A new series designed to *actually* help you buy a bottle of wine you will love, with no bullsh*t language, truthful impressions, and a composite score of real-life categories.

Every December, the big wine reviewers and old-guard magazines release a yearly round-up of their “TOP WINES”. Sometimes it’s 100 top wines, other times it’s 50 – ultimately the actual number doesn’t make a difference. For years, I looked forward to these reviews. I read them all, looked up where to buy the wines, and – specifically as it pertains to the French wines – made a decision as to whether I wanted to feature them on my Instagram content. I’ve even gone through them and tasted them in a series, pronouncing them, and teaching people all the little hacks on the labels. Until the 2024 lists came around. And I was shocked.
The more I looked at a lot of these lists, the more I saw right through them. The wines from this year’s mainstream indices are not, in fact, good (there are some exceptions, but not a lot). I know because I’ve tried many of them. They’re from random regions you’ve never heard of that have never done anything of note, or they’re from overpriced houses and vintages you’d have to sell a kidney to get a tiny tastevin of. No matter their provenance, they had one thing in common: their happy, high ratings had been sold to the highest bidder – whichever reviewer or publication their CEO thinks is most important. Over the years, the wine industry has become more and more a system of pay-to-play versus truthful reviewing with integrity. It might have happened in past years, but this last December was the biggest red flag. Isn’t it interesting how the wine industry bemoans that it isn’t reaching new drinkers, yet resorts to old back-door tactics like bribery and dishonesty to get their wines to make the cut into someone’s tasting room? It’s 2025. Do we really think consumers, particularly the younger ones, can’t see right through it? It’s no wonder they don’t trust the industry, the reviewers, or the like. We haven’t given them a reason to.
The almighty dollar has its grip on all kinds of wine media: bloggers and influencers like myself included. And I get it, everyone has to make a buck. But integrity is worth just a little more than that, don’t you think?
With that in mind, I decided that 2025 would be the year I would begin to offer an alternative: unfined and unfiltered wine reviews from a millennial who’s always prided herself on honesty. At the end of each month, I will rank and rate every single wine I tasted that month, what I thought of it, and whether I recommend you buy it – or not. I won’t only include wines that I recommend, I will also be writing about wines I don’t recommend, too. The art of actual constructive criticism is something that has fallen by the wayside. It’s high time we revive it. Everyone’s afraid to give an honest review on a wine they don’t like. But here’s the thing – we don’t like all the wines we try. We simply don’t! That’s true for French wine, for Italian wine, for American wine – for all wine. Not every wine is for every person. And that’s ok. The point of me launching this series is to offer an unfettered critique that you can use to inform your real life wine buying decisions. And feedback makes all of us strive to be better.
HOW WILL THE SYSTEM WORK?
The Unfined and Unfiltered Monthly Wine Review will be a composite score, with the highest or perfect score being 20 points. Four categories, each with a highest possible score of five (5) will contribute to the wine’s final score. They are:
- Drinkability – is it actually delicious? Palatable? Am I going back for a second sip almost immediately? Is it something that is going to be good to drink now or in 5-10 years? When will it fully develop? What aromas, flavors, or layers make this the case? Is it overly simple or overly complex?
- Pair-ability – is it something that can be enjoyed with food? Is it occasion-based? Is it able to pair with a lot of different things and moments, or very specific?
- Wallet-ability – is it good value for money? Is it overpriced? Underpriced? Just right? With inflation and a massive wealth income disparity – is it something we can afford to enjoy, or is it an investment piece?
- The “X” Factor – is there something about this wine that just makes it irresistible? What’s the sustainability story? Does the winery give back? Is it invested in its community and the larger wine story as a whole? Is it female or BIPOC founded? What’s the angle that makes it unique and will make all of us feel more enticed to purchase it? In 2025 and beyond, a rich guy with a winery isn’t make the cut alone. I’m looking for the full package to get a perfect score.
Lastly, what makes the list? The aim of the roundup is for it to be an accurate depiction of the wines I taste as a New York City wine blogger. If I bought it myself, I’ll disclose that. If I tasted it for free, I’ll disclose that. If I had it at a restaurant, I’ll mention the restaurant. If it’s part of a potential partnership, I’ll disclose that, too. It’s all fair game, because I ultimately feel that the wine industry lacks two core things that any brand needs to be successful in this day and age: transparency and trust. Going forward, you’ll always have both from me – in a leveled up way that aims to propel the industry forward.

WHAT MY TASTEBUDS ARE LIKE AND WHY YOU SHOULD TRUST THEM
I am not Robert Parker. “Bold” reds are rarely my drink of choice. I am picky with bubbles and a sucker for good Beaujolais Cru. I tend to be cautious around natural wine, but generally enjoy the well-balanced ones. If it’s rated 95 points by someone else, I probably won’t rate it as highly on this scoreboard.
In other words, my palate is as unique and evolving as yours. Today’s consumer trends reflect generational shifts – Millennials and Gen Z like me who do enjoy imbibing tend to prefer lower alcohol (15% is a lot, any way you slice it), medium to lighter body, and an interesting X factor that sets a wine apart from its peers. I’m propelled by stories and interesting connections – but if the wine isn’t good enough yet to back that up, I’ll say so.
And if you’re new to French Wine Tutor, you should also know that I do have the certs to back it up, too: I am a WSET 2 and a French Wine Scholar, with 8+ years experience working full time in bev-alc. And this year, I’ll be working on my WSET 3 (I’m sure prepping for the tasting portion is certainly going to give me even more fodder for this blog).
Ready? Let’s get to it. I’ll be posting the first edition at the end of January. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear about it. À bientôt !
