Posted on

Under the Pink Moon

Bojo do Luar
Luar Rosa 2020
Vinho Rosa
60% Tinta Cão, 30% Vinhão, 10% Loureiro
Marco de Canavese, Vinho Verde Region, Portugal
Organic, indigenous grapes, spontaneous fermentation with ground chestnut flowers
Project between Savio Soares and winemaker Antonio Sousa

Uncork and pour and it looks like refreshing watermelon juice. Scents of cherry, ripe watermelon, spring flowers, lemon, some zestiness, a little squeeze of grapefruit with a lick of salt, wet granite, and smoke. Ooooh this is refreshing to sip. There’s cherry and watermelon jolly ranchers, plummy delight, key lime-aid, and then blueberries and strawberries emerge. It’s a bright and light glass that goes back and forth from fruity to pucker up tart. Why don’t we just set up a kissing booth under this romantic moon?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s:NOPE, it’s a total party pooper. All smooching has ended.

Here’s another beauty from Savio Soares and Antonio Sousa. Their collaboration keeps getting better and better each one I try. Am so glad years ago they met through Fernando Paiva, who was already working biodynamic and adding in that special ingredient of chestnut flowers. If it wasn’t for him introducing them, they may have never started this project. Luar Rosa gets it’s light watermelon color from the Tinta Cão & Vinhão. They stick to a short maceration/skin contact because Vinhão brings out a punch of color. The Loureiro (gives that zesty, key-lime aid kick) comes in later in the concrete and stainless steel containers along with the ground chestnut flowers. It’s also a how low can you go minimal intervention throughout the whole process. I just love, love, love their lively, clean creations, and am looking forward to more. I’m also really curious about the name Bojo do Luar (Moonlight Bulge), is it about the pull of the earth’s gravity on the moon that causes the bulge, and does the moon’s cycle work into their harvest? Things like this fascinate me. Oh, and if anyone wants to see the Pink Moon this year, it’s on April 26th. So get a blanket, find a quiet spot, and share a glass with the ones you love.

@vinewinenyc #BojodoLuar #AntonioSousa @saviosselections @cheezits #wine #VinhoRosa #Rosé #rose @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #VinhoVerde #Minho #MarcodeCanavese #Portugal #AntonioSousa #winestagram #instawine #Biodynamic #nativeyeasts #naturalwine #TintaCão #Vinhão, #Loureiro

Posted on

A Volcano Raised Cherry

Desprat Saint-Verny
Le Pinot Noir 2019
Puy de Dôme IGP
Sustainable farmed, indigenous yeast
Puy de Dôme, Auvergne, France
Winemaker: Julien Maurs and a 65-grower cooperative

Maroon you remember the crayon…not the band. Ah scents of delicious cherries, plums, blueberries, a touch of earth. a little cola that goes great with a little warn croissant. Sipping cherry funk, plums, blackberries, blueberries, and pinch of pepper. It’s light with a nice touch of earthy/natural touch of darkness with all sorts of dried fruits from cherries to figs.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: gives it a more rich zing

This Pinot Noir comes with a nickname of “Les Cerises” or the cherries that are represented inside and outside the bottle. This lovely grape is fed well from the volcanic soil of Auvergne, which has a loooong history of wine and in modern day a determined co-op that worked really hard to achieve Cotes d’Auvergne AOC recognition  in 2011. There’s just something about this wine that makes me think about my favorite writer, Martin Walker, and his “Bruno Chief of Police” series. Specifically it makes me think of when his fictional town of St. Denis (in Dordogne) has their outdoor festivals. Whether it’s from “The Dark Vineyard” where townsfolk come together to harvest grapes ending in a bbq under the stars, or one of their outdoor music fêtes sipping a glass while listening to the featured chanteuse of the night. Pure enchantment.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @volcanic_wines_france @SaintVernyVignobles @communalbrands @BrunoChiefOfPolice @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #puydedome #Auvergne #France #EdithPiaf #PinotNoir #martinwalker #brunochiefofpolice

Posted on

Hands Off Creativity

Vigne del Pellagroso
Light White 2019
Field blend of Garganega 45%, Riesling 45%, and Moscato 10%
Monzambano, (near Garda’s Lake, Mantova, Lombardia), Italy
Chemical free, organic, biodynamic, Guyot training, indigenous yeasts, no cellar manipulation, unfined, and unfiltered
Winemaker: Antonio “Billy” Camazzola

Golden from the 3 day skin contact. Sigh, I would love a ring like that. Day two it appears even darker, or is it just me? So let this baby warm up a little to get the full scents of apricots, Red Delicious apples, pears, salt, orange blossoms that turn into lilacs and back again, a little mandarin, honeysuckles, and ginger. At first sip it’s a giant wow! There’s just so much going on.There’s peaches, apricots, yellow plums both sweet and tart, salt, crisp like you’re biting into a not completely ripe green apple. a twist of lemon, smidge of cardamom, white pepper and a little forest floor touch. Not overpowering…just like a pleasant walk through a fern filled wonderland.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope don’t do it unless you want it to all go sour.

This is my first solo Antonio Camazzola wine (other 2 were paired with Andrea Marchetti), so here’s his story. Last time had to chop it up for IG. He started small when he was still in the restaurant business. Found a little bit of land that needed a LOT of love, and worked hard at making this chemical free. His “Vigne del Pellagroso” name also came from nearby where a long gone newspaper. Il Pellagroso was only around from 1884 to March of 1885, when it was shut down due to their director being arrested for being on the side of human rights, justice and proper working conditions which stirred up local farmers to strike. Needless to say the govt. wasn’t happy. It’s a fitting name for Billy’s wine since he’s so dedicated to biodynamic, organic and bucking the norm. He’s expanded over time, added in veggies, grains and flowers to make the bees happy, and still kept it green, natural, and bio! Bravo on your hands off creativity of the Light White! So happy I was able to snag one of the 2,000.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @VigneDelPellagroso @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Mantova #Lombardia #biodynamic #organic #Garganega #Riesling #Moscato

Posted on

Have Cocktail, Ready to Travel

Dry Fly Distilling
Bloody Mary
“On The Fly”
Made with Dry Fly Vodka and an exclusive blend of spices from Spiceology
8% ABV
Spokane, WA
Founder and Fly-Fisher: Don Poffenroth

Rich tomato with a touch of brown from all the floating spice specks and served on the rocks. Exactly what you want to smell on a Saturday. There’s tangy tomato, hot pepper/sauce, horseradish, and celery salt. It’s a taste explosion! Sweet and tangy tomatoes, hot peppers that grow and grow, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce or something that tastes like it, a little garlic salt and celery salt. I can’t believe this came out of a can, and it is portable. You can crack this baby anywhere. So, my favorite Bloody Mary was made at People’s Republik in Cambridge, MA by Paul. It was like drinking a very hot garden. This makes a darn good stand in since People’s is no more. Wow, seriously my lips are plumping and there’s a good burn in my throat. Why do I only have one can, rats!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: they are made for each other! Brings out more heat!

As it says on Dry Fly’s site, they are farm to bottle. They work with locally sourced products such as with their wheat vodka in this little can, which is grown locally. It also looks like they are expanding and on the move to downtown Spokane in an old newspaper printing facility. All I’m finding is from January 2021, so I’m not sure where they are at this point of the build out, but it sounds like not only will they have a larger place, but also add some jobs while doing it. Now, that’s fab news.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @dryflydistilling @spiceology @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #vodka #bloodymary #Spokane #WA #onthefly #craftspirits #smallbatch #flyfishing

 

Posted on

Follow that Golden Brick Road

Ovum Wines
Old Love 2019
Organic, sustainable farming, biodynamic, and indigenous yeasts
Mostly riesling, but there’s others too from 5 vineyards (Willamette, Eola-Amity, Columbia Gorge, Southern OR)
Newborn, Oregon
Owners and winemakers: Ksenija and John House

Light golden with almost green hints and looks so refreshing. First whiff is salt, orange and orange blossoms, honeysuckle, a little cardamon and warm sugar cookies. Such pretty scents! So here comes the sip. There’s pears, mango, pineapple, yellow cherries, honeysuckles, and that wonderful saltiness. It’s decadent, rich, and delicate at the same time, and so damn delicious!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: perfectly yummy!

Ksenija and John House are truly giving a lot of love to “Old Love”. Working in the vein of Austrian monks from the 1800s, in today’s world shows you’re wanting the fruit and the land to be the stars. It’s a heck of a lot of work too. Pick the best from the 5 vineyards, soak on skins, press in stainless tank, let the natural fermentation begin! We’re not anywhere near done because then you take 35% into an amphora, Austrian cask, cement egg and neutral barrel. Now this has my head spinning a bit (and I’m getting this info from what they have written), because after following the moon cycle they blend everything back together again in the tank and then they do it 2 MORE TIMES! Well, their touch/magic is pretty impressive. As they say, “Drinking an OVUM wine should be like listening to AM Radio, in Stereo.” To me it’s more amplified than that. It makes me feel like I’ve been living in “The Wizard of Oz” when everything changes from B&W to color, and my whole world has a brighter outlook, and I’m booking it down that yellow brick road.

@vinewinenyc @ovumwines @cheezits #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #sustainable #natural #wild #organic #riesling #Newborn #Oregon #Willamette #Eola-Amity #ColumbiaGorge #Southern #ovumwines #wizardofoz

Posted on

Art Comes in All Forms

Amalia Cascina
Rossese Bianco 2017
Rossese Bianco 100%
Langhe DOC
Hand harvested
Monforte d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Winemaking Team: Paolo Boffa, Gianpiero Romana (agronomist), Piero Ballario (enologist), and Maria Angela Boffa (mom, runs the B&B)

Light straw like the miller’s daughter wove into gold. Breathing in honey, pear, summer savory, and light cinnamon. What a nice start, that blends into delicious growing flavors of pear, Rainier cherries, yellow plums, golden delicious apples (perfectly ripe), white raisins, smoke, salt, again light cinnamon now with a tad of clove, shortbread, and light oak with a dried Turkish fig finish. How else can I put this…it’s like drinking Klimt’s, “Bauerngarten”.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NO it totally ruins it

The Boffa family found the perfect farmhouse in 2003, that came with some pretty great vineyards. They’ve expanded a bit more in vines and winery, but from all I see on their site, I would have thought this had been passed down forever through the family and updated to modern times. It is so gorgeous (well it is set in an UNESCO World Heritage Site) and there’s a B&B with a pool. Most importantly though, thank you for being one of the lucky few cultivating Rossese Bianco. How such a unique delicious grape could come close to vanishing is amazing. One more reason to say thank goodness for the 70s (along with some fab music) when it was resurrected. Also I’m reading that not only do they have a deep appreciation for beauty in many forms such as the land, the grapes, but also a very cool art collection and some of it is on view. Going through their slides now and they really do have some serious work, just wish I could see them in person, especially the 3 panel blue wall piece. It looks like if you stared at it long enough you would become drawn into and never to be seen again. Gorgeous!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @amaliacascinainlanga @elevationwine @cheezits #wine #whitewine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #rumpelstiltskin #Italy #Langhe #MonfortedAlba #Piedmont #RosseseBianco

Posted on

Maplelicious Design

Wandering Barman
Boomerang
Old Fashioned made with bourbon whiskey and bitters
Tree Juice maple syrup, hickory smoke concentrate, aromatic orange bitters
30% ABV
Ridgewood, NY
Mixmasters/founders: Julian Mohamed, Roxane Mollicchi, and Darren Grenia

Bourbon brown with yellow highlights that was shaken and poured on the rocks. Last night was a little chilly so this Boomerang fit the bill (and came back and whacked me in the head this morning). Scents of gingerbread made me think of Christmas happy scents of cinnamon, orange zest, brown sugar/maple syrup (where’s the flapjacks?), panettone, smoke and pepper. Tastes like all the scents with more pepper and smoke, some coconut, that good ol bourbon, more maple syrup, and a little orange mixed with Ricola. You’re going to find this hard to believe but it wasn’t till my teen years that I knew what maple syrup tasted like. We always had pure cane syrup in our house. My parents went on a trip to Canada and came back with these delicious maple syrup candies, and I was in total wonderment in what I had been missing out on all those years. Why had my parents been holding out on me?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Brings out more holiday spices. Where’s the fireplace and stockings hung with care?

Thank you Wandering Barman for reaching out and letting me know who does your amazing labels. Team has an amazing diverse portfolio from Pfizer, Alina, The Bronx Museum, and it looks like there will be something upcoming with the WNBA. They are a must to check out. If y’all (Team) see this, you seriously rock. Congrats to all your great work!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wanderingbarman @team_studio @yourssincerelybk @cheezits #cheezit #wine #cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #ridgewood #Brooklyn #newyork #wanderingbarman #oldfahioned #maple #bourbon #bitters

Posted on

Hop On and Let’s Ride!

Cellar Mas Foraster
LAMOTO 2019
Conca de Barberà DO
Trepat (mostly) and Garnatxa Peluda
Organic, hand harvested, and indigenous yeasts
Tarragona, Conca de Barberà, Catalunya, Spain
Winemakers: A family affair

Bright shiny light garnet. Ok, before we get any further here’s some instructions: chill it a little bit. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries first hit my nose, and then cherry, plums, salt and a little earth. First sip and this is more powerful than I was expecting. This is no shrinking flower. There’s earthy cherries and plums, strawberries, raspberries, black pepper, and a little tangy bounce of happiness. This is so easy to drink…way tooooo easy. I want to drink this all day while on an old fashioned tire swing going higher and higher and full of laughter, yeah this wine is that type of joy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice and smooth together…this could get dangerous because it’s already so easy to drink on its own

Since 1828, Finca Mas Foraster, has seen a lot. During the civil war (1939) they lost part of their land and regained most of it by 1960, and then they were selling their grapes to a co-op. It wasn’t until 1995, when Josep Foraster Civit, got the ball rolling with their first harvest for the cellar in 1999. Sadly, and when I read this it really brought tears to my eyes, he passed from a battle with cancer (damn cancer! I lost my mom in Nov.) in 1999. The whole time he had been working so hard for the Cellar, he had that to deal with too. Breaks my heart. His sister Julieta is keeping the dream alive along with her husband (Josep), her son (Ricard), and Josep’s son (Adrià). Julieta really focused on working with local grapes and that led to their deep, deep association with Trepat. As you can tell by what I wrote above, the blend of these grapes is a wonderful pair. Thank you for your wine, your hard work, dedication, and enotourism. Your gorgeous website took me on a virtual trip, and  this may just be what I need to lure my dude back to Catalunya. Oh, and one more thing I would be remiss not to add, Ricard says that LaMoto was his grandfather’s ride from 1955, and it is still alive and running. Vroom, vroom, let’s hit the roads!

@vinewinenyc @JosepForaster @ripewineimports @cheezits #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #sustainable #natural #wild #organic #ConcadeBarberà #Tarragona #Catalunya #Spain #trepat #GarnatxaPeluda #Garnatxa #enotourism

Posted on

Pink Elephants? Don’t Worry It’s a Good Thing

Weingut Strehn
Blaufränkisch Rosé 2019
100% Blaufränkisch
Organic (working on certification for biodynamic), sustainable, and spontaneous fermentation
Deutschkreutz, Mittelburgenland, Burgenland, Austria
Winemaking Family: Pia Strehn, Patrick Pfneisl, Andy Pfneisl and Monika Strehn

Pink Panther pink, or if you’re old enough to remember and were a MTV kid…it’s “Paint the Mutha Pink” pink. Breathing in strawberries, raspberries, roses, a little creamy with a hint of Bouchon Bakery’s Almond Croissants and a little salt. On to give this a swig and a gush of watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, and a twist of lemon. There’s also sprinkles for your frosting that leads to a good bitter herbal bite to offset the sweet

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice pairing for a picnic. Throw your bottle in a backpack with some cold packs, Cheez-It, and head up the mountain so you can breathe in some  fresh clean air.

Joseph Strehn founded Weingut Strehn back in 1950, but his offspring are all over the winery now along with some pink elephants, but they warn you to not think of them, just focus on the Rosé. They had the arduous job of tasting over 100 different rosés from all over the world, traveling/hanging out in Provence, and maybe actually by that many they were seeing some pinkies (I probably would be). They started this project in 2017, to get their rosé just right, and guess what…it worked! Their great love for Blaufränkisch is more than just the grape, it’s also a way of life for them. Their enthusiasm is emblazoned all through their site with quotes like, “Save our planet – it’s the only one with Blaufränkisch” and “Home is where Blaufränkisch is”. With their nurturing care and being situated in a wonderful area/climate, it grows well for them and can be weaved into a varied assortment of their wines. Their Blaufränkisch Irrgarten (red wine) is definitely one I would love to try given the chance to find one because their description is absolutely scrumptious!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @weingut.strehn @piastrehn @volkerwineco @cheezits #wine #Rosé #rose #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits  #Blaufränkisch #organic #Deutschkreutz #Mittelburgenland #Burgenland #Austria #pink #pinkelephants #johnmellencamp

Posted on

Smooch that Big Bad Wolf

Chateau de Roquefort
Gueule de Loup, de Villeneuve 2018
Bouches du Rhône IGP
80% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Biodynamic, organic, vegan, indigenous yeasts, natural , unfiltered, unfined, co-fermented
Provence, France
Winemaker: Raimond de Villeneuve

Shiny glistening garnet. Immediately it’s creamy, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, cola, rich dried figs and reduction too, lovely dark funk. Getting ready for that first sip and it’s a cherry coated in white and black pepper, dried mission figs, dark plums, strawberry and raspberry frappe, and to cap it off, coriander and smoke.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Smooth berries and dark berries. Like blueberries in a muffin pan that has stuck to the edge and erupted and you want to scrape off that charred goodness.

When I saw “Gueule de Loup”, all I could think of is the Italian phrase “in bocca al lupo” which translates to “in the mouth of the wolf” but is to wish you good luck (albeit the wolf dies). In French it is all about the wolf’s mouth too, but is also a snapdragon flower, which roams wild with the vines. Well, Raimond’s land is pretty lucky in this microclimate that lets the grapes be picked a little later. He’s also full of quotes on his site that sum the most of him and his cuvées’ parts. Please take a look at the photo essays with each one. You’ll feel like you can touch and smell the land and the play and earnestness of his beliefs. As with, “These are not “serious” wines. They are addressed to all those who like “seriously” to drink wine and not to those who taste with the tip of their lips, smell and exclaim for hours!” This is real, natural, a whole other level, and just enjoy. Please never forget time with wine is time well spent when you can just relax, smile with your friends, and talk (not only about wine).

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @chateau_de_roquefort @vosselections @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Grenache #Cinsault #CabernetSauvignon #biodynamic #organic #Provence #France