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A Sultry Night In The Heart Of The City

Swick Wines
City Nights
Rosé
44% Mourvedre, 36% Grenache Noir, 20% Syrah
Bring it.
Conley Vineyard
Columbia Valley AVA
Yakima, Washington
Certified organic situated at 1600-1700 feet elevation
Bottled & produced Newborn, OR
Winemaker/Proprietor: Joe Swick

Sunset salmon. There’s scents of strawberries (green & pink & red & wild), wild sour grass, lemon spritz, fresh running spring or creek where you turn over rocks looking for crayfish, yellow cherries & plums, a little forest funk, as it opens there’s mild watermelon, and a bit of torn fresh basil. All of the scents are right there in the taste with a whiff of smoke & that lick of rock, salt, and a brighter lemon spark with some orange zest. Lovely and a stand out star!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: berg way too tart…just don’t

I’ve lost track of how many Swick wines I’ve had and honestly each one has brought me joy in one way or another, albeit thoughtful, expressive, or just happy. Their site says this rosé is, “Inspired by the opening track on Allan Holdsworth’s 1989 album Secrets” which I can totally see…well hear and feel, but last night when I was relaxing with a glass in the sultry heat of this city night, I couldn’t help but switch to a heartfelt Mark Eitzel mix. Is he a poet, is he a singer/songwriter or is he just a pure artistic soulful siren? Kind of like Joe’s masterful creative intuitive winemaking touch that always draws me in, so these two just vibe together oh so well or should I say they both “Bring it”. Here’s a set to enjoy while keeping cool on another hot evening with another glass. Cheers!

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #winelover #wineoclock #markeitzel #winemaker #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #naturalwine #Rosé #organic #washington #oregon #swickwines @cheezit @swickwines @swickjoe @docwineshop @docwinebar

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Glorious Confusion

Swick Wines
The Flood
American White Wine 2021
fbib.
33% Gewürztraminer, 33% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Gris, 8% Auxerrois, 4% Riesling
Lacewing, Finnigan Hill, Zenith, & High Pass Vineyards | Columbia Gorge, Chehalem Mountains, Eola-Amity Hills, & Lower Long Tom AVAs
Washington/Oregon blend
Organic, unfined & unfiltered, skin contact, indigenous yeasts, skin contact
Bottled & produced Newborn, OR
Winemaker/Proprietor: Joe Swick

Hazy warm orange delight. Whoa this is fragrant! There’s so many different flowers from all over, sweet pears & apples, orange whiffs with blossoms, mango, pineapple, a little smoke & salt, and right there on the back there’s coconut. Every single scent is right there in the taste and a bit more of a citrus tang. It’s got a tropical cocktail feel with white pepper & salt. A glorious bit of confusion, and as it opens, it’s the orange wine gift that keeps on giving.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NOPE

Ok, who out there doesn’t love a good Swick. Every time you see that telltale label/font you know you’re going to have something delicious and even surprising at times like with this orange “Flood”. They say the name comes from the “Missoula Floods that shaped the Columbia Gorge and Willamette Valley 10 million years ago”, but in my mind it’s more of the flood or onrush of flavors and nose tickling scents that emerge from each pour. Oh and as it says on the back of the bottle “fbib.”, and sure enough, boy does it ever “bring it”. 🧡

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #naturalwine #orangewine #organic #washington #oregon  @swickjoe @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

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Bringing The Right Pick

Swick Wines
Wyd? 2020
Bring It.
100% Chardonnay
Willamette Valley
Organic
Conley Vineyard, Yakima, WA
Produced & Bottled by Swick Wines, Newberg, Oregon
Winemaker/Proprietor: Joseph Swick

Light yellow gold with a smidge of green. Scents of pears, honeydew, light cantaloupe, and all mixed with a touch of earth & smoke and finally a tangelo/grapefruit squish. Tasting a mash up of pearpineappledewalope along with a smokiness that sings in good way, followed by crisp and zingy fresh citrus popping around, and the ever tiniest drop of pie spice…like on the exhale. Why can’t more chardonnays taste like this..oh that’s right, they don’t have Joe.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: fuller, richer and deeper…it’s different and I like with and without

Not my best friend’s mama’s grocery store chardonnay. Ok seriously, who didn’t that scar? That smack you in the face overoaked semi-plastic fatty taste had me shying away and picking a red every time they were the only two offered. So glad I didn’t give up on this lovely grape, and the first time I realized not all Chardonnays are created equal was an amazing moment (kind of like when Dorothy opens the door to Oz and it goes all Technicolor). You just have to pick the right winemaker and Mr. Swick is definitely the one for me because man, does he “Bring It.”

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine @worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #organic #chardonnay #oregon #WillametteValley #joeswick #wyd @docwineshop @docwinebar @swickwines @swickjoe @cheezit

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Toe Tapping Tuba

Teutonic Wine Company
Jazz Odyssey 2020
Riesling and Gewürztraminer
Produced and bottled: Portland, Oregon
Winemaking couple: Barnaby and Olga Tuttle

Pale yellow-green like the crayon but lighter. The closer it gets to my nose, out comes magnolias, peaches, pear, apple, a lemon/lime mix, and a cooling freshness of our old springhouse. Lovely bright blend dancing on my tongue. Pears, apples and peaches mingling with honey and honeycomb, peat, and tang of a lemon sliver on the side.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out even more honey

Teutonic came about by Barnaby falling in love with how diverse German rieslings can be and later a friend saying they could plant grape vines on her farm. Oh, and Olga telling him which credit card was ok to use to buy the vines. Now they still grow their own but also source from other vineyards (Willamette Valley) but only ones that are dry farmed and preferably vines that are 20 years or older. It’s a passion and a lot of hard work, and their wines really shine. Jazz Odyssey is a bottle of fun happy dancing joy, like Old Fish Jazz Band’s toe tapping live performance of “Doctor Jazz”. Check it out and crank that tuba loud!

#wine #oregonwine #naturalwine #winelife #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #tuba #cheezit #OldFishJazzBand #pairswithcheezits #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Riesling #Gewürztraminer #Gewurztraminer #Portland #Oregon #WillametteValley @docwineshop @docwinebar @teutonicwines

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Pour Me a Watercolor

Grochau Cellars
Etheric Wine Workshop
Willamette Valley Skin Contact Pinot Gris 2019
Sustainable, hand-harvested, locally sourced grapes, native yeasts, unfined, unfiltered, minimal intervention, and Chill AF
Amity, Oregon
Winemaker: John Grochau

It’s shining dark orange ruby tinged that reminds me of a favorite rose from my childhood. Pour me a watercolor in a glass and breathing in roses lightly coated in vanilla, strawberries, blood orange and its peel. That orange appears again in the first sip along with strawberries, blackberries, watermelon, smoke, granite, lemon zest, and a smidge of a Nilla wafer. Also a tiny bitter bite like sour grass. Now that is a good thing. Sour grass is a weed that tastes like a combo of sweet grass and bitter that I chewed as a kid, generally when I was sent to the outfield in softball where the lawnmower didn’t always venture.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: surprisingly really good. I seriously thought it was going to be awful. It’s even more juicy

From cycling for a French racing team, to 14 years in Oregon’s restaurant/sommelier realm, and learning the ropes of the wine industry, John Grochau keeps ever evolving. Now a waaaay established winemaker, he is constantly furthering his craft by sticking with minimal intervention, letting nature choose the rhythm of the vines, knowing when it’s time to have his sourced grapes harvested, and going by his philosophy (which I love) “Don’t screw it up. Resist the urge to do too much.” From all I’ve heard Grochau Cellars is also into giving back to the community. In April 2020, they paired up with Vincent Wine Company for virtual tastings and Sip Packs to give a percentage back to well deserving charities. Even now, Grochau has “Up Rising Sparkling” that donates to the ACLU of Oregon and the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center. That’s a lot of good karma.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @grochau_cellars @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #rosé #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #WillametteValley #Oregon #skincontact #pinotgris #goodkarma #karma

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Devotion to Pure Tradition

Illahe Vineyards
Estate Grüner Veltliner 2019
Willamette Valley
Sustainable, hand harvested, mature plants are dry farmed, family owned, certified salmon safe, and horse-powered vineyards
Dallas, OR
Owners, growers and pioneers: Lowell and Pauline Ford; Winemaker, owner and president: Brad Ford

Shimmering light gold. Super inviting scents of honey, crisp apple, a smidge of light allspice (light but pie worthy), firm pears, slate, and a whiff of cedar. Flavors like a pear apple pie with a honey graham crackers crust, some gooseberries, a smidge of a fresh green garden shoot, and pinch of white pepper. It’s a light and dancing and just darn good.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: well, it just stays refreshing and delicious

This truly is a full on family affair that started with an immigration from Russia to Canada and then finally Oregon. They strive to make handcrafted wines with great respect to the land, the water (and salmon) and tradition. Some of the wines don’t even have any electricity used during their creation. The majestic Percheron horses, Doc and Bea (now in retirement), deliver the grapes from the vineyard and mow between the vines. In the case of their 1899 Pinot Noir project, there’s even more. Brad had visited France and wanted to embrace the traditional ways, so he got the horses, made the harvest and winemaking all by hand and foot, including the bottling process. Yes even putting the wine in the casks and bottling, by sorting out a bicycle powered pump. Please watch the video. Then when it comes time for it to go to the distributor, it gets loaded on a mule driven stagecoach, then into canoes on the Independence River (3 day trek) and then the last 11 miles are on bicycle. That’s romantic devotion to pure tradition.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @illahevineyards @cheezits #wine #vin #vino #cheezit @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #GrünerVeltliner #GrunerVeltliner #pinotnoir #sustainable #biodynamic #WillametteValley #Oregon #Percheron

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Sometimes It Was Always Meant To Be

Pray Tell
Red Blend 2018
Willamette Valley, McMinnville, Oregon
Pinot Noir 60%, Gamay 40%
Organic and biodynamic
Winemakers: Tom Caruso and Jess Arnold

Shiny ruby glass with purple pops. Breathing in wondrous roses and spring meadow flowers. singed orange peel, cherries and full on ripe plums. First sip and smooth baby smooth. There’s plums, dried mission fig, tart and sweet cherries, something creamy….maybe a smidge of vanilla, cherry cola, and earthy goodness to give that oomph. I am so glad I waited till now to open. It’s such a special treat. As a child I would dream of a dark chocolate fudge, but now this is a much better prize than that.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: richer…deeper…delicious

Sometimes life has its path already drawn out. Loving the story of Tom and Jess and how it all fell into place. According to their site, Tom was plunked into it as a kid due to his Philly winemaking Grandpa. So endearing that he still has their old equipment (small hand crank destemmer and basket press). He tried to leave it behind by book editing in NYC, but as it seems he got called back in and went to wine school and met the woman that would end up by his side today, Jess Arnold. She already had a lot of wine knowledge from CA and NY, and with both of their backgrounds and passing their exams, it was inevitable that they would head out to find their wine future. From what I’m reading they ended up back in CA and finally settling in Willamette Valley, where they now have Pray Tell, married life, and a pug. Sounds like a pretty sweet story of living the dream to me, and I wish them the best on their future vintages.

@vinewinenyc @praytellwines @cheezits #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #redwine #cheezit #organic #natural #biodynamic #gamay #McMinnville #Portland #Oregon

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There is Always Resilient Hope

Flat Brim Wines
Not Tragic
Pinot Noir Rosé 2020
Willamette Valley, Portland, Oregon
Sustainably sourced grapes
Winemakers and Owners: Ian and Becky Atkins

A glass of red/orange streaked sunrise. At first I thought buttery and that of all things turns into toffee then chewies (I’ve mentioned before). They’re not blondies, they’re brown sugar goodness that look like light beige brownies. After that there’s cherry/strawberry reduction, scratch of that orange peel, and yeah, smoky Twizzlers. Sipping and these babies have been smoked but in a good way…cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and Lady apples. There’s a creaminess, a little cloves, and a nice last ember.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: I don’t even know how to put it other than everything becomes more. More smoke and sweeter, bolder fruit

You’re experiencing what happened on the west coast. The fires engulfed and destroyed lands, houses, and vineyards. Smoke drifted and traveled and touched many grapes, and out of tragedy came a blossom of hope. Yes, it was smoked but it grew, developed and was nurtured (and boy was this really thought out work) into this bottle. Ian and Becky Atkins took a great chance with these grapes, but as the old adage goes, “ when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Ok, so this is far better than lemonade. Last night after the first glass, I put in an order for a 2nd bottle, and that should say something. Honestly, I would love a case! Hopefully though, the west coast will not see the destruction and devastation again.

@vinewinenyc @flatbrimwines @coeurwineco @cheezits #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #organic #natural #sustainable #pinotnoir #rose #Rosé #FlatBrim #WillametteValley #Portland #Oregon

 

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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