Posted on

Well Designed Enchantment

Il Censo
Praruar 2017
IGT Terre Siciliane Bianca
100% Catarratto
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, unfined & unfiltered
Bivona (near Palazzo Adriano [where Cinema Paradiso was filmed]), Sicily, Italy
Owners: Gaetano & Nicoletta Gargano
Winemaker, architect, & artistic creative behind the label: Giampiero Bea

Deep skin contact orange copper. There’s scents of a warm baking spice, oranges and peel, apples, apricots and a nutty almondness. Tasting orange peel and  blossoms, honey, puff of smoke, apricots fresh and dried, lemon, nectarines, Mom’s baked apples, ginger sprinkle, Marcona almonds, a smidge of dried sage and this glass has a smooth depth that I’m going to slow down, linger and let the flavors build.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice and smooth

I stared at this beautifully designed label for some time, not knowing what to truly expect, since I’ve had a few Catarratto wines this summer and each is so unique. Some flirt, others leave me wondering and this one leaves me enchanted. Il Censo is one of those stories that an old (some would say ancient) family property was rejuvenated, there’s some replanting, and loving it back to organic life. All it makes me want to do is listen to the stories from this historic estate. What were the tenants of old like? What historic architecture still stands? What was the one moment when Gaetano and Nicoletta knew this is it…it’s time to leave banking and return to the vines? I could go on all night, but I’ll stop. If I’m lucky, maybe one day someone will join me at the table, share a bottle and reveal the tales of long ago.

#wine #winelover #orangewine #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #cataratto #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #Bivona #Sicily #Italy #igt #GiampieroBea #gaetanogargano #ilcenso #madrosewine  @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

Posted on

Ancient Ways & New History

Pietro Beconcini Agricola
Antiche Vie 2020
Chianti DOCG
Sangiovese 80%, Malvasia 10%, and Trebbiano 10%
Organic
Grown in San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy
Wine Couple: Pietro Beconcini and Eva Bellagamba

Shining ruby that should be decanted for about an hour. I tried a couple different time frames and it seems to be the sweet spot. At first there’s a mellow morphing caramel scent, dark cherries, irises, forest earthiness, black pepper, and as it opens it’s more perfume. Tasting delicious cherries and dried cherries, plums, raspberry, boysenberry, blackberry, orange peel, white and black pepper, and digging in the dirt (earth)…yeah I have that Peter Gabriel song stuck in my head again. There’s also a small bite of rosemary and sage. All of this is joyfully light (that grows as it opens into medium) and lively with a seductive backbone, and this wine makes me smile and I feel like it’s winking back at me. 😘

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: deeper, darker and more sultry

Antiche Vie has ties all the way back to Pietro’s grandfather who back in the 50s bought their farmland, which is really important because it broke the cycle of being a sharecropper. Pietro’s Chianti celebrates the ways of old, the region’s indigenous grapes, and also his father who was a “pioneer in the cultivation of the vine in this area.” He also has written a new history with his San Miniato fed Sangiovese which was his 1st project and the grapes he is working with today in his “Wines of the Tradition”.  “Wines of Innovation” is the other route he has taken. They are the only ones growing Tempranillo in Italy, and their IXE will knock your socks off. As I keep repeating, it’s like Spain and Italy had a beautiful baby, and just like Antiche Vie it will be love at first taste.

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Chianti #Tuscany #Italy #SanMiniato #Sangiovese #Malvasia #Trebbiano #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #pietrobeconcini @pietrobeconciniwines @soilairselection @cheezits

Posted on

Roses, Satin, and Romantic Notions

Forti del Vento
AltoFhrà 2018
100% Dolcetto
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, and native yeasts
Ovada, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
Owners and winemakers: Tomaso Armento, Marco and Manuela Tacchino

Light red and somewhat plummy. Fragrances of cherries, cranberry, raspberries, a dozen roses, lilacs, and some natural forest funk that runs out the door. First sip and there’s a little exciting tingle on my tongue. Next are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and all so deliciously juicy. Also a tangy spark in the very back of my mouth. Smooth easy sipping…like relaxing back on a satin pillow.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Ack! No!

Their name alone conjure up dreams of castles, period dramas, and winds fleeting over the hills of Castelletto D’Orba (as I’ve said before, I’m a hopeless romantic). Guess that’s why I love the stories of the young taking on the mantle of the old and recreating their inherited land (from their grandparents) and winemaking skills into natural, organic, bio, and have been proudly accepted as a member of Vinnatur. They (Tomaso, Marco and Manuela) have such high standards and most importantly respect for their part of the world, and have a very important rule of their cellar, “Do not remove or add anything to the wine, so it can be the expression of the vineyard.” Sounds simple, but it takes a lot of patience, knowledge, practice, and of course the best ingredient…love.

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #organicwine #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #dolcetto #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Piemonte #Italy @fortidelvento @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

Posted on

Country Wine & a City Snack

United Colors of Wine
Giallo 2019
Albana and Trebbiano Romagnolo
Organic, indigenous grapes, hand harvested, spontaneous fermentation, unfined & unfiltered
Brisighella (Ravenna), Romagna, Italy
Winemakers: Andrea Marchetti & Paolo Babini (Vigne nei Boschi).

Cool it but not too much…say like 58F. It’s a lovely glass of coppery orange/amber. Breathing in a whole lot…there’s orange rinds, apple and some apple cider vinegar twinge, celery, and grass. The apples are back again, along with hazelnuts, caramel, brioche, chamomile, and it has a total Manzanilla vibe waving it’s little scarf at me flirtatiously. A little bIt more and it lightens up and brings in some wild flowers, and is ever evolving. Tasting and that scarf starts waving again. Delightful crunchy apples, rhubarb, a sprinkle of hazelnuts or almonds, grassy/herby/hay/tangy/rustic mix, orange rind, and again a little brioche just a smidge in the back with a apple cider twinge, and white pepper. Smell and taste in total synch.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: I am very scared to try this…ok so it’s good, really good.

So there’s only 501 bottles of 2019’s Giallo. I had no idea! So happy to be one of a few from all over the world. It’s unique and tons of the spirit of the countryside where the Albana and Trebbiano Romagnolo grew in their own separate vineyards. They do get to mix it up together for 90 days with their skins too. Quite a little steel party until the bottling of this new very natural fun baby. I know this would be good with fried sardines, and you may think I’m crazy, but honestly I’m craving a fresh baked extra salty pretzel and a naked dirty water dog. Why not? A country wine for a city snack.

#wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #unitedcolorsofwine #PaoloBabini #winestagram #winelife #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #Romagna #Italy #organic #Trebbiano #Albana @cheezits @andrea_marchetti @steephillwine @antosicurezza

Posted on

A Polished and Spirited Youth

Gioventù
Falanghina ‘Orange’ 2020
Organic, unfined and unfiltered
Grapes from Campania, Italy
Winemaker: Michael Schmelzer

Warm golden sunrise with an orange streak creeping in. Sniffing Golden Delicious apples (my childhood fave from the orchard), fresh apricots, honeysuckle, a little dancing lemons, some anise, grass, a sprig of hay, and a crumble of a lemon cookie. Sipping and there’s pears, apples, and again fresh apricots, lemons, mandarins, a shake of salt, here comes a little grass, and a smidge of that anise seed again, but really just a smidge and a sprinkle of baking spice.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: it’s elegant and really works. Mellow fruit

A Italian, a Michiganian, and a German walk into a bar…well, that’s all rolled up into one man, Michael Schmelzer. His dad’s job kept him on the go. Born in Italy, grew up in Michigan suburbia, finished high school in Germany and then kept on moving through culinary education in Paris & London to later learning the ropes of winemaking in Australia. Luckily his parents wanted to find a place to retire, have their children near and working with them. Buying Monte Bernardi (long wine heritage) brought that dream to reality. Now with a successful winery, Michael also has another creative outlet in his Gioventù wines. As the name says, he has bottled this essence of “youth” that shines in this orange Falanghina, but this spirited youngun’ has finesse, polish, character, and one more surprise too…it’s not going to break the bank, so pick up two! One sip and you’ll thank me later for that nudge.

#wine #vin #vino #italianwine #orangewine #organicwine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winelife #cheezit #worldbyglass #organic #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #falanghina #MonteBernardi #Gioventù #Campania #Italy @docwineshop @docwinebar @tedward_ws @cheezits

Posted on

Giving Your All, and Getting It Back

Ampeleia
Bianco di Ampeleia 2019
Toscana Bianco IGT
Trebbiano, Ansonica, and Malvasia Bianca
Biodynamic, organic
Roccatederighi, Maremma, Toscana, Italy
Original founders: Elisabetta Foradori, and her friends Giovanni Podini and Thomas Widmann
Winemaker and company manager: Marco Tait
And there’s a different sort of family behind the scenes

Warm orange golden “morning is breaking” sunlight. Easy breezy scents of oranges and orange blossoms, apples, and a little toasted brioche with a pinch of ginger. Once it touches your lips, here comes orange/lemony/tangerine zest, apples and crabapples, pears, a hint of allspice and a lick of limestone. Very vibrant and alive and a joyful moment frozen in time…or should I say I wish I was frozen. Seriously this summer heat is killing me.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just makes it a little more tart, so I could go either way

It’s a field blend party where Trebbiano, Ansonica, and Malvasia Bianca get to hang out and in the vineyard together and then be co-harvested and co-fermented. It’s a new blended family, much like Ampeleia, only the grapes didn’t get to chose their new kin. Marco Tait already had his birth family before being invited to Ampeleia by Elisabetta Foradori to join a new type that he got to pick. For around the past 20 years, Marco and his now chosen wine family have all grown together and added new people, animals, farming choices, and experiences. Having Roccatederighi as home must be such a beautiful feeling. I’ll end with a quote from Marco, “I am giving my all to Ampeleia, but she is giving me back even more.”

#italianwine #organicwine #skincontact #tuscany #Italy #ampeleia #winelife #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Trebbiano #Ansonica #Malvasia #Roccatederighi #Maremma #Toscana @docwineshop @docwinebar @ampeleia @bowlerwine @cheezits

 

Posted on

You Can Be Born Again

Le Quattro Volte
Bifaro 2019
80% Malvasia, 20% Mantonico
Calabria IGP
Organic, sustainable, sheep grazed and fertilized, and a member of Vinnatur
San Marco Argentano (Cosenza), Calabria, Italy (seriously breathtaking beautiful!)
Winemaker: Daniela De Marco

Deep orange gold (60 day skin contact) that is darker at the top and flows down. Has some unfiltered goodness. Reminds me of copper plates from my printmaking days. Before we get any further, don’t over chill. You’ll lose some of the beauty, especially in the scent department…trust me because I did on one of my glasses. There’s orange blossoms, wisteria, strawberries, a little greenery of parsley or grass, also orange/tangerine/grapefruit funk, and hay. Now lets get to the sip…oranges, lemon, and then it hits with apple pear cider with that lovely tanginess. Next up is light grapefruit that makes me think IPA but not overpowering, an herb like cilantro that fades, salt and then here’s that natural hay again popping in and out. Delightful!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmm mellow and yum

Le Quattro Volte was not so long ago known as Masseria Perugini. There was a revamp of members, so a name change seems fitting. They’re now a power quartet of Daniela De Marco (winemaker), Giampiero Ventura and Emilio Di Cianni (agronomists), and the newest addition…Dario Brunori (aka Brunori Sas) whose song is now their moniker. He was inspired by the beautiful film or should I say a true work of art, “Le Quattro Volte” by Michelangelo Frammartino. Dario’s lyrics fit so well, “You can be born again, and then, be born again one more time, if you feel like it.” These four partners in wine are bringing that bit of rebirth to this beautiful, hilly, ever so natural and established piece of the world.

#LeQuattroVolte #naturalwine #winelife #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic #sustainable @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Malvasia #Mantonico #Calabria #Italy #DarioBrunori #BrunoriSas #steephillwine @lequattrovolte @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

Posted on

More Than a Certification, It’s a Way of Life

Tenute Dettori
Renosu
Triple “A” Agricoltori Artigiani Artisti
Vermentino, Moscato di Sennori
Organic, biodynamic hand harvested, and spontaneous fermentation
Sennori (SS), Romangia, Sardinia, Italy
Winemaker: Alessandro Dettori

As Spandau Ballet would say, “Gold!” Greeting my nose are flowers, spice and everything nice…ok here’s breaking it down…butterfly lilacs, pear, orange/tangerine zest, smidge of nutmeg, slate and salt. Sip away and there’s pear with sweet apple mellow, peaches, light honey, mango, lychee, nectarine, lemon, orange zest, salty dryness, and a touch of light funk in the back. Keep letting it shake the chill off and then you get a glassful of the nectar of the gods – ambrosia (not that 70s crap from family Christmas gatherings).

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just don’t do it

While absorbing all the info about Dettori (from their own words), I came across, “They are not wines that are slaves to business logic and marketing strategies.” Alessandro’s wines are full of freedom, life, and in this Renosu’s case…“Triple ‘A’”, in which the winemaker needs these three points: be a pure farmer, utilize artisanal methods, and be artistic. You have to be hands off, as natural as the day you or the grape was born, absolutely no chemicals in the vineyard and the cellar, only indigenous yeasts, and the list goes on. Essentially be true to the land, the vines, the grapes/wine, and to yourself…and respect all of it. It’s more than a certification, it’s a way of life, inside and outside the bottle.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @artisanalcellars @cheezits #winelife #pairswithcheezits #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #TenuteDettori #Vermentino #MoscatodiSennori #Sennori #Romangia #Sardinia #Italy #TripleA

Posted on

Approved By Hitchcock

Frecciarossa
Sillery
Pinot Nero 2019
Dry white wine
Oltrepò Pavese DOC
Organic,  hand-harvested 
Casteggio, Italy
Owners & winemaking family: The Odero family, latest generation: Valeria Radici Odero

The absolute faintest glimpse of blush warmth on a pale gold like a smile from a crush. Scents of wet granite, tiny roses, light cherry, peaches, and a little lemon in the back. This is a delicious jumble of peaches, nectarines, pluots, yellow and red cherries, a citrus splash, and a little funk way back. Within this mellow and velvety fruit basket there is a dry slate that ends it all quite nicely. Dress me up, dress me down…this glass is welcome anywhere.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope it destroys the delicate beauty

Here’s a bottle tracing a hundred years of history (1919-2019). The latest generation, Valeria Radici Odero, can look back to the start with her great grandfather resettling back to Italy from the UK by acquiring a majestic new home on a hill called “Frecciarossa” (red arrow). Well this arrow’s real name was “fraccia rossa” (red landslide)…oops! His son Giorgio not only fell for the land but also Pinot Nero, and was so passionate about it he went to France to learn from the best. Bottling his own magic, the wine garnered notice…even a high alert from Alfred Hitchcock who downed a few at the posh Villa D’Este. Giorgio passed the torch to his daughter Margherita, and now we are full circle with her daughter Valeria. Can’t wait to see where the next 100 years takes them.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @frecciarossawinery @vignaioli_selection @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Italy #oltrepopavese #pinotnoir #pinotnero #alfredhitchcock #villadeste

Posted on

Respecting Tradition and Keeping it Simple

Borgogno
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC 2019
100% Dolcetto
Organic, minimal intervention
Vineyards: Madonna di Como (Alba)
Barolo (CN), Italy

Dark cherry with purple glints. Pull that cork, pour and here come scents of raspberry, cherry, plums, a little creamy vanilla, and something a little dark but not daunting. Quite lovely actually so looking forward to the taste. There’s that lovely cherry again and as you exhale smoke. Next is a beautiful burst of fruity flavor of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even raisins. After a bit there’s hints of black peppercorns. I’ve had a rough day and this wine just well…the first sip made my evening brighter. Now I’m craving a very large portion of Malloreddus Alla Campidanese.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmm a bit more rugged and handsome…like Harrison Ford. You know there’s another Indy flick coming up and I can’t wait!

Borgogno has one lengthy history staring back in 1761, when Bartolomeo Borgogno started the winery and passed through the years through the family. By 1920, Cesare Borgogno held the reigns and along with starting to export the wines, he decided to hang on to half of it too. Pretty darn smart to sit on those for 20 years (and some even longer) and they now have an amazing Barolo collection of many decades past. A new family (Farinetti) took over in 2008, but they decided why mess with a good thing. They brought the old main building back to its glory, and went back to concrete fermentation. They did make a change to get certified organic, which who wouldn’t applaud. Keeping it simply traditional.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @borgogno1761 @ethicawines @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #redwine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #dolcetto #Barolo #Italy #Cuneo #borgogno1761 #borgogno #malloreddusallacampidanese