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Passing Torches & Passion

Domaine Leccia
Fronda di Leccia 2024
Nielluccio, Grenache
Organic, biodynamic, family winery
Corsica, France
Winemaker & current generation: Lisandru Leccia

Cranberry (you know the one that comes out of the can on Thanksgiving) stained glass. Breathing in cherries, touch of hay wafting in that quickly says bye, tart & dark plums, a little eucalyptus, and pomegranate. Sipping and there’s a blend of cherry, plums, raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate, blackberry, and boysenberry. Everything is light, lively & so easy, and it’s so nice to have something not complicated right now. It actually has me craving a Junior’s Cheesecake.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Just do it

Lisandru Leccia (the latest gen) grew up in a wine family, but spread his wings to further his vin-education in Dijon, Meursault, and Napa Valley, CA (Opus One). Of course over time home called his name, and his father (Yves) had started another estate leaving the family’s winery in his aunt’s (Annette) hands. As she says on their site, “‘Passing on my parents’ land to their grandson was the culmination of a lifetime’s work; the passing down of the torch is the most important moment in a winemaker’s life.” Lisandru happily took that torch and ran with it. It’s in his blood and you can tell by his words, “When I was a child, playing outside in this magical place was a true joy for me. Today, that’s what I try to do every day: to pass on this passion through wines. I often say that I’m inflating the tires of my tractor where, as a child, I used to inflate the tires of my bicycle…” 🍷❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #France #corsica #lagrenouillewine #domaineleccia #vinewinenyc

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Name Games

Azienda Agricola Trevisana
Gioco Di Vino
????? 2023
Unfiltered Vino Blanco 
Organic, no additives or sulfur, unfiltered, skin contact
Chardonnay
Paese, Treviso, Veneto, Italy

Warm golden pour. Sniff and this is a surprise mix of first scent banana (all I can hear in my head now are the Minions chanting), lemon/lime, mango, dragon fruit, apples & pears, and a waft of light mineral. All of the scents are there with more lemon/lime & zest, Valencia orange, a touch of wild hay that tames down into a little tangerine & clementine, an exhale of tarragon and maybe thyme too or just fresh cut grass, and a shake of salt & lick of slate. It’s fresh, vibrant, happy, and yeah totally party material. 🪩🎉🥳

Pairs with Cheez-Its: hmmm honestly I’m not sure so I say put the box away

This is a small batch winery that also knows how to have fun. Each of Gioco Di Vino’s (English translation “wine game”) labels come with a little puzzle. The key for this one is to connect the dots from 1 through 10, then 24 through 33, then 47 through 52, then 60 through 70, then 72 through 78, then at last 84 through 89; and boom the wine’s name is revealed: “Fermo” which perfectly suits this still elixir. Of course, I recommend using a pencil, in my case put on my spectacles, and maybe try doing it before any of the wine is involved. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Italy #naturalwine #sustainable #iwkimporter #AziendaAgricolaTrevisana #GiocoDiVino #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Listen, Learn & Adapt

Avinyó
Petillant 2024
Vi d’Agulla
Xarel.lo 15%, Muscat de Frontignan 60%, Macabeo 25%
Organic, hand-madem artisanal sparkling wine house
Avinyonet del Penedès, Penedès, Catalonia, Spain
Esteve-Nadal family (latest gen: Xavier, Luis, Pedro Juan, and Mercé)

Starlight pale yellow with dainty bubbles. There’s scents of lemon/lime & actually Sprite, mandarin, apples, pears, and a ittle cane sugar mixed with honeysuckle. Everything I’m sniffing is here with I think mango & lychee, and a fun bubbly sizzle. Grab 2 bottles because you’re going to want to share this cheerful bottle filled with joy.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yes please

The Esteve-Nadal family have a long viticultural history dating back to 1597, when the original family last name was the Fontanals but that all changed with a wedding in 1847, uniting Esperança Fontanals & Adjutori Esteve. BTW you know how you often hear about winemaking families being so passionate about their vines, land, estate, etc. Well, this family is passionate but also resourceful. They weathered the phylloxera epidemic along with losing their savings due to a bank collapse. Well, to salvage & keep moving forward Joan Esteve Marcé (1889) embarked to France to learn about grapes resistant to phylloxera, and upon return replanted one vineyard with “new American rootstock”. Now dubbed La Mirona (The Watcher) this plot was a new hope for not just them but also other local growers. Over the generations they continued to listen, learn, and quickly adapt. In another case of need when hailstorms brought them a few financially bad years they turned to the artistic endeavors of their matriarch…ceramic tiles, plates & murals that are still a beautiful part of their heritage and cava & vino success today. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #sparklingwine #bubbly #cava #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Spain #demaisonselections #Avinyó #Avinyo #vinewinenyc

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Protect The Bees And They’ll Protect You

Anne Pichon Wines
“Sauvage”
Vermentino 2024
Vaucluse IGP
Organic (Ecocert France SAS), biodynamic, sustainable, indigenous yeast, grapes grown on the slopes of Mont Ventoux
Mormoiron, Vaucluse, France
Winemakers & nature lovers: Anne Pichon & Véronique (SIL)

Pale or rather light yellow greenish starlight. Breathing in a lovely jumble of kumquat, light mandarin, lemon/lime,  little lychee, green pears, and winter melon. Sip and it’s clean, fresh and crisp. All of the scents but maybe slightly more sharpened but with a delicate vibe. There’s also a mashup of gooseberry & tomatillo in a good way.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: kind of fun but would be better with bbq eel

Anne & Marc (her husband, who sadly passed away in 2016) Pichon found a perfect place to make wine in an already organic yet left behind domaine that came with quite a romantic name in my bee & bug loving book, “Mur-Mur-Ium” (the buzzing song of bees). Its village “Mormoiron” also has local lore that long ago when besieged with invaders the villagers came up with a creative way of defense by lobbing beehives at them. Who wouldn’t hightail it out of there with thousands of buzzers swarming you? Anyway, Domaine Mur-Mur-Ium is now in the hands of the Pichon’s sons (Émile & Niels), and Anne’s line of wines, “Sauvage” or “wild” wines seem to me to be like a love letter to nature, it’s complexity, strength & beauty. ❤️🐝

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #bees #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Rhone #France #organic #sustainable #tedwardwines #annepichon #annepichonsauvage #docwinebar #docwineshop

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“Devilish Pants”

Birgit Wiederstein
Perlenspiel 2020
Brut Nature
Grüner Veltliner
Zero dosage, organic, biodynamic principles
Göttlesbrunn, Austria
Owner & winemaker: Birgit Wiederstein

Light gold with VERY active bubbles. Breathing in pears & golden delicious apples with I think a little honeydew & a citrus spark along with a bit of brioche. This is so tongue tingling! There’s a good blend of the scents with more lemon/lime/mandarin citrus sparkiness, crabapples, a little slate lick, and a chew of the wild growing sour grass from my childhood home, This is one bottle of happy fizz that leaves your lips vibrating and wanting more. Actually maybe if I’m lucky Santa will manage to fit one in my stocking this year.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: honestly it’s better solo

Birgit Eichinger, calls herself a “winemaking companion” in partnership with the vines, soil, the organisms living within, weather, and “Mother Nature”; and her ability to feel and sense this rhythm truly works magic. It’s like a gifted musician feeling the score as she plays what comes naturally to her. She’s very hands and feet on in all aspects from the cultivation, harvest, pressing, and one part I love is the cellar that she keeps tidy & clean. As she says on her site, “I like the peace and quiet in the cellar. Since I’m a one-woman winemaker here, I can devote all my senses to the winemaking process during the harvest: smelling, tasting, analyzing, listening, assessing, observing, and making decisions.” Her (and her mom Grete the distiller) site is pretty awesome and unique. You can find out that Brigit wears a size 42 shoe, as a child she loved “being allowed to eat spaghetti bolognese with your fingers”, and one of her favorite words is “Umteufelhosen” or in English “devilish pants”. This has my brain running now…what sort of devil pants and which wine pairs well with them? 😈🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #sparklingwine #bubbly #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #austria #weygandtwines #wiederstein_at #vinewinenyc

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Blue Skies

Famiglia De Cerchio
Idi Di Marzo
Vulgaris 2022
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Organic, sustainable, vegan
Abruzzo, Italy
Federico De Cerchio

Dark purple w a cherry rim. Sniff once then twice…out pops cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, smidge of green olives that’s still there lightly on day 2, & a warmth of stewed strawberries w some spice. Sipping the day away & all the scents are there & juicy along w plums, pomegranate & dark chocolate mmmm, a holiday blend of cinnamon, cardamon, etc, lick of slate, & the slender green zippy peppers I used to grow.

Pairs w Cheez-Its: 😍

The De Cerchio family has a long history back to 1910, when Federico’s great-grandfather Vincenzo (who must have been quite a deal maker) purchased 20 ha in Abruzzo (including the Torre Zambra) from the Zambra family & worked out a direct payment plan. Over the years he planted Montepulciano & Trebbiano vines & only sold the grapes. Sadly WWII broke out, he & some of his other relatives fled to the US, but their son-in-law, Laurentino joined the Italian army & became a prisoner of the Nazis who moved him to Germany & later Poland. When he finally got his freedom & returned home (1947) on foot, he was faced with devastation. Not even the tower was left standing. He didn’t let this break him but went to work on rebuilding, replanting, creating their 1st cellar, winemaking, & their 1st Torre Zambra vintage was in 1961. Other plots in Apulia & Sicily were picked up & after his passing his son Riccardo took the helm & also created his new project “Idi Di Marzo” also in Abruzzo. Now it’s in Federico’s hands, who as a typical teen wasn’t so interested in the vines but into motorbikes & other things that go vroom. As he matured he returned to his calling which is also now his passion of staying true to sustainable, indigenous grapes. They’re rebuilding the tower, adding a new winery, & w these expansions “give people the chance to stay where they were born or to move out to where the grass is green & the sky is blue!!!…& training the next generation of winegrowers.”🍷

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #wineoftheday #organic #italy

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Naturally Magical

Casa Balaguer
Tragolargo 2021
100% Monastrell
Organic (CAECV certified), biodynamic, self-regenerating ecosystem, hand harvested
Villena, Alicante, Spain
Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera

Deep dark cherry with magenta blips. Breathing in cherries ripe & dried, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, smidge of black pepper, and something I thought was lavender that turns into eucalyptus but not overly forward. All of the scents but so much more fresh strawberry & raspberry, cranberry, lick of a mineral rock, and in the back there’s a Cerignola olive hint that balances all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I’m on the fence

Casa Balaguer is Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera’s small family winery, and boy is it all natural (my 3rd by them). After a surprising encounter with a natural wine during a trip to France in 2008, they were hooked or as they say seduced by its magical power. They only work with local varieties to enhance the true feel and taste of their lands, and keep it biodynamic and organic. And their own words sum their passion beautifully, “Immerse yourself in a world, from which you have no escape. When you enter the world of natural wines, wines made with nothing but fermented grape juice, no additives and no makeup, you won’t want to escape. There is no way back. We can tell you from experience. The lasting memory of these wines is not stored in the mind, but in the heart.” They also say that wine has a way of “teleporting” you so you can “travel by glass” to visit their wonderful part of the world, which is hey, a statement as you can tell…I fully believe. One more special thing to add is they are part of an international community/movement that is pretty special and you truly have to prove you deserve membership. La Renaissance des Appellations (founded by Nicolas Joly) & it’s a “collective that champions wines with soul, honesty, and deeply connected to their origin”, and Balaguer is 1 of 11 from Spain. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #redwine #cheezit #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Alicante #Spain #selectionsdelavina  #casabalaguer #vinewinenyc

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Horse & Bicycle Powered

Illahe Vineyards
Cuveé Miette 2023
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
Sustainable, hand harvested, wooden basket pressed, 11 months in French oak barrels, & horse-powered vineyards
Dallas, OR
Owners, growers and pioneers: Lowell & Pauline Ford
Winemaker, owner and president: Brad Ford

Shining rosy cherry stained glass. Sniffing and at first it’s light and then grows as cherries wave hello with a little chocolate, gentle oak, licorice/fennel, dash of mint, and a shake of cooler weather holiday spice. First sip is so delicate and delicious. There’s cherries, an old holiday memory of the smell of oranges my mom would alway decorate with cloves & hang in the kitchen, raspberry, blueberry, even a touch of boysenberry, quince cheese, and a jumble of those cooler weather spices: clove, nutmeg, sprig of mint, and others. Over time the delicate sip turns into a strong joyful backbone.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

This truly is a full on family affair that started with an immigration from Russia to Canada and then finally Oregon. They strive to make handcrafted wines with great respect to the land, the water (and salmon) and tradition. Some of the wines don’t even have electricity used during their creation. Percheron horses, Dakota & Takota (2025 harvest) deliver the grapes from the vineyard and mow between the vines. In the case of their 1899 Pinot Noir project, there’s even more. Brad had visited France and wanted to embrace the traditional ways, so he got the horses, made the harvest and winemaking all by hand & foot, including the bottling process. Yes, even putting the wine in the casks and bottling, by sorting out a bicycle powered pump. Please watch the video. Then when it comes time for it to go to the distributor, it gets loaded on a mule driven stagecoach, then into canoes on the Independence River (3 day trek) and then the last bit of the trek are by cargo bicycle. That’s very cool devotion to pure tradition & nature.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #oregon #illahevineyards #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Loving The Rural Life

Abadia da Cova
Cepa Vella 2023
100% Mencía
Organic
Ribeira Sacra, Spain
Winemaking family – current generation: Paloma & Adrián Rodríguez & their cousin José Moure

Deep purple with flashes of cranberry. Breathing in raspberry, cherry with at first something cream like that eases into the background, dark plums, a touch of good funk depth (not poopy) that mellows, and black pepper & other pepper that I can’t quite define. Sipping all of the scents with a little bell pepper, smidge of sorrel, pomegranate, blackberries with seeds & all that lead to juicy, fresh fruit yet finishes with a mineral lick & a cherry pit moment. It all deliciously levels out.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: so good

Adegas Moure & Abadía da Cova’s history starts back with a single man, Baldomero Moure Pérez. Born in 1892, he wanted more and left A Cova, Spain for Cuba. There he found employment with the railway & a way to save for his future. After his return to Galicia, he settled down with Carmen López Moure, and this led to pave a way toward wine. With her inheritance of land in A Cova and his savings, they continued to buy surrounding farmland, and then lay the foundations for their vineyards, the wines, and their spirits. Through the generations, the winery grew and refined their trade. Now it is the 4th gen (Paloma, José y Adrián) who continue the traditions and passions of the vines and grow forward organically to preserve the lands for their future generations. “Cepa Vella” is also a bond between Abadia da Cova and their neighbors by assisting them to go organic/sustainable which “encourages people to stay in the Ribeira Sacra and create an economically and ecologically sustainable model of rural life.” In my book that is pretty darn cool and I raise a glass to them. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #demaisonselections #abadiadacova #vinewinenyc

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🎶Oh! Darling🎶

âmevive
Cariño 2023
Estate Grown Ibarra-Young Vineyard
Tempranillo 84% & Graciano 16% (coferment)
Los Olivos District AVA
Organic, unfiltered, unfined, environmentally thoughtful
Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA
Alice Anderson & Topher de Felice

Oh so lush looking deep purple maroon cherry cocktail. First sniff and there’s cherries with a touch of something creamy like a light coat of frosting on a sugar cookie, followed by raspberries, a splash of cranberry, and as time goes by beautiful blueberries emerge. All of the scents are there in the taste with a bit more of the cherries (both tart & mellow), blueberries that are so fresh, an orange peel twist, rhubarb, and I think on the back a memory of homegrown bell pepper crunched in the field. There’s nothing overly heavy weighing you down, but there’s something leading you down a path of natural happiness and pure joy awakening your whole mouth.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: honestly don’t defile this wine

As some of you know I’m a magpie when it comes to wine labels, and I’m not one ounce ashamed of it. Alice Anderson’s mother Eileen paints from what I’ve found most if not all of their labels depicting the flora & fauna of their farm and surroundings (Alice depicted the back label of as she calls them “psychedelic compost microbes”.

These mushrooms are a sign of their healthy vineyards & soil. Alice & Topher have taken great care to grow & live as natural/organic/holistic/regenerative as possible. I know you hear all those terms bantered about all the time now in the wine world but this team actually does it. Check out their IG and look at the menagerie they have…sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, a pupper, beneficial ground cover & local plants, and all (along with the grapes) can contribute back to compost. It’s a joyful circle of biodynamic life.

Side note: This bottle lives up to its name, Cariño because it is truly a beautifully blended “darling”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #california #amevive #vinewinenyc