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Perfect Pairing/Partnership

Caruso & Minini
Terre di Giumara
Zoli
Inzolia
Terre Siciliane IGP
Sustainable
Sicily, Italy
Wine team: Stefano Caruso & Mario Minini (co-founders), and Giovanna & Rosanna (Stefano’s daughters)

Light yet bright yellow green shimmer. Breathing in peaches & their blossoms, magnolias & lillies, touch of melon, round pears & apples, oddly a fresh picked Scuppernong smell I remember from my grandfather’s vines, and a smidge of grapefruit. Sip, swish and here comes white peaches, a little honeydew, pears, a splash of pineapple & mango along with that floral again, lick of a mineral rock & it goes dry, citrus starts to emerge (lemon, lime, tangelo), a teeny bit of oregano.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: perfect

The Caruso family had a history of cultivating grapes to sell, then later to bottle in the 90s, but it took the latest two generations (Stefano & his daughters) to step everything up. Also Stefano partnered up with Mario Minini (hence their winery’s name) & utilized his experience in sales & marketing to bring them to their current success. Now their wines reach more than 30 countries, and that’s pretty exciting since now we all have a chance to taste their bit of Sicily without having to board a flight. ✈️❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #Italy #Sicily #winelover #winetasting  #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #docwinebar #docwineshop @carusoeminini @massanois @docwinebar @docwineshop

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A Legendary Beauty

Dio Cocktails
Hibiscus Rose French 75
All natural & low sugar (cane)
Based out of NY, NY
Made in Athens, GA
Co-founders: Bronson van Wyck & Nick Bradley

Hazy gold limeade. Scents of lemon/lime & a touch of Lemonhead candy, pears & sweet golden delicious apples, salty seltzer, roses & heady hibiscus, and a light bouquet garni of healthy familiar herbs. At first sip there’s an explosion of flavors…same lemon/lime & cane sugar touch, pears & honey crisp apples, a floral bunch fluttering like butterflies, gin with alpine moments on the back, and on exhale wintergreen. It’s very easy, gentle and gorgeous.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: heightens the sweet life

Two men of international intrigue…one with a flair for getting the party started & the other with expertise in getting a brand launched (both originally Southerners btw) paired to make intriguing classic & inventive cocktails with a nod to mythology, gods, other worldly pleasures. These tiny cans are perfect to pop in your go bag or kick back with Bettany Hughes’ “Helen of Troy: The Story Behind the Most Beautiful Woman in the World” since this delicious elixir is inspired by her much heralded beauty.

#cocktails #cannedcocktails #gin #wineinacan #wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #French75 #drinkdio  #docwinebar #docwineshop @cheezit @drinkdio @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Frisky Mayhem

Karim Vionnet
Grabuge!
Gamay
Méthode Aromatique Demi-Sec
Sustainable, hard harvested, native yeasts
Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais, France

Magenta orange tinged sunrise with very fine & active bubbles tracing Rorschach tests on the surface. Scents float up of cherries, blueberries, raspberries, a sprig of hay that heads out the door, slams it hard & will not be heard of again, light touch of cream, and as it opens a small spritz of lemon/lime. Sipping and oh this is delicious! There’s full on raspberry, blueberries & ripe strawberries, a cherry or two, honeysuckle that grows as it opens, and a little light lemon tang on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out even more berries

With a name that means mayhem and chaos, I had no idea what I was getting into but hey I just had to give it a go, and if it explodes on me, I have the steam mop ready. Then I read Karim is an AC/DC fan, known to use some colorful language, and has “a weakness for beer”, so wondered if this was going to be like a framboise lambic. As much as I love a good framboise…this is so much better & no frothing fountains to clean up! So all you beer lovers (yes, Joe I’m thinking of you & Rhea) out there, give this gamay bubbly a try, and if your S.O. is a wine lover…it might even spark a perfect frisky date night because this is one exuberant bottle of delight. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #bubbly #sparklingwine #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #naturalwine #beer #framboise #datenight #Beaujolais #France #karimvionnet #regalwineimports #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @regal_wine @vinewinenyc @domaine_karimvionnet

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Cartwheel Worthy

Domaine Jacky Marteau
Lulu
Crémant de Loire
Touraine Val de Loire
Chenin Blanc 1/3, Cabernet France 1/3, Chardonnay 1/3
Sustainable
Pouillé, France
Ludivine (Lulu) Marteau

Light golden pale starlight twinkling with fine active bubbles. First sniff and it’s creamy with a touch of bakery goodness, pears (baked and fresh), round apples, a touch of pineapple, some Easter flowers along with fresh rained on slate, over time a squish of tangelo & lemon, and a fresh salt breeze. Sipping away and that cream appears again with a tart bit of fun, pears & apples are joined with a little welcome honeysuckle (is that an incoming bee I hear?), teeniest bit of pineapple, lemon/lime spark & a little zest, and a nice lick of a mineral river rock.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: absolutely delicious

Domaine Jacky Marteau is a lovely 4th generation family business & their namesake comes from Ludivine’s father who took over in 1977, and brought them from bulk sales to bottles & eventually exports. Lulu & her brother Rodolphe came on board in the 2000s post vine studies & some life/work experiences, and eventually began running the winery in 2010. Now, Lulu is in charge of this show & if her personality is anything like this sparkler…she must be bubbly, fun, brings a smile to everyone in the room, a bit of a romantic & a flirt at the same time, and pure innocent (well maybe not always so innocent) exuberant joy! 💋 Can you tell how much I love this glass? Makes me want to do cartwheels. 🤸🏻‍♀️Wheeeee!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #sparklingwine #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #France #Loire #docwinebar #docwineshop #DomaineJackyMarteau @cheezit @communalbrands @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Science As Art

Tessier Winery
Soul Love 2022
65% Riesling, 22% Mourtaou, 11% Négrette, 2% Merlot
Sustainable, certified vegan, sourced thoughtfully, native yeasts, low intervention
Heraldsburg, CA
Founder & winemaker: Kristie Tacey

Electric magenta with a splash of orange sunset. Btw chill this baby. Ok there’s a Hawaiian punch memory from long ago. BTW I really loved that stuff as a kid and ran up quite a bill at Sea World eons ago. I don’t think my parents realized there were no free refills. Sniffing cherry, plum, raspberry, guava, juicy fun. Now onto the taste and there’s flying free deliciousness…cherries, plums, a bowl of berries with some guava again, splash of kiwi & a little light lemon/lime spritz that oddly has a little Boo Berry waving in the distance, and a bit of springhouse mineral to even it out. This is flat out scrumptious, glou glou, and a bring more than 2 bottles worthy.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out the tart

Well, it’s spelled out right on the label, “Science As Art”. Kristie Tacey wasn’t born into the vine life, but ended up there after becoming a published scientist. My S.O. is one too but he went into visual arts which enhance his research & imaging abilities, so I can totally see where this would work so well with Tacey’s vision for her wines. She can look at the full life cycle from the land to the the harvest and which grapes to select…through to the bottle and view it from different angles from logic, sustainability, creative blending, and intuition. The other cool thing about her is she pairs her wines with music (as you can see with this bottle of Bowie’s “Soul Love”) and she has fab taste! Check out her playlist here.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #davidbowie #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #california #docwinebar #docwineshop #tessierwinery @tessierwinery @docwinebar @docwineshop

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History, Heritage & Horses

Casa Cadaval
Padre Pedro 2019
Tejo DO
Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro
Organic (certified in 2020), hand harvested, vegan
Muge, Portugal
Owned since 1648 by the Álvares Pereira de Mello family
Current generation: Teresa Schönborn, Countess of Schönborn and Wiesentheid

Stained glass ruby. Give this glass some space to breathe (and later a steak or blood sausage). Scents grow of cherries fresh & dried, plums, dark raisins, cranberry, a little cola, oil cured olive pits, and a light earthy that turns into a toasty goodness. Tasting and all of the scents are heightened and more dry, blend of cranblueraspberry with a tiny fig dropped in, orange & peel, balsamic reduction, and a spice slow burn on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth

Had no idea how much centuries of history was going to be in this bottle when I grabbed it from the under $20 shelf. There’s a lineage of royalty, patrons of the arts, 5 generations of women at the helm, the vast varying territory including the vineyards, a bird sanctuary, cork trees, and the list goes on. Of course, the one thing that truly stands out to me (other than the fab wine) are their noble & majestic  Lusitano horses, that have been linked to the estate since the 1600s. What an amazing ability to get to raise and grow with these historic (lineage of this breed can be traced to the early neolithic) spirits. Horses also can be such a source of comfort, and in my case during my youth when things were not bright they pulled me out into the sun. There’s nothing like that contact & connect where your ride as one. 🐎 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #portugal #naturalwine #winesofportugal #lusitano #horse #vosselections #CasaCadaval #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @casacadavalmuge @vosselections

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Manners Maketh The Wine

Tenuta Belvedere
WAI
Moscato 2021
Provincia di Pavia IGT
Natural wine, organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, “just flip the bottle a little not too much”
Montacalvo Versiggia, Oltrepò Pavese, Lombardia, Italy
Winemakers: Federica & Gianluca Cabrini

Shimmering gold with tiny bubbles. Right out of the gate and headed for my nose are pears & golden apples, yeasty moments of fresh out of the oven goodness, hyacinth, a touch of mango, pineapple & honeydew, and a salty breeze on the back with a pinch of white pepper. Sipping and all of the scents are there in the taste and a bit more honeydew with a pinch of some spice that I’m trying to place. I know it’s pepper related but a warmth that grows like ginger sprinkle…that’s it! Also a short scrape of lime zest and it’s all so crisp and lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: beautiful bursts of fruit

Oh Tenuta Belvedere, you continue to make life brighter. Have lost count on how many of your wines I’ve tried and you never fail to deliver a beautiful bottle. There’s something I never thought to question before is why, WAI? Turns out it’s a simple answer. Gianluca’s MIL liked the Thai traditional greeting. How fitting for such a friendly and welcoming sparkler. Did you know there are 3 levels of Wai? Honestly, I didn’t until this glass led me to these lessons in politeness. For an etiquette tutorial check out this video: Learn Thai Culture | How to “wai” like a Thai ไหว้อย่างสวยงามแบบไทย ๆ

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #moscato #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Lombardia #oltrepopavese #steephillwine @steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar @belvederewine @cheezit

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Something’s Always On My Mind

Bodega Frontio
Follaco 2021
Juan García 70%, Tempranillo 30%
D.O. Arribes
Vineyards certified organic, low intervention, native yeasts; & every 6 bottles sold = 1 tree will be planted in their forest
Fermoselle, Castilla y León, Spain
Thyge (Chus) Benned Jensen

Purple ruby stained glass. Scents of red currants, a bit of wild flair that flees, cherries, strawberries, plums, and an alpine herbal pinch. Sipping and it’s a light & fresh strawbluecranpomrasberry cocktail that has a lip tingling brightness and goes delightfully dry. Let it keep opening and a bit of tomato leaf roams out and the Juan Garcia begins to groove & grind even better with the Tempranillo.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: snacking good

After trying “Bébeme”, I knew I had to grab the other Bodega Frontio I could find (there’s others so I’m still on the lookout for more). Kept glancing at the label art, and started to see more than a bottle and a mountain range…remembering a trip to see the Grand Tetons and we all know where that name came from (those naughty French-Canadian trappers 🦫). Wondering if it’s just my naive or dirty rambling mind. So I was bit curious about this name and just like the previous bottle of “Drink Me” it has a little twist. “Follaco”, I’m betting has to relate to the Spanish verb “follar” which translates to a word that flies off my tongue way too quickly and sometimes gets me in trouble. No matter if I’m the one that is assuming too much and is lost in translation, I say give this bottle a try bc it’s good with things sexy or even spicy (like a good curry)…yes, this time I’m talking about food…do you really think my mind is always only on one thing…well other than wine?

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #spain #naturalwine #vinewinenyc #bodegafrontio @cheezit @wearenomadic @vinewinenyc @bodega_frontio

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Bottled Sunshine

Cellers de Can Suriol
Azimut Brisat Orange 2022
Parellada 40%, Sumoll Blanc 10%, Garnatxa Blanca 20%, Moscatell 30%
Organic, biodynamic, true devotees to nature
Grabuac, DO Penedés, Catalonia, Spain
Owner & winemakers: Assís Suriol & his family

Orange deep gold pour with a bit of haze. Scents start popping out of oranges & greenery, tangerines, apricots, whole bunch of orchard blossoms, and a few sprigs of grass. All of the above scents play well in the taste along with even more tangerine & orange blossoms, pineapple, light yet heady flowers, and a little salty smoke. So fresh, friendly and a little bit frisky.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth operator

“The secret of Can Suriol is to understand that the true creator of our wines is nature.” – Assisi Suriol…such true and beautiful words. Brisat Orange is from their Azimuth line, that includes not only their organic/biodynamic grapes but also some from their neighbors, so it’s a collaboration of skin contact joy. The Suriols really do care about the imprint they make on their environment even while having natural fun…they give back by composting, using solar powered electricity, and sourcing their bottles as local as they can…and now their bit of bottled sunshine has caused a not so awfully old,  oldie to get stuck in my head, and glued a big smile on my face & in my heart.

🎶 I got that 🌞 in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet…
I can’t stop the feelin’ So just dance, dance, dance 🎶
💃🕺

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #sunshine #winetasting #sparklingwine #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Catalonia #organic #orangewine #penedes #spain #docwinebar #docwineshop @cansuriol @jennyfrancois @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Always Read The Fine Print

Oenogenesis
Mataroa Red 2020
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
PGI Drama
Sustainable
Macedonia, Greece
Winemaker: Bakis Tsalkos

Dark ruby/plummy glass. Breathing in a creaminess at first pour, next up are cherries & plums fresh & dried chewiness, a bag of mixed blueberries, raspberries, strawberries & a mini reduction of them all along with an herb bundle including rosemary, thyme and a few more. Sipping and it’s bright and light. There’s that bit of cream again that lightens over time, all of the above cherries, plums & berries bouncing around on my tongue along with boysenberry, a smidge of orange zest & a teeny lemon spark, and after having a time out there’s a little clove/pepper bit on the back. Just joyously light and lively.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: weirdly very delicious

I had already finished a playful post about this red being a perfect seasonal transition, and then I read the tiny print on the label…this bottle represents so much more. Will fully admit to not knowing much on the history of Greece’s civil war in the 40s, and I had never heard of the RMS Mataroa that gave an escape route (Dec. 1945) for around 150 intellectuals, artists, scientists, philosophers, writers, and other creatives from the unrest & persecution. They were gifted a chance of a new life in Paris and to also spread their knowledge, research & artistic passion through Europe that continues today. Check out Mataroa La Mémoire trouée “the precious cargo” for a snapshot into their past.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #winetime #worldbyglass #organic #biodynamic  #naturalwine #Greece #greekwine @oenogenesis_winery @eklektikon @docwinebar @docwineshop