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Gravity’s Pull

Nicolas Arnou
Chouette! 2020
VDF
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic, natural wine, no filtration or pumps, gravity cellar, and following lunar patterns
Les Champ-sur-Layon, Pays de la Loire, France

Deep gold warmth. Scents of apples, oranges, pops of hay, all spice, hazelnut hints, and honeycomb (my great-grandfather was a beekeeper and oh how I love those bees…nothing like chewing the comb). There’s also an underlying funk that fades. First sip and dang that’s natural! Here comes hay, apples, apricots, green pluots, orangina and a light taste of circus peanuts…hmmm. Just lively moon-dappled vibrance!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmmmm crisp

Turning from the life of an electronics engineer to winemaker, now that’s a nice career change. Nicolas definitely doesn’t have bats in the belfry, but he sure does in the cellar. When he took on his 10 hectares of vineyards (part of Domaine de la Raimbaudières) there was also an old 3 level gravity cellar housing his new bio beneficial friends. More new buddies can be found inhabiting (and assisting in) the organic grounds from the small ladybugs to the haunting owl on the label. So, I have to say this is a first for me, another of Nicolas’ wines “Le Canon à moutons” makes an appearance in a comic book (“Sauvages!!!”). Ok, this isn’t like L&R or Deadpool, but the artist Otto T. depicts Thomas Ferrand collecting wild edible wonderments and what is better to pair with a foraged finds menu than natural wine? 🥂

#wine #naturalwine #winelife #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #CheninBlanc #Loire #France #cheezit #organic #owls #Chouette #bats #loveandrockets #deadpool @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #nicolasarnou @terrestrialwine @nicolasarnou @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Peace, Harmony, and Panxu

Celler Tuets
Conscious Wine
Tot Rosé 2019
Parellada, Macabeo, Grenache Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Muscat of Alexandria, Tempranillo, and Syrah
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested
Tarragona, Penedès, Catalunya, Spain
Winemaker: Albert Domingo Navarro

Reddish orange dark rosé. At first, scents of forest floor natural funk that turns into woodland flowers and mossy earth, tangy cherry, oranges, plums, and a small grind of mace. Linger a while and a smidge of caramel comes out in the end. Sipping raspberries, blackberries, cherries and cherry jolly ranchers. Hmmm…Jolly ranchers. Why are they so good and memorable? Also blueberries, strawberries, that head into a dried cherry bite. Just the right amount of fruit sweet with the right balance of funk/hay…delicious.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Ugh NO

My first glance at Albert and I thought of guys I knew in Athens, GA back when I was in college. Shouldn’t judge by looks, and assume someone is super crunchy natural, but yeah, from what I’m reading he is and also at peace or in synch with nature and understands how it comes through in his wines. His creations are “Conscious Wines”, and they’re happy, joyous, and honest. Each grape of Tot Rosé lives in their own little individual home or “little piece of land” until that special singular day when they are all hand harvested so they can commingle in stainless. On their own each grape could tell the tale of their sweet plot, but together they bring you a tapestry-like novel that tells you the journey “from the vine to the bottle”. Side note: I am totally fascinated by Albert’s buddy, Panxu who is an enormous pig that looks like a gentle giant. There’s a great video of them taking a Sunday stroll on IG https://www.instagram.com/p/CAUnT2NpbJr/ Seriously adorable!

#wine #Rosé #rose #rosado #ConsciousWine #naturalwine #winelife #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #fruitofthevines #Spain #organic @docwineshop @docwinebar @celler.tuets @worldbyglass

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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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It’s All About the Schist

Le Fief Noir
Ouest Coast
Anjou 2017
100% Chenin Blanc
Certified organic and hand-harvested
St-Lambert du Lattay, Loire, France
Winemakers: Alexis Soulas and Dominique Sirot

Golden starlight twinkle twinkle. Pull the cork and breathing buttercream, butterscotch that fades into pineapple, yellow watermelon (yeah each color/one does smell different), lemon and lemon vanilla wafer. Sipping creamy salty lemon, key lime, kumquat, very mellow papaya, light orangey pops, and honey filled pear. I think I’ve had my weekly allotment of fruit! There’s also dried sage in the end and then bring that citrus back round again with a salt shake. So sweet, calm, and clean and bright that is yearning for some yellow fin sushi with jalapeño.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Raises the citrus

Alexis Soulas and Dominique Sirot became friends and hatched their wine plan in Corsica, but Anjou was where they landed. Back in 2012, they tasted the wine of Domaine des Chesnaies, decided this was the exact place for their project to take root, and after a renaming Le Fief Noir was born. Soil is the key and king here. The black schist of L’Anjou Noir is perfect for Chenin Blanc and also is where their name Le Fief Noir stemmed. Their passion for their wines is evident in the bottle and in their writings online. They have a lot to say, check their website. Alexis Soulas says, “A wine is never entirely finished. It belongs to the one who get it. This is this open field to interpretation, this co-creation, which make our job so beautiful.” I love that any of us can become part of their world and the story of their wine.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @lefiefnoir @wineberryamerica @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #instawine #Anjou #Loire #France #CheninBlanc

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Get Up! Get On Up!

Domaine Julien Prével
Sec Machine 2019
Pét-Nat
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic and hand-harvested
Montlouis-sur-Loire, France
Winemaker: Julien Prével

Cheery gold with a fun and fine foam. Right on the tip of my nose is a little malt yeast (like what you’d find at an Athens, GA bar popcorn machine, and if you haven’t tried it…do!), Meyer lemon, mellow apples, grass, and wet rocks after a good hard rain. Sipping and still a pinch of that malty yeast, apples, pears, hay, and baking spice blend. Ooh next there’s a good lemon squeeze to wake it up and smack me in the face alive and vibrant. So, there is also a banana bit, and I have a love/hate relationship with that flavor. It’s a Bavarian weissbier banana, so it’s a love for me. This sparkler is made for all sorts of beer lovers, and as it opens it’s a massive easy drinker. Oh, one more note all of a sudden…on the back end there is some yellow cake (not uranium). Who doesn’t love cake?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Yes! Everything heightens and it’s a party!

I’m so glad Julien Prével didn’t go into the academia/teaching realm as a profession and ended up in wine. We wouldn’t have this lovely “Sec Machine” if life had taken a different route, and I wouldn’t have this classic stuck in my head for days! Let’s all get up and “Shake your money maker”!

@vinewinenyc #domainejulienprevel #JulienPrevel @TerrellWines #terrellwines @cheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin #PétNat #petnat #bubbly #sparklingwine #organic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #winestagram #instawine #CheninBlanc #Montlouis #Loire #France #jamesbrown

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This Little Piggy Went…

Costador Terroirs Mediterranis
Metamorphika 2019
D.O. Catalunya
Catalunya, Spain
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, unfined, unfiltered, indigenous yeasts, and a really cool clay bottle
Winemaker: Joan Franquet

Pure gold with a little hint of orange from the skin contact and some sediment hanging and floating. Breathing in honeydew, honeysuckle, just picked cucumbers, salt, lime, tangerine, smoke, vanilla, some caramel, and almonds. Whew that was a lot. Now sipping cantaloupe and honeydew, smoke, salt, lime, almond, and a bit of my granny’s pound cake packed with real creamy butter. Was so good the next morning for breakfast with bacon which would be so good now with this glorious glass!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: they love each other in harmony

Joan Franquet’s mountainous organic vineyards range in altitudes (400 to 800 meters), terroirs, and age. This Chenin Blanc sits at 550 with 2.5 hectares of 70 year old vines which is a youngster compared to his 110 year ones. Originally planted by a farmer by requirements of Torres, and later used by a co-op before Joan found this abandoned vineyard, nursed it back to life, and in the future looks to plant more (from these same old vines) since this wine is so popular. Also, they have another bit of competition for these grapes. WILD BOARS! Hand harvesting is done the 2nd week in September because those scary yet delicious creatures can eat 30% of the grapes. Trust me, pigs are nothing to scoff at. Have you ever been chased by an angry mama one? Let’s just say, don’t try to pet the piglets.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @costadorwines @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #organic #Metamorphika #Catalunya #Spain #Catalan #CheninBlanc #JoanFranquet #boar #pig #wildboar

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A Thorny Situation

Thistle & Weed
Duwweltjie 2018
100% Chenin Blanc
W.O. Paarl
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Organic and unfiltered
Viticulturist: Etienne Terblance
Winemaker: Stephanie Wild

Shimmy shimmy shiny gold. My nose is filled with an early hint of vanilla, then citrus scents of lemon. persimmon, blood orange, and light grapefruit (ie IPA). There’s also super ripe cucumber, pine, and some salty (not sexy, wiggle that moustache) thyme. Kicking back apricot, melon, pears, honeysuckle, citrus tang of lemon and mandarin orange, white pepper, and a little wax yet no wane.

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: more smooth less tang

Etienne Terblance and Stephanie Wild both come from wine in their life. Young Etienne helped out in his parents’ seaside restaurant and then took off for school and received a Masters degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Montpellier SupAgro and a PhD in Viticulture from Stellenbosch University. Stephanie’s history is little different. Her grandfather was the well known Niel Joubert, founder of the Stellenbosch Wine Route. She also holds a Masters from Stellenbosch University in Viticulture and Oenology, and everywhere I google, I see her on lists for top South African women winemakers, and top winemakers in general. Often I write about power teams like this and they are married couples but in this case, they’re friends. Their combined knowledge, experience and expertise has led them to pick the perfect spots for their vineyards, like the one for this Chenin Blanc. Duwweltjie vineyard named (fondly or maybe not so fondly) after the plant that translates to Devil’s thorns, that can puncture anything from shoes to rubber tires, etc and generally be a real pain in the ass. Just check out the label. Well, that annoyance is worth it to get to these 65 or so year old vines. I’d gladly be willing to take a wander through these plants just to get a case of these beauts.

Sidenote: as I mentioned before they are not a couple but it warms my heart to see on the site that they give shout outs to their families. Etienne is a father to Elmie (human), Ben (canine) and husband to Lizanda. Stephanie is wife to Kannas, and mother to Frances (human) and Khalessi & Khumba (canines). Reading this put a smile on my face.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @thistleandweed.co.za @vsiwine @vsilocal @StellWineRoute @cheezits #cheezit #organic #unfiltered #wine  #winestagram #instawine #whitewine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Duwweltjie #CheninBlanc #Paarl #Stellenbosch #SouthAfrica

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Going Places

Domaine de L’Oubliee
(translates to Domaine of the Forgotten, ok this is haunting and romantic)
Les Valseuses 2018
Vin de France Petillant
Bourgueil France
Chenin Blanc
Organic and vegan
Winemaker Xavier Courant

Glistening pale yellow color with a ton of bubbles. Inhale and it’s citrus, sea breeze, and herbal. It’s hard to just sip this pét-nat. So fresh and lively. It’s tangy and sweet. There’s lemon, pine, herbal, yellow plums, floral which I think is honeysuckle. It’s bubbly sweetness.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Even more heightens the sweetness

So Xavier Courant loves the work Bertrand Blier, and each of his wines are named for Blier’s films or books that speak to the grapes. I would love to know why he picked the infamous “Les Valseuses” for this happy wild pét-nat. John Tutturro’s “The Jesus Rolls”, (yes, it’s the same character from “The Big Lebowski”) which seemed like forever in releasing, is an adaptation of the 1974 film, and appears to now be finally available online. Quite a cast. May have to add it to next weekend’s list.

@vinewinenyc @louisdressnerselections #louisdressnerselections #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #vinewinenyc @worldbyglass #LesValseuses #pét-nat #pet-nat #cheninblanc #Bourgueil #France #BertrandBlier @xaviercourant @Les amis du Domaine de L’Oubliée @JesusRollsFilm @BigLebowskiMovie #thebiglebowski

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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

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Following the White Rabbit

Château La Franchaie
Lapin Blanc 2018
Winemaker Eric Dubois
Anjou France
Chenin blanc

A glassful of the immortal lyric from Spandau Ballet, GOLD! Then take a deep breath of cardamom, salt, lemon, hibiscus, and some earthy freshly picked daisies.

Get ready to follow the white rabbit, if you dare take a sip. There’s pear, tart apple or crab apple, salt, granite, and deep flowers like honeysuckle. Keep on imbibing and it becomes smoky, heady, decadent and a hint of vanilla. I see beautiful dreams heading my way this evening, or it may take another turn and I’ll encounter the infamous vorpal bunny.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: clean and sharp

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @docwinebar @spandauballet #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #chateaulafranchaie #anjou #france #montypython #Lapin #vorpal #ericdubois #cheninblanc #spandauballet #fruitofthevines