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Naturally Magical

Casa Balaguer
Tragolargo 2021
100% Monastrell
Organic (CAECV certified), biodynamic, self-regenerating ecosystem, hand harvested
Villena, Alicante, Spain
Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera

Deep dark cherry with magenta blips. Breathing in cherries ripe & dried, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, smidge of black pepper, and something I thought was lavender that turns into eucalyptus but not overly forward. All of the scents but so much more fresh strawberry & raspberry, cranberry, lick of a mineral rock, and in the back there’s a Cerignola olive hint that balances all.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: I’m on the fence

Casa Balaguer is Andrés Carull & Marta Ribera’s small family winery, and boy is it all natural (my 3rd by them). After a surprising encounter with a natural wine during a trip to France in 2008, they were hooked or as they say seduced by its magical power. They only work with local varieties to enhance the true feel and taste of their lands, and keep it biodynamic and organic. And their own words sum their passion beautifully, “Immerse yourself in a world, from which you have no escape. When you enter the world of natural wines, wines made with nothing but fermented grape juice, no additives and no makeup, you won’t want to escape. There is no way back. We can tell you from experience. The lasting memory of these wines is not stored in the mind, but in the heart.” They also say that wine has a way of “teleporting” you so you can “travel by glass” to visit their wonderful part of the world, which is hey, a statement as you can tell…I fully believe. One more special thing to add is they are part of an international community/movement that is pretty special and you truly have to prove you deserve membership. La Renaissance des Appellations (founded by Nicolas Joly) & it’s a “collective that champions wines with soul, honesty, and deeply connected to their origin”, and Balaguer is 1 of 11 from Spain. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #wineoclock #redwine #cheezit #worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #Alicante #Spain #selectionsdelavina  #casabalaguer #vinewinenyc

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Horse & Bicycle Powered

Illahe Vineyards
Cuveé Miette 2023
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
Sustainable, hand harvested, wooden basket pressed, 11 months in French oak barrels, & horse-powered vineyards
Dallas, OR
Owners, growers and pioneers: Lowell & Pauline Ford
Winemaker, owner and president: Brad Ford

Shining rosy cherry stained glass. Sniffing and at first it’s light and then grows as cherries wave hello with a little chocolate, gentle oak, licorice/fennel, dash of mint, and a shake of cooler weather holiday spice. First sip is so delicate and delicious. There’s cherries, an old holiday memory of the smell of oranges my mom would alway decorate with cloves & hang in the kitchen, raspberry, blueberry, even a touch of boysenberry, quince cheese, and a jumble of those cooler weather spices: clove, nutmeg, sprig of mint, and others. Over time the delicate sip turns into a strong joyful backbone.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: NO

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 electricity used during their creation. Percheron horses, Dakota & Takota (2025 harvest) 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 & 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 bit of the trek are by cargo bicycle. That’s very cool devotion to pure tradition & nature.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #oregon #illahevineyards #docwinebar #docwineshop

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Loving The Rural Life

Abadia da Cova
Cepa Vella 2023
100% Mencía
Organic
Ribeira Sacra, Spain
Winemaking family – current generation: Paloma & Adrián Rodríguez & their cousin José Moure

Deep purple with flashes of cranberry. Breathing in raspberry, cherry with at first something cream like that eases into the background, dark plums, a touch of good funk depth (not poopy) that mellows, and black pepper & other pepper that I can’t quite define. Sipping all of the scents with a little bell pepper, smidge of sorrel, pomegranate, blackberries with seeds & all that lead to juicy, fresh fruit yet finishes with a mineral lick & a cherry pit moment. It all deliciously levels out.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: so good

Adegas Moure & Abadía da Cova’s history starts back with a single man, Baldomero Moure Pérez. Born in 1892, he wanted more and left A Cova, Spain for Cuba. There he found employment with the railway & a way to save for his future. After his return to Galicia, he settled down with Carmen López Moure, and this led to pave a way toward wine. With her inheritance of land in A Cova and his savings, they continued to buy surrounding farmland, and then lay the foundations for their vineyards, the wines, and their spirits. Through the generations, the winery grew and refined their trade. Now it is the 4th gen (Paloma, José y Adrián) who continue the traditions and passions of the vines and grow forward organically to preserve the lands for their future generations. “Cepa Vella” is also a bond between Abadia da Cova and their neighbors by assisting them to go organic/sustainable which “encourages people to stay in the Ribeira Sacra and create an economically and ecologically sustainable model of rural life.” In my book that is pretty darn cool and I raise a glass to them. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #demaisonselections #abadiadacova #vinewinenyc

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🎶Oh! Darling🎶

âmevive
Cariño 2023
Estate Grown Ibarra-Young Vineyard
Tempranillo 84% & Graciano 16% (coferment)
Los Olivos District AVA
Organic, unfiltered, unfined, environmentally thoughtful
Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA
Alice Anderson & Topher de Felice

Oh so lush looking deep purple maroon cherry cocktail. First sniff and there’s cherries with a touch of something creamy like a light coat of frosting on a sugar cookie, followed by raspberries, a splash of cranberry, and as time goes by beautiful blueberries emerge. All of the scents are there in the taste with a bit more of the cherries (both tart & mellow), blueberries that are so fresh, an orange peel twist, rhubarb, and I think on the back a memory of homegrown bell pepper crunched in the field. There’s nothing overly heavy weighing you down, but there’s something leading you down a path of natural happiness and pure joy awakening your whole mouth.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: honestly don’t defile this wine

As some of you know I’m a magpie when it comes to wine labels, and I’m not one ounce ashamed of it. Alice Anderson’s mother Eileen paints from what I’ve found most if not all of their labels depicting the flora & fauna of their farm and surroundings (Alice depicted the back label of as she calls them “psychedelic compost microbes”.

These mushrooms are a sign of their healthy vineyards & soil. Alice & Topher have taken great care to grow & live as natural/organic/holistic/regenerative as possible. I know you hear all those terms bantered about all the time now in the wine world but this team actually does it. Check out their IG and look at the menagerie they have…sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, a pupper, beneficial ground cover & local plants, and all (along with the grapes) can contribute back to compost. It’s a joyful circle of biodynamic life.

Side note: This bottle lives up to its name, Cariño because it is truly a beautifully blended “darling”.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #california #amevive #vinewinenyc

 

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Fast Friends Forever

Paso a Paso Wines
Inmemorial
Criolla Grande Rosé 2024
Viñedo Ancestral
50% Criolla Chica, 27% Moscatel Rosado, 15% Pedro Ximenez, 8% Torrontes
Organic, natural, vegan
Vineyards: Montecaseros, San Martin, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Norberto Páez & Sebastián Bisole

Pretty in pink that grows into a pale 1980s electric magenta orange. Gentle scents start emerging of pink & red strawberries, raspberries, touch of cherry & watermelon, pink grapefruit, swish of creamsicle, and dainty roses. First sip and WOW! Again those strawberries & raspberries joined with boysenberry, papaya, a citrus sizzle, a fun & frisky cherry that makes you want to make a stem knot, ripe watermelon, and a sprinkle of salt.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: surprisingly crunchy good

How many friends do you still have now from back when you were 12? Norberto & Sebastián are some of those fast few that share such a childhood friendship that continued through school, university (Experimental Winery of the Agricultural School of Universidad Nacional de Cuyo) where they learned ropes and began working on their own wine future which led to their garage experiments & now their Paso a Paso wines. Wine is their passion, lifestyle, their timeless gift to the world, and as Sebastián says…”Producing wine means everything to me.” ❤️

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Rosé #Mendoza #argentina #SkinContactWines #PasoaPasoWines #docwinebar #docwineshop

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The Rhythm Of Nature

Vinyes Tortuga
Fruita Analogica
Comfortably Numb 2023
Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Roja, Garnacha Blanca
Organic, biodynamic, hand harvested
Rabós, Alt-Empordà, Cataluña, Spain
Dido Voorma & Jurriaan Morsink

Raspberry/cranberry cocktail minus the umbrella. Sniff this chilled pour and over time it’s a swirl of raspberry, a little wild hay/funk that will fade, pomegranate, cherry, a citrus tingle with a plummy depth, white pepper, and a small poof of smoke. First sip and the funk has left the room. There’s also cherries & cherry Jolly Ranchers, pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry, tart plum, even a little gooseberry with a little citrus sizzle on the lips followed by white pepper. Such a fun, crunchy, easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yeah man

Dido & Jurriaan (originally hailing from Amsterdam) had been all over learning about & making wine until they found their little space in the world in Empordà near Rabós. Those 9.5 ha were their dream vines and instead of waiting any longer they crowdfunded the purchase of the plot. Now they are working natural or as they say, “we farm with the rhythm of nature, transforming grapes into living, breathing wines that pulse with energy”. They want their bottles to tell a tale of where they’re from, a touch of history, and to spark conversations…and part of that whole picture is also their love of all sorts of music which feeds their wines names. There’s “Hunky Dory”, “Juicy”, “Cloudbusting”, “Little Fluffy Clouds”, etc., and the one I brought home, “Comfortably Numb”. Now, I want to know the secret behind this particular lyrical pairing; so if by chance Dido & Jurriaan happen upon this post…please do tell.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Garnacha #Spain #selectionsdelavina #vinyestortuga #vinewinenyc

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Vibrant Goals

Vinicola Tombacco
Ca’ Del Doge
Prosecco DOC
Vino Spumante
Extra Dry
Glera 85%, a potential blend (15%) of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero vinified in white, Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Long Glera
Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy
Tombacco Family

Very pale yellow/green starlight with teeny fine bubbles. Breathing in memories of homegrown Golden Delicious apples, green pears, a squish of lemon, and donut peaches. First sip is mouth tingling and then here comes a bigger squish of lemon mixed with lime & other citrus, crisp green apples & crabapples, firm green pears, and a sliver of slightly underripe white peach. It’s dry, crisp and so vibrantly full of life.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: yes please

The Tombacco Family has been creating and cultivating wine for 3 generations, and it all started way back with a peach farm that over time grew into a love of the vines. Now they also have different labels/brands showcasing the grapes’ regions of origin. Their “Ca’ Del Doge” line is best described in their own words, “Ancient traditions that speak of beauty, taste and knowing how to live well. Like a reflection in the waters of the most famous lagoon in the world, the Ca’ del Doge Wines reflect ancient and shimmering memories, flavours and aromas of the Veneto region, bringing some of the goodness of our wines to tables around the world.” Love the idea that they’re sending you a bottled bubbly postcard, and I also admire that Vinicola Tombacco has a code of ethics that includes a part about “socially responsible work management” where they actually care about their employees and especially for those still in school or courses to make sure they are provided with the time to achieve their education goals…now that to me is a reason to raise a fizzy glass to them in appreciation & cheers. 🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #prosecco #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #italy #Tombacco #cadeldoge #docwinebar #docwineshop

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A Chill Love Note

El Mas de l’A
Tot-Ú 2020
Blend of Garnacha Peluda, Garnacha Gris, Garnacha Blanca, Garnacha Tinta, Trepat, Cariñena
Organic, bio
Priorat, Spain
Alfredo Arribas

Cheery stained glass cherry. Sniff once…twice…three times a…wait I just got stuck in a song. Back to the glass, there’s scents of raspberries, cherries, pomegranate, young strawberries, and a little dragged through the forest floor with a dried pine needle. Sipping and this is so lovely and lives up to all I’ve been told. I could drink this blend all day.

There’s again those raspberries, cherries, pomegranate, sweet & tart strawberries, and hanging out in the back and shyly waving a blueberry or two. Pinch of earth lingers but the funk has left the building and again this is awesome. Chill it a little, chill it a lot (my fave)…either way you will have some very happy tastebuds.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: absolutely not

Every time I find a “new to me” wine, it’s not just a tasting experience but a chance to learn about the person behind the bottle. It’s even more of a delight going in blind and discovering it’s by a winemaker I already ❤️ but just under a different monicker. First encounter with Arribas’ was in Barcelona (at La Vinya del Senyor) with a glass of his Somni and over the years others have happily dropped in my lap (bottles not glasses bc that would be quite a mess). His wines are truly fabulous but that’s just scratching the surface of this creative fount…he’s also an internationally acclaimed (award winning) architect & interior designer, who also has a recurring thread of sustainability across his ventures. Alfredo’s “El Mas de l’A” project lets Garnacha varieties (red & white) mingle, shine and reflect his personal spot of Priorat, and (to me) this Tot-Ú is like writing a love note not only to these grapes but also to everyone that gets a chance to share in this experience. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Garnacha #Spain #josepastorselections #portaldelpriorat #alfredoarribas #vinewinenyc

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“The Story Is Still Going On”

Barone di Villagrande
Etna Bianco Superiore DOC 2023
Carricante 90%, other Indigenous Etna grapes 10%
Certified organic production (but they don’t shout about it)
Milo, Sicily, Italy
Marco Nicolosi

Shining yellow gold like I remember from a Cimabue viewed years before. Breathing in round ripe pears, a splash of lemon/lime, touch of grapefruit, lychee, mango, and a sprinkle of sage & oregano. All of the sniffs are in the sip with a dryness/sizzle along with golden delicious apples ripe & warm just picked from the tree, lick of a well washed over river rock/conglomerate, fresh grown sage and oregano. That dryness is still there with a weaving in and out of a bit of richness…or should I say moving in sync together like a couple tangoing around the room.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Back away from the bag!

The Nicolosi family’s connection to their lands date back to the 17th century but it was in the 18th when the Bishop of Catania came to them with a not so easy task to transform the wild, gnarly, difficult fields of Etna into a flourishing “delicious garden”. Guess they impressed the powers that be in 1727, and Emperor Charles VI of Augsburg, King of Naples, gave Don Carmelo Nicolosi the title of Baron of Villagrande. Over all this time passion for their territory and grape grew, new cellars were built, and a focus began on keeping the red and white grapes separate bucking the ways of old that just blended them all. They’ve kept growing in knowledge, passion, and just making the best darn wine they can. As they say on their site: “We wrote a fundamental page on the Etna wines history. The story is still going on.”

Side note: Do you want to combine a delicious & educational winecation with a bit of added pleasure? Check out their site and book one of their 4 rooms. Blend & immerse yourself with the history of the manor & local nature, bask in the sun, and of course view the vineyards while chilling in the infinity pool. Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be there right now.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #organic #Sicily #italy #omniwines #baronedivillagrande #villagrande_winery #docwinebar #docwineshop

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26 Hours

Grace Wine
Koshu 2023
Fermented and matured in stainless steel, hand picked, grapes grown above 400m
Yamanashi, Japan
Ayana Misawa (5th gen) & the Misawa Family

Very pale starlight yellow green. First sniff and there’s a light smash up of apple with Mandarins, Valencia oranges & other citrus (very small tangelo), which leads to round pears, touch of fresh honey & honeysuckle blossoms, and over time a pinch of nutmeg. Sipping and wow! All of the scents are there with a touch of smoke that fades and on day 2 lighter & joined with that smidge of nutmeg, all sorts of apples & pears, a lick of fresh sugarcane (but not overly sweet just a memory) that morphs into honeysuckle nectar, ripe fresh picked cucumber, winter melon, and an end welcome bitter bite that normally I’d single out almond or an herb or two like parsley without the greenery taste but this one is harder to define. Maybe it’s more like a fruit pit without the fruitiness or a lemon seed. Either way the best way to describe this bottle is it’s a gentle wine…well balanced…graceful (no pun intended)…elegant…and a happy surprise.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT

Ooooh when my friend pointed out this bottle, let’s just say I was giddy. Wanted to try a Japanese wine for so long, and quite happy that it turns out Grace Wine will be my first. They’ve been around for just over a century and now in their 5th generation, there’s a woman in charge of making the wine. Ayana Misawa followed in her father’s footsteps (he’s a winemaker with an organic chemistry education) but also branched out by studying in Bordeaux & Stellenbosch, and working abroad in Australia, Argentina, Chile & New Zealand. In 2014, she brought home a Gold Medal from the Decanter World Wine Awards (1st for Japanese wine) and the heralds & honors keep coming while thriving in what is still an old boys club. She and Grace keep shining with her knowledge, viticulture gift, and her hard work since her workdays last 26 hours.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #japan #koshu #GraceWine #vinewinenyc