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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

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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!

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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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Afternoon Delight

Conti di Buscareto
Rosè Brut
Sparkling wine
Charmat Method
Marche, Italy
Lacrima di Morro d’Alba 100%

A dancing glass of pale salmon with pretty bubbles. When first opened a vanilla whiff escaped but eventually ran away, roses follow along with sweet cherry and strawberries. Take a refreshing sip and there’s cherries with a touch of lemon. It’s dry, super fresh and perfect on this hot afternoon. Now all I need is to be sitting poolside with someone refilling my glass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: fun and fresh and just overall smoothes it out

Lacrima translates to tears, but there’s definitely no need to shed any. This sparkler is a glass of happiness. Conti di Buscareto, I’m so happy to be introduced to you!

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Naked as the Day You’re Born

Terra di Briganti
Nato Nudo
Fiano 2018
Benevento IGP
Casalduni Campania Italy
Fiano 100%
Organic, biodynamic, vegan, and indigenous yeasts

Super deep glistening gold. Inhale and then there’s blossoms, tangerine, some wafting salt, and then here comes the apples, pears, and something a bit herbal. Go in for the sip and there’s those pears and apples again. Add to that melon, honeysuckle, citrus peel tang, and spice that may be black pepper, or something dried. All I know is I want a plate of salame and mortadella.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: gives it a citrus zing lightness with a touch of celery

Nato Nudo means born naked, and is a natural unfiltered wine with no added sulfites. You can really smell, taste, and feel the benefit of the wild rugged land where the guyot trained Fiano grows.

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Let’s Hear it for the Bugs!

Christina
Zweigelt Rosé 2019
Göttlesbrunn Carnuntum Austria
Zweigelt 100%
Winemaker Christina Netzl
Organic

A glass of really deep flaming cloudy rosé. Sniff and there’s cherry, watermelon, sea breeze, citrus peel, and mineral. Just a beautiful refreshing fragrance. Tip your glass and take a sip. Whoa it’s super fruity. Again there’s delicious watermelon, tart cherry, some lemon tang, and I do believe pepper. Oh this is so easy to drink, but take your time, unless you have a backup bottle in the fridge.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Sweetens the cherry watermelon

The Netzl family has six generations of wine history, and Christina has taken it to the natural side. She grew up on her parents farm/vineyard (in Carnuntum, Austria) learning the ways of the vine. As her family began further focusing on the wine, she also continued her education in London. Upon her return home, she navigated the winery to it’s now organic status, which is heralded on the labels of her Christina line. I’m a big bee and bug backer, and these cheerful illustrations of the beneficial inhabitants of the vineyard tell it all. There’s no pesticides here. Also interestingly enough, Fritz Zweigelt, who had doctorate in entomology, is the father of the grape Zweigelt. Back in the 1920s he crossed Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent grapes to come up with this hybrid.

On to Carnuntum…what a history, an ancient Roman fortress and a destination on the Amber Road. Now from what I’m reading, it’s a treasure trove for archeologists, and as seen in Christina’s wine, an amazing place to have a vineyard from the rich soil influenced by the Danube. Visiting the city’s website, introduced me to Heidentor or also known as “Heathen’s Gate” which is quite weathered yet still majestic. Their site also has a digital rendering of how it probably looked when it was first constructed back in 351–361 AD. There’s also remains of amphitheaters and a gladiator school which they also recreate here. Alright, while watching the video and listening to the dramatic music, it made me have a GOT moment. Started waiting to see if a dragon would fly in and crisp everyone.

Turning away from the city and now heading to Donau-auen National Park, which is a floodplain area along the Danube. I thought, I was just going to be enjoying discovering the wildlife and land, but as I research, I’ve discovered a political movement that saved and created this area. As industry developed and hydroelectric plants and dams popped up along the Danube, Austrian environmentalists stood up and made their voices herd. They protested and encamped themselves to stop the destruction of nature. The police could not even move them. Thousands occupied the Hainburg area to stop the deforestation which became known as the Hainburg Movement. This led to their Supreme Court stopping the clearing of the land and eventually the power plant losing their fight. Thank goodness! Think of how different this area would be, if people just sat back and let their precious water, wildlife and forests be destroyed. Here’s a gorgeous video provided by the park. Wow, to wake up and see such lush beauty each morning would be amazing. This is definitely a place that was and is worth fighting for.

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Naturally Enchanting

Agricola Foradori
Foradori 2018
Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT
Trentino-Alto Adige Italy
Teroldego 100%
Organic and biodynamic

A goblet of total goth deep dark ruby purple. Take a breath of cherries, plums, vanilla, cola, flowers, and some mineral earthiness. First sip and there’s tart cherries that mellow out to smooth. Next there’s plums, raisin, singed orange peel,  I do believe some strawberries, and dark rich earthy goodness. It’s as enchanting as Elizabeth Fraser’s voice.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Everything smoothes out even more. Silky fruity goodness

This deep dark beauty had me thumbing through some of the music from my past, and here are two of my Fraser favorites.  Even now Song To The Siren gives me goosebumps and makes my heart fly, and let us not forget her lush work with Massive Attack – Teardrop.

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Fresh and Foxy

Terra di Briganti
Coda di Volpe 2019
100% Coda di Volpe
Benevento Campania Italy
Organic, biodynamic and vegan

Cloudy orange goldness and tiny bubbles cling to the glass. Go in for the sniff and wow, honeysuckle and spring grass, then a hint of vanilla cookie, smoke, and a splash of cola.  This is delightful. Swirl and sip. There’s honey, a light citrus tingle, smoke and light citrusy and tangerine tingle with a dash of smoke and salt. This is one sleek, sly, fun fox.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: tangerine mellowness continues

The more you know: Coda di volpe means tail of the fox, which refers to how this type of grape looks on the vine growing in a long tail-like bunch.

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