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Forever Learning and Always the Artist

Artisan Wines – DI Franz Schneider
Zweigelt Neusiedlersee
DAC Reserve 2015
100% Zweigelt
Halbturn, Burgenland, Austria
Sustainable farming
Winemaker & owner: Franz Schneider

Velvet dark deep ruby. Breathing in oak, plum, deep cherry, berries, and candy cola. First sip and cherry combined with dark goth plum. It’s sweet but not overly. There’s also some woodiness and coffee, with of all things juniper berries thrown in to the mix.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: juicy and less wood

Franz Schneider, his wife Ulrike Schmied, and their adorable twins make up this picture perfect wine family. At an early age, the twins are even getting their taste of the business and learning the grapes through homegrown fresh grape juice. Zweigelt Neusiedlersee DAC Reserve is made from their oldest Zweigelt, planted back in 1972, and Franz selects only the best of the harvest. From what I’m reading it sounds like he is constantly learning and adapting with each vintage and thus the name “Artisan” suits well. Whatever knowledge he keeps gleaning, it’s working in this beautifully refined bottle. Also a side note, there’s recipes on the site that you might like to pair with their wines. Just click on the pics to get the full instructions for a wonderful meal. The pumpkin risotto looks perfect for this time of the year.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @artisanwines @steephillwine @cheezits #steephillwine #cheezit #wine #redwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Zweigelt #Halbturn #Austria

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Where’s My Burger?

Château d’Oupia
Les Hérétiques 2018
Pays d’Hérault IGP
Languedoc, France
Carignan 90%, Syrah 10%
Sustainable farming
Owner: Marie-Pierre Iché
Winemaker: Laurent Battle

Beautiful shining ruby just like those famous slippers. Inhaling buttery that goes away to develop into flowers, cherries, raspberries, plums, and earthy dried pine straws. Sipping dark cherry and dried cherries, raspberries, blueberries and a smidge of pepper. This is screaming for a really good fatty burger, or maybe that’s me screaming for that burger. Where on earth is it? Oh, and don’t forget that side of salt and pepper fries to go with that…Sugarburg any chance you’re delivering at this hour?

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes the wine more bold and structured.

Marie-Pierre Iché and her mother are now in charge of the Château (along with winemaker Laurent Battle), but Marie-Pierre’s father, André Iché, paved the way for them. As others in Languedoc were just selling their harvest for basically nothing to a co-op, he decided to invest in more sites that he knew would in the end produce in his favor. Being the only independent winemaker around, he took full  advantage of the wonderful terroir and produce quality yet affordable wines. The tales I’m reading, this was an amazing man who had a deep romance with his land, not just for the soil but also the historical beauty that surrounded him. Raising a glass to him and his family, who continue his dream!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @chateauoupia @louisdressnerselections @sugarburgbk @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits  #sustainable #naturalwine #LesHérétiques #France #Languedoc #Syrah #Carignan

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Pretty In Pink

Wölffer Estate Vineyard
‘Pink’ Gin
Distilled from their famous Rosé wine with estate grown hand picked juniper berries and 5 other botanicals
Sagaponack, Hamptons, NY
Sustainable farming
Winemaker/Distiller: Roman Roth

Very light pink glow. Pine and juniper berries hit your nose first and then it smells like grappa. First try is on the rocks. It’s a delicate sip, but has a kick that comes back. There’s a feel of a peppermint, but not the taste. Again it’s piney and juniper berries with a slight licorice feel at the end. And of all things, do I taste grape? Now, here goes it neat. There’s sage, pine, some floral bits and that grappa-like thing going on that is tingling my lips.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: turns me into a flame blowing dragon. Try at your own risk.

Not only does it look like a bottle of romance, you’ll know it is once it hits your lips. IWANT design gets the credit for this label melding what went into making this delightful gin. Check out their graceful projects. Quite a nice partnership with other Wölffer wines and cider. Also giving a little nod to my absolute favorite pink…you had to know this was inevitable: The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty in Pink

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wolfferwine @iwantdesign @cheezits #cheezit #wine #gin #spirits #grappa #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #Sagaponack #Hamptons #NY #NewYork #PsychedelicFurs #PrettyinPink

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A Good Heart

Fondazione Villa Russiz
Les Enfants 2017
Venezia Giulia IGT
Bianco
Capriva del Friuli (GO) Italy
Pinot Grigio 50%, 25% Pinot Bianco, 20% Ribolla Gialla and 5% Sauvignon Blanc
Sustainable farming

A glistening pale gold glass. There’s nose tingling melon, pear, clean salty air, a touch of musky, and citrus/a little grapefruit. Lovely tastes of peaches, pear, sweet apples, honey, and it’s creamy with a mineral/slatey end.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: less creamy and a bit of citrus tart

This is a wine with a good heart that gives back. In 1868, the French Count Theodor de la Tour married Austrian Countess Elvine Ritter de Zàhony and her father gifted them his estate in Russiz (in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region). Theodor saw the potential for a vineyard and set off to work bringing in French cuttings which were also rumored to be in bouquets of flowers he would bring Elvine. She had other aspirations, and founded a school for girls who were often left behind since elementary school was only for boys. She also championed care for homeless and orphaned young girls too. WWI came about and Villa Russiz was turned into a military hospital, and sadly Elvine passed away. Another Countess who happened to be a nurse in the hospital picked up where she left off. Countess Adele Cerruti not only continued but expanded her work with taking on reconstructing the Villa post war. Currently Fondazione Villa Russiz houses “the Casa Elvine” Group Home that takes in minors and fills all their needs from having a computer lab, a clinic, a kitchen on each floor, and gives them the feeling of a true secure home environment. All of this is funded by sales of their wines. Not going to lie, I’m tearing up a little learning about this wonderful place.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @villarussiz @wilsondaniels @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #villarussiz #PinotGrigio #PinotBianco #RibollaGialla #SauvignonBlanc #caprivadelfriuli #italy

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We Could All Use a Heroine (or a Sidekick) Right Now

Iconic Wines
Sidekick 2018
Cabernet Sauvignon
Lodi, California
Sustainable farming
Winemaker: Birk O’Halloran

Deep ruby shine. Inhaling cherry and dried cherries, plum and prune, flowers, and of all things pine sap like the same smell from the small forest near my grandparents home. There’s a deep richness and some smoke. Wow, first sip and it packs a delicious punch! There’s deep sweet cherries, dark plums, raspberries and blackberries. It has some rustic earthiness, then juicy, and here comes the velvet, and at last a small touch of licorice. Fabulous!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: dried fruit explosion

Iconic Wines was started by Birk O’Halloran and Karl Antle (college buddies), and according to their website, Birk made his career by “drinking his way up the supply chain.” Honestly from what I’m also seeing, he did this with a lot of hard work and picked up influence both from California and European styles. They have two lines, Heros and Sidekicks. Sidekicks are the best bang for your buck. Made from locally sourced grapes from different vineyards that they rely and trust. I can vouch for this reasonably priced wine. If I didn’t know the original sticker, I would have thought it was a lot more $$. On top of such a fab wine, just check out their labels by artist Cliff Chiang. He’s known for working with Lucasfilm, DC Comics, GQ Magazine, ACLU, etc, and very importantly his and Brian K. Vaughan’s comic book series “Paper Girls” which has been green-lit on 7/23/20, by Amazon for a television adaption (exciting!). In short, the wine and the labels are totally kick ass.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @iconicwine @cliffchiang @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Lodi #California #CabernetSauvignon #hero #heroine #sidekick #papergirls #cliffchiang