Posted on

No Cheez-Its For You

Club 44
Rosé 2025
Grenache & Syrah blend
Méditerranée IGP
Provence, France

Shining light pink salmon. Let it breathe a little or maybe more than a little post cork popping because there’s a lingering old burning fan belt about to snap smell. There’s grapefruit & tangerines, hibiscus, honeysuckle, and white peaches. Sip and there’s raspberries, strawberries, white cherries, white peaches, lemon/lime/tangelo splash, and a sprinkle of salty sea breeze. Ok, I can’t do this…if I want to be honest a lot of people will kick back this bottle and not have a second thought. Unfortunately, I can’t just turn off my brain. Something about that fan belt hanging around and then there’s a flavor that reminds me too much of Hello Kitty candy and an overwhelming pinkness that old school Barbie would embrace. So it’s a no for me, and don’t even bother cracking out the Cheez-Its. This wine is going to get very well acquainted with the kitchen sink.

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

Posted on

Small Roots Branching Out

Casa Vinicola Botter
Tor del Colle
Pecorino 2025
Terre D`Abruzzo IGT
Organic
Headquarters: Fossalta di Piave, Veneto, Italy
Luca, Annalisa and Alessandro Botter (3rd gen)

Pale straw starlight. Breathing in pears, light tangerine, white peaches, apricots, and a pinch of a blend of fresh mint/basil/fennel. Everything I’m smelling is here with honeycomb, apples, grapefruit, green watermelon rind, a bit of walnut on the back, and those herbs are tingling a bit liveliness.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: most definitely

Casa Vinicola Botter started out with small roots in 1928 by Carlo & Maria Botter. They started as a small store selling wine in casks & demijohns (I love those bulbous beautiful bottles) and now they have grown into a Veneto based venture that’s keeping with the regions traditions & embracing the future while also branching out to further territories with their Toe del Colle line. Even with all this growth they are still family run, and they care about the imprint they leave on their lands, all that reside & grow in it, and also our planet. As it says on their importer’s site, “Their environmentally-friendly outlook can be seen in their efforts to minimize pollution, waste, and reliance on non-renewable energy across the production chain. This mission also inspired Casa Vinicola Botter to achieve their certified-organic status, which they have held since 2009”. I say bravo on their looking forward to pave a better life for the next generations, and also on this lovely Pecorino that helped me weather another hot NY night!

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

Posted on

An Adventure Story

Lulumi
Rosé 2025
Pays d’Oc IGP
Natural wine
Languedoc, France
Carrie and Philippe Marchal

Blushing salmon sunrise. Sniffing and there’s strawberries, raspberries, touch of blueberries & gooseberry, cherries, mango, gentle papaya, pink grapefruit & tangelo but all easy going, and fresh spring mineral. All of the scents are there with a slight good buttery feel. It’s fresh, lovely, and oh so good. There’s just cut open watermelon & Jolly Ranchers, that citrus spark is still there but at first is an actor in the background that wanders it way toward center stage but then blends back into the crowd, smidge of sugar cane, and a lick of mineral river rock.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nope

Carrie & Philippe’s story started in the NY wine business. He was at Boulud’s “Daniel” and she was a wine rep. It’s warming my heart wondering how they realized that romantic spark had been lit. Anyway, they’re married and have two kids (girls), Lucienne and Emilie (nicknames are Lulu & Mimi) hence where they came up for the name of their wines. Now let’s backtrack to 2015, that’s when they left NY to go on their great adventure in France. They began their new life in a small town where they could just absorb and revel in the countryside, and their wines are all about that feeling. The beauty and freshness of the land, its people, the passing seasons, and all the new experiences coming their way. As they say on their site, “This story is about our adventure, and the comfort spending precious time with friends and family while sharing a meal and a bottle of wine. This is a love story, and the best love stories never end.” ❤️

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

Posted on

Hard Work + Passion = A Happy Successful Life

Pascal Janvier
Coteaux Du Loire Blanc 2023
Chenin Blanc
Farming: Lutte Raisonnée, hand harvested, native yeast
Loire, France
Pascal &  Dominique Janvier 

Light gold/straw twinkling starlight. Breathing in green apples & pears, mango, guava, pinch of cloves, a little jasmine & wisteria, and a lemony citrus blend. Everything I’m smelling is in the taste with a zippy citrus spark, apples are more round, a little grass in the back side that shyly comes out & waves hi & blends into the background again. The guava smidge of musk is joined by I think musk melon that rears it’s head once in a while. It’s bright with also a backbone and a strong sense of where it was born.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: definitely

I love reading how people find their wine path. Pascal’s parents did own land with vineyards but making wine wasn’t their thing. He also ended up in school to be a butcher but then something happened and I would love to know what because he changed his mind at 30 to head off and study the whole wine growing/making package. It took a ton of hard work & dedication to get to where they are now with 66 parcels (over 9 ha).  Now he and his wife Dominique are growing & making some of the best dry Chenin Blanc in the world. They are just another wonderful example that if you follow your passion with all your heart, you can create a happy successful life. ❤️

Posted on

Sun-kissed Glass of Joy

Maison Idiart
Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Sancerre AOP
Sancerre, France
Winemaker & founder: Nicolas Idiart

Light straw yellow with a touch of gold. There’s nose tickling grapefruit, Valencia orange, lemon, & a citrus blend with zest & all, orange blossoms, light spring flowers, and fresh cut grass with just cut & stripped apple branches. All of the scents are in the sip with a bigger spark of everything, parsley, smidge of fresh picked oregano, tangelo, good lick of lime, gooseberries, and a shake of salt.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

This is now my 3rd bottle by Maison Idiart. 1st was the Pinot Noir 2022, which was quite a delight and a wonderful introduction to Nicolas’ achievements, his “modern day wine company” that works with select natural growers whose grapes sing from where they are born, and passion for reducing carbon footprints with their “keg wines”. Albeit this is not a wine on tap, but it’s a bottled burst of Spring sliding into Summer that is a sun-kissed splash of joy that I need right now. While sipping a glass, I can almost hear a dawn chorus of migrating birds twittering & warbling away! 🪺

#wine #vino #vin #winestagram #instawine

Posted on

Magical Happy Accident

Agrícola Calcárea
El Descontrol 2024
Clarete Rosé
Moscatel Romano (mostly) & Tintilla de Rota
Organic, natural, sustainable
Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Andalucia, Spain
Juan Jurado Gomez

Magenta tinged warm sunset rose. Breathing in oranges & blossoms, lemon/lime, tangerine, whiff of smoke, gooseberry, pomegranate,  young raspberry & strawberry, and a teeny touch of hyacinth. In the taste there’s again oranges, lemon/lime, pomegranate, young strawberries, pinch of peach, a little watermelon/mango jolly rancher, and on the back clover leaves. There’s an elegant smooth feel but a tiny citrus tingle, and I want to say delicate, but there is a strong backbone that is full of confidence.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NOPE

El Descontrol was born from Juan working long harvest days and thus a lack of sleep. There wasn’t quite enough Moscatel Romano in the press, so he threw what he had available (Tintilla de Rota) to increase the pressure. Turns out he ended up with too much juice and just tossed it into a tank with no lid and well kind of forgot about it for 2 months. When he got back from Italy it was covered in thick flor so he took a chance of tasting it and this happy accident became something magical. Now we can all eagerly await this co-ferment each year. Cheers! 🍷

Posted on

Collaboration, Inclusion & Breaking Down Cultural Barriers

Caruso E Minini
Arancino
Bianco Macerato
Catarratto
Terre Siciliane IGP
Organic & sustainable
Marsala, Trapani, Sicily, Italy
Wine team: Stefano Caruso & Mario Minini (co-founders), and Giovanna & Rosanna (Stefano’s daughters)

Light orange golden and as it opens it deepens. Sniffing Valencia orange & blossoms, honeysuckle, mandarins, light tangerine, persimmon, wild flowers and sea breeze. Sipping and all of the scents are right there along with fresh picked basil, marjoram, thyme, parsley and a little shake of salt. It’s so crisp, fresh and delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Big yes

This is my 2nd Caruso E Minini wine, and I just love their labels, but I didn’t know the history until now. Turns out the illustrations are created by people from Turin’s Laboratorio Zanzara. The program is a non-profit that is “dedicated to the integration and creativity of people with intellectual and behavioral disabilities, under the direction of Gianluca Cannizzo”. They work from pics & objects from Marsala & then combine their ideas with a touch of Matisse’s style. While creating, they can share ideas, chat, and grow. As it says on Laboratorio Zanzara’s site, “I make, therefore I am” is the starting point to find fulfillment, both as individuals and as a group. It’s a path of giving back and active participation in society”. The collaboration of the winery & lab “exemplifies how art and business can come together, proposing a new language capable of breaking down cultural barriers; a fusion of taste and beauty, destined to leave an indelible mark on the mind and heart”. Cheers to this project and their others that are a creation of love.

Posted on

Prehistoric Lessons

Sylvain Bock
Raffut 2023
100% Syrah
VDF
Certified organic, biodynamic, indigenous yeasts
Alba-la-Romaine, Ardèche, France

Dark maroon/purple with a shimmer of magenta on the rim. Breathing in dried figs, deep cherries dried & fresh, strawberries & raspberries that go deep, whiff of cola, briny olives, violets, sprinkle of cinnamon, plums that grow & darken, a little boysenberry, and peaty smoke. All of the scents are in the taste with a lighter touch along with Niçoise olives, and zippy orange & lemon zest that is also a bit singed. Let this baby have a good long timeout, and you will be rewarded as everything blooms.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: it does but it’s better without

Honestly this is my first Sylvain Bock wine. Didn’t know what to expect, but when I saw on the back of the bottle the very recognizable logo of Super Glou (a cat, a dog & in between a bottle of wine) I knew it would be up my alley. They work with “small-production, low-intervention producers from France, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Catalunya, Chile and pockets of America”, and Bock fits that criteria perfectly. He’s a zero/zero natural winegrower & maker with a true passion for his craft, wine, vines, and of course land. From an IG post by @super_glou & @glougloumagazine during one of their visits to his vineyards they were not only taught a lesson in “wine growing but in prehistoric geology” which I bet was exciting and inspiring. Sylvain’s knowledge of the soils & what lies beneath & nourishes the lands (limestone, fossils, basalt, etc) guides his decisions on which grape will thrive & where. And if you have a moment to peruse his IG page, you’ll see he also slows down to appreciate & cherish what resides in his vineyards (or maybe they’re just stopping by for a visit)…flowers, ladybugs, and a post from just a few weeks ago of one special moment of finding a “little nest in the middle of the vineyards”. As Sylvain  says, “Nature always finds its place, even in winter”, and I see it as a sign of the beautiful spring & growth yet to come. 🪺❤️🍷

#wine #vin #vino #winestagram #instawine

Posted on

Sharing Happiness

Domaine Beatrice et Pascal Lambert
Bulles Lambert 2022
Sparkling Rose
VDF
100% Cabernet Franc
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, vines & bottling guided by the lunar cycle
Les Chesnaies, Chinon, France
Winemakers: Beatrice & Pascal Lambert

Light pink gold with fine active bubbles. Immediately wafting up to my nose are strawberries, cream/oreo centers, raspberries, Bosc pears, and delicate tea roses. Sipping away and again there’s strawberry & raspberry, cranberry smidge joined by a lemon bubbly tingle, an exhale taste of that Oreo center again but not as much as in the scent, crisp and tart young pear that eases into the background. It’s clean, dry, crisp, so fresh & fun and don’t overthink it like I am. Just enjoy!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Just don’t

At Domaine Beatrice et Pascal Lambert they have a refreshing philosophy:

“Farmers! Tomorrow, let’s cultivate life!!
And the earth will continue to smile.
And a smile produces a lot
Let us share this happiness together and we will guarantee love and peace on our planet Earth!!”

They share their happiness (and wine) with their crew, friends, and visitors alike. As they say a great estate needs a good team, and theirs is diverse. Eric handles business and is great dealing with the public, Fabien maintains the bio treatments for the vines, Paco is hands on with vine training, and not to be left off is Jelly the adorable dog. Now to the extended group of friends, family & others that want to join in the fun whether it’s with shears or hand harvesting. There’s Patrice (wine merchant) who helps harvest, Belgians that visit at the right time of the season, 2 different Jean-Maries, Vincent & Marie who are always ready to jump in, Polo who’s always been with the estate, and Ghislain who is a Michelin-starred chef because who wouldn’t want a fabulous chef by their side. Now I just have to ask, how do I get a chance to be on their team? Have nimble hands & would love to travel. Cheers!🥂

#wine #vin #vino #winestagram #instawine

Posted on

A Different Kind Of Romance

Odfjell Vineyards
Orzada 2020
100% Carignan
Organic, biodynamic, sustainable, native yeasts
Valle de Maule. Chile
Odfjell family’s latest generation: Laurence & Dan Jr.

Deep maroon with a shining rim. Right off the bat I’m sniffing raspberry, blackberry, cherry, followed by boysenberry, rosemary & thyme that turns into sassafras, and a little tingle of gooseberry & wild flowers. Tasting cherries (dark & tart, pits, skins and all), fresh picked blackberries & raspberries, plummy depth blending with a little raisin, boysenberry w lemon zest, dark cured olive pit taste that balances all, smidge of licorice on the back, and a sprinkle of good earth. It’s juicy, lovable and made me smile.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: BIG yes actually it has me craving an old school grilled cheese sandwich

Odfjell Vineyards came to life due to a Norwegian love story. No this is a romance between two lovers but of a man & the land that captured his heart. Dan Odfjell (Norwegian businessman, ship/tanker owner & builder) visited Chile and fell hard. Who wouldn’t? He loved it enough to embark on his wine journey that now includes 3 vineyards, a gravity-flow winery (1st in Chile), and they are biodynamic & organic certified. Now his sons are at the helm ,and they’re also keeping with their inherited nautical theme. This bottle is from their Orzada line which translates into: “To sail against the wind”, and the label is “inspired by the movement of water and its energy” which to me is a lovely way to honor their Norwegian (Viking) heritage and their now Chilean roots. 🍇🍷🇳🇴🇨🇱

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #instawine