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An Ancient Grape For Modern Times

Tenimenti Leone
Tera de Leone 2021
100% Cesanese
IGP Lazio Rosso
Organic
Lanuvio. Lazio, Italy

Dark ruby shine. Breathing in raspberries & strawberries with a touch of cream, deep plums, cherries, smidge of cherry Twizzlers, dried figs, and a whiff of cola. All of the scents are in the swig along with singed orange & lime peel, a lick of iron & espresso and the volcanic soil where it grew.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth operator but it’s even better with dark chocolate hand dipped dried figs

While reading up on Cesanese’s history that is linked back through the ancient Romans and more lately to break out winemakers focusing on natural, organic, and letting the land speak through the grape; my friend reminded me of a female winemaker that gave this grape a touch of star shine. Natalie Oliveros learned in northern NY how to make wine from her father due to their Calabrese heritage on her Nonna’s side…albeit basement wine. I’m sure it tasted a lot better than my dad’s 🤣. Anyway, you might also know her from her stage name, Savanna Samson which she picked up while dancing in NYC & in her award winning career as a porn star. That name carried over into her first wine line (with winemaker Roberto Cipresso) that included her well known “Sogno Uno” (70% Cesanese, 20% Sangiovese & 10% Montepulciano) that Robert Parker scored 91, and after meeting her…he also added that she has a “‘good palate’”. So as many women winemakers that have had to do the good fight and not get classified by their gender, she’s proven herself & her wines to not just the critics but also the world, and now she fully owns her own winery “La Fiorita” since 2014. Cheers & thank you to my friend who sent me down this wine rabbit hole and this wonderful grape🍷!

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What Can Warm The Coldest Heart?

Azienda Ai Galli
Prosecco Rosè 2024
Brut Millesimato DOC
Glera 90%, Pinot Nero 10%
Pramaggiore, Veneto, Italy
Galli Family

Light flash of salmon belly pinkish blush with active bubbles. Sniffing and there’s strawberries (reminds me of the wild Canadian ones we used to get on the roadside), white peaches, green pears & apples, lychee, light mandarin & lemon, and a smidge of kumquat. All of the scents are in the sip that is crisp, bright and lively. It’s one of those lip vibrating bubblies that’s like a first kiss.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: YES

What makes a snowy night better…this rosè prosecco! The once enchanting snowflakes have become annoying and by morning it will be a grey slushy mess. A glass will bring you a blast of life or a touch of spring on the horizon. It’s also a glass of romance that can warm the coldest heart. Cheers to no more snow and to the hope of warmer & sunnier days! 🥂

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Collaboration, Inclusion & Breaking Down Cultural Barriers

Caruso E Minini
Arancino
Bianco Macerato
Catarratto
Terre Siciliane IGP
Organic & sustainable
Marsala, Trapani, Sicily, Italy
Wine team: Stefano Caruso & Mario Minini (co-founders), and Giovanna & Rosanna (Stefano’s daughters)

Light orange golden and as it opens it deepens. Sniffing Valencia orange & blossoms, honeysuckle, mandarins, light tangerine, persimmon, wild flowers and sea breeze. Sipping and all of the scents are right there along with fresh picked basil, marjoram, thyme, parsley and a little shake of salt. It’s so crisp, fresh and delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Big yes

This is my 2nd Caruso E Minini wine, and I just love their labels, but I didn’t know the history until now. Turns out the illustrations are created by people from Turin’s Laboratorio Zanzara. The program is a non-profit that is “dedicated to the integration and creativity of people with intellectual and behavioral disabilities, under the direction of Gianluca Cannizzo”. They work from pics & objects from Marsala & then combine their ideas with a touch of Matisse’s style. While creating, they can share ideas, chat, and grow. As it says on Laboratorio Zanzara’s site, “I make, therefore I am” is the starting point to find fulfillment, both as individuals and as a group. It’s a path of giving back and active participation in society”. The collaboration of the winery & lab “exemplifies how art and business can come together, proposing a new language capable of breaking down cultural barriers; a fusion of taste and beauty, destined to leave an indelible mark on the mind and heart”. Cheers to this project and their others that are a creation of love.

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“An Oasis Of Peace”

Azienda Agricola Pojer e Sandri
Palai Müller-Thurgau 2024
100% Müller-Thurgau
Natural winemaking
San Michele all’Adige, Faedo TN, Italy
Mario Pojer & Fiorentino Sandri

Light yellow with a green sheen. Sniff and there’s light peaches, grapefruit, grassy wild flowers along with white blossoms, peppergrass, and lemon zest. Sipping lemon, lemongrass, grapefruit,  peach but not overly fruity…kinda dry, kumquat, crabapple, sourgrass & a touch of peppergrass, lick of mineral, and s dash of salt.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Easy as pie

Back in 1975, Fiorentino inherited his family’s vineyards & Mario had graduated enological school, which sounds like a recipe for a perfect pairing… except some thought the lands might not be great. Boy did they prove the doubters wrong with their 1975 Palai Müller-Thurgau, and have continued as they grew from 2ha to so much more. In 1998, they were the first in Italy to market Chardonnay, then in 2002, they “patented the reduction and press vinification process with nitrogen recovery, which drastically reduces the use of sulfites” & started “washing the grapes in a grape jacuzzi” (I just love the image of 🍇 chilling in a jacuzzi), and in 2013, launched their Zero Infinito project which means, “Zero chemical treatments in the countryside, Zero sulfur dioxide, Zero commercial yeasts, Zero fining agents, Zero filtration, Zero antioxidants”. Along with their wines, they also produce grappas, fruit brandies & vinegars; and you can experience it all by booking a tasting or even better staying in one of their apartments on the farm nestled within the vineyards…or as they call it “an oasis of peace”. ❤️

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A Common Thread

Brogalia
La Meirana 2023
Gavi D.O.C.G. del Comune di Gavi
100% Cortese di Gavi
Gavi, Italy
Brogalia family: current generation – Roberto & Fillipo (Piero’s sons), Bruno (Paolo’s son)

Shining yellow with a green sheen. Breathing in light grapefruit/tangelo, firm pears, white peaches, winter melon & a touch of honeydew, honeysuckle blossoms that later blend with jasmine, and a bit of mineral that is like fresh rained on pavers. What I’m sniffing is in the taste along with a splash of lime, white nectarines, and almonds that give it a dry fresh feel yet still fragrant. Simply lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: just don’t

Before the Broglia family bought their estate “La Meirana” from Count Edilio Raggio in 1972, it had a long history dating back to at least June 3rd AD 972 as found on a lease stored in the l’Archivio di Stato di Genova. Two years after becoming the new owners, the Gavi DOC status was created and just in time for their first bottled wine. Later in 1998, it rose to DOCG. Now their lands are 100 ha in total, and 65 ha are vineyards (oldest are from 1950s) all of their celebrated Cortese. All along they have looked for ways to improve and innovate their grapes & winemaking. Along with renovating the winery, they have also worked with the University of Turin in clonal research and the University in Milan on sulfite-free wine production. All of this research and progress not only assists them in growth & higher quality wine…it also helps their neighbors and even all off us that have a chance to sip a glass from one of their classic bottles.

One more bit to add about this “family rooted in the heart of Gavi”, is a quote from their greeting video that sums up their passion and makes me smile. “We are all connected by a common thread, we love our land, we love the countryside, we love drinking wine, warm fireplaces, dogs, and a good bottle of wine.” Now that’s a beautiful life.

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A Balancing Act

Alberto Ballarin
Dolcetto d’Alba D.O.C. 2022
100% Dolcetto
Sustainable viticulture
La Morra (CN), Italy
Winemaker & grower: Alberto Ballarin

Shining ruby glass. Breathing in cherry, (Twizzlers too), plum, raspberries, wild strawberry, violets, blueberry, & a light citrus spark on the end that blooms a bit over time. Scents are in the sip joined now with boysenberry, touch of blackberry, & a smidge of orange zest. Absolutely delicious!

Pairs w Cheez-Its: Big YES

Wondering what’s behind the logo on Ballarin’s bottles. Turns out it was inspired by a photo/artwork by Teddy Locquard, & the thoughts/emotions it invoked from Alberto which made him want his own version that would represent his life best. The design depicts a man seated on a tightrope (I can’t imagine how difficult that would be to not fall off) reading a newspaper along w other personal marks of Alberto. This is from his site & sums it all so much better than I could relay. 

“I was able to see myself in that image, suspended between the choices I had to make and those I had already made. Choices that led me to find my personal balance thanks to the possibility that I was given to live through my passions and to love my job. As the Chinese philosopher Confucius reports ‘Do what you love and you will not work a single day of your life’.”

“I therefore decided to include what I consider the essential elements of my life as a producer:

  • the glass of wine: the symbol par excellence of sharing and for me an emblem of leisure, well-being and pleasure;
  • the book: a symbol of knowledge, but above all of the curiosity with which you have to look at every challenge, as the world of wine and its culture are immense and it is impossible to be satisfied with them;
  • the umbrella: representation of the weather and its instability; quality grape bunches and wine cannot be produced without the right weather conditions. Due to its essentiality it could not be missing from my label.”

Means so much more than the steampunk figure, I assumed. Instead it’s is an elegant representation of a passionate, creative & knowledgable winemaker that is Alberto. 🍷❤️

#wine #vin #vino #winestagram #instawine

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Guided By Etna

Sentieri Siciliani
Rosso 2022
Nerello Mascalese 80% & Nerello Cappuccio 20%
Etna DOC
Sustainable
Sicily, Italy
Agronomist: Elisa Trovato

Shining bright ruby. Scents flow out of cherries (all sorts), tart plum, dried Mission figs, drop of cola with a bit of earthiness, juniper berries/pine sap & alpine herbal blend, and fennel pollen. Sipping and there’s the tart plums & cherries again, pomegranate, cranberries, red licorice, shave of orange, mandarin, & kumquat zest, and a smidge of cola again followed by a dry lime tingle.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

Elisa Trovato is an agronomist who is very in tune to her beloved Etna. She started out renting vineyards prior to finding her way to purchasing her current 3 ha of lands & vines: Vigneti Ammirato, Spallarello, and Lu Meo. Each benefit from the gifts Mt. Etna spews and also from Elisa’s care, passion, and sustainable agricultural knowledge. I love this quote about the vineyards from her site, “I go on walks and end up getting lost in them. Fortunately, there is always you, Etna, guiding me.” How wonderful it must be to wake up to a life of traversing her ancient & rich Sicilian paths; and know that she is weaving her own part into their history. 🍷

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

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Name Games

Azienda Agricola Trevisana
Gioco Di Vino
????? 2023
Unfiltered Vino Blanco 
Organic, no additives or sulfur, unfiltered, skin contact
Chardonnay
Paese, Treviso, Veneto, Italy

Warm golden pour. Sniff and this is a surprise mix of first scent banana (all I can hear in my head now are the Minions chanting), lemon/lime, mango, dragon fruit, apples & pears, and a waft of light mineral. All of the scents are there with more lemon/lime & zest, Valencia orange, a touch of wild hay that tames down into a little tangerine & clementine, an exhale of tarragon and maybe thyme too or just fresh cut grass, and a shake of salt & lick of slate. It’s fresh, vibrant, happy, and yeah totally party material. 🪩🎉🥳

Pairs with Cheez-Its: hmmm honestly I’m not sure so I say put the box away

This is a small batch winery that also knows how to have fun. Each of Gioco Di Vino’s (English translation “wine game”) labels come with a little puzzle. The key for this one is to connect the dots from 1 through 10, then 24 through 33, then 47 through 52, then 60 through 70, then 72 through 78, then at last 84 through 89; and boom the wine’s name is revealed: “Fermo” which perfectly suits this still elixir. Of course, I recommend using a pencil, in my case put on my spectacles, and maybe try doing it before any of the wine is involved. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Italy #naturalwine #sustainable #iwkimporter #AziendaAgricolaTrevisana #GiocoDiVino #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Blue Skies

Famiglia De Cerchio
Idi Di Marzo
Vulgaris 2022
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Organic, sustainable, vegan
Abruzzo, Italy
Federico De Cerchio

Dark purple w a cherry rim. Sniff once then twice…out pops cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, smidge of green olives that’s still there lightly on day 2, & a warmth of stewed strawberries w some spice. Sipping the day away & all the scents are there & juicy along w plums, pomegranate & dark chocolate mmmm, a holiday blend of cinnamon, cardamon, etc, lick of slate, & the slender green zippy peppers I used to grow.

Pairs w Cheez-Its: 😍

The De Cerchio family has a long history back to 1910, when Federico’s great-grandfather Vincenzo (who must have been quite a deal maker) purchased 20 ha in Abruzzo (including the Torre Zambra) from the Zambra family & worked out a direct payment plan. Over the years he planted Montepulciano & Trebbiano vines & only sold the grapes. Sadly WWII broke out, he & some of his other relatives fled to the US, but their son-in-law, Laurentino joined the Italian army & became a prisoner of the Nazis who moved him to Germany & later Poland. When he finally got his freedom & returned home (1947) on foot, he was faced with devastation. Not even the tower was left standing. He didn’t let this break him but went to work on rebuilding, replanting, creating their 1st cellar, winemaking, & their 1st Torre Zambra vintage was in 1961. Other plots in Apulia & Sicily were picked up & after his passing his son Riccardo took the helm & also created his new project “Idi Di Marzo” also in Abruzzo. Now it’s in Federico’s hands, who as a typical teen wasn’t so interested in the vines but into motorbikes & other things that go vroom. As he matured he returned to his calling which is also now his passion of staying true to sustainable, indigenous grapes. They’re rebuilding the tower, adding a new winery, & w these expansions “give people the chance to stay where they were born or to move out to where the grass is green & the sky is blue!!!…& training the next generation of winegrowers.”🍷

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #wineoftheday #organic #italy

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Vibrant Goals

Vinicola Tombacco
Ca’ Del Doge
Prosecco DOC
Vino Spumante
Extra Dry
Glera 85%, a potential blend (15%) of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero vinified in white, Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Long Glera
Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy
Tombacco Family

Very pale yellow/green starlight with teeny fine bubbles. Breathing in memories of homegrown Golden Delicious apples, green pears, a squish of lemon, and donut peaches. First sip is mouth tingling and then here comes a bigger squish of lemon mixed with lime & other citrus, crisp green apples & crabapples, firm green pears, and a sliver of slightly underripe white peach. It’s dry, crisp and so vibrantly full of life.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yes please

The Tombacco Family has been creating and cultivating wine for 3 generations, and it all started way back with a peach farm that over time grew into a love of the vines. Now they also have different labels/brands showcasing the grapes’ regions of origin. Their “Ca’ Del Doge” line is best described in their own words, “Ancient traditions that speak of beauty, taste and knowing how to live well. Like a reflection in the waters of the most famous lagoon in the world, the Ca’ del Doge Wines reflect ancient and shimmering memories, flavours and aromas of the Veneto region, bringing some of the goodness of our wines to tables around the world.” Love the idea that they’re sending you a bottled bubbly postcard, and I also admire that Vinicola Tombacco has a code of ethics that includes a part about “socially responsible work management” where they actually care about their employees and especially for those still in school or courses to make sure they are provided with the time to achieve their education goals…now that to me is a reason to raise a fizzy glass to them in appreciation & cheers. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #prosecco #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #italy #Tombacco #cadeldoge #docwinebar #docwineshop