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Always Time For More Wine

Nicolas Carmarans
Fer De Sang 2021
VDF
100% Fer Servadou
Organic, hand harvested, unfined & unfiltered
Aveyron, France

Shining garnet with a bit of ruby depth. Let this breathe a little. Sniffing in honeysuckles & white spring blossoms that mingle with cherries, bell peppers, cayenne pepper, white pepper, a then comes plums, raspberries, and cranberries. Tasting tangy cherries, raspberries, and again that bell & white pepper, plums, cranberries, young Turkish fig, an iron lick (or if you’ve face planted after tripping over a flattened bike lane guard that the city should have replaced….a slight taste/smell of blood), blackberries, boysenberries, and red currants.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out some more assorted berries

This bottle just called out my name while I was browsing. Maybe it was the font, the name “Iron Blood” or “Iron from Blood” (my French is rusty 🤣), the fact I have never tried Fer Servadou before, or maybe it’s all three? No matter what, it brought me to learn about Nicolas and his trail from being an owner of Paris’ Café de la Nouvelle Mairie (natural wine bar), heading to beautiful & enchanting Aveyron, juggling his time between the café & starting to make wine, finally acquiring his own vineyard, and now solely focus on his vines & wine. Oh and the land had been abandoned for years and needed a heck of a lot of work to dig out, rebuild & go organic. In the end that must have been pretty satisfying to look out and know this was all his…now’s the time to make more wine, and boy is it darn delicious & elegant! Cheers and looking forward to the next Carmarans’ bottle that falls in my path. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #FerServadou #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Aveyron #redwine #France #stevengraf #nicolascarmarans #vinewine #vinewinenyc @nicolascarmarans @vinewinenyc

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When Life Brings You Smoke Make…

Matthiasson Family Vineyards
Tendu
Rosé Bubbles
Sparkling wine
Sustainable
Dunnigan Hills
Napa, CA
Winemakers & Farmers: Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson

Crack the can and it’s a rosy/orange amber pour (or you could just drink straight from the can). Sniff and everything is light & breezy with cherries, raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries, a lemon/lime spritz, and a touch of funk that fades. Kicking back and sipping and again there’s cherry, raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries, orange/lemon/lime zing & zest with a little tangelo, seltzer sparky salt, and just so bright and light.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

This perky and easily transportable sparkler came about from the Matthiasson’s ability to persist through the 2020 West Coast wildfires which caused devastation and trouble for so many and gave them a fear of smoke taint. Instead of making any reds that year, those grapes went into their rosés. A smart move and here’s to hoping in the future all those fires and smoke fade away.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #wineinacan #sparklingwine #Rosé #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #organic #Napa #california #Tendu #matthiassonwine #docwinebar #docwineshop

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More Than Wine

Cantine Statti
Lamézia DOC
2021
Rosso
40% Gaglioppo, 40% Greco Nero, 20% Magliocco
Lamézia Terme, Calabria, Italy
Antonio and Alberto Statti

Deep dark goth ruby. Scents of rich cherry, dark plums, a touch of raspberries & strawberries, baker’s chocolate, marigold blossoms, and a light bit of fenugreek & I think a smidge of toasted anise. Sipping and everything I’ve been smelling is right here on my tongue along with a more of a juicy bit of cherries, plums & berries, squeeze of citrus blend on the back, and that baker’s chocolate starts to go into just lovely dark chocolate

Pairs with Cheez-Its: just makes everything bigger

Since the 1700s the Statti family (Baron Statti) has resided & worked on these lands (500 ha), but it took Antonio and Alberto to instigate making wines from their own grapes (local & international) in their 100 ha of vineyards which leaves 400 more ha to enjoy and nurture with olive & citrus groves, and cows for dairy, natural fertilizer for the vines, etc. They also blend tradition with modern…working in sustainable ways and using renewable energy such as biogas, etc, and some of this goes over my head as to how it actually works but they have “Photovoltaic panels are set up on the roofs and a trigeneration system comes into operation to cover the company’s heating needs” (article on La Repubblica by Alessandro Gassmann). They work with their neighbors for more “processing by-products” to turn into biogas and “thus creating the conditions for developing a network model in which it is possible to share operating machines and equipment, invest together and manage common agricultural land. And last but not least, hiring all staff permanently and not just seasonally, guaranteeing dignity to workers and professionalism to companies. This is how the Cauro Agricultural Network was born , which today has 55 businesses, 500 cultivated ha and over 120 engaged families.” They’re doing good for their neighbors, the region and even the world.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting  #wineislove #winetime #Calabria #Italy #viaswine #cantinestatti #docwinebar #docwineshop @viaswine @cantinestatti @docwineshop @docwinebar

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Mediterranean Answer To Happiness

Curii Uvas y Vinos
Una Noche y Un Dia 2021
100% Giró
Organic, hand harvested
Xaló, Alicante, Spain
Violeta Gutiérrez de la Vega & Alberto Redrado

Ruby with garnet gem rim. Let this baby breathe a bit and floating up are aromas of cherries, tomato leaves (I swear this trend is a coincidence), red apples, blackberries, raspberries, boysenberries, lilacs & violets, and a pinch of anise. Taking a few sips and all of the above (especially the tomato leaves) and it’s smooth over time with a little twang, bit of peat smokiness, pit of a cured Moroccan olive, grassy wild flowers, and it keeps growing so much over time and still has a rustic flair but a vibrant juicy vibe. Delicious!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: meh not really digging it

Just reading about Violeta & Alberto’s family backgrounds it’s no wonder their wine project was born and is smashing. Violeta’s comes from growing up & working with her father in her parents’ winery Bodegas Gutiérrez de la Vega (known for celebrating traditional wines of their land), heading off to enology studies & work in France, and return to Alicante where she will take the reigns of the family winery. Alberto’s family also took him down a tasting route with their Michelin starred restaurant L’Escaleta as a sommelier and in 2010 was honored as Spain’s Premio Nacional de Gastronomía al Mejor Sommelier. Together they keep a tight focus on local grapes and working traditionally, especially like in this bottle of Giró which is an Alicante clone of Garnacha (one of my favorite 🍇). Actually it is their main focus uva, which Violeta is also implementing back at Bodegas Gutiérrez de la Vega. All in all, these two are creating & nurturing bottles of rare magic. Stealing a quote from de la Vega’s site, they are making “Mediterranean wines capable of making the unhappiest of mortals happy”. ❤️ Now that’s a gift for the world.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #winetime #naturalwine #organic #Alicante #Spain #josepastorselections #curiiwine #vinewine #vinewinenyc

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Birds Of Different Feathers

Kontozisis Organic Vineyards
Innocent Dove 2019
PGI Karditsa
Xinomavro 50%, Merlot 50%
Certified organic, hand harvested, unfined & unfiltered
Karditsa, Thessaly, Greece
Andreas Kontozisis & Aphrodite Tousia 

Shining garnet glass.Let this baby breathe! After that time out, smelling raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, tomato leaves & vines stewing on a sunny day, plums, cherries, and lavender mixed with mild rosemary. All of the scents are there on the taste but a bit more rustic. There’s also lilacs, irises, & lavender, and finally a little white pepper with even a smidge of bell.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO STEP AWAY FROM THE BAG

Kontozisis Organic Vineyards has been certified organic in the vineyards & cellar since 1991 (one of the earliest ones in Greece) which truly shows Andreas & Aphrodite’s passion and dedication for their land, vines and wines. Their Innocent Dove “draws from the Greek folk phrase for ultimate innocence” which is perfect for their honest, natural way of winemaking. This winged wonder from Karditsa led me to another one that is definitely a bird of a different feather. Karditsa’s Pafsilipo Park has wandering peacocks, and everywhere I read it mentions relaxing in the grounds with them. They are such graceful and beautifully adorned creatures, but relaxing? If you’ve never heard their call here’s a video by @NatureWalk1 (not from Pafsilipo). Now I’ll let you be the judge. Still would love to visit them but think I’ll pass on hanging out and reading a book in the park. Would much rather chill out with another glass of this quietly cooing “Dove”. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Greece #dove #peacock #worldbyglass #eklektikon #kontozisisorganicvineyards #docwinebar #docwineshop @eklektikon @kontozisis_wines @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Jump On The Train

Ruhlmann
Signature Jean Charles NV
Brut Sparkling
Crémant d’Alsace AOP
Pinot Blanc 60%, Auxerrois 30%, Pinot Gris 10%
Dambach-la-Ville, Alsace, France
Ruhlmann-Schutz family

Gold with tiny active bubbles. Floating up to my nose are pears, winter/dark apples, apricot, a smidge of Spanish peanuts, a light citrus blend, and teensy funk that fades. All of the scents are in the taste with a depth I’m trying to figure out along with salt, again a touch of good fading funk, and everything is dry, crisp & delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Everything becomes more alive so perfect!

The Ruhlmann-Schutz family has over 300 years of history in Dambach-la-Ville that started with one Hungarian knight planting a few vines. Over the years, their family grew and so has their expanse from a few hectares in Alsace to now around 40; and then in 2015  added a new winery (30 ha) in Corbières, Château Valmont. This family is filled with enthusiasm for their wines and Dambach-la-Ville, They even have a “petit train” that will start in the town where they’ll teach you about it and their history, the vineyards, why each grape is special, and then to a tasting in their cellar. What a lovely way to spend a day. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting  #wineislove #winetime #winetrain #brut #sparklingwine #Alsace #France #worldbyglass #cognacone #ruhlmannschutz #docwinebar #docwineshop @cognacone @ruhlmannschutz @docwineshop @docwinebar

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Smell Everything

Inconnu
Kitsune 2019
Red blend
Hand harvested, indigenous yeast fermented, unfined & unfiltered
Grapes sourced from organic & regeneratively farmed parcels
Napa, CA
Laura Brennan Bissell

Deep maroon with a glowing ruby rim. Pouring and dark cherry scents float up mingling with a little oak/cola (RC to be precise) but not overpowering (oak & I have a complicated relationship but this is a welcome one), blackberries & raspberries, dried cherries, plums/prunes, and touch of earthy depth that includes a growing mishmash of juniper, a comforting warm spice, zest and a tad of cedar. All of the above scents are in the taste that has a lively bright tang and smooth glide at the same time.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: hard to describe on how it heightens everything but it is delicious

The sense of smell for all of us is so important, easily taken for granted, and can touch every one of us in different ways. In my dad’s case, sometimes I wonder if his works…my schnoz is ultra hyper which is a good thing most of the time unless you are on a sweaty NYC subway in the heat of July. Reading about Laura’s (on her site’s bio) and as she says, “Smell has been the driving force for many decisions in my life…I want to smell everything.” Smelling everything hits home with me & I’m sure does too with all y’all wine lovers out there.

As I read more about Laura’s personal wine world, I feel like I did her a disservice by doing exactly what she didn’t wish. “Just like my life, I wish for my wines to be distilled into a poetic form, and not to have their entrails spread apart on a surgical table. There is pain and suffering, there is joy, chaos, recklessness at times, but more than anything, a quiet optimism that every day of our time here is yet another chance to experience something beautiful.” Sorry, if I pulled out a scalpel and diced Kitsune into singular scent & flavor notes, because this bottle is a performance of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch (strength, beauty, grace, wonder) & an encapsulation of a time in your life that I’m so happy to have now experienced.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Napa #california #Kitsune #Inconnu #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @inconnuwine

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A Grape Spa Treatment

Azienda Agricola Pasquale Petrera
Fatalone
Bianco Spinomarino
Greco 2022
100% Greco
Puglia I.G.T.
Gioia delle Colle, Spinomarino, Puglia, Italy
Organic, dry farming, sustainable, green manure, and zero emission
Winemaker: Pasquale Petrera

Shining yellow straw. Delightful scents of creamy lemon curd, honeydew, irises, lillies with some roses thrown in, pears, pinch of baking spices, over ripe cucumbers, and a salty breeze. Sipping crisp pears, crab apples, white peaches, and a bouquet of lilacs, roses, irises & honeysuckle. There’s also a shake of salt, lick of granite, and over time a sprig of thyme. 

Pairs with Cheez-Its: a full on NOPE

Fatalone has been around since the 1800s but didn’t starts bottling till 1987. In the old days, it was bring your own bottle and fill’er up. Spinomarino is their only white wine, and those vines were not planted till 1990. Such a beautiful exotic heady and very unique wine. Kind of fits their name Fatalone. Filippo Petrera (2nd generation of this family) had the nickname of Il Fatalone which pretty much translates to “Lady Killer” or seducer. Kind of perfect for a romantic Valentine’s Day gift which will be here before you know it, so get to ordering! Back to the winemaking team who are an essential part nurturing this bottle of love. They go above and beyond in making sure the grapes have the utmost care throughout the whole process. They even went as far as soundproofing the cellar and piping in classical music and nature sounds. Now that’s quite a spa treatment. ❤️🌹

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #winetrain #puglia #italy #organic #Spinomarino #bonvivantimports #docwinebar #docwineshop #Fatalone ##Fatalonewines @bonvivantimports @docwineshop @docwinebar @FataloneWines

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Allô, Wine Calling

Domaine Les Foulards Rouges
Octobre 2023
VDF
Syrah, Grenache
Organic, indigenous yeast, hand harvested, unfined & unfiltered
Montesquieu-les-Albères, Rousillion, France
Jean-François Nicq

Shining garnet stained glass. Breathing in a big bowl of mixed fruit like raspberry, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, smidge of figs, plums, and next up are irises, white pepper, a tiny puff of smoke/earth & tomato leaf. Taking a sip and wow! All of the aforementioned is there including tomato leaves, now joined with green tomato (fresh not fried) & tart young cherry tangy, a little sizzle on the back, and it’s light, bright, fresh and obviously young in a good way.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: more flowers emerge

When I first saw this label, my brain went straight to Pet Shop Boy’s “My October Symphony”, but it actually refers to the month it’s released each year. The Domaine’s name was a what I should have been paying more attention to…Jean-François Nicq and Bijan Mohamadi (childhood friends) originally bought the vineyard property back in 2001, and decided to dub it with the name of the Prix Maison de la Presse winning historical/thriller/adventure novel “Les Foulards Rouges” (The Red Scarves) by one of their favorite authors, Fréderic Fajardie (also known for his political leanings, works of noir, and screenplays). Let’s just say learning about him took me down a rabbit hole this past weekend. Then I stumbled into another one or should I say a whole prairie dog burrow, when I found out about the documentary “Wine Calling” that includes Les Foulards Rouges along with other like minded natural winemakers. Check it out, there’s a Bourdain soundtrack vibe, it’s free on Tubi, and also it’s “Un film produit sans sulfites.”

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #organic #naturalwine #winecalling #France #worldbyglass #winecalling #lesfoulardsrouges #docwinebar #docwineshop #LesFoulardsRouges @zevrovineselections @docwineshop @docwinebarny

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Drink Life Slowly

Esporão
Monte Velho Tinto 2021
Vinho Regional Alentejano
Aragonez 40%, Trincadeira 35%, Touriga Nacional 20%, Syrah 5%
Alentejo, Portugal
Winemkaers: Sandra Alves & João Ramos

Deep goth dark ruby with a light ruby rim. There’s scents of cola, prunes, dark plums & cherries, mission figs, raspberries, over time blueberries wave hello, a pinch of earth & iron. Sipping raisins, prunes, dark plums, tart & dark cherries, dried mission figs, also some rustic tangy young cherry, and a welcome burn that fades and smoothes.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: everything goes more rich and smooth so YES

When I took my first few sips, my hands just took over and typed, “I want to be on vacation”. Well, Esporão wants that for us too, or actually more than just a quick break but to learn to move forward slowly, to breath deeply, to care for our environment, enjoy silence, and live in the moment. Here’s their manifesto and it’s definitely worth a read.

The world moves at a faster pace than ever.
But to many of us, it looks like we’re going nowhere fast.
Fast is surrendering our privacy for instant access to memes.
Fast is downing a double espresso while rushing to work.
Fast has us watching five seasons of a show on Netflix in one gulp.
Fast has made the week speed by because we were too busy
to stop and look around.
Fast isn’t forward.

We’re from the slow country.
We have a different pace of life.
And it makes life look pretty good.
Slow is smart. Slow is a skill. Slow is progress.
So if you’re in a hurry, drink wine slowly.
Drink life slowly.

There are many ways to move forward. This is ours.
Esporão.
Slow Forward.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #winetime #naturalwine #portugal #Alentejano #Alentejo #slowforward #thisisEsporão #Esporão #Esporao #vinewine #vinewinenyc @esporaoworld @vinewinenyc