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Familiar Feeling

Quinta da Lixa
Escudo Real
Vinho Verde 2019
Minho, Portugal
35% Loureiro, 35% Arinto, and 30% Trajadura
Sustainable wine with an under $10 price tag
Winemaker: Carlos Teixeira
Note from winemaker: Drink Very Chilled

Very pale delicate gold with tiny little bubbles. The first breath is a bouquet of flowers, apple cider, and something creamy like vanilla, and finally honeysuckle. Here comes the taste of tangerine, lemon, orange (do I get my daily allotment of Vitamin C from this?), tangy herbal and a pinch of spice. There’s that verde bubble sizzle. It’s crisp, fresh and has a beautiful body. Let’s head down to the river with a few in the cooler and strap it in the middle inner tube. Let’s go a floating.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes it creamy and have even more body with a hint of lemon

It gives you that familiar feeling of summer that a Vinho Verde should but with more oomph, complexity and just something special. This is now my favorite ever Vinho Verde!

Let’s hit the dance floor with another Familiar Feeling: Moloko. Also for the first time dedicating a post to my S.O. who absolutely loves Vinho Verdes. This wine and song is for you!

@vinewinenyc @quintadalixa @skurnikwines @harmon.skurnik.wines @cheezits #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits  #cheezit #vinewinenyc @worldbyglass #vinhoverde #minho #portugal #Loureiro #Arinto #Trajadura #moloko #roisinmurphy

 

 

 

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Falling for a Renegade

Folias de Baco
Uivo PT Nat Renegado Bruto 2019
A blend of more than 20 different red and white indegenous and old vine varieties (wow!!! 20+?)
Methode Ancestral
Alijó, Duoro, Portugal
Wild yeast, unfined and unfiltered, vegan-friendly
Winemaker: Tiago Sampaio

Raspberry deep rose pink or a dark cosmo color with delightful fizzy bubbles. Inhaling strawberries and they lean back into raspberries, mineral, and some weird smoothness figuring it out. Sipping those same raspberries, strawberries, and hello… cranberry. It’s tart and dry but still there’s a hint of twizzler. Wait that’s that smoothness I couldn’t figure out. The smell when you open a Twizzler pack, and then the taste when you first take a bite, yet it fades when the Pét-Nat tingle tart hits you again.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: the fruit goes deep and dark and even more dry

Been reading about how Tiago Sampaio, ended up in wine. Yes, he had the tradition that many do of growing up in a family of farming and vineyards, but it grew past that. This young man left Portugal for Oregon State’s Viticulture and Oenology PhD program. For those of you familiar with Oregon State, know what this means…this howling wolf was first a beaver. If you’re not acquainted with Benny, here’s a little clip.

@vinewinenyc @foliasdebaco @tiagosampaio_winemaker @saviosoaresselections @saviosselections @cheezits #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits  #cheezit #vinewinenyc @worldbyglass #petnat #Alijó #Duoro #Portugal #methodeancestrale #tiagosampaio #uivo

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The Strength Within

Ruth Lewandowski
Boaz 2017
a Zero cuvée
Carignan 81%, Grenache 11%, Cabernet Sauvignon 8%
Old vines, organic, unfined and unfiltered
Testa Vineyard in Mendocino County, CA
Produced and Bottled in Salt Lake City, Utah
Winemaker: Evan Lewandowski

Color is a dark ruby garnet and when I uncorked it my hand touched the bottom of the cork, my hand looked like someone had melted a purple crayon. Also definitely unfiltered. Sniffing tart cherries, small flowers, and vanilla that may even be a vanilla cola. First sip is again tart cherries and acid. Rustic and rough around the edges in a natural good way. Very fresh yet the longer it breaths plums grow, raspberries pop out, and the longer you wait the more smooth yet still tart creeps in. It’s full body but light enough to be enjoyed on this hot day. The name Boaz which means “strength is within him” in Hebrew fits this wine. It’s strong, stays sturdy, and stands up over time.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: tones back the acid

I’m a big fan of Lewandowski wines, and of Evan’s interesting pick of using the book of Ruth to name his winery and this wine. Ruth has always been a favorite of mine. She’s a smart, strong woman that also protects her own. Watched “Black is King” on opening weekend and you have to give it to Beyoncé, she is that strong, protective, positive woman, that is a force of nature. For me, her song “Bigger” really speaks to this wine in that same Ruth way. Hoping before I post this, they will release the official video. Until then, this edit from Lion King will have to suffice.

@vinewinenyc @RuthLewandowskiWines @evanlewski @zevrovineselections #zevrovineselections @cheezits #wine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #vinewinenyc @worldbyglass #Carignan #Grenache #CabernetSauvignon #mendocino #saltlake #Utah #RuthLewandowski #beyonce