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A Wine of Two Songs

United Colors of Wine
Luci Rosse 2019
Field blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rondinella with some white grapes (15%) like Garganega and Trebbiano
Mantova, Lombardia (near Garda’s Lake), Italy
Chemical free, organic, Guyot training, indigenous yeasts, unfined, and unfiltered
Winemakers: Andrea Marchetti and Antonio “Billy” Camazzola (Vigne del Pellagroso)

Light bright reddish glass. Tart cherries and young hay tickle my nose. Next there’s smoke, raspberries, and orange zest. Oh and I forgot to add before getting on in there chill it, chill it good. Here comes the fun tastes of tart tingling cherries, strawberries (fresh and jammed), plum cobbler, smoke and some sizzle. Then lemons, tangerine, cloves, and a black and white pepper zing. Light, refreshing, so good chilled and has me longing for warmer climes and sun tan lines.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smooth sizzle with no hay

Yesterday, I wrote about this dream team, having fun with their collaboration in United Colors of Wine – “G-Ray”, and their very varied backgrounds so for that please go to https://worldbyglass.com/a-little-natural-fun-experimentation/ bc I wrote whole lot that got edited to death on IG. I love that Luci is a big blend of native grapes (red and white) from the area. In a way they’re taking a chance but on the other hand they are so knowledgable and have a groove with the grapes they have it under control. It’s kind of freestyle meets punk, yet with a classically trained hand. Yeah, this is definitely a wine that sings and makes it’s presence and emotion known. There are so many songs that flit through my head to this wine, but there’s two that stand out and show how Luci grows over time. Both are Nick Cave, and It starts as Grinderman – “Bellringer Blues” and in the end is Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – “Push the Sky Away”. Such a beautiful wondrous wine.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @andrea_marchetti @VigneDelPellagroso @steephillwine @antosicurezza #unitedcolorsofwine @steephillwine @Antonio @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Mantova #Lombardi #biodynamic #organic #Merlot #CabernetSauvignon #Rondinella #Garganega #Trebbiano #nickcave #grinderman #warrenellis

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Loved By God

Buli
Amidei 2015
Toscana Rosso IGT
Trequanda, Siena, Italy
Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Sangiovese 40%, Merlot 20%
Organic, hand harvested, and 70% Unilateral Cordon-spur trained (cane pruned) and 30% Guyot
Founder and owner: Robert Buly
Enologist: Diego Ciurletti
Agronomist: Alessandro Gemini
Cantina Chief: Stefano Censini

Sparkling ruby fit for a ring *knock knock you know who…Valentine’s Day is coming up! Inhaling cherries, a dozen roses, strawberries, lilies, pleasant oak with anise, and spice. Can’t wait to get to the taste and it’s full of strawberries, fine oak, cherries, and blueberries thrown into the batch. There’s dark deep depth and rustic earth, yet I’m still drinking those beautiful roses…majestic.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Darker, deeper, richer and funkier and sweeter

Amidei (which means “Loved by God”) is the name of Robert Buly’s grandmother’s family. They were also wine and olive oil merchants from Florence. As I’ve written about before, Robert was drawn back to the romantic history and his family in Italy and also to these same delicious ways. Buli’s Amidei “Super Tuscan” blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Merlot ages for 2 years, but doesn’t get permission to hang out all together. 40% get the new French oak and 60% used. Hey, what’s wrong with vintage clothes when they’re couture? Then they get to play together for one month before bottling. This swirl then gets to age in a bottle for a year, and then it’s up to you when to open. I ask, why wait for 2022, Mr. Suckling? Life is short, and last year totally showed us this more than anything. Seize the moment, open the good bottle and live a little! Bring over a charcuterie board, along with some grilled lamb chops, put a record on to spin and let’s get down tonight.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @buliwine @darkstarimports @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine #redwine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #trequanda #toscano #tuscany #siena #italy #winestagram #instawine #CabernetSauvignon #Sangiovese #Merlot

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Your Home, Roots, and Origins

Kumusha
Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Wine of Origin Western Cape
Breedekloof Valley, South Africa
Sustainable, biodynamic, minimal intervention and natural fermentation
Winemaker/blender, greatly lauded sommelier, and “wine whisperer”: Tinashe Nyamudoka

Bright beautiful ruby. Wafts of cherry, plum, strawberries, and  pine needles. Drinking bright cherries, juicy strawberries and raspberries, rosemary, singed orange peel, and coffee laced chocolate. This is one darn easy drinking luscious wine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just makes the wine deeper

Tinashe Nyamudoka has one heck of a list of sommelier awards, certifications, panel memberships, wine judging positions; and then to read him modestly not calling himself a winemaker but a blender (master blender though), just wow. He may be part of the collaborative work of his brand, but either way, these wines would not exist if it were not for his experience, expertise and the true heart he puts into each one. Tinashe is originally from Zimbabwe and this is where the name Kumusha is derived. In Zimbabwean Shona it means “your home”, “your roots” or “your origins”. Well he is definitely staying true to the land and grapes roots with his creations. Tinashe, in case you happen to read this, I think I’m on my way to becoming a total fan girl of your work.

@vinewinenyc @KumushaWines @baobabwines @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #CabernetSauvignon #BreedekloofValley #SouthAfrica #WesternCape #sustainable #biodynamic #sommelier #TinasheNyamudoka

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We Could All Use a Heroine (or a Sidekick) Right Now

Iconic Wines
Sidekick 2018
Cabernet Sauvignon
Lodi, California
Sustainable farming
Winemaker: Birk O’Halloran

Deep ruby shine. Inhaling cherry and dried cherries, plum and prune, flowers, and of all things pine sap like the same smell from the small forest near my grandparents home. There’s a deep richness and some smoke. Wow, first sip and it packs a delicious punch! There’s deep sweet cherries, dark plums, raspberries and blackberries. It has some rustic earthiness, then juicy, and here comes the velvet, and at last a small touch of licorice. Fabulous!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: dried fruit explosion

Iconic Wines was started by Birk O’Halloran and Karl Antle (college buddies), and according to their website, Birk made his career by “drinking his way up the supply chain.” Honestly from what I’m also seeing, he did this with a lot of hard work and picked up influence both from California and European styles. They have two lines, Heros and Sidekicks. Sidekicks are the best bang for your buck. Made from locally sourced grapes from different vineyards that they rely and trust. I can vouch for this reasonably priced wine. If I didn’t know the original sticker, I would have thought it was a lot more $$. On top of such a fab wine, just check out their labels by artist Cliff Chiang. He’s known for working with Lucasfilm, DC Comics, GQ Magazine, ACLU, etc, and very importantly his and Brian K. Vaughan’s comic book series “Paper Girls” which has been green-lit on 7/23/20, by Amazon for a television adaption (exciting!). In short, the wine and the labels are totally kick ass.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @iconicwine @cliffchiang @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Lodi #California #CabernetSauvignon #hero #heroine #sidekick #papergirls #cliffchiang

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The Strength Within

Ruth Lewandowski
Boaz 2017
a Zero cuvée
Carignan 81%, Grenache 11%, Cabernet Sauvignon 8%
Old vines, organic, unfined and unfiltered
Testa Vineyard in Mendocino County, CA
Produced and Bottled in Salt Lake City, Utah
Winemaker: Evan Lewandowski

Color is a dark ruby garnet and when I uncorked it my hand touched the bottom of the cork, my hand looked like someone had melted a purple crayon. Also definitely unfiltered. Sniffing tart cherries, small flowers, and vanilla that may even be a vanilla cola. First sip is again tart cherries and acid. Rustic and rough around the edges in a natural good way. Very fresh yet the longer it breaths plums grow, raspberries pop out, and the longer you wait the more smooth yet still tart creeps in. It’s full body but light enough to be enjoyed on this hot day. The name Boaz which means “strength is within him” in Hebrew fits this wine. It’s strong, stays sturdy, and stands up over time.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: tones back the acid

I’m a big fan of Lewandowski wines, and of Evan’s interesting pick of using the book of Ruth to name his winery and this wine. Ruth has always been a favorite of mine. She’s a smart, strong woman that also protects her own. Watched “Black is King” on opening weekend and you have to give it to Beyoncé, she is that strong, protective, positive woman, that is a force of nature. For me, her song “Bigger” really speaks to this wine in that same Ruth way. Hoping before I post this, they will release the official video. Until then, this edit from Lion King will have to suffice.

@vinewinenyc @RuthLewandowskiWines @evanlewski @zevrovineselections #zevrovineselections @cheezits #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #vinewinenyc @worldbyglass #Carignan #Grenache #CabernetSauvignon #mendocino #saltlake #Utah #RuthLewandowski #beyonce

 

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Ruby Velvet Romance

Buli
Estate 44 2015
Toscano Rosso IGT
Siena Italy
Sangiovese 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah 20%
Organic

Gorgeous deep dark ruby glass. At first vanilla fragrance popped out of the bottle, and not long after was cherry, cola, some oak but not overpowering (it’s elegant like a beautiful romantic dance), plums, tiny flowers, and maybe a little basil. On my tongue is tart dark cherry, rustic oak and small smooth vanilla, plum and prune, a tad of white pepper, and smoky. As it opens it’s luscious and velvety.

Pairs with Cheez-its: Just pure lovely vanilla darkness and velvet. Light the candles and close the drapes.

This wine has so much romantic history. It is a story filled with Ukrainian immigrants, Pennsylvania, two U.S. Army men on a motorcycle in WW2 in search of a bottle of red wine in Tuscany, but instead one of them finding love at first sight. I could try to weave this tale, but truly, Robert Buly (the true spelling of his last name) does it best on his winery’s site, so please check it out here. Someone could and should make a movie of this story.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @buliwine @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #toscano #tuscany #siena #italy #Sangiovese #CabernetSauvignon #Merlot #Syrah

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Longing for the Past

12.11.19
WINE MEMORIES 
Ferrer Bobet 
Priorat 2015
Mostly Cariñena, with Syrah, Garnacha, and a smidge of Cabernet Sauvignon

This week wore me down. No matter how far I travel by glass, I have no idea when I will travel again. Spain just enacted a 2 week quarantine on travelers from abroad. Today, I’m going to go back to one of my favorite places in the world, La Vinya del Senyor in Barcelona. Dec. 11, 2019, I had a glass of this lovely wine (and many others), along with some great food. My memories are of a deep dark red with a cherry velvet glove. Would love to get my hands on one again, and sit at that tiny bar, or climb the spiral stairs to the crow’s nest with the enchanting window with the view of Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar. Also wouldn’t mind going shopping around the corner at Lurdes Bergada & Syngman Cucala. Even in a pandemic, a girl can still dream.

#wine @vinyadelsenyor @ferrerbobet #barcelona #priorat #spain @lurdesbergada @syngmancucala #cariñena #syrah #garnacha #cabernetsauvignon @worldbyglass #needmorewine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19