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Michel Nartz
Cui Cui
Crémant D’Alsace
Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Riesling, Pinot Gris
Alsace, Dambach-la-Ville, France
Sustainable
Winemaker: Laurence Nartz

Sparkling golden glass with tiny bubbles. Inhaling creamy vanilla, orange peel and tangerine but super light. There’s some natural funk, but I just opened this and it rapidly fades away. It’s clean, dry and a little nutty. Sipping apple that has a slight cider feel, also a citrus combo, then it goes all mellow, creamy and some toastiness with vanilla. This is crisp and regal and is making my day!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out the toast

The happy little birds on the bottle give this lovely sparkler its name “Cui Cui”, and from what I’m finding is the way they chirp in France. As for the contents of this bottle, Laurence Nartz is the fine winemaker responsible for this delightful bubbly. Her parents Gaby and Michel Nartz founded the winery, but have now left the winemaking part to her. They’re focused more on the vineyards and their 17th century home/bed and breakfast which is also listed as a historic monument. Oh would be so lovely to go for a tasting and stay for the evening learning more about their wines, land and the old town Dambach-la-Ville and their medieval walls.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny #MichelNartz @communalbrands @cheezits #cheezit #wine #cremantdalsace #sparklingwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #LaurenceNartz #Pinot Blanc #Auxerrois #Riesling #Pinot Gris #Alsace #France

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Ancestropetnoise

Maloof Wines
‘L’Eau Epicée’ 2019
Sparkling White
50% Riesling, 30% Gewürztraminer, 20% skin-contact Gewürztraminer
Willamette Valley, Forest Grove, Oregon
Minimal Intervention, native yeast, organic
Winemakers: Bee & Ross Maloof (wife & husband)

Hazy effervescent gold with a bit of that contact orange. Sniffing and there’s floral bursts which turn to orange blossoms, orange and Orangina, some salt, a spiciness like coriander, and possibly a little grass. Tasting and yep, it’s orange, tangerine, and Orangina. It’s fizzy, crisp, and dry with salt and blossoms again and a warm spice that’s a little peppery at the end

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmm more crisp and vibrant and lemony

From what I’m reading about how the 2019, came about, I find it best to just quote Ross Maloof’s own words on David Bowler Wine’s site to get all the juicy details.

“From Ross: This one is a little bit of a doozy.  We pressed the riesling and the gewurz separately, to ferment in neutral oak. A little under half of the Gewurz was fermented in open bins on the skins until dry, then pressed off into barrels.  From there we essentially made still wine out of all of these lots.  When we pressed the riesling, we took a bunch of the must and put into 5gallon buckets and threw them in our chest freezer.  Just after the primary fermentation of the Riesling was through, we racked the wine(s) into tank.  From here, we thawed out a particular amount of the frozen must we held back at crush, threw it in the tank, stirred it all up real good, and bottled in the middle of the winter to lay down in tirage bins.  Come spring and boom, bubbles! We think this is most similar to an ancestral method, hence the back of the bottle stating “Ancestral?”  Since then, we’ve adopted a portmanteau of Champenoise, Ancestral, and Petnat… Ancestropetnoise.”

I think Ancestropetnoise is going to catch on!

@vinewinenyc @maloofwines @bowlerwine @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #champenoise #Ancestral #petnat #pétnat #organic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Riesling #Gewürztraminer #WillametteValley #ForestGrove #Oregon #MaloofWines

 

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Heavenly Honey (and Peaches)

Weingut Clüsserath-Weiler
Trittenheimer Altärchen Riesling Kabinett 2009
100% Riesling
Trittenheim Mosel, Germany
Winemaker: Verena Clüsserath

Spun gold glassful. Inhaling flowers, fresh apricots and just picked peaches, a touch of grapefruit and then at last mineral. The peaches are really here in the first sip. Reminds me of the ones from back home, we’d pick for mom to make cobbler. Next is honey and melons, again the slightest touch of grapefruit dryness and mineral. Makes me think of something the gods would have drunk out of a goblet while one of us mortals were feeding them cheese and grapes. Kind of makes me feel a little decadent but stops before it gets too heady (thank goodness). It’s a delicious ethereal beauty.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Less honey and more peaches

Here’s another ethereal beauty to enjoy: Mazzy Star – Fade Into You (Live)

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @WeingutCluesserathWeiler @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #magellanwineimports #weingutclüsserathweiler #Riesling #Trittenheim #Mosel #Germany #mazzystar