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Recipe of Love

Rootdown Wine Cellars
Es Okay
2019 Red Wine
Touriga National, Tinta Cao, Tinta Ruiz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Francisca
Grapes sourced: Mendocino County
Geyserville, Sonoma County, CA
Winemaker: Mike Lucia

Deep ruby rimmed purple that I can’t see through. From the get go I’m smelling buttery vanilla, a smidge of oak, dark plums and prunes, dried and fresh cherries, raisins, and black pepper. Reminds me of good old fashioned SC fruitcake…not the alcohol soaked British crap most know. Sipping and it’s juicy and fresh. There’s dried plums, dried cherries and fresh, golden and dark raisins, blackberry, a little dried pineapple and a pinch of black pepper. Seriously it reminds me of my mom’s fruitcake and that is such a happy, heart-warming memory that I’m going to share with you.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: absolute YUM

Mom’s Fruitcake
1 cup of butter
1 1/4 cup of brown sugar (firmly packed)
3 eggs
4 cups of flour (2 self rising , 2 plain)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup of raisins (mix of gold and dark)
3/4 cup of mixed dried fruit (chopped well: green and red cherries and pineapple)
1/2 cup of applesauce
1 cup of pecans (best if from my granny’s trees)

Cream the butter and sugar and add 1 egg at a time and beat well. Add raisins, dried fruit, and pecans. Then add the flour and applesauce & mix well. Grease and flour baking pan. Pour the mix in and bake on 270 for 3 hours. In the end it’s a recipe of love.

#wine #winelover #redwine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit @worldbyglass #TourigaNational #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #Mendocino #Sonoma #CA #california @rootdownwines @esokaywines @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Best Present Ever!

Domaine de la Charbonnière
Côtes du Rhône AOP 2019
Grenache, Syrah
organic, sustainable, hand harvested and sorted twice
Rhône Valley, France
Family run winery
Winemaker: Veronique Maret

Shining ruby star. Give the glass a little personal time out and then scents of earth climb out along with cherries, blackberries, a bit of strawberries, black pepper, and a pinch of dried sage. First sip and it’s cherries and pits, then poof a big ol’ mix of berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries with caps & boysenberries), pepper (black & white), fresh farm grown red apple skin bite, prunes, and a little smoke exhale. This may be a medium but it’s as comforting as a plush robe. Fall has fully kicked in and it’s time to start snuggling up. Anyone want to join me?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smoooooth

Back in 1912, Eugene Maret bought what I think is one of the best presents ever for his wife which is this Domaine. How do you even put a bow on something like this! Sure beats out a Lexus (I’m sure you’ve seen their “December to Remember” ads) and so much better to pass down through the generations. Veronique and Caroline (4th generation) are managing the winery, and Veronique after working with her father, took over as winemaker in 2012. She also breathed in new life by initiating going organic and it sure looks like the critics approve.

#wine #winelover #whitewine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Grenache #Syrah #Rhône #Rhone #RhoneValley #France #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #DomainedelaCharbonniere @baronfrancois.ws @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Stumbling Upon a Rare Find

Bodega Viña Ijalba
Tempranillo Blanco 2020
Rioja DOC
1st ecological certified winery in Rioja, native yeasts, native grape
Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Founder: Dionisio Ruiz Ijalba and his winemaking family

Shimmering yellow with green hints. Scents of coconut sunshine and reminds me a little bit of a piña colada (oh no now that song is stuck in my head), wisteria, orange blossoms, pineapple, bananas, lemon/lime, and Valencia oranges. Sipping lemons, limes, pineapple, and as it rolls around a smidge of honeysuckle nectar with slate and a shake of salt. It’s crisp, and a tropical vacation in a bottle.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yeah baby this is a good one

Tempranillo Blanco is one youngster of a mutant. I guess you could say it was born on 1988, or at least discovered in a vineyard in Murillo de Río Leza. Seriously what an amazing thing to be checking out your vineyard and in a sea of bluish-purple you stumble upon a bunch of yellowish golden beauties. Viña Ijalba was the lucky winery that were first to introduce this as a single varietal (along with Maturana Blanco, Graciano and Maturana Tinta). They worked with the Rioja government and university research to revitalize these native grapes. Also their vineyards were built on old rocky and poor soil so the vines have to go deep for water which may cause low yields but better. Quality is more important than quantity to this family, which makes me love them even more.

#wine #winelover  #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #RupertHolmes #pinacolada #winetasting #winestagram #TempranilloBlanco #Rioja #Spain @baronfrancois.ws @docwineshop @docwinebar @vinaijalba @cheezit