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Guess It Was Just Destiny

Giacomo Mori
Chianti DOCG 2021
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo & Colorino
Practicing organic
San Casciano dei Bagni (SI), Tuscany, Italy
The Mori Family

Deep ruby. Breathing in cherries (fresh & dried), something woodsy, dried Mission figs, and a blend of licorice/mint/alpine herbal. All of the sniffs are in the sip with the herbal popping up more along with dark plums, & after a time out there’s raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, Ligurian olive pit, Mediterranean Thyme, and as it continues to open there’s red plums too…yet it is nice & dry on the back.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yes please

Giacomo Mori set about revamping & jumpstarting his family’s estate & winery in 90s. The estate had been the family for eons, and produced grapes & wine for a local co-op, but Giacomo wanted to take it to the next level. There was replanting, updating some equipment, keeping it natural, no pesticides or nasty chemicals in the vines, and beneficial plants are sown on every other row. Guess what plants they use…Vicia faba or known as broad beans or fava beans which draws it all back to the thing I was determined not to write about…Mr. Lecter because I swear if I had a dollar for every time I hear that quote when someone mentions anything about Chianti. Guess it was just destiny when this bottle found me. 🤣🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Tuscany #Italy #chianti #winetime #cannonau #worldbyglass #skurnikwines #GiacomoMori #docwinebar #docwineshop

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A Small Delicacy

Domaine des Aubuisières
Vouvray AOC
Brut
100% Chenin Blanc
HVE3 certification, organic
Loire, France
Charles and Menehould Lesaffre

Warm gold with active little bubbles tracing images on the surface. Inhaling an elegant mix of pears (fresh & baked), Fuji & Red Delicious apples, nectarines, white peaches, a gentle reminder of my mom’s lemon squares that were properly cooked & not eggy like other overcooked ones I’ve had, and light honeysuckle blooms. First sip wakes up my mouth with a zing. All of the scents are there in the taste with a tiny drop of citrus tingle. Just crisp, fresh and very addictive.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

I’m a bit of a magpie when it comes to labels, or at least I love to pay attention to details like this little long beaked bird flying in from the side. I became familiar with this feathered friend, the Bécasse aka Eurasian woodcock, from one of my favorite authors, Martin Walker & his series “Bruno Chief of Police” set in Dordogne, France. Bruno not only solves mysteries/crimes, but he is also an amazing chef. He dearly loves to hunt (along with his Basset Hound) Bécasse and share them with his friends. In “The Dark Vineyard”, during one of his dinner parties, he explains that when the birds are flushed out of the brush & take flight their stomach completely evacuates so this fat tube is a delicacy. Cooked it softens, turns creamy and is supposed to be delicious spread on a baguette. Bruno also grills the birds split down the middle with the head & beak still attached, and some find the “charred head” to be their fave to eat whole…just don’t munch on the beak. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #sparklingwine #brut #France #worldbyglass #brunochiefofpolice #weygandtselections #peterweygandt #domainedesaubuisieres #vinewinenyc

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“Thread of Tradition”

Cantina di Mogoro
Nero Sardo
Cannonau di Sardegna DOC
100% Cannonau
Mogoro (Mòguru), Alta Marmilla, OR, Sardegna, Italy

Ruby and somewhat inky/lush. There’s scents of cherries, raspberries, plums, red currants, a blend of mild nutmeg, anise and other alpine herbal friends. Sip and again there’s cherries, red currants with a bit more of lemon & orange zest, followed by red plums, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, boysenberry, and a pinch of thyme & some other wild herbs. This is such o delicious easy drinker that in the end feels like an affectionate & comforting hug.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: scrumptious

Cantina di Mogoro (dates back to 1956) & is still making fabulous wines that truly represent the beauty of Sardinia. I’ve written before about this island’s beautiful woven arts & it turns out Mogoro has their own art & craft festival (or artisan might be a better word albeit at times overused), “Fiera dell’artigianato Artistico della Sardegna“ (textiles, clay, metalwork like knives, etc & more) where you can just look or if you’re so inclined can bring some home. The local women also have their own group passing down the history of their looms, “Su Trobasciu”, & I love this description of how they are set apart from other weavers…“In Mogoro the joyful floral explosions, capable of escaping the rigid schematisms more typical of other areas of Sardinia.” Way back in time they used to have more than 600 of these looms which turns out was “more than 1 per family.” No wonder it’s so important to carry on this beautiful & passionate “Il filo della tradizione = the thread of tradition”, & see how their members artistically & creatively grow in modern times.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #sardinia #sardegna #Italy #winetime #cannonau #worldbyglass #omniwines #cantinadimogoro #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Racing Into A Glass Of Happy

Henri Champliau 
Petrone
Blanc de Blancs
Brut
Chardonnay (mainly), Colombard, Ugni Blanc
Mercurey, Burgundy, France
Founder & winemaker: Alexandre Graffard

Shining light yellow with bouncing bubbles. Lovely scents start popping out of pears, apples, a  green melonish vibe that turns into rising dough & then becomes or rather alongside a toasty brioche, and lemon/lime/Valencia orange spritz/zest. Such a crisp & elegant sip with lemon/lime, all sorts of pears & apples, and a smidge of sorrel. It’s just lively, bright and HAPPY. 🍾

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Delicious and rounds out everything…really surprising.

Alexandre Graffard caught the wine bug pretty early in life, or as he said, he was “initiated as a private sommelier as soon as I was 7 years old”. Following in his grandfather’s spirit, he also established his own vineyards and named the family winery after him (Henri Champliau) who sounds like quite an interesting man. He had a great love for Burgundy, fabulous food & wine, his vines, and horses. His first Thoroughbred filly, “Wild Miss” was quite the racer winning the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp-Paris, and was mother to the colt Petrone. This horse turned out to be a chip off the old racing block, and was sold to the actor Eddie Constantine. What better way to honor & remember this noble creature that was “one of the best horses of his generation in 1968 in France and the USA” than naming this fine Brut after him. 🏇

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #brut #sparklingwine #bubbly  #Burgundy #France #winebow #HenriChampliau #docwinebar #docwineshop

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A Conversation Sparkler

STEL+MAR
Sparkling Rosé
Barbera, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Syrah
Grapes sourced from sustainable vineyards, always made with 100% California grapes, and eco-friendly packaging
Lodi, California
Founders: Chris Noll & Justin Dumitrescu
Winemaker: Philip Zorn

Light pinky rose tinged gold bubbly. There’s scents of a tiny orchard blossom blend, small mix of fresh picked strawberries & raspberries, and a gentle touch of a cool mineral river rock. Sipping and it’s crisp, bright & light on its feet with again those fresh strawberries & raspberries, a little cherry blush, drop of citrus sparkle with a twinge of Sprite. This is one happy, friendly glass that is sure to spark a conversation.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I just can’t

STEL+MAR’s wines are easy drinkers with a good heart. They’re meant to bring people together through what’s inside the bottle & outside like the label art by Stephanie Cheng. Check out her work, it’s pretty impressive and there’s a great IG video of her printing process. For those of you who have never worked with screens, there’s a lot to it depending on how many colors are in the piece. Takes me back to my grad school days so much I can almost smell the ink. Now back to the “good heart” part, each bottle of wine sold gives back part of its proceeds to the National Park Trust and in April donations are doubled. When I was a kid, summer vacations entailed the family packing up the station wagon and driving all over visiting as many parks as possible (man, those hot paint pots stink but are so beautiful). My parents wanted to instill in me awe, respect and a love to want to preserve them, and right now is a darn good time to show how much we need our protected lands and everything that grows, resides, or erupts in them. 🏞️🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #sparklingwine #worldbyglass #nationalparktrust #california #stelandmar #vinewinenyc

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Not Always “Good To Be The King”

Cantina Gallura
Canayli 2023
Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG
Sustainable
Tempio Pausania, Gallura, Sardinia, Italy

Yellow-strawish that heads more to the golden side after time. Breathing in pears, honeydew with a sliver of cantaloupe, smidge of mango & pineapple that grows, musk melon, and a small sprig of hay. Sipping away and most of the scents are right there but ramped up with green apples (fresh & baked), honeysuckle, a little lychee, garden fresh over ripe cucumber, lime squeeze but not super forward,  bell pepper that in the back has a small heat, the way a fried green tomato tastes without the breading or oil…just the essence of it which might also give a bit of almond like bite at the very back. Just freaking delicious!

Pairs with Cheez-Its: brings out a citrus burst

Cantina Gallura’s co-op was founded in 1956, and has over 100 winegrowers that deeply respect their land, their native grapes, traditions & history. Note the rooster on their bottles representing their regions’ namesake (Gallura is derived from Gallus = cock {get your head out of the gutter, you know it’s the fowl). “Canayli” led me to read more on their town Tempio Pausania aka “City of Stone”. Known for their granite, cork (they have a cork machinery museum too), and wine; but what caught my eye was their Carnival “Carrasciali Tempiesu” which is happening now through March 4. It’s a colorful celebration with floats, costumes, masks, dancing, music, and a good ol’ party down time. There’s also the tale of King Giorgio. At first he’s revered & celebrated, marries a commoner (Mannena), and this good cheer continues until Mardi Gras where he is judged for everything that has gone wrong/evil in the town, and his effigy is burned in the town square. Guess it’s not always “Good To Be The King”. 👑

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Italy #sardinia #vermentino #MelBrooks #metropoliswinemerchants #CantinaGallura #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Wine Worthy Of A Dust-up

Domaine Rimbert
Cousin Oscar
“on se l’arrache”
Cinsault, Pinot Noir
VDF
Organic, indigenous yeasts, vegan friendly
Berlou, Saint Chinian, France
Owner & winemaker: Jean-Marie Rimbert

Bright ruby red. Chill it just a little bit and your nose will be treated to raspberries, cherries, a mellow creaminess, black & blueberry blend, red currants, and a happy scent reminder of a warm dry handmade paper from my printmaking days. The sip is delicious but also has more to it than I thought. It’s fresh & juicy with raspblueblackboysenberry, cherry, violets, touch of hoarhound, black & red currants, orange zest, and smidge of cardamom & black pepper. Easy peasy drinking and oh so friendly. Oscar please bring on Spring weather so I can enjoy you outside.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: YES! Brings out more juicy fruit

I love Rimbert’s wines and that he’s so down to earth, by calling himself a “paysan” or in other words, a peasant…a humble farmer who finds joy in the simple natural things in life and his surroundings. Well, he’s also an artist. Just look at the collage art created from 1950s magazines on the label. Evidently the grinning chap is named after his girlfriend’s cousin, “Oscar”. Sounds like he was all the rage with the ladies, and there may have been some dust-ups over who got to claim him as their’s hence the “on se l’arrache!” that translates to “we’re fighting over him”. Those words fit this wine so well because once you and your friends try it, you’ll be tussling over the last glass.🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #France #Cinsault #PinotNoir #jennyfrancois #domainerimbert #docwinebar #docwineshop

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“Bring Me a Shrubbery!”

Quinta do Passadouro
Vinho Branco 2019
40% Rabigato, 35% Códega do Larinho, 25% Viosinho
Duoro DOC
Pinhão, Portugal

Yellow/light golden (deepens over time) with a green shimmer. Inhale and there’s gentle scents of pears & apple, gooseberries, lychee, spring flowers, touch of apple blossoms, and a tiny bit of nose tickling citrus zest. Sip and there’s a blend of crisp pears & apples, white peaches, gooseberries, lychee, honeydew, touch of honeysuckle, a little tangerine spritz & zest, and a cool mineral lick & a pinch if salt. It’s fresh & light yet luscious at the same time.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Nah

Doesn’t everyone need a bit of blue shrubbery (especially “Knights Who Say ‘Ni!’” in their life or at least Anagallis Monelli aka Shrubby Pimpernel. These deciduous perennials don’t need a lot of water and can flourish even in a hot dry summer. My bet is that they reside in or around Passadouro’s vineyards, since their other labels (Vinho Tinto) have displayed critters from their locale. Also the flowers’ name “Anagallis” is also derived from Greek “ἀνα” & ἀγάλλειν which translate into “to delight again” because these pretty blossoms close in the evening only to reopen to for the sun so we can enjoy them over & over just like this Branco.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #portugal #douro #FrederickWildman #QuintadoPassadouro #vinewinenyc

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“Women’s Dreams”

Benazzoli
Dafne 2022
Bardolino DOC
Corvina & Rondinella
Lake Garda
Pastrengo VR, Italy
Claudia and Giulia Benazzoli (sisters)

Ruby stained glass with purple pops. Breathing in cherries, plums, light roses, a scent that reminds me of my childhood back patio where mom had the hanging baskets of plants (warm sweet & savory with a little earth), raspberries & fresh picked strawberries, a pinch black pepper, and over time there’s a caramelized balsamic reduction. All of the scents are in the sip with more strawberry, raspberry, but now with boysenberry blended in, red currants, lemon/Lime zest zing, and more of a pepper grind. It’s so fresh, light on its feet but can hold their own in a dance off.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: blerg

The latest & 4th gen of Benazzoli winemakers, Claudia & Giulia are proud of their heritage, land, hard work, and wine; and they let you know straight off it’s “Made By Women”. You’ll even find that branded on their corks. This bottle of Dafne is from their line “Sogni di donna”. They worked with Stefano Torregrossa (designer) & Luca Quagliotti (illustrator & tattoo artist) to put their voice & personalities on these labels. “They are imaginary women we call by name, each with its own character, its style, its exquisitely personal taste: Tecla, Agata, Dafne, Giava, Minerva. Each of them tells different aspects of Benazzoli women and their wines.” Each one sports an inner & outer beauty, depth of knowledge, strength, love, their own unique style, and makes me want to get to know each and every one. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #Italy #veneto #domenicovalentinowine #Benazzoli #docwinebar #docwineshop

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“I’ll Be Home for…”

Wandering Barman
Margarita Made With Mezcal
Ginger Mezcal Margarita
20% ABV
Brooklyn, NY
Mixmasters/founders: Julian Mohamed, Roxane Mollicchi, and Darren Grenia

Yellow-green shimmer pour. Sniffing a smoky ginger fueled cocktail with lime/citrus & zest. Sipping and woof this is good. Right of the bat a sexy bit of smoke gets in my eyes, followed by a lemon/lime with a little agave sweetness, ginger (not Mary Ann) that gives a flirtatious twitch & wink, and a delicate drop of orange bitters. It’s a sweet & savory blend that is simply scrumptious.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: This is a hard NO

Since tomorrow is National Margarita Day it seems appropriate to uncap a bottle by one of my favorite cocktail makers Wandering Barman. Albeit it’s not a national holiday but one created by a tequila lover who also started National Tequila Day that lands annually on 7/24. Yes, it’s been hijacked by restaurants. Heck, even Chili’s & Lifetime teamed up for a “mini movie” or rather a 15 minute commercial, “I’ll Be Home for National Margarita Day” (debuted on 2/19 & airs again on the 22nd). Yes, I’m sure it will be silly, funny, and junk food tv; but honestly who cares because this holiday is an excuse to kick back with one whether it be classic, fruity, or spicy, and remember to find that 🎶lost shaker of salt🎶.

#Margarita #nationalmargaritaday #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktails #Mezcal #wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #organic #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #brooklyn #NY #chilis #lifetimetv #wanderingbarman #docwinebar #docwineshop