Everything tastes better after a break.
I took a pause from reviewing wines in January for the first time in over a year. It was much needed. While I only originally took the break to clear my head, I ended up needing sinus surgery, which basically meant I couldn’t drink wine for the entire month anyway (though I made a few exceptions while filming my 300 French Wine Words in 30 Days series). I’ve never done Dry January by choice – and I guess this year was no different. I spent the month of February still mostly on the mend, but by the time the resulting terrible sinus infection finally cleared up, detecting aromas after over a month of issues with my sense of smell and taste was – in a word – incredible. It was like noticing color for the first time. I became extraordinarily grateful for access to all five of my newly unfettered senses. Wine simply tasted better. It was more complex, beautiful, and enchanting than it had been for me in years. I lingered over every glass with a newfound fondness for the liquid. While the industry, its Champagne Police, and obsession with all the wrong things (my God, can we please shut up about glassware and judging people for it?!) drove me crazy, that magical fermented beverage we call wine seduced me, pulling me back into a warm embrace as the last fit of winter raged outside our New York City doors.
Here are the lucky wines that got to be among the first re-tasted – and what I thought of them.
WINE #1: “Tête d’Ange”, Saumur Blanc, Manoir de la Tête Rouge, 2023 (18/20, BottleBarn)
Where I had it: While filming my 300 French Wine Words in 30 Days series.
How much a bottle cost me: $0. I got this for free as a take-home sample after an event with the Loire Valley Wines trade association last year.
How much a bottle would cost you: $24. That’s a pretty insane price for how fantastic this wine is!
OVERALL COMPOSITE SCORE: 18/20
- DRINKABILITY SCORE: 4.5/5 – I’ve had the pleasure of trying, tasting, and revisiting this wine a few times over the years and it never disappoints. There’s very little to critique in this wine, and winemaker Guillaume Reynouard keeps the quality consistent year after year. It’s like taking a sip of spring time: soft, light notes of white pear, lemon, and yellow apple embrace each other and dance together on your tastebuds. Just lovely. Pick up a bottle!
- PAIRABILITY SCORE: 4/5 – I didn’t enjoy this delightful wine with food this time, but it will certainly go well with all kinds of dishes. The vibrancy of the acidity, paired well with those pretty tasting notes, are sure to give you a perfect bite – whether a salad with goat cheese, a pasta primavera, or even a heavier dish like a risotto.
- WALLET-ABILITY SCORE: 5/5 – For $24, few wines can compete. This is a crowd-pleasing wine you, your friends, and your family are simply going to love, and at that price you just can’t turn it down!
- THE X FACTOR SCORE: 4.5/5 – A small, family-owned domaine currently helmed by Guillaume Reynouard, the domaine has been certified in organics since 2001 and in biodynamics since 2010. While I wasn’t able to find much about charitable giving or CSR requirements, the consistent, now decades-long commitment to environmental efforts is admirable.
WINE #2: La Combe Pilate “Esteban”, Vin de France, M. Chapoutier, 2022 (15/20, Wine.com)
Where I had it: Last year, my husband and I each set five goals for ourselves and for our relationship. We wrote them down on little notecards and taped them to the back of ten wine bottles. It became our “goal bottle” tradition: any time we hit one of those goals, we opened up the bottle assigned to the notecard. We loved it so much last year that we decided to do it again this year. My husband met his first goal early so we popped this one open on a snowy Friday to celebrate.
How much a bottle cost me: $0. This was a sample I received from M. Chapoutier.
How much a bottle would cost you: $48. This price is a little steep for me, but I’ll get into that more below.
OVERALL COMPOSITE SCORE: 15/20
- DRINKABILITY SCORE: 3.5/5 – I found this wine to be quite austere, with aggressive bubbles. Not the most expressive on smell or taste – just a touch of citrus. It’s certainly a unique wine in that it is 100% Viognier and there isn’t too much competition for bubbles in the Northern Rhône, but overall I didn’t find too much to love in this wine. If you’re a big fan of Chapoutier and enjoy more off-the-beaten-path sparkling, give it a try.
- PAIRABILITY SCORE: 3.5/5 – Great with classic pre-dinner snacks. Because the aromas were quite subtle for me, however, this isn’t the first sparkler I’m reaching for when I go for a full meal. But it is light and refreshing – great for an apéro.
- WALLET-ABILITY SCORE: 3/5 – As much as I appreciate Chapoutier’s projects, I just can’t see the forest through the trees on this one. Without the same rigorous winemaking process as crémant, using a bit of an odd grape variety for sparkling (Viognier), I am personally not sure I could shell out $48 for this wine. Grateful to have tried it but it’s not one I can see myself returning to and enjoying.
- THE X FACTOR SCORE: 5/5 – I’ve been drinking and enjoying the wines from M. Chapoutier now for many years and their commitment to sustainability in particular is admirable. I’ve written about it many times, but if you’d like the first X Factor score review, check out the December Wine Reviews!
WINE #3: “Le Peu de la Moriette”, Vouvray Demi Sec, Domaine Pichot, 2022 (17/20, Wine.com)
Where I had it: I opened this wine on one of our many chilly winter evenings in early February, and featured it in a few episodes of my 300 French Wine Words in 30 Days series.
How much a bottle cost me (and would cost you): $20. This one punches WAY above its weight! What a bang for your buck.
OVERALL COMPOSITE SCORE: 17/20
- DRINKABILITY SCORE: 4/5 – What a beautiful wine. It’s lovely and appley and just yummy. It’s not overly floral like so many Vouvrays but it has this lovely tang at the end of it. It’s not just acidity or the fruit or the finish – it’s a unique combination of all three that makes you want to immediately go back for another sip. There’s just that moment of perfection right as the sip ends that’s just captivating. You linger in it before reaching for another sip. A great glass for a great price.
- PAIRABILITY SCORE: 4/5 – There is no doubt this wine would pair wonderfully with many dishes. For me, two in particular stand out: a cod or meaty white fish in a cream sauce OR a fantastic balance to an apple pie. Wild, right?! I really don’t know why those two stood out to me as I didn’t even enjoy this with food but the truth is, a lot of wine can pair with so much more than we give them credit for. Wines are food after all!
- WALLET-ABILITY SCORE: 5/5 – I mean. $20 for this wine is a little unreal, particularly these days. What a great price for a Vouvray in 2026. Snap up a bottle or two while you can!
- THE X FACTOR SCORE: 4/5 – On the record: the vineyard has an HVE certification and the wines are made through vegan practices. Unofficially, though, the website notes that they do not use synthetic chemicals and note that they see their land as a haven for local wildlife. Additionally, a portion of their profits goes to support La Chaîne de l’Espoir, an NGO that provides healthcare to children in need. Overall, this is a great start! More can certainly be done but I appreciate their transparency and efforts.
WINE #4: “Les Dessous”, Coteaux Bourguignons Blanc, Pierre Brisset, 2023 (15/20, Secret Wine Door)
Where I had it: I opened this to film the last batch of my 300 French Wine Words in 30 Days series.
How much a bottle cost me: $0. This was a sample I received directly from Maison Pierre Brisset.
How much a bottle would cost you: $20. I was only able to find it through a European wine shop which notes they ship to the U.S., but wasn’t able to find a U.S. retailer for the moment.
OVERALL COMPOSITE SCORE: 15/20
- DRINKABILITY SCORE: 4/5 – She is simple, fresh, and easy to love. This is a Chardonnay that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, no matter where or when you’re opening it. If one thing’s for sure, it’s going to pair amazingly with the first day of spring.
- PAIRABILITY SCORE: 4/5 – My favorite pairing for fresh white Burgundy is popcorn. Second favorite? Mixed nuts. Effective, delicious, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
- WALLET-ABILITY SCORE: 5/5 – $20 is excellent for a white Coteaux Bourguignons. The challenge is in finding it, for which I’ve deducted one point.
- THE X FACTOR SCORE: 2/5 – After scouring the website for an hour, I sadly did not find anything about this producer’s sustainability efforts. That being said, they do have an interesting educational program in their cellars at Château de Bligny: the wine lab. The site claims that the wine lab is the first of its kind in Bourgogne, and facilitates an exchange between young winemakers from around the world to get to know one another, experiment, and hone their craft. I’m all for education, so Brisset earns two points here. But sustainability efforts would certainly raise this score.
WINE #5: “Cuvée Blanche”, Crémant de Bourgogne, Bruno Dangin, NV (16.5/20, Plucky Wines)
Where I had it: At one of New York City’s best French restaurants, Libertine. This meal was easily one of the most memorable I’ve had at a restaurant in a good, long while. Add this place to your hit list!
How much a glass cost me: $21. Woof. Steep for a glass, but as I’ve ranted about so many times, there’s not much that we can do to keep restaurant prices low without overhauling the entire system. (Honestly, I’m so down for that.)
How much a bottle would cost you: $27. Pretty good quality to price ratio in the crémant world these days! I intend to be taking full advantage of that.
OVERALL COMPOSITE SCORE: 16.5/20
- DRINKABILITY SCORE: 3.5/5 – The bubbles here were a little too aggressive right out of the gate for my liking, so it loses a point for that texture miss. That being said, wonderfully flavorful – yellow apple, a little hazelnut, a touch of bitter. Not my favorite sparkling but it was delightfully food-friendly – as noted below!
- PAIRABILITY SCORE: 5/5 – It should come as no surprise that the wine team at Libertine knows their stuff. You’d be hard-pressed to find any wine on their by-the-glass list that wouldn’t pair well with food and this lovely Crémant de Bourgogne is no exception. It was exceptional with their classic oeufs mayo – cut right through the butter in the sauce and matched the acidity and salt in the trout roe. Later, it paired excellently with the halibut and roasted cabbage dish I had as a main. An incredible evening for pairings all around.
- WALLET-ABILITY SCORE: 4/5 – I’m deducting a point for being so expensive as a by-the-glass option, but for a retail purchase, $27 for a great crémant is quite solid.
- THE X FACTOR SCORE: 4/5 – Family-owned, certified organic, and making great strides toward incorporating biodiversity into the vineyards – this is what we hope to see with the X Factor category. The quality of the wine speaks for itself.
See you next month for a (hopefully!) warmer, healthier March. Santé !
Looking for more wine reviews? Check out the December Edition or my methodology post on Unfined + Unfiltered. Enjoy, santé !
