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A Peaceful Perfumed Dream

Tenuta La Giustiniana
Gavi di Gavi 2023
DOCG
Terre Antiche
100% Cortese
Gavi, Piedmont, Italy
Owners: Stefano Massone & Magdalena Pedrini

Light shining yellow. Breathing in lemon & lime and both are wafting in on a cool springhouse breeze followed by honeydew, white peaches, super ripe cucumbers, a little light tangerine squeeze in the background, honeysuckle and orchard blossoms. All of the scents are in the sip but with more flowers, yellow plums, a little mango & lychee & sort of a tad pineapple, and a lick of mineral & salt. It’s like a peaceful perfumed dream that continues to bloom.             

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Bursts of happiness

This estate is drop dead gorgeous (no wonder people want to get married & have events here) and has a long history filled with vine cultivating monks, the La Giustiniana family who built the neoclassical villa, Napoleon seizing “ecclesiastical estates”, and in 2016 Stefano & Magdalena breathing new life into this historical structure & lands. They meld a bit of modern with traditions of old in the vineyards & cellar, and absolutely respect their nature/environment in order to bring out the best in their Cortese & celebrate Gavi’s classic beauty. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #italy #skurnikwines #LaGiustiniana #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Bit Of Romance In A Glass

Cantina di Conselve
Silvanum 2023
Veneto IGT
Chardonnay 70%, Raboso 30%
Sustainable & socially responsible
Conselve (PD), Veneto, Italy

Gold-yellow brick road. Lovely scents of apples, pears, whiff of lychee, light lime/citrus spritz as it opens, fresh cool rained on granite, and a honeysuckle or 2 with a teeny dash of vanilla. Everything I’ve been sniffing is right here in the taste, along with a little honeydew, white peaches, and more of that honeysuckle nectar. There’s a bit of luscious romance in this glass.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Just don’t

Back in the 1950, the coop Conselve Vigneti e Cantine (like many other producers were & some still are) was more about quantity of the grapes & wine they produced, but then a certain methanol scandal shook Italy in the mid 80s and everyone started rethinking…well…everything. In the 90s the Cantine’s winegrowers/makers turned to the “quality” side and have made changes toward sustainability of their already rich & fertile lands with combining their generations of traditions along with modern thinking & planning. Now they’re a band of almost 600 winegrowers with their grapes situated on the “plains between Padua and Venice”, and from the bottles I’ve had now and in the past…they capture the essence of their beautiful world.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #italy #wineemporium #cantinaconselve #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Wine, Art & 3 Centuries Of Emotions

Tre Secoli
Le Ginestre
Vendemmia 2023
100% Cortese di Gavi
Gavi DOCG
Sustainably farmed
Mombaruzzo (AT), Piedmont, Italy

Pale yellow starlight with green blips. There’s scents of pears, white peaches, honeydew, nectarines, light tangerine, and a bundle of spring flowers & greenery. All of the sniff is in the taste with a lemon/lime zing,  no tangerine this time, teeny tiny honeysuckle, green apples, and it’s all delicate & friendly. Makes me crave a seafood tower, but when am I not craving one.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: a definite yes

Tre Secoli (Three Centuries) was born of 2 long established & large Piedmontese wine co-ops that span over 18 municipalities between the provinces of Asti and Alessandria and covers around 1,100 ha. Even with such expanse they do care about the quality & health of their grapes, their imprint on their land, and the safety & care for their workers that also includes ensuring they have “suitable conditions of health, safety and psychophysical integrity”. They also have their hands in the arts with their project “Terrazza in Arte” curated by Roberta Poggio. It’s their “desire is to create a bridge between two worlds that are particularly dear to us: art and the earth”. You still have time to catch their first show that features work of GianCarlo Ferraris entitled “Un Mare di Colline” and is up through April 30th, and while you’re there check out one of their tastings or as they call it “Three Centuries of Emotions”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #italy #wineemporium  #TreSecoli #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Who Couldn’t Use A Good Smooch

Bacio
Lemon Spritz
Italian lemon & bubbly white wine cocktail
7% ABV
Eco-friendly
Produced & packaged at Cantine Sgarzi Luigi (Fidenza, Parma, Italy)
Born in New York
Founders: Diego Faccioli & Tadas Nikulin

First, follow the directions on the can and “just chill it” then crack, pour, and it reveals a lovely yellow hue with some tiny bubbles & a tad of greenish starlight twinkle. Scents drift up of lemon & grated citrus zest (also reminds me a bit of Limoncello too), a squeeze of lime, and a dash of nose tickling seltzer. Sipping and there’s again lemons & one of my faves a touch of Lemonhead candy, lime squish, a mellow sweetness but not too sweet, mineral rock lick that balances all with a pinch of salt, and that zippy spritz feeling. It’s fresh, crisp, vibrant, and rocking it out of the park.

Pairs with Cheez-Its:  Surprisingly really damn good

Yes, I’ve written about this fun & flirty spritz before, but revisiting now because I sure could use a bit of its spark. As my friend Diego says, “Bacio combines Italy’s winemaking legacy with modern sophistication. Our sparkling wines are a fusion of tradition and innovation, presented in eco-friendly elegance. It’s not just wine; it’s a reimagined experience of Italian luxury.” Just think, all of that magic is consistently packed into these little cans. Close your eyes, sip, and it whisks you away to visions of Veneto, and smacks you with a big smooch (bet all of y’all need one just like I do right now) that will melt away all of the day’s stress. 🇮🇹🍋💋😘

wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #cannedcocktails #instawine #catsofinstagram #pairswithcheezits #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #Italy #newyork #apertivotime #worldbyglass #SpritzLovers #bacchanalwines #Bacio #Baciolife #docwinebar #docwineshop

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“That’s How Strong My Love Is”

Poderi Cellario
È Orange
Nascetta & Moscato
SQNPI certified, biodynamic, hand picked, unfiltered
Carrù, CN, Italy
Winemakers: Fausto & Cinzia Cellario

Tangerine orange-gold. Inhale and my my all the oranges, orange blossoms, tangerine, kumquats & a big ol’ citrus mix, irises, magnolias, apples, smidge of ginger, and 1 straw of hay. Sipping and again ALL THE ORANGES & zest, clementines, the citrus blend again with a twist of lime, papaya, mango, sprinkle of ginger, mineral lick, white pepper, and a pinch of salt. So fresh, freewheeling, and fun!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

At Poderi Cellario they’re keeping it natural for their native & “forgotten vines”, holding onto the traditions passed down, and working in synch with the moon in their cellar (“waning for still wines, waxing for sparkling ones”). Then I found out one other special thing they/Fausto does: “I discovered about twenty years ago that my wife was intolerant to sulphites, this was one of the reasons that pushed us over time to create more and more a wine without chemicals … Genuine, natural. I could not leave her without drinking!” This is a true sign of love, and I can’t think of a better reason to ditch sulfur (or at least keep it minimal). Of course it brings to mind the tune Bryan Ferry covered.

🎶If I was a songbird way up there
I’d go with love most everywhere
I’ll be the moon when the sun goes down
Just to let you know that I’m still around
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is
I’d be the weeping willow drowning in my tears
And you could go swimming when you’re here
And I’d be the rainbow after the tears are gone
Wrap you in my colours, keep you warm
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is…🎶

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #orangewine #italy #selectionaturel #podericellario #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Gratitude

Bindi Sergardi
Tenuta I Colli
La Boncia 2023
Chianti DOCG
100% Sangiovese
Monteriggioni, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Nicolò Casini – Bindi Sergardi & daughters Alessandra & Maddalena

Rubilicious color. There’s scents of dark cherry, all sorts of plums, raspberries, a depth that almost goes baker’s chocolate (just opened), and as it opens more a citrus back twang of grapefruit & a few red currants. Sipping away and there’s cherries, a cranberry or two, red & black currants, raspberries, blackberries (fruit, seeds & all bite), white & black pepper, a hint of that baker’s chocolate again, and as it continues to breathe it becomes more juicy.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: deliciously opens everything

This is a family with a long history and also one that is filled with gratitude. Nicolò writes he’s grateful to God & his ancestors, the lands, and most importantly his family: “Today my children work with me and this mixture of blood and earth makes me feel eternal.” His daughter Alessandra is happy she was born into a farming family and is “grateful to be able to live in close contact with nature whose teachings, sometimes hard and difficult, have opened me to different perspectives and filled life with meaning.” Maddalena (daughter) had taken time to explore the world while picking up more work experiences, but returned to her home..as she says, “I celebrate with gratitude the land that has always called me back.” Their words are so refreshing to me since so many in this world as of late have put more emphasis on entitlement. Thank you for making such a beautiful wine and bringing a warmth back to my heart. As I was telling someone this past week, “be kind, be nice & be grateful”. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #italy #broadbentselections #bindisergardi #docwinebar #docwineshop

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A Glass Of Sun, Sea & Time

Portugal Boutique Winery
Gorro Loureiro 2023
Vinho Verde DOC
Aveiro, Portugal
Winemakers: Ricardo Sarrazola & Diogo Carvalho

Shining golden glass. Fresh floral scents of irises, violets & orange blossoms followed by an orange, tangerine, lemon/lime, citrus swirl, a mineral & salt breeze, apples, and round pears. Everything in the sniff is there in the sip with a little more of a citrus sizzle that now includes a squeeze of grapefruit, and a touch of green pepper.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: easy as pie

Can you tell I love Portuguese wines? Over the years, if I have an opportunity to get my hands on one, it is definitely coming home with me. Portugal Boutique Winery is so up my alley. They started out with an aim to celebrate Portugal’s grapes, vines, lands, & history; featuring the Douro Valley, Bairrada & Vinho Verde (this bottle) regions. Gorro Loureiro carries their philosophy: “To express Loureiro in an authentic and genuine way in its natural habitat – Vale do Lima” where their two vineyards are located 5 km from the Atlantic ocean. The label is also a nod to the old Portuguese farmers & viticulturists/vignerons & the beanie/cap they’re known to don. The lines on their aged faces reflect their environment of sun, sea & earth; and are wizened by their work & time…capturing a moment of their heritage & history and passing on their traditions just like PBW wants to hold onto and share with us. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #portugal #gkselections #portugalboutiquewinery #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Ditch The Suit & Tie

Vigneti Vumbaca
Cirò DOC 2023
Bianco
100% Greco Bianco
Organic
Calabria, Italy
Christian Vumbaca

Yellow with green starlight twinkling and over time starts to head toward golden. Sniffing and there’s lemon, mango, pineapple, a little lychee, pears, winter melon, and a seaside breeze. Sipping away and there’s a lemon/lime/other citrus & their zest sparky blend, white peaches, kiwi, winter melon, light young spring cucumbers, and a pinch of salt along with a mineral lick. Has me pining for a summer picnic.

Pairs w Cheez-Its: Most definitely

Vigneti Vumbaca was born from a passionate hobby. Christian’s mom (teacher) & his uncle (also in the education field “Secretary of the Scientific High School”) decided to purchase 6 ha in Cirò to farm & 2 of those were vineyards. Christian joined them after 15 years in Rome where he was studying & eventually practicing law. On return he took some time in a local winery to learn more of the ropes. Then his family’s dream became his to follow. What’s the saying, “Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Now he has 13 ha with 6 that are vineyards homing in on indigenous grapes. I find it so interesting to think of going from working in law, suited up, going to court on a regular basis; and then have an opportunity to take such a beautiful turn to working with your hands, ditching the tie & shiny shoes, feeling/tasting/smelling the earth, lovingly & organically nurturing their vines, and reconnecting with their home & history. I think my favorite quote I’ve found by Christian (on South Philly’s Le Virtù restaurant’s IG) “Making wine is easy when compared to the work that happens in the vineyard. I don’t make Coca-Cola, I make natural wine. Clean tasting and following the path made by hundreds of years of tradition. I make mistakes and I will probably make more. Every vintage is different and it should be. My wines are a reflection of the vintage; weather, drought rain etc are all factors that shape the wines.” Now that sounds like a man who is following his calling & enjoying every bit of it. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #Calabria #italy #omniwines #VignetiVumbaca #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Pairs With Piggy

Joostenberg Wines
Myburgh Bros.
Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024
W.O. Paarl
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic, dry farmed
Paarl, South Africa
Tyrrel and Philip Myburgh (5th gen)

Light starlight twinkle twinkle yellow with a green gleam. Breathing in ripe & round apples & pears, peaches of all sorts, lemon/lime/tangelo squeeze, maybe a hint of peat/earth…hmmm, and a mineral/slate scent that turns into a bit of chalk. All of the scents are there in the taste but the fruits grow (especially loving the peaches), tiny lick of mango that makes me want bbq eel, and also that chalk/mineral vibe. Actually this lovely glass has me craving Southern bbq piggy.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: just don’t

Joostenberg has been in the Myburgh family since 1879, and has always been into mixed farming along with winemaking but for some reason in 1947, they decided to pull back from the making but kept up with the growing and selling their grapes to a local co-op. Thankfully in 1999, Tyrrel & Philip (brothers) decided to dive back in and they didn’t just stop there. As in their family tradition they still kept farming and continued to branch out with their deli providing free range & organic products from their farm or locally sourced. They also have a specialized butchery (started in 1997), beautiful seasonal flowers for any occasion, fresh vegetables & herbs, a bistro, their courtyard restaurant Kraal, a kids & family welcome Picnic Style Eatery, and at last their beautiful event venue that can handle 10 to 300 people. Wow, you would think it would be more than enough to keep a family busy, but turns out they also created a wine project (MAN Family Wines) with José Conde of Stark-Condé Wines which is named after their wives’ initials: Marie, Anette and Nicky. With all of these plates spinning at once, I’m impressed & exhausted on their behalf. Raising my glass to this busy bee family. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #southafrica #skurnikwines #JoostenbergWines #MyburghBros #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Guess It Was Just Destiny

Giacomo Mori
Chianti DOCG 2021
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo & Colorino
Practicing organic
San Casciano dei Bagni (SI), Tuscany, Italy
The Mori Family

Deep ruby. Breathing in cherries (fresh & dried), something woodsy, dried Mission figs, and a blend of licorice/mint/alpine herbal. All of the sniffs are in the sip with the herbal popping up more along with dark plums, & after a time out there’s raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, Ligurian olive pit, Mediterranean Thyme, and as it continues to open there’s red plums too…yet it is nice & dry on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yes please

Giacomo Mori set about revamping & jumpstarting his family’s estate & winery in 90s. The estate had been the family for eons, and produced grapes & wine for a local co-op, but Giacomo wanted to take it to the next level. There was replanting, updating some equipment, keeping it natural, no pesticides or nasty chemicals in the vines, and beneficial plants are sown on every other row. Guess what plants they use…Vicia faba or known as broad beans or fava beans which draws it all back to the thing I was determined not to write about…Mr. Lecter because I swear if I had a dollar for every time I hear that quote when someone mentions anything about Chianti. Guess it was just destiny when this bottle found me. 🤣🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Tuscany #Italy #chianti #winetime #cannonau #worldbyglass #skurnikwines #GiacomoMori #docwinebar #docwineshop