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No Oak and Lots of Passion

Aaron Rawlins
Asrllc L.2018-021 2018
100% Sev Areni
Aghavnadzor, Vayots Dzor, Armenia 
Organic, native yeasts, unfined, unfiltered
Winemaker: Aaron Sedrick Rawlins

Very deep dark dense garnet purple. Bring on the dried fruit scents of prunes, raisins, and then plums, vanilla, dark really goth dark cherry, pepper, and rich. Drinking in deep plums, prunes, raisins, and rich cherry velvet. Also (I’m going to use that word I hate again) sexy dark chocolate, cherry cola, and black pepper. There’s such a warmth and it’s lovely dry end on the tongue. It’s also extremely calm and comforting yet passionate at the same time. Wow, does this sound like the description of the perfect guy or what? Yeah, if this bottle proposed, I might just say yes.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: darker, deeper, more velvet; less dry

All I can say is what a wine. Aaron Rawlins made a great choice in life by picking Armenia and especially the Vayots Dzor region at 6500 ft elevation, volcanic soils  and 150 year old vines that had not been touched with phylloxera. Wow, just 18 and off to France to become a chef, and venture through Spain, UK, Copenhagen and to Georgia. Then to veer off into a dream of wine in Armenia. That’s one strong and dedicated to his palate guy. Oh, and may I add, he is letting the Areni tell it’s true story because there is NO oak. Love, love, love when the grape gets to let itself be it’s true self. Do yourself a favor and pick one of these up stat and drink now.

@vinewinenyc #AaronRawlins #AaronSedrickRawlins #terrellwines #Asrllc #sevareni #areni #wine #redwine # #winestagram #instawine #armenianwine #Organic #nativeyeasts #unfined #unfiltered #Aghavnadzor #VayotsDzor #Armenia 

 

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Culinary Pampering

Štekar Wines
Sıvı Pinot 2019
100% Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris)
Goriška Brda Z.G.P.
Kojsko, Littoral, Slovenia
Organic, biodynamic
Winemaker: Jure Štekar

Copper color like one of those beautiful old bowls Julia Child used to whisk away in. Wafts of orange, grapefruit, melon, and a little fresh grass. Lots of fruit dance on my tongue. There’s an orange melon of some sort, pear but crisp and almost not fully ripe, and as it opens peaches come forward with smoke, Also a bitter herb that I am having trouble pinpointing. This beautiful glass just feels creamy and mellow. Lovely.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: turns the bitter herb into rosemary

Štekar Wines is fairly young but they are one of the first wineries in Slovenia certified biodynamic. Along with the vineyard, they also have a farm, the main house with rooms to stay over and a whole agrotourism package. You can stay, view the beautiful countryside, taste their wines, join them in the kitchen to learn their recipes, and get as they call it, “Culinary Pampering”. The pics of their dishes look absolutely amazing and creative. Oh, please scroll down and look at those cakes! They look heavenly, and I feel pounds adding to my thighs just looking at them. Most of the ingredients from vegetables, fruits, and meat are from the farm, or if they don’t have it they reach out to organic producers. They sum up it all best, “Visit us and participate in the unforgettable experience of the wonderful Goriška Brda hills and the magic of our climate.” Oh, I so wish I could be there. We could all need a little magic right now!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @stekar_wines @hisastekar @bonvivantimports @cheezits #cheezit #wine #whitewine #orangewine #naturalwine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #organic #sustainable #biodynamic #SiviPinot  #PinotGris #goriskabrda #Kojsko #Littoral #Slovenia

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Abracadabra!

Quartomoro
Z
Frizzante sui Lieviti
100% Vermentino
Arborea, Sardegna, Italy
Low intervention, guyot training, unfined and unfiltered
Winemaking couple: Piero Cella and Luciana Baso

Hazy golden bubbly with pretty sediment just waiting for you at the base. Pop that cap and come on lemon! You know those light layered wafer cookies that has lemon cream between each layer. Also some tangerine and dainty white flowers. Lift and swig and more lemon on my tongue with a tad of grapefruit, apple, pinch of salt, and a savory mix of spices: sage, thyme rosemary, and a toasty cinnamon thing. It’s crispy and bouncy, and I’m just realizing there’s reminders of Orangina. Fabulous sparkler and IPA lovers would have fun with it too. Best of both worlds

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: no complaints here

Quartomoro has been creating this beauty since 2012. Almost feels like an ancient science experiment, but then so do most wines when you really think about it. From what I read, they take last year’s non bubbly Vermentino (on the lees) and re-ferment the dry base in the bottle and then add the next year’s freshly crushed juice, skin, seed mixture (the must) and the ancestral method works it’s magic. Abracadabra! You have this unfined, unfiltered and non vintage bottle. I’m guessing, I’m drinking a mix of 2018 and 2019, due to the harvests being in September, but feel free to let me know if I’m wrong. It’s nice to think I’m sipping something from before all this 2020 mess. Here’s again to 2021! Raise that glass of frizzante and welcome this New Year in with a big smooch!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @quartomoro @steephillwine @cheezits #steephillwine #cheezit #wine #whitewine #orangewine #sparklingwine #frizzante #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #guyot #Arborea #Sardegna #Sardinia #Vermentino #Abracadabra #SteveMillerBand

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Frogs and Fernet

Letherbee Distillers
Fernet
35% ABV
Chicago, Illinois
Over 20 botanicals
Distiller: Brenton Engel (and team)

Medium coffee color with no milk color or some of that black smoked tea that I drink that everyone complains about. Poured and served neat and what a pow, zing, bam, to my nose. Insanely herbal but greatly welcome. There’s pine, dried orange peels, parsnips, rhubarb, cloves, spearmint, eucalyptus, and Christmas incense. Ok so let’s see what this swirl of scents taste like. It’s every bit of all of the above and more. A total wake up call with that starts with a bang, but then goes smooth and healing. You can sip this all night on it’s own or come up with a fun cocktail on your own, or if you have a hangover (last night was New Year’s Eve, ya know) then this may help.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: No, no, no, no, NO!

In just 13 years, Brenton Engel went from being a moonshiner playing in Pool of Frogs to now where he has an internationally distributed and highly praised distillery. While he was still bartending he was tinkering with those first batches and tuning botanical recipes until he got it just right. He drifted from moonshine, to what has now grown into their whole line of Original Label Gin, Barrel­-Aged Absinthe, Autumnal & Vernal Gins, Bësk, and Fernet. Letherbee (Let them be!) has also given back to the community. Back in March they temporarily paused their gin production to make hand sanitizer. Now that’s a good hearted thing to do.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @letherbee @cheezits #cheezit #wine #winestagram #instawine #Fernet #spirits #botanicals #liqueur #spiritsofinstagram #gin #absinthe #distillery #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Chicago #Illinois

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Drink Like Royals

Chapel Down Winery
Classic Non-Vintage Brut
50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 13% Pinot Blanc, 7% Pinot Meunier
Traditional Method
Tenterden, Kent, England, UK
Head Winemaker: Josh Donaghay-Spire

Crisp golden yellow with a lot of active bubbles. Popped the cork and there’s hints of vanilla at first, then apples, honey, and brioche which in some cases like this I love, but for crying out loud, why are so many people ruining delicious burgers with those buns. Go simple and let the contents shine not that overpowering bun. Back to the sparkler, there is a touch of darkness mixed with pear. It’s not herbal or mineral. It just gives it a little more depth. Raise that glass and take a sip of the crisp tart lemon, strawberries, and it reminds me of red delicious apples from home that are mellow and perfect for apple crumble. I know I reminisce warmly about growing up in an orchard, but there were times (especially in high school) where I didn’t want to see another apple. Whether it was in cakes, pies, crumbles, or sautéed with onions and served with pork chops. Now look at me, I love those wonderful flavors especially in anything with bubbles,

Pairs w Cheez-It’s: smooth drinking

This is my first UK sparkler, so I guess this means I’m no longer a virgin. I’ve been trying to track one down for years. I even reached out to one of my old colleagues/friends, Will Lyons for recommendations, but even then it was a hard find. The minute I’d be set to head to the store to grab one, poof! It was gone. Had been searching again recently and found one of these elusive bottles of bubbles, and again, within seconds, sold out. All of a sudden, last week this one popped up. I knew very little about the winery and vineyards, but at this point I didn’t care. Went ahead and paid online and dashed in for pickup. Turns out Chapel Down was on the menu of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding. Heck, if it’s good enough for the Royals then why not for us commoners too. LORDE – Royals

@chapeldown @ParkStreetCompanies @joshdspire @mrwill_lyons @cheezits #cheezit #wine #bubbly #sparklingwine #brut #winestagram #instawine @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Kent #England #UK #PinotNoir #Chardonnay #PinotBlanc #PinotMeunier @lordemusic #lorde

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Let the Vineyard Speak

Heaps Good Wine Co.
Offshoot 2019
100% Modra Frankinja (Blaufränkisch)
Rosé Pet Nat
Ritoznoj, Pohorje Foothills, Lower Styria (Štajerska), Slovenia
Methode Ancestrale, minimal intervention, dry farming, sustainable
Winemakers: Marija and Nick Gee

Watermelon juice with tiny white bubbles bouncing. Oooh this is filling the air with ripe strawberries, raspberries, a pinch of salt, a little bread coming fresh out of the oven (but not sourdough. I don’t want to see sourdough ever again). Wow, what a zingy punch at first swig! Again there’s strawberries, raspberries, Royal Ann cherries, lemon spritz, a light puff of smoke. It’s tart, fresh and creamy all at the same time.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes that lemon spritz pop

Nick and Marija Gee have been at this since 2010, and from Nick’s blog, he looks like he has no problems getting his hands and feet dirty. Their wine guidelines are more about what you don’t do. Let nature take it’s course. Like when they got hit with a hailstorm, they rolled with it and just picked the damaged grapes (Sivi and Modri Pinot) to use for sparkling base and let the ones that survived keep on growing. As they say “let the vineyard speak”. Well, it’s doing more than just speaking in this Rosé Pet Nat, it’s outright singing. I wouldn’t say a classical tune but more like björk’s “triumph of a heart”. I had forgotten how much I love that song, and this shiny glass brought it all back.

Oh, also if you want to check out some more work by the New Zealander label artist, Jacob Sparrow, give his site a click. Pretty cool, out there and trippy art!

@vinewinenyc @heapsgoodwine @vinum.slo.cro @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #petnat #pétnat #Rosé #rose #winestagram #instawine #organic #sustainable @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #ModraFrankinja #Blaufränkisch #Slovenia #björk @bjork #bjork #jacobsparrow

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One Promise Kept This Past Year

Golden West
The Promise
Pinot Noir 2018
100% Pinot Noir
Quincy, Washington State
Winemaker: Charles West

Glistening garnet glass. After uncorking there’s butter then poof gone. Followed by cherry, coriander, some leather, plums, vanilla (hmm), strawberries, and blueberries. Tasting cherries, dark plum, and raisin as I expected but then there’s a little watercress. I swear, it is there. Then some vanilla, thyme, and toasted rosemary.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: doesn’t really change anything

Golden West is the latest of Charles West’s countless projects. This is definitely a man with a creative need to never be still. He managed rock bands touring through Europe. Fell in love with wine on those travels. Later hit the Walla Walla trail and was turned on to making wine. As time went on awards and recognitions piled up. You’ve probably seen the distinct graphics (by Rikke Korff) on his “Modernist Project” from wines like Kung Fu Girl Riesling and Boom Boom! Syrah. Golden West – The New Classic, is his new way of bringing great quality Pinot Noir to the public at a price that won’t kill your wallet. He has totally made his “The Promise” to all of us reality. Wondering what he has been doing over this past year, and what new project or conquest comes next!

Being an 80s child, you have to know what song is now stuck in my head, so passing it along to you too.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @charlessmithwines @KickAssWaWine @we.are.washington @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #PinotNoir #Quincy #WashingtonState #Washington #RikkeKorff #wheninrome #thepromise

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Oh, You Lovely Old Indigenous Grape You

Quartomoro
Òrriu di Sardegna 2018
sulle bucce
100% Vernaccia di Oristano
Arborea, Sardegna, Italy
Low intervention, dry farmed, guyot training
Winemaking couple: Piero Cella and Luciana Baso

Beautiful gold like the the ring I’d like on my finger. Sniffing mandarin orange, lemon zest, lilac, salt, and also hints of grapefruit and honeysuckle blossoms. Tasting lots of citrus, some darkness of deep melon, honey, vanilla, flowers and of course almond. This is a beautiful rich gift wrapped up in a bow with a cork on top.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: NOPE! Makes it bitter

Oh, you lovely old indigenous grape you, Vernaccia di Oristano. I swear Sardinia produces some of the most beautiful grapes. Why the heck haven’t I visited there yet? Just you wait, once this pandemic is under control, my bags are packed. So, I’m reading there’s a tale that if you drink a good bit of Vernaccia, it will ward off malaria. Definitely curious to see who came up with that, how tipsy they were, and how much of it is true, because hey you never know. As I wrote in my post “Genie in a Bottle” on the rare grape Granazza (Granatza), some people mistake that grape for Vernaccia di Oristano. There are similarities, but each is an entirely different beast. Also Piero Cella and Luciana Baso’s creation is of a more modern style Vernaccia and lighter than the old more traditional oxidized and sherry-like styles. They let that grape sing! It’s rich, fresh, and full of life! Cheers!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @quartomoro @steephillwine @cheezits #steephillwine #cheezit #wine #whitewine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Italy #guyot #Arborea #Sardegna #Sardinia #VernacciadiOristano #Vernaccia #winestagram

 

 

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Farm to Table Holiday

Five Farms
Single batch Irish Cream Liqueur
17% ABV
County Cork, Ireland

Light caramel milk chocolate on the rocks. Breathing in luscious cream, vanilla, and caramel. Rolling this around in my mouth and there’s that heavenly cream again, chocolate delight, coffee, sugar cookies with sprinkles, and again that addictive caramel. I really want a chocolate chip cookie or a thin extra salty pretzel.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Just don’t!

Touted to be the best Irish Cream Liqueur, and boy I think it probably is. There’s such smooth beauty in this mixture of single batches of fresh cream combined with premium triple-distilled Irish Whiskey. The five farms where the cream is sourced (hence the name) have as they call “happy cows” that roam pastures chomping on grass during the day. I’m a firm believer in treat your cows right, let them have a relaxed life filled with fresh air, and you can always taste the difference in cream, butter, etc. Oh and I followed the instructions and served it on the rocks, and I highly recommend it. This is the perfect holiday in a glass!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @FiveFarmsIrishCream @Holladay1856 @cheezits #cheezit #wine #spirits #liqueur #cream #happycows #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #irishcreamliqueur #CountyCork #Ireland #FiveFarms #IrishWhiskey #Whiskey #farmtotable

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Hop On and Take a Virtual Trip

Alta Alella
Mirgin
Reserva Brut Nature
Cava 2017
Pansa Blanca (Xarel.lo) 40%, Parellada 30%, Macabeu 30%
Tiana, Spain (closest winery to Barcelona)
Sustainable and organic
Winemaking family: Josep Maria Pujol-Baquests and his wife Cristina Guillen

Glistening pale yellow with really active bubbles. It’s like a graceful eruption. At first lemon, lime and lime zest waft out. Next comes faint vanilla with shortbread. Take a sip and there’s citrus with the lemon and lime again. Then green apples, pears, and some toasty almond that is making me crave a savory croissant. It’s fresh, crisp, light and delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: emboldens the body

This delicate sparkler transports me back to Barcelona, and it would go really well with salty tapas. Would love with some boquerones, a fat blood sausage, or a tower of shellfish of all types. Oh that would be divine! Through this whole year, I have had so little seafood since I’m eating mostly at home. Do you know how bleeping hard it is to eat with two cats staring at you, and just imagine if I brought home a lobster or some shrimps. Olive would probably be sitting on top of my head.

As I mentioned on a previous post on Alta Alella’s Rosé Cava, their family run winery is located not far from Barcelona in the Parc Serralada de Marina. This area provides the Sauló soil that enhances their grapes. Normally they also have wine tourism and you can drink in the beauty of the lands and their wines and cavas, but as we all know, things are a bit different right now. They do offer a virtual visit though, and you get an online visit to the winery, 4 bottles of their wine/cavas and a guided tasting. Check out their site for more details. Hey, we may be stuck at home, but we can still travel the world by glass.

@vinewinenyc @AltaAlella @avantgardews @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #Cava #organic #biodynamic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #PansaBlanca #Xarello #Parellada #Macabeu #Tiana #Spain #Barcelona