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It’s All About The Altitude

Vinsnus
SiurAlta
Morat 2017
Monsant DO
Syrah 90%, Viogner 10%
Biodynamic, as little of intervention as possible, native yeasts
Cornudella de Montsant, Tarragona, Spain
Alfredo Arribas

Deep ruby maroon purple pour. Breathing in dark plums & cherries, pomegranate with a funky depth, and a light sprinkle of cinnamon,  allspice and I think a little black pepper. Sipping and thankfully the funk has danced it’s way out the building, again those plums, cherries, pomegranate & a splash of raspbluecranberry with a bit of blackberry & orange zest (adding a splash of tart) thrown in, and at last a grind of black pepper.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: gives it a bit of more tart sizzle

Alfredo Arribas is one busy bee. Where do I even start…he’s an architect, a designer, and also a winemaker (from what I’ve heard this artistic/natural nurturing urge came from time spent in his youth with his winemaking grandfather). In 2001, he purchased Clos del Portal in Priorat. (I encountered a glass of their Somni back in 2016 at La Vinya del Senyor on a wonderful trip to Spain. Delicious!) Now he has his hands in vineyards from Priorat & Monsant with a differing lines/labels, and his Vinsnus wines are where he gets to let his natural creativity & experimentation roam free. SiurAlta is all about the altitude (780 m for these grapes), embracing nature, less is more, and as he says, “Looking back, walking forward”. 🍷

wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Montsant #Spain #SiurAlta #Forevertedward #Vinsnus #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @tedward_ws @vinewinenyc @vinsnus

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Kitty, What’re You Meowing About?

Viña Echeverria
Miao
Pét-Nat Rosé 2020
98% Chardonnay, 2% Cabernet Franc
Organic, sustainable, vegan friendly, wild yeasts
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, low yield vineyards, estate grapes, wild yeasts, unfiltered, family owned & managed winery
Technical Director Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

For a rosé this is quite warm hazy antique gold with fine bubbles creating morphing shapes on the surface. Btw what’s up with the side-eye glancing cat. Is a selfie being taken? Breathing in wildly herbal magic, field flowers (like dandelions and daisies), smoke, dried and fresh apricots, peaches, bananas, and silt. Hello you adventurous wine, where are you taking me on a fun ride? Hay and grass tangle on my tongue along with apples, pears (calvados), citrus spritz, apricots, deep peaches, smoke, honey, and dried banana chips.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: ACK ACK ACK (hairball sound effect) ACK

So excited to get my 3rd wine by Viña Echeverria (Es Pituko Cabernet Franc & Es Pituko Chardonnay) and they’re definitely consistent in delightfulness and instructions on the label. This little kitty says to “shake me, chill me, drink me.” I’d listen to her advice…this family knows what they’re doing. Roberto Sr. revitalized the family winery, brought it into the modern age and dedicated so many years of his life to this passion. He had to completely replant and rebuild, but as you can see, it was worth it for his children (Paulina, Viviana, Roberto and Diego) and for of course us. Miao y’all! 😺 Oh and I just have to add, this label is just asking for a little good ol’ Tom Jones.

#wine #winelover #Rosé #petnat #vino #vin #chilewine #miao #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #Chardonnay #CabernetFranc #naturalwine #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #curicovalley #Molina #Chile #TomJones #cat @echeverriawines @tedward_ws @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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A Polished and Spirited Youth

Gioventù
Falanghina ‘Orange’ 2020
Organic, unfined and unfiltered
Grapes from Campania, Italy
Winemaker: Michael Schmelzer

Warm golden sunrise with an orange streak creeping in. Sniffing Golden Delicious apples (my childhood fave from the orchard), fresh apricots, honeysuckle, a little dancing lemons, some anise, grass, a sprig of hay, and a crumble of a lemon cookie. Sipping and there’s pears, apples, and again fresh apricots, lemons, mandarins, a shake of salt, here comes a little grass, and a smidge of that anise seed again, but really just a smidge and a sprinkle of baking spice.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: it’s elegant and really works. Mellow fruit

A Italian, a Michiganian, and a German walk into a bar…well, that’s all rolled up into one man, Michael Schmelzer. His dad’s job kept him on the go. Born in Italy, grew up in Michigan suburbia, finished high school in Germany and then kept on moving through culinary education in Paris & London to later learning the ropes of winemaking in Australia. Luckily his parents wanted to find a place to retire, have their children near and working with them. Buying Monte Bernardi (long wine heritage) brought that dream to reality. Now with a successful winery, Michael also has another creative outlet in his Gioventù wines. As the name says, he has bottled this essence of “youth” that shines in this orange Falanghina, but this spirited youngun’ has finesse, polish, character, and one more surprise too…it’s not going to break the bank, so pick up two! One sip and you’ll thank me later for that nudge.

#wine #vin #vino #italianwine #orangewine #organicwine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winelife #cheezit #worldbyglass #organic #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #falanghina #MonteBernardi #Gioventù #Campania #Italy @docwineshop @docwinebar @tedward_ws @cheezits

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Immortalized Affection

Famille Sumeire
Château Coussin
L’Orangé
Vin de Macération
100% Ugni Blanc
Sustainable agriculture
Trets, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
Winemaking siblings: Olivier and Sophie Sumeire

Color shining shimmering golden orange. That orange keeps on coming with scents of orange and other citrus blossoms, and after a while Orange Julius hence my I’m getting a hint of vanilla. Next are tangerines, mandarins, salt, with a familiar green smell of just whittled branches or fresh buds pre bloom, and at last a tiny smidge of anise. That was delightful! Sipping tangerines, mandarins, and of all things a pinch of those Valentine’s Day “Conversation Hearts”. That was a surprise that faded and then enters pears, crab apples, and grass. It’s just darn fresh and lovely and I would say very picnic friendly. Yeah, get outside, spread that blanket and relax back and stare up at the tree branches with that clean blue sky peaking through.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice and friendly and weirdly snuggly.

Château Coussin (one of Famille Sumeire’s 3 estates) and has a splendid view of Monte Sainte-Victoire. Maybe this is a better place for a picnic…I can see why Cézanne captured these landscapes time and time again. Another famous artist, César Baldaccini, known for his compression sculptures and being one of the Nouveau Réalisme pack (side note: I used to work for one of his contemporaries and that movement was truly revolutionary) was also affiliated with the area and  a family friend of the Sumeire’s. In 1987, as a symbol of affection for the family, he designed a special wine case from their labels, and part of that art now graces two of their wines (rosé & red) immortalizing his name and signature. As we all know, wine and art are a perfect pairing.

#wine #vin #frenchwine #Provence #France #winelife #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #UgniBlanc #Cézanne #Cezanne #cesarbaldaccini #nouveaurealisme @docwineshop @docwinebar @famillesumeire @cheezits

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Always Read the Instruction Manual

Viña Echeverría
Es Pituko
Chardonnay 2018
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, aged 15 months in French barrels
Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

Golden drop of sunshine with some sediment hanging around. Inhaling melon, mango, apples, and some light oak. As time goes by becomes deeper and richer. This is another one that says to drink in the next 5 minutes so here goes…melon, pear, a little orange acidic twang, and something rich and creamy. There’s even a kick of grass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: whoa massive creamy oakiness and not sure how I feel about it. I’m on the fence.

The more I learn, and the more I taste… I find more natural winemakers putting instruction manuals on their back label art. Like with this one and last week’s “Es Pituko, Cabernet Franc 2019”, you’re instructed how much to chill, give it a shake before you pour because it’s natural like that, and how fast to drink. My advice, always take a look at the back, or you might miss out on the true way the wine is supposed to taste. The next red you pick up, could be one that might be screaming to go in the fridge.

While I pour another glass of this “Fancy” Chardonnay, here’s another one from Cerys Matthews.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @echeverriawines @tedward.ws @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #chile #molina #viñaecheverria #curicowines #naturalwine #espituko #Chardonnay #CuricóValley #CuricoValley #CerysMatthews

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Old World Meets New

Viña Echeverría
Es Pituko
Cabernet Franc 2019
Curicó Valley, Molina, Chile
Sustainable, aged 11 months in French barrels
Chief Winemaker: Roberto Echeverría Jr.

Murky rosy ruby with nice sediment. From out of the cloud comes whiffs of strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, and something toasty. Btw this is a chilled red and as recommended on the label, drink in the next 5 minutes, so let’s see what comes out first…strawberries, tart cherry tart, and all of the above but the toast. There’s dark stony finish, and a little oak and smoke. Also “Es Pituko” means “It’s Fancy!”, so where’s my bow tie? This is going to be a top notch night.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: fruit goes crazy

I feel like I’m drinking a bit of history from all over the world. Echeverría family roots started in the Basque region of Spain, then they transplanted themselves to Chile in the 1750s. 200 years later a taste of France (and pre-phylloxera French vines) was brought to the town of Molina by Roger Piffre de Vauban coming to Curicó Valley. As time went by and their families blended through marriage, offspring, and two wineries. Next Roberto Echeverría brought in a splash of the U.S. through his studies at Cornell and degrees in agronomy, winemaking, and economics; and living and working for a while in D.C. for the World Bank. Feeling the pull and seeing the great possibilities, they returned to Chile and rebuilt and revitalized the family winery. Now Roberto’s sons and daughters are the latest generation that are hands on and just as passionate about the land, their wines, keeping it sustainable, and keeping it natural.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @echeverriawines @tedward.ws @cheezits #cheezit #wine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #chile #molina #viñaecheverria #curicowines #naturalwine #espituko #CabernetFranc #CuricóValley #CuricoValley

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Afternoon Delight

Conti di Buscareto
Rosè Brut
Sparkling wine
Charmat Method
Marche, Italy
Lacrima di Morro d’Alba 100%

A dancing glass of pale salmon with pretty bubbles. When first opened a vanilla whiff escaped but eventually ran away, roses follow along with sweet cherry and strawberries. Take a refreshing sip and there’s cherries with a touch of lemon. It’s dry, super fresh and perfect on this hot afternoon. Now all I need is to be sitting poolside with someone refilling my glass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: fun and fresh and just overall smoothes it out

Lacrima translates to tears, but there’s definitely no need to shed any. This sparkler is a glass of happiness. Conti di Buscareto, I’m so happy to be introduced to you!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @buscareto @tedward.newyork @tedward.ws @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #charmat #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #italy #rose #rosè #marche #lacrima #lacrimadimorrodalba