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Not Your Parents Soave

Nardello
Robian
Garganega 2019
100% Garganega
Soave Classico DOC
Veneto Region
Monteforte d’Alpone, Verona, Italy
Sustainable farming, spontaneous yeasts, no sulfites added (and any there are naturally occurring)

Winemaker: Daniele Nardello

It’s a cloudy deep orange golden…kind of like Tang. You remember… the astronaut beverage. First off scent of oranges, salt, pretty little flowers, and a little natural funk. Slightly sizzling sip of tangy sassy orange, peachiness, dried apricots, a little hay, and something soft candy feel, like maybe those classic old circus peanuts. There’s also mineral and as it warms up it becomes richer.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Hmmm more of the sizzle feeling. More funk. Darker orange

Years ago (in the US) Soave wines got a bad rap due to mass produced ones you could pick up anywhere. I remember in childhood the old tv commercials hawking the bottles. The wines of Soave Classico DOC kick that antiquated ideal to the curb. The volcanic soil in Monteforte d’Alpone, really enhance the two vineyards and the wines of Nardello. Honestly, I’m not sure which of the two, Robian’s Garganega comes from. It actually could even be both. Either way this orange wine with it’s crunchy crystal sediment is a great summer drinker.

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Rustic Family Roots

Terra di Briganti
Nato Nudo
Aglianico 2017
Benevento IGT
Casalduni Campania Italy
Aglianico 100%
Organic, biodynamic, vegan, and indigenous yeasts
Winemakers: Toni and Romeo De Cicco

Dark garnet that I can’t see through. Breathing in dark cherry, prune, and an earthy spiciness. Whoa the first sip is darker than I was expecting. Someone please bring me a lamb chop or maybe even better a lamb sausage. Rustic cherry including the pit and tart ripe blackberries some velvet plum/prune. There’s also something herbal or maybe…no wait, it’s oil cured black olives that I used to eat like a madwoman in college. It’s that luscious old school bitter.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Less bitter and more fruit

Senza Solfiti Aggiunti are magical words to my ears. I love no added sulfites! This is my third Terra di Briganti wine and all three are greatly diverse yet consistent. Every one is well structured and true to their grape. You can feel the passion and care in the wines. I love this quote from their site: “It’s the proper equilibrium between tradition and innovation and the ideal synergy that is found amongst the Earth’s gifts and the art of wine. Because wines of quality aren’t the fruit of coincidence.” This family is devoted to the land, the grape and the nature that nurtures. Does my heart good to see them passing this knowledge down the generations. Check out these lovely pics of everyone pitching in working the vines and wine.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @TerradiBriganti @steephillwine #steephillwine @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #italy #aglianico #Benevento #Casalduni #Campania #organic #biodynamic #vegan

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One Glass is Never Enough

Cantina Marilina
Sikelé 2017
Terre Siciliane IGP
100% Grecanico (darn fabulous ancient grape)
Sicily Italy
Organic, indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtration
Winemakers: Angelo, Marilina and Federica Paternò

Gorgeous glass of golden orange. First scents are orange, melon, sweet honeysuckle, and one of my faves sea breeze salt. Sipping while sitting in the sun and there’s orange, lemon, melon, pear, apple (now that’s a bowl of fruit), smoky salt, white pepper, a scattering of almonds, but the best part is the orange blossoms that keep wafting in and out.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out more heavenly flowers

So this is my first writing about a wine I’ve had outdoors in Phase Three. Admittedly it was so good…like you don’t want it to end good. Another day, I had more of it at home. Had to make sure how it pairs with Cheez-It’s. Having this wine in the Brooklyn “wild”, in the company of good people, conversation, and fabulous food was amazing. Grecanico Dorato is such a gorgeous aromatic and flavorful grape. Admittedly, this orange wine is just as wonderful at home, back in the confines of the “new normal” (oh how sick I am of this term). I do miss that lively and delicious evening, my friends, and feeling the sun on my face; but I will savor this wine and every second I had with the people I love. Can’t wait till my next excursion, and next “wine in the wild”.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @cantinamarilina @zevrovineselections @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #zevrovineselections #organic #italy #sicily #grecanicodorato #terresiciliane

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Good Vibrations

Bodegas y Viñedos Patagonia Valley
Rivus
km1012
Malbec 2018
Patagonia Argentina
Rio Negro
Organic and biodynamic
Winemakers: Augusto Ripoll and Guy Zarate

A glassful of deep purple. It’s yeasty toasty so let this youngster breathe. Give it some time and a hint of vanilla pops up but runs away. Deep really tart cherry, orange peel, cola, smidge of tobacco, and earthy pepper appear. First sip is alive and young in a good way. Tangy cherry that has my lips vibrating, and some pomegranate too. Flowers are hanging out but definitely cedar and some funky slightly bubble feeling that is just on the tongue. There’s still some seriously natural rustic hayness. This little guy should be finished off in the first day or two to keep it’s full essence.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: there’s still the crazy tingle feeling, but the cherry darkens

The tingling is reminding me of a lip plumper from the past. Maybe a glass of this can be the new beauty trick.

If you want a good read on Malbec, “The Vineyard at the End of the World: Maverick Winemakers and the Rebirth of Malbec” (by Ian Mount) is a great recounting of the history and dramas that played out over the years.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #rivus #patagonia #argentina #rionegro #malbec #thevineyardattheendoftheworld

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The Beautiful One

Domaine De Listinconu
Île De Beauté IGP 2019
Sciacarellu, Grenache
Aghione, Corsica (region of France) but it also depends on which resident you talk to. Serious politics are still somewhat afoot.
Winegrower: Paul Vincent Casanova

Delightful light salmon orange color which leads into the very fragrant smell of orange blossoms, salt, violets, and honeysuckle. First sip is orange which builds into apple, pear, again salt, light melon, honey covered strawberries, and raspberries. This wine is damn gorgeous. Why don’t I have a yard and be able to drink this in while grilling some shrimp skewers? Also since I’m dreaming, let’s have a dozen oysters on the half shell.

Pairs with Cheez-its: full on berry. Strawberries popping all over the place

I’m coming up empty on pics of this winery/vineyard. Domaine De Listinconu and their winegrower Paul Vincent Casanova is from Aghione, Corsica (from what I am finding). They are part of Pierre Rougon’s extensive portfolio. According to Rougon’s site they are all estate bottled wines. I just wish I could find pictures of the place. No matter what, let’s hop the boat and head to Corsica.

Corsica, the beautiful island with many names throughout history. The Greeks called it Kalliste (which of course makes me think of Khaleesi, the most beautiful and powerful) and also Seirinoussai, which are the Sirens from Homer’s Odyssey. From what I see it is a place that can lure you in, but I don’t think it would dash you, I think you would just want to stay forever.

Starting off in the capital Ajaccio, which is housed between their beautiful beaches and ports on the Gulf of Ajaccio and also mountainous craggy ranges. The bustling city is also well known for it’s illustrious infamous son, Napoleon. You can spend your time viewing the Maison Bonaparte, or you could (I would) head to the harbor and find a beautiful restaurant and enjoy some fresh seafood (think urchins and shellfish with a bottle of wine) under the sun. Wait, let’s add to the order a serving of fresh Brocciu cheese.

Heading now not so far away to Bocognano, where you can have an adventure in the Richiusa Canyon. You can sign up for one of the local tours and hike, climb, zipline, slide, and take a plunge into the river. They also have a fest in December which is right up my alley, the Fiera di a Castagna. Yes, let’s all celebrate the chestnut! The fair is renowned as the most important fete in Corsica, and draws around 20,000 people each year. It celebrates not only the chestnut, but also multiple other local artisan foods, music, and culture, oh and not to forget the wine.

Let’s make one more stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Scandola Nature Reserve. We’ll need to take a little boat trip, and you can grab one at Calvi, Galéria or Porto. You have choices in boats. Larger ones cover more area faster, but the smaller ones can give you a chance to get closer to the cliffs and grottos. The cliffs are a beautiful rusty brick red and riddled with strawberry trees and heather. It’s also home to all sorts of sea birds, ospreys, dolphins, seal colonies and from this video graceful mesmerizing jellyfish. This trip would be a beautiful way to spend an afternoon.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @vinoviawinegroup #DomaineDeListinconu @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #France #Corsica #Sciacarellu #Grenache

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If You Like It Dirty

Ancarani
Indigeno 2018
Ravenna Trebbiano IGT
Frizzante Sui Lieviti
Oriolo dei Fichi, Faenza, Italy
100% Trebbiano Romagnolo
Wild yeasts and organic

Cloudy bubbly pale gold with lots of tiny bubbles. First sniff is citrus, spice, salt, and some yeasty crust. As I taste there’s that funky yeast again that turns toasty, then citrusy/lemony, tart yellow cherries, and again salt. It’s zesty and some spice thrown in…wait that’s Ginger not Mary Ann. It’s a party in my well…

Pairs with Cheez-its: kills the funk, amps the party

Interestingly, there’s drinking instructions on the back label. The spontaneous fermentation and the yeasts have left you a little treat at the bottom of the bottle. If you “like it clean” keep the bottle straight and pour as normal, but if you “like it dirty” turn slowly so the bottle is upside down and let the yeasts mix it up with the rest of the wine. As you can probably already guess, I went with “dirty”. Speaking of that, this dirty little ditty is still as fresh as when it came out Christina Aguilera – Dirrty (VIDEO) ft. Redman

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @ancaranivini @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #italy #oriolodeifichi #faenza #trebbianoromagnolo #xtina #christinaaguilera @xtina

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My God, It’s Full of Stars

Domaine Philippe Vandelle
Chainai Ouillée 2018
L’Étoile Blanc AOC
Savagnin 100%
Jura France
l’agriculture raisonnée
Winemaker: Philippe Vandelle

Beautiful shimmering shining straw gold. Inhale and there’s apple, heady flowers like honeysuckle and lily, then melon, and a little smoke. Going in for the sip and there’s fresh apple, melon, again that lovely honeysuckle, a splash of lemon zest, and a lick of salt.

Pairs with Cheez-its: brings out more zest but consistently and gloriously delicious.

Sitting here with my glass and reading about Philippe Vandelle and how he ended up in wine. In his case it’s ingrained in his DNA. Six generations of pure love of the land (l’Étoile) in this family. Passing down grape knowledge such as training, harvesting, the sous voile, and in the case of this particular wine, ouillage. Philippe Vandelle also achieved sustainable agriculture designation by Qualité France SA, which is a lot of hard work. An added treat on their website is a selection of recipes that I bet will pair well with their wines

Let’s start off in l’Etoile, which is said to be named after star shaped fossils (of ancient starfish) that can be found in their limestone-rich land. Oh they are just so beautiful! Way back in the Jurassic Period, this lovely land was covered by the sea. Who knows what other creatures swam above this land.

Off to other parts of Jura…from childhood I have always been fascinated with caves and their inhabitants over the ages, so starting off this travel with the Grotte d’Osselle. They do start in Doubs but continue through Jura. Discovered in the 13th century and people began touring them in the 16th. I wonder what spelunking would be like way back then. Think about the fashion of the times, your feet would probably be killing you. Back to the cave and an early dweller. An ancient bear skeleton was discovered back in 1856, and as the years went on and more were found, it became known as a bear burial place. The stalactites and stalagmites are incredible, and give the caverns a religious moving feeling. Check out the pics on the official site.  Don’t let the bears scare you.

Next dream stop is La Cascade des Tufs. This waterfall looks like something out of a fantasy flick…like you could turn around and find a fairy or Gelfling sideline up behind you. Please take a look at this video, and you will totally get what I’m talking about. The fall is fed by the underground Dard river that flows through the Baume-les-Messieurs cave.

Now for something that’s family friendly fun, in Lons-le-Saunier (Jura’s capital) there’s a special museum for something near and dear to a lot of kids’ hearts, La Maison de la Vache Qui Rit. Yes, there is a museum dedicated to the beloved Laughing Cow. Yep, it’s all about that little cheese and the design/packaging throughout the years. Moooooo!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @Cave-Philippe-Vandelle-Étoile @APWineImports @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #Savagnin #Jura #letoile #etoile #France #laughingcow #domainephilippevandelle #philippevandelle #mygoditsfullofstars

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Ruby Velvet Romance

Buli
Estate 44 2015
Toscano Rosso IGT
Siena Italy
Sangiovese 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah 20%
Organic

Gorgeous deep dark ruby glass. At first vanilla fragrance popped out of the bottle, and not long after was cherry, cola, some oak but not overpowering (it’s elegant like a beautiful romantic dance), plums, tiny flowers, and maybe a little basil. On my tongue is tart dark cherry, rustic oak and small smooth vanilla, plum and prune, a tad of white pepper, and smoky. As it opens it’s luscious and velvety.

Pairs with Cheez-its: Just pure lovely vanilla darkness and velvet. Light the candles and close the drapes.

This wine has so much romantic history. It is a story filled with Ukrainian immigrants, Pennsylvania, two U.S. Army men on a motorcycle in WW2 in search of a bottle of red wine in Tuscany, but instead one of them finding love at first sight. I could try to weave this tale, but truly, Robert Buly (the true spelling of his last name) does it best on his winery’s site, so please check it out here. Someone could and should make a movie of this story.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @buliwine @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #toscano #tuscany #siena #italy #Sangiovese #CabernetSauvignon #Merlot #Syrah

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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.

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