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Win-Win Wines

Maison Idiart
Pinot Noir 2022
Sancerre AOP
Sancerre, France
Winemaker: Nicolas Idiart

Shining crancherry. There’s scents of cherries, plums red & dark purple, light bit of prunes, a scrape of mineral with pinch of salt that grows into something more forest, pomegranate, and bright cranberry. Sipping away a crancherry mix with tart plums, young blackberries, pomegranate, red currants and a sprinkle of dark earth; BUT it’s all so very light, fresh and not heavy at all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Hell yeah!

Nicolas has quite the achievement in his past. Turns out he graduated Bordeaux University at 19 making him France’s youngest winemaker…pretty impressive. Now he and his “modern day wine company” work with select natural growers whose grapes sing from where they are born and while most are from France there’s also a New Zealand venture. He’s also really into reducing their carbon footprint. Now, I’ve had bad wine in a keg a looooong time ago but this is not that old cringe worthy on tap stuff. Nope, he uses their premium small batch elixirs and as their site says, It keeps the wine more fresh, environmentally friendly, and saves cost on all levels. To me this is a great win-win for all. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #France #naturalwine #sustainable #cwdistributing #maisonidiart #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Passing Torches & Passion

Domaine Leccia
Fronda di Leccia 2024
Nielluccio, Grenache
Organic, biodynamic, family winery
Corsica, France
Winemaker & current generation: Lisandru Leccia

Cranberry (you know the one that comes out of the can on Thanksgiving) stained glass. Breathing in cherries, touch of hay wafting in that quickly says bye, tart & dark plums, a little eucalyptus, and pomegranate. Sipping and there’s a blend of cherry, plums, raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate, blackberry, and boysenberry. Everything is light, lively & so easy, and it’s so nice to have something not complicated right now. It actually has me craving a Junior’s Cheesecake.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Just do it

Lisandru Leccia (the latest gen) grew up in a wine family, but spread his wings to further his vin-education in Dijon, Meursault, and Napa Valley, CA (Opus One). Of course over time home called his name, and his father (Yves) had started another estate leaving the family’s winery in his aunt’s (Annette) hands. As she says on their site, “‘Passing on my parents’ land to their grandson was the culmination of a lifetime’s work; the passing down of the torch is the most important moment in a winemaker’s life.” Lisandru happily took that torch and ran with it. It’s in his blood and you can tell by his words, “When I was a child, playing outside in this magical place was a true joy for me. Today, that’s what I try to do every day: to pass on this passion through wines. I often say that I’m inflating the tires of my tractor where, as a child, I used to inflate the tires of my bicycle…” 🍷❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #France #corsica #lagrenouillewine #domaineleccia #vinewinenyc

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Protect The Bees And They’ll Protect You

Anne Pichon Wines
“Sauvage”
Vermentino 2024
Vaucluse IGP
Organic (Ecocert France SAS), biodynamic, sustainable, indigenous yeast, grapes grown on the slopes of Mont Ventoux
Mormoiron, Vaucluse, France
Winemakers & nature lovers: Anne Pichon & Véronique (SIL)

Pale or rather light yellow greenish starlight. Breathing in a lovely jumble of kumquat, light mandarin, lemon/lime,  little lychee, green pears, and winter melon. Sip and it’s clean, fresh and crisp. All of the scents but maybe slightly more sharpened but with a delicate vibe. There’s also a mashup of gooseberry & tomatillo in a good way.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: kind of fun but would be better with bbq eel

Anne & Marc (her husband, who sadly passed away in 2016) Pichon found a perfect place to make wine in an already organic yet left behind domaine that came with quite a romantic name in my bee & bug loving book, “Mur-Mur-Ium” (the buzzing song of bees). Its village “Mormoiron” also has local lore that long ago when besieged with invaders the villagers came up with a creative way of defense by lobbing beehives at them. Who wouldn’t hightail it out of there with thousands of buzzers swarming you? Anyway, Domaine Mur-Mur-Ium is now in the hands of the Pichon’s sons (Émile & Niels), and Anne’s line of wines, “Sauvage” or “wild” wines seem to me to be like a love letter to nature, it’s complexity, strength & beauty. ❤️🐝

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #bees #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Rhone #France #organic #sustainable #tedwardwines #annepichon #annepichonsauvage #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Hanging Onto The Last Strands Of Summer

Domaine de l’Abbaye
Grand Beylesse
Rosé 2023
Syrah, Cinsault, & Grenache
Côtes De Provence AOP
HVE3, hand harvested at night
Chinon, France
Owner: Franc Petit

Pale pinky salmon that deepens over time. Breathing in strawberries, raspberries, a bit of cantaloupe, honeydew & a mix of other melons, cool free flowing river rock mineral, touch of grapefruit but not overly funky, and a smidge of lemon crispiness. Completely all of the scents in the sip along with a light bit of cranberry, a little pomegranate, pinch of salt, & it’s a fresh smile, wink and smooch in a bottle.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: pretty good

At first I wondered why this bottle was blue. Turns out Mr. Petit takes great pride in this rosé, and cares about extending the freshness as long possible and hence is why he chose this UV protectant cobalt blue bottle. Each glass reminds me of a feeling I’ve been having…the pleasure of hanging onto the last strands of summer, and stretching that warm glow for as long as possible. Maybe I need to squirrel a few more away to brighten the cooler days of fall and winter ahead. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #Rosé #Rose #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #France #wineemporium  #domaineabbaye #docwinebar #docwineshop

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On The Road Again

Domaine Désiré Petit
Tribu’lles NV
Pétillant Naturel
Savagnin & Chardonnay
Organic, sustainable, hand harvested
Pupillin, Jura, France
The Petit Family

Shining yellow with very active white bubbles. Lovely scents of apples, pears, a sparkle of lime, hazelnuts, fresh pecans picked from my granny’s trees (used to throw sticks up in the high branches to make them shower down), dried pineapple, and golden raisins. Sip and all those sniffs are there with a bit more lime/lemon sizzle, now it’s almond instead of hazelnut, and a mineral/salt shake. It’s fresh, crisp with a touch of lush, and I’d love to drink this in my old home backyard watching the evening fade & the lightening bugs come out to dance.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: ooh yes

Désiré Petit started his domaine in 1932, and the family are now in their 3rd generation of winemaking. Over the years they have grown, held themselves to goals (going organic, expanding their plots, etc) and all the while letting their passion flow. They also say that to truly get to know who they, their land and their wines are would be best to let them guide you…”our greatest pleasure would be to show you around the cellars and share with you, glass in hand, an unforgettable tasting.” A good way to meet them upclose and personal is to camp out. They’re members of “France Passion” (friendly and gourmet stopovers). All you need is a self contained motorhome, a membership in the group, use one of the 5 spots on their beautiful land, and follow the “Golden Rules” which shouldn’t be hard for those that appreciate the experience. First of all be nice, say hi & enjoy their knowledge of their wine, territory, food, and the neighborhood; be respectful & don’t leave trash behind, and of course let them know when you’re ready to hit the road again (cue Willie Nelson music). 🚐

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #petnat #France #peterweygandt #domainedesirepetit #vinewinenyc

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Bubbly Bottle Of Summer

Château Fontvert
Bulles Natures NV
Rosé Pét-nat
Mourvedre
Certified organic & biodynamic (Demeter), hand harvested, indigenous yeasts
Lourmarin, Luberon Mountains, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Jérôme Monod & sons & family

Light salmon belly flash with active bubbles. All of the scents are dainty & gentle with raspberries, yellow cherry, white peaches, a grapefruit & citrus blend, mineral spring house, and a little sea breeze. All of the sniff is in the taste with a little more peaches and happy seltzer zing. It’s festive, friendly, oh so cheerful, and this is your summer bottle to keep on repeat.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Step away from the bag

Château Fontvert’s lands have been worked & farmed since Roman times. It passed hands to the Sambuc family toward the end of the 17th century when they established the estate & kept it for 14 generations. The Monod family acquired it in the 1950s, revamped the vineyard & at first sold the grapes to a co-op until 2003 when they decided to go all in on their own label. Now they’re biodynamic & organic certified and as far as I’m concerned, they’re knocking out of the park. Now this little pét-nat led me down another trail to Lourmarin which is known by travel writers as dreamy and “the prettiest village in Provence”. There’s ivy covered Provencal stone architecture that exudes a friendly warmth, an abundance of floral scents changing with the seasons, a bustling market day, outdoor cafés, and one thing that stood out to me their beautiful doors. Whether old or new they are distinctly individual wooden pieces of art. I can see where Peter Mayle got his some of his inspiration for “A Year In Provence” whilst residing here. Who wouldn’t want to live in such a lovely & magical place. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #provence #France #mfwwineco #chateaufontvert #vinewinenyc

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Blast From My Past

les FRÈRES Bastards
GSM Rosé 2023
50% Grenache, 30%Syrah, 20% Merlot
VDF
Vineyards: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Thierry Boudinaud & Guy Anderson

Warm sunset blush…pinky with a watercolor splash of orange. Sniff and uh oh. There’s burnt rubber with a touch of diesel, and masked behind that wall is a faint bit of cherry, strawberries, raspberry, and incinerated baguette. Dare I take a sip? Well, I guess I have to & there’s all of the scents along with a citrus squirt that does no favors.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Not wasting them on this glass

I usually stay away from bothering with writing about wines that well…that I just don’t like, but I have a history with Fat Bastard. Goes all the way back to my days of gallery openings. If you were ever a starving artist/student, you know there’s a lot of free wine to be found on opening night festivities. Let’s just say, the one I had all those years ago was plain awful. Thought maybe it’s just the one bottle, so gave it a couple more tries and still ack! I wasn’t the only one tossing it out and that gallery had leftover cases & it took MANY openings to get rid of them. If the kids pass on it, you know. Anyway, since it had been many years & this was a completely different blend with a slight name change, gave it one more good old college try but ended up once again disappointed. Sadly this cute hippo label can’t change the blasted contents of this bottle.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #France #Rosé #Rose

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A Small Delicacy

Domaine des Aubuisières
Vouvray AOC
Brut
100% Chenin Blanc
HVE3 certification, organic
Loire, France
Charles and Menehould Lesaffre

Warm gold with active little bubbles tracing images on the surface. Inhaling an elegant mix of pears (fresh & baked), Fuji & Red Delicious apples, nectarines, white peaches, a gentle reminder of my mom’s lemon squares that were properly cooked & not eggy like other overcooked ones I’ve had, and light honeysuckle blooms. First sip wakes up my mouth with a zing. All of the scents are there in the taste with a tiny drop of citrus tingle. Just crisp, fresh and very addictive.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

I’m a bit of a magpie when it comes to labels, or at least I love to pay attention to details like this little long beaked bird flying in from the side. I became familiar with this feathered friend, the Bécasse aka Eurasian woodcock, from one of my favorite authors, Martin Walker & his series “Bruno Chief of Police” set in Dordogne, France. Bruno not only solves mysteries/crimes, but he is also an amazing chef. He dearly loves to hunt (along with his Basset Hound) Bécasse and share them with his friends. In “The Dark Vineyard”, during one of his dinner parties, he explains that when the birds are flushed out of the brush & take flight their stomach completely evacuates so this fat tube is a delicacy. Cooked it softens, turns creamy and is supposed to be delicious spread on a baguette. Bruno also grills the birds split down the middle with the head & beak still attached, and some find the “charred head” to be their fave to eat whole…just don’t munch on the beak. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #sparklingwine #brut #France #worldbyglass #brunochiefofpolice #weygandtselections #peterweygandt #domainedesaubuisieres #vinewinenyc

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Racing Into A Glass Of Happy

Henri Champliau 
Petrone
Blanc de Blancs
Brut
Chardonnay (mainly), Colombard, Ugni Blanc
Mercurey, Burgundy, France
Founder & winemaker: Alexandre Graffard

Shining light yellow with bouncing bubbles. Lovely scents start popping out of pears, apples, a  green melonish vibe that turns into rising dough & then becomes or rather alongside a toasty brioche, and lemon/lime/Valencia orange spritz/zest. Such a crisp & elegant sip with lemon/lime, all sorts of pears & apples, and a smidge of sorrel. It’s just lively, bright and HAPPY. 🍾

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Delicious and rounds out everything…really surprising.

Alexandre Graffard caught the wine bug pretty early in life, or as he said, he was “initiated as a private sommelier as soon as I was 7 years old”. Following in his grandfather’s spirit, he also established his own vineyards and named the family winery after him (Henri Champliau) who sounds like quite an interesting man. He had a great love for Burgundy, fabulous food & wine, his vines, and horses. His first Thoroughbred filly, “Wild Miss” was quite the racer winning the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp-Paris, and was mother to the colt Petrone. This horse turned out to be a chip off the old racing block, and was sold to the actor Eddie Constantine. What better way to honor & remember this noble creature that was “one of the best horses of his generation in 1968 in France and the USA” than naming this fine Brut after him. 🏇

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #brut #sparklingwine #bubbly  #Burgundy #France #winebow #HenriChampliau #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Wine Worthy Of A Dust-up

Domaine Rimbert
Cousin Oscar
“on se l’arrache”
Cinsault, Pinot Noir
VDF
Organic, indigenous yeasts, vegan friendly
Berlou, Saint Chinian, France
Owner & winemaker: Jean-Marie Rimbert

Bright ruby red. Chill it just a little bit and your nose will be treated to raspberries, cherries, a mellow creaminess, black & blueberry blend, red currants, and a happy scent reminder of a warm dry handmade paper from my printmaking days. The sip is delicious but also has more to it than I thought. It’s fresh & juicy with raspblueblackboysenberry, cherry, violets, touch of hoarhound, black & red currants, orange zest, and smidge of cardamom & black pepper. Easy peasy drinking and oh so friendly. Oscar please bring on Spring weather so I can enjoy you outside.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: YES! Brings out more juicy fruit

I love Rimbert’s wines and that he’s so down to earth, by calling himself a “paysan” or in other words, a peasant…a humble farmer who finds joy in the simple natural things in life and his surroundings. Well, he’s also an artist. Just look at the collage art created from 1950s magazines on the label. Evidently the grinning chap is named after his girlfriend’s cousin, “Oscar”. Sounds like he was all the rage with the ladies, and there may have been some dust-ups over who got to claim him as their’s hence the “on se l’arrache!” that translates to “we’re fighting over him”. Those words fit this wine so well because once you and your friends try it, you’ll be tussling over the last glass.🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #France #Cinsault #PinotNoir #jennyfrancois #domainerimbert #docwinebar #docwineshop