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Holiday Wine? Look No Further!

Grosjean Vins
Gamay 2020
Valle D’Aosta DOC
No pesticides or herbicides, organic, biodynamic, natural yeasts
Quart, Valle D’Aosta, Italy
Winemaking family

Ruby stained glass that reminds me of an old chapel window of the Virgin Mary and her sacred heart (we used to have years ago…man, I wish we had never needed to sell that piece). Smooth buttery scents in the beginning that head into warm earth & spice, orange zest, strawberries, and dried cherries. This is going to grow into a really fine sip. Tasting strawberries, a jumble of raspcranblackberries, golden raisins, Brown Turkey figs, a twinge of oranginess, a sage leaf and a grind of black pepper. It’s medium-light, and you can pair this baby with so many holiday treats and meats.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: deeper and delicious

So this now 12 hectare estate (originally 3,000 square meters) got its start all from a friend nudging Dauphin Grosjean to bottle his wine for the “II Exposition des Vins du Val d’Aoste”. Dauphin also got the early organic ball rolling around 50 years ago by banning all pesticides. Now the grandsons and a son-in-law are also following in their grandfather’s path with their Solar PV system. As they say on their site (google translated), “Perhaps our home, with its products and its riches, is really the place to start building something more beautiful and healthier.”

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #redwine #winestagram #instawine @worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Italy #ValleDAosta #italianalps #Gamay #organic #biodynamic #madrosewine @docwineshop @docwinebar @grosjean.vins @cheezit

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Roses, Satin, and Romantic Notions

Forti del Vento
AltoFhrà 2018
100% Dolcetto
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, and native yeasts
Ovada, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
Owners and winemakers: Tomaso Armento, Marco and Manuela Tacchino

Light red and somewhat plummy. Fragrances of cherries, cranberry, raspberries, a dozen roses, lilacs, and some natural forest funk that runs out the door. First sip and there’s a little exciting tingle on my tongue. Next are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and all so deliciously juicy. Also a tangy spark in the very back of my mouth. Smooth easy sipping…like relaxing back on a satin pillow.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Ack! No!

Their name alone conjure up dreams of castles, period dramas, and winds fleeting over the hills of Castelletto D’Orba (as I’ve said before, I’m a hopeless romantic). Guess that’s why I love the stories of the young taking on the mantle of the old and recreating their inherited land (from their grandparents) and winemaking skills into natural, organic, bio, and have been proudly accepted as a member of Vinnatur. They (Tomaso, Marco and Manuela) have such high standards and most importantly respect for their part of the world, and have a very important rule of their cellar, “Do not remove or add anything to the wine, so it can be the expression of the vineyard.” Sounds simple, but it takes a lot of patience, knowledge, practice, and of course the best ingredient…love.

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #organicwine #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #dolcetto #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Piemonte #Italy @fortidelvento @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

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Giving Your All, and Getting It Back

Ampeleia
Bianco di Ampeleia 2019
Toscana Bianco IGT
Trebbiano, Ansonica, and Malvasia Bianca
Biodynamic, organic
Roccatederighi, Maremma, Toscana, Italy
Original founders: Elisabetta Foradori, and her friends Giovanni Podini and Thomas Widmann
Winemaker and company manager: Marco Tait
And there’s a different sort of family behind the scenes

Warm orange golden “morning is breaking” sunlight. Easy breezy scents of oranges and orange blossoms, apples, and a little toasted brioche with a pinch of ginger. Once it touches your lips, here comes orange/lemony/tangerine zest, apples and crabapples, pears, a hint of allspice and a lick of limestone. Very vibrant and alive and a joyful moment frozen in time…or should I say I wish I was frozen. Seriously this summer heat is killing me.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just makes it a little more tart, so I could go either way

It’s a field blend party where Trebbiano, Ansonica, and Malvasia Bianca get to hang out and in the vineyard together and then be co-harvested and co-fermented. It’s a new blended family, much like Ampeleia, only the grapes didn’t get to chose their new kin. Marco Tait already had his birth family before being invited to Ampeleia by Elisabetta Foradori to join a new type that he got to pick. For around the past 20 years, Marco and his now chosen wine family have all grown together and added new people, animals, farming choices, and experiences. Having Roccatederighi as home must be such a beautiful feeling. I’ll end with a quote from Marco, “I am giving my all to Ampeleia, but she is giving me back even more.”

#italianwine #organicwine #skincontact #tuscany #Italy #ampeleia #winelife #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Trebbiano #Ansonica #Malvasia #Roccatederighi #Maremma #Toscana @docwineshop @docwinebar @ampeleia @bowlerwine @cheezits

 

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You Can Be Born Again

Le Quattro Volte
Bifaro 2019
80% Malvasia, 20% Mantonico
Calabria IGP
Organic, sustainable, sheep grazed and fertilized, and a member of Vinnatur
San Marco Argentano (Cosenza), Calabria, Italy (seriously breathtaking beautiful!)
Winemaker: Daniela De Marco

Deep orange gold (60 day skin contact) that is darker at the top and flows down. Has some unfiltered goodness. Reminds me of copper plates from my printmaking days. Before we get any further, don’t over chill. You’ll lose some of the beauty, especially in the scent department…trust me because I did on one of my glasses. There’s orange blossoms, wisteria, strawberries, a little greenery of parsley or grass, also orange/tangerine/grapefruit funk, and hay. Now lets get to the sip…oranges, lemon, and then it hits with apple pear cider with that lovely tanginess. Next up is light grapefruit that makes me think IPA but not overpowering, an herb like cilantro that fades, salt and then here’s that natural hay again popping in and out. Delightful!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmm mellow and yum

Le Quattro Volte was not so long ago known as Masseria Perugini. There was a revamp of members, so a name change seems fitting. They’re now a power quartet of Daniela De Marco (winemaker), Giampiero Ventura and Emilio Di Cianni (agronomists), and the newest addition…Dario Brunori (aka Brunori Sas) whose song is now their moniker. He was inspired by the beautiful film or should I say a true work of art, “Le Quattro Volte” by Michelangelo Frammartino. Dario’s lyrics fit so well, “You can be born again, and then, be born again one more time, if you feel like it.” These four partners in wine are bringing that bit of rebirth to this beautiful, hilly, ever so natural and established piece of the world.

#LeQuattroVolte #naturalwine #winelife #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic #sustainable @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Malvasia #Mantonico #Calabria #Italy #DarioBrunori #BrunoriSas #steephillwine @lequattrovolte @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

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More Than a Certification, It’s a Way of Life

Tenute Dettori
Renosu
Triple “A” Agricoltori Artigiani Artisti
Vermentino, Moscato di Sennori
Organic, biodynamic hand harvested, and spontaneous fermentation
Sennori (SS), Romangia, Sardinia, Italy
Winemaker: Alessandro Dettori

As Spandau Ballet would say, “Gold!” Greeting my nose are flowers, spice and everything nice…ok here’s breaking it down…butterfly lilacs, pear, orange/tangerine zest, smidge of nutmeg, slate and salt. Sip away and there’s pear with sweet apple mellow, peaches, light honey, mango, lychee, nectarine, lemon, orange zest, salty dryness, and a touch of light funk in the back. Keep letting it shake the chill off and then you get a glassful of the nectar of the gods – ambrosia (not that 70s crap from family Christmas gatherings).

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just don’t do it

While absorbing all the info about Dettori (from their own words), I came across, “They are not wines that are slaves to business logic and marketing strategies.” Alessandro’s wines are full of freedom, life, and in this Renosu’s case…“Triple ‘A’”, in which the winemaker needs these three points: be a pure farmer, utilize artisanal methods, and be artistic. You have to be hands off, as natural as the day you or the grape was born, absolutely no chemicals in the vineyard and the cellar, only indigenous yeasts, and the list goes on. Essentially be true to the land, the vines, the grapes/wine, and to yourself…and respect all of it. It’s more than a certification, it’s a way of life, inside and outside the bottle.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @artisanalcellars @cheezits #winelife #pairswithcheezits #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #TenuteDettori #Vermentino #MoscatodiSennori #Sennori #Romangia #Sardinia #Italy #TripleA

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A Watermelon Moon

Sébastien David
Lisounette 2020
Vin de France
70% Cinsault & 30% Cabernet Franc
5 months aging in concrete tanks
Organic, biodynamic, wild yeasts, unfined and unfiltered
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Loire Valley, France
Winemaker: Sébastien David

Pretty, pretty salmon color. First whiff out of the gate is buttercream, quickly followed by cherry pie, watermelon, and a smidge of funk with some interesting good depth. This ain’t your mama’s rosé. Ooh this tastes so good! Here’s that watermelon again, then a squish of lemon and also orange zest, and a salted cherry Starburst…you’ve never thought about doing that? C’mon we all do it with Snickers minis. why not? Wait, am I the only one? Back to the wine…there’s also a pull off the end of a croissant with a dab of clotted cream. Delicious!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oof so tart. Just put them away

So I’ve learned a new word that I never would have thought of hearing: “Hurluberlu” which from what I’m finding is “one who looks at the stars and planets to show him how to grow” and in some cases just an “eccentric man”. Hmmmm, well evidently this is part of Sébastien’s magic. He not only looks back to the past generations (he’s 15th) for guidance and techniques but also to the future with going biodynamic and permaculture. Another part of the future or branching out is when he took his first steps toward a rosé in “Lisounette”.  Well, as you can read above, the 2020 rocks! If it’s due to following celestial bodies, then I say lets all break out our telescopes and go moon bathing!

@docwineshop @docwinebar @hurluberluseb @tedward_ws @boboselections @cheezits #vindefrance #pairswithcheezits #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram  #Cinsault #CabernetFranc #saintnicolasdebourgueil #France #SébastienDavid #Hurluberlu #Lisounette #loirevalley

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Shhh…What’s That Vine Saying?

Costador Terroirs Mediterranis
Metamorphika 2018
D.O Conca de Barberà
100% Trepat
Catalunya, Spain
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, & as always a really cool clay bottle
Winemaker: Joan Franquet

Ruby with blue/purple hues. Take a breath and there’s some forest funk, cherry, pinch of raspberry, very small bit of roses that fade, white pepper, light rabbit tobacco (yes, rabbit tobacco…I grew up in the country), and a little licorice. Raising my glass and tasting cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries mixed with one or two strawberries, earthy funk that leads to black pepper, baker’s chocolate, and a juicy twang. It’s lively as in like biting into a fresh handful of all the above fruit.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: only makes it more smooth…but I like the tangy twang

The last Costador I encountered was Joan’s 2019 Chenin Blanc which was darn glorious, and gave me the chance to learn about his mountainous vineyards with wild boars. This indigenous Trepat is a completely other amphora delight. The vines are around 60 years old which make me feel like a youngster, and I think if these vines could talk what would their tales say. Would they whisper how the climate has changed? I bet they would speak lovingly of Joan since he has cared for them so well and organically over the years. Most of all they would probably tell us the history of the land and their heritage. You don’t have to wait for the vines, all you have to do is pour a glass and let your nose and tastebuds translate it all for you.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @costadorwines @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #wineinfluencer #winestagram #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #organic #Metamorphika #Catalunya #Spain #Catalan #Trepat #JoanFranquet

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A Princely Little Fox

Famille Coulon
BiotifulFOX 2019
Vin De France
60% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne, 20% Viognier
Organic and biodynamic
Southern Rhône Valley, France
Winemakers: Daniel & Frédéric Coulon & Daniel’s sons Victor & Antonin

A glass of spun straw. Breathing in apricots, peaches, salty slatiness, honeydew that is a little musky as it warms, tangelo, and pineapple. Take a sip and it’s heavenly, bright and a little decadent at the same time. We have a fun fruit basket of peaches, apricots, honeydew, pineapple, with a smidge of honey and rocky mineral. Just wonderfully crisp, delicious, and delightfully foxy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out tiny flowers too, nice

With a swish of a tail this pretty little fox can spark a new project and expand the future of Domaine de Beaurenard’s historic wines. The Coulon Family has branched outside of their own vineyards to work with bio and organic grapes sourced from their friends’ Rhône vines. This beautiful blend is the culmination of their 8 generations of expertise and attention to nature, listening to the earthly rhythms, and following the pull of the stars and planets above. By the way, check out the label…remember “The Little Prince”? Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s work transported many of us as kids and even rings true or more poignant now. Dang, I didn’t realize how much emotion this would bring back reminiscing. Just remember as the fox said, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ❤️

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wilsondaniels #FamilleCoulon #DomainedeBeaurenard @beaurenard @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #bio #Roussanne #Marsanne #Viognier #Rhône #France #fox #thelittleprince #BiotifulFOX

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Deep Natural Thoughts

Esencia Rural
(Bodega Ecológica Bruno Ruiz)
De Sol a Sol
Airén 2016
Organic, biodynamic and super natural!
Quero, Toledo, Castilla–La Mancha, Spain
Winemaker: Julián Ruiz Villanueva

Deep orangey gold skin contact pour. Reminds me of Tang (you remember the astronauts drink that Buzz Aldrin hated) or even the color of a Cheez-It. Damn this is deep and heady and that was a short sniff. It’s like a Sherry/Manzanilla vibe…nutty, caramel, golden raisins, dried apricots, and grassy. Now this is an explosion of taste wonderment and I find it absolutely intriguing, but I can see where some might get overwhelmed or not “be that into it” because it is intense. There’s nothing wrong with that but like I always used to tell my friend’s kid when he was little, try something at least 3 times before you make your mind up that it’s not for you. There’s tangy orange fresh and dry with splashes of lemon tart, caramel, brown sugar cookies, honey, and hazelnuts. This is a glass to be savored and contemplated on or shared over good conversation and not a glob-glou. Hangout with this wine, let it grow and let yourself settle into it’s personality and get comfortable with it and maybe have some “Deep Thoughts””.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Oh absolutely not!!!! That was disgusting. Shake it off, shake it off

Julián post school in Madrid, came back with a mission to farm organic and take on the artisan mantle. After trying other produce he turned to the vines in 1998, and has around 50 hectares. De Sol a Sol comes from his favorite “El Almendruco” (4.8 hectares) which was planted by his grandfather. This is the land that produces the indigenous yeasts or bacteriology of the flor. He wants to keep his wines super natural, they’re certified organic, dry-farmed, some are old, ungrafted vines, and he loves to work with the local grapes. You also can’t find chemicals in the vineyard or cellar. De Sol a Sol (From Sun to Sun), Airén 2016, is dedicated to all of the hardworking farmers who work from sun up to sun down, which is just a beautiful thought. Here’s Julián’s own words which I found in Cuvee3000’s video, “Only we, the artisans, can preserve the cultural value of each area: vinifications, grape varieties, simplicity, tradition and so on.” That dedication is good enough for me

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @esenciarural @selectionsdelavina @zevrovineselections @zev_rovine @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #naturalwine #cheezit #wineinfluencer @worldbyglass #winestagram #instawine #Airen #Airén #Quero #Toledo #CastillaLaMancha #Spain #JackHandey #deepthoughts #BodegaBrunoRuiz #desolasol #snl

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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