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A Grape Resurrection

Can Majoral
Capgiro
Giró Blanc 2018
Pla i Llevant DO
Organic, native grape, hand harvested
Algaida, Mallorca, Spain

Owner/founder/creator: Andreu Majoral (dad); Winemakers: Mireia (daughter) & Andreu Jr. (nephew)

Deep gold with orange hues. Inhaling a mix of citrus, mangos, pineapple, melon with a little muskiness, a real French croissant or maybe one I had in Switzerland but definitely not a cronut, a whole big ol’ tied bunch of garden herbs, and a smidge of white pepper. Oh this is nice… flavors of peaches, honey (as it opens), mangos, pineapple, raspberry, lemon, Rainer cherry, a lick of slate, and cilantro. As lush and alive as the painting on the bottle by Maria Carbonero.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smoothes everything out but honestly I like it better on its own

Andreu Majoral (and now his family too) set about in 1979, to create Can Majoral where they have two purely organic locations of vineyards. They love to work with native grapes especially like the Giró Blanc that was almost wiped out but thank goodness was rescued. I feel kind of special to be drinking an almost ghost grape. Over time there were people that thought that it was related to Grenache or the Giró from Sardinia, but NOPE, it’s all unique and Mallorcan.

@vinewinenyc @vinscanmajoral @ripewineimports @cheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #Mallorca #Spain #Algaida #GiróBlanc #giroblanc #canmajoral #MariaCarbonero

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Magical Blending

Swick Wines
Only Zuul
American Red Wine 2020
Bring It.
50% Pinot Gris, 50% Gewurztraminer
Columbia Valley, AVA Willamette Valley AVA
Oregon/Washington blend
Organic & practicing organic, unfined, unfiltered, the two vineyards are hand harvested same day, fermented separately
Bottled & produced Newborn, OR
Winemaker: Joe Swick

A hazy watermelon juice mixed with blood orange color. First out of the gates and into my nose is blood orange and then the rest start flying…salt, smoke, watermelon, smooth cherries along with cherry twizzlers. There’s also a drop of lemon, honeysuckles, a whole flower basket and a little white pepper. Whew that was a lot, and now for the taste. It’s all of the scents with a larger squeeze of lemon and lime and some dried apricots. The smoke and salt are sooooo good, and a little herbal in the smoke. Maybe sage. Maybe sumac? Maybe both? And a teeny pinch of earth.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Oof it’s Orangina which I like, but I prefer Swick solo.

Oh Joe, your wines are just divine! How do you keep coming up with more and more ways for me to love your bottles even more. Here’s another “Bring It.” mix. Fab, fab, fab! I feel like I’m spinning a globe trying to sort all the places these tastes come from but when it comes down to it, it is that Oregon/Washington feel, or should I say that Joe Swick thumbprint. Keep weaving your magic!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @swickwines @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #cheezit #redwine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #winestagram #instawine #oregon #washington #FBIB #PinotGris #Gewurztraminer #joeswick

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A Wine of Legacy and a Camel Named George

Folded Hills
Estate Lilly Rosé 2020
100% Grenache
Santa Ynez Valley
Biodynamic, organic, sustainable, native yeasts, and sheep in the vineyards
Santa Ynez, CA
Owners: Kim & Andrew Busch; Winemaker: Michael Brughelli; Vineyard Manager: Ruben Solorzano

Shimmering very light rose gold like my great, great, great (I lost count) grandmother’s ring passed down to me. Uncork and out flies grapefruit, yellow/red sweet plums, lemon, salty breeze, peach, yellow watermelons, and granite. Oh what a mouthful! My tastebuds are darting all over. There’s peaches, honeydew, yellow plums, lychee, pineapple, a squish of lemon to liven it up, salt, and chervil.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out cantaloupe. Just delightful

Andrew and Kim have a lot of pride and integrity in their small family owned, organic winery and farm. Always remembering Andrew’s dad’s words “making friends is our business”. As you can see on their site, there’s a kind and welcoming nature of this family with a long and famous Busch legacy. Their “Lilly” is a family name and honors not only the original Lilly Anheuser (who married Adolphus Busch) but also their 1st granddaughter. They also have an extended “farmily” which includes their Farmstead where you can pick up organic produce and local foods while checking out the roaming Kunekune pigs, goats, miniature donkeys, llamas, sheep, a rescue mini jersey cow named Peaches, a cute camel named George, Zazu the zebra, and Gus & Dolph their Budweiser Clydesdales. Seriously how cool is it that, they have a camel! Who wouldn’t want to stop here and become their friend.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @foldedhills @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Grenache #SantaYnez #California #Busch #Rosé #rose #camel #Budweiser #Anheuser #Lilly #Clydesdales

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Long Dreamy Drinker

Timber Ales and Casa Agria collaboration
Lost Memories
Imperial Stout aged on coconut and almonds
12% ABV
North Haven, CT
Brewer: Jason Stein

Darkest black coffee with a small caramel head. Smells like several boxes of assorted Girl Scout cookies have been opened, and I want to go wild in them. There’s rich chocolate, toasted coconut, almonds, cinnamon, and shortbread (my fave cookie). Oh this baby is thick and dense. Tastes like all of the scents and tons more coconut. This is a long drinker, and is better than a slice of chocolate cake or shall I go so far as to say a 4 tiered flourless chocolate cake. Heavenly and devilish at the same time.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Ack! Blerg! NOPE!

Lost Memories is a perfect name for this beer, since it stirred all sorts of cookies from the deep depths of my brain. Cheers to Timber Ales and Casa Agria’s working together and blowing my mind on how good an Imperial Stout can be.

@timber_ales @BeerBoutiqueNYC @twelvepercentbeerproject @twelve.percent.nyc.metro @hkarlphoto @cheezits #beer #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #timberales #imperialstout #jasonstein #worldbyglass #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #northhaven #CT

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Devotion to Pure Tradition

Illahe Vineyards
Estate Grüner Veltliner 2019
Willamette Valley
Sustainable, hand harvested, mature plants are dry farmed, family owned, certified salmon safe, and horse-powered vineyards
Dallas, OR
Owners, growers and pioneers: Lowell and Pauline Ford; Winemaker, owner and president: Brad Ford

Shimmering light gold. Super inviting scents of honey, crisp apple, a smidge of light allspice (light but pie worthy), firm pears, slate, and a whiff of cedar. Flavors like a pear apple pie with a honey graham crackers crust, some gooseberries, a smidge of a fresh green garden shoot, and pinch of white pepper. It’s a light and dancing and just darn good.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: well, it just stays refreshing and delicious

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 any electricity used during their creation. The majestic Percheron horses, Doc and Bea (now in retirement), 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 and 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 11 miles are on bicycle. That’s romantic devotion to pure tradition.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @illahevineyards @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #GrünerVeltliner #GrunerVeltliner #pinotnoir #sustainable #biodynamic #WillametteValley #Oregon #Percheron

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Uncondemned History or No One Expects the Bunny Inquisition

Collaboration between Andre Gomes-Pereira & Portuguese Story
Não Condenado 2019
Vinho Tinto
Fernao Pires & Trincadeira
Organic, low intervention, hand harvested, and vegan
Encostas d’Aire, Lisboa, Portugal
Winemaking team: Andre Gomes-Pereira (Quinta do Montalto) & Portuguese Story

Stained glass ruby window. Breathing in dark cherry, plums/prunes, tobacco, allspice, and a little earth. First taste I don’t even want to dissect it. It’s a light juicy smooth sweet that grows into so much more. Here we go! Again cherries but not sure how dark, plummy tartness, tobacco tingly, and earth that turns into dark baking chocolate. It just keeps flying all over the place with each sip. I love thinking I’m drinking from vines 120 to 150 years old, and being touched by their history.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out more sweet from the fruit.

Years ago, families often had backyard vines that they cultivated for themselves and family, just like your normal home garden. Nowadays, often these plots get forgotten or left behind when the kids moved on. As it says on the back of the bottle, “The vineyard has been tended by someone who is currently 89yo.” Here’s where Andre Gomes-Pereira & Portuguese Story come in. They decided to save some of these ancient twisted vines with deep roots that would have been condemned, hence the name Não Condenado (Uncondemned). They have also embraced the traditional Portuguese method, “palhete”, fermenting red and white grapes together. This really old way of winemaking kind of got left behind for a while, but is seeing a resurgence, to which I say WooHoo! What is the saying, what is old becomes new again or back in style again. I’m not saying we need to bring out our 80s acid washed jeans. No, no, no! Do you want those medieval rabbits from the label unleashed on you? This is an embrace to the natural ways of the generations past.

@vinewinenyc @portuguesestorywine @mfwwineco @quintadomontalto @cheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin #redwine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #vegan #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #Lisboa #Lisbon #Portugal #FernaoPires #Trincadeira #medievalrabbits

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Debonaire with a Flair

Fabre Montmayou 
Torrontés 2020
Torrontés 100%
Hand harvested and sustainably farmed
Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
Valle de Uco (vineyard)
Owner and winemaker: Hervé Joyaux Fabre

Pale starlight straw. Fragrances of peaches, melon, apricots, a lemon/lime spritz, honeysuckles, a rain soaked sidewalk after a summer storm, and a little salt. Sip and it’s a very inviting blend of lemon/lime, peach, melon, lovely lychee, a salty lick, and slate. It’s bright and luscious but not overpowering.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Deliciously tones back some of the heady floral. It would probably be great with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

Originally from Bordeaux and from a family of wine negociants, Hervé Joyaux Fabre ventured to Argentina in the early 90s searching for some old vines with great terroir. He succeeded with finding Malbec from 1908, in Mendoza, and Fabre Montmayou was born. Eventually he branched out to another winery in Rio Negro, Patagonia. Now they hold a long list of awards and acclaims (including IWC 2018 Red Winemaker of the Year) for a multitude of wines. When I got this Torrontés, I knew I had read something about Hervé Joyaux Fabre before, but it took me a few minutes and then a book dig and realized he was mentioned in 2011’s “The Vineyard at the End of the World” (by Ian Mount). He was described as “a Frenchman prone to wearing ascots and gaucho pants”. I’m not so sure if he still dons the pants, but after taking a glance at his website there’s a lovely pic of him and his wife (and partner in wine) Diane, and he is yes still sporting the debonair ascot. Oh and I want to add, please check out their IG page (where I found Hervé in jeans). They have the cutest snuggle bunny of a dog named Scooby Doo. His pics will brighten your day.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @fabremontmayou @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #vin #vino #cheezit #whitewine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #winestagram #instawine #Torrontés #Torrontes #Mendoza #Argentina #petitpoiscorp #sussexwinemerchants #thevineyardattheendoftheworld #ianmount #ascot

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Wine Ambition

Kumusha
Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Wine of Origin Western Cape
Breedekloof Valley, South Africa
Minimal intervention, natural fermentation, vegan
Winemaker/blender, greatly lauded sommelier, and “wine whisperer”: Tinashe Nyamudoka

Shining light gold. Scents of limes, tangerines, kumquats, orange blossoms and light lily. Some of the citrus reminds me of a really good IPA but it doesn’t smack you in the face as a beer would. Its a nice small bouquet with grace, not a pub crawl. Damn this is good! Sipping and it’s a luscious blend of melons, peaches, Valencia orange, mango, light honeysuckle, and small sweet green pepper. Exhale and there is super faint smoke in the back of your mouth.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nah, why ruin a good thing

This is a very joyful wine. Like a celebration in a glass, or a toast that needs no words. This is my 2nd Kumusha, and Tinashe Nyamudoka again has impressed. Of course like I posted before he has a huge list of sommelier awards, certifications, panel memberships, and wine judging positions. None of this came easy though. Just read his story on Jancis Robinson’s site and it’s not a story of wineries passed down through family generations, but back in 2008, he worked his way from the very ground up in the restaurant industry, where he got his first wine exposure. There were ups and downs and also battles with discrimination, but as you can see he has triumphed. I am so looking forward to seeing him in the documentary “Blind Ambition” that follows four Zimbabweans who leave home for better jobs and land in South Africa and in the end are encourage to form the first Zimbabwe team to compete in The World Wine Blind Tasting Championships which is like the wine Olympics. Their Tribeca Film Festival premiere in June can’t come soon enough for me!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @KumushaWines @baobabwines @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #SauvignonBlanc #BreedekloofValley #SouthAfrica #WesternCape #sustainable #biodynamic #sommelier #TinasheNyamudoka #tribecafilmfestival #blindambition