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What We Sip in the Shadows

Social Hour Cocktails
Strawberry Rhubarb Spritz
Faccia Brutto Aperitivo bitters, strawberry rhubarb cordial, and white wine
8.7% ABV
Brooklyn, NY
Cocktail makers and shakers: Julie Reiner & Tom Macy

Shining pale strawberry cocktail blush. Pour on the rocks. Nose tickling strawberries, rhubarb, and herbal aromatic bitters. Here goes the sip and it’s sweet at first and full of berries and rhubarb pie filling, then out pops herby bitters in the back, orange peel, and a small bite of red Twizzlers. Fresh, crisp and a fun party you can take on the go, or just kick back at home and binge watch “What We Do in the Shadows”.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: blerg ack

Y’all know I’ve had a soft spot for these pre-made cocktails during the lockdown, and now I can’t give them up. Julie Reiner & Tom Macy both come from lauded bartending and bar owning backgrounds and took a huge and smart leap into the canned cocktails market in the summer of 2020. They want what you have at home to be as good as what they’d concoct for you in person. It’s also pretty special that they work with New York products, like this spritz’s Brooklyn born “Faccia Brutto aperitivo”. Cheers to supporting local!

#cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #bitters #Aperitivo #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit @worldbyglass #Brooklyn #NY #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #FacciaBrutto @socialhourcocktails @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Recipe of Love

Rootdown Wine Cellars
Es Okay
2019 Red Wine
Touriga National, Tinta Cao, Tinta Ruiz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Francisca
Grapes sourced: Mendocino County
Geyserville, Sonoma County, CA
Winemaker: Mike Lucia

Deep ruby rimmed purple that I can’t see through. From the get go I’m smelling buttery vanilla, a smidge of oak, dark plums and prunes, dried and fresh cherries, raisins, and black pepper. Reminds me of good old fashioned SC fruitcake…not the alcohol soaked British crap most know. Sipping and it’s juicy and fresh. There’s dried plums, dried cherries and fresh, golden and dark raisins, blackberry, a little dried pineapple and a pinch of black pepper. Seriously it reminds me of my mom’s fruitcake and that is such a happy, heart-warming memory that I’m going to share with you.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: absolute YUM

Mom’s Fruitcake
1 cup of butter
1 1/4 cup of brown sugar (firmly packed)
3 eggs
4 cups of flour (2 self rising , 2 plain)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup of raisins (mix of gold and dark)
3/4 cup of mixed dried fruit (chopped well: green and red cherries and pineapple)
1/2 cup of applesauce
1 cup of pecans (best if from my granny’s trees)

Cream the butter and sugar and add 1 egg at a time and beat well. Add raisins, dried fruit, and pecans. Then add the flour and applesauce & mix well. Grease and flour baking pan. Pour the mix in and bake on 270 for 3 hours. In the end it’s a recipe of love.

#wine #winelover #redwine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit @worldbyglass #TourigaNational #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #Mendocino #Sonoma #CA #california @rootdownwines @esokaywines @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Best Present Ever!

Domaine de la Charbonnière
Côtes du Rhône AOP 2019
Grenache, Syrah
organic, sustainable, hand harvested and sorted twice
Rhône Valley, France
Family run winery
Winemaker: Veronique Maret

Shining ruby star. Give the glass a little personal time out and then scents of earth climb out along with cherries, blackberries, a bit of strawberries, black pepper, and a pinch of dried sage. First sip and it’s cherries and pits, then poof a big ol’ mix of berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries with caps & boysenberries), pepper (black & white), fresh farm grown red apple skin bite, prunes, and a little smoke exhale. This may be a medium but it’s as comforting as a plush robe. Fall has fully kicked in and it’s time to start snuggling up. Anyone want to join me?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smoooooth

Back in 1912, Eugene Maret bought what I think is one of the best presents ever for his wife which is this Domaine. How do you even put a bow on something like this! Sure beats out a Lexus (I’m sure you’ve seen their “December to Remember” ads) and so much better to pass down through the generations. Veronique and Caroline (4th generation) are managing the winery, and Veronique after working with her father, took over as winemaker in 2012. She also breathed in new life by initiating going organic and it sure looks like the critics approve.

#wine #winelover #whitewine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Grenache #Syrah #Rhône #Rhone #RhoneValley #France #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #DomainedelaCharbonniere @baronfrancois.ws @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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A Creative Solution

Tenuta delle Terre Nere
Etna Bianco DOC
2020
60% Carricante, 25% Catarratto, 10% Grecanico, 5% Minnella
Organic, sustainable, and vineyards are located on the northern slopes of the Etna volcano, 600-900 meters a.s.l.
Randazzo (CT), Sicily, Italy
Owner: Marc de Grazia

Light gold starlight. Scents grow while sitting for a little of peaches, pears, winesap apples, blossoms/lilac, and a fresh salty seaside bit. Beautiful! Now sipping yellow plums, apricots, ripe soft pears, oddly a little oregano on the edges (it’s good trust me), granite-volcanic fed/mineral, and salt. Now I’m craving unagi and west coast oysters and a mortadella (or if you can’t find it substitute bologna & salami) grilled cheese. Yeah, there’s nothing like a good grilled cheese.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: absolutely delicious

Marc de Grazia is a man with his hands on two sides of the wine industry. He started out as a wine importer and from what I’m reading it was spurred from not being able to find the wines he loved while studying in the US. Now that’s a creative solution! After working with all of these wonderful winemakers, he then became one of the early “pioneers” revitalizing winemaking in Etna with buying the land and creating “Tenuta delle Terre Nere” aka “Estate of the Black Earth”. From eruptions and destruction came this beautiful opportunity to work with unique soils which they continue to research. They’re thinking about what is coming next, and how to adapt since climate change is very real.

#wine #winelover #whitewine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Sicily #Italy #etna #mtetna #mountetna #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram @tenutaterrenere @skurnikwines @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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No Chemistry, No Technology, Just Nature

Vini Conestabile Della Staffa
Grecorange 2020
Umbria IGT
Grechetto
Organic, vegan, unfiltered, native grape, 20 days of skin contact
Monte Melino, Italy
Winemaker: Danilo Marcucci but the winery and land are from his wife’s side of the family

Electric orange…very orange…like Cheez-It orange. Breezing in are orange blossoms, magnolias come out after a bit and fade back, oranges and a twinge of lime. First swig and tastes are of lemon/lime/mandarin zest and a citrus squeezed mix. Give it a little time and then there’s something mineral, and a touch of real saffron threads (not that fake stuff that’s metallic). Just dry enough, fresh and light, and a glass of sunshine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: pairs up fab, but I prefer the wine solo

It’s pretty obvious how much I love wine, but it’s also the tales, the history, and what drew people to work the vines. Reading about Danilo Marcucci on SelectioNaturel’s site and they write he’s the first to say this is his wife’s land and “he is merely a guest, married to the vines and his wife Alessandra’s noble lineage” (dating back to the Middle Ages w an arranged marriage in the 1700s sealing the families’ deal). He just rebooted everything, and was lucky that  chemicals were never used on the land, since he’s been called “Italy’s Lord of Natural Wine”. He learned from old school masters after being introduced to a glass of nature, and his philosophy is “No chemistry in the vineyard, no technology in the cellar.” Can’t get better than that.

#wine #winelover #orangewine #vino #vin #winetasting #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #Grechetto #Umbria #Italy @viniconestabile @selectionaturel @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Kitty, What’re You Meowing About?

Viña Echeverria
Miao
Pét-Nat Rosé 2020
98% Chardonnay, 2% Cabernet Franc
Organic, sustainable, vegan friendly, wild yeasts
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, low yield vineyards, estate grapes, wild yeasts, unfiltered, family owned & managed winery
Technical Director Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

For a rosé this is quite warm hazy antique gold with fine bubbles creating morphing shapes on the surface. Btw what’s up with the side-eye glancing cat. Is a selfie being taken? Breathing in wildly herbal magic, field flowers (like dandelions and daisies), smoke, dried and fresh apricots, peaches, bananas, and silt. Hello you adventurous wine, where are you taking me on a fun ride? Hay and grass tangle on my tongue along with apples, pears (calvados), citrus spritz, apricots, deep peaches, smoke, honey, and dried banana chips.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: ACK ACK ACK (hairball sound effect) ACK

So excited to get my 3rd wine by Viña Echeverria (Es Pituko Cabernet Franc & Es Pituko Chardonnay) and they’re definitely consistent in delightfulness and instructions on the label. This little kitty says to “shake me, chill me, drink me.” I’d listen to her advice…this family knows what they’re doing. Roberto Sr. revitalized the family winery, brought it into the modern age and dedicated so many years of his life to this passion. He had to completely replant and rebuild, but as you can see, it was worth it for his children (Paulina, Viviana, Roberto and Diego) and for of course us. Miao y’all! 😺 Oh and I just have to add, this label is just asking for a little good ol’ Tom Jones.

#wine #winelover #Rosé #petnat #vino #vin #chilewine #miao #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Chardonnay #CabernetFranc #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #curicovalley #Molina #Chile #TomJones #cat @echeverriawines @tedward_ws @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Stumbling Upon a Rare Find

Bodega Viña Ijalba
Tempranillo Blanco 2020
Rioja DOC
1st ecological certified winery in Rioja, native yeasts, native grape
Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Founder: Dionisio Ruiz Ijalba and his winemaking family

Shimmering yellow with green hints. Scents of coconut sunshine and reminds me a little bit of a piña colada (oh no now that song is stuck in my head), wisteria, orange blossoms, pineapple, bananas, lemon/lime, and Valencia oranges. Sipping lemons, limes, pineapple, and as it rolls around a smidge of honeysuckle nectar with slate and a shake of salt. It’s crisp, and a tropical vacation in a bottle.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yeah baby this is a good one

Tempranillo Blanco is one youngster of a mutant. I guess you could say it was born on 1988, or at least discovered in a vineyard in Murillo de Río Leza. Seriously what an amazing thing to be checking out your vineyard and in a sea of bluish-purple you stumble upon a bunch of yellowish golden beauties. Viña Ijalba was the lucky winery that were first to introduce this as a single varietal (along with Maturana Blanco, Graciano and Maturana Tinta). They worked with the Rioja government and university research to revitalize these native grapes. Also their vineyards were built on old rocky and poor soil so the vines have to go deep for water which may cause low yields but better. Quality is more important than quantity to this family, which makes me love them even more.

#wine #winelover  #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #RupertHolmes #pinacolada #winetasting #winestagram #TempranilloBlanco #Rioja #Spain @baronfrancois.ws @docwineshop @docwinebar @vinaijalba @cheezit

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Well Designed Enchantment

Il Censo
Praruar 2017
IGT Terre Siciliane Bianca
100% Catarratto
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, unfined & unfiltered
Bivona (near Palazzo Adriano [where Cinema Paradiso was filmed]), Sicily, Italy
Owners: Gaetano & Nicoletta Gargano
Winemaker, architect, & artistic creative behind the label: Giampiero Bea

Deep skin contact orange copper. There’s scents of a warm baking spice, oranges and peel, apples, apricots and a nutty almondness. Tasting orange peel and  blossoms, honey, puff of smoke, apricots fresh and dried, lemon, nectarines, Mom’s baked apples, ginger sprinkle, Marcona almonds, a smidge of dried sage and this glass has a smooth depth that I’m going to slow down, linger and let the flavors build.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice and smooth

I stared at this beautifully designed label for some time, not knowing what to truly expect, since I’ve had a few Catarratto wines this summer and each is so unique. Some flirt, others leave me wondering and this one leaves me enchanted. Il Censo is one of those stories that an old (some would say ancient) family property was rejuvenated, there’s some replanting, and loving it back to organic life. All it makes me want to do is listen to the stories from this historic estate. What were the tenants of old like? What historic architecture still stands? What was the one moment when Gaetano and Nicoletta knew this is it…it’s time to leave banking and return to the vines? I could go on all night, but I’ll stop. If I’m lucky, maybe one day someone will join me at the table, share a bottle and reveal the tales of long ago.

#wine #winelover #orangewine #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #cataratto #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #Bivona #Sicily #Italy #igt #GiampieroBea #gaetanogargano #ilcenso #madrosewine  @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Whole Lotta Love

Stolpman Vineyards
Love You Bunches 2020
Sangiovese
Natural, dry farming, carbonic maceration
Ballard Canyon, Santa Barbara County, CA
Owners: Pete & Jessica Stolpman and family
Vignerons: Ruben & Maria Solorzano 
Winemakers: Kyle Knapp & Matt Nocas

“You need cooling. Baby I’m not foolin” Bright maroon-plummy-rose glass. Breathing plums, cherry, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries with a funky depth in the back. Loving it! A sip and then a gulp of fabulous! There’s bright cherry (tart and sweet), dinosaur plums, raspberries, blackberries, pomegranates, and (don’t laugh at me) a little SweeTarts and a handful of Skittles. It’s juicy, tart, and smooth  at the same time. A crisp and crunchy party in my mouth.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: surprisingly lovely

One sip and you’ll know why the back label has “So Fresh” emblazoned on it. Whole beautiful uncrushed sangiovese bunches are left to ferment in stainless, and yes, I do love those bunches! It’s like a first kiss stolen. This is one of those wines you put on a flower wreath on your head and chase each other around and end up in a sweaty mess…or as Led Zeppelin said, Whole Lotta Love!

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Sangiovese #pairswithcheezits #chilledwine #winetasting #winestagram #California #SantaBarbara #BallardCanyon #stolpmanvineyards #ledzeppelin #wholelottalove @docwineshop @docwinebar @stolpmanvineyards @cheezit

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Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Domaine Bertrand et Axelle Machard de Gramont
Bourgogne Aligoté “Le Chêne du Court” 2017
AOC
100% Aligoté
Organic, hand harvested
Nuits-St. Georges, France
Winemaker: Axelle Machard

Pale glistening gold. Fragrances of apples, peach, smoke, light tangerine, and wet rock or limestone. As the glass and I are both sweating due to the evening…rolling this around in my mouth and there’s fresh apple, pear, light peach, salt, a lemon lime swirl ting of tart, and something herby but I can’t quite place which. I should have my Penzeys’ card revoked. It’s just so crisp, refreshing, elegant and so welcome. Henri is knocking on the door and this glass brightens this rainy grey day. Unfortunately it has me craving mussels and super salty frites which I have neither, and am not about to make a delivery driver come out in this  rough weather.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: delicious and sweeter

Coming from a distinct wine lineage, Axelle, Bertrand’s daughter is at the helm of Domaine Bertrand et Axelle Machard de Gramont, and is who brought it into organic certification. I’m glad she came back from a 15 year stint in Paris to rejoin her father in wine. Her parcel of Aligoté is pretty darn special residing behind the Abbaye de Saint-Vivant which is now a historic site and had been going through restoration when a discovery took place. I got pretty intrigued about the Abbey and with some really bad Google Translate of different papers and posts, I found that a bottle was unearthed from under debris and a slab near the apse and altar. It could date back to 1772 or possibly 1810-60 and it was opened and tasted in 2011. I would love to know how that turned out, and I’m sure one of you probably knows.

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Aligoté #Aligote #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #France #Bourgogne #burgundy #axellemacharddegramont @axellemacharddegramont @docwineshop @docwinebar @apwineimports @cheezits