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Something To Smile About

Domaine des Trouillères
Annolium Blanc 2021
VDF
Chardonnay 80%, Gamay d’Auvergne 20%
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested
Les Martres-de-Veyre, Auvergne, France
Winemakers: Mikaël and Camille Hyvert

Gold with a slightest touch of green. There’s scents of pears, melon with a bit of musk & light smoke that fades in and out, then dandelion flowers, light hyacinth, and a pinch of pie spice. Sipping those pears now joined with green apples, a slice of honeydew and that touch of musk/smoke again that gives some oomph, smidge of gooseberry, lime & zest tingle, and as it opens longer and longer a little green/light pink strawberry that finishes with a mineral/stainless lick.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: delicious!

Is that what I think I spy on the shelf? Yes, I’ll admit it, the label with what looks like a cave painting of a deer sucked me in (I have a thing for all things ancient). Then I asked and was told by a very reliable source that this was a wine for me, and boy was she right. Reading Mikaël and Camille’s history brings a smile that I so need right now. Blending his wine studies & experience with her being an archeologist is a perfect pairing for their winery. Also didn’t hurt they had the opportunity to meet and befriend Jean-Pierre Pradier who was ready to put his Domaine into another’s caring hands. The lands were already organic since 2009 (now certified), and had the perfect “location, location, location” of Auvergne’s ancient volcanic soils. Now all of that is fueling their natural wines. See it’s something to smile about.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #frenchwine #instawine #naturalwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #Auvergne #France #domainedestrouilleres @terrestrialwine @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Cheers To A Warmer New Year!

Dr. Lippold
Moselle Riesling Brut 2018
Organic, sustainable, hand harvested
Ürzig, Moselle, Germany
Owner & winemaker: Dr. Enno Lippold

Pale starlight with fine bubbles. Sniffing dainty lemony cream, pears, a little green grass, and toasty wheaty goodness. All those scents are there in the taste and the lemon grows and is joined by a little Lady Apple as it breathes. Clean, crisp and sparky.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: perfect!

I know we’ve all been complaining about this bone rattling cold weather…at least I have. Who would have thought that a well chilled sparkler would warm my spirits, but this delicate yet rambunctiously joyful celebration of riesling totally did the trick. Oh, and it would be really scrumptious with unagi nigiri on a cozy evening in or a festive celebration out. 🥂

Cheers to the New Year & to Dr. Lippold!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #sparklingwine #brut #instawine #naturalwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #Riesling  #Moselle #Germany #France #DrLippold @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Waiting For The Rain

Domaine du Possible
En Attendant la Pluie
Tout Bu, or not Tout Bu
VDF Rouge 2021
Grenache 70%, Mourvèdre 30%
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts
Lansac, Roussillon, France
Winemaker: Loïc Roure

Deep ruby/magenta with blue electric pops and rim. Sniffing cherry, strawberry starbursts, red Twizzlers, and blood oranges & zest that has been singed. Ooh this is yummy sipping…dark cherry, strawberries, those Twizzlers again & a cherry jolly rancher with a touch of licorice that leads to a welcome herbal bitter bite. This is so chuggable chilled or not.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: meh

I asked a friend to recommend something delicious, something with character, and boy is Loïc Roure a character. Just from his labels, you can already see he makes the best of what the world throws at him and has fun doing it. Right there in print is “En Attendant la Pluie” aka “Waiting for the Rain” which at times he’s had to do and source grapes from other vignerons/friends he respects and live up to his standards. From this blending of grapes and friends leads to “Tout Bu, or not Tout Bu” “Drank (drink) all, or not to be drunk” (from my poor translation which I’m sure is a mess) and I say double thumbs up to drinking it all. Then there’s the name “Domaine du Possible” and he’s one of those winemakers that has proven all is possible, because he wasn’t always following the vine but previously worked for Amnesty International before getting bit by the natural wine bug. And one more thing about him that makes me smile are the pics from his cellar that’s covered in rocking stencil art & marks of his love of music. He’s definitely très cool!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #redwine #frenchwine #instawine #naturalwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #Roussillon #France #DomaineduPossible #LoïcRoure #LoicRoure @louisdressnerselections @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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A Natural Find In The Park

Sagmeister
Furmint 2017
100% Furmint
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested, spontaneous fermentation
Fruška Gora, Srem (Syrmia), Serbia
Owner & winemaker: Ernő Sagmeister

Yellow with a touch of springy green. Breathing in and so light at first. There’s pear, green apple a little bit of the leaves too, mango, faint lemon, and a touch of cream. First sip and whoa this is no shrinking violet. Pineapple, guava. Light Coconut round pears, mature apples, lemon & zest & even Lemonhead candy, a sliver of oak, and a salty shake. Definitely has oomph to go along with the dry so it checks all the boxes

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Don’t even

I find it so fascinating that Sagmeister’s has vineyards growing in midst of the oldest national park in Serbia, “National Park Fruška Gora”.  Ernő’s devotion and enthusiasm for the old traditions & organic ways, along with the vines being in this “untamed area where nature rules and wild animals are often seen” (side note to my feathered friend lovers, it’s a great place for birding!) can’t help but bring him successful and unique wines. Oh, and if you’re lucky to get your hands on one of these wines, you have Steep Hill & Fearless Finds working together to thank. 💋

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #serbianwine #Serbia #fruskagora @steephillwine @antosicurezza @fearless_finds @sagmeisterwine @vinewinenyc @sagmeisterwine @cheezit

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Creative Perfect Pairing

Podere Sottoilnoce
Valtiberia 2020
Vino Bianco Frizzante
70% Trebbiano Modenese, 30% Trebbiano Di Spagna
Biodynamic, organic, indigenous yeast, minimal intervention
Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Owner & winemaker: Max Brondolo

Warm golden sunshine with tiny bubbles. Breathing in a gentle creamy vanilla start that morphs, next up are pears, green apples, a smidge of berry, and musky touch that fades on day 1 and leads to light melon, and a smidge of anise. On the tip of my tongue it’s dry, with crisp pear & apple, lemon/lime squeeze, a bit of berry, that spice/anise is still there but joyously light & fresh, and a bit of almond on the back

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh this is gooood

As I said in my previous post, Max Brondolo is a Renaissance man. Earlier in life, he had an successful and cool career in advertising/communications/digital media. I wonder how it felt to start his new life in wine which seems to be an old love. Must be exciting, freeing and satisfying to start a 2nd act by working & growing in many ways with nature…to channel and pour a new creativity into these bottled moments in time that you share with family, friends, and the world. Have to also write about the artist whose paintings grace his labels. Something about these birds just pulled me in and I went down the google rabbit hole. Denis Riva is brilliant. It has been a while that I’ve found a “new to me” artist that pulled up such emotions that I can’t even put into words what I’m feeling. Please take a look at his website. I don’t know what brought these two creatives (Max & Denis) together but they are a perfect pairing.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #Trebbiano #emiliaromagna #Italy #italianwine #terrellwines @derivadr @vinewinenyc @poderesottoilnoce @cheezit

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Meet Me Under The Walnut Tree

Podere Sottoilnoce
Franzes 2019
90% Lambrusco Grasparossa, 10% Lambrusco Sorbara
Biodynamic, organic, indigenous yeast, minimal intervention
Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Owner & winemaker: Max Brondolo

Maroon/ruby with bluish purple rims. I gave this wine 2 tries, once at 58F and next chilled. First go round and breathing in dark cherries, blackberries, earth that grows into tiny yet fragrant blossoms, and a pinch of bell pepper. Sipping cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and a bit of blueberry, a mix of bell pepper, balsamic, white pepper, olive pit that weaves back and forth in the fruit and hides at points and flirts with earth. Just light and elegant. Now chilled and starts out with very floral of blossoms, magnolia, and all scents the same as before but even more alluring. Again same with the taste…just a bit more sleek and a welcome fine tart spark. I like it better chilled…so chill it good!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out lavender and more juicy

Max Brondolo is quite the Renaissance man which I will get to in my 2nd post about another wine of his, “Valtiberia”. For now I’m just falling for his beautiful land (6 ha) that are filled with old (some abandoned) and new vines, buzzing bees, various plants & animals (including deer & pheasants) that share the neighborhood, and a stately walnut tree that gives the place its namesake. I can just imagine lying beneath and staring up through the branches, smelling a mix of the soil & greenery,  feeling a cool breeze on my face, and hearing an old very familiar Keane song stuck in my head.

“Underneath the walnut tree
Where you said you’d wait for me
And I waited a long, long time…”

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #organic #Lambrusco #emiliaromagna #Italy #keanemusic #italianwine #terrellwines @vinewinenyc @poderesottoilnoce @cheezit

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The Gentle Giant

La Araucaria
Rosado 2021
100% Listán Negro
DO Valle de La Orotava
Organic, hand harvested, cordón trenzado
La Orotava, Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Winemaker: Dolores Cabrera Fernandez

Shining 80s magenta watermelon-orange tint sunset. Scents of plums, strawberries, cherries, figs with some fresh tilled warmth of earth but not overpowering just mellow, and gentle roses & some greenery that play well with everything. Fun sip of tart plum & cherry, green strawberries, smashed blackberries & raspberries, a bit of citrus spark, and a lot of personality that also is grounded on the back in a good way with some bit of earth dark goodness. Just so fresh and very light on its feet. Like a memory of summer that in a way hasn’t ended.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmm yeah this really works

There’s a bit of “Girl Power” going on in the vines. During harvest, Dolores has a crew of women to work the vines because she thinks they have a more skilled/light hand for picking the grapes. And what a beautiful land where they work…not just that you get a chance to stare at Mount Teide, but also the artistry of their “braided cord” old vines. There’s another majestic natural sight that you’ll also notice on the label, the Araucaria tree that lives by their winery. It’s like a gentle giant that keeps watch over them, just as Dolores does with her passion for keeping the land organic and spreading the word to others to join her natural way of life.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #rosado #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Tenerife #CanaryIslands #Spain #organic #DoloresCabreraFernandez @josepastorselections @vinewinenyc @bodegalaaraucaria @dolorescabrerafernandez @cheezit

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Hands On

Finca Mas Perdut
Mà de Mas Perdut 2021
Penedés DO
Organic, stainless steel, 5 days skin contact, indigenous yeasts
50% Xarel.lo Vermell, 25% Garnatxa Blanca, 25% Macabeu
Santa Oliva, Baix Penedès, Catalonia, Spain
WInemakers: Josep Ma Rosell Gracia & Rebeca Ollé

Amber warmth. Let it breathe…a while. After giving it some space, scents of lilacs, wisteria, orange blossoms float up along with orange & zest, tangelo, earth, and a bit of memory of Yellowstone’s paint pots mixed with fresh cut grass. Sipping a mishmash of all sorts of citrus, a wedge of lime, puff of funky smoke & sprig of hay that fades, tart green apple, salt, and as it grows a back of perfume dancing on the back. Just vibrant and lively.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: ick sour

This bottle immediately got my attention with an IG post…the medical illustration of that hand! Once I fancied going down that artistic route, sigh. Turning away from dreams of past and back to the wine and this family. They’re 5th generation growers, and in 2010, Josep went down the winemaking route, later to be joined by Rebeca after these two oenologists fell in love. Grapes aren’t alone on the farm though, there’s also almonds, olives, veggies and they live off their land. Nothing like the satisfaction of growing your own food. I remember working my tail off in our crops and even as a young kid feeling some pride that I watched everything grow from seed to our table. Can only imagine the elation this couple feels after each harvest, fermentation, bottling and finally when the time is just right tasting a glass that sums up their knowledge, passion, and hand in the whole process. Must be absolutely amazing.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #whitewine #skincontact #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Penedès #Penedes #catalunya #catalonia #Spain #organic #fincamasperdut @bonvivantimports @vinewinenyc @fincamasperdut @cheezit

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When Is An Orange Really An Orange?

Matchbook Distilling Co.
Honeymoon
“Orange Wine”
Sparkling wine from Mango Oranges (via Flavors by Bhumi), with Honey, Milk Oolong & Mallorca Melon Tea
6% ABV
Greenport, NY
Owner/Distiller: Leslie Merinoff

Hazy warm golden with some spritz bubbles. Sniff and oh yes this is natural. There’s oranges with zest and later blossoms, some smoky blend of other citrus too, honeycomb, hibiscus as time goes by, and a little good funkaliciousness. Sipping a delicious orange seltzer snap with a natural vibe. It’s crisp and tingly with a bit of creamy or orange creamsicle feel, still some of that smoke/honeycomb mellowness, and just really super fresh. Make sure it’s really chilled and drink asap.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh ick no

When is an “orange wine” really an orange wine? Ok, so this isn’t what we normally think of as that good ol’ skin contact vino. Leslie of Matchbook wanted to use the”O” word on a riesling bottle, but was thwarted by govt. guidelines. Let me just quote from her, “the federal government regulators believe strongly that a drinker seeing “Riesling Orange Wine” would communicate the presence of actual oranges in said bottle of wine. And therefore, the descriptor ‘orange wine’ in the United States has been prohibited…” So when life tells you have to use oranges, don’t just make orangeade…be like Leslie and make a truly fun 🍊sparkler (pssst you can also make some snazzy cocktails with it too).

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #cocktails #naturalwine #orangewine #oranges #sparklingwine  #skincontact #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #greenport #NY #Longisland #matchbookdistilling @vinewinenyc @matchbookdistilling @cheezit

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Zingy Zippy Bubbles

Azienda Agricola Divella
Blanc de Blanc NV
Dosaggio Zero
100% Chardonnay
Méthode champenoise, organic, female run, hand harvested
Gussago, Franciacorta, Lombardy, Italy
Winemaker: Alessandra Divella

Warm golden with very active tiny bubbles. Sniff and it’s a creamy start with maybe some vanilla sprinkles, gentle brioche, apples, lemony pop, and honeycomb that reminds me of when we would get it fresh from my great grandfather’s hives. Wow now this is a zing! Citrus flying all over the first sip joined by crunchy apples with a somewhat nutty butterscotch hint, a little brioche, wild sour grass from back home tart…c’mon pucker up, and white pepper. Seriously this will wake up your mouth because it’s just darn alive, fresh and dry. As time slides by it develops into something more complex, and I can see beer drinkers that love good sours and ciders being totally all in.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: delicious. Smoothes things out

In so many photos of Alessandra, you see a set of one of her most important tools…her hands. In the vineyard, in the pressing in the cellar and throughout the whole process. Those hands nurture and bring out the best in her 2 hectares of vines that are leased, but it’s pretty apparent that she treats them with the care of a good parent. As I keep reading, regionally, she was “one of the first estates to farm organically and the first to be female-led”. That takes a lot of guts, brains and hard work, especially when you were not born into a wine family. I’m so glad she fell for the natural wine route, and has made it her deep passion because her bubbles are a beautiful present to the world.

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #naturalwine #blancdeblanc #bubbly #sparklingwine #champagne #organic #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #Chardonnay #Lombardy #Italy @super_glou @vinewinenyc @alessandra_divella @cheezit