Posted on

Enchanted Forgotten Orchard

New York Cider Company
FIREFLY #2
NY State foraged wild and heirloom apples: Rhode Island Greening, Newtown Pippin, Golden Delicious, Liberty, Cortland
Finger Lakes, Ithaca, NY
Wild fermentation, sustainable farming methods , traditional cider-making techniques, and bottle conditioned
7.7% ABV
Cider Makers: Joseph Steuer and Steve Daughhetee

Hazy yellow/light gold with teeny tiny pretty bubbles. Aromas of apples from sweet to tart, apple blossoms, fresh stripped young, tiny apple branches; and a little natural funk but not overly powerful since it kind of hides in the back. Transports me to childhood when I’d climb the trees, whittle the tiny branches, and pretend I was riding a dragon from one of Anne McCaffrey’s books. Delicious dry, tangy wake up call. Yeah, I’m tasting this on a Saturday morning to make sure I get the full experience. Crisp fresh apples, lemony tart, a drop of that funk and hay, and as it opens a sweet middle (but not overly). This is so wonderfully natural. I’ve had a lot ciders homemade and store bought, and have often found the homemade ones stand out. I have no idea why except for love, care, and nature. FIREFLY #2 is a winner for me. If I didn’t know better, I would think it was made by a friend, the good ol’ fashioned way.

Pairs with Cheez-it’s: Cheese, salt and apples…what a perfect pairing. Delicious! Please don’t tell me you haven’t tried a piece of sharp cheddar cheese on a slice of hot apple pie?

New York Cider Company started from Steuer and Daughhetee meeting while apple picking. With a mutual love of making cider it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and partnership. Moving from a home-brew to a whole full on cidery in 2017, was quite an accomplishment. They had rough patches from health issues to an oops moment of their cider being the wrong abv which also meant labels needed to be remade; but there were also blessings such as Steuer being featured on Humans of New York. Now that’s a huge! They also have been fortunate with their 125 year old apple trees and the forgotten foraged abandoned ones, and both are as super natural as you can come. This is again a place where less is more. Just let nature take its course. Speaking of nature, this past year they say was a great one for fireflies at their farm. As a child, one of my favorite things when the evening was warm and we could sit by the pond, listen to the frogs, and watch the fireflies appear in the orchard doing their magical dance. Oh, how I miss the simple things like such an evening.

@vinewinenyc @nyciderco @cheezits #cider #apples #applecider #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #sustainable #FingerLakes #Ithaca #NY #natural #firefly #fireflies

Posted on

Rugged Horse Carved Vineyards

Galgo Wines Selection
Ínsula Barataria
90% Garnacha, 10% Jaen
Gobelet (bush trained), organic (not certified), no pesticides and herbicides, horse carved vineyards, hand-harvested, indigenous yeasts, no intervention in the cellar, unfined and unfiltered
Sierra de Gredos, Castilla-León, Spain
Winemaking Team: Daniel Ramos (wine grower) and Ezequiel Sanchez-Mateos (negociant)

Bright shiny cherry glass. Beautiful light spring flowers floating, along with cherries, fresh picked strawberries and their leaves, raspberries, and earth. Such a smooooth taste, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries…digging in the dirt and being rewarded with your harvest. There’s also rosemary, salt, and a lush, vibrant, light and a beautiful end as all the flavors keep coming and going. This is no cheap isle, you’ve been rewarded your own luxurious paradise.

Pairs with Cheez-it’s: turns deep and Gothy dark

I truly think Sanchez-Mateos has the best job in the world. Owning Galgo Wines gives him the chance to meet with interesting people from small producers, other distributors, local (and not so local) enthusiasts, writers, etc (who doesn’t love conversation with kindred spirits) and utilize his financial background education into the mix..he also gets to travel far and near and pair up in the cellar with people like Daniel Ramos. Daniel, has a passion for Garnacha (and so do I!) in particular from Sierra de Gredos district near Avila where he has 15 hectares (saved and resurrected) to farm in several parcels (“parcela wines”) which are harvested and processed separately. There’s also 8 Jaen hectares, and it’s a nice fresh blend with the Garnacha. Am really looking forward their 100% Jaen Blanca, to see how the grape shines on it’s own. Side note, Daniel shares a cellar with Fabio Bartolomei of Vinos Ambiz, and if you’ve read any of my previous posts, you will know how crazy I am of his La Gatta Mormigliana 2016. So exciting to discover these two are minimal intervention cellar roomies, and wonder the secrets they share.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @ReservaYCata @steephillwine @antosicurezza #galgowines #danielramos @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #galgowines #danielramoswines @ReservaYCata @reservaycata.madrid #Garnacha #Jaen #SierradeGredos #CastillaLeón #Spain #petergabriel #donquixote

Posted on

This Truly is the Nectar of the Gods

Weingut Schlossmühlenhof
Grauer Burgunder Trocken
Boden Funk 2019
100% Grauer Burgunder
Kettenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany
Organic, unfiltered, and ambient yeast
Winemakers: The Michel family of Walter, Gabriele, Nicolas, and Janine (Nicolas’ girlfriend)

Hazy straw or kinda like pear juice. Immediate scents popping the second you open the bottle of salt, tangerine, tiny very tiny orange blossoms, lemon, hay, some good funk, and granite. Ambrosia is rolling all over my tongue. There’s pear, apples, pineapples, Valencia oranges, salt, and a minerally/limestone finish. It’s a fresh glass of summer! You truly have no idea how delicious this is, I don’t want this bottle to stop. It’s so full of love, happiness, and utter joy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just delightful together. Brings out a sizzle

The family farm dates back to 1864, but back then it was a rye and wheat mill (Schlossmühle) up until 1920, when a vineyard was started. The Michel family also made it’s imprint on the land and built their home there in 1881, and still live there to this day. We’re now on the 6th generation, who is completely into ‘ecologically healthy’ farming and dedicated to the Rheinhessen style. Each family member has their own special role(s). Walter is in semi-retirement yet still works in the vineyards and chronicles the family history, his wife Gabriele deals with the back and front of house holiday rental and warmly greets customers, their son Nicolas is now ruling the cellar and is hands on in the vineyard creating his distinct and delicious wines, and his girlfriend Janine who not only helps in the vineyard but has the happy social skills to represent their wines at fairs and tastings. There are also two more important members of the family, who are Nicolas’ loyal 4 legged buddies Emilio and Cuno, who in my opinion are two gorgeous dogs that I would love to play fetch with (don’t let my cat Olive hear that, she’s the queen of fetch). Check out their wines and also their site because it will warm your heart, and give you a little view of their piece of heaven.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @schlossmuehlenhof @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #GrauerBurgunder #Kettenheim #Rheinhessen #Germany

Posted on

A Beer For Any Hour

Fifth Hammer Brewing Co
Midnight Sauce
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
9% ABV
Long Island City, NY
Their first can conditioned beer (2020)
Co-founders: Chris Cuzme, Mary Izett, and David Scharfstein

Medium amber with a frothy creamy head. Welcoming scents of caramel, brown sugar cookies, hoppy, and toffee. Mmmmm delicious sips of Christmas comfort flavors, again caramel, toffee, dried Turkish figs, and a little black pepper. It’s rich and lively and has me craving shortbread cookies and bacon.

Pairs with Cheez-it’s: Meh, not really a good idea. Stick with the shortbread cookies.

Midnight Sauce is a really special ale that you can drink at any hour. Honestly, I first tasted it before 10am. Don’t look at me like that, it was just staring at me when I opened the fridge. I had a lot of writing ahead of me, and it was the breakfast of champions, and like I said before it goes well with bacon. BTW I noticed on Fifth Hammer’s FB page as of 3/18, those wonderful words so many wish to hear, THEY ARE HIRING! If you’re looking to join their brew and taproom crew, then get that resume ready. Life is opening up again, so drink local! There’s pick up, outdoor seating and now 50% indoor seating too! Oh it feels so good that my solitary glass may be rejoining others again for one big long cheer!

@fifthhammerbrewing @BeerBoutiqueInc @independentbeer @cheezits #beer #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits  #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife #midnightsauce #drinklocal

Posted on

Organic Ghosting

Vinergia
Villages Range
Lo Tros 2016
DOQ Priorat
55% Carinyena, 45% Garnatxa
El Molar, Tarragona, Spain
Organic, bush and trellised vines
Winemaker: Roger Grifoll; Partner from Vinergia: Robert Hunter

Gorgeous deep dense ruby glass. Breathing in dark cherries, plums, smoke and balsamic vinegar reduction. First sip is smokey cherries, plums, strawberries, raspberries and raisins. After a bit comes caramel, rosemary, tobacco, antique book leather but not dusty. It’s a well kept library that is enhanced by a feeling of darkness. This beauty transforms from a bright tang to a smooth operator.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: toasty strawberries and blueberries (where did they come from?)

Vinergia partners with winemakers across Spain to create wines that showcase grapes/wines of their region. Lo Tros is their project with Roger Grifoll of Cellers Grifoll Declares. Their vineyards are in El Molar which is a unique town since it straddles DOQ Priorat and DO Montsant and they date back in their family since 1736. Instead of having large flowing vineyards, theirs are in plots or pieces throughout the town, hence the name Lo Tros. Also due to this straddling they have two different wineries, one in each DO. The most fascinating thing (other than the wine) for me is how they combat the dreaded “Cluster Moth” (Lobesia botrana) through “sexual confusion”. Out of respect for the land and vines they do it naturally by setting out biodegradable diffusers that make the male moths think they are heading for a pheromone booty call with a female moth. Instead of killing them, they just get stuck perplexed where did the ladies go and end up not reproducing. I guess this is the ultimate ghosting.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @Vinergia @grifolldeclara @viaswine @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #Spain #Tarragona #Carinyena #Garnatxa #elmolar

Posted on

No Duck or Baga Left Behind

João aka Duckman
Duckray
Pet Nat
Bairrada, Portugal
100% Baga
Sustainable, unfiltered, unfined, natural, spontaneous fermentation, and hand-harvested
Winemaker: Maria Pato

Pale rose gold/pinky color with dainty bubbles and a little sediment. Sniffing apples, back home in the orchard apple blossoms that are swirling around me and getting stuck in my hair in the spring breeze, faint pale roses, a super teensy bit of cinnamon, and seltzer. Now this is a whole new word post smell. The scents where more restrained and this is a flavor explosion (the label art says it all) of lemon, Lemon Drops (candy), pink grapefruit, and crisp green apples. It’s clean, bright, and vibrant! At last there’s just the slightest kiss of cinnamon.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Just brings out more fruit

I’ve lost count of how many of these feisty ducks I’ve bagged, and each one is so unique yet so perfect, and a bouquet of happiness. These Baga grapes are from their Quinta do Ribeirinho vineyard. As I’ve written before, this winemaking flock dates back to the 18th century, and includes Maria, her father Luis, sister Filipa, and in Duckray, Maria’s grandmother got in on it. I’m reading she painted 6 of these bottles, and if you get one you receive a special prize. They are missing the white duck label, and instead of the spaced out paint flecks of red, yellow, and green; they are more more densely sprayed in blue, green and yellow splats around the shape of that invisible quacker. Well, I may not have been fortunate to find Maria’s grandmother’s artwork, but this bottle is a fresh wonderful prize all in itself. Once again, I am so grateful for this family of winemakers. Some of your wines bring happy tears to my eyes, others make my heart soar, and this one just makes me want to dance.

@vinewinenyc @joao_pato_aka_duckman @saviosoaresselections #wine #winestagram #instawine  #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #portugal #bairrada #baga #QuintadoRibeirinho #sustainable #natural #wild #duckman #petnat #pétnat #duckman #duckray

Posted on

A Gift From Our Mother

Twisted Cedar
Petite Sirah-Petit Verdot 2018
65% Petite Sirah, 35% Petit Verdot
Acampo, California (vineyards)
Lodi Rules sustainable and certified green
Tribally owned by Cedar Band of Paiute Indians (Cedar City, UT)
Winemaker: Karen Birmingham

Dark dense inky deep purple with ruby flashes. First sniff is rich. There’s cherries and plums (fresh and dried), roses, blackberries, fresh sage (like when you rip it straight from the garden), and earth. Now on to the taste and again cherries, plums, then blackberry jammy sweetness, earth, spanked sage (like you’d use in a cocktail, have you ever had a sagetini? If not try it), and smoke. As it breathes, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries grow in such a beautiful way. Very easy to drink on day one, and can’t wait for tomorrow to see where we go.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smooooooth berry velvet

“The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is our Mother. She nourishes us; that which we put into the ground, She returns to us.” -Big Thunder

Little did Cedar Band know that the Great Spirit would lead them back to their Mother through wine. This is my first tribally owned wine, and I questioned why had they decided to venture into the industry. The answer was a govt. shutdown. Cedar Band had all sorts of projects with the govt. and when they shut down, the payments disappear. Realization hit that they needed to find a reliable and sustainable project (they deeply respect the land) which wine fell into very nicely. The tribe also leans to the matriarchal, so working with a female winemaker, Karen Birmingham seemed like perfect fit. She also makes wine at LangeTwins, where Cedar Band sources their grapes that meet the Lodi Rules and that is one big certification. There’s over 100 sustainability practices, and I will leave you to read through the 144 page pdf. As they say, “When you drink a glass of wine made from Lodi Rule certified grapes, you are supporting a farmer, a vintner, and an entire agricultural community that embraces their responsibility to care for the environment and their neighbors.” Buying these wonderful wines (like Petite-Petit), you are also supporting and providing jobs for the strong and proud tribe of the Cedar Band of Paiute Indians. You are helping keep a heritage alive while enjoying their gift from Mother Earth.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @twistedcedarwines @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #twistedcedar #PetiteSirah #PetitVerdot #Lodi #CA #CedarCity #UT #CedarBandofPaiutes

Posted on

Rugged, Handsome and Clooney

Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte
Morellino di Scansano DOCG 2019
100% Sangiovese
Hand-harvested
Scansano, Tuscany, Italy
Owner (since 1999) and artist: Sandro Chia; Winemaker: Filippo Chia

Glowing shiny translucent ruby. Rich beautiful dark cherry, prunes, and Mission fig aromas blended with earthiness and wet granite post a good summer rain. Sipping plums, cherries, dried figs (my favorite splash of richness), blueberries and earthy; yet it’s still bright, sweet, a smooth groove with just a touch of rugged handsomeness. Kind of like George Clooney. Yep, I’m drinking a glass of Clooney.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: deeper darkness goodness of lush flavors

Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte (Ice Fort, no this is not a GOT reference) has 20 hectares with 12 of those hectares in Morellino di Scansano located right next to the National Park of the same name and is the remains of an Etruscan city. So the tale of their iconic little handsome sculpture head on their labels, comes from an Etruscan sculpture that was stumbled upon or should I say driven over. One of their tractors, broke through the surface of the land into a cavern/tomb where this ancient sculpture was found. I can just imagine the excitement on the find, and the irritation and potential cursing of having to pull the tractor back out. Back to the wine, before 2018, their Sangiovese was blended with 15% Syrah. That’s now a thing of the past. Their 100% Sangiovese doesn’t touch oak, it’s stainless steel fermentation and 2 weeks of it with the skin on. It’s a genuine expression of itself, the history of this land, and the travelers and traders who have passed through its many years. Beautiful, distinguished, passionate, and still a historic wine that lives and has adapted in modern times.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @filippoghiaccioforte @selectedestatesofeurope #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #TenutaGhiaccioForte #Scansano #Tuscany #morellinodiscansano #Sangiovese #maremma #GeorgeClooney

Posted on

Seriously, Who Doesn’t Love a Pile of Baby Kittens

Fat Orange Cat
Collaboration with Twelve Percent Project
Baby Kittens
Hazy New England Style India Pale Ale
6.5% ABV
Simcoe, Citra, and Galaxy Hops
East Hampton, CT

Super hazy yellow straw with a fluffy white head. Before even get near it it’s full of hoppity scents, tangerines, citrus zest, mango hints, and fresh cut grass and pine in the back. Kicking this beauty back and it’s smooth with a bitter piney pop, then mango, tangerine, peaches, and papaya. Keep drinking and the bitter chills out. The longer this wriggling baby kitty breathes, I start to think of fruity shortbread cookies.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: it’s ok, but I don’t recommend it. Wait…no, I absolutely do not recommend it. You lose the fruity blend.

Snuggle up with a whole pile of these Baby Kittens. They’re so friendly, easy to drink and are purrfect. I have been soooo waiting to get my hands on one of these ever since I tried their “All The Kool Kats On The Back Of The Bus” in January. Revisited their site this morning and read the news that they are permanently closing their tasting barn, but don’t cry…there is hope and good news! They are reopening online ordering and drive-thru pick up on April 3rd! Also looks like for the big day, they have a treat in a 750 ml bottle of “DREAMBOAT ABBEY Belgian Tripel”. It’s only available at the brewery so get the car ready for a little road trip.

@fatorangecatbrewco @BeerBoutiqueNYC @twelve.percent.beer.project @twelve.percent.nyc.metro @hkarlphoto @cheezits #beer #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits  #neipa #ipa #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife #Simcoe #Citra #Galaxy #hops

Posted on

Chipotle Redeemed

Wandering Barman
Miss Casanova
Hibiscus orange chipotle daiquiri with rum
19% ABV
Ridgewood, NY
Mixmasters/founders: Julian Mohamed, Roxane Mollicchi, and Darren Grenia

Cranberry color and reminds me of Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red. I will never forget my trip to Sea World as a small child and dining at one of the restaurants where one of the few things I could drink was that signature Fruit Juicy Red in a tall skinny glass filled with ice. Goodness knows how much my parents had to pay for that (it was scorching I had at least 8)…definitely more than this mixed drink. Shake, crack open, pour and smells just like the label says hibiscus, orange, and chipotle; but with the addition of lime. It’s like a fruity Jolly Rancher with peppers. Woof, first swig and there’s the fruit smoke bomb. Again hibiscus, orange, chipotle, and cranberry, lemon, and lime. That Jolly Rancher is back but the heat keeps growing. Ok you guys have redeemed chipotle for me since I got so sick of it from Bobby Flay. I used to run in the other direction. He killed blue corn for me for a while too. Do you know what this would go good with…fried cheese curds at Sugarburg. I can’t wait till they reopen. I also can’t wait till I can sit at a bar, sip a drink and play cribbage again and chew the fat with my friends. I know we’re getting there, and I’m counting the minutes.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out more heat!

Yeah, I know this is becoming a thing. I’m hooked on Wandering Barman and am slowly working my way through the list. Even though the bars and restaurants are opening back up more and more, I’m not going to lie…having these easy access perfect pours are a bright spot on special evenings. One of these days as it gets warmer, I’ll find my way over to their “proof of concept”, Yours Sincerely cocktail laboratory. Their happy hours look fab at $5. BTW am still wondering who designed these labels. If anyone knows, please let me know. Very inventive across the whole line. I really want to tag them because they really deserve credit, and this is not my last Wandering Barman.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wanderingbarman @sugarburgbk @yourssincerelybk @cheezits #cheezit #wine #cocktails #daiquiri #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #rum #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #MissCasanova #ridgewood #Brooklyn #newyork #wanderingbarman