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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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Applying Natural Science

Adega do Vimbio
O Acordo 2019
“Viños Ferales”
Sousón & Caíño
As sustainable as possible, hand harvested, unfiltered, no sulfur
Goian, Tomiño (Pontevedra) Galicia, Spain
Winemakering couple: Martin Crusat and Patricia Elola

Bright ruby stained glass with magenta pops. First sniff and there’s earthy funk that will fade and blend into raspberries, strawberries, a little cream, and white and black pepper. Going in for the first sip and mmm tingle tangle sizzle with a sprig of hay, lemon spritz in a raspberry cranberry cherry juice cocktail with a lick of jolly rancher, strawberry, boysenberry, chewing wild sour grass juicy tang, and sprinkle of salt. So fresh, happy, crunchy and luscious all at the same time. Hey! Listen up all y’all fruited beer lovers, you’re going to want this bottle.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: more fruity but nah

Wine with a biologist and environmental studies background. That is a recipe for natural perfection. The vineyards/summer home all started with Martin’s father Tito and his dreams. Years later Martin and Patricia returned from a whole other life abroad to join in on the wine and apply their science and environmental knowledge. They’re now sustainable, bio, more actual “hands on” with the earth & vines, but in the cellar more “hands off”, and taking the whole environment into consideration. All of this pure dedication brought about their signature Vimbio wine, and now their “Viños Ferales” that do not bother with “DO” restrictions which as you can see has a wild delicious outcome! 🍷

#wine #naturalwine #winetasting #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Sousón #Souson #Caíño #Caíno #Galicia #Spain  #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram @adegadovimbio @josepastorselections @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Nothing Added Nothing Taken Away

Cantina Cantina
Sandpaintings Rosé Pet Nat 2020
Syrah Pét-Nat Rosé
100% Syrah
Sustainably farmed, hand harvested, unfiltered, native yeasts
Vineyard: Jackson Farm, North Fork of Long Island AVA, NY

Coppery blush and a fine foam almost beer-like or sea foam. Nose tickling bubbly with scents of cran-straw-raspberry, sea breeze & seltzer, and a floating whiff of ginger beer or bread. Now this is a glass of sunshine happiness! Sipping raspberry, strawberry, lemon, sumac, oh also a fresh lemon tart, the tiniest bite off of a Jelly Baby (Would you care for one? My police box is just around the corner.), and salt. Crisp and dry, and hey wait there’s a hint of ginger kick on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: meh, it’s a non-committal partner

Hands down, this is my favorite wine/Pét-Nat I’ve ever had from North Fork. As it says on the bottle “Nothing added Nothing taken away”, they just want the wine to represent the vineyard they’re rooted in and keep them as natural as possible. BTW Cantina Cantina also makes beer and co-ferments like their “Praise Both” a farmhouse ale/pressed riesling mashup which is getting raves from all I’m reading. I think I’ll be heading down this hybrid trail soon.

#wine #winetasting #vino #vin #winelife #葡萄酒 #ワイン #petnat #PétNat #cantinacantina #rose #rosé #sparklingwine #beer #cheezit #northfork #LongIsland #NY @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #winestagram #sandpaintings @cheezit @vinewinenyc @cantina_cantina_