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When Dão Happens

Freire Lobo
Sardanita 2022
Pét-Nat
Encruzado, Bical, Fernão Pires, Barcelo, Cerceal & Malvasia Fina
Organic, hand harvested, natural fertilizer from Bordeleira sheep
Oliveira do Hospital, Dão, Portugal
Owner, winemaker & very resilient: Elisa Freire Lobo

Yellow hazy gold with a shimmer of green and very active fine bubbles. BTW take care when opening. It can be a bit explosive. Now it’s time to relax and give this glass a sniff. There’s honeydew, cantaloupe & other white melons, pears, a lemon/lime spritz, Golden Delicious apples along with baking spices, a salty breeze, and also a lovely creaminess. Now onto the taste filled with a citrus blend of lemon, lime, & kumquats, white pepper, persimmon, fresh honeycomb, and salt. So crisp & alive that’s leaving a tingling vibration on my lips.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: crisp and fresh

As it says on Freire Lobo’s site, “When Dão Happens!” Well it’s been a tale of ups & downs & then back up again. Elisa is the first female winemaker of the region, and getting there took studies, working in wineries in other regions, and finally back full circle to her parents land in Dão where she knew to make her wine great she needed to take it back to a more natural/organic past. Then in 2017, the nightmare happened of losing half of her vineyards to the blasted fires that break my heart. She was resilient, and plowed on with what was left. Maybe it wasn’t the original plan but you work with what you have, and what she has created or let nature create is wonderful. Would this pet-nat have existed without this upheaval? I don’t know, but I do know I love it. Thank you for finding a solution or a way to forge forward, continue to naturally grow, and “take it to the next level.”

wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #petnat #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Dao #portugal #fleetstreetwine  #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @fleetstreetwine @vinewinenyc @freire_lobo_wines

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It’s All About The Altitude

Vinsnus
SiurAlta
Morat 2017
Monsant DO
Syrah 90%, Viogner 10%
Biodynamic, as little of intervention as possible, native yeasts
Cornudella de Montsant, Tarragona, Spain
Alfredo Arribas

Deep ruby maroon purple pour. Breathing in dark plums & cherries, pomegranate with a funky depth, and a light sprinkle of cinnamon,  allspice and I think a little black pepper. Sipping and thankfully the funk has danced it’s way out the building, again those plums, cherries, pomegranate & a splash of raspbluecranberry with a bit of blackberry & orange zest (adding a splash of tart) thrown in, and at last a grind of black pepper.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: gives it a bit of more tart sizzle

Alfredo Arribas is one busy bee. Where do I even start…he’s an architect, a designer, and also a winemaker (from what I’ve heard this artistic/natural nurturing urge came from time spent in his youth with his winemaking grandfather). In 2001, he purchased Clos del Portal in Priorat. (I encountered a glass of their Somni back in 2016 at La Vinya del Senyor on a wonderful trip to Spain. Delicious!) Now he has his hands in vineyards from Priorat & Monsant with a differing lines/labels, and his Vinsnus wines are where he gets to let his natural creativity & experimentation roam free. SiurAlta is all about the altitude (780 m for these grapes), embracing nature, less is more, and as he says, “Looking back, walking forward”. 🍷

wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Montsant #Spain #SiurAlta #Forevertedward #Vinsnus #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @tedward_ws @vinewinenyc @vinsnus

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Hidden Treasures

Domaine L&C Poitout
A.O.C. Bourgogne Blanc 2021
Chardonnay
Organic, HVE since 2018, hand harvested, keeping it as natural as possible
Burgundy, France
Louis and Catherine Poitout

Straw yellow golden with a green pop. Sniff and there’s easy going apples & pears with a touch of cream, honeydew & a little cantaloupe, orchard blossoms, a salty shake, and a spice I know but my brain is not working…maybe nutmeg…yeah it’s nutmeg. All of the scents are there with a citrus squish of lemon, lime, grapefruit, a little tangerine, and a refreshing bit of summer ripe cucumbers…all in all very clean and bright.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NO!

I ❤️ stories like Louis and Catherine’s. Childhood friends with family histories in vines & wine, who fall in love, grow together, leave the nest only later to return to Chablis & join their inherited plots to create their own winery…or as they say on their site, they’re “two destinies” growing as one. So it’s not only their tale of romance for each other but also their passion for their lands & vineyards. They also bought another parcel in 2012, that came with a bit of a surprise. After some pruning and investigating they realized (and verified) these were own-rooted vines and possibly 150-200 years old, and due to the soil are phylloxera resistant. Now that is quite a cool hidden treasure to find!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #Chardonnay #Burgundy #winetime #organic #naturalwine #Chablis #Bourgogne #France #vinotasselections #lcpoitout #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @vinotasselections @vinewinenyc @lc_poitout_officiel

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Frisky Mayhem

Karim Vionnet
Grabuge!
Gamay
Méthode Aromatique Demi-Sec
Sustainable, hard harvested, native yeasts
Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais, France

Magenta orange tinged sunrise with very fine & active bubbles tracing Rorschach tests on the surface. Scents float up of cherries, blueberries, raspberries, a sprig of hay that heads out the door, slams it hard & will not be heard of again, light touch of cream, and as it opens a small spritz of lemon/lime. Sipping and oh this is delicious! There’s full on raspberry, blueberries & ripe strawberries, a cherry or two, honeysuckle that grows as it opens, and a little light lemon tang on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out even more berries

With a name that means mayhem and chaos, I had no idea what I was getting into but hey I just had to give it a go, and if it explodes on me, I have the steam mop ready. Then I read Karim is an AC/DC fan, known to use some colorful language, and has “a weakness for beer”, so wondered if this was going to be like a framboise lambic. As much as I love a good framboise…this is so much better & no frothing fountains to clean up! So all you beer lovers (yes, Joe I’m thinking of you & Rhea) out there, give this gamay bubbly a try, and if your S.O. is a wine lover…it might even spark a perfect frisky date night because this is one exuberant bottle of delight. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #bubbly #sparklingwine #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #naturalwine #beer #framboise #datenight #Beaujolais #France #karimvionnet #regalwineimports #vinewine #vinewinenyc @cheezit @regal_wine @vinewinenyc @domaine_karimvionnet

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History, Heritage & Horses

Casa Cadaval
Padre Pedro 2019
Tejo DO
Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro
Organic (certified in 2020), hand harvested, vegan
Muge, Portugal
Owned since 1648 by the Álvares Pereira de Mello family
Current generation: Teresa Schönborn, Countess of Schönborn and Wiesentheid

Stained glass ruby. Give this glass some space to breathe (and later a steak or blood sausage). Scents grow of cherries fresh & dried, plums, dark raisins, cranberry, a little cola, oil cured olive pits, and a light earthy that turns into a toasty goodness. Tasting and all of the scents are heightened and more dry, blend of cranblueraspberry with a tiny fig dropped in, orange & peel, balsamic reduction, and a spice slow burn on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: smooth

Had no idea how much centuries of history was going to be in this bottle when I grabbed it from the under $20 shelf. There’s a lineage of royalty, patrons of the arts, 5 generations of women at the helm, the vast varying territory including the vineyards, a bird sanctuary, cork trees, and the list goes on. Of course, the one thing that truly stands out to me (other than the fab wine) are their noble & majestic  Lusitano horses, that have been linked to the estate since the 1600s. What an amazing ability to get to raise and grow with these historic (lineage of this breed can be traced to the early neolithic) spirits. Horses also can be such a source of comfort, and in my case during my youth when things were not bright they pulled me out into the sun. There’s nothing like that contact & connect where your ride as one. 🐎 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #redwine #winetasting #redwine #winetime #organic #portugal #naturalwine #winesofportugal #lusitano #horse #vosselections #CasaCadaval #vinewine #vinewinenyc @vinewinenyc @casacadavalmuge @vosselections

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Pairs with Fosse

Weingut Wurzinger 
Früg Orange 2022
Grüner Veltliner 70%, Roter Traminer 30%
Organic
Tadten, Burgenland, Austria
Owners & winemakers: Josef & Pia Wurzinger

Shining rose gold just like my great-great-great grandmother’s ring I still have. Breathing in tangelo, lemon & lime, a salty breeze with a little aromatic white pepper, crisp apples, roses and a touch of good old wisteria, peaches, and fresh rained on slate. Sipping away and all the scents are in the taste with more peach, orange rind, lovely pears & apples, and in the back a little fresh cut grass with puff of smoke & mineral lick. This is delicious and very easy to drink so call a friend or two to join in because it’s a whole liter.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: so perfectly smooth

Ok maybe I’m just not that cool, but I had never heard of the 60’s dance called the Frug. Massive thank you to Weingut Wurzinger and Jenny & Francois for leading me down a YouTube rabbit hole. It’s a hip shaking stylish groove that if done right can make you look pretty suave & mod (in my case probably looks more like Elaine from Seinfeld dancing). When I first saw Fosse’s, “The Rich Man’s Frug”,  I have to admit the first thing that popped into my head was the courtship maneuvers of the Hooded Grebe 🤣. Please check out these two videos and definitely grab a liter to start your dance party right. 🪩💃🕺

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #organic #naturalwine #worldbyglass #winelover #austria #winetime #orangewine #letsdance #fosse #Früg #frug @weingutwurzinger @JennyandFrancois @docwineshop @docwinebar

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Bubbling Romance

Château de Minière
Bulles de Minière
100% Cabernet Franc
Sparkling Red Wine
Organic Agriculture Ecocert, HVE
Bourgueil, Loire Valley, France
Kathleen Van den Berghe & Sigurd Mareels

Deep maroon purple with pretty in pink bubbles. At first sniff there’a a bit of creaminess (kind of Oreo center) followed quickly by raspberries, fresh picked pink & red strawberries, boysenberries, spring house mineral fresh, cherries, tiny tarty plum, and after a bit a bouquet of spring flowers pop up. Sipping raspberries, blackberries & seeds, blueberries, strawberries, dried cherry & cranberry, a touch of lemon spark in the back and a crisp end. This bubbly is pure romance, so go ahead and shoot that arrow…through my heart!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out a bigger depth of berries

Well, this is truly a bottle of romance…after honeymooning Kathleen & Sigurd (originally from Belgium) began searching for a vineyard to call their own. Once they saw Château de Minière, well just take a look at the site for yourself, the home and grounds are just gorgeous (it’s like living in a fairytale setting), and has centuries of history with women at the helm of the manor. Kathleen has joined that line, not only with rejuvenating the castle while keeping it true to its historic roots, but also tending to the environment and all that resides in it. Even with the organic & biodynamic you would expect for the vines, there’s also a LPO bird sanctuary, bee hives, rainwater recovery, and more. Oh and not to be forgotten, “Careful thought has been given to the bottling of the wine, for instance: lightweight bottles, unbleached cardboard, strict traceability of corks, nothing is left to chance.” What started out in my mind as a bottle of romance, I now see as a beautiful passionate labor of love. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #organic #naturalwine #worldbyglass #winelover #winetime #sparklingwine #bubbly #loirevalleywines #loirevalley #France @cheezit  @chateaudeminiere @communalbrands @docwineshop @docwinebar

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A Romantic Character

Cantina Valle Isarco (Kellerei Eisacktal)
Grüner Veltliner 2021
Alto Adlige Valle Isarco DOC
Chiusa, Italy
Co-op with 135 members
Enologist: Hannes Munter; Agronomist: Alexander Damiani

Yellow golden green starlight. Breathing in delightful peaches, pears, green apples, a breeze of grapefruit, bell peppers, honeydew, winter melon, and a few blades of fresh cut grass. It’s a bit of a steamy night here so it’s a welcome refreshing sip of peach, pear, apple, again that grapefruit drop & melon along with cool cucumbers. This glass is just begging for a dozen  oysters.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out the crisp

Oh this wine co-op resides in such a perfect setting. Valle Isarco’s steep verdant vineyards is just so naturally breathtaking and beneficial. As they say, “In these winegrowing areas, the northernmost in Italy, where glaciers meet the gentle rolling hills of the Mediterranean, vines have been grown for centuries producing wines of great character. Thanks to variety in soils, cultivation areas and sunlight exposures, as well as to the particular microclimate, each vineyard develops a personality and special character of its own.” There’s another “character” I have to point out…the town of Chiusa (Klausen). Its tiny streets are wedged between colorfully painted medieval looking buildings that are varying to the point of a pastel rainbow and make me feel like I’ve dropped into a period piece flick. It’s a vision of sheer romance; and I can only imagine how much that is heightened with their Christmas Market where you’ll walk by candlelight & strands of holiday lights, sip mulled wine, and maybe even run into a night watchman.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #instawine #worldbyglass #winetime #chiusa #Italy #valleisarco #kellereieisacktal #altoadigewines #GrünerVeltliner #GrunerVeltliner #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @cheezit @cantina_valleisarco @liber.selections @docwineshop @docwinebar

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Making My Day!

La Battagliola
Gran Pignoletto DOC Millesimato
2021
Spumante Brut
100% Pignoletto
Sustainably produced
Piumazzo, Emilia Romagna, Italy
Owner & wine family: Alberto Salvadori and his children (Beatrice & Tommaso)

Deep gold (kind of the color of an IPA/lager not hazy blend that my friend Bob orders at The Gutter) with active bubbles tracing continents on the top. Breathing in and it starts off with a vanilla puff on the first pop that turns into memories of Mom’s pineapple meringue pie, firm pears, golden delicious apples that as it lingers takes on a little caramelization, teeny tiny lemon tingle, and old time Texas toast that goes brioche. Going in for the sip and again there’s pears, my favorite apples with that crunch, sliver of pineapple & a little of it grilled, a tiny drop of honeysuckle in the back with a bit of lemon sizzle that happily grows to a perfect balance, and a touch of that toast reappears here and there.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: good but better without

I just love learning how people end up living the life of the vine, but I will admit sometimes I am a bit jealous. How wonderful it would be to inherit like Alberto and end up with their mother’s country house and realize your life is going to change. He went from logistics to farming! Once again another wine family living the dream. Just makes me smile and yes, yearn for that lifestyle. Oh and they’ve given me a little wine education from this bottle since this my first Pignoletto. Turns out after some genetic testing this grape is also known as Grechetto Gentile (or di Todi) which I have met in the past. So pleased to meet you Pignoletto through such an addictive delicious sparkler. You’ve made my day much brighter and lighter! 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #instawine #worldbyglass #winetime #EmiliaRomagna #Italy #spumante #Pignoletto #sparklingwine #bubbly #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @cheezit @la_battagliola @soilairselection @docwineshop @docwinebar

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More Than Just “Nice”

Weingut Schlossmühlenhof
Das ist Schön
50% Scheurebe, 40% Müller Thurgau 10% Gelber Muskateller
Organic, indigenous yeast, unfiltered
Rheinhessen, Germany
Owners & winemakers: Gabriele & Walter Michel, Nicolas (their son & 6th generation, who has been at the helm since 2015) & his girlfriend Janine

Translucent pale yellow-green. Sniffing bright lime, grapefruit & citrus mix-a-rita, along with firm pears and a little fresh cut grass. Tingling on my tongue is even more lime & zest with the rest of the citrus cocktail trailing along, all the pears and a little apple rolled in with honeysuckle, white peaches, a smidge of an herby bite balancing blend including thyme & a little rosemary (just not BBC’s old gardener sleuths series), and fragrant blossom on the exhale.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: blossom breeze

As the label says, “das ist schön” and yes that (or this bottle) is nice…ok it’s better than nice and is bound to make you smile on these recent hot nights. You know what else is nice…the way the the members of the 5th & 6th generations work together or in Walter & Gabriele’s case, at times kick back & let the younger ones carry on. You’ll also find on their site two more important members that round out their family. They may not be winemakers, but Emil & Cuno (a pair of 4 pawed woofers of varying sizes) contribute to the estate by being two bundles of doggo joy. 🐾

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #instawine #worldbyglass #Germany #organic #winetime  #dasistschön #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @cheezit @schlossmuehlenhof @saviosoaresselections @docwineshop @docwinebar