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Zing, Pow, Pop!

Amós Bañeres
Hey! 2019
DO Penedès
60% Macabeu, 40% Xarel·lo
Biodynamic, hand harvested, native yeasts
Penedès, Spain
Winemaker: Amós Bañeres

Warm dark golden that shifts to orange skin-contact. Whiffs of apples, pears, and something herbal like fresh cuttings of Italian parsley…or as it opens more like an apple twig freshly stripped of its bark. Keep going and there’s lime zest and wet granite blended with light spring plum blossoms. First sip is a zing, pow pop! Crisp sharp apples and pears (green Anjou) rush in with lime and a little of Christmas kumquat coming from my days as a little kid anxiously awaiting to see what would be in my stocking the next morning. Also fresh from the garden cut/shaved Kirby cukes. Man, is this fresh and tart and just making me crave crispy thin southern bacon and mortadella (but when am I not).
 
Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NO YUCK!

Whenever I read that someone has a chance to make a jump to a second act, it makes me smile. Amós got that opportunity to leave behind his life as a pharmacist in Barcelona to return home and pick up where his grandfather left off in the vines. Must feel so good to reconnect with nature and have bottles that capture that “moment in time”…that you can share with your friends, family and even he world.

#wine #naturalwine #winelover #spanishwine #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Penedès #Penedes #Spain #cheezit #organic #biodynamic #Macabeu #Xarello @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram @amosbaneresvinyero @soilairselection @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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A Little Birdie Told Me To Give This A Try

Domaine Brana
Ilori ‘Les Jonquilles’ Blanc 2016
Irouléguy AOC
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng & Petit Courbu
Biodiversity, HVE level 3 certified (and that means a lot)
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Irouléguy, France
Spirits and winemaking family: Jean and Martine Brana (brother and sister)

Spring flower (daffodil) yellow with a green glimmer. Oh this is lovely. Breathing in pears, musky honeydew but the musk fades and honeydew is still hanging around, just rained on sidewalk/concrete ( I love that smell), a light citrus blend, and pineapple. Sipping and here’s those pears again, honeysuckle nectar, pineapple, a tiny citrus (grapefruit) back pop, and it’s a glass of grace and joyous laughter all at once.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: eh…why ruin a good thing

At Domaine Brana, it’s not just wine but spirits too. Jean and Martine’s father, Etienne, first planted their pear orchard back in the 70s, and embarked on setting up a distillery. By the 80s, he saw the potential in this gorgeous steep diverse terroir to plant vines and a build a winery. Sadly Etienne passed in 1992, and his wife and children carried on his dream. I love their passion for nature and biodiversity, and putting in all the hard work to be HVE level 3 certified. With their 110 nesting boxes, they’ve brought back birds (and buggies) that hadn’t been seen in the area for ages. You can find these feathered friends gracing some of their labels too (just not this 2016).

#wine #naturalwine #whitewine #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #eaudevie #spirits #Irouléguy #irouleguy #France @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram @brana_officiel @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Loving the Flip Side

Face B
Pif Paf
Brut Nature NV
Blanquette de Limoux AOP
Mauzac  & Chenin Blanc
Organic, hand harvested, Méthode Champenoise, bottle aged for 18 months
Calce, Roussillon, France
Winemaker: Séverin Barioz 

Pale pretty yellow. Ooh breathing in sweet wisteria, magnolias, honeysuckle, apples, and creamy mellow pears. Those apples and pears reappear in taste and also a creamy feel. Next comes some honey but not overly sweet because there’s fresh crisp citrus bits with a little hazelnut, and grass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: it’s an ideal pairing

From what I’m seeing the name Face B comes from the B-side of a single. You remember those…right? Well, can you believe the Smith’s “How Soon is Now” was a B-side? Seriously, it was on the back of “William, It Was Really Nothing” in 1984. See just because it’s the flip side, doesn’t mean it’s 2nd tier. Just like this bottle of bubbly give it a chance and you’ll find that your “B” is really an “A”.

#wine #naturalwine #winelife #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Mauzac #CheninBlanc #Calce #Roussillon #France @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #thesmiths #methodechampenoise #facebcalce @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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A Golden Island Cocktail

Vinícola Taro
Blanco 2019
Malvasía
DO Lanzarote
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts
Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
Winemaker: Pablo Matallana
Label artist: Carlos Matallana

Pure spun gold. First sniff and something a little wild jumps out to say “hello!”, then follows singed brioche, smoky goodness along with a citrus blend w an IPA grapefruit floating in and out and after time warm honey follows…also some freshly rained on concrete and a salty breeze (yeah it really does, I’m not quoting a cheesy greeting card). Drinking a cocktail of orange, tangerine, and lemon with an IPA twist, melon, pears and apples, serious smoke as time goes by with a kiss of salt, and a granite/mineral (volcanic soil fed) lick. This is crisp yet complex and damn wonderful!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: digging it!

As much as I love this bottle, just looking at it and all I can think is of La Palma’s volcano which is causing evacuations, destruction and terrible air quality. I know Vinícola Taro is from Lanzarote which is fortunately one of the eldest islands (technically dormant) and placed far enough away that so far they are currently safe, but according to El Pais is eventually (far, far in the future) “destined to sink under the effects of erosion”. If you are interested in the birth of the Canary Islands, their growth, and what is currently happening, check out their very informative article/infographics.

#wine #naturalwine #winelife #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Malvasía #Lanzarote #CanaryIslands #Spain #cheezit @worldbyglass @el_pais #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #PabloMatallana @matallana_man @taro.vinicola @matallana.pablo @josepastorselections @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Gravity’s Pull

Nicolas Arnou
Chouette! 2020
VDF
100% Chenin Blanc
Organic, natural wine, no filtration or pumps, gravity cellar, and following lunar patterns
Les Champ-sur-Layon, Pays de la Loire, France

Deep gold warmth. Scents of apples, oranges, pops of hay, all spice, hazelnut hints, and honeycomb (my great-grandfather was a beekeeper and oh how I love those bees…nothing like chewing the comb). There’s also an underlying funk that fades. First sip and dang that’s natural! Here comes hay, apples, apricots, green pluots, orangina and a light taste of circus peanuts…hmmm. Just lively moon-dappled vibrance!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmmmm crisp

Turning from the life of an electronics engineer to winemaker, now that’s a nice career change. Nicolas definitely doesn’t have bats in the belfry, but he sure does in the cellar. When he took on his 10 hectares of vineyards (part of Domaine de la Raimbaudières) there was also an old 3 level gravity cellar housing his new bio beneficial friends. More new buddies can be found inhabiting (and assisting in) the organic grounds from the small ladybugs to the haunting owl on the label. So, I have to say this is a first for me, another of Nicolas’ wines “Le Canon à moutons” makes an appearance in a comic book (“Sauvages!!!”). Ok, this isn’t like L&R or Deadpool, but the artist Otto T. depicts Thomas Ferrand collecting wild edible wonderments and what is better to pair with a foraged finds menu than natural wine? 🥂

#wine #naturalwine #winelife #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #CheninBlanc #Loire #France #cheezit #organic #owls #Chouette #bats #loveandrockets #deadpool @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #nicolasarnou @terrestrialwine @nicolasarnou @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Grooving Into Fall

Jauma
Disco Special 2020
Grenache Noir & Shiraz
Grapes sourced from McLaren Vale
Organic, indigenous yeasts, unfined & unfiltered
Winery: Lenswood, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Owner & winemaker: James Erskine; Farmer: Fiona Wood

Maroon-violet chilled beauty. Pop the cap, pour, and a whiff of Oreo cream center heads out followed by pine needles, juicy plums, cherries, blueberries, and a little natural funk on day one that blends out to a dark foresty fairyland. Ok, so here’s all the flavors that are dancing and grooving around in my mouth. There’s cherry, forest floor and pine needles, citrus peel (mixed bag), blueberry, blackberries, a big boom of raspberries, boysenberries, tart plums, dried brown figs, and moroccan dry cured olives. Just juicy delicious but a dry bit at the back and has me craving salami and of all things onion rings. Perfect easy drinker to slide into Fall.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Smooth and bright

Hmmm what music pairs up with “Disco Special”? My first thought was Blondie’s “Heart of Glass”, but the more I sipped, nope…It’s Faithless or rather Maxi Jazz. Needle is dropped on “God Is A DJ”.

This is my church

This is where I heal my hurts

It’s in natural grace

Or watching young life shape

It’s in minor keys

Solutions and remedies

Enemies becoming friends

When bitterness ends

This is my church

This is my church

This is my church

This is my church

This is where I heal my hurts

It’s in the world I’ve become

Contained in the hum

Between voice and drum

It’s in the change

The poetic justice of cause and effect

Respect, love, compassion

This is my church

This is where I heal my hurts

For tonight

God is a DJ

For tonight

God is a DJ

This is my church

#wine #naturalwine #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic #Grenache #Shiraz #Australia #winelover #winetasting @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram @jaumawines @tessbryant.wine @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Could Become a Delicious Hoarding Situation

Oltretorrente
Timorasso 2019
Colli Tortonesi DOC
Organic, hand harvested
Paderna (AL), Italy
Winemakers: Chiara Penati and Michele Conoscente

Pale twinkle twinkle starlight. Breezing out are pears, peaches, wet granite, and a basketful of spring orchard blossoms and a little honeysuckle buzzing by.First sip and wow there’s a lot going on here so give me a second to sort it all out. Luscious ripe pears and peaches, apricot (fresh and dried), and mango. Delightfully creamy! Next there’s salt, honeysuckle nectar (don’t eat any other part of the plant unless you know it is not toxic!), a sprig of grass…just a clipping, and a teeny tiny squish of lime hanging out. It’s elegant and very refined, and like a beautiful dream you don’t want to end, so I ran back to the store today and picked up two more bottles. Hoping this doesn’t become a hoarding situation.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nope, ruins the elegance

Restoration, elevation, and celebration of the old, that’s what Chiara Penati and Michele Conoscente embarked on back in 2010 starting their venture/adventure in Paderna. They started with 1.5 hectares and have expanded over the years with old vines ranging from 100 to 15 years old. It’s exciting to know I’m drinking something that has deep roots physically and emotionally. For some reason that feeling started before I even bought the bottle. That badger kept staring at me from the store shelf. I left it behind many times, but for some reason it felt so familiar and finally brought him home. (Side note: I ❤️ badgers! They are so cute and feisty!) Well, lo and behold, now I know why…this little critter was illustrated by Lorenzo Gritti. He’s illustrated works for Bloomberg, NY Times, New Yorker, NPR and many more and if you want to admire more of his art check it out here.

#wine #naturalwine #winelife #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Timorasso #Paderna #Italy #Piedmont #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #Oltretorrente #bowlerwine @hellogritti @Oltretorrente @bowlerwine @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Elbow Grease Guarantee

Julie Karsten
Métaphysique des Cuves 2019
AOP Côtes du Rhône
Grenache, syrah, cinsault
Organic
Castillon-du-Gard, France

Deep dark rubylicious. Plum and cherry scents weave their way out followed by something a little buttercream frosting that blends in citrus and cedar. Slowly sipping those cherries and plums again along with prunes, Fig Newtons, raspberries, cranberries, tangerine and orange peels, and a mixed bag of spice like cloves, anise, cardamon and more. This is going to be a beautiful binge worthy paring. Yeah, I’ll admit, I’m finally getting around to watching all of “The Closer” and this is a wine I could see Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson pouring post case. “Yoohooooo! Please pass me those chocolates. Thank yooouu, thank you so much!”

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out a lot of dried fruit like raisins, prunes, and blueberries and also pine sap. I like it better without but I have to admit “with” is quite fun

Julie’s wines come with an “elbow grease guarantee” and “100% happy vines”. Just take a gander at her IG account for proof. Alert roses stand guard at the end of the rows. There’s also all sorts of critters enjoying and roaming the fields and farm from spiders, snakes (and their skins), toads, sheep, praying mantis, a beautiful black cat, dogs, and a majestic horse. Her passion for her “living soil for living wines” is all there captured in perfect snapshots of “work in progress” from vine to cellar. 📸

#wine #naturalwine #winetasting #perfectpairing #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Grenache #syrah #cinsault #CôtesduRhône #CotesduRhone #France #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram @julie.karsten @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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It Don’t Mean A Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing!

Domaine des Terres Dorées
FRV 100
Sparkling Gamay Semi-Dry Rosé NV
Organic, sustainable, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, méthode ancestrale
Charnay, France
Owner and winemaker: Jean-Paul Brun

Electric rose colored glasses with fine white bubbles. Nose tickling light pops of raspberries, strawberries and clean fresh breeze. Raspberries tumble out first on my tongue quickly followed by strawberries (fresh and preserves), a little cherry juice, and in the back there’s a tiny bit of dark plums that fade and blend back in with this fruited cocktail. Thankfully it’s off-dry, so the sweet is just right and doesn’t hit you over the head with a mallet. Fun and fresh and delightful and has me craving goat cheese or even a spicy pimento cheese sandwich which we all know needs to be made on Sunbeam bread.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: whoa it deliciously works

Just check out the sparkly label and it spells out what is in this bottle: Finese, Funny, Rebelle, Rire, Veritas, Vinification d’Art, Sans Mentir, a splash of Fellini, and much more. After your first glass you’ll want to smooch Jean-Paul Brun firmly on the lips. His Gamays just sing and this one has that jazzy “swing”! Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah!

#wine #TerresDorées #terresdorees #sparklingwine #Rosé #bubbly #rose #jeanpaulbrun #gamay #FRV100 #Charnay #France #ladygaga #tonybennett #jazz #naturalwine #winetasting #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram @louisdressnerselections @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Well Designed Enchantment

Il Censo
Praruar 2017
IGT Terre Siciliane Bianca
100% Catarratto
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, unfined & unfiltered
Bivona (near Palazzo Adriano [where Cinema Paradiso was filmed]), Sicily, Italy
Owners: Gaetano & Nicoletta Gargano
Winemaker, architect, & artistic creative behind the label: Giampiero Bea

Deep skin contact orange copper. There’s scents of a warm baking spice, oranges and peel, apples, apricots and a nutty almondness. Tasting orange peel and  blossoms, honey, puff of smoke, apricots fresh and dried, lemon, nectarines, Mom’s baked apples, ginger sprinkle, Marcona almonds, a smidge of dried sage and this glass has a smooth depth that I’m going to slow down, linger and let the flavors build.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: nice and smooth

I stared at this beautifully designed label for some time, not knowing what to truly expect, since I’ve had a few Catarratto wines this summer and each is so unique. Some flirt, others leave me wondering and this one leaves me enchanted. Il Censo is one of those stories that an old (some would say ancient) family property was rejuvenated, there’s some replanting, and loving it back to organic life. All it makes me want to do is listen to the stories from this historic estate. What were the tenants of old like? What historic architecture still stands? What was the one moment when Gaetano and Nicoletta knew this is it…it’s time to leave banking and return to the vines? I could go on all night, but I’ll stop. If I’m lucky, maybe one day someone will join me at the table, share a bottle and reveal the tales of long ago.

#wine #winelover #orangewine #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #cataratto #pairswithcheezits #winetasting #winestagram #Bivona #Sicily #Italy #igt #GiampieroBea #gaetanogargano #ilcenso #madrosewine  @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit