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Fine Wine & Good Deeds

Forlorn Hope
Zincenzo! 2020
Carbonic Zinfandel
100% Zinfandel
Rorick Heritage Vineyard
Murphys, Calaveras County, CA
Organic, hand-harvested, carbonic maceration, unfiltered & unfined
Winemaker: Matthew Rorick

Sunset ruby orange streaked sky. Breathing a little earthy musk and schistiness at first that blossoms into cherries, strawberries, and raspberries. I am so glad I chilled this (chilling is said to be optional). Sipping delicious juicy blend of cranberry, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, salt & smoke with a little olive pit, and a bit of earthy forest darkness or as said before it’s the schist. This is one bottle that will get me in trouble because it is so frisky, friendly, and has a depth that I don’t know if I can leave it alone.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Delightful and even more addictive

This bottle was a total surprise for me. I love Forlorn Hope wines! The surprise part was I didn’t know I was receiving it. This was one of the bottles in Vine Wine’s “6 Bottles for Ukraine” box. You’ll get 3-4 bottles of red and the rest could be white, rose, or bubbles for $100 ((LINK IN BIO)). “All of the revenue from these six packs will be donated directly to World Central Kitchen, chef Jose Andres humanitarian organization. Currently he is working in Lviv cooking meals for displaced people and refugees, as well as partnering with restaurants in Ukraine to pay them to make meals locally. This is a cause close to our heart, feeding people and supporting local business. If you would like to donate directly you can head over to https://wck.org/ to learn more.” I don’t know how long they will be doing the boxes, but if you can get one, you’ll be doing a good deed while enjoying some fine wine! 🇺🇦

#ukraine #standwithukraine #Україна #🇺🇦 #kyiv #stopwar #зупинитивійну #supportukraine #ятебелюблю #wine #вино #love #Zinfandel @wckitchen @vinewinenyc @forlornhopewines

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Alchemy, Anarchy & Hope

Agricola Cirelli
Wines of Anarchy
Vino Bianco Frizzante
100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, unfiltered
Abruzzo, Italy
Winemakers: Francesco and Michela Cirelli

Golden with a touch of haze. Well, that’s a welcome nose tingle of pear, pineapples, lemon zest, green apples (touch of cider), allspice, and a mix of a little fresh cut grass (but not that much) & herbal flowers. Sipping those crisp pears and green apples again, with lemon fizzy, young apricots, a pinch of that pineapple, a fresh grassy springiness like a little of my homegrown sorrel, a touch of spice (think pear pie), and roasted almond slivers that just lightly hangs in the back a bit. This stuff rocks!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: darn, darn good

If you have a moment, please go to Agricola Cirelli’s site. Francesco’s eloquent writings that weave images of his beautiful home, vineyard, farm, family, and childhood memories are… how should I put it…he paints with his words. They’re genuine, natural, and beautiful just like the wines. Yeah, yeah there’s a big ol’ tat on the bottle, but just read his words, “When I make wine, I imagine I am an alchemist preparing a magic potion. An antidote to misery, a balm for healing old wounds, a drink that makes us forgive but not forget.” An existential declaration, a message of unconditional love.” This is an elixir we need right now. This is a bottle of revolutionary love, but not just that…this grounds us and gives us hope.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #organic #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #italy #Abruzzo #Trebbiano #zevrovineselections @docwineshop @docwinebar @cirelliwines @cheezit

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Creature Of The Night

Aoton Winery
“Lola” Retsina Rosé 2018
Mandilaria 74%, Cabernet Sauvignon 26%
Hand picked during night harvest, organic, indigenous yeast, also 0,4g/L of Aleppo Pine Resin added
Traditional Appellation “Retsina”
Peania, Attica, Greece.
Winemaker: Sotiris Gkinis

Cranberry/pomegranate/watermelon cocktail color with orange hints. First breath and there is is full on…pine and then mint smashed with basil, rosemary, flowering herbs and clover, green and pink strawberries, dried cherries, and still it’s fresh. First sip and I’m going hmmm? This is unique. Do I like it…yeah, I think I do. It takes a few sips and it keeps surprising. Definitely driven by the traditional pine resin, and that mint/basil pesto, then pops of pomegranate, a little young cherry/plum, and rose hips. The more I drink, the more I think…and Lola is one fascinating, complicated, intriguing lady of mystery.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: eh noncommittal

I had been checking out “Lola” who kept winking at me from the shelves, but she hadn’t swayed me to bringing her home until I saw her being romanced by another! Tip of the hat to @sips.and.babs who influenced me to take a chance. Yes this bottle is all dressed up to be on a runway (check the label) or a night at the club, but it’s also draped in robes of retsina history with an elegant creative modern flair. A creature of the night, “Lola’s” grapes are hand harvested in the cool evening darkness which just add to her unique fresh beauty. I might just have to run away with her! 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #Rosé #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Mandilaria #CabernetSauvignon #Retsina #Greece #organic @vinewinenyc @aoton_winery @cheezit

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What Are The Jobs That Women Can’t Do?

Azienda Agraria Moretti Omero
Grechetto 2020
Umbria IGT
Organic, vegan, hand-harvested
Giano dell’Umbria PG, Umbria, Italy
It’s a total Moretti family winemaking and olive growing affair: Omero (The Founder), Daniela (The Strength), Giusy (The Mind), Lucia (The Face), Quinta (Grandmother)

Medium golden glass. Scents of pears, lemon zest, tiny slices of white peaches, and a little sea breeze salt. Hello! Dancing on my tongue are zesty zingy zaggy lemons and and a smidge of good citrus funky, fresh homegrown Kirby cucumbers (who doesn’t love a Kirby), crisp pears, Italian parsley and a smidge of Marcona almonds.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmm delicious!

Omero’s grandfather (Domenico) launched their family business with a single olive grove post WWI. Now it’s not just trees of my favorite salty snack, but also fully organic vineyards (since 1992). Daniela will tell you it was her idea since she would have to leave her daughters with their dad in the field since her other life was being a nurse. Lucia (the olive expert) & Giusy now grown have joined the company, and Giusy is at the helm. Lucky for us she set aside a career in architecture to return to the place she loved, and brought her intellect, talent (she speaks 4 languages), understanding of branding and the story that goes with it, and passion for the environment. She looks beyond their borders by working with local govt to “introduce a pilot scheme that bans farmers from using pesticides and chemicals in the fields adjoining organic fields. & More widely the ban has been extended across the area to include no chemicals close to schools, hospitals and houses.” Not to leave out one more strong member of the family, Grandmother Quinta, who set the example that women can farm, work the field, and do anything they want, or as they say on their site, “What are the jobs that women can’t do?”

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #organic #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #italy #Umbria #Grechetto @apwineimports @docwineshop @docwinebar @moretti.vino.olio @cheezit

 

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A Magical Harvest

Cantina Marilina
Sikelé 2019
Terre Siciliane IGP
100% Grecanico (darn fabulous ancient grape)
Sicily, Italy
Organic, indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtration
Winemakers: Angelo Marilina and Federica Paternò

Deep golden beauty of a glass. My first Sikelé was a 2017, and 2019 is just as fab! As before the first scents are orange, melon, sweet honeysuckle, and one of my faves sea breeze salt, and in the latest, there’s also a little touch of tangerine and a smidge of spice. As I sip at home, it takes me back to that beautiful day in the sun where one glass is never enough. Delicious flavors of orange, lemon, melon, pear, apple, smoky salt, white pepper, a scattering of almonds, but the best part is the orange blossoms that keep wafting in and out, and in this 2019, there’s also that touch of tangerine again (a little IPAish) that mellows and a few following kumquats. It’s a lovely colorful natural shape shifting dream.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Still brings out more heavenly flowers

I can hardly believe it’s been over a year and a half when I was longing for a “A Day Under the Trees”. Still longing for that chance to visit Cantina Marilina and experience their “Picnic in the Vineyard” tasting. How glorious would that be? For now I’ll have to just have to watch over and over again their 2021 harvest and all the bits of that are a part of it from the land, the vineyard, the people and even the insects that thrive and do their own part in the whole picture. “Let’s try to bring dreams to life . Every year, at the end of the harvest , this is the mood we keep for the following months! 2021 gave us a magical harvest: life, in all its forms, is the basis of our work. Nature is the essence of everything!”

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #organic #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #italy #sicily #grecanicodorato #Grecanico #zevrovineselections @zevrovineselections @docwineshop @docwinebar @cantinamarilina @cheezit

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Katz In A Glass

Wigle
Eau de Pickle
40% ALC/VOL
Organic regional grains milled onsite
Made from scratch in Pittsburgh, PA
Family Distillery

Perfectly clear glass (tiny pour because this packs a punch). Whoa this is like being in my granny’s kitchen during pickling/canning time! There’s full on aromas of rye, dill weed/flowering/seed, pop of fennel, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander and lest we not forget caraway. Seriously craving a hot pastrami. First sip an tasting all the scents and a pumpernickel everything bagel moment. There’s also celery, an almost ouzo light feeling, but don’t bring the coffee beans because this is Katz in a glass. Oooh you know what would be great is a Cel-Ray chaser, and it would also be so good as a martini with a celery salt rim. Can you tell I’m falling hard for this bottle?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: delicious!

Wigle’s mission statement says it all, “Wigle is hell bent on creating a vital, educated community around the highest quality, most inventive, bursting-with-terroir fermented and distilled products in the world. We’re strong believers of investing in our communities to support the agricultural, social and economic systems of which we are a part. We devote significant resources into innovation and make each one of our dozens of regionally inspired spirits from scratch with organic ingredients. We never purchase spirits from bulk suppliers.” They truly believe in community and particularly in this day and age that’s downright commendable. You can also take a tour of the distillery and leave with a history lesson of Pittsburgh’s Whiskey Rebellion, or take one of their cocktail classes to spruce up your skills. However you connect with them, I hope you take a chance on this dilly delight…just be careful or you may find yourself becoming a bit pickled. 🥒 🍸

#spirits #eaudepickle #wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #whiskey #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #pickles #Pittsburgh #PA  @vinewinenyc @wiglewhiskey @cheezit

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Golden Goodness

Isastegi
Sagardo Naturala
Dry Natural Cider
Blend of over a dozen Basque apples
Basque Country
Euskal Sagardoa PDO
6% ABV
Organic, no added sulfites
Tolosa, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Cidermaker: Migel Mari Lasa

Warm gold with tiny bubbles. Breathing in a multitude of apples bright and tart, stripped apple branches, yeasty, and a bit of dark funk and spice. Wow, this tastes really delightful! Again bright and tart apples joined with green tree buds, cinnamon & funk, and a touch of white pepper. Now that’s a fab mix.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: good like ol’ apple pie

While sniffing around online about the origins of txotx, I found a tale of Adam and Eve. They had already been booted from the garden and wandered upon an apple tree which immediately pissed Adam off. His boiling anger had him giving the tree a full shakedown and the apples rolled into a well, where he then kept on venting by throwing in large stones to smash the fruit. Days later the pair were in serious need of a drink, and of course it’s Eve that realizes, “hey, check out that golden goodness left in the well” and there you have the first cider. Back to txotx, it simply means a small stick used to plug the cider barrels (nowadays you may find a spigot in its place) and when the time is right (Isastegi’s txotx runs from Jan-April), gather your friends to celebrate, pull that plug, and here comes the cider; and you better have your glass ready before it all ends up on your shoes. Cheers!

#cider #wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #apples #spain #organic @dmselections @vinewinenyc @Isastegi @cheezit

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Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Lesehof Stagård
Goldberg 2016
100% Riesling
Kremstal DAC
Organic
Krems/Stein a. Danube, Austria
Winemakers: Urban and Dominique Stagård

Warm golden glass. Floating in are apples & pears and their blossoms too, along with butterfly lilacs, and a little chilled pie (like what is so scrumptious for breakfast. Hey, you grow up in an orchard and fruit’s in every B. L. & D.), and a pinch of salt. Sip and again apples, pears, a little honeysuckle nectar but not really that much, a tiny lime spritz, salt, cardamon, lick of granite, and a smoky exhale.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: bright crisp snap

What a piece of history, the cellar has been around for close to 1,000 years, but the family roots came on board in 1786, as Lesehof Tegernseer. Fast forward to the early 1980s and there’s a name change to Lesehof Stagård after Kenneth Stagård married into the family. Now it’s Urban and Dominique and they took everything to the next level by going organic and biodynamic, and their own words some up everything best: “Unlike the generations before us, we wanted to make wines that not only quench thirst, but should also tell about us, our ideas, our vines and vineyards. We immediately switched to organic farming and defined goals that had to be achieved in slow steps. We wanted to make bold, exciting and authentic wines, wines for which evolution and tradition should be two sides of the same coin, wines that should be fun and others that should challenge. And we wanted Riesling.” Also, I think they have brought a lot of joy to this generation. Just check out their 2020 end of harvest dance https://www.instagram.com/p/CGstlgAHTzW/

❤️

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Riesling #Kremstal #Austria #organic @schatziwines @vinewinenyc @lesehofstagard.wines @cheezit

 

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Ready For A New Adventure

Miles Garrett Wines
Merlot 2018
Willow Creek AVA
Dry farmed, handpicked, organic, natural wine, and animals graze the vineyards
Humboldt County, CA
Winemaker and owner: Miles Garrett

Deep purple with some ruby goodness. This is one of those wines where you take a deep breath and oh this is everything…bright and deep cherries, dark plums/prunes, blueberries, balsamic whiff, vanilla and sugar cookies, an earthy woodsiness, and a little juniper/piney. Sipping and it’s dark and bright cherry, vanilla with a little oak chip, plums, blueberry, blackberry, and a pinch of sugar cookies with just the right amount of that twang to keep it vibrantly dancing on my tongue
delicious! FYI: tasted while watching The Book of Boba (and yes, I ❤️ the series & the ride it’s taking us on. Have heard the complaints and all I can say is…haters gonna hate…and kiss my Bantha).

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: it’s actually a really good fit.

Miles Garrett Wines is a family winery with a small team and also some additional WWOOFers. Call me behind the times, but WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is new to me, so smart, needed and cool. It all started back in 1971 (U.K.), and in the U.S. from 2001. It’s a two way street of sustainable farming education. If you’re looking to learn about sustainable/organic farming while having a roof over your head and meals, they’ll find you a host. Hosts impart their knowledge and as they say “teach the next generation of farmers” and benefit from the help in their farm, vineyard, etc. So if you’re interested, check out wwoofusa.org, and you just might find a new adventure.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #bookofbobafett #thebookofbobafett #Merlot #Humboldt  #CA #California #naturalwine @wwoofusa @vinewinenyc @milesgarrettwines @cheezit

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Bubbles Worth Diving For

St. Donat (Szent Donát)
5BAR 2020
Brut Nature
Sparkling White Wine
Olaszrizling, Furmint
Organic, unfined, unfiltered
Csopak, Hungary
Winemaker: Tamás Kovács

Pale yellow gold with tiny bubbles tracing fictional maps on the surface. From the moment the cap is popped there’s scents of white donut peaches, yellow plum, fresh citrus spritz, a smidge of a real croissant not made in this continent, shake of salt, a little grass (the fresh cut kind). Sip and it’s crisp. There’s citrus pop of lemon/lime mix, and touch of the white donut peach that turns into apples and pears. It’s fresh and exuberant tongue tingling goodness with a touch of yeast. It’s just darn exciting, and I want this for my next birthday, but I think we’ll need a few more since it’s 375ml.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: wow it’s perfect!

So what’s the deal the antique diving helmet on the label? Yeah, I know absolutely nothing about diving, since I am terrified of being eaten by a shark. An ex-aunt (I’m so glad she is an EX) put the whole shark idea in my mind at a very young age, and I’ve spent years trying to get past it. Anyway, back to the bubbly. So happy that the winery/Tamás has a site & blog that answer it all (well, with auto google translate). It’s named 5BAR since it’s fermented to that pressure, “which is just like swimming in the sea 50 meters deep” (my brain immediately thinks 🦈). “I see this as a good balance point, less pressure, less sweeping, lots of fruit left and no foaming so much.” Also explains the small size too, “Half a bottle is often enough for two people.” Well, I’m not so sure about that because, in my world if there’s two of us, “we’re going to need a bigger boat bottle”.

#wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #sparklingwine #bubbly #champagne #naturalwine #organic #Csopak #Hungary #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits @szentdonatborkuria @vinewinenyc @cheezit