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“I’ll Be Home for…”

Wandering Barman
Margarita Made With Mezcal
Ginger Mezcal Margarita
20% ABV
Brooklyn, NY
Mixmasters/founders: Julian Mohamed, Roxane Mollicchi, and Darren Grenia

Yellow-green shimmer pour. Sniffing a smoky ginger fueled cocktail with lime/citrus & zest. Sipping and woof this is good. Right of the bat a sexy bit of smoke gets in my eyes, followed by a lemon/lime with a little agave sweetness, ginger (not Mary Ann) that gives a flirtatious twitch & wink, and a delicate drop of orange bitters. It’s a sweet & savory blend that is simply scrumptious.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: This is a hard NO

Since tomorrow is National Margarita Day it seems appropriate to uncap a bottle by one of my favorite cocktail makers Wandering Barman. Albeit it’s not a national holiday but one created by a tequila lover who also started National Tequila Day that lands annually on 7/24. Yes, it’s been hijacked by restaurants. Heck, even Chili’s & Lifetime teamed up for a “mini movie” or rather a 15 minute commercial, “I’ll Be Home for National Margarita Day” (debuted on 2/19 & airs again on the 22nd). Yes, I’m sure it will be silly, funny, and junk food tv; but honestly who cares because this holiday is an excuse to kick back with one whether it be classic, fruity, or spicy, and remember to find that 🎶lost shaker of salt🎶.

#Margarita #nationalmargaritaday #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktails #Mezcal #wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #organic #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #brooklyn #NY #chilis #lifetimetv #wanderingbarman #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Cures What Ails Ya

Matchbook Distilling Co.
Blind Duck
Bugle Juice
Metamodernity Bourbon whiskey, Elsewhere blood orange liqueur, fermented young ginger
375mL
22% ABV
Greenport, NY

Lovely orange amber pour on the rocks. Breathing in singed orange peel & orange blossoms, sugarcane, mellow bourbon, a smash of ginger that morphs into my mom’s gingerbread. Taking a swig and it’s all of the above scents with a shake of pepper. Feels so good all the way down to your toes!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: step away from the box

Have you ever heard an elk bugle? I haven’t until today. It may be their way of attracting mates, but personally I would run in the other direction if anyone made a haunting overture like that my way…especially if it was on a dark night in the woods. Well, this delicious ginger old fashioned may be named after that call, but it is so much more. Recently I got hit with the bug that has been going around and knocking people on their ass. I have not been this sick in ages and it wouldn’t let go. Lo and behold, I remembered I’d picked up a flask of this “juice”, took a few sips and it was so comforting to my very unhappy throat. Believe me this elixir will cure what ails ya.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #cocktails #bourbon #whiskey #oldfashioned #elk #buglejuice #elkbugle #bugle #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #greenport #NY #Longisland #matchbookdistilling #vinewine #vinewinenyc

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HAPPY FRIYAY!

Hugo’s Cocktails
Ginger Fuji Apple Mule
Vodka, Red Jacket Orchards Fuji apple juice (NY), lemon, ginger, cinnamon, lemongrass
10% ABV
New York, NY
Founders: Cristian Molina & Zach Moore

IPA golden-orange. Very fragrant scents of apples, a ginger/cinnamon blend, lemongrass, and a touch of fresh lemon but not tart. All of the scents are right there in the taste with perfumed blossoms, sugarcane, and a welcome cinnamon burn. Damn good cocktail that is way easy to drink, so sip it slow.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Just say no

Even though Hugo’s was created out of a heavy necessity of having to navigate, survive and make a living during the pandemic, they have a much lighter motto…”Life lived less seriously”. Now that’s something I would love to be doing right now. Well the weekend is almost here so maybe I’ll take their advice and crack another can with friends because these are drinks to be joyfully shared. Happy Friday!

#cocktails #cannedcocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #smallbusiness #vodka #wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #docwinebar #docwineshop #drinkhugos @cheezit @drinkhugos @docwinebar @docwineshop

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A Creative & Delicious Solution

Les Filles des Fêtes
Afternoon Disco 2022
Chardonnay 66%, Viognier 34%
Natural wine, zero/zero
Greenport, NY
Leslie Merinoff

Warm gold just like a perfect ring on your finger. First sniff and there’s a natural seaside tide pool whiff that departs and then heads into a pinch of light pie spice, next up are spring flowers & fruit blossoms, apples, pears, and overall it’s just light, bright and uplifting. Sip & swish and apples & pears appear again with s little zing of lime & zesty tart bit of liveliness, lick of mineral rock that has a small shake of salt sea breeze, and smidge of mace on the exhale with a little sprig of hay. This glass is super chill and comfortable and perfect to ease into an afternoon DJ set.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: bleh. don’t bother

I’ve become quite a fan of Matchbook Distilling & Leslie Merinoff’s creations, and this wine makes me fall a bit harder for them, or maybe I should say it makes me want to get up and dance. Reading on how it all came about and turns out it is a creative solution for what could have been a big problem. Originally it was to be all about Viognier, but in order to keep the ferment process at just the right spot cool they needed more juice to fill their tank. Since Leslie sources & works with local farmers/growers, North Fork Long Island’s Macari Vineyards provided the beautiful Chardonnay to balance everything out. BTW, I’m really glad these two grapes had their chance to mingle because oh they do shine so well together kind of like bright daylight shimmering on a spinning 🪩.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #cocktails #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #cheezit #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #greenport #NY #Longisland #discoball #disco #matchbookdistilling #vinewinenyc @cheezit @matchbookdistilling @vinewinenyc

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Light My Fire!

Social Hour Cocktails
Harvest Whiskey Sour
13 yr. Whisky (George Dickel Tennessee)
20% ABV
250 ml and serves 3, so remember that and share
Brooklyn, NY
Cocktail makers and shakers: Julie Reiner & Tom Macy

Amber apple cider. Sniffing apples & cider, cinnamon, maple with a little vanilla butter cream frosting, cardamon, and a whisky spark.  Sipping and all of the scents are in the taste along with a lemon zesty twist. Calls for striking a match, setting the fireplace ablaze and cozying up because it tastes even better off someone else’s lips.💋 Baby you can light my fire!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: don’t even open the bag

This can is Social Hour Cocktails’ 1st limited release, so I recommend grabbing a 4-pack as soon as you find them, or you might miss out. They also suggest make it hot or on the rocks, and if you want to dress it up just add some apple slices, orange peel, rosemary sprig, or toasted marshmallows. O.K. I say ick to the marshmallows and opt for a side of crispy bacon…it’s so much more sexy!

#cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #bitters #whiskey #whisky #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #worldbyglass #Brooklyn #NY #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #cannedcocktails @georgedickel @socialhourcocktails @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Spark It Up

C. Cassis
CC Spritz
Sparkling blackcurrant canned aperitif
Hudson Valley grown blackcurrants (many from Greg Quinn’s crop who helped get overturn their ban in NY State)
5.4% ABV
Catskill, NY
Made by Rachael Petach

Vibrant bright cranberry glass cocktail with teeny bubbles. Nose tickling black currants pop up & if there was a Jolly rancher version of it then that too, and a slight mint vibe that heads into alpine herbs floating around. All the scents are in the sip with a blend of citrus peels, raspberries, seltzer sizzle with a tart pop, a little lemon squish, and a touch of honey

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: ugh blerg NO

So for those of you who may have some bubbly leftovers from the holidays…who am I kidding…how can there ever be any bubbles left behind? Well, at least not in my place. Anyway, say you do want to spark up your sparkly. Just pour a 50/50 cava, champagne, or sparkling wine with CC Spritz and that blush in the glass will soon be spreading to your cheeks and maybe even the tips of your ears. It’ll make you want to as Salt-N-Pepa says, “Get down with the party”!

#cocktails #spirits #cannedcocktails #wine #vin #vino #vinho #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #worldbyglass #saltnpepa #cava #hudsonvalley #catskill #NY @currentcassis @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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When Is An Orange Really An Orange?

Matchbook Distilling Co.
Honeymoon
“Orange Wine”
Sparkling wine from Mango Oranges (via Flavors by Bhumi), with Honey, Milk Oolong & Mallorca Melon Tea
6% ABV
Greenport, NY
Owner/Distiller: Leslie Merinoff

Hazy warm golden with some spritz bubbles. Sniff and oh yes this is natural. There’s oranges with zest and later blossoms, some smoky blend of other citrus too, honeycomb, hibiscus as time goes by, and a little good funkaliciousness. Sipping a delicious orange seltzer snap with a natural vibe. It’s crisp and tingly with a bit of creamy or orange creamsicle feel, still some of that smoke/honeycomb mellowness, and just really super fresh. Make sure it’s really chilled and drink asap.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh ick no

When is an “orange wine” really an orange wine? Ok, so this isn’t what we normally think of as that good ol’ skin contact vino. Leslie of Matchbook wanted to use the”O” word on a riesling bottle, but was thwarted by govt. guidelines. Let me just quote from her, “the federal government regulators believe strongly that a drinker seeing “Riesling Orange Wine” would communicate the presence of actual oranges in said bottle of wine. And therefore, the descriptor ‘orange wine’ in the United States has been prohibited…” So when life tells you have to use oranges, don’t just make orangeade…be like Leslie and make a truly fun 🍊sparkler (pssst you can also make some snazzy cocktails with it too).

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #cocktails #naturalwine #orangewine #oranges #sparklingwine  #skincontact #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #greenport #NY #Longisland #matchbookdistilling @vinewinenyc @matchbookdistilling @cheezit

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Brewed Benefits

Matchbook Distilling & Good Liquorworks (seasonal collaboration)
Sparkling Anomaly
Riesling juice, coffee fruit concentrate, botanicals (Wintergreen, Mace, Star Anise & Wild Birch Bark)
5% ABV
Organic; Coffee Fruit: nothing artificial, no fake colors, no carbon footprint
Long Island, NY

Orange gold like a skin contact and fine light bubbles drawing patterns on the glass. At first I don’t know if it’s my nose or brain (it turns out it’s both) telling me something citrus tart smell that turns into a deep wild mix. There’s a woodsy scent that if you hover a whole goes almost baker’s chocolate and then back to wooden matchstick smoke, nutmeg, and a smidge of singed mint. Lively and fresh sip that’s lightly effervescent with kumquats, splash of bergamot, wintergreen, wild sour grass (from back home chewed in the field), anise, and birch. This is a treat for beer, cider and wine lovers so if you have a S.O. like mine, you can share.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: surprisingly good and makes it even more fresh and friendly

When I first saw something about this bottle I swear I saw coffee wine and boy was I wrong. On 2nd look I realized it’s all about the coffee fruit. You know, I hate to admit but I never thought about what happens to the fruit which is stupid on my part, but honestly I don’t drink coffee anymore…now it’s all about tea. Anyway, turns out this fruit is sometimes made into fertilizer but more often went to waste or doing some not so great things to waterways. Well, with some drying and processing this pulp can end up in all sorts of things (chocolates, sodas, supplements, cookies) and evidently it has great health benefits (from heart, brain, weight, etc)! A big cheers to Good Liquorworks bringing it here for their “Good Vodka” (which they say, “makes a damn fine martini“) & this collaboration. So maybe this bottle of “Anomaly”, may give you a gift of a little more than just a happy buzz.

#wine #beer #cider #brew #vodka #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #sparklingwine #coffee #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #brooklyn #longisland #NY #naturalwine @vinewinenyc @matchbookdistilling @good.vodka @cheezit

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Delightful “Date” Night

Wandering Barman
Swipe Right
Old Fashioned made with bourbon whiskey, dates, aromatic orange bitters, filtered water
32% ABV
Ridgewood, NY
Mixmasters/founders: Julian Mohamed, Roxane Mollicchi, and Darren Grenia

Orangey amber on the rocks, and don’t forget to shake it well before you crack that cap and pour. Immediately scents of smooth bourbon, orange zest, and date sweetness with a spark of tropical spice. Just like it says on the bottle it’s all there in the taste…Lovely date filled sweet that balances so well with the light peppery burn of the bourbon and orange bitters. Perfect close to my long day.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just don’t!

I’ve been on a date and fig kick lately so this bottle was so perfect for me. As I’ve said in the past, I have a soft spot for locally premade cocktails and especially Wanerding Barman’s because they definitely do a better job than I could. So very easy to drink so pick up 2 or make that 4 bottles if you’re sharing. Just make sure you don’t over do it and find your fingers doing a buzzy swipe in the wrong direction. You know how things always look better with cocktail googles. 🥃

#wine #cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #worldbyglass  #pairswithcheezits #ridgewood #Brooklyn #newyork #wanderingbarman #oldfahioned #maple #bourbon #whiskey #bitters #cheezit @docwineshop @docwinebar @wanderingbarman @cheezits

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Magical Mixture

St. Agrestis
Negroni
St. Agrestis Inferno Bitter, house-made Torino style vermouth & Greenhook Ginsmiths American Dry Gin
24% ABV
Brooklyn, NY

Dark reddish amber pour. Breathing in a mash of delicious herbal goodness (a touch of Ricola), orange peels, and a little juniper berry. Holy crap this is GOOD! My mouth is tingling. All the scents are there. Sweet and bitter herbal (this time not Ricola) mashup, sweet sipping vermouth, singed orange peels and juniper berry. And a small comforting burn that is not harsh but refreshing. This magical mixture packs a punch of joy and celebration. Has me craving a hefty slice of fresh baked right out of the oven gingerbread.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Don’t even think about it!

So glad to have a friend point this Negroni out to me because somehow this is one of the few bottled cocktails I have missed. Once again it’s a #shoplocal (which I ❤️) Brooklyn born concoction and their dream team is formed of brothers Louie and Matt Catizone and their gin-perienced friend, Steven DeAngelo (Greenhook Ginsmiths). There’s only one regret I have about picking up this little bottle…I should have picked up the “Negroni Fountain” which is their 1.75L Bag in a box. Perfect for a party pop up!

#cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #spirits #bitters #vermouth #gin #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit @worldbyglass #Brooklyn #NY #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram @st_agrestis @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit