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How To Love Your Job

Domaine François Chidane
Brut Tradition 2019
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC
Chenin Blanc
Organic, biodynamic, regenerative agriculture
Montlouis-sur-Loire, Loire, France
Owners and winemakers: François and Manuela Chidaine

Had to wrestle for over 7 minutes to hear that pop! Then poured a glass of warm golden with light bubbles that fade and disappear. Sniffing and there’s apples, pears, guava, and it reminds me of a touch of calvados. Ginger also gently flies out over time with brioche. Sip and there’s pears, a zipping zingy crisp apple, lime, again there’s that ginger (not Mary Ann 🏝), on the back and when you exhale there’s a maltiness like the yeast you sprinkle on popcorn in a pub, and slate, salt, a tad of parsley which all ends in a touch of creamy deliciousness.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings all the lovely bits out so grab a 2nd bag

I think we can sufficiently say, François loves his job. “I am doing a marvelous profession that I have chosen. No one forced it on me. It’s my life! I didn’t want to do anything else…” How many of us wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and can say the same! Imagine getting to wake up to this view and work in harmony with nature all day. Also explains this quote, “I consider the vine as a human being. We must not imprison her and always be respectful towards her.” He’s even branched out to Murcia, Spain with 2 wines (Bullas DO), which greatly intrigues me, but makes sense…his wife Manuela’s family is from there. Now I’m going to have to make this a new mission to track down these bottles, because if they are anywhere as good as this Brut, they are bound to be fab!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #CheninBlanc #Brut #Loire #France #Murcia #Spain #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #domainefrancoischidaine @polanerselections @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Certifiably Bat Approved

Domaine de Petit Roubié
Picpoul de Pinet Château 2020
Picpoul de Pinet AOP
100% Piquepoul
Organic (ECOCERT certification)
Occitania, Languedoc, France
Wine family: Floriane and Olivier Azan

Bright golden with green shimmers. A citrusy blend of lemon and zest pop up toward my nose along with lime & light tangerine, a salty sea breeze, and wet granite. Tasting lemon curd, lemons & zest (makes me think of that Expedia/Ewan McGregor commercial), lime, mandarin oranges, tangelo, pineapple, and a tasty rim of salt. It’s bright and free and sings!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: pretty good

Domaine de Petit Roubié got in way early going organic and ECOCERT certified, which is cool but what’s even better is they are a part of “SOS Chauve-souris” who raise awareness for bats and promote their protection. Petit Roubié has created little homes (nesting boxes) for our fuzzy flying friends, and they pay their rent by swooping in and munching on the insects/pests of the vineyard. I’m betting they would give this Batbnb 5 stars. The Azan’s also have welcomed another dear to my heart to live in the vines…beautiful beneficial bees! Ain’t biodiversity grand! ❤️🦇🐝

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #Picpoul  #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #bats #bees #Languedoc #France @misaimports @vinewinenyc @domainesdepetitroubie @cheezit

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Do You Believe In Magic?

Domaine de Thalie
Plutonic 2020
Saône-et-Loire IGP
Gamay 50%, Syrah 50%
Organic, biodynamic, sustainable, hand harvested
Bray, Saône-et-Loire, France
Winemaker: Peter Gierszewski

Ruby stained glass with purple glints and rim. Breathing in cherries, plums, a woodsy forest filled earthiness, and a slight bit of cherry blossoms/lilacs waft  out later and flow back and forth. The more it breathes the better it gets. Very happily tasting juicy cherry, cherry jolly ranchers, & also tart cherry zing, strawberries, blackberries, plums (tart & mellow blend), and a tiny grind of black pepper with a pinch of coriander (or wait is it ajwain? Nope it’s coriander). Refreshing and a good summer red that still has a backbone and can stand up to whatever you throw at it, so give me a burger or a fried chicken sandwich or queso fundido. This may sound crazy but how about give me all three! Restrain yourself from guzzling the whole bottle because trust me you’re going to want to do it.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: yep it goes with everything including this bag

This is the Domaine that Peter built, and boy did he pick the right place (terroirs). Of course, he didn’t go into this without a wine education and the garage wine route. This man knows his stuff and knows how to listen to nature, follow its lead, snd have patience. It’s like he has a hand in a bit of moonlight magic too. Hard to explain until you experience his wine…then you’ll know exactly what I mean, and your senses will be enchanted. ✨

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #syrah #gamay #Plutonic #saoneetloire #France #kylieminogue #magic #domainedethalie @communalbrands @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Let Nature Be The Artist

Johannes Zillinger
Revolution
Ancestral Pet Nat NV
Gruner Veltliner (mostly), Riesling (15-20%)
Organic/Biodynamic (Demeter)
Niederösterreich, Austria
Winemaker: Johannes Zillinger

Shiny golden with tiny active white bubbles. Floating upward are scents of apples, light young firm peaches, a little something hazelnutty that turns into baguettes and a pinch of baking spice. Sipping tart apple, whiff of smoke that comes and goes, lemony spark kind of like Kas Lemon soda, yeasty goodness like the bread we’ve all been making for the past 2.5 or whatever years, good shake of salt & small bit of white pepper.It’s just vibrant, crisp, and keeps your mouth alert.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: bleh

Johannes Zillinger’s dad raised him right…the organic way (since 1983) and “viewing the vineyard as a habitat”, so when his time came to shine, Johannes took it another step further with bio certification. From the moment you pop onto their site, his ideals and passion about it are emblazoned right there on the home page and throughout the site, so I’m just going to let his words tell the tale. “Being ORGANIC is not a trend, it’s a lifestyle and we have been living it for over 35 years. Avoiding all sorts of chemistry is our philosophy. Regarding the environment, natural water, nutrition and particularly in terms of wine. A healthy soil is the key to remarkable and exciting wines. Especially if no boundaries are being set for the development of wines in our beautiful cellars.” And he also let’s nature be the artist which I love that sentiment, “The most beautiful pictures are painted by nature; with minimalistic wine making in the cellar we frame those artworks.” BTW does anyone know who creates his gorgeous labels? Each one is has a circular view of a natural moment with a white line work butterfly floating in on a black label except this “Revolution” Pet Nat. Hey, you know me, I’m always curious in artists in all forms. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #petnat #sparklingwine #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #biodynamic #artist #Niederösterreich #Austria @blisswineimports @vinewinenyc @johannes.zillinger @cheezit

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Flying On A Flirty Red Breeze

Sentiviño Wines (side project involving Cume do Avia and Galgo Wines [Ezequiel Sanchez-Mateos])
La Brisa Tinto (Castes Tintas) 2019
Mencia 40%, Garnacha Tintorera 40%, and the remaining 20% is made of Brancellao, Sousón and Caíño
Biodynamic, organic, hand harvested, unfined, unfiltered & vegan friendly
Galicia, Ribeiro, Spain
Winemakers: Diego y Álvaro Diéguez

Deep ruby with maroon highlights. Before I forget to mention, give this one a little chill, but not too much…kind of like the Goldilocks spot. Pull that cork and like a genie emerging from the bottle scent of a little bit of Walker’s Shortbread that goes all peppery (and that includes black pepper and fresh bell pepper), cherries, raspberries, and some forest vegetation and earth. Oooooh this is good! Sipping cherries, raspberries, blackberry from the roadside eaten in the sun with juices dripping down my chin. There’s also pomegranate, tart plums, pepper, and some earthy smoke. It’s just freaking fun and I want some good BBQ with it. Pull me some pork!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just enhances it all

Ezequiel Sanchez-Mateos is at it again with another beautiful project and this time teaming up with Diego y Álvaro Diéguez (1 of the 2 pairs of brothers of Cume do Avia). As I’ve said before, I truly think Sanchez-Mateos has the best job in the world, getting to travel, work with cool people, and live wine life to the fullest. This time these vines live in fragmented vineyards/individual plots with varying treasures to be found (Sabrego, schist, shale, quartz, etc). When you think about it, it’s like these artists are being given an amazing palette to blend and blur and drip and in the end create their liquid form of art and it’s beauty all flies in on this flirty red breeze. 🍷💋

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Spain #Ribeiro #Galicia #redwine #cumedoavia #galgowines #SentiviñoWines @steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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The Language Of Flowers

Sonshine Vins
Blanksia 2019
100% Colombard
Biodynamic, indigenous yeast
Jujurieux, France
Winemaker: Lisanne van Son

Spun gold. Breathing in and it starts out soft or should I say creamy with mellow peach, pear & apple, a tiny tangerine whiff, pluots, and salt. Sip and it elegantly glides in with nectarine, pear & apple, also those pluots again & green plums, a lime/citrus stabilizing spark, and lick of slate. It’s just fresh, delicious, and full of life.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: vibrant joy

Blanksia’s name is taken from Australia’s Banksia flower(s). I had always wondered what these exotic looking beauties were. Turns out they symbolize rebirth and new beginnings which could represent each part of Lisanne’s wine globe hopping tale. Originally from the Netherlands (somm life started there), then on to the stops in the UK & Belgium, next up is France where she set her sights on making her own wine in a troglodyte cave with grapes from reputable organic/biodynamic grapes which she was part of the hand harvesting. She doesn’t stop there either, bc there’s also Australia and another project with other natural wine friends in the Adelaide Hills. I can’t wait to see where or what she has coming up next!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Colombard #France #tessbryantwine @tessbryant.wine  @vinewinenyc @sonshinevins @cheezit

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When Life Brings You Grapes

Commune of Buttons
Gloria 2019
100% Pinot Noir
Organic, biodynamic, indigenous yeast
Basket Range, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Winemakers, owners & farmers: Sophie & Jasper Buttons (sister & brother)

Shining ruby with purple splashes. Ooh what’s that waving at my nose…strawberries, cherries, some forest floor with a dash of cardamon, and then back to blossoms. Tasting strawberries ( both ripe and green), cherries…and oddly a little of a cherry starburst (over time), lemon (fruit & zest), a splash of mandarin orange, red currants, and a pinch of white pepper. Just remember give it a little breathing room…don’t crowd it…a little extra space and time is a good thing.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: yummy

Jasper and Sophie came back not to get into winemaking but to revitalize their parents’ farm. Well..sometimes life just throws you a new route. You know how the saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, and in their case it brought them grapes and influence & knowledge from natural winemaker Anton van Klopper, so then hey, make organic/biodynamic wine! Not only did they make wine but Jasper was voted in as the 2016 Best New Act at the Young Gun of Wine Awards. Guess they were really fast learners and got into the rhythm of the vines to the cellar. Also in 2016, they branched out past the farm to become a partner in the restaurant/wine bar and communal conversation place, “The Summertown Aristologist” which added on their “Cellar Door” in 2020, where you can do a wine tasting and if you like, take some home. Sounds like they are keeping quite busy in a beautiful way of life. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #PinotNoir #SouthAustralia #Australia #adelaidehills #communeofbuttons #thesummertownaristologist @tessbryant.wine @vinewinenyc @commune_of_buttons @cheezit

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Naturally Engineered

Maysara
Cyrus
Pinot Noir 2014
McMinnville AVA
Biodynamic, native yeasts
McMinnville, Oregon
Owners: Moe & Flora Momtazi and their 3 daughters: Tahmiene (winemaker), Naseem (sales manager), Hanna (events & hospitality)

Ruby stained glass beauty. Breezing in are fresh & dried cherries, puff of smoke, plums, prunes, very ripe strawberries, roses, and dried marjoram. Tip and tasting cherry, a tobacco tingle, prunes, singed orange zest, raspberry, rhubarb, a pinch of earth, and a good berry darkness. Alive, bright and smooth all at the same time and stays that way over several days.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmm silky

“Pure, female-made biodynamic wines: grown with intention, crafted in harmony with the land we farm.” Reading a statement like that always piques my curiosity, so I wondered about how did the parents of these brilliant young women start this wine dream, and it was more than I expected. Moe was originally from Iran, but had come to the U.S. for an engineering degree, and after finishing he returned home with his wife Flora in 1978. I was a kid back then and remember my parents having the news on at dinner and hearing about unrest and upheaval and then the “Iran hostage crisis” so I can’t imagine how their family felt when they knew it was time to leave. Luckily they did get political asylum in the U.S. and in 1997, they bought their farm because it turns out Moe did have more than just an engineering background…his dad and grandfather both used to make wine. From the start they were dedicated to biodynamic, so as for the pesky weeds…no problem just plough and turn the earth over and over and let it rejuvenate. Also instead of chemicals they use natural tea concoctions. As they say”90% of the winemaking is in the vineyard”, and it’s so gloriously natural with such a delicious outcome!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #PinotNoir #Oregon @vinewinenyc @maysarawinery @cheezit

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Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Lesehof Stagård
Goldberg 2016
100% Riesling
Kremstal DAC
Organic
Krems/Stein a. Danube, Austria
Winemakers: Urban and Dominique Stagård

Warm golden glass. Floating in are apples & pears and their blossoms too, along with butterfly lilacs, and a little chilled pie (like what is so scrumptious for breakfast. Hey, you grow up in an orchard and fruit’s in every B. L. & D.), and a pinch of salt. Sip and again apples, pears, a little honeysuckle nectar but not really that much, a tiny lime spritz, salt, cardamon, lick of granite, and a smoky exhale.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: bright crisp snap

What a piece of history, the cellar has been around for close to 1,000 years, but the family roots came on board in 1786, as Lesehof Tegernseer. Fast forward to the early 1980s and there’s a name change to Lesehof Stagård after Kenneth Stagård married into the family. Now it’s Urban and Dominique and they took everything to the next level by going organic and biodynamic, and their own words some up everything best: “Unlike the generations before us, we wanted to make wines that not only quench thirst, but should also tell about us, our ideas, our vines and vineyards. We immediately switched to organic farming and defined goals that had to be achieved in slow steps. We wanted to make bold, exciting and authentic wines, wines for which evolution and tradition should be two sides of the same coin, wines that should be fun and others that should challenge. And we wanted Riesling.” Also, I think they have brought a lot of joy to this generation. Just check out their 2020 end of harvest dance https://www.instagram.com/p/CGstlgAHTzW/

❤️

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Riesling #Kremstal #Austria #organic @schatziwines @vinewinenyc @lesehofstagard.wines @cheezit

 

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Biodynamic Cool

Mas Théo
‘L’imprévu’ 2016
VDF
Syrah (mostly), Grenache & Mourvèdre
Organic & biodynamic
Drôme Provençale , Rhône, France
Winemaker & farmer: Laurent Clapier

Ruby rimmed purple (and later so is my tongue). Breathing in deep and tart cherries, plums, strawberry preserves, and a tiny whiff of what I remember as a kid…the outside of a licorice jelly bean which then fades into herbal mix of juniper, fennel and good funk. Tarty tang and dark cherries again just dancing on my tongue, and in a little bit they’re joined by dried brown Turkish figs, forest floor earthiness with a twinge of pepper and juniper that opens into blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Everything melds together like a beautifully woven tapestry.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: perfect

The vineyards are only one part of Laurent’s organic/biodynamic big picture. Mas Théo has 5 different terroirs over 173 acres which give him an opportunity to diversify. They also have lavender, olives, truffle oaks, and hay which is very important because Laurent uses it as a trade with cattle farmers. Oh it’s not for beef to put on the table, but for manure to go back into nourishing the land. He also acquired the Caves Cathédrales to house his winery…a very smart move since the average temp year round is 57F. One more cool thing about the Caves (and Laurent) is that there is plenty of space, in fact enough to share, such as in space for others to age their bottles and room for new/young winemakers to create their own wines. Now that’s very, very cool in so many ways.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #vinnaturel #vinbio #winestagram #instawine @worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #organic #Syrah #Grenache #Mourvèdre #Rhône #rhone #france @tedward_ws @vin_mastheo @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit