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Perfume of Adventure

Vinos Malaparte
Pico Lunar Amphora
Tempranillo
Natural farming, no pesticides or herbicides, indigenous yeasts & spontaneous fermentation, aged 8 months in amphorae
Cuéllar, Segovia, Spain
Winemaking family: Mariano de Frutos, Elisa de Frutos, Ruben Salamanca

Deep purple tapestry with a ruby rim. Holding the glass up and a puff of buttery caramel that floats out and then morphs into cherries, biscotti, raisins, cola, forest fronds, and a little of the green fairy. Alcohol alert…you have been warned because it will go into hiding as a spicy dried fruit but this is 14.1%, yet it’s soooo smooth. First splash on my tongue and there’s plums, cherry and dried cherries jammy, raisins, hay (that fades), sage/thyme bouquet garni, smoke, and after a bit more breathing time it is so smooth once again. BTW this wine will make you tipsy before you know it, so beware of wine goggles. You might fall in love with more than this wine, and sometimes…well you know, it can spell trouble, oh and don’t go shopping online while drinking…you might end up with a pair of 1976 roller skates…trust me.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: FAB! Love them

My 1st Malaparte wine was their Dindi Blanco which I loved and this one brings on that same feeling but is such a different deep lush creature. The taste and smell of their natural land and all that grows and nourishes their vines just shine in their wines. I love this quote from their site, “When you walk through the vineyard, in a second, you bring clothes caught on forever perfume of adventure. The scent of thyme, lavender, rosemary, odor open field, later, hunting and feathers. And how many of those scents we are in the wine after a spring and summer of coexistence with pines, lavenders, sage, thyme, rock roses and evergreens.” Ah, it’s a celebration of Tempranillo and their part of Segovia in a beautiful bottle.

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Tempranillo #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Segovia #Spain @malapartewine @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

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Roses, Satin, and Romantic Notions

Forti del Vento
AltoFhrà 2018
100% Dolcetto
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, and native yeasts
Ovada, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
Owners and winemakers: Tomaso Armento, Marco and Manuela Tacchino

Light red and somewhat plummy. Fragrances of cherries, cranberry, raspberries, a dozen roses, lilacs, and some natural forest funk that runs out the door. First sip and there’s a little exciting tingle on my tongue. Next are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and all so deliciously juicy. Also a tangy spark in the very back of my mouth. Smooth easy sipping…like relaxing back on a satin pillow.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Ack! No!

Their name alone conjure up dreams of castles, period dramas, and winds fleeting over the hills of Castelletto D’Orba (as I’ve said before, I’m a hopeless romantic). Guess that’s why I love the stories of the young taking on the mantle of the old and recreating their inherited land (from their grandparents) and winemaking skills into natural, organic, bio, and have been proudly accepted as a member of Vinnatur. They (Tomaso, Marco and Manuela) have such high standards and most importantly respect for their part of the world, and have a very important rule of their cellar, “Do not remove or add anything to the wine, so it can be the expression of the vineyard.” Sounds simple, but it takes a lot of patience, knowledge, practice, and of course the best ingredient…love.

#wine #winelover #vino #vin #organicwine #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #dolcetto #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Piemonte #Italy @fortidelvento @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

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Country Wine & a City Snack

United Colors of Wine
Giallo 2019
Albana and Trebbiano Romagnolo
Organic, indigenous grapes, hand harvested, spontaneous fermentation, unfined & unfiltered
Brisighella (Ravenna), Romagna, Italy
Winemakers: Andrea Marchetti & Paolo Babini (Vigne nei Boschi).

Cool it but not too much…say like 58F. It’s a lovely glass of coppery orange/amber. Breathing in a whole lot…there’s orange rinds, apple and some apple cider vinegar twinge, celery, and grass. The apples are back again, along with hazelnuts, caramel, brioche, chamomile, and it has a total Manzanilla vibe waving it’s little scarf at me flirtatiously. A little bIt more and it lightens up and brings in some wild flowers, and is ever evolving. Tasting and that scarf starts waving again. Delightful crunchy apples, rhubarb, a sprinkle of hazelnuts or almonds, grassy/herby/hay/tangy/rustic mix, orange rind, and again a little brioche just a smidge in the back with a apple cider twinge, and white pepper. Smell and taste in total synch.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: I am very scared to try this…ok so it’s good, really good.

So there’s only 501 bottles of 2019’s Giallo. I had no idea! So happy to be one of a few from all over the world. It’s unique and tons of the spirit of the countryside where the Albana and Trebbiano Romagnolo grew in their own separate vineyards. They do get to mix it up together for 90 days with their skins too. Quite a little steel party until the bottling of this new very natural fun baby. I know this would be good with fried sardines, and you may think I’m crazy, but honestly I’m craving a fresh baked extra salty pretzel and a naked dirty water dog. Why not? A country wine for a city snack.

#wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #unitedcolorsofwine #PaoloBabini #winestagram #winelife #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #Romagna #Italy #organic #Trebbiano #Albana @cheezits @andrea_marchetti @steephillwine @antosicurezza

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A True Treasure

Galgo Wines
Uva Attack Airén Ancestral 2020
Pét-Nat
100% Airén
Organic (certified since 1998), dry farmed, hand harvested, vegan, unfined, and unfiltered
Alcázar de San Juan (Ciuded Real), Castilla La Mancha, Spain
Partners in wine: Ezequiel Sanchez-Mateos and Jesús Sánchez-Mateos Campo/Bodega La Tercia

Golden yellow shining pour with lots of teeny bubbles and some crunchy natural bits. Right after popping the crown cap vanilla hits me in the nose then gently hangs out with fennel fronds, cream or better yet Oreo centers, light coconut, and some floral funk fun. Tasting a mishmash of bright citrus and lemon rind, a vanilla touch that rounds out to lemon cream soda, and then a smidge of grassy goodness. Bright, fresh and beautiful and makes your tastebuds go kaboom!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: even more crisp and apples and sharp, but it loses a lot of the grape’s beauty.

As I’ve said in a previous post, Sanchez-Mateos has the best job in the world! Owning Galgo Wines gives him the opportunity to travel, meet interesting souls that have the same love of wine, and when everything is just right and in synch, he can team up with the perfect match for each new project. Uva Attack Airén Ancestral pairs Ezequiel with Bodega La Tercia and their 80+ year old Airén vines (some pre phylloxera). Oh these are a treasure! The grapes are treated with kid gloves and carefully selected (they’re even double sorted in the cellar) so only the best ends up in your glass. They’re a gift or as it says on Galgo’s site, “Child of the earth, the best wine is not necessarily the most expensive, but the one that is shared.” Pass one on to the one you love.

#PétNat #petnat #uva #wine #vino #vin #organicwine #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #CastillaLaMancha #Spain #Airén #Airen #GalgoWines #BodegaLaTercia #ReservaYCata @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

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You Can Be Born Again

Le Quattro Volte
Bifaro 2019
80% Malvasia, 20% Mantonico
Calabria IGP
Organic, sustainable, sheep grazed and fertilized, and a member of Vinnatur
San Marco Argentano (Cosenza), Calabria, Italy (seriously breathtaking beautiful!)
Winemaker: Daniela De Marco

Deep orange gold (60 day skin contact) that is darker at the top and flows down. Has some unfiltered goodness. Reminds me of copper plates from my printmaking days. Before we get any further, don’t over chill. You’ll lose some of the beauty, especially in the scent department…trust me because I did on one of my glasses. There’s orange blossoms, wisteria, strawberries, a little greenery of parsley or grass, also orange/tangerine/grapefruit funk, and hay. Now lets get to the sip…oranges, lemon, and then it hits with apple pear cider with that lovely tanginess. Next up is light grapefruit that makes me think IPA but not overpowering, an herb like cilantro that fades, salt and then here’s that natural hay again popping in and out. Delightful!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmm mellow and yum

Le Quattro Volte was not so long ago known as Masseria Perugini. There was a revamp of members, so a name change seems fitting. They’re now a power quartet of Daniela De Marco (winemaker), Giampiero Ventura and Emilio Di Cianni (agronomists), and the newest addition…Dario Brunori (aka Brunori Sas) whose song is now their moniker. He was inspired by the beautiful film or should I say a true work of art, “Le Quattro Volte” by Michelangelo Frammartino. Dario’s lyrics fit so well, “You can be born again, and then, be born again one more time, if you feel like it.” These four partners in wine are bringing that bit of rebirth to this beautiful, hilly, ever so natural and established piece of the world.

#LeQuattroVolte #naturalwine #winelife #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic #sustainable @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Malvasia #Mantonico #Calabria #Italy #DarioBrunori #BrunoriSas #steephillwine @lequattrovolte @docwineshop @docwinebar @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits

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Hands Off Creativity

Vigne del Pellagroso
Light White 2019
Field blend of Garganega 45%, Riesling 45%, and Moscato 10%
Monzambano, (near Garda’s Lake, Mantova, Lombardia), Italy
Chemical free, organic, biodynamic, Guyot training, indigenous yeasts, no cellar manipulation, unfined, and unfiltered
Winemaker: Antonio “Billy” Camazzola

Golden from the 3 day skin contact. Sigh, I would love a ring like that. Day two it appears even darker, or is it just me? So let this baby warm up a little to get the full scents of apricots, Red Delicious apples, pears, salt, orange blossoms that turn into lilacs and back again, a little mandarin, honeysuckles, and ginger. At first sip it’s a giant wow! There’s just so much going on.There’s peaches, apricots, yellow plums both sweet and tart, salt, crisp like you’re biting into a not completely ripe green apple. a twist of lemon, smidge of cardamom, white pepper and a little forest floor touch. Not overpowering…just like a pleasant walk through a fern filled wonderland.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope don’t do it unless you want it to all go sour.

This is my first solo Antonio Camazzola wine (other 2 were paired with Andrea Marchetti), so here’s his story. Last time had to chop it up for IG. He started small when he was still in the restaurant business. Found a little bit of land that needed a LOT of love, and worked hard at making this chemical free. His “Vigne del Pellagroso” name also came from nearby where a long gone newspaper. Il Pellagroso was only around from 1884 to March of 1885, when it was shut down due to their director being arrested for being on the side of human rights, justice and proper working conditions which stirred up local farmers to strike. Needless to say the govt. wasn’t happy. It’s a fitting name for Billy’s wine since he’s so dedicated to biodynamic, organic and bucking the norm. He’s expanded over time, added in veggies, grains and flowers to make the bees happy, and still kept it green, natural, and bio! Bravo on your hands off creativity of the Light White! So happy I was able to snag one of the 2,000.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @VigneDelPellagroso @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Mantova #Lombardia #biodynamic #organic #Garganega #Riesling #Moscato

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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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The Little Grape That Could

Vinica
Lame del Sorbo 2015
Tintilia del Molise DOC
100% Tintilia
Ripalimosani, Molise, Italy
Organic, indigenous yeasts, guyot trained, dry farmed, green manure, hand picked, not filtered, and NO chemicals
Owner: Rodolfo Gianserra, Agronomist and winemaker: Pierluigi Cocchini, Company’s administrator: Giuseppe Tudino

Deep purple with blue tints. Tart cherries start tickling my nose, then blood orange, kumquat, a few pieces of hay, smokiness, and beautiful berries…raspberries and blueberries. First sip is a sizzle and tingle. Wow! Dark cherry, dried figs, plums, smoke and thyme. As it rolls around there’s Italian Green Cerignola pits, slight hay that I bet will leave and it does and day two was fully gone. When I exhale post sip there’s juniper berries. It’s like forest floor funk meets Riccola, but in a really good delicious way.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: more dried fruit and dark juicy as well

Vinica or VI.NI.CA. was established in 2007 by the above three guys, and the name came from Rodolfo’s 3 kids names: Vittorio, Nicholas and Carola. I love all I’m reading about how they took abandoned land and created this beautiful pure farm/vineyard of 220 hectares (30 hectares for the vineyards, the rest are farm and woodland). They say the only ingredient they have added is healthy grapes. Well, I’m sure they aren’t thinking of the other ingredients of hard work and love. They planted the Tintilia in 2008, and I’m so glad they did. This little indigenous grape (the little grape that could) is only in Molise and received it’s DOC in 2010. It has a history of lower yields than others and potential issues with disease, so there was a worry it might get lost, but Molise (and the agronomist Giuseppe Mogavero) didn’t give up on it and here we are with 11 hectares in Vinica. Kind of gives me goosebumps that I’m tasting a part of Italy I’ve never been, and wants me to hug Rodolfo and Pierluigi for not placing this beautiful wine in oak. Thank you for letting me get to know a small ancient yet new to me grape in its pure form.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @agricolavinica.it @steephillwine @antosicurezza @cheezits #wine #redwine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Ripalimosani #Molise #organic #Tintilia

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Memories of Lives, Memories of Vines

Quartomoro
CRG
Memorie di Vite 2018
Red Wine
100% Carignano
Arborea, Sardegna, Italy
Low intervention, bush-trained vines, indigenous yeast, unfined and unfiltered
Winemaking couple: Piero Cella and Luciana Baso

Deep ruby with garnet rim. Roses bloom before your nose and as it opens butterfly lilacs, salt/sea breeze, figs, plums, cherries, and balsamic. Ok, maybe I’m crazy but it reminds me a little or Chef Stefano Baldantoni’s balsamic reduction which I am so in love with and could eat a vat. Tasting tart cherry mixed with that lovely balsamic reduction. There’s also blood orange zest, dried figs, dried oregano, salt, dates, and a dark, deep velvety richness. As it continues to grow…sweet, fragrant, smooth fine silk that’s not a princess…it’s a regal, rich, well dressed queen that in the end is draped in heavy tapestry garments.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: sweet and smooth

When we can travel again, my frequent flier points are definitely leaning toward Italy (sorry Spain even though you know how much I love you). How many Sardinian wines (this is my 4th Quartomoro) have I fallen for and this 100% Carignano really pulls me. I have a huge thing for Carignano from being at times a blending grape to an elevation and respect of a solo, which is what Piero and Luciana are doing with their Memorie di Vite project. This grape is so fragrant and has such depth when grown and treated right. Quartomoro’s ungrafted pre filloxera vineyard (in Sulcis) was originally planted back in 1967 (before I was born) by a family friend and has zero chemicals messing with it. What a exquisite expression they’ve managed to capture through love and care of this historic, native grape. Ok, that does it. I’m changing my Babbel subscription back to Italian, and when the time comes my bags will be packed. Ciao!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @quartomoro @steephillwine @antosicurezza @stefanobaldantoni @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Arborea #Sardegna #Sardinia #Sulcis #Carignano #babbel

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A Wine of Two Songs

United Colors of Wine
Luci Rosse 2019
Field blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rondinella with some white grapes (15%) like Garganega and Trebbiano
Mantova, Lombardia (near Garda’s Lake), Italy
Chemical free, organic, Guyot training, indigenous yeasts, unfined, and unfiltered
Winemakers: Andrea Marchetti and Antonio “Billy” Camazzola (Vigne del Pellagroso)

Light bright reddish glass. Tart cherries and young hay tickle my nose. Next there’s smoke, raspberries, and orange zest. Oh and I forgot to add before getting on in there chill it, chill it good. Here comes the fun tastes of tart tingling cherries, strawberries (fresh and jammed), plum cobbler, smoke and some sizzle. Then lemons, tangerine, cloves, and a black and white pepper zing. Light, refreshing, so good chilled and has me longing for warmer climes and sun tan lines.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: smooth sizzle with no hay

Yesterday, I wrote about this dream team, having fun with their collaboration in United Colors of Wine – “G-Ray”, and their very varied backgrounds so for that please go to https://worldbyglass.com/a-little-natural-fun-experimentation/ bc I wrote whole lot that got edited to death on IG. I love that Luci is a big blend of native grapes (red and white) from the area. In a way they’re taking a chance but on the other hand they are so knowledgable and have a groove with the grapes they have it under control. It’s kind of freestyle meets punk, yet with a classically trained hand. Yeah, this is definitely a wine that sings and makes it’s presence and emotion known. There are so many songs that flit through my head to this wine, but there’s two that stand out and show how Luci grows over time. Both are Nick Cave, and It starts as Grinderman – “Bellringer Blues” and in the end is Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – “Push the Sky Away”. Such a beautiful wondrous wine.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @andrea_marchetti @VigneDelPellagroso @steephillwine @antosicurezza #unitedcolorsofwine @steephillwine @Antonio @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #Mantova #Lombardi #biodynamic #organic #Merlot #CabernetSauvignon #Rondinella #Garganega #Trebbiano #nickcave #grinderman #warrenellis