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“Devilish Pants”

Birgit Wiederstein
Perlenspiel 2020
Brut Nature
Grüner Veltliner
Zero dosage, organic, biodynamic principles
Göttlesbrunn, Austria
Owner & winemaker: Birgit Wiederstein

Light gold with VERY active bubbles. Breathing in pears & golden delicious apples with I think a little honeydew & a citrus spark along with a bit of brioche. This is so tongue tingling! There’s a good blend of the scents with more lemon/lime/mandarin citrus sparkiness, crabapples, a little slate lick, and a chew of the wild growing sour grass from my childhood home, This is one bottle of happy fizz that leaves your lips vibrating and wanting more. Actually maybe if I’m lucky Santa will manage to fit one in my stocking this year.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: honestly it’s better solo

Birgit Eichinger, calls herself a “winemaking companion” in partnership with the vines, soil, the organisms living within, weather, and “Mother Nature”; and her ability to feel and sense this rhythm truly works magic. It’s like a gifted musician feeling the score as she plays what comes naturally to her. She’s very hands and feet on in all aspects from the cultivation, harvest, pressing, and one part I love is the cellar that she keeps tidy & clean. As she says on her site, “I like the peace and quiet in the cellar. Since I’m a one-woman winemaker here, I can devote all my senses to the winemaking process during the harvest: smelling, tasting, analyzing, listening, assessing, observing, and making decisions.” Her (and her mom Grete the distiller) site is pretty awesome and unique. You can find out that Brigit wears a size 42 shoe, as a child she loved “being allowed to eat spaghetti bolognese with your fingers”, and one of her favorite words is “Umteufelhosen” or in English “devilish pants”. This has my brain running now…what sort of devil pants and which wine pairs well with them? 😈🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #sparklingwine #bubbly #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #austria #weygandtwines #wiederstein_at #vinewinenyc

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Naturally Magical

Casa Balaguer
Tragolargo 2021
100% Monastrell
Organic (CAECV certified), biodynamic, self-regenerating ecosystem, hand harvested
Villena, Alicante, Spain
Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera

Deep dark cherry with magenta blips. Breathing in cherries ripe & dried, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, smidge of black pepper, and something I thought was lavender that turns into eucalyptus but not overly forward. All of the scents but so much more fresh strawberry & raspberry, cranberry, lick of a mineral rock, and in the back there’s a Cerignola olive hint that balances all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I’m on the fence

Casa Balaguer is Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera’s small family winery, and boy is it all natural (my 3rd 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. One more special thing to add is they are part of an international community/movement that is pretty special and you truly have to prove you deserve membership. La Renaissance des Appellations (founded by Nicolas Joly) & it’s a “collective that champions wines with soul, honesty, and deeply connected to their origin”, and Balaguer is 1 of 11 from Spain. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #redwine #cheezit #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Alicante #Spain #selectionsdelavina  #casabalaguer #vinewinenyc

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The Rhythm Of Nature

Vinyes Tortuga
Fruita Analogica
Comfortably Numb 2023
Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Roja, Garnacha Blanca
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested
Rabós, Alt-Empordà, Cataluña, Spain
Dido Voorma & Jurriaan Morsink

Raspberry/cranberry cocktail minus the umbrella. Sniff this chilled pour and over time it’s a swirl of raspberry, a little wild hay/funk that will fade, pomegranate, cherry, a citrus tingle with a plummy depth, white pepper, and a small poof of smoke. First sip and the funk has left the room. There’s also cherries & cherry Jolly Ranchers, pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry, tart plum, even a little gooseberry with a little citrus sizzle on the lips followed by white pepper. Such a fun, crunchy, easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yeah man

Dido & Jurriaan (originally hailing from Amsterdam) had been all over learning about & making wine until they found their little space in the world in Empordà near Rabós. Those 9.5 ha were their dream vines and instead of waiting any longer they crowdfunded the purchase of the plot. Now they are working natural or as they say, “we farm with the rhythm of nature, transforming grapes into living, breathing wines that pulse with energy”. They want their bottles to tell a tale of where they’re from, a touch of history, and to spark conversations…and part of that whole picture is also their love of all sorts of music which feeds their wines names. There’s “Hunky Dory”, “Juicy”, “Cloudbusting”, “Little Fluffy Clouds”, etc., and the one I brought home, “Comfortably Numb”. Now, I want to know the secret behind this particular lyrical pairing; so if by chance Dido & Jurriaan happen upon this post…please do tell.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Garnacha #Spain #selectionsdelavina #vinyestortuga #vinewinenyc

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A Chill Love Note

El Mas de l’A
Tot-Ú 2020
Blend of Garnacha Peluda, Garnacha Gris, Garnacha Blanca, Garnacha Tinta, Trepat, Cariñena
Organic, bio
Priorat, Spain
Alfredo Arribas

Cheery stained glass cherry. Sniff once…twice…three times a…wait I just got stuck in a song. Back to the glass, there’s scents of raspberries, cherries, pomegranate, young strawberries, and a little dragged through the forest floor with a dried pine needle. Sipping and this is so lovely and lives up to all I’ve been told. I could drink this blend all day.

There’s again those raspberries, cherries, pomegranate, sweet & tart strawberries, and hanging out in the back and shyly waving a blueberry or two. Pinch of earth lingers but the funk has left the building and again this is awesome. Chill it a little, chill it a lot (my fave)…either way you will have some very happy tastebuds.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: absolutely not

Every time I find a “new to me” wine, it’s not just a tasting experience but a chance to learn about the person behind the bottle. It’s even more of a delight going in blind and discovering it’s by a winemaker I already ❤️ but just under a different monicker. First encounter with Arribas’ was in Barcelona (at La Vinya del Senyor) with a glass of his Somni and over the years others have happily dropped in my lap (bottles not glasses bc that would be quite a mess). His wines are truly fabulous but that’s just scratching the surface of this creative fount…he’s also an internationally acclaimed (award winning) architect & interior designer, who also has a recurring thread of sustainability across his ventures. Alfredo’s “El Mas de l’A” project lets Garnacha varieties (red & white) mingle, shine and reflect his personal spot of Priorat, and (to me) this Tot-Ú is like writing a love note not only to these grapes but also to everyone that gets a chance to share in this experience. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Garnacha #Spain #josepastorselections #portaldelpriorat #alfredoarribas #vinewinenyc

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Hanging Onto The Last Strands Of Summer

Domaine de l’Abbaye
Grand Beylesse
Rosé 2023
Syrah, Cinsault, & Grenache
Côtes De Provence AOP
HVE3, hand harvested at night
Chinon, France
Owner: Franc Petit

Pale pinky salmon that deepens over time. Breathing in strawberries, raspberries, a bit of cantaloupe, honeydew & a mix of other melons, cool free flowing river rock mineral, touch of grapefruit but not overly funky, and a smidge of lemon crispiness. Completely all of the scents in the sip along with a light bit of cranberry, a little pomegranate, pinch of salt, & it’s a fresh smile, wink and smooch in a bottle.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: pretty good

At first I wondered why this bottle was blue. Turns out Mr. Petit takes great pride in this rosé, and cares about extending the freshness as long possible and hence is why he chose this UV protectant cobalt blue bottle. Each glass reminds me of a feeling I’ve been having…the pleasure of hanging onto the last strands of summer, and stretching that warm glow for as long as possible. Maybe I need to squirrel a few more away to brighten the cooler days of fall and winter ahead. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #Rosé #Rose #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #France #wineemporium  #domaineabbaye #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Patience Is A Virtue

Roxanich
Mara 4/6 2011
100% Borgonja Istriana
Organic & biodynamic, long aged
Motovun, Istria, Croatia
Mladen Rožanić & family

Dark rose-orange amber. At first right after opening there’s a scent of toasted rice bit that turns to baguette, a blend of red plums & young cherry, rasp/blackberry, red currants, and a cranberry pomegranate cocktail along with a mineral bit of a fresh rained on rock. Everything I’m sniffing are there but the toast dissipates and evolves into watermelon rind, squeeze of lemon/lime & balsamic, dark rose cotton candy (I don’t know how else to describe it), and on the back end a smidge of caperberry…but not overly. It just balances all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NOPE! DO NOT RUIN THIS EXPERIENCE

Roxanich produces three different collections of wine: Philosophy (aged Istrian reds), First Roses (entry level wines), and lastly the Sorelle line (6 wines dedicated to Mladen’s 6 daughters) which is their “natural, orange, long macerated whites and reds”. Honestly I’ve ever had a wine like this Mara 4/6…a rosé this aged and complex yet still fresh and so full of life took me by surprise. The magic ingredient to this bottle is time or as Mladen says on their site, “Patience is a fantastic cellar technique…Because wines need time to find each other.” In this fast paced, rushed, insane world; it’s such a delight to take a moment to savor, to rest, and to reflect. I say slow down, enjoy the wait, anticipate what is to come, and of course take time to linger & smell the rosés.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #worldbyglass #croatia #livingwine #Roxanich #vinewinenyc

 

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Don’t Miss Out On The Summer Breeze

Galgo Wines
La Brisa Blanco 2023
Field blend of 85% Treixadura, and 15% Godello, Albariño & Loureira
Biodynamic & organic
Galicia, Ribeiro, Spain
Project between Ezequiel Sanchez-Mateos & consultancy of Sentiviño Wines (Diego y Álvaro Diéguez)

Sunshine shining yellow. Breathing in pears, green apples, something a tad nutty/woodsy, yellow nectarines, over time grapefruit grows but not at all overpowering, and a small mix of celery & wild fennel. All of the sniffs are in the taste with a good splash more of grapefruit & a pinch of salt, the pears/apples are fresh yet luscious at the same time, and a small bitter bite like a citrus seed with a squeeze of oranges. It’s mouth awakening and so begging to be dropped into your cooler for a day at the beach. I love this wine so much!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Yes please bring the whole box & also grab the Bugles

As I’ve said before, I truly think Sanchez-Mateos has the best job in the world. Galgo Wines gives him the chance to meet with interesting people from small producers, other distributors, local (and not so local) enthusiasts, writers, etc (who doesn’t love conversation with kindred spirits), and utilize his financial background education into the mix. Oh and he also gets to travel far and near all while living his wine life to the fullest. He and his cohorts in vine (Sentiviño Wines) also care about what goes into the ground, the plants, and in us. They don’t use any pest or herbicide in their 20 year old vineyards (Avia Valley) and are keeping the whole process as natural as possible or as they say “least intrusive”, and these bottles are vegan friendly. BTW if you find one scoop it up ASAP to add to your drink list because you don’t want to miss out on this cool & refreshing Spanish summer breeze.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #winelover #winetasting #Spain #Ribeiro #Galicia #steephillwine #SentivinoWines #galgowines #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Sip Till The Stars Come Out

François Montand
Brut Blanc de Blancs NV
Colombard, Ugni Blanc, and Chardonnay
Méthode Traditionnelle
Vineyards in Gascony & west facing slopes Jura Mountains
Crançot, France

Golden yellow with tiny active bubbles. Inhale and there’s a gentle citrus blend of Valencia oranges, lemon/lime, grapefruit, smidge of lemongrass, light green pear, a clean crispness like a really good sparkling mineral water, and over time a toasty bit appears. Sipping away and all of the scents are right there with a crisp dry vibe, a lick of garden fresh ripe bell pepper, and the lime is a bit more tart & fresh. It’s an easier drinker celebrator.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: perfect pairing

François Montand’s wines are not just a delicious bubbly kiss. They’re also happily easy on the wallet. Another fun perk on their site is a list of recipes, and I think I’ve found a new favorite take on a margarita in their “Méthode Margarita”. So follow along and raise a glass with me…

Ingredients
2c Orange Juice
1/2c Tequila
1/4c Lime Juice
François Montand Brut

How To Make The Magic Happen
Combine orange juice, tequila, and lime juice in pitcher. Rim margarita glasses with lime and dip in salt. Fill glasses with orange juice mixture. Top with François Montand Brut. Garnish with oranges and limes.

The final ingredient I would add is to kick back by the pool and slowly sip till the twinkling stars come out. ✨Cheers to the long weekend! 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #bubbly #brut #France #winebow #FrancoisMontand #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Time To Belly Up To The Bar

Cantine Madaudo
Barone di Bernaj
100% Nero d’Avola
Sicilia DOC
Villafranca Tirrena, Sicily, Italy
Winemaking family: Rosario Madaudo (son), Alfio (dad), Andrea (uncle), Giuseppe (younger brother), and more

Deep dark cranberry purple. Breathing in plums, dark cherries, deep raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, fresh pine, and an alpine herbal minty blend. Tasting those plums & cherries again, boysenberry along with a blend of raspblueblackberry, and a twist of citrus zest (in particular mandarin orange).

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Juicy goodness

Back in 1945, Rosario’s great grandfather started this venture with only a small farm and now it’s expanded into a full blown family affair of around 60 ha and several different collections that will take you, “Traveling through our Sicily through a glass”. While I & a lot of us (during a certain time) were stuck at home, that was my way of getting out and about, but now we can visit them in person at their wine bar “Palaverve“ connected to their Agrigento winery that from what I read features their bubbly bottles. It’s also what they call Madaudo’s “Welcome Room” where visitors can get a view of their “bottling & corking phases of the sparkling wine to give the right importance to the joy of tasting”. Come to think of it…out of all the wines I’ve tried from their lot not a single one was sparkling which means I’m truly missing out since they are so celebrated. Guess I’ll just have to continue my search here for these elusive bubblies until I finally find time to travel and belly up to the bar & meet one up close and personal. 🥂🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting  #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #italy #Sicily #wineemporium #CantineMadaudo #docwineshop #docwinebar

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Dreams Do Come True

Cascina Carlòt
San Rümu 2022
Dolcetto D’Alba DOC
Sustainable, biodiverse
Coazzolo (AT) – Italy
Claudio Mo

Ruby with splashes of burgundy. Breathing in bright cherries, plums, raspberries, boysenberry, moments of violets, and a touch of earth. Sipping away and again the cherries, plums, raspberries, blackberries, hint of blueberry, and a pinch of that earth with a little bramble. It’s dry yet fresh and oh so easy to love.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I’d rather not

Even though Claudio Mo is a winemaker he prefers to go by winegrower, since he is “faithful to the – typically Piedmontese – philosophy that wine is made first of all in the vineyard and then in the cellar.” He also prefers to live in harmony with nature, to follow its rhythm, connect with all the cycles, and to live sustainably. This includes working toward a future of the farm eventually being energy self sufficient. What a beautiful gift to pass down to his family…or in other words as it greets you on his site, it is “Claudio’s dream come true”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #biodynamic #organic #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #italy #wineemporium  #cascinacarlot #docwineshop #docwinebar