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Float Like a Butterfly

Domaine le Roc des Anges
L’effet Papillon
Cueillette 2019
IGP Côtes Catalanes
Roussillon, France
Biodynamic, sustainable, organic
90% Grenache Blanc, 10% Macabeu
Winemaker Couple: Marjorie and Stéphane Gallet

Light refreshing straw yellow. Post opening tangerine and lemon pop out followed by pear, some salt and ginger. The pears and still here in the first sip along with tangerine, cantaloupe, and light ginger. It’s just silky smooth and fits like an elegant glove that goes all the way up your arm and has those tiny buttons that are just asking to be taken out to the ball.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes it all sooooo sweet

Marjorie and Stéphane started from different places yet both in the countryside and a love for outdoors. When they both ended up at agronomy school in Montpellier, a mutual love for horses brought them together. What better way to fall in love, but on horseback. Seriously romantic! Wine love also was thrown into the mix and it grew and after years of learning through teachers, process, curiosity, and from each other, they are now thriving at Domaine le Roc des Anges. It’s rugged northern Roussillon farming, but since they are biodynamic, it brings the best out of the grape. Isn’t it often the case that the more difficult path often produces the best in the end. It also doesn’t hurt that they gently hand harvest when it’s nice and cool. Probably about as gentle as gliding on butterfly wings.

@vinewinenyc #lerocdesanges #domainelerocdesanges #petitpoiscorp #sussexwinemerchants @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #naturalwine #GrenacheBlanc #Macabeu #Roussillon #France #igpcotescatalanes #thebutterflyeffect

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Your Home, Roots, and Origins

Kumusha
Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Wine of Origin Western Cape
Breedekloof Valley, South Africa
Sustainable, biodynamic, minimal intervention and natural fermentation
Winemaker/blender, greatly lauded sommelier, and “wine whisperer”: Tinashe Nyamudoka

Bright beautiful ruby. Wafts of cherry, plum, strawberries, and  pine needles. Drinking bright cherries, juicy strawberries and raspberries, rosemary, singed orange peel, and coffee laced chocolate. This is one darn easy drinking luscious wine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just makes the wine deeper

Tinashe Nyamudoka has one heck of a list of sommelier awards, certifications, panel memberships, wine judging positions; and then to read him modestly not calling himself a winemaker but a blender (master blender though), just wow. He may be part of the collaborative work of his brand, but either way, these wines would not exist if it were not for his experience, expertise and the true heart he puts into each one. Tinashe is originally from Zimbabwe and this is where the name Kumusha is derived. In Zimbabwean Shona it means “your home”, “your roots” or “your origins”. Well he is definitely staying true to the land and grapes roots with his creations. Tinashe, in case you happen to read this, I think I’m on my way to becoming a total fan girl of your work.

@vinewinenyc @KumushaWines @baobabwines @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #CabernetSauvignon #BreedekloofValley #SouthAfrica #WesternCape #sustainable #biodynamic #sommelier #TinasheNyamudoka

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Local Brew

Brooklyn Kura
Craft Sake
Number Fourteen
Junmai Ginjo
Namazake/Unpasteurized
Milling Rate: 50-60%
Made with New York water and rice grown in California (blend of calrose and yamada nishiki)
Brooklyn, NY
Founders Brian Polen (brewery president) and Brandon Doughan (brewer)

Crystal clear glassful. Breathe in the white flowers, cantaloupe, refreshing cucumber, and some apple (but not sure which variety which is killing me). Take a sip and there’s sweetness like an overripe cucumber, cantaloupe, and then there’s that mystery apple again. Tastes floral like it smells. It’s dainty, light, and crisp/dry and an easy sipper by itself.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes it even more sweet and robust. Weird I thought I wouldn’t like it paired but actually it’s pretty good with it.

What do you get when you bring together a New Yorker who works in analytics and tech, and a biochemist from Portland? Oh and add to that the fact that they met at a wedding in Japan. You end up with two sake drinking buddies that decide to open a small batch sake brewery in Brooklyn. Who would have thought? They’re making quite a success of it too from what I’m reading. As for reading…this is another beverage where you should definitely read the instructions on the bottle: Keep Refrigerated. Since it’s unpasteurized it needs to keep that chill, so before you put it back in the fridge, pour another glass.

@vinewinenyc @brooklynkura @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sake #craftsake #brewery #brew @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #brooklyn #ny #newyork

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A Celebration in a Glass

Alta Alella
Mirgin
Reserva Brut Nature
Rosé Cava 2017
100% Mataró (Monastrell)
Tiana, Spain (closest winery to Barcelona)
Sustainable and organic
Winemaking family: Josep Maria Pujol-Baquests and his wife Cristina Guillen

Pinky rosy salmon with teeny tiny bubbles. Lovely light floral and strawberries hitting my nose. Now for the taste and it’s strawberries, raspberries, a little grape and cherry  but foremost not very sweet, yet crisp and dry. It’s a celebration in a glass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: doesn’t really do much but bring out the berry a little more

Such a beautiful bubbly glass and a kind, wonderful gift from a friend. This cava born from the Parc Serralada de Marina is true to its organic roots, and only a short clip from Barcelona. I have no idea why I have been remiss from visiting this family run winery in my many trips, and am looking to a future where I can. I’ve had their Bruant (named for a bird in the park) in the past and am just as impressed with the rosé. Love their respect and celebration of the birds in their area which are the monicker for a select few of their bottles. Would love to be in a winery that you could wake up in the morning to these birdsongs and the lush environment that I’m always going on about, but I was raised this way. Respect nature and it will respect you back and give you a gift like this cava.

@vinewinenyc @AltaAlella @avantgardews @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #organic #biodynamic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Rosé #rose #Cava #Mataró #Monastrell #Tiana #Spain #barcelona

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Loving The Alien

Bodegas Maestro Tejero
El Marciano 2018
100% Garnacha (my favorite)
Vino de la Tierra de Castillo y León
Sierra de Gredos, Navarredondilla, Avila, Spain
Biodynamic and organic (but not certified); wild yeasts
Winemaker: Alfredo Maestro

Deep purple ruby goblet. Scents of dark flowers, deep cherry, black pepper, and sweet ripe yellow plums. First taste is a snappy cherry, orange, pepper, earthy funk, and throw in some cardamon. Sweetness yet then tangy. It’s such an interesting combo on each sip. Going from the fruit, pepper, sweet and earth and back around again. Light and fresh and young

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: more tangy earth

Alfredo Maestro is another one of those amazing self taught winemakers that I keep stumbling upon in my wine wanderings. Started out as an economist with interest in wine, so he picked up some books, started with trial and error and testing on his friends to see where it would go. The less chemicals and more natural/old school he went…the more he and his test subjects knew he was on to something. As the old saying goes…less is more. He also learned to listen to the land, the plants, and revert to an old school tractor known as a horse. So let’s talk about the label on “El Marciano” which means the Martian. The village Navarredondilla atop of Sierra de Gredos is a hot spot for checking out UFOs. According to Alfredo, he found two Martians working in his vineyard and thus the tale was born. So here’s the question, do Martians like wine? And if so have their been sightings of tipsy weaving UFOs in the area? Either way, this wine is fun and fabulous and as the David Bowie song title says, I’m “Loving The Alien”.

@vinewinenyc @alfredo_maestro @josepastorselections @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #organic #biodynamic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Garnacha #SierradeGredos #Navarredondilla #Avila #Spain #martians #ufos #AlfredoMaestro #DavidBowie

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Ancestropetnoise

Maloof Wines
‘L’Eau Epicée’ 2019
Sparkling White
50% Riesling, 30% Gewürztraminer, 20% skin-contact Gewürztraminer
Willamette Valley, Forest Grove, Oregon
Minimal Intervention, native yeast, organic
Winemakers: Bee & Ross Maloof (wife & husband)

Hazy effervescent gold with a bit of that contact orange. Sniffing and there’s floral bursts which turn to orange blossoms, orange and Orangina, some salt, a spiciness like coriander, and possibly a little grass. Tasting and yep, it’s orange, tangerine, and Orangina. It’s fizzy, crisp, and dry with salt and blossoms again and a warm spice that’s a little peppery at the end

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmm more crisp and vibrant and lemony

From what I’m reading about how the 2019, came about, I find it best to just quote Ross Maloof’s own words on David Bowler Wine’s site to get all the juicy details.

“From Ross: This one is a little bit of a doozy.  We pressed the riesling and the gewurz separately, to ferment in neutral oak. A little under half of the Gewurz was fermented in open bins on the skins until dry, then pressed off into barrels.  From there we essentially made still wine out of all of these lots.  When we pressed the riesling, we took a bunch of the must and put into 5gallon buckets and threw them in our chest freezer.  Just after the primary fermentation of the Riesling was through, we racked the wine(s) into tank.  From here, we thawed out a particular amount of the frozen must we held back at crush, threw it in the tank, stirred it all up real good, and bottled in the middle of the winter to lay down in tirage bins.  Come spring and boom, bubbles! We think this is most similar to an ancestral method, hence the back of the bottle stating “Ancestral?”  Since then, we’ve adopted a portmanteau of Champenoise, Ancestral, and Petnat… Ancestropetnoise.”

I think Ancestropetnoise is going to catch on!

@vinewinenyc @maloofwines @bowlerwine @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #champenoise #Ancestral #petnat #pétnat #organic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Riesling #Gewürztraminer #WillametteValley #ForestGrove #Oregon #MaloofWines

 

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A French Brooklyn Twist

Forthave Spirits
Marseille Amaro
Brooklyn, NY
Purchased in 2018 and just opened
Co-founders and herbal mixmasters: Daniel de la Nuez and Aaron Fox

A neat pour of dark burnt amber. Before the glass even gets near my nose pine and eucalyptus appear. Get a little closer and there’s coriander, cloves, mint, and catnip tea (yes, I drink this, it’s good for your gut). Here comes the first sip and it’s a powerful beautiful statement of pine, gingerbread, cinnamon, cloves, singed orange peel, honey and vanilla. It’s not a dessert or a holiday in a glass, but it could be a combination of both with a warm comforting feeling enveloping you, or shall I even say a hearty hug.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: blurgh! don’t do it and ruin your lovely evening

Not going to lie, when I saw the bottle and design, I knew I had to bring it home with me. Kept putting off for that special occasion to open it, and here we are still in the middle of this pandemic mess. What better time than now! Just look at that Plague Mask on the label. Our N95s are no where near that dramatic. That giant herb filled beak is not what I would want to see my GP wearing during a doc appointment. This Marseille Amaro is built off the historical recipes attributed to the Four Thieves tale, who during a plague outbreak, were stealing from the sick and dead, but had come up with a “secret” vinegar herbal concoction that kept them safe from infection by warding off the fleas. The other more plausible tale is Richard Forthave’s vinegar remedy based on botanical research. Whoever got there first, Forthave Spirits’ contemporary version, I’m sure is far more delicious and aromatic than anything from ages long ago. Absolutely love it, and glad I have many more glasses for future evenings.

@vinewinenyc @forthave_spirits @cheezits #cheezit #wine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Brooklyn #NY #NewYork #Flatbush #Bushwick #Marseille #bitter #liqueur #digestif #spirits #amaro #forthavespirits

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Beautiful Bunches of Grapes

Christina
St. Laurent 2019
Göttlesbrunn Carnuntum Austria
St. Laurent 100%
Winemaker: Christina Netzl
Organic and carbonic maceration

Dancing purplish garnet ruby. Here comes wafts of roses, and pow! cran-cherry, a little dark plum, some woodsy earth, and cola. While sipping again there’s cranberries, cherries and a jumble of juicy raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries; and also a touch of earth. Smooth velvet feel to this fun, light, and year round slightly chilled wine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Smooth and good but I think it would be better with heavily buttered popcorn, and why you ask? Because this was tasted while watching the debate.

This is my second Christina wine, and her wines are consistently wonderful due to all her care for keeping it organic and low-intervention. St. Laurent 2019, is another beautiful wine to her list, that is making me fall more in love, and I’m betting it’s due to the carbonic maceration done in their old cellar. The last one I had was her Zweigelt Rosé 2019, and you can read more about it and a very long post about her, why there’s bugs on the label, the winery, and surrounding lands at https://worldbyglass.com/lets-hear-it-for-the-bugs/.

One more thing…remember to chill this wine, but not too much like I originally did. Yep, I screwed up and therefore had to wait a while. You don’t want to have to wait to dive into this glass, do you? So just a little and you’ll be so happy!

@vinewinenyc @Weingut-Franz-Christine-Netzl @christina_netzl @jennyfrancois @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #Carnuntum #Austria #Göttlesbrunn #Zweigelt #StLaurent #ChristinaNetzl

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Chill It! Chill It Good!

Bojo do Luar
Deu Pinote 2019
Vinho Verde Region
Minho, Portugal
33% Arinto, 33% Alvarelhão, 33% Vinhāo (Wandering where that 1% is)
Organic, spontaneous fermentation with ground chestnut flowers
Project between Savio Soares and winemaker Antonio Sousa

Shining see through deep rosy chilled red. Scents of ripe cherries, plums, and lovely flowers. Delicious raspberries, strawberries, cherry tang, and of all things watermelon Jolly Rancher (my favorite Rancher). It’s juicy, fruity and perfect on this beautiful end of summer afternoon.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope…don’t even attempt putting a Cheez-It in your mouth while drinking this wine.

Very intrigued with the use of ground chestnut flowers instead of SO2 for stabilization in this unfiltered wine. I wonder, does it matter which to use, either male or female, or is it a blend of both? Whichever the answer, I’m so glad that Savio Soares and Antonio Sousa saw the potential of working in this manner. Fabulous!

@vinewinenyc #BojodoLuar #AntonioSousa @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #wine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #VinhoVerde #Minho #Portugal #Arinto #Alvarelhão #Vinhāo #AntonioSousa

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Let it Grow Free and Wild

Mathieu Apffel
Cremant de Savoie Bulles de Rouzan NV
Savoie AOP
Saint-Baldoph, Savoie, France
Jacquère
Organic, native yeast, no filtration, and has been letting the grass grow as it wants
Winemaker: Mathieu Apffel

Pale yellow with big bubbles. First thing that hits my nose is creamy vanilla, lemon, and super ripe just picked cucumber that I left growing for a tad long in the garden, so not quite a melon but fresh. Sipping and it’s a little creamy, then a citrus zing of lemon and lime, a little crisp green apple, and brioche toast. Fresh and clean and dry

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: gives it more body which is odd but good

This would be good with an Epoisses quesadilla. Yeah, I love stinky cheese. I have a fond memory of it when my S.O. was working/living in Basel and when I visited, we would sit on the balcony and devour it with bubbly and beer. Smells so funky and tastes so good. All I can say was grocery shopping there was so amazing! The array of cheeses puts NYC to shame. I miss Basel!

@vinewinenyc #MathieuApffel @louisdressnerselections @cheezits #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #SaintBaldoph #Savoie #France #Cremant #cremantdesavoie #Jacquère #Jacquere #epoisses #Basel