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Be a Rebel

Weingut Loacker
Santa Maddalena Classico Morit
Alto Adige DOC 2017
Vernatsch 87%, Lagrein 10%, Pinot Noir 3%
Bolzano, Italy
Organic, biodynamic, vegan, and native yeasts
Founded by Rainer Loacker and is now in the hands of his sons Franz Josef, Hayo, and Hannes

Bright cheery cherry ruby color. After pouring my nose is getting some butter at first but let that glass sit a little while and then don’t think of it again. Then comes the cherries, plums, pinch of pepper, sweet spring flowers, rosemary, and some creaminess with a faint sugar cookie with sprinkles. Wow, that was a lot and I’m wondering if the taste is heading the same way, and I’m not disappointed. There’s tart cherry brightness, bring on the funk that plum funk, strawberries, wild blueberries, black pepper, smoke, and as it rolls it’s velvet with a small orange zest kick One more thing to add, do not be an idiot like me. I was preoccupied and didn’t notice there is a glass stopper and wondered why my opener wasn’t going in. Feel free to laugh at me all you want.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smooth dark cherry mmmm

Rainer Loacker is yes, that Loacker from the wafer world. You remember those addictive little cookies? In 1979, Rainer saw himself as a rebel in the region, since he knew his winery had to be sustainable. The vines even get homeopathic treatment. Rainer’s vision, which at the time was very much not the norm, and as he says in the video (please click and hear his own words) people told him “Organic wine doesn’t interest us.” He was even called out of his mind. Well, look how much times have changed, and how right his decision was. From this bottle alone, I can attest his diligence has created this delicious, delightful wine. Also according to their site, Santa Maddalena Classico Morit 2017, is not only sustainable, but also organic and vegan. By the way, there are two more vineyards in their hands, and they all hold to the same standards. Do it natural, respect those beautiful lands and you have a recipe for success!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @LoackerWineEstates @APWineImports @cheezits #cheezit #organic #biodynamic #vegan #nativeyeasts #wine #winestagram #instawine #redwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #altoadige #Bolzano #Italy #Vernatsch #Lagrein #PinotNoir #loacker

 

 

 

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Deep Roots

Buli
Le Fonde 2019
Toscano Rosato IGT
Trequanda, Siena, Italy
100% Sangiovese
Organic and guyot training
Founder and owner: Robert Buly
Enologist: Diego Ciurletti
Agronomist: Alessandro Gemini
Cantina Chief: Stefano Censini

Radiant salmon color. First scents of very light orange cream with a tad lemon zest. Keep letting it breathe just little bit longer, trust me. You’ll be greeted by cranberries, dried apricots, touch of magnolias but not heady, and then there’s also strawberries and raspberries. Lift that glass, sip and enjoy lemon, pink grapefruit, and zingy orange which leads to apricot and a whole pile of fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and raspberries. Now there’s salt, smoke, and a lick of slate. Ok, you’re going to think I’m a weirdo, but something about this reminds me of an Orange Julius that isn’t super sweet. Maybe it’s just bringing back a memory which good wine and food always should do. For all you old mall rats and I was one of them before I got my job at the record shop, you will get this flavor (yes, this is a good thing with this wine). Some would call this a summer wine, but I think it is perfect for year round. I’m doing my third tasting on New Year’s Eve and it’s a welcome breath of fresh to 2021.

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: Delicious, it just brings out the fruit even more. Smooth.

My first Buli was their Estate 44 (2015) which was a big beautiful blend. La Fonde (2019), is a wonderful introduction for me to their varied styles. As you can tell from above, I love it. But there’s more to this tale. As in my first review, all of their wines are born from a film worthy WWII romance between a US soldier, an enchanting Italian lady, and a bottle of red wine. Robert Buly grew up in Pennsylvania, but his mother (the daughter of the mentioned couple) and brothers held on to their Italian heritage by speaking Italian at home and when they could travel back to Italy. All of their mother’s relatives were still back there, so what a better opportunity to fall for the food, wines and that way of life. Come on, who wouldn’t dream of such a great opportunity. This family is gifted to have these deep roots or in other words “Le Fonde”.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @buliwine @darkstarimports @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine #whitewine #rosé #rose @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #trequanda #toscano #tuscany #siena #italy #winestagram #instawine #rosato #sangiovese

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Take Me Home, Country Roads

Occhipinti
SP68 Bianco 2019
Terre Siciliane IGT
Zibibbo (aka Muscat of Alexandria) 60%, Albanello 40%
Vittoria, Sicily, Italy
Organic, biodynamic, dry farming, guyot, hand-harvested, 2 weeks skin contact, and native yeasts
Owner and Winemaker: Arianna Occhipinti

Deep golden color with orange tint. Orange, tangerine, and other beautiful citrus waft in along with a hedge of honeysuckles (I can just see honey bees darting from flower to flower and shaking their little bee butts), wild flowers, and a little fresh grass. Tasting again that orange but blended with some smoke. There’s also honey, peaches, apricot, and, a little bit of a French spice blend like the Bouquet Garni from Penzeys. It’s clean and has a fresh zing on the back of the tongue.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Don’t even think about trying that

I’ll start with a quote by Saint-Exupery, that Arianna Occhipinti has on her site, “We do not inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrow It from our children”. What she did inherit was her love for Sicily and the wines from her Uncle Giusto Occhipinti (of COS Winery fame) while helping out in his cellar starting at the age of 16. She also picked up her natural, organic, biodynamic, and reverence for the land from him, even if she did go to oenology school (at 18) for the practical bits. While there she continued to question, made friends with “natural winemakers”, and knew that was to be her path post graduation. As she also says on her site, “Respect the wine as if it was a person. A person who takes with him/her, a world, a history, an atmosphere. And it tastes like the land where it was born from.” This is evident in her SP68 Bianco which is named after the road that winds near her vineyards…a road of deep history that part can be traced back to a 3000 year old stone path which eventually became the oldest wine route documented. When you have a glass of this, just remember a part of this history lives in you.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @ariannaocchipinti @louisdressnerselections @cheezits #cheezit #wine #winestagram #instawine #whitewine #orangewine #whitewine #naturalwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #sustainable #biodynamic #Zibibbo #MuscatofAlexandria #Albanello #Muscat #Vittoria #Sicily #Italy #penzeysspices

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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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Culinary Pampering

Štekar Wines
Sıvı Pinot 2019
100% Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris)
Goriška Brda Z.G.P.
Kojsko, Littoral, Slovenia
Organic, biodynamic
Winemaker: Jure Štekar

Copper color like one of those beautiful old bowls Julia Child used to whisk away in. Wafts of orange, grapefruit, melon, and a little fresh grass. Lots of fruit dance on my tongue. There’s an orange melon of some sort, pear but crisp and almost not fully ripe, and as it opens peaches come forward with smoke, Also a bitter herb that I am having trouble pinpointing. This beautiful glass just feels creamy and mellow. Lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: turns the bitter herb into rosemary

Štekar Wines is fairly young but they are one of the first wineries in Slovenia certified biodynamic. Along with the vineyard, they also have a farm, the main house with rooms to stay over and a whole agrotourism package. You can stay, view the beautiful countryside, taste their wines, join them in the kitchen to learn their recipes, and get as they call it, “Culinary Pampering”. The pics of their dishes look absolutely amazing and creative. Oh, please scroll down and look at those cakes! They look heavenly, and I feel pounds adding to my thighs just looking at them. Most of the ingredients from vegetables, fruits, and meat are from the farm, or if they don’t have it they reach out to organic producers. They sum up it all best, “Visit us and participate in the unforgettable experience of the wonderful Goriška Brda hills and the magic of our climate.” Oh, I so wish I could be there. We could all need a little magic right now!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @stekar_wines @hisastekar @bonvivantimports @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine #orangewine #naturalwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #sustainable #biodynamic #SiviPinot  #PinotGris #goriskabrda #Kojsko #Littoral #Slovenia

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Abracadabra!

Quartomoro
Z
Frizzante sui Lieviti
100% Vermentino
Arborea, Sardegna, Italy
Low intervention, guyot training, unfined and unfiltered
Winemaking couple: Piero Cella and Luciana Baso

Hazy golden bubbly with pretty sediment just waiting for you at the base. Pop that cap and come on lemon! You know those light layered wafer cookies that has lemon cream between each layer. Also some tangerine and dainty white flowers. Lift and swig and more lemon on my tongue with a tad of grapefruit, apple, pinch of salt, and a savory mix of spices: sage, thyme rosemary, and a toasty cinnamon thing. It’s crispy and bouncy, and I’m just realizing there’s reminders of Orangina. Fabulous sparkler and IPA lovers would have fun with it too. Best of both worlds

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: no complaints here

Quartomoro has been creating this beauty since 2012. Almost feels like an ancient science experiment, but then so do most wines when you really think about it. From what I read, they take last year’s non bubbly Vermentino (on the lees) and re-ferment the dry base in the bottle and then add the next year’s freshly crushed juice, skin, seed mixture (the must) and the ancestral method works it’s magic. Abracadabra! You have this unfined, unfiltered and non vintage bottle. I’m guessing, I’m drinking a mix of 2018 and 2019, due to the harvests being in September, but feel free to let me know if I’m wrong. It’s nice to think I’m sipping something from before all this 2020 mess. Here’s again to 2021! Raise that glass of frizzante and welcome this New Year in with a big smooch!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @quartomoro @steephillwine @cheezits #steephillwine #cheezit #wine #whitewine #orangewine #sparklingwine #frizzante #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #guyot #Arborea #Sardegna #Sardinia #Vermentino #Abracadabra #SteveMillerBand

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Frogs and Fernet

Letherbee Distillers
Fernet
35% ABV
Chicago, Illinois
Over 20 botanicals
Distiller: Brenton Engel (and team)

Medium coffee color with no milk color or some of that black smoked tea that I drink that everyone complains about. Poured and served neat and what a pow, zing, bam, to my nose. Insanely herbal but greatly welcome. There’s pine, dried orange peels, parsnips, rhubarb, cloves, spearmint, eucalyptus, and Christmas incense. Ok so let’s see what this swirl of scents taste like. It’s every bit of all of the above and more. A total wake up call with that starts with a bang, but then goes smooth and healing. You can sip this all night on it’s own or come up with a fun cocktail on your own, or if you have a hangover (last night was New Year’s Eve, ya know) then this may help.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: No, no, no, no, NO!

In just 13 years, Brenton Engel went from being a moonshiner playing in Pool of Frogs to now where he has an internationally distributed and highly praised distillery. While he was still bartending he was tinkering with those first batches and tuning botanical recipes until he got it just right. He drifted from moonshine, to what has now grown into their whole line of Original Label Gin, Barrel­-Aged Absinthe, Autumnal & Vernal Gins, Bësk, and Fernet. Letherbee (Let them be!) has also given back to the community. Back in March they temporarily paused their gin production to make hand sanitizer. Now that’s a good hearted thing to do.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @letherbee @cheezits #cheezit #wine #winestagram #instawine #Fernet #spirits #botanicals #liqueur #spiritsofinstagram #gin #absinthe #distillery #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Chicago #Illinois

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One Promise Kept This Past Year

Golden West
The Promise
Pinot Noir 2018
100% Pinot Noir
Quincy, Washington State
Winemaker: Charles West

Glistening garnet glass. After uncorking there’s butter then poof gone. Followed by cherry, coriander, some leather, plums, vanilla (hmm), strawberries, and blueberries. Tasting cherries, dark plum, and raisin as I expected but then there’s a little watercress. I swear, it is there. Then some vanilla, thyme, and toasted rosemary.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: doesn’t really change anything

Golden West is the latest of Charles West’s countless projects. This is definitely a man with a creative need to never be still. He managed rock bands touring through Europe. Fell in love with wine on those travels. Later hit the Walla Walla trail and was turned on to making wine. As time went on awards and recognitions piled up. You’ve probably seen the distinct graphics (by Rikke Korff) on his “Modernist Project” from wines like Kung Fu Girl Riesling and Boom Boom! Syrah. Golden West – The New Classic, is his new way of bringing great quality Pinot Noir to the public at a price that won’t kill your wallet. He has totally made his “The Promise” to all of us reality. Wondering what he has been doing over this past year, and what new project or conquest comes next!

Being an 80s child, you have to know what song is now stuck in my head, so passing it along to you too.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @charlessmithwines @KickAssWaWine @we.are.washington @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #PinotNoir #Quincy #WashingtonState #Washington #RikkeKorff #wheninrome #thepromise

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Oh, You Lovely Old Indigenous Grape You

Quartomoro
Òrriu di Sardegna 2018
sulle bucce
100% Vernaccia di Oristano
Arborea, Sardegna, Italy
Low intervention, dry farmed, guyot training
Winemaking couple: Piero Cella and Luciana Baso

Beautiful gold like the the ring I’d like on my finger. Sniffing mandarin orange, lemon zest, lilac, salt, and also hints of grapefruit and honeysuckle blossoms. Tasting lots of citrus, some darkness of deep melon, honey, vanilla, flowers and of course almond. This is a beautiful rich gift wrapped up in a bow with a cork on top.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NOPE! Makes it bitter

Oh, you lovely old indigenous grape you, Vernaccia di Oristano. I swear Sardinia produces some of the most beautiful grapes. Why the heck haven’t I visited there yet? Just you wait, once this pandemic is under control, my bags are packed. So, I’m reading there’s a tale that if you drink a good bit of Vernaccia, it will ward off malaria. Definitely curious to see who came up with that, how tipsy they were, and how much of it is true, because hey you never know. As I wrote in my post “Genie in a Bottle” on the rare grape Granazza (Granatza), some people mistake that grape for Vernaccia di Oristano. There are similarities, but each is an entirely different beast. Also Piero Cella and Luciana Baso’s creation is of a more modern style Vernaccia and lighter than the old more traditional oxidized and sherry-like styles. They let that grape sing! It’s rich, fresh, and full of life! Cheers!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @quartomoro @steephillwine @cheezits #steephillwine #cheezit #wine #whitewine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #guyot #Arborea #Sardegna #Sardinia #VernacciadiOristano #Vernaccia #winestagram

 

 

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Farm to Table Holiday

Five Farms
Single batch Irish Cream Liqueur
17% ABV
County Cork, Ireland

Light caramel milk chocolate on the rocks. Breathing in luscious cream, vanilla, and caramel. Rolling this around in my mouth and there’s that heavenly cream again, chocolate delight, coffee, sugar cookies with sprinkles, and again that addictive caramel. I really want a chocolate chip cookie or a thin extra salty pretzel.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Just don’t!

Touted to be the best Irish Cream Liqueur, and boy I think it probably is. There’s such smooth beauty in this mixture of single batches of fresh cream combined with premium triple-distilled Irish Whiskey. The five farms where the cream is sourced (hence the name) have as they call “happy cows” that roam pastures chomping on grass during the day. I’m a firm believer in treat your cows right, let them have a relaxed life filled with fresh air, and you can always taste the difference in cream, butter, etc. Oh and I followed the instructions and served it on the rocks, and I highly recommend it. This is the perfect holiday in a glass!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @FiveFarmsIrishCream @Holladay1856 @cheezits #cheezit #wine #spirits #liqueur #cream #happycows #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #irishcreamliqueur #CountyCork #Ireland #FiveFarms #IrishWhiskey #Whiskey #farmtotable