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Space Clarete

Gómez Cruzado
KármánWines
Clarete 2025
Rioja DOC
Viurra 70%, Garnacha 30%
Organic, biodynamic, grapes are from the Del Río Cárdenas valley
Haro, Spain

Ever so translucent light orange-pink coral that blushes more over time. Sniffing and it’s so light all around. Give it a moment and strawberries & cherries appear along with a little fruity memory of childhood jelly beans followed by red currants, and gentle tiny roses. All of the sniffs are in the sip. The cherries & red currants pump it up with a crisp spark, along with raspberries, a lick of mineral & teeny dash of salt on back. It’s light on its feet, clean and fresh just like a perfect Spring day!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: don’t ruin the moment

KármánWines is Gómez Cruzado’s young wine project that blends a modern flair with old school Rioja traditions, or as they say, it’s “an attempt to define a boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space”, which is boldly displayed on their eye catching label that hosts wine imbibing astronauts floating in space. Now how on earth do they get that wine past their helmets is a mystery to me. 🤣 I recommend going on this light red & white co-ferment flight that will take your terrestrial tastebuds into their interstellar orbit. 🚀

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Sometimes Bigger Is Better

Hammeken Cellars
Nanit 2024
Skin Contact
100% Macabeo
VDLT Castilla
Organic grapes, vegan friendly
Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Golden orange shimmer. Breathing in fresh picked orange & it’s zest & then sliced open in the orchard along with a jumbled blend of all sorts of citrus. Next up are tiny spring blossoms, a little fresh cut grass & clover that is so light it might slip, a sprig of thyme, and white tea. Tasting all I’ve been sniffing with the citrus more ramped up with a bright sizzle on the back along with a lick of mineral, the white tea is joined with orange pekoe, a vibration & lip tingling bit of a bouquet garni of thyme & an oddly a bitter herb vibe like a tiny bit of dandelion that balances everything so gently to sum up a beautifully balanced glass at the end of the sip. This is just a perfect sunny day in a glass. Pick one up because it will brighten anyone’s mood no matter what type of day you’ve been having.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope

Before I even tasted this wine, I am going to admit I had my assumptions due to how big of a portfolio Hammeken Cellars has which consists of 18 appellations & 20 brands. Let’s just say I should have remembered the old saying, “When you assume, you make an ass out of U and ME” because boy was I wrong! Nicholas Hammeken founded the Cellars in 1996, and it looks like they employ a lot of people & each brings something special to their “unconventional family”. They also work toward reducing their carbon footprint (Goodwings), fight plastic pollution (plastic change), are also committed to participate in “Wines in Moderation” to promote a balanced & responsible wine culture, and they support the UN World Restoration Flagship project “Trees for the future” and “I’m your organic” to plant trees in deforested areas of Africa and train farmers in agroforestry & sustainable land use. So yeah, in this case bigger is better for the world.