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Nothing Is Impossible

Aslina Wines
Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Winemaker: Ntsiki Biyela

Twinkle twinkle little light yellow green star. Sniffing grapefruit, orange, lemon & lime, slice of pineapple, honey dew & other light melon, very ripe cucumbers, fresh rained on sidewalk with a cooling breeze, and pinch of salt. All of the scents are here in the taste along with a smidge of honey, a smooth operator feel of silk, satin or whatever might make you slide off the sheets, lemon & lime zest spark at the back, and a little fresh cut grass green good. This glass just keeps growing in personality and is definitely being added to my replay list.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: easy going good

Ntsiki saw an opportunity and ran with it. Post high school she was searching for a university scholarship and ended up receiving one in winemaking, but here’s the catch, at the time she really didn’t know anything about wine, but that wasn’t going to stop her. After graduating in 2003, she started working with Stellekaya Wines, became South Africa’s first black female winemaker, started accumulating awards & recognitions including “Woman Winemaker of the Year, 2009”, and following her desire to have her own business, she started creating her own wines. When it came to picking a name, “Aslina” is very fittingly named after her grandmother who raised her, was always there for her, is still a guiding force in her decision making (as in considering what would Aslina do in this situation), and gave her the inspiration that

“nothing is impossible”. There’s a great video/interview by Food For Mzansi that shows Ntsiki ’s reverence and joy talking about her grandmother, her expanding wine life, and a part that really hits @worldbyglass home with me about tasting wine. “When you pour this wine in a glass, where does it take you to, what do you imagine when you’re having that wine…it must create a memory, it must remind you of your life. It must remind you of certain things you grow up with…”. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #southafrica #organic #WesternCape #wineinacan #winetime #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @cheezit @wine4theworld @aslina_wines @docwinebar @docwineshop

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Giving Back For The Future

HER
Chenin Blanc 2022
Sustainable, grapes sourced from single vineyard site of Worcester
Western Cape, South Africa
General Manager & Winemaker: Praisy Diamini
Consultant Winemaker: Natasha Williams
Viticulturist: Ruth Faro
Logistics: Jody-Ann Appollis
Accountant: Janine Goosen
Production Clerk: Nichole van Wyk
Quality Manager: Verna Ross

Dance that yellow brick road gold. Breathing in pears, peaches, pineapple, a few slices of overripe cucumbers, apricots, and a blend of citrus. Taking a sip and it’s all of the above, along with nectarines, grapefruit squish, lychee, Golden Delicious & a bit of Granny Smith apples, and a few blades of grass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: so smooth

This is my 2nd bottle by HER, & I want to make sure everyone knows about these incredible women so I’m going to repeat myself. Every single one of them are important to the whole entity. As they say on their site,  “Each of us brings our skills, our heritage, our energy and our expertise. The HER Wines Team is comprised of a group of black women who, by grabbing at opportunity, working hard and relying on each other, have stepped into the world of business, previously unattainable to our families, particularly the women.” They also know the importance of giving back, and are setting aside 2% of their profits toward a scholarship for the driven, talented & passionate children from families that work with the vineyards where HER sources their grapes. Who knows, some of these young ones may be the next big winemakers that we’re all chasing for their next bottle in the future. ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #worldbyglass #westerncape #southafrica @herwinecollection @wine4theworld @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Behind (Or Beside) Every Great Woman, Is Another Great Woman

HER
Pinotage 2021
100% Pinotage
Sustainable
Western Cape, South Africa
General Manager & Winemaker: Praisy Diamini
Consultant Winemaker: Natasha Williams
Viticulturist: Ruth Faro
Logistics: Jody-Ann Appollis
Accountant: Janine Goosen
Production Clerk: Nichole van Wyk
Quality Manager: Verna Ross

Shining ruby. Starts off with scents of tomato leaves (oh I love tomato leaves!), plums, prunes, cherries (fresh & dried), a touch of Pepsi, and a dried fruit bundle of raisins, figs & apricots. Tasting all the same fruit along with strawberry, blackberries, boysenberry, some garden fresh red bell peppers, lemon twist, a pinch of anise & forest herbs, and a bite of an olive pit. It’s young, lively, and a perfect wine for grilling season. Bring on the steaks!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: actually smooooooth and adds blueberries

You may wonder why I mentioned the names of the whole HER team. Every single one of these women are important to the whole entity. As they say on their site,  “Each of us brings our skills, our heritage, our energy and our expertise. The HER Wines Team is comprised of a group of black women who, by grabbing at opportunity, working hard and relying on each other, have stepped into the world of business, previously unattainable to our families, particularly the women.” They also know the importance of giving back, and are setting aside 2% of their profits toward a scholarship for the driven, talented & passionate children from families that work with the vineyards where HER sources their grapes. Who knows, some of these young ones may be the next big winemakers that we’re all chasing for their next bottle in the future. 🍷

Oh and this has sparked an old Eurythmics (ft Aretha Franklin) song to get stuck in my head.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #worldbyglass #westerncape #southafrica @herwinecollection @wine4theworld @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Wine Ambition

Kumusha
Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Wine of Origin Western Cape
Breedekloof Valley, South Africa
Minimal intervention, natural fermentation, vegan
Winemaker/blender, greatly lauded sommelier, and “wine whisperer”: Tinashe Nyamudoka

Shining light gold. Scents of limes, tangerines, kumquats, orange blossoms and light lily. Some of the citrus reminds me of a really good IPA but it doesn’t smack you in the face as a beer would. Its a nice small bouquet with grace, not a pub crawl. Damn this is good! Sipping and it’s a luscious blend of melons, peaches, Valencia orange, mango, light honeysuckle, and small sweet green pepper. Exhale and there is super faint smoke in the back of your mouth.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nah, why ruin a good thing

This is a very joyful wine. Like a celebration in a glass, or a toast that needs no words. This is my 2nd Kumusha, and Tinashe Nyamudoka again has impressed. Of course like I posted before he has a huge list of sommelier awards, certifications, panel memberships, and wine judging positions. None of this came easy though. Just read his story on Jancis Robinson’s site and it’s not a story of wineries passed down through family generations, but back in 2008, he worked his way from the very ground up in the restaurant industry, where he got his first wine exposure. There were ups and downs and also battles with discrimination, but as you can see he has triumphed. I am so looking forward to seeing him in the documentary “Blind Ambition” that follows four Zimbabweans who leave home for better jobs and land in South Africa and in the end are encourage to form the first Zimbabwe team to compete in The World Wine Blind Tasting Championships which is like the wine Olympics. Their Tribeca Film Festival premiere in June can’t come soon enough for me!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @KumushaWines @baobabwines @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #SauvignonBlanc #BreedekloofValley #SouthAfrica #WesternCape #sustainable #biodynamic #sommelier #TinasheNyamudoka #tribecafilmfestival #blindambition

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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