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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

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A Wine with a Soundtrack

S.C. Pannell
‘Basso’
Garnacha 2019
100% Grenache Noir
Organic, dry-grown, hand harvested, and unfiltered
McLaren Vale, SA., Australia
Winemaker: Stephen Pannell

Shining cranberry ruby. Oooooh tickling my nose are raspberries, cherry, orange peel, some flowers appear like tiny roses, and as time goes by a bit of earthy funk? Tasting fresh raspberries and also a little strawberry jolly rancher, and cranberry tart tang. This is fun glass full of life and is juicy that also has dark earthiness hiding in the background that pops out and waves every once in a while. Can totally see sipping this under the stars with a big steak on the grill and watching the bats dip, dive and soar while feasting on those pesky mosquitos.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: I like it…hmmm…not sure what it is doing. Just goes really well.

What a slew of awards and recognition are in Stephen Pannell’s pocket. Guess that explains why this bottle is so good. Pick early, release early and watch this youg’un burst full of life. I love that even while looking as to which soil speaks best to the grapes, he’s also thinks ahead to what local food will go with the wine in the end. ‘Basso’ is supposed to pair with chicken or pork shashlik cooked over coals with a tomato and pomegranate salad. Mmmm that does sound better than my first thought of steak. He also has a soundtrack for your drinking pleasure and this glass goes with Masego & FKJ – “Tadow”, so relax, tuck into your fabulous meal, and enjoy the tune.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @scpannell @vsiwine @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #redwine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #Garnacha #Grenache #GrenacheNoir #Australia #Masego #FKJ #Basso #mclarenvale

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Pick From the Best

Flat Brim Wines
Not Basic 2020
50% Picpoul, 50% Roussanne
Columbia Valley, Portland, Oregon
Sustainably sourced grapes, and indigenous yeasts
Winemakers and owners: Ian & Becky Atkins

Hazy orange and deep golden streaked sunset, almost copper. Breathing in a delightful citrus blend of lemon, orange, tangerine, with a smidge of clove, coconut, a little fresh cut grass, and some wet granite. There’s a bit if Vanilla that plays hide and seek, and very light oak as it breathes…poof gone. Sipping and here comes orange, pineapple, shake that salt, and tangy tart sparks. Then all of a sudden there’s a touch of Kirby cucumbers,  and some white pepper. I know it’s neutral oak, but there’s a little vanilla of it hanging out in the background with a smoky ember. It’s like a fresh fun playground in my mouth.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: makes it even more smooth and even a little creamy

This is my third Flat Brim wine, and each has been so unique and all delicious. I guess it’s due to them being an urban winery and able to source the best grapes from growers they trust and know are sustainable (some are also organic and others biodynamic). Having such a beautiful diverse painter’s palette to work with has to be an amazing opportunity, and this bottle is a great expression of their creativity. One more thing to add, “Not Basic 2020” is a wine that can win over your beer loving friend that consistently says NO to wine. Give ‘em a little nudge and once they try, they’ll be sold.

@vinewinenyc @flatbrimwines @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin #beer #worldbyglass #cheezit #vinewinenyc #Portland #Oregon #葡萄酒 #ワイン #wineinfluencer #organic #Picpoul #Roussanne #ColumbiaValley #flatbrimwines

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Respecting Tradition and Keeping it Simple

Borgogno
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC 2019
100% Dolcetto
Organic, minimal intervention
Vineyards: Madonna di Como (Alba)
Barolo (CN), Italy

Dark cherry with purple glints. Pull that cork, pour and here come scents of raspberry, cherry, plums, a little creamy vanilla, and something a little dark but not daunting. Quite lovely actually so looking forward to the taste. There’s that lovely cherry again and as you exhale smoke. Next is a beautiful burst of fruity flavor of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even raisins. After a bit there’s hints of black peppercorns. I’ve had a rough day and this wine just well…the first sip made my evening brighter. Now I’m craving a very large portion of Malloreddus Alla Campidanese.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: mmmm a bit more rugged and handsome…like Harrison Ford. You know there’s another Indy flick coming up and I can’t wait!

Borgogno has one lengthy history staring back in 1761, when Bartolomeo Borgogno started the winery and passed through the years through the family. By 1920, Cesare Borgogno held the reigns and along with starting to export the wines, he decided to hang on to half of it too. Pretty darn smart to sit on those for 20 years (and some even longer) and they now have an amazing Barolo collection of many decades past. A new family (Farinetti) took over in 2008, but they decided why mess with a good thing. They brought the old main building back to its glory, and went back to concrete fermentation. They did make a change to get certified organic, which who wouldn’t applaud. Keeping it simply traditional.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @borgogno1761 @ethicawines @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #redwine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #dolcetto #Barolo #Italy #Cuneo #borgogno1761 #borgogno #malloreddusallacampidanese

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“Then I’m Gonna Kiss Your PINEAPPLE!”

Westbrook Brewing Co.
Pineapple Shake IPA
Hazy Milkshake IPA brewed with lactose, vanilla, and pineapple
Unpasturized, non-homogenized, & brewed fresh
7% ABV
Mt. Pleasant, SC

Hazy orange gold that has a lot of active movement and a small white head. Pouring and here comes sniffs of pineapple, tangerine, mango, and a little vanilla. First sip and well that’s a wakeup call and It’s all there… the pineapple, vanilla, and the creaminess. But that’s not all, there’s lemon, kumquats and a sliver of mango. I’m really digging this Milkshake IPA.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: uh no ack horrible

So I find myself trying another SC beer, and man have things changed since I was a kid there. I remember bars not having free pour and having to get mixed drinks made from mini bottles. Now look at my childhood home state. There’re breweries popping up everywhere and they are damn good. Westbrook has a taproom with a rotation of 22 taps, and if you want to just pop by and head home, there’s bottles, cans, and crowlers. There’s one can I wish I could’ve gotten my hands on. They collaborated with the South Carolina Aquarium and made a DIPA “Drinks Well with Otters”. You have to see the video on FB Watch. Oh and for those of you who are worried, as it says in the video, “No otters were intoxicated during the making of this video.”

@westbrookbrewingco @BeerBoutiqueNYC @twelve.percent.beer.project @twelve.percent.nyc.metro @hkarlphoto @cheezits #beer #ビール #啤酒 #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #IPA #milkshakeipa #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife #mtpleasant #SC #otter #otters #b52s

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Ciderlicious Moment of Zen

Phonograph Cider
Harvest Cider
Un-Sweet
Apples (grown in NYS): including Golden Russet, Northern Spy, Dabinett, Geneva Tremlett’s Bitter, and Harry Master’s Jersey
5.6% ABV
Sustainable, unfiltered, no added sulfites, organic fertilizer
Produced in Lafayette, NY (under authority of South Hill Cider)

Bright golden with glimmers of green and tiny bubbles. Lifting the glass closer to my nose and it’s a fragrant basketful of fresh apples and then also apple pie. As I’ve said before…I ❤️ PIE! On to the much anticipated sip and oh tingle! It’s like biting into a just picked fresh firm apple. You know that tart wake up your mouth gets that leads to a smooth rounded mmmm. It’s not exactly sweet, but there is that pleasant natural apple goodness with a nice dry finish. Damn it’s a perfect unique crisp blend that’s very fab for a hot day, and perfect to sip while grilling. Oh yeah, would be great with brats and some nice stinky cheese!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh delicious but you had to expect it to be. Cheese and apples are best friends.

Phonograph Cider’s site sums up their beautiful gift to us, “Like phonograph records, cider is regaining its rightful place in our culture analog, real, and authentic.” These apples are super authentic. Some are old varieties that take a bit of love and understanding since they might not produce as much as others, but the outcome is worth it. They also use a really old (around 100 years) rack and cloth press, and if you want a minute of zen then check out this video.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @phonographcider @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #applecider #cider #ciderlover #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #beer #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #winestagram #instawine #apples #lafayette #NY

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Summertime Love

Succès Vinícola
La Trompa 2020
100% Trepat
D.O. Conca de Barberà
Organic & aged in stainless steel
Catalonia Spain
Winemakers: Mariona Vendrell and Albert Canela

Plummy cranberry cocktail that’s so inviting. First scent out of the gate is smoked salt rapidly followed by raspberries, watermelon, strawberries, and lemon zest. Sipping and again there is that delicious smoke, raspberries, watermelon, young strawberries, a tangy citrus squirt, and a whole wild blackberry. Also a shake of salt and white pepper that balances out this refreshing and crisp summer lightly chilled red happiness.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yeah, pair this baby up. It totally makes everything heighten.

This is your bottle of summer love that originates from Mariona and Albert falling for each other while studying winemaking. I always enjoy a little bit of romance with my wine. Now they’re creating organic beauties like this Trepat that will have your heart singing. Let’s follow those trumpeting pink elephants and find out what groove they’re on. I bet it will be magical and a little bit Dizzy!

@vinewinenyc @succesvinicola @coeurwineco @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #vinho #vino #vin #worldbyglass #cheezit #vinewinenyc #spain #catalonia #葡萄酒 #ワイン  #wineinfluencer #trepat #rosado #rose #rosé #organic #succesvinicola #pinkelephants #DizzyGillespie

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It’s All About the Schist

Le Fief Noir
Ouest Coast
Anjou 2017
100% Chenin Blanc
Certified organic and hand-harvested
St-Lambert du Lattay, Loire, France
Winemakers: Alexis Soulas and Dominique Sirot

Golden starlight twinkle twinkle. Pull the cork and breathing buttercream, butterscotch that fades into pineapple, yellow watermelon (yeah each color/one does smell different), lemon and lemon vanilla wafer. Sipping creamy salty lemon, key lime, kumquat, very mellow papaya, light orangey pops, and honey filled pear. I think I’ve had my weekly allotment of fruit! There’s also dried sage in the end and then bring that citrus back round again with a salt shake. So sweet, calm, and clean and bright that is yearning for some yellow fin sushi with jalapeño.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Raises the citrus

Alexis Soulas and Dominique Sirot became friends and hatched their wine plan in Corsica, but Anjou was where they landed. Back in 2012, they tasted the wine of Domaine des Chesnaies, decided this was the exact place for their project to take root, and after a renaming Le Fief Noir was born. Soil is the key and king here. The black schist of L’Anjou Noir is perfect for Chenin Blanc and also is where their name Le Fief Noir stemmed. Their passion for their wines is evident in the bottle and in their writings online. They have a lot to say, check their website. Alexis Soulas says, “A wine is never entirely finished. It belongs to the one who get it. This is this open field to interpretation, this co-creation, which make our job so beautiful.” I love that any of us can become part of their world and the story of their wine.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @lefiefnoir @wineberryamerica @cheezits #pairswithcheezits  #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #wineinfluencer #winestagram #instawine #Anjou #Loire #France #CheninBlanc

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Where’s My Plane Ticket?

Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co.
Sour Passionfruit
American Sour Ale
Brewed with passionfruit
6.5% ABV
Charleston, SC
Brewing Director: Cameron Read

Hazy golden light orange with a small white head. Immediately breathing in a mix of passionfruit and bouquet of funky flowers flying all over. Well, tongue say hello to a salty citrus tangy blend, and next the passionfruit puree pops out. Ooh then some pineapple crush. It’s juicy and addictive and doesn’t back down. Bring on the summer heat because this refreshing can will keep you cool.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Love it! Makes everything more zippy and zingy.

Well, well, well…this may have me thinking of booking a ticket in the future to my home state. If this sour ale is anything like the rest of Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co.’s brews then I’m all in. Also what a restaurant menu (they have a wood-fired brick oven and a Polish smokehouse)…there’s house cured 2 year speck (I ❤️ speck), homemade hotdogs, pizza (like: Peach & Ricotta with House-made cayenne salami, fresh basil & honey), and two of my favorite things in the world…PIMENTO CHEESE and BOILED PEANUTS! I’m starving right now and would love all of that ASAP. Oh and might as well, throw in a few cans of their Sour Sherbet. Yum!

@eobrewing @BeerBoutiqueNYC @twelve.percent.beer.project @twelve.percent.nyc.metro @hkarlphoto @cheezits #beer #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #sour #sourale #americansourale #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beerlife  #passionfruit #Charleston #SC #eobrewing #fruitedsour

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Deep Natural Thoughts

Esencia Rural
(Bodega Ecológica Bruno Ruiz)
De Sol a Sol
Airén 2016
Organic, biodynamic and super natural!
Quero, Toledo, Castilla–La Mancha, Spain
Winemaker: Julián Ruiz Villanueva

Deep orangey gold skin contact pour. Reminds me of Tang (you remember the astronauts drink that Buzz Aldrin hated) or even the color of a Cheez-It. Damn this is deep and heady and that was a short sniff. It’s like a Sherry/Manzanilla vibe…nutty, caramel, golden raisins, dried apricots, and grassy. Now this is an explosion of taste wonderment and I find it absolutely intriguing, but I can see where some might get overwhelmed or not “be that into it” because it is intense. There’s nothing wrong with that but like I always used to tell my friend’s kid when he was little, try something at least 3 times before you make your mind up that it’s not for you. There’s tangy orange fresh and dry with splashes of lemon tart, caramel, brown sugar cookies, honey, and hazelnuts. This is a glass to be savored and contemplated on or shared over good conversation and not a glob-glou. Hangout with this wine, let it grow and let yourself settle into it’s personality and get comfortable with it and maybe have some “Deep Thoughts””.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Oh absolutely not!!!! That was disgusting. Shake it off, shake it off

Julián post school in Madrid, came back with a mission to farm organic and take on the artisan mantle. After trying other produce he turned to the vines in 1998, and has around 50 hectares. De Sol a Sol comes from his favorite “El Almendruco” (4.8 hectares) which was planted by his grandfather. This is the land that produces the indigenous yeasts or bacteriology of the flor. He wants to keep his wines super natural, they’re certified organic, dry-farmed, some are old, ungrafted vines, and he loves to work with the local grapes. You also can’t find chemicals in the vineyard or cellar. De Sol a Sol (From Sun to Sun), Airén 2016, is dedicated to all of the hardworking farmers who work from sun up to sun down, which is just a beautiful thought. Here’s Julián’s own words which I found in Cuvee3000’s video, “Only we, the artisans, can preserve the cultural value of each area: vinifications, grape varieties, simplicity, tradition and so on.” That dedication is good enough for me

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @esenciarural @selectionsdelavina @zevrovineselections @zev_rovine @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #wine #naturalwine #cheezit #wineinfluencer @worldbyglass #winestagram #instawine #Airen #Airén #Quero #Toledo #CastillaLaMancha #Spain #JackHandey #deepthoughts #BodegaBrunoRuiz #desolasol #snl