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Culinary Pampering

Štekar Wines
Sıvı Pinot 2019
100% Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris)
Goriška Brda Z.G.P.
Kojsko, Littoral, Slovenia
Organic, biodynamic
Winemaker: Jure Štekar

Copper color like one of those beautiful old bowls Julia Child used to whisk away in. Wafts of orange, grapefruit, melon, and a little fresh grass. Lots of fruit dance on my tongue. There’s an orange melon of some sort, pear but crisp and almost not fully ripe, and as it opens peaches come forward with smoke, Also a bitter herb that I am having trouble pinpointing. This beautiful glass just feels creamy and mellow. Lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: turns the bitter herb into rosemary

Štekar Wines is fairly young but they are one of the first wineries in Slovenia certified biodynamic. Along with the vineyard, they also have a farm, the main house with rooms to stay over and a whole agrotourism package. You can stay, view the beautiful countryside, taste their wines, join them in the kitchen to learn their recipes, and get as they call it, “Culinary Pampering”. The pics of their dishes look absolutely amazing and creative. Oh, please scroll down and look at those cakes! They look heavenly, and I feel pounds adding to my thighs just looking at them. Most of the ingredients from vegetables, fruits, and meat are from the farm, or if they don’t have it they reach out to organic producers. They sum up it all best, “Visit us and participate in the unforgettable experience of the wonderful Goriška Brda hills and the magic of our climate.” Oh, I so wish I could be there. We could all need a little magic right now!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @stekar_wines @hisastekar @bonvivantimports @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine #orangewine #naturalwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #sustainable #biodynamic #SiviPinot  #PinotGris #goriskabrda #Kojsko #Littoral #Slovenia

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Respecting the Land of Stars

Domaine Mittnacht Frères
Terres d’ étoiles 2018
Pinot Blanc
40% Pinot Blanc, 60% Pinot Auxerrois
Alsace Region
Hunawihr, France
Organic, biodynamic, indigenous yeast
Winemaker: Christophe Mittnacht

Pale very chilled gold. Tickling my nose are dainty flowers, lemon and lime/citrus, a touch of salt, yellow fruity and it’s fresh and clean. Tilt back the glass and there’s lemon, pears, honey, a smidge of salt, yellow plums, and Froot Loops minus the milk. Keep on drinking it grows more juicy/fruity and even a touch of peach the more it warms.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: a little less lemon but it really doesn’t change the flavors that much

I know I’ve been writing a lot about whether a vineyard/farm is sustainable, organic, biodynamic, etc. Well, it is so important to many of the winemakers I’ve been writing about and it should be to you too for a multitude of reasons. For Christophe Mittnacht and his wife Yuka it is no different, but they were in the forefront of it in Alsace. They were certified organic in 1999, and biodynamic in 2013. They believe in respect the vineyard and therefore respect the consumer. Everything has minimal intervention but when there are times the vines need a little extra help with defending itself from natural enemies, they may be sprayed with nettle tea and other willow and horsetail remedies.

Hunawihr (what a cool name) is also a member of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”, and yes, it is one of the most beautiful villages in France. Their famous fortified church overlooks Domaine’s vineyards, and looks like it’s still existing in an older time when life was lived at a happier, slower pace. I feel like you can just smell the fresh cool air.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @mittnachtfreres @skurnikwines @cheezits #cheezit #wine #vin #vino #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #naturalwine #PinotBlanc #PinotAuxerrois #Alsace #Hunawihr #France #organic #biodynamic

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Always Read the Instruction Manual

Viña Echeverría
Es Pituko
Chardonnay 2018
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, aged 15 months in French barrels
Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

Golden drop of sunshine with some sediment hanging around. Inhaling melon, mango, apples, and some light oak. As time goes by becomes deeper and richer. This is another one that says to drink in the next 5 minutes so here goes…melon, pear, a little orange acidic twang, and something rich and creamy. There’s even a kick of grass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: whoa massive creamy oakiness and not sure how I feel about it. I’m on the fence.

The more I learn, and the more I taste… I find more natural winemakers putting instruction manuals on their back label art. Like with this one and last week’s “Es Pituko, Cabernet Franc 2019”, you’re instructed how much to chill, give it a shake before you pour because it’s natural like that, and how fast to drink. My advice, always take a look at the back, or you might miss out on the true way the wine is supposed to taste. The next red you pick up, could be one that might be screaming to go in the fridge.

While I pour another glass of this “Fancy” Chardonnay, here’s another one from Cerys Matthews.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @echeverriawines @tedward.ws @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #chile #molina #viñaecheverria #curicowines #naturalwine #espituko #Chardonnay #CuricóValley #CuricoValley #CerysMatthews

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Old World Meets New

Viña Echeverría
Es Pituko
Cabernet Franc 2019
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, aged 11 months in French barrels
Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

Murky rosy ruby with nice sediment. From out of the cloud comes whiffs of strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, and something toasty. Btw this is a chilled red and as recommended on the label, drink in the next 5 minutes, so let’s see what comes out first…strawberries, tart cherry tart, and all of the above but the toast. There’s dark stony finish, and a little oak and smoke. Also “Es Pituko” means “It’s Fancy!”, so where’s my bow tie? This is going to be a top notch night.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: fruit goes crazy

I feel like I’m drinking a bit of history from all over the world. Echeverría family roots started in the Basque region of Spain, then they transplanted themselves to Chile in the 1750s. 200 years later a taste of France (and pre-phylloxera French vines) was brought to the town of Molina by Roger Piffre de Vauban coming to Curicó Valley. As time went by and their families blended through marriage, offspring, and two wineries. Next Roberto Echeverría brought in a splash of the U.S. through his studies at Cornell and degrees in agronomy, winemaking, and economics; and living and working for a while in D.C. for the World Bank. Feeling the pull and seeing the great possibilities, they returned to Chile and rebuilt and revitalized the family winery. Now Roberto’s sons and daughters are the latest generation that are hands on and just as passionate about the land, their wines, keeping it sustainable, and keeping it natural.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @echeverriawines @tedward.ws @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #chile #molina #viñaecheverria #curicowines #naturalwine #espituko #CabernetFranc #CuricóValley #CuricoValley

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Light Red

Light Red
Vigne del Pellagroso
Lombardy, Italy

Beautiful garnet color. Has a bottle cap, but don’t let that dissuade you. Pop and there’s the tart cherry and a little barnyard that wanders away. Takes a little bit, but is totally worth it. Gives you a touch of the dark side funk. Bring on the funk. Slosh around in your glass, and taste the juicy fruity tangy cherry, tart strawberries, a little funky which dissipates and is refreshing and silky with a touch of good darkness (embrace it you know you want to). I want this and a picnic waiting on me after I finish rowing. Some mortadella and salami, some squishy cheese, some crusty bread, and a slab of butter. Confession there are times during lockdown, I have found myself craving Kerrygold, and eating a good slice of it in the dark. Don’t look at me in shame. You know you all have cracked, and done something like this. 

Pairs with Cheez-Its: makes it even more lively and spirited, and the cheez-its deeper

@docwineshop Claudio Docwinebar #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #naturalwine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #docwinebar #docwineshop @VignedelPellagroso #redwine @KerrygoldUSA #starwars #athomewithkerrygold

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Butter and Spice and Everything Nice

Clos du Tue-Boeuf
Vin Rouge 2019
Gamay

Bright glistening ruby color. Remember when you were a kid, and had a Ring Pop and felt special. That’s the color. First sniff is butter and spice. Next comes cherry and raspberry tart funk that is airing out with a little pepper. Now as for the taste, it starts off tart cherry, plum, raspberry, salt, light tiny flowers dancing and smooth. Full flavor. Bitter stone. As time goes by it becomes a sweeter more full wine. Still sleek and silky youngster with a tart end. Easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: same as above but smoothes out even more. More flowers. Bitter touch is gone. I think it even brings out a spice…cardamom?. Definitely enhances the salt of the cheez-it. I’m going to get so fat doing these. 

@closdutueboeuf @docwineshop @docwinebar #wine #workingfromhome #pandemic #covid19 #naturalwine #france #loire #gamay @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #closdutueboeuf @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #cheezit 

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Orange Filled Dreams

Paleokerisio
Traditional Semi-sparkling Orange Wine
Ioannina
2018
Domaine Glinavos S.A.
Zitsa, Ioannina, Greece

What a beautiful weekend! (May 2-3) My lovely friend Claudio, even while social distancing, introduced me to Paleokerisio. This is quite a welcome surprise, and means I’m now traveling to Greece. 

The color is bright orange w tiny bubbles. Breathe in and there’s orange peel, cloves, dried apricots, pine, and hoppy beer. The taste is an explosion! There’s honey, cloves, orange peel, maybe orange blossoms and oddly orange jolly rancher, pine, and here comes that beer taste again. Tingle tingle. Am I going insane?

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out more of the tang and bubble zing, and the beer feel. 

I love this wine because it hits so many different notes. It’s sweet, semi-dry, tingly, it’s heavenly, and a little bit like a beer

Domaine Glinavos has quite a history (which is beautifully documented on their site). Lefteris Glinavos had a passion for wine, and left Greece to study in Bordeaux and hone his craft. Upon return to Zitsa, he kicked off Domaine Glinavos bringing in modern methods yet sticking with the local native grapes. His son is now at the helm and continues this same passion and creativity. According to the site, they are still dedicated to the native grapes such as vlahiko, bekari, and debina; and they are now also including many other grapes such as malagouzia, cabernet sauvignon, merlot of Epirus, traminer, and sauvignon blanc. They also make three different types of tsipouro, which honestly I had never heard of before. From what I’m finding it is an un-aged brandy, and their award winning Tsipouro Asimenia Limni, received the bronze medal in 2019, and the silver in 2017 from the Thessaloniki International Wine and Spirits Competition. Someday, I’m going to have to get my hands on a bottle.

So starting to look into Ioannina. Wow, what a beautiful land. The Perama Caves are other worldly. From what I read they go 5 kilometers down, but only 1 km has been explored. Would love to go on a tour and see their collections of fossils, which one is a “rare cave bear”. Can’t find out more about the bear, but am curious as to what makes it rare. The images, I’m finding conjure up images from the book “The Devil’s Cave” by my favorite author Martin Walker. If you haven’t heard of him, check him out. His books will help you travel in your head. Back to Ioannina…every google comes up with incredibly beautiful images. Then there’s Lake Pamvotida which has the only inhabited island in Greece that doesn’t have a name. From what I’m finding the lake also sounds like great place for birding. There’s so many other natural sights, architectural wonders, artwork, and more, but the moment I saw a page about Pavlos Vrellis Museum of Wax Effigies, I was immediately intrigued. It’s a private institution that chronicles the local history of Epirus, all the way back to 500 B.C. The figures are said to be life-size, so I wonder how big this space must be. Info and great pics click here. It’s really cool and yet creepy doll at the same time. I can’t wait till we can all mingle again, and I can experience all of this in person!

#wine #worldbyglass #Ioannina #pandemic #covid19 #greece #orangewine #martinwalker #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits @cheezits @docwineshop @docwinebar @worldbyglass @domaine_glinavos #tsipouro