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Drink Like Royals

Chapel Down Winery
Classic Non-Vintage Brut
50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 13% Pinot Blanc, 7% Pinot Meunier
Traditional Method
Tenterden, Kent, England, UK
Head Winemaker: Josh Donaghay-Spire

Crisp golden yellow with a lot of active bubbles. Popped the cork and there’s hints of vanilla at first, then apples, honey, and brioche which in some cases like this I love, but for crying out loud, why are so many people ruining delicious burgers with those buns. Go simple and let the contents shine not that overpowering bun. Back to the sparkler, there is a touch of darkness mixed with pear. It’s not herbal or mineral. It just gives it a little more depth. Raise that glass and take a sip of the crisp tart lemon, strawberries, and it reminds me of red delicious apples from home that are mellow and perfect for apple crumble. I know I reminisce warmly about growing up in an orchard, but there were times (especially in high school) where I didn’t want to see another apple. Whether it was in cakes, pies, crumbles, or sautéed with onions and served with pork chops. Now look at me, I love those wonderful flavors especially in anything with bubbles,

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: smooth drinking

This is my first UK sparkler, so I guess this means I’m no longer a virgin. I’ve been trying to track one down for years. I even reached out to one of my old colleagues/friends, Will Lyons for recommendations, but even then it was a hard find. The minute I’d be set to head to the store to grab one, poof! It was gone. Had been searching again recently and found one of these elusive bottles of bubbles, and again, within seconds, sold out. All of a sudden, last week this one popped up. I knew very little about the winery and vineyards, but at this point I didn’t care. Went ahead and paid online and dashed in for pickup. Turns out Chapel Down was on the menu of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding. Heck, if it’s good enough for the Royals then why not for us commoners too. LORDE – Royals

@chapeldown @ParkStreetCompanies @joshdspire @mrwill_lyons @cheezits #cheezit #wine #bubbly #sparklingwine #brut #winestagram #instawine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Kent #England #UK #PinotNoir #Chardonnay #PinotBlanc #PinotMeunier @lordemusic #lorde

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Orange is the New Black

Castello di Stefanago
Stüvenagh Orangiosauro 2019
“Mi stai sulle bucce!”
Provincia di Pavia IGP
Fortunago, Lombardy, Italy
80% Chardonnay, 20% Cortese
Organic, hand harvested, ambient yeasts and unfiltered
Winemakers: Antonio and Giacomo Baruffaldi

Jail jumpsuit orange. Raising the glass and there’s orange, tangerine, and oooh barnyard. Waiting for the yard to bail out (not as much on day two).Ok it’s starting to fade and orange blossoms are added, but the hint of dark is still there (on day one), followed by salt and smoke. Sipping orange and orange blossoms, lemon, salt, and a lick of granite. There’s still some earthy darkness, but on day two it’s pretty much gone. Replaced with super light honey. Let it breathe more and it is refreshing, tangy and definitely fun. A fashionable glass of sunshine that would really go well with anything with cloves

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: more light and smooth. I kind of prefer it before the pairing.

This isn’t just an orange wine, it’s a wine that beer lovers would seriously enjoy. Kind of makes sense because on their website it says they partner with Stüvenagh brewery (and their logo/name is on this wine label). Also learning that Stüvenagh comes from the Celtic word for Stefanago. Another fun fact it the brewery is just as organic as the winery. If you want to get a good look as to how magical their lands and castle are, please check out this video. A little more than a minute of your time will take you on a vacation that we are all longing.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @castellodiStefanago @castellodistefanagowines @Stuvenagh @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine #orangewine #beer #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #organic #Pavia #Fortunago #Lombardy #Lombardia #Chardonnay #Cortese

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Always Read the Instruction Manual

Viña Echeverría
Es Pituko
Chardonnay 2018
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, aged 15 months in French barrels
Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

Golden drop of sunshine with some sediment hanging around. Inhaling melon, mango, apples, and some light oak. As time goes by becomes deeper and richer. This is another one that says to drink in the next 5 minutes so here goes…melon, pear, a little orange acidic twang, and something rich and creamy. There’s even a kick of grass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: whoa massive creamy oakiness and not sure how I feel about it. I’m on the fence.

The more I learn, and the more I taste… I find more natural winemakers putting instruction manuals on their back label art. Like with this one and last week’s “Es Pituko, Cabernet Franc 2019”, you’re instructed how much to chill, give it a shake before you pour because it’s natural like that, and how fast to drink. My advice, always take a look at the back, or you might miss out on the true way the wine is supposed to taste. The next red you pick up, could be one that might be screaming to go in the fridge.

While I pour another glass of this “Fancy” Chardonnay, here’s another one from Cerys Matthews.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @echeverriawines @tedward.ws @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #chile #molina #viñaecheverria #curicowines #naturalwine #espituko #Chardonnay #CuricóValley #CuricoValley #CerysMatthews

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Life, Music and a Turntable

Lo-Fi
2019
Santa Barbara County
Buellton, CA
60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Chardonnay
Organic, indigenous yeasts, and naturally occurring malolactic bacteria
Winemakers: Mike Roth and Craig Winchester

Golden glass full of skin contact. Breathing in melon, flowers/honey, pear, salt, some richness and smoke. First taste is  honeydew and other melons, grass, pear, lemon, a little honey, salt, smoke, and gets heady as it breathes.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: as I would expect less tang, but not expected…there’s less honeydew, but it’s not a “honey don’t”. Still fun.

Mike and Craig started out Lo-Fi as a project aside from their winemaking day jobs. So glad they decided to share it with the rest of the world and not just keep it for their friends. They are all about natural and also good ol’ vinyl which is definitely reflected in their very cool labels and their tasting room which is unfortunately not open at the moment (but they do have wine to go). Here’s a quote from their site, “Wine is like life and music. Both are filled with resonance, distortion, simplicity, modesty, intimacy and ingenious integrity of the natural processes.” I also love and appreciate that they have used stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels for this wine. Oak and I have a love hate relationship when it comes to some California chardonnay (and blends). The light smoke/oak touch in this wine are just so perfectly suited. I could drink this all day, while spinning some old tunes that fit like a glove.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @LoFiwine @lo_fi_wine @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #SantaBarbara #CA #california #SauvignonBlanc #Chardonnay #tweaker #DavidSylvian #Waxplotation

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All Hail the Queen

Forlorn Hope
Queen of the Sierra 2017
White blend
Verdelho, muscat, and chardonnay (mostly, but there may be some others thrown in too)
Calaveras County, CA, USA
Organic, hand-harvested, spontaneous fermentation, native yeasts, unfiltered and unfined
Winemaker: Matthew Rorick

Crystal shining light yellow. Wafting in citrus, melon, something a little musky, slate/mineral, and light grapefruit. Tilting the glass back and tasting honeydew, muskmelon, and citrus. Nice acid and there’s that mineral again…you can taste the limestone from the land. It’s a feisty and fun wine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: sharpens the wine and tones back sweet

I was really surprised when I looked up their site. Love the rockstar font and really love what I’m finding out about the winemaker Matthew Rorick. What a man of all trades and accomplished at all! At first glance you see this tatted, white-beard and mustached rocker dude. Then you read about his past and whoa, he repaired submarine telescopes for the U.S. Navy, ridden skateboards for a living, and built electric guitars. That is really cool. Also cool is that Forlorn Hope pulls for the outsiders and longshots. That’s something near and dear to my heart. Ok, have I had too much of this lively wine, because I’m tearing up right now. All hail the little guy that survives and thrives in any circumstance. Definitely pleased to meet you, Forlorn Hope!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @forlornhopewines @tedward.newyork @cheezits #cheezit #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Calaveras #california #verdelho #muscat #chardonnay #matthewrorick

 

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Caterpillar Caterpillar

Cantina San Biagio Vecchio
Cacciabruco 2018
Ravenna Bianco IGT
Faenza Emilia-Romagna Italy
Chardonnay 80%, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica 15%, Trebbiano 5%
Winemaker Andrea Balducci
Organic and indigenous yeasts

Color deep rich orange tinted gold due to the 8 days of skin contact. After admiring this gorgeous glass, breathe in orange zest, a little ginger like a gingerbread cookie, honeysuckle, flowers, and apricots. First sip and it’s very floral and then there’s melon, honeysuckle and downright honey. There’s also again delicious apricots and something a little bitter like an almond. This wine has such a heady enchanting mystical fairy-kissed richness.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Weeds out any almond or bitter. Just an explosion of flowers.

As I read about Cantina San Biagio Vecchio, Andrea Balducci named Cacciabruco after his daughter’s favorite song (well, it was her favorite song when she was 3). I have to say, it’s a whole lot better than Baby Shark. Let’s all dance and hunt that caterpillar.

Andrea and Lucia Balducci’s Cantina San Biagio Vecchio (from what I’m finding) is not just an organic winery, but they also grow the wheat Gentil Rosso. Gentil Rosso is an ancient grain that’s a soft wheat, which is great for cakes and pastries. The vineyards are situated in beautiful hills near the medieval Torre di Oriolo. The tower started out as an old castle that was transformed into a hexagonal military fortress in the late 1400s. Over the years it had been pillaged then restored, used as a dwelling for sharecroppers, in WW2 it became a place of for the citizens of Faenza to ride out bombings, and now restored again, it is a public place where you can a enjoy wine tasting, a night of music under the stars, or the wedding of your dreams.

Branching out to the Emilia-Romagna region. A 30ish minute drive from Faenza is Dozza, a town well known for their murals. The last Biennale del Muro Dipinto was in September 2019, and the town walls are the artists’ canvas. The works, new and old are so diverse in styles and content, but each has their own form of beauty.

Another 35 to 45 minute drive from Faenza is Ravenna. Ravenna is not so far from the Adriatic Sea and has eight monuments that are UNESCO Heritage sites. Each are spectacular, but the one that grabs me is the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. The mosaics are breathtaking. I just get lost in the arrays of blues and a sense of peace from the ceiling mosaic “The Garden of Eden”. “The Good Shepherd” is amazing in its own rights too. I have to say the sheep do look a bit pissed off by the shepherd. Ha! Seriously though, I truly have to find a way to get here when we can travel again.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @CantinaSanBiagioVecchio @visionwinebrands @murodipintodozza @TorreDiOriolo @cheezits #cheezit #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #italy #Faenza #EmiliaRomagna #Chardonnay #MalvasiadiCandiaAromatica #Trebbiano #organic

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True Friendship

Les Tètes
Tète Blanche
Le Pressoir, Touraine Azay-le-Rideau, Loire, France
Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Roussanne
Biodynamic and native yeasts

A drop of golden sunshine. A fresh breeze of citrus, grapefruit, white floral, slate and a bit of toasted vanilla. You know, like those cookies you had when you were a kid. Drink in the citrus, apple, pineapple, a lick of granite, and those beloved toasted vanilla cookie again. Lovely, smooth and a beautiful wine to accompany the new Martin Walker novel, “The Shooting at Château Rock”. Absolutely love his “Bruno Chief of Police Series”. His books always take my brain to France, the wonderful people, the beautiful food, and of course the lovely wine. I highly recommend escaping with one of them.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Makes it more juicy and fruity and tart. Brings out the sharp tart apple

Les Tète Blanche is a wine project created by four friends: Nicolas, Philippe, Baptiste, and Vivien and they say, “Les Tétes is about friendship, and wines you drink with friends.” Which leads me to another group of four friends of a different feather, the infamous “Golden Girls”: Rose, Dorothy, Sophia, and the colorful and amorous Blanche Devereaux. Do any of you remember Blanche’s tropical bedroom? Well, it turns out it has quite a following. I hadn’t even finished typing her full name in Google, and the hallowed bedroom popped up. Turns out the set design team had to keep the bedspread under lock and key while they were not filming. Read more about it here, and raise a glass to friendship!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @docwinebar @zevrovineselections @cheezits #wine #worldbyglass #lestetes #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #france #loire #sauvignonblanc #cheninblanc #chardonnay #roussanne #goldengirls #blanchedevereaux