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Life’s Way Too Short…

Protector Cellars
Central Coast Rosé
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc
250 ml
Grapes from certified sustainable vineyards, climate positive, 1 tree planted for each wine sold
Paso Robles AVA
Santa Maria, CA
Alex Katz

Shining electric 80s pinky light magenta/orange (it’s so pretty). Breathing in cherries, pomegranate, young not quite ripe strawberries & raspberries still growing in the yard, and fresh rained on gravel. Sipping and there’s strawberries, raspberries & a blend of other bouncing berries, tart cherries, yellow plums, a teeny lemon/lime squeeze sizzle, not fully ripe watermelon, and over time a little bit of earth depth (in a good way & not one of those poop wines). It’s like a happy burst of summer waving from the can, and a very easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: bleh

This was an impulse buy at the register, and ended up being a happy one. Turns out Protector Cellars is as they say, “the world’s first climate positive winery”. Not only are the grapes sourced from sustainable vineyards, but they take into account how to package it as in these cans. Both of those choices cut significantly on their greenhouse gas emissions and then they take it a step further….for every wine bought, 1 tree is planted through their relationship with “Trees For The Future” (check out their good work @treesforthefuture). This is an initiative and collaboration I can get behind, and same goes for Protector’s quote, “no excuses, no compromises, no CRAPPY WINE”. Believe me, life is just way too short for crappy wine. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #wineinacan #cannedwine #Rosé #sustainable #winestagram #instawine #climatepositive #carbonneutral #lifeisshort #winelover #winetasting #winetime #california  #protectorcellars #vinewine #vinewinenyc

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🎶Won’t You Be My Neighbor🎶

Noël Bazin
L’Unanime
Blanc des Blancs
100% Chardonnay
375 ml
Villers-Marmery, Champagne-Ardenne, France
Noël and Magali Bazin and their son Hugo

Light straw gold with active fine bubbles. Floating up are scents of a french bakery like croissants, brioche & even fresh baked baguettes, butter cream frosting, baked pears & that Poire Williams smell, apricots, apples fresh & baked, and a teeny squeeze of lemon way in the back. Slowly sipping and it’s so crisp. There’s a lemon/lime sparkle along with a touch of Lemonhead candy, as time goes by there’s the apples & pears waving from far away but they keep venturing closer, the before mentioned bakery goodness, a lick of limestone, and a shake of salt. So delicious!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: really really good!

The Bazins sound like the type of people you’d love to have as neighbors. On their importer’s site (Vom Boden) they’re described as incredibly nice & kind, normal, devoted to spending a lot of time in their vineyard, and probably not of the hipster bent with a record collection and tattoos. Well, my view of that changed when I clicked on their IG and boom, there’s tat pics but they adorn the next generation…Hugo. Take a look for yourself, and you’ll see a man totally into the vines & all the hard work and passion that Noël & Magali have for their 3 ha (25 plots) and also their beloved champagne. Bet he’d make a great neighbor too because who wouldn’t want fabulous bottled bubbly just steps away. 🥂

wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #bubbly #winetime #France #champagne #vomboden #noelbazin #NoëlBazin #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vomboden @grappedebazin @vinewinenyc

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Magically In Tune

Kelley Fox Wines
Nerthus 2022
Willamette Valley A.V.A.
Early Muscat 34%, Pinot Gris 34%, Riesling 18%, Pinot Blanc 14%
Gaston, OR

Pinky peachy pale amber. Oh these growing scents are so lovely and lush. There’s heady magnolias, wisteria & jasmine, grapefruit, cantaloupe & honeydew, pears, peaches of all sorts (that bring back a childhood memory of fresh hand cranked ice cream made from our peaches), smidge of baking spice, and honeysuckle. Sipping and all the scents are here with orange, pineapple, mango, tangerine zest & a little of it singed, joined with a blend of other citrus both sweet and sparky.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Step away from the bag

Why have I never had a Kelley Fox wine until now? It was like opening a long awaited present that only kept getting better the more time I spent with it. My curiosity of course led me to her site and I found such a calming sense of peace from the photos and beautifully drawn illustrations that just spoke to my heart (I think whenever I stress out I’ll pull this site up to reset my mood). Then I found out that Ms. Fox had another life before wine. She was an undergrad & grad student in medical/science/research with multiple degrees & accepted in a PhD program in Biochemistry, but she turned to another form of learning and growth. She went to the source…Oregon winemakers, who taught her by being hands on or off if that’s what is needed by the vines, cellar, etc. I truly admire anyone who has the strength, belief, and brains to follow their calling and especially when they are so naturally in tune & good at what they do that it’s almost magical. ✨✨

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #oregon #KelleyFoxWines #vinewine #vinewinenyc @kelley_fox_wines @vinewinenyc

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An Artistic Blend

Frequency Wine Company
Artist Series 2021
Grenache 35%, Syrah 35%, Graciano 30%
Santa Barbara County
Los Alamos, CA
Winemaker: Zac Wasserman
Producer: Almond Wasserman
Intuit: Maria Wasserman
Muse: Nicole Wasserman
(As you can see this is a family thing)

Deep maroon with garnet rim. Breathing in a familiar cola scent along with cherries, plums, raspberry jam, blueberries, shave of cedar, pinch of wintergreen /mint, and toasted coriander. Sip and there’s cherries again, cranberries, plums, blueraspblackbosenberry jumble, red currants, grind of black pepper, a teeny sprig of spearmint that vibrates a little, and over time out comes a mellow moment of RC Cola.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: it’s ok

A friend of mine told me I’d love this wine since she did, and she was spot on. The Wassermans sum up their venture best on their site, “Frequency Wines was born in the belief that positive energy can be created, bottled, and shared throughout the world to be sown and harvested for a vast influence.” They also have an “Artist Series” (which is near and dear to my heart) where they work with an artist they appreciate for the label. In 2014, they collaborated with Toro Y Moi’s Chaz Bundick, and he not only created the label art but also a playlist to enjoy while sipping the wine which in my book is very cool, but I can’t find the music anywhere, so if anyone has a link please send it my way. The work gracing this 2021 is by Aria Dean. She’s a writer, critic, curator, and above all amazing artist. Her visual art varies through multiple medias such as 3D printed sculptures, digitally rendered/manipulated drawings, theatrical pieces/videos, and combinations of all set into incredible installations. Her “Abattoir, U.S.A.!,” (2023) is built with Unreal Engine and has a feel of a first-person video game set in an empty slaughterhouse with a haunting soundtrack, and political, historical & cultural meanings. Currently it’s on view (along with her conceptual sculptural work/installation, “Vitrine”) in her UK solo show “Abattoir” through May 5th at London’s ICA. Check out ICA Short Docs | Aria Dean ‘Abattoir’ for a glimpse into her vision behind the show. She and Frequency are quite the pairing and just brilliant.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #winemusic #wineart #art #AriaDean #SantaBarbara #CA #FrequencyWines #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @frequencywines @lol_prosciutto

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“Music as an Emotional Tasting Note”

Weingut Weninger
Rózsa Petsovits 2022
Syrah, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, Blaufränkisch
Grapes are from Austria & Hungary (Syrah)
Biodynamic, hand harvested (take a look at the t-shirts)
Vineyards across the border Hungary/Austria
Horitschon, Austria
Franz & Petra Weninger

Deep shining rose with salmon glints. Breathing in watermelon, strawberry, raspberry, whiff of hay that fades but reappears here and there, plums, cherries, apples, red currants, and a bit of orange zest (there’s a lot in this little glass). Sip and all of the scents are there in the taste, with a squeeze of lime & a shave more of deep citrus zest, and a sweetness that reminds me of the rock candy made from cane sugar my parents bought me as a child on special occasions. It’s bright, light, fresh and joyful.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Zingy

At first I thought I’d be writing about Franz’s grandmother Rózsa Petsovits since this bottle of deep rosé is named after her, but then I found out about “Sound of Terroir” their music project. Franz gathered musician friends with a proposal or challenge to “visualize the different taste of Blaufränkisch grown on 3 different grounds” (Sopron [Steiner], Mattelburgenland [Dürrau], & Südburgenland [Saybritz])  and express what they tasted & how it made them feel. Oh and they also had to come up with instruments made from the vineyard or cellar materials. With trial and error they sorted out using bottles, barrels (designed a barrel-zither), and even a hose-trumpet. Not sure how much wine was consumed, but from that tasting they began to sort songs that paired with each bottle and then adapt them to work with these new musical instruments. Next up they had to find a performance space since the cellar didn’t work for pretty obvious reasons, so they ended up at the Liszt House which is pretty appropriate and cool. All of this played out pretty fast over a few days too, so pretty amazing wrangling a whole orchestra with homemade instruments and filming the performances. They pulled it off, and you can check out the videos on their site. Franz and friends had achieved as quoted, “Music as an Emotional Tasting Note”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #biodynamic #austria #Hungary #winemusic #Liszt #dnswines #WeingutWeninger #Weninger #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @franz_weninger @dnswines

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🎶There’s A Firefly Loose Tonight🎶

Andrea Marchetti
Lucciola Bianco 2021
La Corte dei Miracoli
Trebbiano Romagnolo 70%,  Albana 30%
Organic (practicing), indigenous yeasts, unfiltered & unfined
Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Orange amber with a few pops of rose. Sniffing and there’s scents of a citrus blend of orange, tangerine, mild grapefruit & more, as time goes a good funk grows that will surely pass on by, and flowers bloom like wisteria, butterfly lilacs, hyacinth, irises, and magnolia thrown in. Sipping and there’s the citrus blend along with zest, a good splash of lemon, green bell pepper, crabapples, the green of a whittled apple tree branch, small ember of smoke, and shake of white pepper. It’s crisp, fun, and has a depth but not brooding.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out a little heat sizzle

Each Marchetti wine never fails to grab my attention and fill me with delight. He’s one creative busy bee as you can see in my previous posts. This man has boundless energy with his collaborations with other natural winemakers, his own wine, launching wine fairs, and more. Take Andrea’s “La Corte dei Miracoli” line is another such project where he farms 2.5 ha near Brisighella. The wines are created and bottled in Filippo Manetti’s (Vigne San Lorenzo) cellar, and I love his viticulture guidelines which align very much with Marchetti, “the first rule is to use LITTLE TECHNOLOGY, the second rule is to DO NOT DO, that is, not to do anything that is really necessary, both in the vineyard and in the cellar”. Back to Lucciola, take note, there are only so many bottles (2,500) so feel yourself gifted to catch one of these fireflies. It brought a smile to my face and that old childhood joy like when I was set free on summer evenings in a simpler, slower time watching the sun go down and running through the orchard following the tiny flashing flying lamps. Treat yourself to a glass and maybe you too will get a chance to see “a firefly loose tonight”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #Italy #organic #winetime #orangewine #worldbyglass #edsheeran #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #firefly #lucciola #steephillwine #AndreaMarchetti #docwineshop #docwinebar @andrea_marchetti @steephillwine @antosicurezza @docwineshop @docwinebar

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This Is Not That Story

Valdisole Wine
Helios 2019
Nebbiolo
Organic, biodynamic
Corneliano d’Alba (CN), Piedmont, Italy
Giuseppe Amato & Kyriaki Kalimeri

Shining garnet pour. Sniff and it starts off a bit wild but it’s just been opened so over a short amount of time it tames, tart cherries, young raspberries, blackberries, tomato leaf, tiny roses & violets, over time there’s plums of all sorts, red apple, and a rugged bit of peat/earthiness. Tasting and it starts out light & delicious that grows into a richer moment, cherries (tart & sweet), red currants, plums, a touch of peat or smoke, raspstrawblueberries mix, a drop of blackberry, tiny reminder of sugar cane that turns into violets, smidge of green tomato, and touch of grounded earthiness.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: sweeter

You know the usual tales of growing up in a wine family and inheriting land…this is not that story. Giuseppe & Kyriaki’s strength in finding their way in wine is curiosity. She had a background in computers & electrical engineering but that curious spark led her to getting an education as a sommelier & a diploma. He had a great appreciation for cuisine so ended up taking cooking classes and realized the attraction of pairing food & wine so he also ventured into sommelier courses, but that a wasn’t enough. The whole wine experience grabbed his attention and they both jumped full in to buying a vineyard…oh, and it was an online site where you can buy stuff secondhand. The vineyard was a half ha of “abandoned & shabby Nebbiolo”. (Makes me think of people who buy a house for $1 in an old town and when they get there they see the full extent of the repairs needed 🙀.) They’ve expanded, added varying grapes, are keeping it all natural, and I have to say this Nebbiolo is definitely not shabby now. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Nebbiolo #italy #terrellwines #valdisolewine #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @valdisole.wine

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Back To The Origin

Mas del Serral de Pepe Raventós
Ancestral
Viñya del Mas 2018
100% Xarel·lo
Natural sparkling wine
No. Bottles 1863
No disgorging, no dosage, brut nature, organic/biodynamic, vineyard work all by hand or horse
Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

Hazy yellow gold with a little sheen of green (kind of IPAish) with fine bubbles & deepens over time from the bottom up. Sniffing and it’s creamy at first like an Oreo center and later turns into a tiny drizzle of honey on top of sourdough, lovely pears (reminds me a bit of Poire Williams), white peaches, apple pie, and a light citrus blend (like Valencia oranges smooth & Mandarin). Tasting all of the scents are there…especially the pears with a twist of lemon & lime tingle/sizzle on my lips and tongue, there’s even a little Key lime pie, pinch of salt & mineral lick, and smidge of hay that fades fast. Very bright and full of life.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: just don’t

When you see Pepe’s last name you know he comes from a long line of winegrowers and the prestigious winery Raventós I Blanc (documented since 1497 & one of the oldest wine producers in the world). His grandfather Josep Maria championed the creation of DO Cava and passed the torch to Pepe’s father Manuel who was joined by Pepe who like his grandfather had a dream and withdrew from the DO Cava in favor of a being recognized for their Conca del Riu Anoia that would rise to a higher standard. To be included there would be a higher min. paid to growers, vineyards must be at least 10 yrs old, native & organic, smaller yields, and a longer time on the lees (18 month min). Pepe’s project Mas del Serral is a plot within the Raventós vineyard (Clos del Serral) where they return to the ancestral farming traditions. It brings together humans, vines, and animals living & working together in harmony to tell the story of their and their land’s origin. As he is quoted, “What I love is to taste a wine and that it takes us to the place where it was made”. ❤️🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #cava #sparklingwine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #biodynamic #Spain #raventos #masdeserral #vinewine #vinewinenyc

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Always Time For More Wine

Nicolas Carmarans
Fer De Sang 2021
VDF
100% Fer Servadou
Organic, hand harvested, unfined & unfiltered
Aveyron, France

Shining garnet with a bit of ruby depth. Let this breathe a little. Sniffing in honeysuckles & white spring blossoms that mingle with cherries, bell peppers, cayenne pepper, white pepper, a then comes plums, raspberries, and cranberries. Tasting tangy cherries, raspberries, and again that bell & white pepper, plums, cranberries, young Turkish fig, an iron lick (or if you’ve face planted after tripping over a flattened bike lane guard that the city should have replaced….a slight taste/smell of blood), blackberries, boysenberries, and red currants.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out some more assorted berries

This bottle just called out my name while I was browsing. Maybe it was the font, the name “Iron Blood” or “Iron from Blood” (my French is rusty 🤣), the fact I have never tried Fer Servadou before, or maybe it’s all three? No matter what, it brought me to learn about Nicolas and his trail from being an owner of Paris’ Café de la Nouvelle Mairie (natural wine bar), heading to beautiful & enchanting Aveyron, juggling his time between the café & starting to make wine, finally acquiring his own vineyard, and now solely focus on his vines & wine. Oh and the land had been abandoned for years and needed a heck of a lot of work to dig out, rebuild & go organic. In the end that must have been pretty satisfying to look out and know this was all his…now’s the time to make more wine, and boy is it darn delicious & elegant! Cheers and looking forward to the next Carmarans’ bottle that falls in my path. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #FerServadou #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Aveyron #redwine #France #stevengraf #nicolascarmarans #vinewine #vinewinenyc @nicolascarmarans @vinewinenyc

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When Life Brings You Smoke Make…

Matthiasson Family Vineyards
Tendu
Rosé Bubbles
Sparkling wine
Sustainable
Dunnigan Hills
Napa, CA
Winemakers & Farmers: Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson

Crack the can and it’s a rosy/orange amber pour (or you could just drink straight from the can). Sniff and everything is light & breezy with cherries, raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries, a lemon/lime spritz, and a touch of funk that fades. Kicking back and sipping and again there’s cherry, raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries, orange/lemon/lime zing & zest with a little tangelo, seltzer sparky salt, and just so bright and light.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

This perky and easily transportable sparkler came about from the Matthiasson’s ability to persist through the 2020 West Coast wildfires which caused devastation and trouble for so many and gave them a fear of smoke taint. Instead of making any reds that year, those grapes went into their rosés. A smart move and here’s to hoping in the future all those fires and smoke fade away.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #wineinacan #sparklingwine #Rosé #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineislove #winetime #organic #Napa #california #Tendu #matthiassonwine #docwinebar #docwineshop