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Nature’s Gifts

Domaine Marc Portaz
Tête de Cuvée 2020
Vin de Savoie ‘Apremont’
100% Jacquère
hand harvest, indigenous yeasts
Apremont, Savoie (AOC), France
Winemaker: Jean-Marc Portaz

Light golden shining beacon. Breathing in bit of lemon-lime creme pie and spritz, round flintiness as it opens, and a smidge of tarragon. Now onto the taste and there’s honeysuckle, lemon/lime spark and a bit of key lime, pear, a limestone lick, pinch of white pepper, and a little of that bit of tarragon again (hey its been in my csa box a lot lately so we’ve become close friends).

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smoooooth

When I was a kid, during summer vacation from school, dad would pack up our station wagon and drive us across country and through Canada. He wanted me to see nature in all it’s beauty and power. I was fascinated by the glaciers we saw, their history, and what may be in and under them. Portaz’s vines in their ‘Apremont’  vineyards were born from an avalanche and the soil fed from what it left behind (debris from glaciers and limestone bits). Gives me a nostalgic warm feeling knowing I’m drinking a creation formed from that icy natural history that still fills my heart and brain with awe, and reminds me how grateful I am to have a father that cared enough to show me how beautiful and powerful nature can be.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #vindesavoie #winestagram #vinblanc #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #glacier #beautyinnature #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Jacquere #Apremont #Savoie #france #MarcPortaz #DomaineMarcPortaz @wilsondaniel @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Nature’s Gardeners

Domaine Philémon
‘Croix d’Azal’ 2020
100% Braucol
Gaillac AOC
Organic, hand harvested,
Villeneuve-sur-Vère, France
Winemakers, growers & owners: Mathieu et Stéphanie Vieules

Deep purple with maroon rim (boy isn’t that fit to be a band name). Scents of earthy cherry & plum, blackberries, raspberries, dried blueberries, teeny hint of shiitake, and back whiff of an herbal tangle with a pinch of licorice. Oh this is delicious! Tasting plums, cherries (and after a while cherry hard candy but not super sweet), raspberries & blueberry jamming in tune together with some earth, and a touch of anise. Not too heavy not too light…it’s just right (ok it’s medium). Oh and I totally should have started with this but better late than never: keep it at good ol’ cellar temp.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Savory

While on the search for wines from Bergerac, I wandered upon Domaine Philémon’s “Braucol”. They’re in southwestern France, around a 3 hour drive outside of my goal, but what a happy surprise for me. Mathieu (who also inherited the Philémon name passed down from his great-grandfather) reshaped and created the Domaine in 2003; and focused on only working with indigenous grapes and some are even old and “forgotten”. As you can expect, I’m getting all romantic about grape rescues, but there’s even more. Over the years he also took the farm and lands and vines to the organic side. There’s grains, lentils, even truffle oaks and as of 2020, they’re kept trimmed and groomed by the old hardy breed of sheep, “Solognote”. From what I’m reading they are very protective mamas, so it’s best not to get in between them and their babies. You might get a headbutt from nature’s gardeners. 🐑 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #Braucol #Gaillac #France #Solognote #sheep #naturalwine @worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic @domainephilemon @winetraditions @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Tout Est Art

Château de Jau
Le Jaja de Jau
IGP Côtes de Gascogne
100% Sauvignon
Organic, HVE 3, beekeeping, & 2 of my fave ways to deter pests: “sexual confusion” & nesting boxes for birds & bats
Cases-de-Pène, France
Jean et Bernard Dauré & now Simon (Bernard’s son)

Shimmering starlight with a touch of super light green. Sniff and a friendly grapefruit waves hi, next up is a swirl of lemon, lime, and orange along with yellow plums, peaches, and a honeysuckle breeze. Sip and here’s that grapefruit again with lemons, limes, gooseberries (I only encountered them in person & fresh over the past 10 years and that was quite a surprise), a very green crisp apple bite with a bit of not overpowering peach and mango thrown in that all of a sudden you realize hey there’s bell pepper in here. Theres also a mineral lick of a rock. It’s bright and has me craving jamón croquettes.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice but doesn’t rock my boat

Little did I expect this bottle to introduce me to such a long history (since 12th century) filled with monks, pirates, wine, and a silkworm farm. After an assortment of previous owners, Château de Jau is now a part of the Dauré family. They embraced everything about the property, what lives and grows there, and the creative spark that has been ignited within their walls. Actually, remember that silkworm farm…since the 70s they turned it into an exhibition space of some quite renowned contemporary artists and also workshops for budding ones. Even their “La Jaja de Jau” labels have the handiwork (literally) of Ben (Vautier). As his painting says, “Tout est art.” 🍷

Oh and side note, there is something about this artistically magical place that makes me think Wes Anderson.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #vinblanc #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #WesAnderson #accidentallywesanderson #art #Sauvignon #Sauvignonblanc #cotesdegascogne #france #benvautier @vinoviawinegroup @chateaudejau @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Drink Well, Live Well

Domaine Chasselay
Quatre Saisons 2020
Appellation Beaujolais Controlée
100% Gamay
Organic
Châtillon d’Azergues, France
Family winery: Jean-Gilles & Christiane (parents), Fabien & Claire Chasselay

Give this one a nice cave chill. Ruby with a little bluish coating kind of like those questionable yet so loved rubber coated jeans I had from the 80s. I wish mom hadn’t put them out at a yard sale. Sniffing a pretty bouquet of lilies, lilacs, iris, violets & a sprinkling of other flowers, cherries, raspberries, a fennel frond, snd give it a little time and here comes that welcome forest floor. Wait a bit more and there’s salt cured black Morrocan olives and their pits, and then the flowers creep back in with orange zest. Tasting a blend of cherries, raspberries & orange zest (not heavy at all but full of flavors), that bunch of flowers again, alpine herbal, elderflower, anise, and that olive pit comes back to even it all out.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: darker deeper funkier, yeah!

How far back can you trace your family tree? The Chasselays, at least in wine growing date back to 1464, which is pretty darn old…in fact they’re one of the oldest wineries in Beaujolais, and one of the early ones going organic (certified in 2006). Obviously there’s no weedkillers and those other nasty chemicals, but plenty of natural love for their vines through cultivating beneficial flora and fauna. I love their “Drink Well, Live Well” part of their site because it just shows that this family truly cares for their friends. You’ll find not only the Domaine’s goodies in their cellar store, you’ll also find wine and beers they’re promoting for their friends. Now that’s just beautifully neighborly.🍻

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #beer #instawine #winemaking @worldbyglass #Gamay #Beaujolais #France #drinkwell #livewell #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @martineswines @docwineshop @docwinebar @domainejgchasselay @cheezit

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Butterfly Kisses

Famille Bonnin
La Croix des Loges
Anjou Blanc Sec 2021
100% Chenin Blanc
Anjou Blanc AOC
Sustainable, Terra Vitis certification, HVE 3
Martigné-Briand, Loire, France
Winemakers: Jean-Christian and Sophie Bonnin

Pale or even icy yellow green (Can you tell I’m still in the middle of a heatwave? Embracing anything icy even if in color.) Cool and fresh scents of apricots, peaches, little spring blossoms, wet granite, and mellow pear. Sip and it’s light, easy and not overly well everything. Kind of like butterfly kisses…it just gently wakes your tongue to those apricots again, peaches, pear, some honeydew straight from the cooler, a fresh twinge of citrus/tangerine spark, and a lick of that wet granite again. Just simply beautiful…

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Gives it a kick! I like this one both ways.

The Famille Bonnin have deep roots (ok bad vine pun) to Martigné-Briand, dating back to 1920, and they’ve stayed on the wine track all these years. The current generation has kept up their momentum and passion through traditions, modernizing, and proving their love for their environment with certification & transparency. As it says on Steep Hill Imports’ site, their manifesto is “Life is beautiful!“, and this bottle will melodically remind you by each glass. On a personal note, this was a much needed nudge because I’ve had some crazy things thrown my way lately. Famille Bonnin, thank you for turning my vision back to the simple elegance of finding happiness in the little things in life. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking @worldbyglass #cheninblanc #anjou #Loire #France #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #lifeisbeautiful #steephillwine @steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar @famille_bonnin @cheezit

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How To Love Your Job

Domaine François Chidane
Brut Tradition 2019
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC
Chenin Blanc
Organic, biodynamic, regenerative agriculture
Montlouis-sur-Loire, Loire, France
Owners and winemakers: François and Manuela Chidaine

Had to wrestle for over 7 minutes to hear that pop! Then poured a glass of warm golden with light bubbles that fade and disappear. Sniffing and there’s apples, pears, guava, and it reminds me of a touch of calvados. Ginger also gently flies out over time with brioche. Sip and there’s pears, a zipping zingy crisp apple, lime, again there’s that ginger (not Mary Ann 🏝), on the back and when you exhale there’s a maltiness like the yeast you sprinkle on popcorn in a pub, and slate, salt, a tad of parsley which all ends in a touch of creamy deliciousness.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings all the lovely bits out so grab a 2nd bag

I think we can sufficiently say, François loves his job. “I am doing a marvelous profession that I have chosen. No one forced it on me. It’s my life! I didn’t want to do anything else…” How many of us wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and can say the same! Imagine getting to wake up to this view and work in harmony with nature all day. Also explains this quote, “I consider the vine as a human being. We must not imprison her and always be respectful towards her.” He’s even branched out to Murcia, Spain with 2 wines (Bullas DO), which greatly intrigues me, but makes sense…his wife Manuela’s family is from there. Now I’m going to have to make this a new mission to track down these bottles, because if they are anywhere as good as this Brut, they are bound to be fab!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #CheninBlanc #Brut #Loire #France #Murcia #Spain #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #domainefrancoischidaine @polanerselections @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Nature In A Can

Mad Med
L’Orange 2021
VDF
100% Vermentino
Organic (working on certification), native yeast, unfiltered, 3 weeks skin contact
Provence, France
Grapes selected, vinified, aged & canned by Harry et Max

Hazy rosy orangey gold, kind of like a pink grapefruit. Hovering over the glass and scents start with a poof of smoke that turns into a cocktail of valencia oranges & blossoms, honeysuckle also starts to emerge, mellow pears, salt, and here comes some light tangelo & pluots. Here goes the taste and HELLO! My tongue is loving these flavors. There’s orange & zest with a hint of smoke, pink grapefruit, pears, a touch of honeysuckle with some bitters…say parsleyesque, and of course salt. Portable summertime lively delish that stands up even when it warms while hanging in the yard.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: bleh

Over the past two years, I have stopped my apprehension of “wine in a can”. I will also say this one really took me by surprise because I had been tasting other vermentinos recently and guess which one won out? Yeah, I “can” hardly believe it. Don’t kill me for the “dad joke” 🤣. With heat like we’ve been having, just take my word for it and grab a couple. It’ll make your sweltering day so, so much better! Oh and as Mad Med says, “Chassez le naturel, il revient en canette”.

Note: I have a sneaking suspicion that this may be related to my favorite “party pig” #bobsinglar

wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #vinnature #wineinacan #cannedwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #naturalwine #vermentino #organic #Provence #France #lamongestine #harryetmax #madmed @madmedcans @SkinContactWines @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Do You Believe In Magic?

Domaine de Thalie
Plutonic 2020
Saône-et-Loire IGP
Gamay 50%, Syrah 50%
Organic, biodynamic, sustainable, hand harvested
Bray, Saône-et-Loire, France
Winemaker: Peter Gierszewski

Ruby stained glass with purple glints and rim. Breathing in cherries, plums, a woodsy forest filled earthiness, and a slight bit of cherry blossoms/lilacs waft  out later and flow back and forth. The more it breathes the better it gets. Very happily tasting juicy cherry, cherry jolly ranchers, & also tart cherry zing, strawberries, blackberries, plums (tart & mellow blend), and a tiny grind of black pepper with a pinch of coriander (or wait is it ajwain? Nope it’s coriander). Refreshing and a good summer red that still has a backbone and can stand up to whatever you throw at it, so give me a burger or a fried chicken sandwich or queso fundido. This may sound crazy but how about give me all three! Restrain yourself from guzzling the whole bottle because trust me you’re going to want to do it.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: yep it goes with everything including this bag

This is the Domaine that Peter built, and boy did he pick the right place (terroirs). Of course, he didn’t go into this without a wine education and the garage wine route. This man knows his stuff and knows how to listen to nature, follow its lead, snd have patience. It’s like he has a hand in a bit of moonlight magic too. Hard to explain until you experience his wine…then you’ll know exactly what I mean, and your senses will be enchanted. ✨

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #syrah #gamay #Plutonic #saoneetloire #France #kylieminogue #magic #domainedethalie @communalbrands @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Moment Of Elegance

Domaine des Gerbeaux
Mâcon-Villages 2020
100% Chardonnay
Hand harvested in small baskets, no herbicides or pesticides, just natural (biodynamic without the paperwork)
Solutré-Pouilly, Burgundy, France
Owners and winemakers: Béatrice and Jean-Michel Drouin (and son Xavier)

Glistening golden glass. Breathing in mellow pears, nectarine, mild honeysuckle & other blossoms, green & golden delicious apples, and a citrus squish (blend of lime, lemon, tangelo). This is an elegant swish on my tongue of full pears, golden delicious apples, honeysuckle nectar, and honeydew starter with a melon mix & a lick of limestone & salt. Just svelte and sexy like a bespoke suit.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmm takes you to the seaside

So this is what happens when two souls from winemaking families tie the knot, blend their knowledge & passion, and in 1979, take on the Domaine (started in 1896, by Jean-Michel’s grandfather). They are dedicated, if not obsessed with the health of the vineyards & lands (check out their IG page to see the beauty!) and especially the quality of their much loved wines. If you need proof take a gander at Berry Bros. & Rudd’s site, where they declare the Drouins produce “some of the best and most distinctive wines in the Mâconnais region”. On top of that they are very partial to their St Véran wine to the point that, “Berry Bros & Rudd take the entire crop of this cuvee every year.” Guess I won’t be able to get my hands on one of those for quite some time. Ah well, I’m happy with my bottle of elegance.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram  #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #chardonnay #Burgundy #Maconnais #France @jp.bourgeois @domaine_des_gerbeaux @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Artfully Familiar

Nature’s Revenge
Pét-Nat
Millésime 2020
100% Chardonnay
Super natural, hands off, no manipulation
Carcassonne, France
Crafted by Pierre Caizergues & Antonin Bonnet

Pale yellow with green undertones and vibrant bubbles. Scents of pears, apples, fresh blossoms & I can just hear the bees buzzing & seeing their cute little bee butts wiggling in joy, and a light vanilla/Nilla wafer/almond croissant moment. Sipping and it’s limey lemony crisp, some pear and apple cider with a sliver of pineapple and honeysuckle as it opens. There’s also a sprig of grass, a light smidge of ginger that stays way in the back at first that gets lost, and a little almond and sparkling water mineral feel.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yeah…it goes all creamy and but keeps it’s crisp tingle

I was like…wait, wait, wait…I know this artwork. It’s kind of like being at an art gallery opening, you look across the crowd, and can’t quite place the face that is heading your way until you’re both mid conversation. Sure enough, I’ve seen some of Oscar Lett’s work in person (on a building in my neck of the woods) and had no idea. What a beautiful hand in these murals and on this bottle. Check out how he blends nature & urban on his site. It’s truly breathtaking, and makes sense that it pairs so well with “Nature’s Revenge”.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #petnat #PétNat #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Carcassonne #France #Languedoc  #naturalwine @toutonselection @vinewinenyc @pierre_tailleur_de_vins @oscarlett.artist @cheezit