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Be a Rebel

Weingut Loacker
Santa Maddalena Classico Morit
Alto Adige DOC 2017
Vernatsch 87%, Lagrein 10%, Pinot Noir 3%
Bolzano, Italy
Organic, biodynamic, vegan, and native yeasts
Founded by Rainer Loacker and is now in the hands of his sons Franz Josef, Hayo, and Hannes

Bright cheery cherry ruby color. After pouring my nose is getting some butter at first but let that glass sit a little while and then don’t think of it again. Then comes the cherries, plums, pinch of pepper, sweet spring flowers, rosemary, and some creaminess with a faint sugar cookie with sprinkles. Wow, that was a lot and I’m wondering if the taste is heading the same way, and I’m not disappointed. There’s tart cherry brightness, bring on the funk that plum funk, strawberries, wild blueberries, black pepper, smoke, and as it rolls it’s velvet with a small orange zest kick One more thing to add, do not be an idiot like me. I was preoccupied and didn’t notice there is a glass stopper and wondered why my opener wasn’t going in. Feel free to laugh at me all you want.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smooth dark cherry mmmm

Rainer Loacker is yes, that Loacker from the wafer world. You remember those addictive little cookies? In 1979, Rainer saw himself as a rebel in the region, since he knew his winery had to be sustainable. The vines even get homeopathic treatment. Rainer’s vision, which at the time was very much not the norm, and as he says in the video (please click and hear his own words) people told him “Organic wine doesn’t interest us.” He was even called out of his mind. Well, look how much times have changed, and how right his decision was. From this bottle alone, I can attest his diligence has created this delicious, delightful wine. Also according to their site, Santa Maddalena Classico Morit 2017, is not only sustainable, but also organic and vegan. By the way, there are two more vineyards in their hands, and they all hold to the same standards. Do it natural, respect those beautiful lands and you have a recipe for success!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @LoackerWineEstates @APWineImports @cheezits #cheezit #organic #biodynamic #vegan #nativeyeasts #wine #winestagram #instawine #redwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #altoadige #Bolzano #Italy #Vernatsch #Lagrein #PinotNoir #loacker

 

 

 

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Hand Picked, Made by Heart

Tikveš
Rkaciteli Special Selection 2017
Tikves Region
100% Rkaciteli
Tikves, Macedonia
Sustainable farming, double guyot, and hand harvested
Winemaker/Chief Wine Consultant: Philippe Cambie
Head Winemaker: Marko Stojakovic

Starlight super pale purity gold/yellow. Breathing in fresh peaches, musky mango, and pineapple. It’s a funky fruit cup. Take a sip and there’s again sweet pineapple, peaches, smoky mangos, and just a little speck of rock licking granite on the back of it all. I would love a big tray of sushi with this glass.

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: fruit, fruit, fruit, sweeeeeet

Tikveš, founded in 1885, is a winery that’s lived through a lot of history…wars, independence, and an end to communism. No matter what was thrown their way, wine continued on. In 2003, M6 Co. bought the massive winery and got down to business of only making quality wine no matter high or low price. They brought in experts (like Philippe Cambie), assessed, and took on transforming to sustainable farming, pairing the soils with just the right grapes, etc. All of this hard work has led to a long list of awards, including some for previous vintages of Rkaciteli Special Selection (which 2017 totally deserves one). As mentioned before this winery is a big undertaking, in fact it is the largest in South-Eastern Europe, which makes me appreciate Svetozar Janevski’s (Pres. of the Management Board) sentiment, “From that moment to the present, I have been devoted to the idea that the colours of this country, its people, its landscape, music and aromas, should all be reflected and communicated in our Macedonian product. All that our painters and musicians have strived to capture in their art, we at Tikveš have attempted to capture in our wines.” He and their whole team have achieved this goal, and I look forward to traveling and tasting the essence of their lands in future bottles.

@vinewinenyc @TikvesWinery @EuropeanCellars @cheezits #cheezit #wine #winestagram #instawine #whitewine #naturalwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #Tikves #Rkaciteli #Macedonia #ericsolomonselections

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Deep Roots

Buli
Le Fonde 2019
Toscano Rosato IGT
Trequanda, Siena, Italy
100% Sangiovese
Organic and guyot training
Founder and owner: Robert Buly
Enologist: Diego Ciurletti
Agronomist: Alessandro Gemini
Cantina Chief: Stefano Censini

Radiant salmon color. First scents of very light orange cream with a tad lemon zest. Keep letting it breathe just little bit longer, trust me. You’ll be greeted by cranberries, dried apricots, touch of magnolias but not heady, and then there’s also strawberries and raspberries. Lift that glass, sip and enjoy lemon, pink grapefruit, and zingy orange which leads to apricot and a whole pile of fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and raspberries. Now there’s salt, smoke, and a lick of slate. Ok, you’re going to think I’m a weirdo, but something about this reminds me of an Orange Julius that isn’t super sweet. Maybe it’s just bringing back a memory which good wine and food always should do. For all you old mall rats and I was one of them before I got my job at the record shop, you will get this flavor (yes, this is a good thing with this wine). Some would call this a summer wine, but I think it is perfect for year round. I’m doing my third tasting on New Year’s Eve and it’s a welcome breath of fresh to 2021.

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: Delicious, it just brings out the fruit even more. Smooth.

My first Buli was their Estate 44 (2015) which was a big beautiful blend. La Fonde (2019), is a wonderful introduction for me to their varied styles. As you can tell from above, I love it. But there’s more to this tale. As in my first review, all of their wines are born from a film worthy WWII romance between a US soldier, an enchanting Italian lady, and a bottle of red wine. Robert Buly grew up in Pennsylvania, but his mother (the daughter of the mentioned couple) and brothers held on to their Italian heritage by speaking Italian at home and when they could travel back to Italy. All of their mother’s relatives were still back there, so what a better opportunity to fall for the food, wines and that way of life. Come on, who wouldn’t dream of such a great opportunity. This family is gifted to have these deep roots or in other words “Le Fonde”.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @buliwine @darkstarimports @cheezits #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #wine #whitewine #rosé #rose @worldbyglass #needmorewine #organic #trequanda #toscano #tuscany #siena #italy #winestagram #instawine #rosato #sangiovese

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A Thorny Situation

Thistle & Weed
Duwweltjie 2018
100% Chenin Blanc
W.O. Paarl
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Organic and unfiltered
Viticulturist: Etienne Terblance
Winemaker: Stephanie Wild

Shimmy shimmy shiny gold. My nose is filled with an early hint of vanilla, then citrus scents of lemon. persimmon, blood orange, and light grapefruit (ie IPA). There’s also super ripe cucumber, pine, and some salty (not sexy, wiggle that moustache) thyme. Kicking back apricot, melon, pears, honeysuckle, citrus tang of lemon and mandarin orange, white pepper, and a little wax yet no wane.

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: more smooth less tang

Etienne Terblance and Stephanie Wild both come from wine in their life. Young Etienne helped out in his parents’ seaside restaurant and then took off for school and received a Masters degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Montpellier SupAgro and a PhD in Viticulture from Stellenbosch University. Stephanie’s history is little different. Her grandfather was the well known Niel Joubert, founder of the Stellenbosch Wine Route. She also holds a Masters from Stellenbosch University in Viticulture and Oenology, and everywhere I google, I see her on lists for top South African women winemakers, and top winemakers in general. Often I write about power teams like this and they are married couples but in this case, they’re friends. Their combined knowledge, experience and expertise has led them to pick the perfect spots for their vineyards, like the one for this Chenin Blanc. Duwweltjie vineyard named (fondly or maybe not so fondly) after the plant that translates to Devil’s thorns, that can puncture anything from shoes to rubber tires, etc and generally be a real pain in the ass. Just check out the label. Well, that annoyance is worth it to get to these 65 or so year old vines. I’d gladly be willing to take a wander through these plants just to get a case of these beauts.

Sidenote: as I mentioned before they are not a couple but it warms my heart to see on the site that they give shout outs to their families. Etienne is a father to Elmie (human), Ben (canine) and husband to Lizanda. Stephanie is wife to Kannas, and mother to Frances (human) and Khalessi & Khumba (canines). Reading this put a smile on my face.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @thistleandweed.co.za @vsiwine @vsilocal @StellWineRoute @cheezits #cheezit #organic #unfiltered #wine  #winestagram #instawine #whitewine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Duwweltjie #CheninBlanc #Paarl #Stellenbosch #SouthAfrica

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No Oak and Lots of Passion

Aaron Rawlins
Asrllc L.2018-021 2018
100% Sev Areni
Aghavnadzor, Vayots Dzor, Armenia 
Organic, native yeasts, unfined, unfiltered
Winemaker: Aaron Sedrick Rawlins

Very deep dark dense garnet purple. Bring on the dried fruit scents of prunes, raisins, and then plums, vanilla, dark really goth dark cherry, pepper, and rich. Drinking in deep plums, prunes, raisins, and rich cherry velvet. Also (I’m going to use that word I hate again) sexy dark chocolate, cherry cola, and black pepper. There’s such a warmth and it’s lovely dry end on the tongue. It’s also extremely calm and comforting yet passionate at the same time. Wow, does this sound like the description of the perfect guy or what? Yeah, if this bottle proposed, I might just say yes.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: darker, deeper, more velvet; less dry

All I can say is what a wine. Aaron Rawlins made a great choice in life by picking Armenia and especially the Vayots Dzor region at 6500 ft elevation, volcanic soils  and 150 year old vines that had not been touched with phylloxera. Wow, just 18 and off to France to become a chef, and venture through Spain, UK, Copenhagen and to Georgia. Then to veer off into a dream of wine in Armenia. That’s one strong and dedicated to his palate guy. Oh, and may I add, he is letting the Areni tell it’s true story because there is NO oak. Love, love, love when the grape gets to let itself be it’s true self. Do yourself a favor and pick one of these up stat and drink now.

@vinewinenyc #AaronRawlins #AaronSedrickRawlins #terrellwines #Asrllc #sevareni #areni #wine #redwine # #winestagram #instawine #armenianwine #Organic #nativeyeasts #unfined #unfiltered #Aghavnadzor #VayotsDzor #Armenia 

 

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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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Let the Vineyard Speak

Heaps Good Wine Co.
Offshoot 2019
100% Modra Frankinja (Blaufränkisch)
Rosé Pet Nat
Ritoznoj, Pohorje Foothills, Lower Styria (Štajerska), Slovenia
Methode Ancestrale, minimal intervention, dry farming, sustainable
Winemakers: Marija and Nick Gee

Watermelon juice with tiny white bubbles bouncing. Oooh this is filling the air with ripe strawberries, raspberries, a pinch of salt, a little bread coming fresh out of the oven (but not sourdough. I don’t want to see sourdough ever again). Wow, what a zingy punch at first swig! Again there’s strawberries, raspberries, Royal Ann cherries, lemon spritz, a light puff of smoke. It’s tart, fresh and creamy all at the same time.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes that lemon spritz pop

Nick and Marija Gee have been at this since 2010, and from Nick’s blog, he looks like he has no problems getting his hands and feet dirty. Their wine guidelines are more about what you don’t do. Let nature take it’s course. Like when they got hit with a hailstorm, they rolled with it and just picked the damaged grapes (Sivi and Modri Pinot) to use for sparkling base and let the ones that survived keep on growing. As they say “let the vineyard speak”. Well, it’s doing more than just speaking in this Rosé Pet Nat, it’s outright singing. I wouldn’t say a classical tune but more like björk’s “triumph of a heart”. I had forgotten how much I love that song, and this shiny glass brought it all back.

Oh, also if you want to check out some more work by the New Zealander label artist, Jacob Sparrow, give his site a click. Pretty cool, out there and trippy art!

@vinewinenyc @heapsgoodwine @vinum.slo.cro @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #petnat #pétnat #Rosé #rose #winestagram #instawine #organic #sustainable @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #ModraFrankinja #Blaufränkisch #Slovenia #björk @bjork #bjork #jacobsparrow

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Hop On and Take a Virtual Trip

Alta Alella
Mirgin
Reserva Brut Nature
Cava 2017
Pansa Blanca (Xarel.lo) 40%, Parellada 30%, Macabeu 30%
Tiana, Spain (closest winery to Barcelona)
Sustainable and organic
Winemaking family: Josep Maria Pujol-Baquests and his wife Cristina Guillen

Glistening pale yellow with really active bubbles. It’s like a graceful eruption. At first lemon, lime and lime zest waft out. Next comes faint vanilla with shortbread. Take a sip and there’s citrus with the lemon and lime again. Then green apples, pears, and some toasty almond that is making me crave a savory croissant. It’s fresh, crisp, light and delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: emboldens the body

This delicate sparkler transports me back to Barcelona, and it would go really well with salty tapas. Would love with some boquerones, a fat blood sausage, or a tower of shellfish of all types. Oh that would be divine! Through this whole year, I have had so little seafood since I’m eating mostly at home. Do you know how bleeping hard it is to eat with two cats staring at you, and just imagine if I brought home a lobster or some shrimps. Olive would probably be sitting on top of my head.

As I mentioned on a previous post on Alta Alella’s Rosé Cava, their family run winery is located not far from Barcelona in the Parc Serralada de Marina. This area provides the Sauló soil that enhances their grapes. Normally they also have wine tourism and you can drink in the beauty of the lands and their wines and cavas, but as we all know, things are a bit different right now. They do offer a virtual visit though, and you get an online visit to the winery, 4 bottles of their wine/cavas and a guided tasting. Check out their site for more details. Hey, we may be stuck at home, but we can still travel the world by glass.

@vinewinenyc @AltaAlella @avantgardews @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #Cava #organic #biodynamic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #PansaBlanca #Xarello #Parellada #Macabeu #Tiana #Spain #Barcelona

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Snappy Wake Up Call

Liten Buffel
Mother Makes Glucose
Dry Sparkling Red 2018
Col Fondo
Bookwood homestead blend
11 varietals of grapes, 2 cultivars of pears, Bookwood Homestead Honey
Organic, biodynamic, foot crushed whole cluster, unfined and unfiltered
Niagara, NY
Winemakers: Patrick Vaughn and Zack Klug

Fine pour of bubbly crushed raspberries. Those raspberries are still there on the nose along with strawberries, lemon zest, and a growing floral like a room full of roses. Again raspberries hit you first in the sip then tart like licking a lemon. Firm pears like the type my granny used to make pear hot pepper relish. That stuff was so delicious and I need to get my hand on that old recipe. Oh, back to the wine, there’s also smoke and sour patch kids. This is like a cider and a sour had a baby.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: blunts some of the tart and sour

Going out of my comfort zone and trying a NY wine. Many, many years ago NY State wines were just not known as the wine to go searching out. Yes, many of us went on wine trails and hit the tasting rooms, but except for some late harvest and ice wines, I just took the rest of it for granted and dismissed them. Well, things have really changed, and I’m late to coming on board so feel free to call me an idiot. Whether it’s climate change, expansion in grapes, or the fact that there are so many more natural wines out there now; I am now fully chastised. Liten Buffel, blew me out of the water with this crazy dry sparkling red. Your whole mouth just erupts in all sorts of flavors and wakes you up. Hats off to y’all! Looking forward to discovering more of your creations.

@vinewinenyc @litenbuffel @zevrovineselections @red_wizard_collage @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #sparklingwine #cider #beer #sour @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #naturalwine #Niagara #NY #NewYork

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The Great Seducer

Fatalone
Bianco Spinomarino
Greco 2019
100% Greco
Puglia I.G.T.
Gioia delle Colle, Spinomarino, Puglia, Italy
Organic, dry farming, sustainable, green manure, and zero emission
Winemaker: Pasquale Petrera

Pale pretty yellow with a little haze. It’s like a fresh breeze of roses, lilies (not overly heavy), lilacs, and honeysuckle. It’s a unique and beautiful mouthful of honeydew, peaches, pear, honeysuckle nectar, honey fresh from my great grandfather’s hives, and a spice that could be a hint of thyme. This is total enchantment.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope! Absolutely not!!! It kills all the ethereal angelic flavors

Fatalone has been around since the 1800s but didn’t starts bottling till 1987. Everything else was bring your own bottle and fill’er up. Spinomarino is their only white wine, and those vines were not planted till 1990. Such a beautiful exotic heady and very unique wine. Kind of fits their name Fatalone. Filippo Petrera was the 2nd generation of this family and had the nickname of Il Fatalone which pretty much translates to “Lady Killer” or seducer. Throw in a bottle of this in a special someone’s Christmas stocking, and I bet you may have a fun night on your hands. Pivoting my head from these thoughts lest I get put on Santa’s naughty list. The winemakers also go above and beyond in making sure the grapes have the utmost care throughout the whole process. They even went as far as soundproofing the cellar and piping in classical music and nature sounds. Now that’s quite a spa treatment.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @FataloneWines @bonvivantimports @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Greco #GioiadelleColle #Puglia #Apulia #organic #sustainable #Fatalone #Spinomarino