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Win-Win Wines

Maison Idiart
Pinot Noir 2022
Sancerre AOP
Sancerre, France
Winemaker: Nicolas Idiart

Shining crancherry. There’s scents of cherries, plums red & dark purple, light bit of prunes, a scrape of mineral with pinch of salt that grows into something more forest, pomegranate, and bright cranberry. Sipping away a crancherry mix with tart plums, young blackberries, pomegranate, red currants and a sprinkle of dark earth; BUT it’s all so very light, fresh and not heavy at all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Hell yeah!

Nicolas has quite the achievement in his past. Turns out he graduated Bordeaux University at 19 making him France’s youngest winemaker…pretty impressive. Now he and his “modern day wine company” work with select natural growers whose grapes sing from where they are born and while most are from France there’s also a New Zealand venture. He’s also really into reducing their carbon footprint. Now, I’ve had bad wine in a keg a looooong time ago but this is not that old cringe worthy on tap stuff. Nope, he uses their premium small batch elixirs and as their site says, It keeps the wine more fresh, environmentally friendly, and saves cost on all levels. To me this is a great win-win for all. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #France #naturalwine #sustainable #cwdistributing #maisonidiart #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Name Games

Azienda Agricola Trevisana
Gioco Di Vino
????? 2023
Unfiltered Vino Blanco 
Organic, no additives or sulfur, unfiltered, skin contact
Chardonnay
Paese, Treviso, Veneto, Italy

Warm golden pour. Sniff and this is a surprise mix of first scent banana (all I can hear in my head now are the Minions chanting), lemon/lime, mango, dragon fruit, apples & pears, and a waft of light mineral. All of the scents are there with more lemon/lime & zest, Valencia orange, a touch of wild hay that tames down into a little tangerine & clementine, an exhale of tarragon and maybe thyme too or just fresh cut grass, and a shake of salt & lick of slate. It’s fresh, vibrant, happy, and yeah totally party material. 🪩🎉🥳

Pairs with Cheez-Its: hmmm honestly I’m not sure so I say put the box away

This is a small batch winery that also knows how to have fun. Each of Gioco Di Vino’s (English translation “wine game”) labels come with a little puzzle. The key for this one is to connect the dots from 1 through 10, then 24 through 33, then 47 through 52, then 60 through 70, then 72 through 78, then at last 84 through 89; and boom the wine’s name is revealed: “Fermo” which perfectly suits this still elixir. Of course, I recommend using a pencil, in my case put on my spectacles, and maybe try doing it before any of the wine is involved. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Italy #naturalwine #sustainable #iwkimporter #AziendaAgricolaTrevisana #GiocoDiVino #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Protect The Bees And They’ll Protect You

Anne Pichon Wines
“Sauvage”
Vermentino 2024
Vaucluse IGP
Organic (Ecocert France SAS), biodynamic, sustainable, indigenous yeast, grapes grown on the slopes of Mont Ventoux
Mormoiron, Vaucluse, France
Winemakers & nature lovers: Anne Pichon & Véronique (SIL)

Pale or rather light yellow greenish starlight. Breathing in a lovely jumble of kumquat, light mandarin, lemon/lime,  little lychee, green pears, and winter melon. Sip and it’s clean, fresh and crisp. All of the scents but maybe slightly more sharpened but with a delicate vibe. There’s also a mashup of gooseberry & tomatillo in a good way.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: kind of fun but would be better with bbq eel

Anne & Marc (her husband, who sadly passed away in 2016) Pichon found a perfect place to make wine in an already organic yet left behind domaine that came with quite a romantic name in my bee & bug loving book, “Mur-Mur-Ium” (the buzzing song of bees). Its village “Mormoiron” also has local lore that long ago when besieged with invaders the villagers came up with a creative way of defense by lobbing beehives at them. Who wouldn’t hightail it out of there with thousands of buzzers swarming you? Anyway, Domaine Mur-Mur-Ium is now in the hands of the Pichon’s sons (Émile & Niels), and Anne’s line of wines, “Sauvage” or “wild” wines seem to me to be like a love letter to nature, it’s complexity, strength & beauty. ❤️🐝

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #organic #bees #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Rhone #France #organic #sustainable #tedwardwines #annepichon #annepichonsauvage #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Horse & Bicycle Powered

Illahe Vineyards
Cuveé Miette 2023
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
Sustainable, hand harvested, wooden basket pressed, 11 months in French oak barrels, & horse-powered vineyards
Dallas, OR
Owners, growers and pioneers: Lowell & Pauline Ford
Winemaker, owner and president: Brad Ford

Shining rosy cherry stained glass. Sniffing and at first it’s light and then grows as cherries wave hello with a little chocolate, gentle oak, licorice/fennel, dash of mint, and a shake of cooler weather holiday spice. First sip is so delicate and delicious. There’s cherries, an old holiday memory of the smell of oranges my mom would alway decorate with cloves & hang in the kitchen, raspberry, blueberry, even a touch of boysenberry, quince cheese, and a jumble of those cooler weather spices: clove, nutmeg, sprig of mint, and others. Over time the delicate sip turns into a strong joyful backbone.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

This truly is a full on family affair that started with an immigration from Russia to Canada and then finally Oregon. They strive to make handcrafted wines with great respect to the land, the water (and salmon) and tradition. Some of the wines don’t even have electricity used during their creation. Percheron horses, Dakota & Takota (2025 harvest) deliver the grapes from the vineyard and mow between the vines. In the case of their 1899 Pinot Noir project, there’s even more. Brad had visited France and wanted to embrace the traditional ways, so he got the horses, made the harvest and winemaking all by hand & foot, including the bottling process. Yes, even putting the wine in the casks and bottling, by sorting out a bicycle powered pump. Please watch the video. Then when it comes time for it to go to the distributor, it gets loaded on a mule driven stagecoach, then into canoes on the Independence River (3 day trek) and then the last bit of the trek are by cargo bicycle. That’s very cool devotion to pure tradition & nature.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #oregon #illahevineyards #docwinebar #docwineshop

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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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Wine, Art & 3 Centuries Of Emotions

Tre Secoli
Le Ginestre
Vendemmia 2023
100% Cortese di Gavi
Gavi DOCG
Sustainably farmed
Mombaruzzo (AT), Piedmont, Italy

Pale yellow starlight with green blips. There’s scents of pears, white peaches, honeydew, nectarines, light tangerine, and a bundle of spring flowers & greenery. All of the sniff is in the taste with a lemon/lime zing,  no tangerine this time, teeny tiny honeysuckle, green apples, and it’s all delicate & friendly. Makes me crave a seafood tower, but when am I not craving one.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: a definite yes

Tre Secoli (Three Centuries) was born of 2 long established & large Piedmontese wine co-ops that span over 18 municipalities between the provinces of Asti and Alessandria and covers around 1,100 ha. Even with such expanse they do care about the quality & health of their grapes, their imprint on their land, and the safety & care for their workers that also includes ensuring they have “suitable conditions of health, safety and psychophysical integrity”. They also have their hands in the arts with their project “Terrazza in Arte” curated by Roberta Poggio. It’s their “desire is to create a bridge between two worlds that are particularly dear to us: art and the earth”. You still have time to catch their first show that features work of GianCarlo Ferraris entitled “Un Mare di Colline” and is up through April 30th, and while you’re there check out one of their tastings or as they call it “Three Centuries of Emotions”.

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

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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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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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Bad Bunnies

Bodegas Más Que Vinos
Los Conejos Malditos
Tempranillo Carbónico 2023
100% Cencibel (local clone of Tempranillo)
Working sustainably, farming organic, indigenous grapes, and 1 of the first wineries in Spain to receive “Wineries for Climate Protection” certification
Cabañas de Yepes, Toledo, Spain
Margarita Madrigal, Alexandra Schmedes and Gonzalo Rodriguez

Ruby/purple depth. Breathing in cherries, plums, raspberries, blackberries, a swirl of violets, and over time a tiny grind of white pepper. Hopping out of the glass and onto my tastebuds are cherries (fresh & dried), plums, light raspberry, blackberries, dates & a little dried dark fig, black olive pits, as it opens violets grow but don’t over creep, and oddly a drop of black tea & maybe even a little herbal.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: juicy

This isn’t a buddy movie but a winery. Starting back in 1999, three wine loving/making friends (Margarita, Alexandra & Gonzalo) launched Más Que Vinos (wine consulting business), ventured into winemaking, breathed new life into an old family winery, and built a new modern one. From all of this hard work these friends sound like they have the limitless energy of that certain drumming rabbit with sunglasses. Speaking of cotton tails, sounds like their local ones have a penchant for excellent grapes and can gobble up a lot prior to harvest, hence the name “The Damned Rabbits”. These little bandits may be adorable but I can see where their cuteness wanes and may drive a person to find solutions like on this label. 🍇🐰

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

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Preserving The Lands

Wither Hills
Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Certified Sustainable
Marlborough, New Zealand
Head winemaker: Matt Large
Winemakers: Andrew Petrie, Patricia Miranda-Taylor

Starlight shimmering light yellow-green. There’s scents of orange & other blossoms, wisteria, lemon, lime, grapefruit, guava, and a mineral salty breeze. Sipping away…lemon, lime, grapefruit, squeeze of tangerine & all the citrus zest, passion fruit, sliver of mango, green apples, super ripe home  grown cucumber, touch of bell pepper, cool mineral river rock lick, shake of salt, and a really teeny pinch of white pepper as it grows & then fades. Oh this glass has me craving a seafood tower like the one we had in Zeebrugge with langostinos, winkles & all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: it’s complicated

Back in 2000, Wither Hills purchased their Rarangi Vineyard which had previously had not been given the proper care needed, and the wetlands (one of the largest in the region) in the middle of the site had been damaged due to areas being drained for farming & cattle, the water being compromised and invasive weeds popping up. Once it was in the winery’s hands they set off to fix the past wrongs. The cows were shown the door, pests were removed by trapping, native flora were replanted, they implemented careful protection of rare & threatened plants (like the Mazus novaezeelandiae) that were still sticking it out. Now the Rarangi Wetlands Conservation Project has an annual indigenous greenery planting day for members to celebrate that they’re continuing to keep it all sustainable. Now that is commendable and cool.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #organic #sustainable #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #newzealand #distinguishedvineyards #witherhills #docwinebar #docwineshop