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A Watermelon Moon

Sébastien David
Lisounette 2020
Vin de France
70% Cinsault & 30% Cabernet Franc
5 months aging in concrete tanks
Organic, biodynamic, wild yeasts, unfined and unfiltered
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Loire Valley, France
Winemaker: Sébastien David

Pretty, pretty salmon color. First whiff out of the gate is buttercream, quickly followed by cherry pie, watermelon, and a smidge of funk with some interesting good depth. This ain’t your mama’s rosé. Ooh this tastes so good! Here’s that watermelon again, then a squish of lemon and also orange zest, and a salted cherry Starburst…you’ve never thought about doing that? C’mon we all do it with Snickers minis. why not? Wait, am I the only one? Back to the wine…there’s also a pull off the end of a croissant with a dab of clotted cream. Delicious!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oof so tart. Just put them away

So I’ve learned a new word that I never would have thought of hearing: “Hurluberlu” which from what I’m finding is “one who looks at the stars and planets to show him how to grow” and in some cases just an “eccentric man”. Hmmmm, well evidently this is part of Sébastien’s magic. He not only looks back to the past generations (he’s 15th) for guidance and techniques but also to the future with going biodynamic and permaculture. Another part of the future or branching out is when he took his first steps toward a rosé in “Lisounette”.  Well, as you can read above, the 2020 rocks! If it’s due to following celestial bodies, then I say lets all break out our telescopes and go moon bathing!

@docwineshop @docwinebar @hurluberluseb @tedward_ws @boboselections @cheezits #vindefrance #pairswithcheezits #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram  #Cinsault #CabernetFranc #saintnicolasdebourgueil #France #SébastienDavid #Hurluberlu #Lisounette #loirevalley

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Golden Levitation

Omnipollo x Evil Twin Brewing
Even More Bianca
Raspberry Maple Pancake Lassi Gose
Sour Ale with Raspberries, Vanilla, Milk Sugar, Marshmallow flavor & natural flavors
7% ABV
Brewed and Packaged by Twelve Percent
North Haven, CT

Deep hazy raspberry pour that almost goes purple with a raspberry light pink head. There’s scents of milky/creamy raspberry candy, sugary marshmallow fluff, and vanilla. Sipping tart and sweet raspberry candy with a small squish of grapefruit/tangerine, the creamy center of an Oreo, and of course some vanilla. Oooh it’s like raspberry/strawberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream on top, yeah that’s it…well minus the biscuit dough part. This berry baby has a little weight or oomph to it. I definitely can’t drink more than one or I’ll be waddling. Just slowly sip and enjoy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: meh, doesn’t do much…all the flavors overpower it

Now this is one happy brewery pairing! I feel like I found the golden ticket or should I say egg, and on that note a levitating one. BTW these are limited, so if you want one…go get it now!

@BeerBoutiqueNYC @omnipollo @eviltwinbrewingnyc @twelve.percent.beer.project @twelve.percent.nyc.metro @hkarlphoto @cheezits #beer #ビール #啤酒 #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #sourale #sour #gose #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife #dualipa

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Approved By Hitchcock

Frecciarossa
Sillery
Pinot Nero 2019
Dry white wine
Oltrepò Pavese DOC
Organic,  hand-harvested 
Casteggio, Italy
Owners & winemaking family: The Odero family, latest generation: Valeria Radici Odero

The absolute faintest glimpse of blush warmth on a pale gold like a smile from a crush. Scents of wet granite, tiny roses, light cherry, peaches, and a little lemon in the back. This is a delicious jumble of peaches, nectarines, pluots, yellow and red cherries, a citrus splash, and a little funk way back. Within this mellow and velvety fruit basket there is a dry slate that ends it all quite nicely. Dress me up, dress me down…this glass is welcome anywhere.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Nope it destroys the delicate beauty

Here’s a bottle tracing a hundred years of history (1919-2019). The latest generation, Valeria Radici Odero, can look back to the start with her great grandfather resettling back to Italy from the UK by acquiring a majestic new home on a hill called “Frecciarossa” (red arrow). Well this arrow’s real name was “fraccia rossa” (red landslide)…oops! His son Giorgio not only fell for the land but also Pinot Nero, and was so passionate about it he went to France to learn from the best. Bottling his own magic, the wine garnered notice…even a high alert from Alfred Hitchcock who downed a few at the posh Villa D’Este. Giorgio passed the torch to his daughter Margherita, and now we are full circle with her daughter Valeria. Can’t wait to see where the next 100 years takes them.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @frecciarossawinery @vignaioli_selection @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Italy #oltrepopavese #pinotnoir #pinotnero #alfredhitchcock #villadeste

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Give Her the Gold

Château Haut Lavigne
Cuvée N comme … – Rosé 2020
50 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Cabernet Franc
Vin de France
Organic
Côtes de Duras, France
Winemaker: Nadia Lusseau

Burnt orange watermelon glass. Sniffing strawcherberry, raspberries, buttery brioche, and mandarins. Oh pile on the delicious tastes of cranberry, strawberry, cherry, raspberry, a sprig of hay along with a tiny tart funk balsamic tang, and a lick of granite.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: tons of strawberries and berries galore

Nadia Lusseau may have not started out as a winemaker, but during her studies she ended up doing a stint in an oenology lab where things changed. By 2002, she acquired her land in Côtes de Duras and was growing organically in 2005. This is one woman that is truly passionate about wine and is firmly invested/committed to her land and all that grows and inhabits it. As she says on her site, “The vineyard is year round devotion. No Sundays or public holidays !!!” Her hard work, patience, honed skills and natural senses are like Nadia Comăneci who graces this bottle, and I easily award it the gold.

@vinewinenyc @nadia_vignoble_haut_lavigne @jennyfrancois @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin #beer #Rosé #rose #rosato #worldbyglass #cheezit #vinewinenyc #葡萄酒 #ワイン #organic #cotesdeduras #France #chateauhautlavigne #CabernetSauvignon #CabernetFranc #cuvee #vindefrance #NadiaComaneci

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Shhh…What’s That Vine Saying?

Costador Terroirs Mediterranis
Metamorphika 2018
D.O Conca de Barberà
100% Trepat
Catalunya, Spain
Organic, hand harvested, indigenous yeasts, & as always a really cool clay bottle
Winemaker: Joan Franquet

Ruby with blue/purple hues. Take a breath and there’s some forest funk, cherry, pinch of raspberry, very small bit of roses that fade, white pepper, light rabbit tobacco (yes, rabbit tobacco…I grew up in the country), and a little licorice. Raising my glass and tasting cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries mixed with one or two strawberries, earthy funk that leads to black pepper, baker’s chocolate, and a juicy twang. It’s lively as in like biting into a fresh handful of all the above fruit.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: only makes it more smooth…but I like the tangy twang

The last Costador I encountered was Joan’s 2019 Chenin Blanc which was darn glorious, and gave me the chance to learn about his mountainous vineyards with wild boars. This indigenous Trepat is a completely other amphora delight. The vines are around 60 years old which make me feel like a youngster, and I think if these vines could talk what would their tales say. Would they whisper how the climate has changed? I bet they would speak lovingly of Joan since he has cared for them so well and organically over the years. Most of all they would probably tell us the history of the land and their heritage. You don’t have to wait for the vines, all you have to do is pour a glass and let your nose and tastebuds translate it all for you.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @costadorwines @saviosoaresselections @cheezits #wine #cheezit #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #wineinfluencer #winestagram #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #organic #Metamorphika #Catalunya #Spain #Catalan #Trepat #JoanFranquet

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A Princely Little Fox

Famille Coulon
BiotifulFOX 2019
Vin De France
60% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne, 20% Viognier
Organic and biodynamic
Southern Rhône Valley, France
Winemakers: Daniel & Frédéric Coulon & Daniel’s sons Victor & Antonin

A glass of spun straw. Breathing in apricots, peaches, salty slatiness, honeydew that is a little musky as it warms, tangelo, and pineapple. Take a sip and it’s heavenly, bright and a little decadent at the same time. We have a fun fruit basket of peaches, apricots, honeydew, pineapple, with a smidge of honey and rocky mineral. Just wonderfully crisp, delicious, and delightfully foxy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out tiny flowers too, nice

With a swish of a tail this pretty little fox can spark a new project and expand the future of Domaine de Beaurenard’s historic wines. The Coulon Family has branched outside of their own vineyards to work with bio and organic grapes sourced from their friends’ Rhône vines. This beautiful blend is the culmination of their 8 generations of expertise and attention to nature, listening to the earthly rhythms, and following the pull of the stars and planets above. By the way, check out the label…remember “The Little Prince”? Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s work transported many of us as kids and even rings true or more poignant now. Dang, I didn’t realize how much emotion this would bring back reminiscing. Just remember as the fox said, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ❤️

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wilsondaniels #FamilleCoulon #DomainedeBeaurenard @beaurenard @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #bio #Roussanne #Marsanne #Viognier #Rhône #France #fox #thelittleprince #BiotifulFOX

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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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Cheers to a Beautiful Daydream

Renardat-Fâche
En Blanc Aussi…
Brut Nature VDF 2019
100% Chardonnay
Méthode-ancestrale, organic, biodynamic, and on the lees for a year
Mérignat, Bugey, France
Winemakers: Alain Renardat and his son Elie

Straw yellow with very active white bubbles. As those bubbles keep floating up delivering scents of apples, grass or freshly stripped young apple branch, Marcona almonds, a little citrus zip that mellows into a little Lemonhead candy, followed by tiny spring flowers. Now here comes a zingy sip. It’s fresh, dry,  with a squeeze of lemon, a blend of crisp tart apples and a few sweet. The bubbles settle down some and there’s a bit of the filling of a lemon curd tart. Refreshing and easy drinker but it’s only 10.5% so feel free to have another glass

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Fab! Even more lemons!

The vineyards of Mérignat have history that goes back to the Middle Ages, and the Renardat-Fâche family has been working them for eight generations. Browsing through their site and I can see why they would stay in this area for so long. It is gorgeous! There’s sloping hills of vines overlooking the enchanting little town and mountains in the background. It’s like falling back in time where I could see a knight on a quest riding up on horseback. Hey, I’m a hopeless romantic, and this bottle with those sights…I’ve drifted off into a daydream filled with love.

@vinewinenyc @renardatfache @louisdressnerselections @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin #beer #worldbyglass #cheezit #vinewinenyc #葡萄酒 #ワイン #wineinfluencer #organic #Chardonnay #sparklingwine #bubbly #brut #Mérignat #Bugey #France

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A Little Starlight in Paradise

Errella
Txakolina 2019
100% Hondarrabi Zuri
Getariako Txakolina DO
Sustainable, minimal Intervention, hand-harvested, native yeasts, and wines are labelled in braille (which is cool & I’d like to know why)
Basque Country, Spain
Winemakers: Emilio Ostazola and his wife Elizabeth (3rd generation winemaking family)

A glass of starlight yellow with some green hints. Breathing in lemon, lime, salt, and a little melon kind of like honeydew melon balls smashed on wet granite, so it’s only a little. Ooh first sip and there’s a little sparkle tingle, again lemon and Iime joined with crisp green apples, pear, and a little sea breeze salt.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: ahhh good, it’s a picnic wine…mmmm

This is a light dancing wine that whisks your brain away to warmer climes where you can dangle your feet in the water, chill out, soak in the sun, and order some fish tacos. Or as Zac Brown Band’s song says “Knee deep in the water somewhere-Got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair-Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair-Sunrise there’s a fire in the sky-Never been so happy-Never felt so high-And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise”.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @elevationwine #errella @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #txakoli #txakolina #spanishwine #spain #basquewine #Basque #BasqueCountry #GetariakoTxakolina  #hondarrabizuri #zacbrownband #jimmybuffett #paradise

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Pucker Up Sunshine

Geuzestekerij Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Oude Gueuze
Lambic
6% ABV
Each bottle matured for over three years
Dworp, Belgium
Blenders: Sidy Hanssens and her husband John Matthijs (4th generation)

Beautiful orange gold with fine light bubbles on top, like champagne. Pop that cork and out comes scents of lemon, lime, tart apple, tangy sourdough, and a few stalks of hay. Sip and it’s a very bright wakeup hello to your tongue. There’s lemon, lime, crabapples, rhubarb, and  vinegar that is a good thing. Also a little twist of black pepper and funk on the backside. Just deliciously fresh and sour and reminds me of some natural wines.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: meh

It’s really cool that Sidy Hanssens and her husband John Matthijs decided to take on the family tradition even though Sidy’s dad (Jean) did not teach her or her brother the business. Supposedly back in the 80s Jean even said “gueuze is dead”, but I beg to differ. This historical bottle is very much full of life. In fact this one was caught in the wild on a very hot day at Sugarburg. Sending a huge thank you to my dear friend Danielle for sharing it with me. I highly recommend you to pucker up with this glass of sunshine.

@sugarburgbk @bunitedint #hanssensartisanaal @cheezits #beer #ビール #啤酒 #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #belgianbeer #beerstagram #instabeer #craftbeer #beersofinstagram #beerlife #belgium #dworp #OudeGueuze #Lambic #sour #sourbeer