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Women Can Save The World

Al Feu
Insolia 2022
Terre Siciliane IGP
Organic, indigenous yeasts, unlined/unfiltered
Marsala, Sicily, Italy
Michele Castiglione

Golden amber pour. Sniff and it starts off with a crumb of toasted baguette that fades in & out, citrus blend with their zest, pears, sliver of Winesap apples, touch of honeysuckle & spring flowers, and a fresh running river mineral rock. First sip and WOW! All the sniffs are here but dancing in a smooth & more refined way, the rock gets a shake of salt too, and a little peat on the back. While tasting it’s almost more of an emotion…it’s serene yet quietly powerful…a moment of natural reflective peace & sense of place…am I nuts?

Pairs w Cheez-Its: don’t ruin the moment

Michele Rizzo (Michele’s grandfather) had a good sized estate but none of the children in the family were interested in taking it over. Well, fortunately Michele’s mom (Giuseppa Silvana) stepped up to the plate. Once it was time for Castiglione to hop on board he decided it was time for him to present a new brand called “Al Feu”…8 ha of vines & 2 more divided between pomegranate, olives, and other lovely things to harvest. Not going to lie, as most of you know I’m a magpie for really good art & especially pieces created for bottles. Al Feu’s labels celebrate nature & women, but I should let Michele’s words from Steep Hill’s site explain their artistic choice:

“Nature is our greatest inspiration guiding our daily choices with her innate elegance” “The common theme you will find in our label is a pensive, thoughtful woman. Men has urbanized the cities, paved the streets, destroying the mountains by taking away the marble, polluting the oceans & burning the forests/animals living there. We took possess of the land without caring of the consequences. We pretend to love animals & we use them in labs for experiments or we run them down under our tires”. “According to Michele only women & their awareness can save the world. ‘We need women to think what’s best for the mankind’.”

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #italy #steephillwine #AlFeu #docwineshop #docwinebar

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Sip Till The Stars Come Out

François Montand
Brut Blanc de Blancs NV
Colombard, Ugni Blanc, and Chardonnay
Méthode Traditionnelle
Vineyards in Gascony & west facing slopes Jura Mountains
Crançot, France

Golden yellow with tiny active bubbles. Inhale and there’s a gentle citrus blend of Valencia oranges, lemon/lime, grapefruit, smidge of lemongrass, light green pear, a clean crispness like a really good sparkling mineral water, and over time a toasty bit appears. Sipping away and all of the scents are right there with a crisp dry vibe, a lick of garden fresh ripe bell pepper, and the lime is a bit more tart & fresh. It’s an easier drinker celebrator.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: perfect pairing

François Montand’s wines are not just a delicious bubbly kiss. They’re also happily easy on the wallet. Another fun perk on their site is a list of recipes, and I think I’ve found a new favorite take on a margarita in their “Méthode Margarita”. So follow along and raise a glass with me…

Ingredients
2c Orange Juice
1/2c Tequila
1/4c Lime Juice
François Montand Brut

How To Make The Magic Happen
Combine orange juice, tequila, and lime juice in pitcher. Rim margarita glasses with lime and dip in salt. Fill glasses with orange juice mixture. Top with François Montand Brut. Garnish with oranges and limes.

The final ingredient I would add is to kick back by the pool and slowly sip till the twinkling stars come out. ✨Cheers to the long weekend! 🥂

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

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Time To Belly Up To The Bar

Cantine Madaudo
Barone di Bernaj
100% Nero d’Avola
Sicilia DOC
Villafranca Tirrena, Sicily, Italy
Winemaking family: Rosario Madaudo (son), Alfio (dad), Andrea (uncle), Giuseppe (younger brother), and more

Deep dark cranberry purple. Breathing in plums, dark cherries, deep raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, fresh pine, and an alpine herbal minty blend. Tasting those plums & cherries again, boysenberry along with a blend of raspblueblackberry, and a twist of citrus zest (in particular mandarin orange).

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Juicy goodness

Back in 1945, Rosario’s great grandfather started this venture with only a small farm and now it’s expanded into a full blown family affair of around 60 ha and several different collections that will take you, “Traveling through our Sicily through a glass”. While I & a lot of us (during a certain time) were stuck at home, that was my way of getting out and about, but now we can visit them in person at their wine bar “Palaverve“ connected to their Agrigento winery that from what I read features their bubbly bottles. It’s also what they call Madaudo’s “Welcome Room” where visitors can get a view of their “bottling & corking phases of the sparkling wine to give the right importance to the joy of tasting”. Come to think of it…out of all the wines I’ve tried from their lot not a single one was sparkling which means I’m truly missing out since they are so celebrated. Guess I’ll just have to continue my search here for these elusive bubblies until I finally find time to travel and belly up to the bar & meet one up close and personal. 🥂🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting  #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #italy #Sicily #wineemporium #CantineMadaudo #docwineshop #docwinebar

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Dreams Do Come True

Cascina Carlòt
San Rümu 2022
Dolcetto D’Alba DOC
Sustainable, biodiverse
Coazzolo (AT) – Italy
Claudio Mo

Ruby with splashes of burgundy. Breathing in bright cherries, plums, raspberries, boysenberry, moments of violets, and a touch of earth. Sipping away and again the cherries, plums, raspberries, blackberries, hint of blueberry, and a pinch of that earth with a little bramble. It’s dry yet fresh and oh so easy to love.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I’d rather not

Even though Claudio Mo is a winemaker he prefers to go by winegrower, since he is “faithful to the – typically Piedmontese – philosophy that wine is made first of all in the vineyard and then in the cellar.” He also prefers to live in harmony with nature, to follow its rhythm, connect with all the cycles, and to live sustainably. This includes working toward a future of the farm eventually being energy self sufficient. What a beautiful gift to pass down to his family…or in other words as it greets you on his site, it is “Claudio’s dream come true”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #biodynamic #organic #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #italy #wineemporium  #cascinacarlot #docwineshop #docwinebar

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Shining A Light

Cantina Fiorentino
Masserie Pugliese
Primitivo 2021
Salento IGP
Organic in the fields, sustainable in the cellar, hand harvested on a cool night
Puglia, Italy
Pierantonio Fiorentino

Shining ruby with purple pops. Sniff and right out of the gate are cherries & dark chocolate, plums, touch of tobacco, raspberries, overtime a little blueberry with violets & clover. Sipping cherries & plums fresh/dried, red currants, Baker’s chocolate that grows into dark chocolate, cranberry, and teeny violets again. It’s dry but tastebud tingling finish.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: absolutely fabulous

Cantina Fiorentino like many other wineries/vineyards made a commitment to go organic & sustainable but they take it quite a bit further. Pierantonio applies his background in renewable energy in his cellars by using the power of the sun (photovoltaic system), insulation in the roof & pipes for temperature control, and “the whole Winery is illuminated with LED technology & the white color was chosen for the walls and red for the resin floor paint, to reflect the sunlight”, and will continue to be “a laboratory to study & optimize energy consumption in the wine sector”. Very ambitious & commendable along with their contributions to the “Liter of Light” project. It all starts with a clear plastic bottle, water, a little bleach to keep it clean, attach it to a hole in the roof of a structure, add sunshine & poof you have about as much light inside as a 40-60 watt bulb which can benefit so many others. They’ve continued expanding to light at night “with the installation of a 1W solar panel connected with an LED to a rechargeable battery.” Just imagine how far they can take this with further research and make the world a more clean and sustainable place. 💡🌍

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

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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