A Gift From Our Mother

Twisted Cedar
Petite Sirah-Petit Verdot 2018
65% Petite Sirah, 35% Petit Verdot
Acampo, California (vineyards)
Lodi Rules sustainable and certified green
Tribally owned by Cedar Band of Paiute Indians (Cedar City, UT)
Winemaker: Karen Birmingham

Dark dense inky deep purple with ruby flashes. First sniff is rich. There’s cherries and plums (fresh and dried), roses, blackberries, fresh sage (like when you rip it straight from the garden), and earth. Now on to the taste and again cherries, plums, then blackberry jammy sweetness, earth, spanked sage (like you’d use in a cocktail, have you ever had a sagetini? If not try it), and smoke. As it breathes, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries grow in such a beautiful way. Very easy to drink on day one, and can’t wait for tomorrow to see where we go.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smooooooth berry velvet

“The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is our Mother. She nourishes us; that which we put into the ground, She returns to us.” -Big Thunder

Little did Cedar Band know that the Great Spirit would lead them back to their Mother through wine. This is my first tribally owned wine, and I questioned why had they decided to venture into the industry. The answer was a govt. shutdown. Cedar Band had all sorts of projects with the govt. and when they shut down, the payments disappear. Realization hit that they needed to find a reliable and sustainable project (they deeply respect the land) which wine fell into very nicely. The tribe also leans to the matriarchal, so working with a female winemaker, Karen Birmingham seemed like perfect fit. She also makes wine at LangeTwins, where Cedar Band sources their grapes that meet the Lodi Rules and that is one big certification. There’s over 100 sustainability practices, and I will leave you to read through the 144 page pdf. As they say, “When you drink a glass of wine made from Lodi Rule certified grapes, you are supporting a farmer, a vintner, and an entire agricultural community that embraces their responsibility to care for the environment and their neighbors.” Buying these wonderful wines (like Petite-Petit), you are also supporting and providing jobs for the strong and proud tribe of the Cedar Band of Paiute Indians. You are helping keep a heritage alive while enjoying their gift from Mother Earth.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @twistedcedarwines @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #twistedcedar #PetiteSirah #PetitVerdot #Lodi #CA #CedarCity #UT #CedarBandofPaiutes

Going to California

Monte Rio Cellars
Skull 2019
50% Petite Sirah, 30% Mission, 20% Zinfandel
Sebasropol, CA
Organic, indigenous yeast, hands off, and NO sulfur
Winemakers: Patrick Cappiello and Pax Mahle

Deep dense purple with a ruby tint on rim. Sniffing spices, first cinnamon barkiness, next mace, and then comes cherries, plums, cola, and I want to just say vanilla but it’s more sugar cookies with butter cream. Rolling around in my mouth are tart cherries, smoked plums, Mom’s strawberry preserves which were like a savory/sweet treat and a warm hug, lemon, citrus zest, and white and black peppercorns. It’s juicy, lovely and super shining vibrant. Where’s my shades?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Really doesn’t change it yet more juicy. Just easy drinking with a teeny tiny burn

Emblazoned on the front of their website is, “Handcrafted wines in the spirit of old California.” Well, that is what Patrick Cappiello and Pax Mahle are definitely doing. The sommelier and the renowned winemaker are a perfect pairing. Working with family owned organic vineyards, they have the ability to select exactly what they see as best, and recreate that old California. Often they are working with a single grape but “Skull” is a beautiful blend that has a bring me a black and blue steak cry. Oh, and add a side of shoestring fries and mayo please, and this is what a sommelier would want for a wine. I also have a confession, I have watched every episode of Mr. Cappiello’s “Tasting Notes.” I already knew about him but stumbled upon those while I was home recovering from a procedure and searching wine on Amazon (BTW Pax’s Griffin’s Lair Syrah is on Season 1 Ep 10). Next thing I knew, it was like eating potato chips, you can’t just stop at one. Started coveting his t-shirt collection, and was so excited when I saw shirts were for sale on Monte Rio’s site. It’s a cool shirt, and it is SOLD OUT! Please guys, please get some new ones ready to ship out. Led-Zinfandel needs to be added to my wardrobe.

Led Zeppelin – Going To California

@vinewinenyc @monteriocellars @patrickwine @paxmahle @bowlerwine @paxwines @cheezits #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #redwine #cheezit #organic #natural #PatrickCappiello #PaxMahle #PetiteSirah #Mission #Zinfandel #Sebasropol #California #ledzeppelin