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Do The Math…Or Not

Bodegas Más Que Vinos
5/4 Clarete 2022
Malvar 20%, Airen 20%, Garnacha 20%, Cencibel (Tempranillo) 40%
Working sustainably, certified organic, indigenous grapes, vegan friendly, co-fermented in amphora
Cabañas de Yepes, Toledo, Spain
Margarita Madrigal, Alexandra Schmedes and Gonzalo Rodriguez

Ruby deep purple (now I have “Smoke On The Water” stuck in my head). Breathing in cherries & plums dried & fresh, oddly a bit of tomato plants with bit of bramble, dash of herbal tea (old school smell from back in the Celestial Seasonings college days), red currants & reminder of a Christmas citrus vibe, cranberries, and a puff of smoke that fades. Sipping and there’s cherry, blackberries, tart plum, an herbal blend of thyme, rosemary, etc.; red & black currants, lime/orange citrus zest, lick of limestone, and a pinch of anise. It’s fresh, juicy and oh so good.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: this is a good thing

Not long ago I posted about Más Que Vino’s “Los Conejos Malditos” or as I called them “Bad Bunnies” who have a penchant for grapes and ransacking a harvest. This addictive bottle’s name 5/4 luckily doesn’t come from destructive critters but from the ingredients for this whole cluster co-ferment: 2 parts Cencibel (Tempranillo), 1 part Garnacha, 1 part Airen, 1 part Malvar. 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 5 and then the 4 comes from the varieties. You may be eye rolling at me for the explanation but just looking at the front label it flew right over my head until I turned the bottle around. Yes, I can be that oblivious at times. 🤣 BTW this wine is very delightfully addictive so pick up two and don’t even bother thinking about the math.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Spain #clarete #badbunnies #valkyrieselections #BodegasMasQueVinos #vinewinenyc

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Growing Community

Unico Zelo
Sea Foam 2022
Vermentino
Pét-Nat
Riverland Region
Traditional owners: Ngawait Country
Holistic sustainability, vegan friendly
Adelaide Hills, Australia
Brendan & Laura Carter

Spandau Ballet gold & fine bubbles. Giving it a sniff and it starts with a baguette, that opens the curtains to apples & pears, and leads to a blend of lime, lemon, mandarin oranges, pomelo, etc citrus, and finally over ripe backyard garden grown cucumbers. Sip and there’s that springy citrus blend with a little sizzle, green/crab apples, young hard green pears, sliver of a pineapple bite, fresh cut grass & Kirbys, and a good shake of salt. This is one happy bottle.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: goes great with the crunch & brings out more salt

I will admit it has been a bit since I’ve picked up an Australian wine, but I did a double take when I saw this Vermentino pét-nat…ok, “Sea Foam” you’re coming home with me. Turns out the Carters aren’t just focusing on Italian grapes, but which grape will thrive the best on their lands (or better to say the land tells you what they want). “We’re agnostic to variety – we want to find the best for our sites and climates. French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, German – whatever – we’re Australia, and we’re all about Australian Wine.” They also want to spread their love of wine with the world and encourage others that haven’t been bitten by the vino bug to give it a try. Check out their & Henry Doyle’s YouTube channel @bottle_shock (old name was “Wine For The People”). It’s a fun, non pretentious learning experience, and is also the name of their new wine bar that is to soft open Easter weekend. Now they’re not only growing their wine community online but also up close and personal. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Australia #epicureanwines #UnicoZelo #vinewinenyc

 

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“That’s How Strong My Love Is”

Poderi Cellario
È Orange
Nascetta & Moscato
SQNPI certified, biodynamic, hand picked, unfiltered
Carrù, CN, Italy
Winemakers: Fausto & Cinzia Cellario

Tangerine orange-gold. Inhale and my my all the oranges, orange blossoms, tangerine, kumquats & a big ol’ citrus mix, irises, magnolias, apples, smidge of ginger, and 1 straw of hay. Sipping and again ALL THE ORANGES & zest, clementines, the citrus blend again with a twist of lime, papaya, mango, sprinkle of ginger, mineral lick, white pepper, and a pinch of salt. So fresh, freewheeling, and fun!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

At Poderi Cellario they’re keeping it natural for their native & “forgotten vines”, holding onto the traditions passed down, and working in synch with the moon in their cellar (“waning for still wines, waxing for sparkling ones”). Then I found out one other special thing they/Fausto does: “I discovered about twenty years ago that my wife was intolerant to sulphites, this was one of the reasons that pushed us over time to create more and more a wine without chemicals … Genuine, natural. I could not leave her without drinking!” This is a true sign of love, and I can’t think of a better reason to ditch sulfur (or at least keep it minimal). Of course it brings to mind the tune Bryan Ferry covered.

🎶If I was a songbird way up there
I’d go with love most everywhere
I’ll be the moon when the sun goes down
Just to let you know that I’m still around
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is
I’d be the weeping willow drowning in my tears
And you could go swimming when you’re here
And I’d be the rainbow after the tears are gone
Wrap you in my colours, keep you warm
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is
That’s how strong my love is, that’s how strong my love is…🎶

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #orangewine #italy #selectionaturel #podericellario #docwinebar #docwineshop

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“Listen & Feel”

Anima Mundi
Gres 2023
100% Xarel-lo
Biodynamic, organic
Sant Sebastià dels Gorgs, Penedès, Catalonia, Spain
Agustí Torello Roca

Light gold starlight. Breathing in scents that are all delicate bits of pears, lemon pie, mango, pineapple, and Golden delicious apples. Sip and there’s all of the scents with lime sizzle, a dry salty mineral rock lick, sliver of green tomato, and on the back a dry bitter bite combo kind of like parsley, oregano & citrus zest.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Delicious & lively

I knew something looked familiar about this bottle and then it hit me, Agustí’s also the winemaker for his family’s winery AT Roca (I love their sparklers). He started Anima Mundi back in 2015 as a side project, and his view is in order to make “vibrant wines” you have to “listen & feel…to connect with nature in order to understand the life cycles that link us to it” and to nurture the soils as a living being with keeping check of its biodiversity. It’s also all about respect for his environment & minimal intervention during the winemaking aspect. To me that’s a beautiful way of living & working, and he truly lets the grapes sing and express their little place in the world. I think Mr. Roca & this Gres may have made me fall even more in love with Spain. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Spain #josepastorselections #atrocawines  #animamundi_celler #animamundi  #vinewinenyc

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Ditch The Suit & Tie

Vigneti Vumbaca
Cirò DOC 2023
Bianco
100% Greco Bianco
Organic
Calabria, Italy
Christian Vumbaca

Yellow with green starlight twinkling and over time starts to head toward golden. Sniffing and there’s lemon, mango, pineapple, a little lychee, pears, winter melon, and a seaside breeze. Sipping away and there’s a lemon/lime/other citrus & their zest sparky blend, white peaches, kiwi, winter melon, light young spring cucumbers, and a pinch of salt along with a mineral lick. Has me pining for a summer picnic.

Pairs w Cheez-Its: Most definitely

Vigneti Vumbaca was born from a passionate hobby. Christian’s mom (teacher) & his uncle (also in the education field “Secretary of the Scientific High School”) decided to purchase 6 ha in Cirò to farm & 2 of those were vineyards. Christian joined them after 15 years in Rome where he was studying & eventually practicing law. On return he took some time in a local winery to learn more of the ropes. Then his family’s dream became his to follow. What’s the saying, “Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Now he has 13 ha with 6 that are vineyards homing in on indigenous grapes. I find it so interesting to think of going from working in law, suited up, going to court on a regular basis; and then have an opportunity to take such a beautiful turn to working with your hands, ditching the tie & shiny shoes, feeling/tasting/smelling the earth, lovingly & organically nurturing their vines, and reconnecting with their home & history. I think my favorite quote I’ve found by Christian (on South Philly’s Le Virtù restaurant’s IG) “Making wine is easy when compared to the work that happens in the vineyard. I don’t make Coca-Cola, I make natural wine. Clean tasting and following the path made by hundreds of years of tradition. I make mistakes and I will probably make more. Every vintage is different and it should be. My wines are a reflection of the vintage; weather, drought rain etc are all factors that shape the wines.” Now that sounds like a man who is following his calling & enjoying every bit of it. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #Calabria #italy #omniwines #VignetiVumbaca #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Wines For Fines

Samuel Párraga
Coche Discoteca NV
Sparkling Rosé 
Moscatel, Pedro Ximinez, Rome
Organic
Málaga, Andalucía, Spain

Deep rose/orange sunset with a few bubbles. There’s scents of strawberries, raspberry, toasty hay, lemon/lime jelly bellies, light cherry pop, and a little sea breeze. Sipping away and am greeted by those strawberries & raspberries, juicy light cherry, bit of sweet apple, that toast/hay moment again, in the background there’s other bouncing berries from blue to boysen, smidge red currants, lime sizzle, and a tiny lick of salt. This is one FUN party pop.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: walk away from the bag

Samuel discovered his enthusiasm for wine from his dad who brought him up doing it right in the natural & artisanal way. He’s continued in that same vein with no chemicals in the field & winery, and believes that the vines “are stronger and a HARMONY can be achieved between the plants and the rest of the beings that inhabit and/or are related to the crop. I also believe that the grapes from these plants are fruits with greater VITALITY, which gives us the opportunity to make a good PURE wine.” He also loves to share his vino, and after a night of music (María Arnal & Marcel Bagés) he & friends kept the party going in the parking lot by the car with some of his vino and a “rather large speaker in the trunk”. Needless to say cops pulled up to the bumper & a ticket (it inspired the label) was written for “Coche Discoteca” aka “Disco Car”. I want to read the full rule of law against discoing. 🤣 At least they came up with a small batch (31 bottles) to pay it off, and hoping that they keep them coming. 🪩

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #sparklingwine #Spain #worldbyglass #goatboyselections #cochediscoteca #samuelparraga #vinewinenyc

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Pairs With Piggy

Joostenberg Wines
Myburgh Bros.
Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024
W.O. Paarl
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic, dry farmed
Paarl, South Africa
Tyrrel and Philip Myburgh (5th gen)

Light starlight twinkle twinkle yellow with a green gleam. Breathing in ripe & round apples & pears, peaches of all sorts, lemon/lime/tangelo squeeze, maybe a hint of peat/earth…hmmm, and a mineral/slate scent that turns into a bit of chalk. All of the scents are there in the taste but the fruits grow (especially loving the peaches), tiny lick of mango that makes me want bbq eel, and also that chalk/mineral vibe. Actually this lovely glass has me craving Southern bbq piggy.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: just don’t

Joostenberg has been in the Myburgh family since 1879, and has always been into mixed farming along with winemaking but for some reason in 1947, they decided to pull back from the making but kept up with the growing and selling their grapes to a local co-op. Thankfully in 1999, Tyrrel & Philip (brothers) decided to dive back in and they didn’t just stop there. As in their family tradition they still kept farming and continued to branch out with their deli providing free range & organic products from their farm or locally sourced. They also have a specialized butchery (started in 1997), beautiful seasonal flowers for any occasion, fresh vegetables & herbs, a bistro, their courtyard restaurant Kraal, a kids & family welcome Picnic Style Eatery, and at last their beautiful event venue that can handle 10 to 300 people. Wow, you would think it would be more than enough to keep a family busy, but turns out they also created a wine project (MAN Family Wines) with José Conde of Stark-Condé Wines which is named after their wives’ initials: Marie, Anette and Nicky. With all of these plates spinning at once, I’m impressed & exhausted on their behalf. Raising my glass to this busy bee family. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #southafrica #skurnikwines #JoostenbergWines #MyburghBros #docwinebar #docwineshop

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A Small Delicacy

Domaine des Aubuisières
Vouvray AOC
Brut
100% Chenin Blanc
HVE3 certification, organic
Loire, France
Charles and Menehould Lesaffre

Warm gold with active little bubbles tracing images on the surface. Inhaling an elegant mix of pears (fresh & baked), Fuji & Red Delicious apples, nectarines, white peaches, a gentle reminder of my mom’s lemon squares that were properly cooked & not eggy like other overcooked ones I’ve had, and light honeysuckle blooms. First sip wakes up my mouth with a zing. All of the scents are there in the taste with a tiny drop of citrus tingle. Just crisp, fresh and very addictive.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

I’m a bit of a magpie when it comes to labels, or at least I love to pay attention to details like this little long beaked bird flying in from the side. I became familiar with this feathered friend, the Bécasse aka Eurasian woodcock, from one of my favorite authors, Martin Walker & his series “Bruno Chief of Police” set in Dordogne, France. Bruno not only solves mysteries/crimes, but he is also an amazing chef. He dearly loves to hunt (along with his Basset Hound) Bécasse and share them with his friends. In “The Dark Vineyard”, during one of his dinner parties, he explains that when the birds are flushed out of the brush & take flight their stomach completely evacuates so this fat tube is a delicacy. Cooked it softens, turns creamy and is supposed to be delicious spread on a baguette. Bruno also grills the birds split down the middle with the head & beak still attached, and some find the “charred head” to be their fave to eat whole…just don’t munch on the beak. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #sparklingwine #brut #France #worldbyglass #brunochiefofpolice #weygandtselections #peterweygandt #domainedesaubuisieres #vinewinenyc

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A Conversation Sparkler

STEL+MAR
Sparkling Rosé
Barbera, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Syrah
Grapes sourced from sustainable vineyards, always made with 100% California grapes, and eco-friendly packaging
Lodi, California
Founders: Chris Noll & Justin Dumitrescu
Winemaker: Philip Zorn

Light pinky rose tinged gold bubbly. There’s scents of a tiny orchard blossom blend, small mix of fresh picked strawberries & raspberries, and a gentle touch of a cool mineral river rock. Sipping and it’s crisp, bright & light on its feet with again those fresh strawberries & raspberries, a little cherry blush, drop of citrus sparkle with a twinge of Sprite. This is one happy, friendly glass that is sure to spark a conversation.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I just can’t

STEL+MAR’s wines are easy drinkers with a good heart. They’re meant to bring people together through what’s inside the bottle & outside like the label art by Stephanie Cheng. Check out her work, it’s pretty impressive and there’s a great IG video of her printing process. For those of you who have never worked with screens, there’s a lot to it depending on how many colors are in the piece. Takes me back to my grad school days so much I can almost smell the ink. Now back to the “good heart” part, each bottle of wine sold gives back part of its proceeds to the National Park Trust and in April donations are doubled. When I was a kid, summer vacations entailed the family packing up the station wagon and driving all over visiting as many parks as possible (man, those hot paint pots stink but are so beautiful). My parents wanted to instill in me awe, respect and a love to want to preserve them, and right now is a darn good time to show how much we need our protected lands and everything that grows, resides, or erupts in them. 🏞️🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #sparklingwine #worldbyglass #nationalparktrust #california #stelandmar #vinewinenyc

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Wine Worthy Of A Dust-up

Domaine Rimbert
Cousin Oscar
“on se l’arrache”
Cinsault, Pinot Noir
VDF
Organic, indigenous yeasts, vegan friendly
Berlou, Saint Chinian, France
Owner & winemaker: Jean-Marie Rimbert

Bright ruby red. Chill it just a little bit and your nose will be treated to raspberries, cherries, a mellow creaminess, black & blueberry blend, red currants, and a happy scent reminder of a warm dry handmade paper from my printmaking days. The sip is delicious but also has more to it than I thought. It’s fresh & juicy with raspblueblackboysenberry, cherry, violets, touch of hoarhound, black & red currants, orange zest, and smidge of cardamom & black pepper. Easy peasy drinking and oh so friendly. Oscar please bring on Spring weather so I can enjoy you outside.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: YES! Brings out more juicy fruit

I love Rimbert’s wines and that he’s so down to earth, by calling himself a “paysan” or in other words, a peasant…a humble farmer who finds joy in the simple natural things in life and his surroundings. Well, he’s also an artist. Just look at the collage art created from 1950s magazines on the label. Evidently the grinning chap is named after his girlfriend’s cousin, “Oscar”. Sounds like he was all the rage with the ladies, and there may have been some dust-ups over who got to claim him as their’s hence the “on se l’arrache!” that translates to “we’re fighting over him”. Those words fit this wine so well because once you and your friends try it, you’ll be tussling over the last glass.🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #France #Cinsault #PinotNoir #jennyfrancois #domainerimbert #docwinebar #docwineshop