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A Natural Seduction

Finca Casa Balaguer
Picofino
Monastrell 2019
Red Wine
100% Monastrell
Organic and biodynamic, hand harvested
Villena, Alicante, Spain
Winemaker: Andrés Carull

Deep cherry with spots of blue. Pull out the cork and immediately its creamy scents with cherry, cola, and cinnamon butter cream frosting. Channeling my inner Cookie Monster. Let it be for a bit and it’s earthy along with raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Now you’re ready to dive into that sip. There’s tart cherry tang that goes deep and later there’s that tang once again. Now here come the raspberries, some strawberry sweetness, earth, dark chocolate, and a dry woody bit like a pecan hull at the end that with each sip can turn around again to that fruit.Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Smooth and velvet

Finca Casa Balaguer is part of Andrés Carull and Marta Ribera’s small family winery Vinessens, and boy is it all natural. After a surprising encounter with a natural wine during a trip to France in 2008, they were hooked or as they say seduced by its magical power. They only work with local varieties to enhance the true feel and taste of their lands, and keep it biodynamic and organic. And they sum their passion beautifully on their site, “Immerse yourself in a world, from which you have no escape. When you enter the world of natural wines, wines made with nothing but fermented grape juice, no additives and no makeup, you won’t want to escape. There is no way back. We can tell you from experience. The lasting memory of these wines is not stored in the mind, but in the heart.” I do have a question about this wine. Can someone please tell me is the bird with the cute hat on the label a kiwi or what is it? I have a little bet running with a friend, so would love to know.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @vinessens @zevrovineselections @zev_rovine @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #redwine #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Monastrell #Villena #Alicante #Spain

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A Grape Resurrection

Can Majoral
Capgiro
Giró Blanc 2018
Pla i Llevant DO
Organic, native grape, hand harvested
Algaida, Mallorca, Spain

Owner/founder/creator: Andreu Majoral (dad); Winemakers: Mireia (daughter) & Andreu Jr. (nephew)

Deep gold with orange hues. Inhaling a mix of citrus, mangos, pineapple, melon with a little muskiness, a real French croissant or maybe one I had in Switzerland but definitely not a cronut, a whole big ol’ tied bunch of garden herbs, and a smidge of white pepper. Oh this is nice… flavors of peaches, honey (as it opens), mangos, pineapple, raspberry, lemon, Rainer cherry, a lick of slate, and cilantro. As lush and alive as the painting on the bottle by Maria Carbonero.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smoothes everything out but honestly I like it better on its own

Andreu Majoral (and now his family too) set about in 1979, to create Can Majoral where they have two purely organic locations of vineyards. They love to work with native grapes especially like the Giró Blanc that was almost wiped out but thank goodness was rescued. I feel kind of special to be drinking an almost ghost grape. Over time there were people that thought that it was related to Grenache or the Giró from Sardinia, but NOPE, it’s all unique and Mallorcan.

@vinewinenyc @vinscanmajoral @ripewineimports @cheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #Mallorca #Spain #Algaida #GiróBlanc #giroblanc #canmajoral #MariaCarbonero

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Hop On and Let’s Ride!

Cellar Mas Foraster
LAMOTO 2019
Conca de Barberà DO
Trepat (mostly) and Garnatxa Peluda
Organic, hand harvested, and indigenous yeasts
Tarragona, Conca de Barberà, Catalunya, Spain
Winemakers: A family affair

Bright shiny light garnet. Ok, before we get any further here’s some instructions: chill it a little bit. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries first hit my nose, and then cherry, plums, salt and a little earth. First sip and this is more powerful than I was expecting. This is no shrinking flower. There’s earthy cherries and plums, strawberries, raspberries, black pepper, and a little tangy bounce of happiness. This is so easy to drink…way tooooo easy. I want to drink this all day while on an old fashioned tire swing going higher and higher and full of laughter, yeah this wine is that type of joy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice and smooth together…this could get dangerous because it’s already so easy to drink on its own

Since 1828, Finca Mas Foraster, has seen a lot. During the civil war (1939) they lost part of their land and regained most of it by 1960, and then they were selling their grapes to a co-op. It wasn’t until 1995, when Josep Foraster Civit, got the ball rolling with their first harvest for the cellar in 1999. Sadly, and when I read this it really brought tears to my eyes, he passed from a battle with cancer (damn cancer! I lost my mom in Nov.) in 1999. The whole time he had been working so hard for the Cellar, he had that to deal with too. Breaks my heart. His sister Julieta is keeping the dream alive along with her husband (Josep), her son (Ricard), and Josep’s son (Adrià). Julieta really focused on working with local grapes and that led to their deep, deep association with Trepat. As you can tell by what I wrote above, the blend of these grapes is a wonderful pair. Thank you for your wine, your hard work, dedication, and enotourism. Your gorgeous website took me on a virtual trip, and  this may just be what I need to lure my dude back to Catalunya. Oh, and one more thing I would be remiss not to add, Ricard says that LaMoto was his grandfather’s ride from 1955, and it is still alive and running. Vroom, vroom, let’s hit the roads!

@vinewinenyc @JosepForaster @ripewineimports @cheezits #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #sustainable #natural #wild #organic #ConcadeBarberà #Tarragona #Catalunya #Spain #trepat #GarnatxaPeluda #Garnatxa #enotourism

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Rugged Horse Carved Vineyards

Galgo Wines Selection
Ínsula Barataria
90% Garnacha, 10% Jaen
Gobelet (bush trained), organic (not certified), no pesticides and herbicides, horse carved vineyards, hand-harvested, indigenous yeasts, no intervention in the cellar, unfined and unfiltered
Sierra de Gredos, Castilla-León, Spain
Winemaking Team: Daniel Ramos (wine grower) and Ezequiel Sanchez-Mateos (negociant)

Bright shiny cherry glass. Beautiful light spring flowers floating, along with cherries, fresh picked strawberries and their leaves, raspberries, and earth. Such a smooooth taste, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries…digging in the dirt and being rewarded with your harvest. There’s also rosemary, salt, and a lush, vibrant, light and a beautiful end as all the flavors keep coming and going. This is no cheap isle, you’ve been rewarded your own luxurious paradise.

Pairs with Cheez-it’s: turns deep and Gothy dark

I truly think Sanchez-Mateos has the best job in the world. Owning Galgo Wines gives him the chance to meet with interesting people from small producers, other distributors, local (and not so local) enthusiasts, writers, etc (who doesn’t love conversation with kindred spirits) and utilize his financial background education into the mix..he also gets to travel far and near and pair up in the cellar with people like Daniel Ramos. Daniel, has a passion for Garnacha (and so do I!) in particular from Sierra de Gredos district near Avila where he has 15 hectares (saved and resurrected) to farm in several parcels (“parcela wines”) which are harvested and processed separately. There’s also 8 Jaen hectares, and it’s a nice fresh blend with the Garnacha. Am really looking forward their 100% Jaen Blanca, to see how the grape shines on it’s own. Side note, Daniel shares a cellar with Fabio Bartolomei of Vinos Ambiz, and if you’ve read any of my previous posts, you will know how crazy I am of his La Gatta Mormigliana 2016. So exciting to discover these two are minimal intervention cellar roomies, and wonder the secrets they share.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @ReservaYCata @steephillwine @antosicurezza #galgowines #danielramos @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #galgowines #danielramoswines @ReservaYCata @reservaycata.madrid #Garnacha #Jaen #SierradeGredos #CastillaLeón #Spain #petergabriel #donquixote

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Organic Ghosting

Vinergia
Villages Range
Lo Tros 2016
DOQ Priorat
55% Carinyena, 45% Garnatxa
El Molar, Tarragona, Spain
Organic, bush and trellised vines
Winemaker: Roger Grifoll; Partner from Vinergia: Robert Hunter

Gorgeous deep dense ruby glass. Breathing in dark cherries, plums, smoke and balsamic vinegar reduction. First sip is smokey cherries, plums, strawberries, raspberries and raisins. After a bit comes caramel, rosemary, tobacco, antique book leather but not dusty. It’s a well kept library that is enhanced by a feeling of darkness. This beauty transforms from a bright tang to a smooth operator.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: toasty strawberries and blueberries (where did they come from?)

Vinergia partners with winemakers across Spain to create wines that showcase grapes/wines of their region. Lo Tros is their project with Roger Grifoll of Cellers Grifoll Declares. Their vineyards are in El Molar which is a unique town since it straddles DOQ Priorat and DO Montsant and they date back in their family since 1736. Instead of having large flowing vineyards, theirs are in plots or pieces throughout the town, hence the name Lo Tros. Also due to this straddling they have two different wineries, one in each DO. The most fascinating thing (other than the wine) for me is how they combat the dreaded “Cluster Moth” (Lobesia botrana) through “sexual confusion”. Out of respect for the land and vines they do it naturally by setting out biodegradable diffusers that make the male moths think they are heading for a pheromone booty call with a female moth. Instead of killing them, they just get stuck perplexed where did the ladies go and end up not reproducing. I guess this is the ultimate ghosting.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @Vinergia @grifolldeclara @viaswine @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #Spain #Tarragona #Carinyena #Garnatxa #elmolar

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Yes, My Wine is Healthy

Carlania Celler
Soo!!! Free 2019
Pét Nat
Conca de Barberà D.O.
90% Parellada and 10% Trepat
Barberà de la Conca, Tarragona, Catalunya, Spain
Biodynamic, organic, dry farmed, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts
Winemaking family: Jordi Miró and Sònia Gomà-Camp

Golden gorgeous glass with lively bubbles. Scents start creeping out slowly, so give it time. Here come pears, apples, raspberries, wild flowers and antique roses. It’s like a fresh spring day in a meadow. Tasting those apples, pears, and raspberries again but mixed in with hay that fades during the first glass and turns into pastry dotted with marjoram. It’s fresh, crisp, bright, and wakes you up on a lazy afternoon. Right now I’m craving chorizo, oysters on the half, and garlic shrimp. Oh this is fabulous!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: doesn’t change the Pét Nat but makes me want a whole box of Cheez-It

Soo!!! Free makes me so happy because as the label hints at, it is sulfur free! After Jordi’s dad retired, he and Sònia came back and took over the farm. After working the land for years, building on biodynamic agriculture, selling some grapes to the local co-op, dabbling in home-made wine, they finally created their small winery in 2009. Keeping it natural they use horsetail, nettle puree, sherry, and more for their organic remedies for the health of the vines, and also follow the moon for guidance the old school way. As they say on their site, “They are living wines and each bottle is unique and different from the others. They are healthy wines!“ I like that…my wine is healthy. Will be telling that to my GP doc. Oh, and I have to add, if you want to get up and close with the donkey, sheep, and other parts of the farm, you can book a day at the winery. Drink, eat, hear some tales and relax with your new farm friends.

@vinewinenyc @carlaniaceller @cheezits #wine #PétNat #petnat #sparklingwine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits  #cheezit #organic #naturalwine #biodynamic #Parellada #Trepat #ConcadeBarbera #Tarragona #Catalunya #Spain

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This Little Piggy Went…

Costador Terroirs Mediterranis
Metamorphika 2019
D.O. Catalunya
Catalunya, Spain
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, unfined, unfiltered, indigenous yeasts, and a really cool clay bottle
Winemaker: Joan Franquet

Pure gold with a little hint of orange from the skin contact and some sediment hanging and floating. Breathing in honeydew, honeysuckle, just picked cucumbers, salt, lime, tangerine, smoke, vanilla, some caramel, and almonds. Whew that was a lot. Now sipping cantaloupe and honeydew, smoke, salt, lime, almond, and a bit of my granny’s pound cake packed with real creamy butter. Was so good the next morning for breakfast with bacon which would be so good now with this glorious glass!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: they love each other in harmony

Joan Franquet’s mountainous organic vineyards range in altitudes (400 to 800 meters), terroirs, and age. This Chenin Blanc sits at 550 with 2.5 hectares of 70 year old vines which is a youngster compared to his 110 year ones. Originally planted by a farmer by requirements of Torres, and later used by a co-op before Joan found this abandoned vineyard, nursed it back to life, and in the future looks to plant more (from these same old vines) since this wine is so popular. Also, they have another bit of competition for these grapes. WILD BOARS! Hand harvesting is done the 2nd week in September because those scary yet delicious creatures can eat 30% of the grapes. Trust me, pigs are nothing to scoff at. Have you ever been chased by an angry mama one? Let’s just say, don’t try to pet the piglets.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @costadorwines @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #organic #Metamorphika #Catalunya #Spain #Catalan #CheninBlanc #JoanFranquet #boar #pig #wildboar

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A Town in an Organic Bottle

Celler Batea
Sense 2019
100% Garnatxa Negre
Batea, Terra Alta, Spain
Organic, vegan, unfined, unfiltered, and native yeasts
Winemaker: Judith Folch

A glass of deep cheerful ruby. First sniff and there’s cherries and plums. Next is cinnamon/cloves and as it warms some honeysuckles, magnolias but delicately hiding in the background, and vanilla. It’s dreamy! Oh here’s juicy cherries, plums, raspberries and blueberries just dancing on my tongue along with a hint of super dark chocolate. There’s also a bit of anise. Wrap me in velvet. As much as I’d like to say a Snuggie, this is more refined and deserves a royal robe, some slippers, and a roaring fireplace.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Doesn’t change except makes all deeper

I got quite a surprise when I started looking into Celler Batea. It wasn’t a family run winery, but a co-op and a town that has a long history. This tale goes back as far as the Phoenicians and their trade route, but truly was sparked later in the 1950s. Wine was becoming more and more important financially, so winemakers/farmers bonded together…101 of them! I can only imagine how at first it must of been like herding cats. Eventually they got Celler Batea, up and running while still tending their own vines, and by 1961 were rewarded with their first vintage. Now there are 208 in the bunch and 250 hectares, and all of them take great care to keep it organic. That must be such hard work but shows such a pride and love of Terra Alta and its produce. Celler Batea has continued to listen to voices of change and in 2019 had their first wines with no added sulfites, in their Sense Blanca and Garnatxa Negre. And as I can attest, the Negre rocked my world, but you don’t have to take my word, they ended up with two gold medals: Gilbert & Gaillard, 2019 and Catalan Wine and Cava Contest, Girovi 2020, and I won’t be surprised if there are more to come.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @cellerbatea @steephillwine @antosicurezza  @cheezits #wine @worldbyglass #redwine #cheezit #needmorewine #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #GarnatxaNegre #Batea #TerraAlta #Spain

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Tiny Bubbles

Recaredo
Terres Brut Nature 2014
Corpinnat
Sant Sadurni D’Anola
Xarel·lo 56%, Macabeu 42%, Parellada 2%
Sant Sadurni D’Anoia, Penedès, Spain
Sustainable farming, biodynamic, hand-picked, Indigenous grapes and yeasts

Gold and glistening with tiny bubbles. Now this is quite a mix in my nose…lemon, lime, peaches, apples, all spice, basil, and brown sugar/caramel. Fragrant surprise! Now sipping and a little swish and again lemon-lime mix, apples, strawberries, cardamon, toasty pastry and toasted rice (you know like the type sizzling in the bottom of your clay bowl of bibimbap). It’s not a pie, but it makes me just as happy!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just tastes good with it. No complaints. Any bar that has this by the glass should set these out and they’ll drink more

“We learn from time…we build on a history”, greets you at Recaredo’s site, and they definitely are following through on this quote. It all started back in 1924, when Josep Mata Capellades started in the working world of sparkling and undertaking making his own cellar in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Barcelona). 1944 rolls around, and now he’s named his winery after his father, Recaredo Mata Figueres. As time flies, his sons come on board and this family winery is becoming distinct for their long aging, their terroir focused sparkling, and sticking with natural cork stoppers. By the 90s it was the third generation and 2006, they embrace going biodynamic. 2017, brings about a reward for all the years of hard work being named, Catalonia’s Best Winery by the ACS. And now we get to my favorite part, 2018 is when they joined Corpinnat. To take this on you must be 100% sustainable, hand harvested grapes that are mainly indigenous from Penedès, and made all at the winery with a longer aging time of at least 18 months in the bottle and more. Heck, this bottle aged 49 months. It’s a step above, a bit strict but proves their dedication to their grapes, method and the Penedès region, and it really pays off with this bottle.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @recaredo1924 #rosenthalwinemerchant @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #cava #Corpinnat #sustainable #biodynamic #organic @worldbyglass #needmorewine #winestagram #instawine #SantSadurniDAnoia #Spain #Xarel·lo #Macabeu #Parellada #xarello #Barcelona

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Getting the Mix Right

Celler Frisach
L’Abrunet de Frisach Negre 2019
Garnatxa Negra 60%, Carinyena 40%
Terra Alta D.O.
Corbera d’Ebre, Catalonia, Spain
Organic and Biodynamic
Winemaker brothers: Francesc and Joan Ferre

Light cherry garnet color. After uncorking there’s cherries, plums, tiny flowers, and some dark natural earthy funk but not as much in previous ones I have had. There’s also almond and something toasty like biscotti. As for taste, there’s light cherry dancing with a little sprig of hay. Raspberry comes next, a pinch of pine, smooth cherry jolly rancher, and juicy plums with a mix of dried ones too. Moving on to the tingle on the tongue, almond, white pepper, and at the end there’s chocolate but so lovely and light. Quite a mouthful, but it all works together so well.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Tart!

This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered L’Abrunet de Frisach Negre, but it was quite a while ago with a different label and a much stronger natural funk that hung around. I was so happy when I opened the  2019, and it is a bottle of perfection. They got the mix just right. This is one of those wines where you’re kicking yourself for not having a second bottle. Not going to lie, I did not share this with anyone because no way this one is all mine.

Francesc and Joan transformed their 200 year old family farm/vineyard into Celler Frisach back in 2009, but evidently their family had been doing it in an organic manner all those past years. Coming from this farm experience they want their vineyards to stick to the same historic integrity and also look to the future of experimenting with the grape and furthering the eco-friendly and certified organic aspects of their farming. Their L’Abrunet de Frisach Negre, the Garnatxa Negra and the Carinyena grapes are now grown in the blended farming way of the past. They grow together yet in two different plots within their land, to get the best result for the grapes and then harmonize in this bottle. As many of the wine families I’ve written about, Francesc and Joan have that same dedication and respect to their heritage, land, vineyards and Terra Alta. As they say on their site, “We are roots, we are Corbera, we are wine”.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @cellerfrisach @trumpetwine @cheezits #cheezit #organic #biodynamic #unfiltered #wine  #winestagram #instawine #redwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #TerraAlta #CorberadEbre #Catalonia #Spain #GarnatxaNegra #Garnatxa #Carinyena