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Batten Down the Hatches

Storm Point
Red Blend 2019
W.O. Swartland
South Africa
Cinsault 56%, Syrah 29%, Carignan 15% 

A glassful of bright garnet. The first whiff is butter which fades out. Cinnamon and cherry pop up next with a little pine and rosemary. Now for the first swig, the tartness hits and then you can feel the alcohol. Next is dried cherries, orange peels, raspberry, pomegranate, pepper, and granite. Let the stormy breeze open up and sweet prune flavors follow.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Much more full and fruity. Ruby smokey goodness and I’m going to get fat doing this. My dad just sent me another box.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @cheezits #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #swartland #southafrica #needmorewine #Cinsault #Syrah #Carignan #stormpoint #mickcraven

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A Town of Murals

Cantina Orgosa di Musina Giuseppe
Nero di Orgosa
Vino Rosso
Orgosolo Sardinia Italy
Cannonau 80%, Carignano and Sangue di Cristo 20%

This wine is “pretty in purple” and definitely no filtering. Sniff and here’s the hay, then I’m in a field of lilacs and other purple flowers. Give it a chance to air out and delicious dark fruit, salt, caramel, cocoa, and smoke. Onto the first sip and the hay is still hanging around a little bit. There’s a little tingle, some earthiness and a pop of tart and pepper. Sip some more and there’s dried fruit (cherry, cranberry & fig). Such complexity of flavors and such a light body. Bitter herbs, stone and even some cherry pop. 

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth tingle, fruity, sweetness 

Cantina Orgosa is driven by the winemaker Giuseppe Musina, and he keeps everything biodynamic. I applaud his use of native grapes, and from what I’m reading his winery is the first one to produce bottled wine in Orgosolo. Also love that the label on the bottle of Nero di Orgosa is a pic of one of the local murals. Perusing their Facebook Page photos and oh how I wish I could see this in person. The vineyard is just lush and beautiful. There’s pics of the harvest happening by hand and then happy gatherings that must be of some celebratory meal. Honestly, how great would it be to have a large group of your friends gathered around a long table, passing plates and opening wine. 

The comune of Orgosolo is very well known for its before mentioned murals and some call it a “museum town” since you only have to walk and you are immersed in these paintings. From what I’m reading the first mural appeared in 1969 and was signed by Dioniso (which was either a group of anarchists, or an anarchist theater troupe from Milan). Murals were continued in the 70s and 80s led by an art teacher Francesco Del Casino, some of his students, and others. I’m not sure who is continuing them now. There are depictions of war, peace, politics, protest, 9/11, the fall of Saddam, independent declarations, simple family life, love, religion, and even a man holding a goat. Found on YouTube (by Tassos Diavatis), here’s an extensive video of these artworks. 

@Vinorgosa @docwineshop @docwinebarny @cheezits #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #sardinia #sardegna #orgosolo #needmorewine #italy #Cannonau #Carignano #cantinaorgosa #murals # streetart

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A Natural Stomp

Mission
Tinto Uno 2016
Ribeira Sacra
Lugo, Spain
Mencía 85%, Garnacha Tintorera 10%, Godello 5%

A beautiful glass of heavy purple. Here goes the first breath…mineral and cherry. Let it do it’s thing for a bit and then chocolate, green pepper, and pretty spring flowers. Now on with the show, this one is a smooth operator from the very first sip. Cherry, strawberries, blueberries, and then here pops in olive pit, salt with a bit of earthiness and maybe, just maybe, burnt sage. No, I’m not going all hippie and cleansing the place, even though after WFH for at least 9 weeks, this place could probably use it. This is a juicy friendly wine that makes my brain cry out, “Why can’t I be at a bar or at least with friends sharing this wine! This is a velvety wine that needs to have people together and cheering it!” Also check out the Tech Notes from Mission‘s website. I love the idea of the grapes being stomped underfoot.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: mellows it all out and heightens the cheese in the Cheez-Its. Makes me want to keep drinking more, which I did way too fast. Oof.

 @mission.wine @docwineshop @docwinebarny @worldbyglass @cheezits #Mencía #Garnacha #Godello #RibeiraSacra #lugo #spain #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #needmorewine #zacharyelfman #organic #Sade

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Italy and Spain Had a Baby

Pietro Beconcini
Ixe Tempranillo 2016
Toscana IGT 

Beautiful ruby color. Take a breath. Cherry, warm spice that envelops you, plum, mineral/slate and a hint of leather. Time for sipping. Again there’s the cherry, plummy goodness. It’s tart and cola with peppercorns and yes my favorite granite. Opens up so smooth. Day two, it’s a juicy sweet (not like a sugar bomb but delicious sweet ) fruit friendly 

Pietro Beconcini is the only Tempranillo wine grower in Italy. He found some old vines on his land and with a bit of investigation, discovered they may have been dropped off by ancient travelers. Maybe they were on a pilgrimage or on a trade route. Either way, I’m sure glad they did! It’s like Italy and Spain had a baby. Each sip makes me want to be sitting outside in a bar in Spain, but then also reminds me of long ago when I was studying in Cortona, Italy. Man, how my drinking days have changed. Back in the early 90s in Cortona, between classes we would grab a bite and as students do, grab a cheap beer, known as Splügen. Ah for the simpler days.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: It makes the wine have a darker feel. It’s delicious yet I can feel the good funk. Oh this is so good in bed with the cats snuggled near.

@pietrobeconciniwines @docwineshop @docwinebarny @worldbyglass @cheezits #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #needmorewine #italy #spain #Tempranillo #Toscana #Tuscany #beer #cortona

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A Giant Among Us

Cantine Chessa
Cagnulari 2016
Isole Dei Nuraghi IGP
Sardegna, Italy

What we have is a very Deep Purple…Bring on “Smoke On The Water”

I used to work at a record store for many, many years in high school and college, and thinking back must have sold thousands of “Machine Head”. 

Take a giant breath while jamming out and here comes the chocolate, smoke, salt, cigar, and a touch of cherry. You have to hunt for the cherry, but when you find it, it’s a chocolate covered cherry with a side of cola. Lift your glass and sip in the deep dark cherry and plum, smoke and salt, granite, dried figs, and cola. Deep dark earth finish. This is the happy goth of wine. Luscious 

Pairs with Cheez-Its: makes it more juicy and fruity

This wine is unbelievably delicious and I had a hard time restraining myself from finishing the whole bottle. For years I’ve wanted to go to Sardegna but each year I said next year. Why on earth did I put this off?

Cantine Chessa according to their site (which is a darn beautiful site) have been wine growers for over 60 years. The winery is owned by Giovanna Chessa, and she has continued the tradition of using local Sardinian grapes: Vermentino, Cagnulari and Moscato di Usini. I’m not one to choose a wine based on awards, but honestly all of Chessa’s wines have garnered a lot of acclaim. Cagnulari in particular has quite a catalog of awards over the years, and the 2016 I have received a Decanter Bronze. Cagnulari sounds like a gem of the Using area and a true survivor that was brought back to it’s now elevated level, or as on Chessa’s site, they call it “The King of Usini Grapes”.

Usini (and the province of Sassari) seems to be quite a land of celebration. I’m finding festivals for wine, saints, Carnevale, folklore; and the one I’m most intrigued about it for their famous pasta Andarinos, In the summer, they kick up their heels for this pasta, which is only made (and also only handmade) in Usini. There’s a lengthy history to this pasta that traces all the way back to the 17th Century. Maybe during this lockdown, I’ll try to teach myself how to make it. In December, there’s also the Faradda Dei Carruzzi. Participants (or Charioteers) zoom down Viale Trento in makeshift creations built of all sorts of junk. As long as it has wheels and you can ride it, then anything goes. 

What intrigued me the most from Usini and Sassari are the nuraghi. From what I’ve been reading, there are tales that these were graves for giants that once roamed the land, but in actuality, archeologists believe they are sites for multiple burials, and are from the Bronze Age. Their are nuraghi’s all over Sardinina and are recognized by Unesco as world heritage sites since 1997. The structures are built from stone and the one I’m most intrigued with is the Tombs of the Giants Li Lolghi. Along with the interior graves there is an outer area that most likely was used for rituals. Honestly I wish I knew more about these structures. Others are mentioned as fortresses for the Nuragic civilization. Click here for wonderful photos of the Giants Tomb. It’s a fabulous site about everything you could want to know about Sardegna by travel writer, Jennifer Avventura. I don’t know if she will see this, but I want to thank her for her wonderful work. I’ve never met her, but stumbled upon the site, and she makes me want to whisk away to Sardegna and investigate every thing.

@cantine.chessa @docwineshop @docwinebarny @worldbyglass @cheezits #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #usini #sardinia #sardegna #sassari #needmorewine #Cagnulari #italy #nuraghi #GiovannaChessa

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Light Red

Light Red
Vigne del Pellagroso
Lombardy, Italy

Beautiful garnet color. Has a bottle cap, but don’t let that dissuade you. Pop and there’s the tart cherry and a little barnyard that wanders away. Takes a little bit, but is totally worth it. Gives you a touch of the dark side funk. Bring on the funk. Slosh around in your glass, and taste the juicy fruity tangy cherry, tart strawberries, a little funky which dissipates and is refreshing and silky with a touch of good darkness (embrace it you know you want to). I want this and a picnic waiting on me after I finish rowing. Some mortadella and salami, some squishy cheese, some crusty bread, and a slab of butter. Confession there are times during lockdown, I have found myself craving Kerrygold, and eating a good slice of it in the dark. Don’t look at me in shame. You know you all have cracked, and done something like this. 

Pairs with Cheez-Its: makes it even more lively and spirited, and the cheez-its deeper

@docwineshop Claudio Docwinebar #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #naturalwine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #docwinebar #docwineshop @VignedelPellagroso #redwine @KerrygoldUSA #starwars #athomewithkerrygold

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Butter and Spice and Everything Nice

Clos du Tue-Boeuf
Vin Rouge 2019
Gamay

Bright glistening ruby color. Remember when you were a kid, and had a Ring Pop and felt special. That’s the color. First sniff is butter and spice. Next comes cherry and raspberry tart funk that is airing out with a little pepper. Now as for the taste, it starts off tart cherry, plum, raspberry, salt, light tiny flowers dancing and smooth. Full flavor. Bitter stone. As time goes by it becomes a sweeter more full wine. Still sleek and silky youngster with a tart end. Easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: same as above but smoothes out even more. More flowers. Bitter touch is gone. I think it even brings out a spice…cardamom?. Definitely enhances the salt of the cheez-it. I’m going to get so fat doing these. 

@closdutueboeuf @docwineshop @docwinebar #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #naturalwine #france #loire #gamay @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #closdutueboeuf @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #cheezit 

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Orange Filled Dreams

Paleokerisio
Traditional Semi-sparkling Orange Wine
Ioannina
2018
Domaine Glinavos S.A.
Zitsa, Ioannina, Greece

What a beautiful weekend! (May 2-3) My lovely friend Claudio, even while social distancing, introduced me to Paleokerisio. This is quite a welcome surprise, and means I’m now traveling to Greece. 

The color is bright orange w tiny bubbles. Breathe in and there’s orange peel, cloves, dried apricots, pine, and hoppy beer. The taste is an explosion! There’s honey, cloves, orange peel, maybe orange blossoms and oddly orange jolly rancher, pine, and here comes that beer taste again. Tingle tingle. Am I going insane?

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out more of the tang and bubble zing, and the beer feel. 

I love this wine because it hits so many different notes. It’s sweet, semi-dry, tingly, it’s heavenly, and a little bit like a beer

Domaine Glinavos has quite a history (which is beautifully documented on their site). Lefteris Glinavos had a passion for wine, and left Greece to study in Bordeaux and hone his craft. Upon return to Zitsa, he kicked off Domaine Glinavos bringing in modern methods yet sticking with the local native grapes. His son is now at the helm and continues this same passion and creativity. According to the site, they are still dedicated to the native grapes such as vlahiko, bekari, and debina; and they are now also including many other grapes such as malagouzia, cabernet sauvignon, merlot of Epirus, traminer, and sauvignon blanc. They also make three different types of tsipouro, which honestly I had never heard of before. From what I’m finding it is an un-aged brandy, and their award winning Tsipouro Asimenia Limni, received the bronze medal in 2019, and the silver in 2017 from the Thessaloniki International Wine and Spirits Competition. Someday, I’m going to have to get my hands on a bottle.

So starting to look into Ioannina. Wow, what a beautiful land. The Perama Caves are other worldly. From what I read they go 5 kilometers down, but only 1 km has been explored. Would love to go on a tour and see their collections of fossils, which one is a “rare cave bear”. Can’t find out more about the bear, but am curious as to what makes it rare. The images, I’m finding conjure up images from the book “The Devil’s Cave” by my favorite author Martin Walker. If you haven’t heard of him, check him out. His books will help you travel in your head. Back to Ioannina…every google comes up with incredibly beautiful images. Then there’s Lake Pamvotida which has the only inhabited island in Greece that doesn’t have a name. From what I’m finding the lake also sounds like great place for birding. There’s so many other natural sights, architectural wonders, artwork, and more, but the moment I saw a page about Pavlos Vrellis Museum of Wax Effigies, I was immediately intrigued. It’s a private institution that chronicles the local history of Epirus, all the way back to 500 B.C. The figures are said to be life-size, so I wonder how big this space must be. Info and great pics click here. It’s really cool and yet creepy doll at the same time. I can’t wait till we can all mingle again, and I can experience all of this in person!

#wine #worldbyglass #Ioannina #pandemic #covid19 #greece #orangewine #martinwalker #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits @cheezits @docwineshop @docwinebar @worldbyglass @domaine_glinavos #tsipouro

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A Bottle of Sunshine

“Sunny day
Sweeping the clouds away”
This is a bottle of sunshine

Cantine Su’entu 
Nina Rosé 2018
Isola Dei Nuraghi Rosso IGT
Sardegna 

Grape: Bovale and a small touch of vermentino (anyone that knows me, knows the Dean Martin song stuck in my head now. Lyrics way below)

The color is a beautiful bright salmon. Opening it up, and the first that hits me is grapefruit (don’t kill me, it’s an ipa grapefruit) then fresh strawberries and floral.

 Now for the first sip, whoa there a lot more to this wine than I originally thought. Just like the nose, there’s just picked strawberries, grapefruit (but now not like an ipa), and salt. It’s fresh, bright, but has a body. Sweet w a hint of tart. Lovely. This is a wonderful touch of summer. Wish I was outside, but one can always dream…

My really sweet dad keeps sending me wonderful care packages including Cheez-Its. So here goes “Pairs with Cheez-its”:  My Cheez-it brings deeper strawberries to the yard

Otherwise: Would be great w shrimp and scallops. *Edit: I would love this with fried shrimp (Carolina or Gulf) and hush puppies and sitting on a deck staring at the sea

 #wine @cheezits # Sardegna #sardinia #rose #rosé #bovale #pandemic #covid19 @docwinebar @docwineshop #wereallinthistogether @worldbyglass @cantinasuentu http://www.cantinesuentu.com/en/ #ipa worldbyglass.com

Lyrics

Volare, oh oh
Cantare, oh oh oh oh
Let’s fly way up to the clouds
Away from the maddening crowds
We can sing in the glow of a star that I know of
Where lovers enjoy peace of mind
Let us leave the confusion and all disillusion behind
Just like bird of a feather, a rainbow together we’ll find
Volare, oh oh
E contare, oh oh oh oh
No wonder my happy heart sings
Your love has given me wings
Penso che un sogno cosi non ritorni mai più
Mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu
Poi d’improvviso venivo dal vento rapito
E incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito
Volare, oh oh
E contare, oh oh oh oh
Nel blu, dipinto di blu
Felice di stare lassu
E volavo, volavo felice piu in alto del sole ed ancora piu su
Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiu
Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me
Volare, oh oh
E cantare, oh oh oh oh
No wonder my happy heart sings
Your love has given me wings
Nel blu, dipinto di blu

Felice di stare lassu