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Returning to the Start and Beginning Again

Buli
Estate 44 2016
Toscano Rosso IGT
Siena Italy
Sangiovese 60%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Merlot 10% and Syrah 10%
Organic, hand harvested, and 70% Unilateral Cordon-spur trained (cane pruned) and 30% Guyot
Founder and owner: Robert Buly
Enologist: Diego Ciurletti
Agronomist: Alessandro Gemini
Cantina Chief: Stefano Censini

A shining garnet/ruby glass. Greeted by scents of dark cherries, deep plum, cola, and vanilla that daintily lingers and then hides and then pops back out to surprise you. There’s also earth, pine trees and needles. I feel like I’m walking through an enchanted forest. All sorts of flavors hit at first sip, so give it a little and enjoy cherries, plums, blackberries, raspberries, earth and cherry pit dark goodness, along with a shake of white pepper. This is a light bright velvety juicy red that as time goes by starts heading toward medium and can stand up and stand by to a fabulous plate of D.O.C. Wine Bar’s, Chef Stefano Baldantoni’s Lamb Chops.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out a velvet oak dancing with the cherries and plums

This is my second dance with Estate 44. Almost a year ago, I met Buli’s 2015, and have worked my way through their whole collection, and they are consistently fabulous and fascinating. They capture Podere Collalto’s (Farm on a High Hill) essence and romance. Estate 44 is especially dedicated to the Allied soldiers that liberated Tuscany, and those that did not make it back. Thank goodness, Robert’s father made it back to the States, and brought along with him a beautiful Italian wife after an adventure that included a search for wine and a strong love at first sight that even involved reenlisting in order to get permission for the marriage. For more on that check out Ruby Velvet Romance. I’m so grateful to have been able to see Italy through Robert’s eyes and writings, and taste the wonders that can come from his 5 hectares of the world. And I will add once more, someone needs to make a movie of how this family’s whole story and Robert’s wines have played out. This bottle was like a return home for me. Cheers to them all and to what the future brings!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @buliwine @darkstarimports @cheezits @stefanobaldantoni #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine #redwine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #trequanda #toscano #tuscany #siena #italy #winestagram #instawine #Sangiovese #Merlot #Syrah

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Nature’s Symphony

Domaine Yves Duport
Céline
Vin de France
40% Chardonnay, 40% Gamay, 20% Mondeuse
Biodynamic, organic, spontaneous fermentation, indigenous yeasts
Bugey, France
Winemaker: Yves Duport

Pressed strawberry cherry juice on the darker side yet you can still through it. Is it a rosé or a red you can chill? Either way it is a perfect summer wine. Smooth scents of strawberries, raspberries, sweet cherries, and a little southern forest flair. Sipping strawberries, raspberries, pluots, dark cherries, a rock from the creek down the street, smoke, and touch of toasted rosemary.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: the salt makes it more bright, but I preferred the depth it had, so it’s up to you to decide.

Yves Duport has a perfect quote on his site: “Only in the plant kingdom, the vine makes us understand what the true flavor of the Earth is.” – Colette – Prisons et Paradis 1936. Within four generations of work, the domaine is now up to 12 hectares and has been organic and biodynamic since 2007. Yves lets nature (the terroir) be the composer of the songs of his wines while as I’m reading he is the conductor in the vines. Céline is their beautiful symphony birthed from the trio blend of grapes and varied Bugey soils. As I keep on sipping this song, I feel like I’m sitting on a hillside of wildflowers with butterflies fluttering around me, and breathing in that clean mountain air. Oh, a girl can dream, at least until I can soon make it reality.

@vinewinenyc @saviosselections #MaisonYvesDuport @cheezits #wine #Rosé #rose #redwine #vindefrance #vin @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #biodynamic # #winestagram #instawine #nativeyeasts #naturalwine #Bugey #France #Chardonnay #Gamay #Mondeuse #Colette

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Wine with a View

Les Crêtes
Pinot Nero 2019
Valle d’Aosta D.O.P.
100% Pinot Nero
Guyot trained, hand harvested, ladybugs, and only stainless steel
Aymavilles, Valle d’Aosta, Italy
Winemaking Family: Charrère family (Costantino, Imelda, and their daughters Elena and Eleonora)

Shiny ruby ring pop color. Oh this smells delicious…caramel buttery, raspberries, plums, earth, dark cherry, cola, magnolias (how I miss climbing my great aunt’s massive tree), and maybe vanilla or sugar cookies. Dancing on my tongue are plums with some earthiness, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and a tiny bed of herbs like singed sage. It’s a juicy dry wine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: adds smoke and plummy floral goodness

The Charrère family was originally from France but packed up in the 1700s for Valle d’Aosta. Starting off as a farm and mill, the generations carried on with planting vineyards, making flour and cider, and when Constantino’s father Antoine came along he eventually turned to redeveloping and enlarging the vineyards. Constantino is now carrying on his parents work (even though he had the fun job of gym and ski instructor) along with his wife and kids, and they have made Les Crêtes into the estate it is now. All of their hard work, passion and nurturing rare indigenous grapes has brought them critical acclaim and awards. One thing on their site really makes me smile. Their daughters would go out to catch ladybugs to police the vineyard from other pests. Oh and I would be remiss not to mention their beautiful “Il Rifugio del Vino” designed by Domenico Mazza. Created as a modern mountain hut, it houses a library on wine, an area for tasting and just a beautiful place to chill and take in the breathtaking view.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @lescretes @toutonselection @cheezits #wine #vino #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #pinotnero #pinotnoir #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Aymavilles #ValledAosta #DomenicoMazza #ladybug

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Small But Powerful

La Ganghija
Langhe D.O.C. Chardonnay 2018
100% Chardonnay
Only stainless steel tanks used, bottles made by Albeisa that are lighter on the environment
Treiso, Piemonte, Italy
Winemaker: Enzo Rapalino

Shiny gold with a little grassy green. Breathing in honeysuckle, lilacs, peach blossoms, peaches, pears, and golden delicious apples. Oh this is dreamy! Cue Franz Schubert’s “Trio in E-Flat” from The Hunger. Sipping sweet pears, peaches, honeydew, smoke, a little squeeze of citrus, and alick of granite. Thank you so much for letting the grape sing. Stainless steel and Chardonnay are sooooo good together.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: not bad. It sharpens all the flavors.

La Ganghija’s vineyards have been around in the family for eons, but they were selling their grapes. It took Enzo Rapalino (and his family) to jump into the business of creating their own wine. His enthusiasm for his land and the place where he grew up led him to studies in wine and in 2004, their dream took root. I love how he picked the name La Ganghija because in Piemontese it means vine tendril which to them represents “small but powerful”. Well, this little start has now grown to have vineyards that reach from Trieso to Magliano Alfieri and Madonna di Como (Alba). The family venture has an extended one too that is “Langa Style”. Enzo and 4 other guys from Langhe all studied oenology in Alba, and now bond together as friends and independent winemakers. They support each other, promote each others’ wines, and believe it’s better to be colleagues instead of rivals. That sort of friendly and professional camaraderie is beautiful.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @la_ganghija_enzo_rapalino @viaswine @albeisawines @cheezits #wine #whitewine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Treiso #Piemonte #Langhe #Chardonnay #langastyle #thehunger #Schubert

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Put the Lime in the Coconut

Rare Form Brewing Company
Practically Magic
Coconut Lime Sour Ale
4.7% ABV
Troy, NY
Owners and founders: Kevin and Jen Mullen

Gold/green mix pour with a light white foam that fades to just the rim. Smells exactly like it says on the can, toasted coconuts and a limey squeeze. Taking a swig and that good ol’ song “Put the Lime in the Coconut” comes right to mind. There’s a citrus tingle but that coconut never leaves. Not really sour, in fact a bit sweet,  just darn refreshing and it tastes like I should be drinking this on a beach laying on a towel with the sun beating down. Hey can you pass the sunscreen?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Doesn’t change a thing. Actually pretty darn nice together and easy to bring along a bag to the beach.

As it says on the can, this beer was inspired by “Limonada de Coco” from Colombia. It hits the nail on the head. Reading about the brewery/taproom and love that they are such fans of Joy Division that they named one of their infamous NE IPAs “Troy Division”. Ok, that makes them cool in my book. Who wouldn’t want to sip great craft beer, eat pizza made from locally made sourdough and NY sourced flour, and spin some tunes from one of the best bands in history. This looks like an inviting relaxed place where you want to go because you know you’ll find at least a few of your friends at any time. Also want to give credit to Jen Mullen for all the cool branding and design work from cans, t-shirts, and their classic van. That is one fine ride.

@rareformbrewco @BeerBoutiqueNYC @cheezits #beer #sourale #ale #sour #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife #troy #NY #drinkny

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Quench That Thirst

Mas del Périé
Soif d’Ailleurs 2019
Vin de France
Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Picpoul, Clairette Rose, Clairette Blanche, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscat de Hambourg, Malbec
Cahors, Quercy, Occitanie, France
Biodynamic, organic, Monsieur Mouton’s eco-grazing sheep, native yeasts, hand harvested, unfined and unfiltered
Winemaker: Fabian Jouves

Reddish orange-rose and so bright. Swirl, sniff and popping orange zest, roses, Canadian strawberries (this tiny ones I so love), a smidge of tarragon, faint straw, and fresh summer rain on slate. On this is one fruity juicy jumble of goodness in my mouth. There’s raspberries, mandarins (and zest), blueberry muffin, strawberries, and a dark cherry bite. Floating with this happy light summer red on a warm night.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yes so much more sweet summer berries

Soif d’Ailleurs translates to “Thirst for Elsewhere”. Haven’t we all had that thirst over this past year? That yearning to escape and fly away to special places in our hearts? This is my second Fabian Jouves’ creation that is transporting me back to France and all its delights. It’s like he’s a magical biodynamic hands off mixmaster, just letting nature and the stars take their course, in the field and in the cellar. My first was “You F&@K My Wine ?! 2019”, which was another playful, juicy bio with a De Niro name. “Soif d’Ailleurs 2019” is a lighter, refreshing bottle of joy that can quench your thirst and get you in just as much trouble because it’s one smooth drinker that you can kick up your heels with. If I had to match this wine with a star (like before), I’d say this one is more like Christopher Walken. Suave, a huge blend of personalities, cool and light on his feet. Who wouldn’t want to get down and take a spin with Walken.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @fabienjouves @masdelperiefabienjouves @zevrovineselections @monsieur_mouton_ecopaturage @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #masdelperie #winestagram #instawine #Biodynamic #organic #nativeyeasts #naturalwine #FabianJouves #cahors #Occitanie #France #robertdeniro #zevrovineselections #christopherwalken #malbec #vindefrance

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Under the Pink Moon

Bojo do Luar
Luar Rosa 2020
Vinho Rosa
60% Tinta Cão, 30% Vinhão, 10% Loureiro
Marco de Canavese, Vinho Verde Region, Portugal
Organic, indigenous grapes, spontaneous fermentation with ground chestnut flowers
Project between Savio Soares and winemaker Antonio Sousa

Uncork and pour and it looks like refreshing watermelon juice. Scents of cherry, ripe watermelon, spring flowers, lemon, some zestiness, a little squeeze of grapefruit with a lick of salt, wet granite, and smoke. Ooooh this is refreshing to sip. There’s cherry and watermelon jolly ranchers, plummy delight, key lime-aid, and then blueberries and strawberries emerge. It’s a bright and light glass that goes back and forth from fruity to pucker up tart. Why don’t we just set up a kissing booth under this romantic moon?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s:NOPE, it’s a total party pooper. All smooching has ended.

Here’s another beauty from Savio Soares and Antonio Sousa. Their collaboration keeps getting better and better each one I try. Am so glad years ago they met through Fernando Paiva, who was already working biodynamic and adding in that special ingredient of chestnut flowers. If it wasn’t for him introducing them, they may have never started this project. Luar Rosa gets it’s light watermelon color from the Tinta Cão & Vinhão. They stick to a short maceration/skin contact because Vinhão brings out a punch of color. The Loureiro (gives that zesty, key-lime aid kick) comes in later in the concrete and stainless steel containers along with the ground chestnut flowers. It’s also a how low can you go minimal intervention throughout the whole process. I just love, love, love their lively, clean creations, and am looking forward to more. I’m also really curious about the name Bojo do Luar (Moonlight Bulge), is it about the pull of the earth’s gravity on the moon that causes the bulge, and does the moon’s cycle work into their harvest? Things like this fascinate me. Oh, and if anyone wants to see the Pink Moon this year, it’s on April 26th. So get a blanket, find a quiet spot, and share a glass with the ones you love.

@vinewinenyc #BojodoLuar #AntonioSousa @saviosselections @cheezits #wine #VinhoRosa #Rosé #rose @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #VinhoVerde #Minho #MarcodeCanavese #Portugal #AntonioSousa #winestagram #instawine #Biodynamic #nativeyeasts #naturalwine #TintaCão #Vinhão, #Loureiro

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A Volcano Raised Cherry

Desprat Saint-Verny
Le Pinot Noir 2019
Puy de Dôme IGP
Sustainable farmed, indigenous yeast
Puy de Dôme, Auvergne, France
Winemaker: Julien Maurs and a 65-grower cooperative

Maroon you remember the crayon…not the band. Ah scents of delicious cherries, plums, blueberries, a touch of earth. a little cola that goes great with a little warn croissant. Sipping cherry funk, plums, blackberries, blueberries, and pinch of pepper. It’s light with a nice touch of earthy/natural touch of darkness with all sorts of dried fruits from cherries to figs.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: gives it a more rich zing

This Pinot Noir comes with a nickname of “Les Cerises” or the cherries that are represented inside and outside the bottle. This lovely grape is fed well from the volcanic soil of Auvergne, which has a loooong history of wine and in modern day a determined co-op that worked really hard to achieve Cotes d’Auvergne AOC recognition  in 2011. There’s just something about this wine that makes me think about my favorite writer, Martin Walker, and his “Bruno Chief of Police” series. Specifically it makes me think of when his fictional town of St. Denis (in Dordogne) has their outdoor festivals. Whether it’s from “The Dark Vineyard” where townsfolk come together to harvest grapes ending in a bbq under the stars, or one of their outdoor music fêtes sipping a glass while listening to the featured chanteuse of the night. Pure enchantment.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @volcanic_wines_france @SaintVernyVignobles @communalbrands @BrunoChiefOfPolice @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #puydedome #Auvergne #France #EdithPiaf #PinotNoir #martinwalker #brunochiefofpolice

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Hands Off Creativity

Vigne del Pellagroso
Light White 2019
Field blend of Garganega 45%, Riesling 45%, and Moscato 10%
Monzambano, (near Garda’s Lake, Mantova, Lombardia), Italy
Chemical free, organic, biodynamic, Guyot training, indigenous yeasts, no cellar manipulation, unfined, and unfiltered
Winemaker: Antonio “Billy” Camazzola

Golden from the 3 day skin contact. Sigh, I would love a ring like that. Day two it appears even darker, or is it just me? So let this baby warm up a little to get the full scents of apricots, Red Delicious apples, pears, salt, orange blossoms that turn into lilacs and back again, a little mandarin, honeysuckles, and ginger. At first sip it’s a giant wow! There’s just so much going on.There’s peaches, apricots, yellow plums both sweet and tart, salt, crisp like you’re biting into a not completely ripe green apple. a twist of lemon, smidge of cardamom, white pepper and a little forest floor touch. Not overpowering…just like a pleasant walk through a fern filled wonderland.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope don’t do it unless you want it to all go sour.

This is my first solo Antonio Camazzola wine (other 2 were paired with Andrea Marchetti), so here’s his story. Last time had to chop it up for IG. He started small when he was still in the restaurant business. Found a little bit of land that needed a LOT of love, and worked hard at making this chemical free. His “Vigne del Pellagroso” name also came from nearby where a long gone newspaper. Il Pellagroso was only around from 1884 to March of 1885, when it was shut down due to their director being arrested for being on the side of human rights, justice and proper working conditions which stirred up local farmers to strike. Needless to say the govt. wasn’t happy. It’s a fitting name for Billy’s wine since he’s so dedicated to biodynamic, organic and bucking the norm. He’s expanded over time, added in veggies, grains and flowers to make the bees happy, and still kept it green, natural, and bio! Bravo on your hands off creativity of the Light White! So happy I was able to snag one of the 2,000.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @VigneDelPellagroso @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Mantova #Lombardia #biodynamic #organic #Garganega #Riesling #Moscato

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Brotherly Love

Nightmare Brewing Company
Sororicide
Imperial Stout with Honey Roasted Peanuts, Peanut Butter, Ecuadorian Cacao & Indian Vanilla
15.5 ABV
Brewed & Canned by Nightmare Brewing
North Haven, CT
Founder and Phantom Brewer: Billy Powell

Deep dark of night thick black coffee with a small brown head that runs away as fast as possible. Chocolate charges out of the can and up your nose during the pour along with coffee, creamy peanut butter, smoky burnt brownie edges, and a wiggle of vanilla. Oh man, first sip and second and then third and damn that’s good! Seriously! It’s like someone smashed chocolate peanut butter cups with brownies coated in espresso and then the vanilla hits you. Also a lick of the honey roasted peanuts. I’m in trouble now that this is 15.5%. Big trouble!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NOOOOOOOOOO! I’d rather the Reaper come find me.

My last Nightmare was their “Colombian Necktie” back when they were still in search of new artists and Billy’s sketches were still being used. From this can alone, the open call really worked. Alexandros Pyromallis’s seriously intricate art rocks! Billy and his sister must have a very loving and mischievous camaraderie, for him to have her depicted doing what she loves (broadcasting on B95.5 FM  Albany from Poughkeepsie to Vermont.) and getting impaled by Death’s arm with a blood splattered garden gnome hanging out nearby. Just beautifully twisted. That being said, he did also create Matricide and Patricide brews for his parents. I guess you’ll know you’re truly and dearly loved by Billy if he dedicates beer and art to your potential demise.

@nightmarebrewingco @BeerBoutiqueNYC @inkrituals @twelve.percent.beer.project @twelve.percent.nyc.metro @hkarlphoto @cheezits #beer #imperialstout #stout  #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife #northhaven #ct