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Leaving An Imprint

Casa do Valle
Homenagem
Rosso 2016
Reserva
Vinho Regional Minho
Sousao, Touriga Nacional, Merlot, etc
Organic, hand harvested
Cabeceiras de Basto, Portugal
Sousa Botelho family: Luis Botelho Cameira

Inky deep purple with a maroon rim. Trust me don’t accidentally spill this on your shirt…don’t be me. After the clean up, breathing in plums, prunes, deep cherries (dried & fresh), a little creaminess like an Oreo center, nutmeg & allspice, tiny bit of black pepper, and as time goes by a mix of berries tumbling through, and a woodsy oak touch that is one I can go with because it’s like Goldilocks would say “just right”. Sip and all of the scents are here with a smooth operator feel, orange zest, and what I at first think is just a creaminess that for a bit is a little coconut. Berries pop out including raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cranberries, black currants, and probably others too; a touch of alpine herbal (Ricola), and a single pine needle.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: delicious and brings out an orange sizzle

Each vintage of Homenagem, is a lovely way for this winemaking family to pay homage & honor their father & grandfather, who passionately paved the way for their winery’s growth, developed their expansion through exporting, and overall success. What a delicious way to be memorialized! Cheers to all the generations and raising a glass to your future! 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #redwine #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting  #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass # Portugal #docwinebar #docwineshop #casadovalle @massanois @docwinebar @docwineshop

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It’s All About The Altitude

Vinsnus
SiurAlta
Morat 2017
Monsant DO
Syrah 90%, Viogner 10%
Biodynamic, as little of intervention as possible, native yeasts
Cornudella de Montsant, Tarragona, Spain
Alfredo Arribas

Deep ruby maroon purple pour. Breathing in dark plums & cherries, pomegranate with a funky depth, and a light sprinkle of cinnamon,  allspice and I think a little black pepper. Sipping and thankfully the funk has danced it’s way out the building, again those plums, cherries, pomegranate & a splash of raspbluecranberry with a bit of blackberry & orange zest (adding a splash of tart) thrown in, and at last a grind of black pepper.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: gives it a bit of more tart sizzle

Alfredo Arribas is one busy bee. Where do I even start…he’s an architect, a designer, and also a winemaker (from what I’ve heard this artistic/natural nurturing urge came from time spent in his youth with his winemaking grandfather). In 2001, he purchased Clos del Portal in Priorat. (I encountered a glass of their Somni back in 2016 at La Vinya del Senyor on a wonderful trip to Spain. Delicious!) Now he has his hands in vineyards from Priorat & Monsant with a differing lines/labels, and his Vinsnus wines are where he gets to let his natural creativity & experimentation roam free. SiurAlta is all about the altitude (780 m for these grapes), embracing nature, less is more, and as he says, “Looking back, walking forward”. 🍷

wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Montsant #Spain #SiurAlta #Forevertedward #Vinsnus #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @tedward_ws @vinewinenyc @vinsnus

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Just One More Sip

Azienda Crocizia
Balós 2020
Emilia IGT
100% Pinot Nero
Organic, as little intervention in the cellar as possible
Emilia, Italy
Marco Rizzardi

Squished raspberry & strawberry rosiness. Sniff and it all changes over time but starts out tart not quite ripe strawberries & raspberries, dried cherries & cranberries, bit of earthy depth & forest floor, and a pinch of salt. First taste it’s a cocktail of all the berries then leading to tart cherry, dark plum, that bit of earth again with a smidge of smoke, little lemon squeeze, a lick of a salty rock, a straw of hay way in the back that later turns into a bit of balsamic, and a little sizzle on the tongue.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out more berries and smooths it all out

Marco Rizzardi rescued a little farm from abandonment, rebuilt and nurtured it into the small organic-bio vineyard it is now with the greatest of respect and care. He also has a bit of fun with the names for his bottles, like “Balós” and it’s a fitting moniker. So I’m told it’s “by name and by nature, the trickster who deceives you”, or a “cunning scoundrel who will not leave you alone” & lures you into another sip, then another, and next thing you know the whole bottle is “poof” magically gone! ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #sparklingwine #petnat #wineislove #winetime #organic #Italy #docwinebar #docwineshop #crocizia #winemc2 @crocizia @winemc2 @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Hidden Treasures

Domaine L&C Poitout
A.O.C. Bourgogne Blanc 2021
Chardonnay
Organic, HVE since 2018, hand harvested, keeping it as natural as possible
Burgundy, France
Louis and Catherine Poitout

Straw yellow golden with a green pop. Sniff and there’s easy going apples & pears with a touch of cream, honeydew & a little cantaloupe, orchard blossoms, a salty shake, and a spice I know but my brain is not working…maybe nutmeg…yeah it’s nutmeg. All of the scents are there with a citrus squish of lemon, lime, grapefruit, a little tangerine, and a refreshing bit of summer ripe cucumbers…all in all very clean and bright.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NO!

I ❤️ stories like Louis and Catherine’s. Childhood friends with family histories in vines & wine, who fall in love, grow together, leave the nest only later to return to Chablis & join their inherited plots to create their own winery…or as they say on their site, they’re “two destinies” growing as one. So it’s not only their tale of romance for each other but also their passion for their lands & vineyards. They also bought another parcel in 2012, that came with a bit of a surprise. After some pruning and investigating they realized (and verified) these were own-rooted vines and possibly 150-200 years old, and due to the soil are phylloxera resistant. Now that is quite a cool hidden treasure to find!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #Chardonnay #Burgundy #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Chablis #Bourgogne #France #vinotasselections #lcpoitout #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @vinotasselections @vinewinenyc @lc_poitout_officiel

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Frisky Mayhem

Karim Vionnet
Grabuge!
Gamay
Méthode Aromatique Demi-Sec
Sustainable, hard harvested, native yeasts
Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais, France

Magenta orange tinged sunrise with very fine & active bubbles tracing Rorschach tests on the surface. Scents float up of cherries, blueberries, raspberries, a sprig of hay that heads out the door, slams it hard & will not be heard of again, light touch of cream, and as it opens a small spritz of lemon/lime. Sipping and oh this is delicious! There’s full on raspberry, blueberries & ripe strawberries, a cherry or two, honeysuckle that grows as it opens, and a little light lemon tang on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out even more berries

With a name that means mayhem and chaos, I had no idea what I was getting into but hey I just had to give it a go, and if it explodes on me, I have the steam mop ready. Then I read Karim is an AC/DC fan, known to use some colorful language, and has “a weakness for beer”, so wondered if this was going to be like a framboise lambic. As much as I love a good framboise…this is so much better & no frothing fountains to clean up! So all you beer lovers (yes, Joe I’m thinking of you & Rhea) out there, give this gamay bubbly a try, and if your S.O. is a wine lover…it might even spark a perfect frisky date night because this is one exuberant bottle of delight. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #bubbly #sparklingwine #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #naturalwine #beer #framboise #datenight #Beaujolais #France #karimvionnet #regalwineimports #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @regal_wine @vinewinenyc @domaine_karimvionnet

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History, Heritage & Horses

Casa Cadaval
Padre Pedro 2019
Tejo DO
Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro
Organic (certified in 2020), hand harvested, vegan
Muge, Portugal
Owned since 1648 by the Álvares Pereira de Mello family
Current generation: Teresa Schönborn, Countess of Schönborn and Wiesentheid

Stained glass ruby. Give this glass some space to breathe (and later a steak or blood sausage). Scents grow of cherries fresh & dried, plums, dark raisins, cranberry, a little cola, oil cured olive pits, and a light earthy that turns into a toasty goodness. Tasting and all of the scents are heightened and more dry, blend of cranblueraspberry with a tiny fig dropped in, orange & peel, balsamic reduction, and a spice slow burn on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth

Had no idea how much centuries of history was going to be in this bottle when I grabbed it from the under $20 shelf. There’s a lineage of royalty, patrons of the arts, 5 generations of women at the helm, the vast varying territory including the vineyards, a bird sanctuary, cork trees, and the list goes on. Of course, the one thing that truly stands out to me (other than the fab wine) are their noble & majestic  Lusitano horses, that have been linked to the estate since the 1600s. What an amazing ability to get to raise and grow with these historic (lineage of this breed can be traced to the early neolithic) spirits. Horses also can be such a source of comfort, and in my case during my youth when things were not bright they pulled me out into the sun. There’s nothing like that contact & connect where your ride as one. 🐎 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #portugal #naturalwine #winesofportugal #lusitano #horse #vosselections #CasaCadaval #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @casacadavalmuge @vosselections

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Manners Maketh The Wine

Tenuta Belvedere
WAI
Moscato 2021
Provincia di Pavia IGT
Natural wine, organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, “just flip the bottle a little not too much”
Montacalvo Versiggia, Oltrepò Pavese, Lombardia, Italy
Winemakers: Federica & Gianluca Cabrini

Shimmering gold with tiny bubbles. Right out of the gate and headed for my nose are pears & golden apples, yeasty moments of fresh out of the oven goodness, hyacinth, a touch of mango, pineapple & honeydew, and a salty breeze on the back with a pinch of white pepper. Sipping and all of the scents are there in the taste and a bit more honeydew with a pinch of some spice that I’m trying to place. I know it’s pepper related but a warmth that grows like ginger sprinkle…that’s it! Also a short scrape of lime zest and it’s all so crisp and lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: beautiful bursts of fruit

Oh Tenuta Belvedere, you continue to make life brighter. Have lost count on how many of your wines I’ve tried and you never fail to deliver a beautiful bottle. There’s something I never thought to question before is why, WAI? Turns out it’s a simple answer. Gianluca’s MIL liked the Thai traditional greeting. How fitting for such a friendly and welcoming sparkler. Did you know there are 3 levels of Wai? Honestly, I didn’t until this glass led me to these lessons in politeness. For an etiquette tutorial check out this video: Learn Thai Culture | How to “wai” like a Thai ไหว้อย่างสวยงามแบบไทย ๆ

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #moscato #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Lombardia #oltrepopavese #steephillwine @steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar @belvederewine @cheezit

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Something’s Always On My Mind

Bodega Frontio
Follaco 2021
Juan García 70%, Tempranillo 30%
D.O. Arribes
Vineyards certified organic, low intervention, native yeasts; & every 6 bottles sold = 1 tree will be planted in their forest
Fermoselle, Castilla y León, Spain
Thyge (Chus) Benned Jensen

Purple ruby stained glass. Scents of red currants, a bit of wild flair that flees, cherries, strawberries, plums, and an alpine herbal pinch. Sipping and it’s a light & fresh strawbluecranpomrasberry cocktail that has a lip tingling brightness and goes delightfully dry. Let it keep opening and a bit of tomato leaf roams out and the Juan Garcia begins to groove & grind even better with the Tempranillo.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: snacking good

After trying “Bébeme”, I knew I had to grab the other Bodega Frontio I could find (there’s others so I’m still on the lookout for more). Kept glancing at the label art, and started to see more than a bottle and a mountain range…remembering a trip to see the Grand Tetons and we all know where that name came from (those naughty French-Canadian trappers 🦫). Wondering if it’s just my naive or dirty rambling mind. So I was bit curious about this name and just like the previous bottle of “Drink Me” it has a little twist. “Follaco”, I’m betting has to relate to the Spanish verb “follar” which translates to a word that flies off my tongue way too quickly and sometimes gets me in trouble. No matter if I’m the one that is assuming too much and is lost in translation, I say give this bottle a try bc it’s good with things sexy or even spicy (like a good curry)…yes, this time I’m talking about food…do you really think my mind is always only on one thing…well other than wine?

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #spain #naturalwine #vinewinenyc #bodegafrontio @cheezit @wearenomadic @vinewinenyc @bodega_frontio

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Bottled Sunshine

Cellers de Can Suriol
Azimut Brisat Orange 2022
Parellada 40%, Sumoll Blanc 10%, Garnatxa Blanca 20%, Moscatell 30%
Organic, biodynamic, true devotees to nature
Grabuac, DO Penedés, Catalonia, Spain
Owner & winemakers: Assís Suriol & his family

Orange deep gold pour with a bit of haze. Scents start popping out of oranges & greenery, tangerines, apricots, whole bunch of orchard blossoms, and a few sprigs of grass. All of the above scents play well in the taste along with even more tangerine & orange blossoms, pineapple, light yet heady flowers, and a little salty smoke. So fresh, friendly and a little bit frisky.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth operator

“The secret of Can Suriol is to understand that the true creator of our wines is nature.” – Assisi Suriol…such true and beautiful words. Brisat Orange is from their Azimuth line, that includes not only their organic/biodynamic grapes but also some from their neighbors, so it’s a collaboration of skin contact joy. The Suriols really do care about the imprint they make on their environment even while having natural fun…they give back by composting, using solar powered electricity, and sourcing their bottles as local as they can…and now their bit of bottled sunshine has caused a not so awfully old,  oldie to get stuck in my head, and glued a big smile on my face & in my heart.

🎶 I got that 🌞 in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet…
I can’t stop the feelin’ So just dance, dance, dance 🎶
💃🕺

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #sunshine #winetasting #sparklingwine #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Catalonia #organic #orangewine #penedes #spain #docwinebar #docwineshop @cansuriol @jennyfrancois @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Always Read The Fine Print

Oenogenesis
Mataroa Red 2020
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
PGI Drama
Sustainable
Macedonia, Greece
Winemaker: Bakis Tsalkos

Dark ruby/plummy glass. Breathing in a creaminess at first pour, next up are cherries & plums fresh & dried chewiness, a bag of mixed blueberries, raspberries, strawberries & a mini reduction of them all along with an herb bundle including rosemary, thyme and a few more. Sipping and it’s bright and light. There’s that bit of cream again that lightens over time, all of the above cherries, plums & berries bouncing around on my tongue along with boysenberry, a smidge of orange zest & a teeny lemon spark, and after having a time out there’s a little clove/pepper bit on the back. Just joyously light and lively.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: weirdly very delicious

I had already finished a playful post about this red being a perfect seasonal transition, and then I read the tiny print on the label…this bottle represents so much more. Will fully admit to not knowing much on the history of Greece’s civil war in the 40s, and I had never heard of the RMS Mataroa that gave an escape route (Dec. 1945) for around 150 intellectuals, artists, scientists, philosophers, writers, and other creatives from the unrest & persecution. They were gifted a chance of a new life in Paris and to also spread their knowledge, research & artistic passion through Europe that continues today. Check out Mataroa La Mémoire trouée “the precious cargo” for a snapshot into their past.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #winetime #worldbyglass #organic #biodynamic  #naturalwine #Greece #greekwine @oenogenesis_winery @eklektikon @docwinebar @docwineshop