bottling Bellafina since 1928, but I’m unclear if the grapes are from their vineyards, so I can’t say if they’re certified organic. Either way just as Botter says on their site about their wines, “each bottle is an invitation to experience a sensory journey” and brings Italy to you. Bellafina is also a “toast to Italian lifestyle”, and that is a way of life I think we should all embrace…from the passion, the dedication to family & history, and the ability to stop and enjoy the moment that you’re in right now.

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Family Devotion And A Vibrant Future

Quinta da Aveleda
Solos de Granito 2024
100% Alvarinho
Vinho Verde
Organic, sustainable
Penafiel, Portugal
Family run winery

Color yellow brick road shimmering light. Breathing in white peach, honeysuckle, light tangerine & pink grapefruit swirl, fresh rained on cool granite, golden & green apples, Bosc pear, winter melon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. All of what I’ve been smelling is there with more crisp citrus like lime, lemon, and also smooth tangelo, there’s a kick of white pepper in the background that will wave hello a bit more if you let it emerge, followed by a smidge of pine & eucalyptus, and a lick of granite with a touch of salt hanging in the back.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: I think I might need two bags so ❤️

Manoel Pedro Guedes inherited his family’s estate Quinta da Aveleda in 1870, and this was the beginning of its wonderful transformation into a winery & vineyards (styled after the French way of keeping the grape varieties separate) and building a 300 barrel cellar. When the 1st run only produced 30, he was adamant they would successfully persevere and he stated, “The future of this house will be wine”. Sure enough, in the late 1880s the gold & silver medals started coming in and so did international acclaim. Over the years & generations, Aveleda has grown in many ways. As Martim Guedes & António Guedes say on their site, “We want to carry on our great-great-grandfather’s dream and build on the foundations he led for this estate’s future in wine”, and they have along with adding more estates across Portugal in Duoro & Algarve; and also wine tourism in the Vinho Verde region. If you get a chance to book a tour of their grounds you’ll get to see their Fountain of Nossa Senhora da Vandoma that “symbolizes family devotion and Aveleda’s historical connection to the city of Porto” and you might find a vibrant (and at times noisy) surprise in the gardens crossing your path. Yes, you guessed it they have free roaming peacocks. 🦚

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Remember To Pack That Lost Shaker Of Salt

Wandering Barman
Botanical Margarita
Tequila, Marigold, Makrut Lime, Orange Bitters
20% ABV
100 ml
Brooklyn, NY

Light yellow-green (more on the yellow side). Sniffing and there’s a blend of lemon/lime/orange along with cardamon, a childhood greenery smell of wild flowers & my mom’s marigolds that we picked and let them reseed & spread every year, and a light mineral smell Mondariz natural sparkling water. Sipping and my tastebuds are alert and tingling from all of the scents. The lime/lemon/orange is joined along with a bitter zest bite, a cane sugar kiss with a salty wink, and a background tequila good sizzle/burn. It’s all around a pop of vibrant joyful life.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just don’t

This truly is a party in a tiny bottle, but I’ve just noticed on their site if you want to celebrate a little extra, they now have a 750 ml that’s ready to go. All you need is to pack that “lost shaker of salt”. 🍋🍋‍🟩🧂

#wine #cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #Margarita

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Just Enjoy, Smile, Giggle & Share

Julien Pineau
Le Jubolin Va Savoir!
Field blend of grapes
Organic, natural, hand harvested, no sulfur
Mareuil-sur-Cher, Loire, France

Light cranberry stained glass with a touch of haze. First off chill this baby and then your nose will get a treat of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, red currants, singed orange peel, smidge of fresh cut grass & the turf tossed up with it, and light white pepper. Sipping all of the scents and it’s so kicking it back fun smooth juicy with a tart pop of joy. This is another one of those wines you don’t over dissect like my silly brain does. Just drink this addictive elixir, enjoy, smile, even giggle; and share with family, friends, and even strangers because why not spread the love.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yeah!

Not long ago I had my first Pineau, “Pork Soda” and it had me squealing in delight, so I had to find out more about the man behind this fine & fun wines. Turns out with his college book smarts he could have go down the road to work in law. Lucky for us his head was turned by working a harvest, receiving a degree in viticulture, working with wonderful wineries, and at last landing at Clos Roche Blanche which happened at just the right time. While Julien was working with Didier Barrouillet & Catherine Roussel, they decided it was time to look toward retirement, so they sold 12 ha to Pineau & Laurent Saillard and they divvied the land up equally. Now back to the bottle, “Le Jubolin Va Savoir!” I’ve been driving myself crazy on where the name came from so I asked my friend & she reached out to her contact and I’m still digging around for more info. It’s evidently from a French skit from the 1980s, where two drunkards are gushing about how the wine is so drinkable. Ok y’all, can someone please let me know who the comedians/group are, what’s the name of the show, and where can I watch it because I want in on the fun. 🍷

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There’s Even A 🦇 Motel!

LangeTwins
Sand Point
Pinot Noir 2023
Certified sustainable
Acampo, Lodi, CA
The Lange family

Cherry red stained glass. Sniffing and there’s cherries with at start a whiff of portobello, a puff of smoke emerges with a dash of baker’s chocolate, plums, raspberries, cranberries, dried mission figs, and tangelo zest. Sipping and again there’s cherries joined this time with tobacco, the humus, a baker’s chocolate, dark plums, a touch of earth, a cranberry lively spark, figs are both dried & fresh this time, tingle of warm spice & orange zest, and something bitter like a bite of fresh dandelion but lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: YES PLEASE

The Lange family originally hailed from Germany, but in 1870 dropped down roots in Lodi, CA. They dry farmed melons & grain but in early 1900s invested in a vineyard and the fun began. The twins (Randy & Brad) were fully invested in not only growing the best grapes they could but also branched to winemaking, building an impressive winery, expanding, and going sustainable. Their children (5th gen) are also now involved, and I’m betting so will their kids in the long run.

They have 3 labels of wine and this Pinot Noir is from their Sand Point line. Named after land on a bank of the Mokelumne River and “was their 1st” in their habitat restoration projects. Before being infringed on many, many years ago by people farming the lands, it was from what they describe a beautiful, peaceful “native habitat supporting local flora and fauna along the river’s edge”. Now, for the past 30 years the family has been giving back to nature by “nuturing oak seedlings, planting native bushes, erecting boxes for nesting wood ducks and oaks and perches for hawks (even a bat motel!) – evolved into a multi-generational vision to reestablish a native corridor, connecting miles of our lands in support of symbiosis between agriculture and nature.” This makes me love this family and wine even more. 🍷

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

 

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Squealing In Delight

Julien Pineau
Pork Soda NV
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Organic, natural, hand harvested, no sulfur
Mareuil-sur-Cher, Loire, France

Pale ever so light yellow-green starlight with very active bubbles at first that become more fine as they disperse. Floating up are scents of lime with at first a little earthiness, tiny brambly touch of wild blackraspstrawberries with a blend of fresh cut grass & clover, green tomatoes & leaves, and raw okra (trust me all of this is a good & fun thing). First sip and it’s absolutely freaking bubbly delicious! It’s a whole other animal. The lime is still there but more gentle with a fairy dance of dainty raspberries, strawberries & teeny vibe of cream, shy yellow cherries that get more bold later joining dark cherries & cranberries, and a seltzer/mineral bite at last that grounds it. There’s so much more but also so subtle yet bursting of refreshing life and a soft kiss that makes you want to return and embraces its flirty charms. I think I have fallen in love with a very cute porker.

After a time out & a 2nd pour it just keeps getting better & better. Cherry, boysenberry, and red currants wiggle out after a few more time outs. This is one precocious pig with ever evolving personalities but all of them are just so GOOD! Now, I’m going to stop dissecting, allow myself to squeal in delight, and just enjoy the piggyback ride. 🐷

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: don’t spoil the moment

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No Cheez-Its For You

Club 44
Rosé 2025
Grenache & Syrah blend
Méditerranée IGP
Provence, France

Shining light pink salmon. Let it breathe a little or maybe more than a little post cork popping because there’s a lingering old burning fan belt about to snap smell. There’s grapefruit & tangerines, hibiscus, honeysuckle, and white peaches. Sip and there’s raspberries, strawberries, white cherries, white peaches, lemon/lime/tangelo splash, and a sprinkle of salty sea breeze. Ok, I can’t do this…if I want to be honest a lot of people will kick back this bottle and not have a second thought. Unfortunately, I can’t just turn off my brain. Something about that fan belt hanging around and then there’s a flavor that reminds me too much of Hello Kitty candy and an overwhelming pinkness that old school Barbie would embrace. So it’s a no for me, and don’t even bother cracking out the Cheez-Its. This wine is going to get very well acquainted with the kitchen sink.

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

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The Grape That Almost Got Away

Domaine Les Grande Vignes
Pineau D’Aunis 2022
VDF
Certified organic & very grounded in biodynamics
Thouarce, Anjou, Loire, France
Famille Vaillant

First off, give this bottle a bit of a chill…you’ll be rewarded. The pour is a light raspberry maroon. Giving it several good sniffs and out pops tart cherries & cranberries, gooseberries, red currants, boysenberry,  a natural depth & darkness that eases over time, green & pink young wild strawberries, and for some of us that remember what a pencil is there’s some of that fresh shaved lead. Sipping all of the scents blended but with a lighter & even more smooth feel yet that natural twang still hanging around along with a few raspberries, smidge of rose hips, and a touch of pink & white pepper. It’s lovely, light & fun with a touch of elegance.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nah

This is my very first experience with Pineau d’Aunis, and I started wondering why. This little grape was adored by royalty in the 13th century, and there’s debate if it was the original claret (King Henry III loved his imported vin clairet). It was a mover and a shaker until it wasn’t. This grape is prone to have rot issues & of course the whole phylloxera blight (damn aphids), and it’s also a bit like Goldilocks where it needs the terroir to be just right…in other words it can be a pain in the butt unless you are a grape whisperer. By the early 70s it was almost lost. Luckily this little grape had winegrowing fans that decided to save it and give it a chance to shine again. For all the heroes that kept Pineau D’Aunis around and those that continue to naturally nourish it to thrive for the rest of us to imbibe, I raise a cool glass to you! 🍇🍷

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Small Roots Branching Out

Casa Vinicola Botter
Tor del Colle
Pecorino 2025
Terre D`Abruzzo IGT
Organic
Headquarters: Fossalta di Piave, Veneto, Italy
Luca, Annalisa and Alessandro Botter (3rd gen)

Pale straw starlight. Breathing in pears, light tangerine, white peaches, apricots, and a pinch of a blend of fresh mint/basil/fennel. Everything I’m smelling is here with honeycomb, apples, grapefruit, green watermelon rind, a bit of walnut on the back, and those herbs are tingling a bit liveliness.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: most definitely

Casa Vinicola Botter started out with small roots in 1928 by Carlo & Maria Botter. They started as a small store selling wine in casks & demijohns (I love those bulbous beautiful bottles) and now they have grown into a Veneto based venture that’s keeping with the regions traditions & embracing the future while also branching out to further territories with their Toe del Colle line. Even with all this growth they are still family run, and they care about the imprint they leave on their lands, all that reside & grow in it, and also our planet. As it says on their importer’s site, “Their environmentally-friendly outlook can be seen in their efforts to minimize pollution, waste, and reliance on non-renewable energy across the production chain. This mission also inspired Casa Vinicola Botter to achieve their certified-organic status, which they have held since 2009”. I say bravo on their looking forward to pave a better life for the next generations, and also on this lovely Pecorino that helped me weather another hot NY night!

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine