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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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Ticket Booked

Finca Casa Balaguer
La Rambla del Peligres 2020
100% Garancha
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested
Villena, Alicante, Spain
Winemaker: Andrés Carull

Dark cherry with a little violet hues and blue pops. Breathing in and there’s raspberries, a light creamy moment, dark cherries & Twizzlers, tiny delicate roses & irises mixed with red plums, and some oomph earth dragged in with a pinch of white pepper, and something a little green. Rolling it around in my mouth it’s bursting with cherries, raspberries, very ripe & also green strawberries & the greenness of their caps & stem, a drop of pomegranate, blackberry,  boysenberry, violets & their leaves (day 2 a bit of hyssop appears), singed orange peel that has my lips tingling, and as it opens it is so lovely juicy and blueberries join in. Can you tell how much I LOVE this bottle?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes everything more velvet

Finca Casa Balaguer is Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera’s small family winery, and boy is it all natural (my 2nd wine by them). After a surprising encounter with a natural wine during a trip to France in 2008, they were hooked or as they say seduced by its magical power. They only work with local varieties to enhance the true feel and taste of their lands, and keep it biodynamic and organic. And their own words sum their passion beautifully, “Immerse yourself in a world, from which you have no escape. When you enter the world of natural wines, wines made with nothing but fermented grape juice, no additives and no makeup, you won’t want to escape. There is no way back. We can tell you from experience. The lasting memory of these wines is not stored in the mind, but in the heart.” They also say that wine has a way of “teleporting” you so you can “travel by glass” to visit their wonderful part of the world, which is hey, a statement as you can tell…I fully believe. Consider my ticket booked.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #redwine #cheezit #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Garancha #Alicante #Spain @casabalaguer @selectionsdelavina @cheezits @docwineshop @docwinebar

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Making Friends

Aida i Luis
“Girò” Maboi 2020
100% Girò
Alicante DO
Organic, indigenous yeast, dry farmed, hand harvested
Grapes sourced from single vineyard in Sierra de Bernia Natural Park
Xalò, Alicante, Spain
Winemakers: Aida Cisnal Roig & Luis Serra Bernabeu

Stained glass crimson-ruby. Scents pop out of plums, dried cherries, a spritz of perfume that turns into a bouquet of violets, dainty roses, magnolia depth, and after time a roll on the forest floor with some old pine needles. On the tip of my tongue there’s tangy blood orange/lemon/mandarin/lime squeeze & zest, followed by cherries, strawberries, blueberry, a little blackberry, raspberries, and on the back there’s a tingly herby thing like a smidge of eucalyptus/mint and other forest goodness “digging in the dirt” dark depth, and that bit of floral returns on the exhale.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: juicy, tart and floral mmmm

When I first met this bottle, I was greatly intrigued by the costumed fete figures on the label and of course the name. Turns out “Maboi” from what I’m finding, is actually Maori for “come and see” or/and “my friend”. Well, you’ll definitely want to come and see this wine and the beautiful elevated area from where their Girò comes and thrives. Will you make a friend? My bet is yes. Just share a glass with someone and a conversation is bound to bloom. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #Alicante #spain #organic #winetime #redwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @cheezit @aidailuis @steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar

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A Natural Seduction

Finca Casa Balaguer
Picofino
Monastrell 2019
Red Wine
100% Monastrell
Organic and biodynamic, hand harvested
Villena, Alicante, Spain
Winemaker: Andrés Carull

Deep cherry with spots of blue. Pull out the cork and immediately its creamy scents with cherry, cola, and cinnamon butter cream frosting. Channeling my inner Cookie Monster. Let it be for a bit and it’s earthy along with raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Now you’re ready to dive into that sip. There’s tart cherry tang that goes deep and later there’s that tang once again. Now here come the raspberries, some strawberry sweetness, earth, dark chocolate, and a dry woody bit like a pecan hull at the end that with each sip can turn around again to that fruit.Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Smooth and velvet

Finca Casa Balaguer is part of Andrés Carull and Marta Ribera’s small family winery Vinessens, and boy is it all natural. After a surprising encounter with a natural wine during a trip to France in 2008, they were hooked or as they say seduced by its magical power. They only work with local varieties to enhance the true feel and taste of their lands, and keep it biodynamic and organic. And they sum their passion beautifully on their site, “Immerse yourself in a world, from which you have no escape. When you enter the world of natural wines, wines made with nothing but fermented grape juice, no additives and no makeup, you won’t want to escape. There is no way back. We can tell you from experience. The lasting memory of these wines is not stored in the mind, but in the heart.” I do have a question about this wine. Can someone please tell me is the bird with the cute hat on the label a kiwi or what is it? I have a little bet running with a friend, so would love to know.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @vinessens @zevrovineselections @zev_rovine @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #redwine #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Monastrell #Villena #Alicante #Spain

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WINE MEMORIES 12.8.14

Dominio de Tares
Cepas Viejas 2011
100% Mencía
Bierzo (León) Spain

First night in Alicante and while wandering around found El Portal Taberna. Luckily we were able to sit at the bar, and (wish I could remember the sommelier’s name) we were guided through fabulous food, wine, cocktails, and conversation. This is why I love Spain so much, everyone has always been so kind, friendly, and more than happy to share with you what they love about their city. Anyway, one of the glasses I thoroughly enjoyed was Dominio de Tares’ “Cepas Viejas”. Within the label design is braille that also reads Cepas Viejas which translates to old vines. Hoping to one day in the future to again sit at this bar, relax, and imbibe. Miss you Spain!

@dominiodetares @elportalkrugambassade @bodegasdominiodetares @elportaltabernawines #wine #Spain #Mencía #Mencia #Bierzo