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When In France…

When In France…
Wandering Barman
White Negroni
Gin, house made blanco vermouth, blanco amaro liqueur, juniper, & water
23% ABV
Brooklyn, NY

Super pale yellow haze. Breathing in pine needles (gin), golden pears & apples, starfruit, cinnamon (holiday vibe) & alpine herbs, fresh mineral water from a spring, white pepper and a pinch of salt. All of the scents are in the sip with that good amaro bite, and a little bit of pine wood.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

This cocktail got my curiosity up, so I decided to take myself down a very short rabbit hole. “Punch” had the best summation of this drink’s history. Turns out it was created out of a craving for an “ice cold Negroni”. Nick Blacknell & Wayne Collins were in France for a wine & spirits exhibition along with a cocktail competition. While readying themselves for the next day’s event, the warm weather had them bar hopping looking for the elusive Negroni. After failing on their quest, they decided to make them and headed to the local market only to find not all of the ingredients were available. This sparked the lightbulb moment of while in France why not use their counterparts. Lillet Blanc replaced the usual sweet vermouth and Suze in lieu of Campari. They already had gin and to give it all one more treat they added a wedge of pink grapefruit to the mix. Now after all these years of mixology, Wandering Barman’s portable Brooklyn spin on this drink has me totally crushing on this delicious cocktail.

#wine #cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #negroni

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Soundtrack Of The Vineyard

Celler de les Aus
Aus
Pét Nat Rosé 2023
Mataró (Monastrell)
Ancestral method, organic
Catalunya, Spain
Mireia Pujol-Busquets

Light bubblegum pink with a flash of magenta and active bubbles. Breathing in strawberries with their caps, leaves & all, slight bit of cream, raspberries, cherries, a little good funk that deepens in a good way & later fades, and a light lemon/tangerine tingle. Everything that has my nose twitching is here minus the funk but with a tad more of a citrus twist/brightness that’s tongue & lip zinging, and a teeny splash of red currant/gooseberry blend. It’s crisp, dry & full of life with an elegant depth, and it’s bringing a brightness to this grey day & heralding in spring filled with joyful birdsongs. 

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Eh I say no

“Celler de les Aus” is a branch of Josep Maria Pujol-Baquests’ “Alta Alella” that is now helmed by his daughter Mireia. She & her family have made as they say, “A pact with nature. Commitment to the product.” They are deeply committed to being organic, sustainable, low intervention, and no sulfites added. The labels ( beautifully depicted by artist Paul Fassen) also celebrate the birds “who sing their melodies to create a soundtrack of the vineyard” and are named after the feathered friends that reside in Serralada de Marina’s Natural Park. Maybe after a few glasses of this pét nat rosé your spirits will lift and you’ll gradually hear them too. 🦜🪺🐦‍⬛

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #CellerdelesAus #instawine #vinewinenyc

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Preserving History To Make A Better Future

Bodegas Faustino
Cava Brut NV
D.O. Cava Guarda
Macabeo (mostly) & Chardonnay
Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection (SWfCP)
Oyón (Álava), Spain
Current generation of the Martinez Family: Carmen Martínez Zabala & Lourdes Martínez Zabala

Golden shimmer with very active bubbles. After a few sniffs there’s apples, pears, touch of brioche, fresh from the beehive honey & wax but not overly sweet, cantaloupe, honeydew, and ripe cucumbers. Tasting crisp apples & pears, honeydew, green watermelon rind, splash of lemon, that honey again (not too sweet but just right), a bubbly sizzle, lick of salt, and a delightful longing for how it will grow & bloom over time.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: definitely and bring on a seafood tower too

Bodegas Faustino has over 160 years history in wine, and they were also the 1st winery in Rioja to be certified SWfCP, which is something everyone should be thinking about with how climate change is affecting our world. This designation includes the sustainability of the environment (greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, water & waste management, biodiversity, and healthy soil), sustainable management (proper communication and ethical behavior), ability to change & evolve to benefit the industry, being socially conscious and care about their employees & working partners, make sure their products and work environments are safe, and a part that I am always happy to see…holding onto and preserving traditions & culture, and their lands. When we all put our minds to a similar way of thinking we not only preserve history, but also look forward to a better future. 🥂

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

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Time To Fire Up That Grill!

Kuentz-Bas
Alsace Blanc 2024
30% Sylvaner, 30% Pinot Blanc, 20% Riesling, 10% Muscat, 5% Pinot Gris, 5% Gewurztraminer
Certified biodynamic & organic
Alsace, France
Owner & vigneron: Jean-Baptiste Adam (father/14th gen) & Laure (daughter/15th gen)

Sniffing and there’s pears, white peaches, a blended splash of mandarin oranges, tangerine, lemon, & kumquats. Then next up tickling my nose are spring fruit tree blossoms (pear, apples, plums, and more), tad of pineapple, gentle honeydew, touch of beeswax fresh from the hive, and that cool & clean springhouse feel. All of those lovely scents are in the sip with honeysuckle, a little kirby, mango, lychee, and that citrus tingle sizzle. It’s one dreamy wine.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: sparky

Kuentz-Bas’ reveal the beauty of their grapes, terroir, and Alsatian heritage. This Alsace Blanc’s pairing suggestions are brats & crab cakes, so I say it’s time to fire up that grill! Actually this domaine got its start from a pairing. First there were the Kuentz from back in 1795 that blended through marriage in 1895 with the Bas family. Now it’s in the hands of Jean-Baptiste Adam (since 2004) and he and his team take great care of their lands and all that inhabit it with their biodynamic ways. If you want a moment of zen, watch this video of them prepping and applying the “Bouse de Corne”. With a workout like that you’ll never need a gym membership and will definitely pump you and your biceps up. 💪 ❤️

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

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An Ancient Grape For Modern Times

Tenimenti Leone
Tera de Leone 2021
100% Cesanese
IGP Lazio Rosso
Organic
Lanuvio. Lazio, Italy

Dark ruby shine. Breathing in raspberries & strawberries with a touch of cream, deep plums, cherries, smidge of cherry Twizzlers, dried figs, and a whiff of cola. All of the scents are in the swig along with singed orange & lime peel, a lick of iron & espresso and the volcanic soil where it grew.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth operator but it’s even better with dark chocolate hand dipped dried figs

While reading up on Cesanese’s history that is linked back through the ancient Romans and more lately to break out winemakers focusing on natural, organic, and letting the land speak through the grape; my friend reminded me of a female winemaker that gave this grape a touch of star shine. Natalie Oliveros learned in northern NY how to make wine from her father due to their Calabrese heritage on her Nonna’s side…albeit basement wine. I’m sure it tasted a lot better than my dad’s 🤣. Anyway, you might also know her from her stage name, Savanna Samson which she picked up while dancing in NYC & in her award winning career as a porn star. That name carried over into her first wine line (with winemaker Roberto Cipresso) that included her well known “Sogno Uno” (70% Cesanese, 20% Sangiovese & 10% Montepulciano) that Robert Parker scored 91, and after meeting her…he also added that she has a “‘good palate’”. So as many women winemakers that have had to do the good fight and not get classified by their gender, she’s proven herself & her wines to not just the critics but also the world, and now she fully owns her own winery “La Fiorita” since 2014. Cheers & thank you to my friend who sent me down this wine rabbit hole and this wonderful grape🍷!

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What Can Warm The Coldest Heart?

Azienda Ai Galli
Prosecco Rosè 2024
Brut Millesimato DOC
Glera 90%, Pinot Nero 10%
Pramaggiore, Veneto, Italy
Galli Family

Light flash of salmon belly pinkish blush with active bubbles. Sniffing and there’s strawberries (reminds me of the wild Canadian ones we used to get on the roadside), white peaches, green pears & apples, lychee, light mandarin & lemon, and a smidge of kumquat. All of the scents are in the sip that is crisp, bright and lively. It’s one of those lip vibrating bubblies that’s like a first kiss.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: YES

What makes a snowy night better…this rosè prosecco! The once enchanting snowflakes have become annoying and by morning it will be a grey slushy mess. A glass will bring you a blast of life or a touch of spring on the horizon. It’s also a glass of romance that can warm the coldest heart. Cheers to no more snow and to the hope of warmer & sunnier days! 🥂

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Magical Happy Accident

Agrícola Calcárea
El Descontrol 2024
Clarete Rosé
Moscatel Romano (mostly) & Tintilla de Rota
Organic, natural, sustainable
Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Andalucia, Spain
Juan Jurado Gomez

Magenta tinged warm sunset rose. Breathing in oranges & blossoms, lemon/lime, tangerine, whiff of smoke, gooseberry, pomegranate,  young raspberry & strawberry, and a teeny touch of hyacinth. In the taste there’s again oranges, lemon/lime, pomegranate, young strawberries, pinch of peach, a little watermelon/mango jolly rancher, and on the back clover leaves. There’s an elegant smooth feel but a tiny citrus tingle, and I want to say delicate, but there is a strong backbone that is full of confidence.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NOPE

El Descontrol was born from Juan working long harvest days and thus a lack of sleep. There wasn’t quite enough Moscatel Romano in the press, so he threw what he had available (Tintilla de Rota) to increase the pressure. Turns out he ended up with too much juice and just tossed it into a tank with no lid and well kind of forgot about it for 2 months. When he got back from Italy it was covered in thick flor so he took a chance of tasting it and this happy accident became something magical. Now we can all eagerly await this co-ferment each year. Cheers! 🍷

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Collaboration, Inclusion & Breaking Down Cultural Barriers

Caruso E Minini
Arancino
Bianco Macerato
Catarratto
Terre Siciliane IGP
Organic & sustainable
Marsala, Trapani, Sicily, Italy
Wine team: Stefano Caruso & Mario Minini (co-founders), and Giovanna & Rosanna (Stefano’s daughters)

Light orange golden and as it opens it deepens. Sniffing Valencia orange & blossoms, honeysuckle, mandarins, light tangerine, persimmon, wild flowers and sea breeze. Sipping and all of the scents are right there along with fresh picked basil, marjoram, thyme, parsley and a little shake of salt. It’s so crisp, fresh and delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Big yes

This is my 2nd Caruso E Minini wine, and I just love their labels, but I didn’t know the history until now. Turns out the illustrations are created by people from Turin’s Laboratorio Zanzara. The program is a non-profit that is “dedicated to the integration and creativity of people with intellectual and behavioral disabilities, under the direction of Gianluca Cannizzo”. They work from pics & objects from Marsala & then combine their ideas with a touch of Matisse’s style. While creating, they can share ideas, chat, and grow. As it says on Laboratorio Zanzara’s site, “I make, therefore I am” is the starting point to find fulfillment, both as individuals and as a group. It’s a path of giving back and active participation in society”. The collaboration of the winery & lab “exemplifies how art and business can come together, proposing a new language capable of breaking down cultural barriers; a fusion of taste and beauty, destined to leave an indelible mark on the mind and heart”. Cheers to this project and their others that are a creation of love.

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Hare’s To Character

Famille Brunier
(produced by their Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe)
Pigeoulet Rouge 2023
Vin de Pays du Vaucluse
55% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah, 15%  Carignan, 8% Cinsault, 7% Mourvèdre
Organic, sustainable, hand harvested, & battles the moths (Eupoecilia ambiguella & Lobesia botrana) by sexual confusion
Bédarrides, France
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier (brothers), Nicolas & Manon (Frédéric’s son & daughter), Édouard (Daniel’s son)

Shining cherry/raspberry. Breathing in cherries, raspberries, plums, blueberries, red currants, a tangle of lavender/rosemary/thyme, and a light bit of licorice. All of the scents are in the taste but with even more grace & a sweetness but not overly. On the exhale there’s now more earth and a little peat. Such an easy drinker & so full of vibrant life that can turn a cold grey day into blue skies & rainbows.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: step away from the box

The Famille Brunier has a longstanding & well acclaimed history (over 125 years) in wine; and more than likely at least one of their bottles has crossed your path from such as Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Domaine La Roquète, and Domaine Les Pallières (with Kermit Lynch). This fun bunny or aka Pigeoulet (“little one” translation from local dialect) hopped onto my lap when I was browsing wines to relax with while watching the latest season of “Drops of God”. BTW I’m still on the fence on how I feel about season 2…anyone else catching up on it? Would love to hear your thoughts.  Back to the Bruniers, they let their wines speak for themselves. As they say on their site, “Personality and balance are the two key words that guide our decisions and actions.” Well, this hare’s blend is full of that mentioned personality and heartwarming & smooth balance. I’d follow this little joyful character down rabbit holes any day. 🐰🍷

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A Glass To Snuggle Up To

Quinta do Passadouro
Vinho Tinto 2019
55% Tinta Roriz, 25% Touriga Francesa, 10% Touriga Nacional, 10% Field Blend from old vines
Duoro DOC
Pinhão, Portugal

Inky maroon with purple pops. Sniff and a little oak dances through & mingles with dark cherries, black olives, wildflowers, blackberries, black currants, plums, and a pinch of warm spice & anise. Tasting and there’s dark cherries joining the blackberries, blueberries, black currants & plums & a red currant or two with a not quite ripe tart raspberry, licorice, horehound, and the teeny tiniest of vibrating tomato leaf appears & then tells you you didn’t see them…or shhh they were never there it’s all an illusion. Everything smooths out into an elegant, graceful sip. You know…this wine pairs well with a lot, but honestly I prefer just snuggling up with a glass while watching the snow fall.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: this is one of those moments of YES!

Yes, I’ve had my fair share of Passadouro wines over the years, but when I saw this bottle, I knew it was time to revisit this old friend (actually brought 2 home). While the Genetta genetta on the label may look somewhat like a cute kitty you want to rescue, it’s better to leave them in the wild. I think the best description I found was on discoverwildlife.com: “Genets resemble the love child of a cat crossed with a smidgen of mongoose and a touch of marten, with a soupçon of lemur thrown in for good measure.” These nocturnal creatures are also great for natural pest control since they’re generally carnivores and love snapping up rodents, birds, bugs, and other small critters; but they’re also know to enjoy figs, olives & the like. It would be such a wonderful dream to travel to Portugal, sit out in the dark in a vineyard, and get to see one unclose & personal on its agile nightly hunt.