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Now Where Did That Slipper Go?

Cantine Madaudo
Sicilia Illustrata series
Ardore di Sicilia 2020
Etna Bianco DOC
Carricante 70%, Catarratto 30%
Randazzo (CT), Sicily, Italy
Madaudo family winery (4 generations strong)

Warm golden hay. Sniffing aromatic waves of lemon, pear, kumquot zest, valencia orange, and a bit of green sprouty spring flowers. Tasting delicious crisp apples & pears, yellow plums, and a tart citrus cocktail with just the right amount of salt.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NOOOOO

This is my 2nd in the Sicilia Illustrata series and another piece of art to add to my collection. This time it’s a glimpse of Mt. Etna its native grapes, continued activity, and terroir which then led me to the folklore. Hephaestus/Vulcan has his forge there, when Typhoeus/Typhon gets cranky you’ll hear him grouching and throwing fire, there’s also the Cyclops & more; but the tale that I stumbled upon and made me greatly raise my eyebrows is about England’s Queen Elizabeth I. Rumor has it that while the Devil was pulling her to the depths of hell through Etna, she lost a slipper. This is no Cinderella tale though…well…except for the cinders. I don’t think any of the “Virgin Queen’s” suitors are going to be her volcanic Prince Charming. 🌋🥂

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #italy #sicily #sicilia #Mountetna #Etna #folklore #Carricante #Catarratto  #verdeimports #Sambucese @cantinemadaudo1945 @docwineshop @docwinebarny @claudio @cheezit

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Making It Happen

Casa D’Ambra
Ischia Bianco DOC 2021
Biancolella 50%, Forastera 50%
Indigenous grapes
Forio, Ischia, Campania, Italy
Family winery
Winemaker and owner: Andrea D’Ambra

Pale straw. Breathing in a pretty bouquet of spring flowers, pear & white peach, a tiny spritz of Chanel N°5 that blends back into the fruit, an herbal blend of mint/basil, and mineral bits reminding me of our refreshingly always cool old spring house where the salamanders played. First sip and damn this is good! There’s pears, apples, young yellow watermelon, white peaches, salt a blend of basil/oregano, and at the end a little almond bite with a lick of rock.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: sharpens everything

The Isle of Ischia looks like paradise. Oh, the water surrounding is such a gorgeous mix of shining blue and greens, then there’s the ports, the thermal baths, the mountain area, sunsets, all the natural beauty, and of course the food. Their well known dish “Coniglio all’Ischitana” (yes, this is bunny) was lauded on “Searching For Italy” when Tucci ventured to Ischia (S1 E1) and Trattoria Il Focolare. If you look closely Casa D’Ambra’s wine, “Forastera” is used in the recipe, which makes sense because from what I’m finding they’re related. As usual with Tucci, his meals look like a fun affair, which leads me back to a very appropriate quote from Andrea D’Ambra, “When you are happy drink to celebrate. When you are sad, you drink to forget, when you have nothing to be sad or happy, you drink to make something happen.” Thank you for creating your “Bianco” which definitely made it “happen” for me. 💋

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #trattoriailfocolare #Biancolella #Forastera #Ischia #Campania #Italy #stanleytucci #searchingforitaly @stanleytucci @omniwines @vini_dambra_ischia @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Artistic Expression By Bottle & Street

Lectores Vini
Pomagrana Blanco 2021
100% Xarello
Organic, hand harvested, native yeasts
Penedès, Cataluña, Spain
Winemakers/Owners: Fredi Torres & Marc Lecha

Light gold with just the faintest bit of green. Breathing in fruit filled scents of goodness, biscotti/toasted brioche, lemon, pear, cucumber, a teeny touch of musky melon, and a bit of celery/celery salt that really works and that scent brings back old memories of my college freshman year that was filled with chicken bouillon ramen. I’m talking about those rip that silver packet noodles. Now that brings even more flashbacks from that year and some questionable decisions. Shhh don’t tell my dad. Back to the sip and there’s lemon spark & zap, fresh pineapple, tart apples along with sharp & mellow pear, sorrel from my old garden, smidge of grapefruit, lime, “shake shake shake” of salt, and a little bit of savoriness and celery seed. Delicious and more smooth as time goes by.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Bright and tart. It’s good but I like it better without

You know someone is really in love with wine when they give up a darn well paying job DJing. According to ‘Spanish Wine Lover’, Mr. Torres went from “€1,000 an hour to €1,000 a month leaving behind the glamour of nightlife” to “stink of sulfur and compost”. That is passion and some people might think it’s nuts, but I think he did a good thing giving his hardworking wine talent to the world. Speaking of talent, they picked a good design team (Goho Studios) to work with on their packaging. I love when I find a new bottle, and it leads me to another creative find. Goho, also made a flick on one of my favorites, the street art of Barcelona. Check it out, it’ll give you an insight on it’s history, the zines, shops for cans, the culture, the govt. that at times wipes it out and “penalizes genuine artistic expression”, and most of all the human side of it.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Xarello #Cataluña #Spain #Barcelona #streetart @SelectionsDeLaVina @gohoestudio @lectoresvini @docwineshop @docwinebar @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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Squirrel!!!

Sage Rat Wine
White Blend 2021
Riesling 70%, Pinot Grigio 30%
Sustainable, native yeasts, unfined & unfiltered
Yakima, Washington
Winemaker: Dusty Jenkins

Pale yellow with green tint. Scents of green apples, crisp pears, a lemon splash, and all floating in on a sea breeze. Delicious yet easy wake up call to my tongue of lemon/lime mix, fresh and crisp green apples & pears again, mellow white peaches, and a welcome lick of granite and salt. This is one you can drink all day and keep on loving it like the first glass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice…it rounds everything out

Dusty Jenkins had an established winemaking or “cellar rat” background before he wound his path back to Washington to establish his own venture, “Sage Rat Wine”. It’s one friendly and somewhat fancy little bunch of critters/bottles. I actually thought this is a fictional creature he dreamed up, and then I saw what looked like a prairie dog hanging out with a glass on their IG page…then I Googled. Oh that was not what I was expecting! They are real! Not only that they are adorable and their real name is “Belding’s ground squirrel”. I love little creatures like these furry burrowing friends, and then to my horror…there are guides you can pay to go on a hunt for them (do not look on YouTube)! Yeah, some see them as pests (ok evidently a lot of people), but well…it’s probably like the battle going on between my dad and a resident squirrel which I have refused to be a part. Maybe, they would get better press if they had the Blue Sky Studios & Disney+ treatment/makeover like “Scrat”. Well, Dusty has totally elevated them in name with his bottle of summer afternoon delight, and I can’t wait to try more of his wines that are all a taste of Yakima.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Yakima #Washington #sagerat #sageratwines #iceage #whitewine @sageratwine @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

 

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Because I’m Happy!

Bodega Txakoli Rezabal
Txakoli 2021
Getariako Txakolina D.O.
White wine
100% Hondarrabi Zuri
Sustainable, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts
Zarautz, Basque Country, Spain
Family owned winery: The Rezabals

Yellow starlight with green interplanetary play. Wow this is lush at very first pour with scents wafting out of peaches, pears, lilies, and as time goes by all starts to level out and then tangerine creeps out and waves a tiny hello with a little lime zest. Now everything blends and grooves with some rained on slate and salt…so fresh and lovely. Those peaches and pears are still there dancing on my tongue with a tingle of crisp lime/lemon/citrus zip with a rim of salt. Full of life and even a little flirty sassy fun, a whole lot of joy that can lead to being the life of the party. I think I know who is going to be my date. ❤️

Pairs with Cheez-It’s:brings more tarty to the party

The Rezabals are rooted in their passing of the wine/vine from generation to generation and holding on to traditions while utilizing today’s technology. It’s a beautiful harmony of the people, land, their micro-climate, and of course in the end the excellent grapes that convey their whole story. As they say, “Txakoli Rezabal is a living product, with its own personality”, which is “HAPPY!” Now that is a spot on description. No wonder this catchy tune that always brings me a smile and makes my heart bubble over with joy…no matter my mood was stuck in my head for days. So pour another glass and 🎶“Clap along if you feel…Can’t nothing, bring me down.” 🎶

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #basquecountry #Spain #Txakoli #hondarrabizuri #happy #PharrellWilliams @ripewineimports @docwineshop @docwinebar @rezabaltxakoli @cheezit

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Sense Of Discovery

Tenuta Belvedere
Una Scoperta (A Discovery) 2019
100% Pinot Grigio
Provincia di Pavia IGT
Natural wine, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts
Montacalvo Versiggia, Oltrepò Pavese, Lombardia, Italy
Winemakers: Federica and Gianluca Cabrini

Golden amber or even coppery glint like Julia Child’s precious whisking bowls and grows even more the longer open. Sniff and there’s full pears, a little sherry (butterscotch/nuttiness but not heavy), orchard blossoms, a smidge wisteria, and when very first opened only the slightest bit of grapefruit/tangerine that fades…no IPA here…just light lovely love. Sipping pears, yellow plums, a bright and happy citrus blend (including a mild grapefruit squish) that’s dancing around with some Orangina, a little bit of honeysuckle nectar that circles and a touch of almond on the back (I can’t help but think again of a nod to sherry). A wondrous discovery that keeps beautifully blooming and evolving, and hey now later here’s some mango. Keep the flavors rolling!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NOPE step away from the bag

I love how Tenuta Belvedere keep creating bottled adventures that lead me down all sorts of paths. I wonder with Una Scoperta, if it’s about what I find in my glass or what moments of introspect it brings me. Maybe it’s just a combo of both, and as in their previous bottled delights, it’s full of their love and passion for  local varieties, keeping it natural, and family. You can’t help but smile from your first sip or encounter with any of their wines because they just vibrate with life, and this one brings you a sense of discovery. 

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #pinotgrigio #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #simpleminds #Italy #Lombardia #oltrepopavese #steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar @belvederewine @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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Moment Of Elegance

Domaine des Gerbeaux
Mâcon-Villages 2020
100% Chardonnay
Hand harvested in small baskets, no herbicides or pesticides, just natural (biodynamic without the paperwork)
Solutré-Pouilly, Burgundy, France
Owners and winemakers: Béatrice and Jean-Michel Drouin (and son Xavier)

Glistening golden glass. Breathing in mellow pears, nectarine, mild honeysuckle & other blossoms, green & golden delicious apples, and a citrus squish (blend of lime, lemon, tangelo). This is an elegant swish on my tongue of full pears, golden delicious apples, honeysuckle nectar, and honeydew starter with a melon mix & a lick of limestone & salt. Just svelte and sexy like a bespoke suit.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmm takes you to the seaside

So this is what happens when two souls from winemaking families tie the knot, blend their knowledge & passion, and in 1979, take on the Domaine (started in 1896, by Jean-Michel’s grandfather). They are dedicated, if not obsessed with the health of the vineyards & lands (check out their IG page to see the beauty!) and especially the quality of their much loved wines. If you need proof take a gander at Berry Bros. & Rudd’s site, where they declare the Drouins produce “some of the best and most distinctive wines in the Mâconnais region”. On top of that they are very partial to their St Véran wine to the point that, “Berry Bros & Rudd take the entire crop of this cuvee every year.” Guess I won’t be able to get my hands on one of those for quite some time. Ah well, I’m happy with my bottle of elegance.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #chardonnay #Burgundy #Maconnais #France @jp.bourgeois @domaine_des_gerbeaux @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Guilty Pleasures

Terra di Briganti
Falanghina 2020
Benevento IGP
Organic, biodynamic, vegan, and indigenous yeasts
Casalduni, Campania, Italy
Winemakers: Toni and Romeo De Cicco

Shining golden yellow that deepens as time goes by. Breathe in and that creamy mango feel floats in, pears & mellow mild peaches, tiny arbor blossoms, green apples, and I think the tiniest whiff of caramel but waaaayyyy back and so tiny toward the end that blends into salty slate. Well, well, well isn’t this elegant and damn lovely sipping with still a little natural flair, pears, a tad bit peach, mild mango, a smidge of papaya, citrus squish, and a lick of granite that finishes and then the cycle goes round again. It’s like a fresh smooch of summer. Now I’m going to have another glass and just stop dissecting and enjoy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: yuck it ruins it. Stay away

Let’s see, this my 5th Terra di Briganti and the last was a “joy ride” (oh that chilled red Sciascinoso became my delicious go to), but this one is a guilty pleasure on a sultry afternoon. So what are your guilty pleasures? Come on, I know you have at least one…we all do. Mine are really good squishy stinky cheese, a towering raw bar plateau that must include langostines & periwinkles (and this bottle would pair nicely), chocolate dipped Oreos with a little sea salt on top, and lately…I’m going to admit something…watching old reruns of Hart to Hart and reveling in those oh so wonderful 1980s fashions, the cars, the hair, and flirty innuendos. Now don’t laugh, we all need our little escapes. Just grab a bottle of this wine and join me. If you do, I’ll make sure to save you some winkles.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #harttohart #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Falanghina #guiltypleasure #steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar @terradibriganti @cheezit