At their core, wine lists are meant to be very easy to read. They can be organized by regions, grapes, or price point. Sometimes you will have a list thats smaller and it’s all thrown on one page, but even then the staff will try to separate it by something like “Sparkling, Red, White” or along those lines. To begin, the basics of the menu you should look out for are:

• Grape

• Color

• Region

Grape: Fortunately and unfortunately there are thousands of wine grapes out there but you will most likely run into the most common ones which are:

• Pinot Noir (red)

• Cabernet Sauvignon (red)

• Merlot (red)

• Malbec (red)

• Syrah (red)

• Grenache (red)

• Sauvignon Blanc (white)

• Chardonnay (white)

• Riesling (white)

• Pinot Grigio (white)

• Chenin Blanc (white)

Not always, but usually the grapes will be listed next to, after or underneath, or the name of the wine. For example, this wine list from Cervo’s in NYC. Ruben Diaz ‘dale’ Garnacha castilla y leon 2022. The grape comes after the name of the wine.

Color: A lot of times, especially on smaller lists, the wines will be divided by the color of the wine. So if you are really into Cabs from California you know that you would jump to the “red” portion of the menu. Usually it will be:

• Sparkling: Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Pet-nats

• White: white grapes that have been fermented without skin contact

• Orange/Skin Contact/Rose: white wine minimal amounts of skin contact during fermentation

• Red: red grapes that are fermented with skin contact

• Dessert: Sherry and Port

Region: This is my favorite way to nail down a wine typically, I like to look at a region and narrow it down from there. So if I am feeling like an herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, I am going to look to New Zealand and then decide on my price point. I am not going to sit here and say that you need to know what regions you like, because a Somm or wine expert can guide you through that. It does help to know though because each regions terroir and growing conditions tell us more about the wine than anything else on the list. A California Chardonnay is known for its body and buttery notes but a German Chardonnay is more acidic and light. This is because they are two totally different climates, one being warmer and dryer and one being cooler and wetter. This plays into how the grape, and in turn wine, develop their flavors. A few of the most common regions are:

• France:

  • Burgundy, Alsace, Beaujolais, Loire, Jura, Savoie, Bordeaux, Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence, Champagne, Chablis, Rhone

• Spain:

  • Catalonia, Pendes, Rioja, Priorate, Cava, Galicia, Andalucia

• Italy:

  • Tuscany, Sicily, Veneto, Trentino, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Lombardia

• Germany:

  • Mosel, Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Nahe, Baden

• U.S.:

  • California (Sonoma & Napa Valley) ,Oregon (Willamette Valley), NY(Finger Lakes), Washington (Columbia Valley)

There are also regions like: Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and South Africa.

There are plenty of wine lists out there that also sort by price, vintages, winemakers, and large format (bottles bigger than the average 750ml), but the Sommeliers who are making these lists want people to be able to read them, no matter their wine level. And as always, the professionals are there to help you and genuinely love talking to guests about their wine! It can seem a little overwhelming sometimes when you are handed a binder bigger than anything you used in school, but remember that those who love wine, just want to share that love with others, so don’t be afraid to pick their brain or ask for help. Cheers!

I’ve had quite a go of it here and I look back on all my random jobs fondly. From the first day I landed in the city, two days after one of the biggest snow storms NYC had in years for that matter, I have loved all the different industries I’ve been able to gain some experience in. I’ve weaved my way through the hospitality, finance, and art industries for over 12 years. From bartending to global auction houses and then onto investment banks, I’ve been fortunate enough to follow a very non-traditional path. But, there has always been a voice in the back of my head that constantly reminds me of my love of wine.

I have been fairly lucky in my wine journey. When I was a server at a restaurant in Idaho I led a couple of wine dinners. They weren’t anything crazy but I was able to learn and develop my foundation for opening and serving wine. I worked at a few wine bars in NYC which sharpened my skills even more and then I was introduced to natural wine. A friend’s boyfriend worked for a top distributor in NYC so his fridge was constantly stocked to the brim with cool wines I had never heard of. My first bottle of natty wine was Strekov Rozalia, a sparkling rose that was the first funky wine I had ever had. It was truly a Ratatouille moment, I was transported somewhere I had never been before and this is when the light switch flipped in my head, wine is f*cking cool. For a few years after that I was singing the praises of natural wine so aggressively that people began asking me questions about it, thus birthing UNFLTRD. UNFLTRD WINE was established in December of 2020, right before the world took a bit of a turn. It was from there I played around with the idea of establishing it/myself as a recommendation site. I would just talk about what I was drinking and what producers I was really into at the moment. I didn’t really have a “vision” on what it would become, if it did become anything.

After starting UNFLTRD in 2020, I took my WSET Level 2 in 2021 and then hung it up on the shelf for a bit. I was caught up in finishing school, getting a “real job” and paying off my student loans. I was very hesitant to make UNFLTRD a thing because that meant I would be giving up a lot of security most of us are told comes with said “real job”. I had a few friends who started their own venture or deviated from the normal career path, but I felt that it wasn’t necessarily in the cards for me. I was really stubborn and stuck in an achievement mindset that came from years of grinding in all kinds of jobs to finally “make it”. But, soon enough I heard that little voice again, beckoning me back to the light. A few changes in life made me take a step back to re-evaluate what I wanted to do and it helped me realize it was time to bet on myself, and trust my gut. I didn’t really know what exactly I was doing, but I knew I could make it work. Sometimes you really do just have to throw caution to the wind!

In the beginning of this year I decided to sit down and take my WSET level 3, map out a business plan, and make UNFLTRD WINE what it was always meant to be. My goal is simple, to make the world of wine more approachable, inclusive and fun! Whether you are a seasoned vet, new to wine, or discovering the world of non-alcoholic wine, I want everyone to feel comfortable and find a glass or bottle that makes them happy. And now we are here, where I again get to chat and spread the word about wine, what a full circle moment.

Now, I am not trying to sound like a stereotypical natural wine peddler who thinks we should all deviate from the 100 point wine scale, but I do think we should rethink what “quality” means to us when it comes to wine.

To start, let’s break down what makes wine expensive, or inexpensive. There’s hours upon hours of labor, thought, love, and care that goes into wine before you even open the bottle, not to mention shipping, tariffs and temperature control along the way. Wine prices, I am going to speak solely about the U.S. for this, are based on a myriad of things. The price of wine comes from:

1. Land: the vintners had to either buy the property or it has been passed down for generations where they have been farming and propagating the vines. There are irrigation costs, farming equipment costs, and labor costs that add up.

2. Grapes: it may seem simple but the grapes also cost money. Pruning them in the summer and winter, hiring labor to hand harvest or the upkeep on the machinery is expensive, and upkeep during growing season.

3. Production: another very expensive step. You have crushing the grapes, fermentation, pressing, maturation and bottling. This includes the mechanical presses, the stainless steel tanks, oak barrels for aging, cork prices, glass bottles prices, and the added labor during harvest season.

4. Packaging: the heavier or thicker the glass bottle, the more expensive. Custom labels add up and then the winemaker must decided between corks, class capsules or screw caps to name a few.

5. Distribution:States taxes, international tariffs, wholesale distributor margins, retail or restaurant markups, the cost of pallets, boxes to pack the wine, temperature control while shipping. This all adds up.

These costs inevitably trickle down to the consumer, so how does wine decide if a wine is “worth” the price? First you should decide on your wine budget, because it is possible to find a quality wine in every bracket whether you max out at $40 or $400. Quality comes down to the care in how the wine is made, and there are winemakers who sell wine for $15 but avoid additives and extra sulfites. There’s also winemakers who slap their name on the label and don’t care to see how the wine is made or if Red Dye 40 is in it, yes that can happen in the U.S.

There are a few different ways to tell if the wine you are buying at your price point is quality. The most “professional” way is to look for:

1. Balance: the fruit flavors play off the tannin, the alcohol matches the sugar, acid and fruit are playing well together.

2. Length: this just describes how long a wine’s flavor sits in your mouth after you have swallowed it. Typically the longer the finish the “better” the wine.

3. Intensity: This comes out most when your re looking for the wine’s aromas. Can you differentiate the aromas when you smell the wine, i.e. citrus, green apple, floral notes.

4. Complexity: This seems like another intense word but basically does the wine build on itself? Can you taste various flavor characteristics, like melon, lemon, or chocolate? Does it have structure and personality?

Obviously you are not always going to know this because you can’t taste every single wine, even though that’s my goal. This is where apps like Vivino come in handy, where you can see how people are rating and judging the wine’s profile. This is also where it’s best to ask the wine shop staff or the Sommelier at the restaurant. Not only will they be more than happy to help you, they’ll be stoked if you ask them how the balance, length, intensity and complexity of wine are.

Another way I like to judge quality vs price is to just look up the vineyard. I do lean toward natural wines, and that isn’t because they’re all “funky” or “weird”, it’s because I know if they’re natural, the winemakers’ ideologies on farming and growing line up with my own. I know if the vineyard is biodynamic or natural the vineyard is without pesticides, herbicides, or sulfites and for me that is important. So, quality for me and if the wine is “good” starts with farming practices that match what I look for in wines. For example, I will go into a wine shop and look for their natural wines, then I will narrow it down to what I am feeling that day. Maybe I want a Gamay, so I will look into their French section for Beaujolais and then I will either ask or look for bottles at and below my price point. Now I am deciding between 3 different bottles, from there I will ask the shop attendant about the bottles I am choosing from, or look it up on my own, and go from there. For me, I will find a wine that I think is quality and a good price without having to sacrifice my morals or my bank account balance.

I was lucky enough to try a lot of non-alcoholic wines last week that really blew my mind, and that’s not even talking about the flavor profile yet. I recently held a non-alcoholic wine tasting at Brooklyn’s very own Soft-Bar, a non-alcoholic bar and cafe. We tried 6 different N.A. wines, 3 sparkling, 2 red and one “proxy” and I can confidently say everything I knew, or thought I knew about N.A. wines was wrong. From the way these winemakers are able to build, and rebuild the flavor profiles to how the wine is actually made, I realized pretty quickly my view of the N.A. wine is extremely small.

Now, to jump back a little bit and answer some possible questions; yes I work mostly with full alcohol natural wine. No, I have not stopped drinking said wines. And yes, I still love a funky Pet-Nat. The reason I wanted to venture into the N.A.world is because my mission with UNFLTRD is to make wine more inclusive, approachable, and fun. I was honest with myself and I realized that I was in fact not practicing what I preached, I was leaving a lot of people out of the conversation because I wasn’t being inclusive. That is the nice thing about life, you can pivot at any moment and learn something new. This plus a few back and forth emails lead me to Soft-Bar. We settled on a date and it was off to the races! But, I then realized that I still didn’t really know anything about N.A. wine and that I better get to reading.

So, what IS N.A. wine? Non-alcoholic wine, or de-alcoholized wine, is traditional wine, and then the alcohol is removed after fermentation. Okay, so what does that mean? In the traditional wine making process the steps are as follows:

1. The grapes are harvested from the vines either by hand or machinery.

2. The grapes are crushed using mechanical presses or by foot.

3. The grapes and skins are then left to ferment. Yeast consumes the natural grape sugars which leads to producing: alcohol, carbon dioxide, and the structural flavor compounds of the wine.

This is where traditional winemaking and natural winemaking split

4. Once the wine is fully fermented and developed, the alcohol is extracted using one of three primary methods, spinning cone, vacuum distillation, and reverse osmosis.

5. Because the alcohol removal process can sometimes strip away trace amounts of volume, winemakers often blend in unfermented grape juice, natural flavor essences, or tannins to restore the body, sweetness, and mouthfeel of a traditional wine.

As stated earlier, non-alcoholic wine is made in the exact same way as traditional wine until after fermentation. But, how do the wine makers get the alcohol out of the wine anyways? Well, non-alcoholic wines are predominately produced using one of three methods: spinning cone, vacuum distillation, and reverse osmosis, which is a type of membrane filtration. I would say vacuum distillation is the most common way, which is done by creating a vacuum that lowers air pressure inside a tank that the wine is held in, this allows alcohol to evaporate at much cooler temperatures, around 77 F, compared to standard boiling, which is around 173 F. The alcohol vapors are then pulled away and cooled back into a liquid, leaving the de-alcoholized wine. Simple! Just kidding, it’s a wild process. This is needed though because alcohol in wine carries a lot of the flavor and aroma compounds that we know and love. The aroma and flavor compounds quite literally stick to the alcohol, so if you’re removing the alcohol, you’re going to remove a good volume of the wine. And there’s not much you can do about that, its just science. Instead of trying to fight against science, these winemakers find new and cool ways to keep as much flavor and aroma compounds as they can, like using vacuum distillation. After this, the process follows similarly to traditional wine making. The N.A. wines are either kept in stainless steel tanks or oak to “mature” and then on to bottling. (I use mature in quotations because technically we’re not at the point yet where we are maturing N.A. wine but it’s close! For now it’s just another step that can help impart traditional winemaking flavors and characteristics into the N.A. wine after de-alcoholizaition).

After I learned about the winemaking process of non-alcoholic wines I was blown away. There is so much care and respect that goes into these wines so that the consumer can still enjoy them without having to sacrifice taste and enjoyment. It made me realize that I had been judging N.A. wine, I thought that since it didn’t have the body and flavor that “regular” wine has, it couldn’t be as good or didn’t need as much attention. I am here to say on record that I was WRONG. We had multiple wines that challenged my ideas on what non-alcoholic wine was and is. Not only was the passion from the winemakers palpable throughout the whole presentation, I was also surprised when I found out that two representatives were Sommeliers. Two separate women had cut their teeth in the NYC restaurant world as traditional Sommeliers and now they’re advocating for non-alcoholic wine, hmm maybe there really is something here. And there is, boy oh boy there is.

Whether you are sober, sober-curious, giving your liver a break, pregnant, or just want something else to try, non-alcoholic wine is for everybody. I really encourage you next time to pick up a bottle of N.A. wine while you’re shopping and give it a try, you may find yourself just as surprised and humbled as I was.

The idea that red meat should be paired with red wine is based off of the observation that the tannins in most red wines bind to the meat proteins. And the idea that white wine should be served with fish is because some fish are high in umami flavors, which can make red wines taste bitter. So how do you counter balance this?

Umami in food:

• This increases the perception of bitterness, acidity, and astringency in wine.

• Decreases the perception of body, fruitiness and sweetness in wine.

Aim for wines with high acidity and low tannins like a Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, or Gamay.

Acidity in food:

• Increases the perception of sweetness, body and fruitiness in wine.

• Decreases the perception of acidity in wine.

You want to try to pair these foods up with a wine that has the same acidity level or higher like an Albariño, a Riesling or even a Chianti.

Salt in Food:

• Increases perception of body in wine.

• Decreases the perception of bitterness and acidity in wine.

Salt and wine really love to be together, it acts as a tamer to the tannins and softens some acidity. You want to pair salty food with Sparkling wine, high acid wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño or Fruit forward light red wines like Pinot Noir.

Sweetness in food:

• Increases the perception of bitterness and acidity in wine.

• Decreases the perception of body and sweetness in wine.

Sweetness in a dish can make wine taste less fruity or unbearably acidic. This is why you need a wine that is as sweet to sweeter than the food, think Sauternes, Tokaji, Port or Sherry.

Don’t let the idea of wine pairing overwhelm you, no matter what they say! Strip away the pretense, and it’s simply the art of combining food and drink to elevate your dining experience. You don’t need a fine-dining reservation to play along; accessibility is key. Enjoy that lightly chilled Gamay with your next Thai takeout, or pair your Friday night pizza with the bottle of Lambrusco gathering dust in your fridge. Above all, let the process be an adventure that pushes you to break the rules and discover your own favorite combinations.

The Crowd Pleaser: Your mom has always been that girl!! So she deserves that bottle! I usually say opt in for a sparkling wine, but I think this year you can pull it together and get her a bottle of Champagne. And no, this bottle is not for mimosas, this is to cheers to your mom who has put up with you all these years!! This Brut Champagne from Ponson is a great value, it’s under $70 and is aged on lees (dead yeast) for 50 months. It’s going to be bready, buttery and delicious.

A Crisp White: For years I have been a huge proponent for the original white girl wasted juice, which is a crisp white wine. Whether its a Pinot Grigio or a white wine spritzer, our moms have paved the way for us to all enjoy a crisp white. This year let’s up the ante a little bit and treat her like the wine pioneer she is!! This white Burgundy under $75 is sure to make her feel special, it is a Chardonnay, but this is no basic girl juice. Domaine Guy Bocard Bourgogne 2023 is sure to make her feel as if she’s number 1. It’s rich, complex, notes of tropical fruit and did I say it’s a white Burgundy??

Big Red: Yes, this is what they usually call me but I am happy to pass the torch for a couple days if it means you’re going to do right by me and get your mom a great bottle. I think for this one we should jump over to Bordeaux, where the reds can really shine. Your mom deserves something savory, deep, and a bit fruity. Closerie du Pelan Rouge is from the Left Bank in Bordeaux which basically means it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon blend with some Merlot. For $65 this bottle looks and tastes like a Grand Cru and its from 2010 which is truly a steal.

We Ballin’: Okay so I’ve thrown you a few bottles that I think would work for a wonderful mother like yours. But, you feel as if this year is the year to really show out and get her something nice, she did raise you and get you here anyways. It’s time to invest a little and get your mom a Premier Cru, you probably spend $150 dollars when you’re out on a Friday night, you can stay in and get her one of these instead. I would recommended this Domaine Marquis Volnay Cru 2023. Volnay is a village in the subregion of Cote De Beaune in Burgundy, which basically means this is really good juice. It’s a Pinot Noir so think lighter, red fruit forward and a bit of spice.

These are a just a few ideas and at the end of the day Mother’s Day is about appreciating her in whatever way works for you all, but why not go get a little wine drunk with your mom on her day?

A lot of times reading about things we enjoy like wine, beer, and spirits may seem a little counterintuitive because the whole point is to drink these things. To imbibe and let the magic and wonders of fermented grapes or distilled grains wash over us is a tradition as old as time. A tradition I love and hold near. But, if you feel as if you want a little extra seasoning of knowledge on natural wine, how its made, where it came from, here is a great starting list of books I highly recommend.

Natural Wine for the People: Alice Feiring

This is one of the best books about natural wine to start your journey on. I own this book and look through it at least once a year. Alice does a great job at giving a large overview of natural wine, from who is making it to how long ago it started. This book is extremely digestible and makes a great gift for the wine newbie in your life or the dedicated connoisseur. It also has very cute drawings and makes for a great bar cart book.

Natural Wine: Isabelle Legeron

This book is more of a “okay I know a few things and I want to really dive in. Also Isabelle is a Master of Wine (literally and figuratively) which means she has the highest level of wine education one can have, only about 530 people have this designation from when it started in the 1950s. So she knows what she is talking about. This books dives more into the educational side of WHAt wine is from agriculture to the producers. It definitely reads like more a textbook, but in a fun way where you don’t feel as if you’re reading pages for homework rather than fun.

Wine, Unfiltered: Katherine Clary

I love this book because it almost reads like a Substack article come to life. It’s almost conversational and Katherine does a phenomenal job of explaining how to buy, drink and enjoy natural wine the way the producers intended you to. This is also another book that not only has great information on the inside, but is cute on the outside and a great book for a gift.

You Had Me at Pet-Nat: Rachel Signer

For the final recommendation of this list I have added a memoir. I came across this book a couple years ago and I was so excited because I hadn’t come in contact with a book that brought it all together in such a fun way. A young cool “It” girl who falls into waitressing in NYC out of necessity and then not only falls in love with the hospitality industry, but also the world of wine. This then developed into her now career path and becoming an advocate for wine and its producers. As someone who also began working in the hospitality industry then stumbled into the wine world, I have a soft spot for this book.

Regions tell us a lot of things about wine. For example, we know a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand will be crisp, acidic, and have notes of green bell pepper and grass. Or that a Syrah from Northern Rhone in France will be complex with notes of cherry, raspberry and smoked meats. But WHY does this happen? It’s simple, science! Well, technically it is Oenology, which is the science and study of wine. This field focuses on chemistry, microbiology and techniques in the vineyard. Along with that, having a good grasp of meteorology and geography are helpful as well since climate, weather and the Earth’s composition all make up the characteristics of wine that we enjoy.

Each grape fits the ecosystem it lives in perfectly to know how and where it ripens best. A Riesling for example is a late blooming, thin skinned grape that thrives in cooler regions. This is why Germany is renowned for it, the grape can thrive in places like Mosel where it is cool but has warming effects from the River Mosel. Look at that! More science! The river reflects sunlight on the south-facing slopes which gives the Riesling grapes some extra warmth to help them ripen properly. Now, a Tempranillo from Spain thrives in the heat. It’s a thick skinned grape that wants to be baked in the sun essentially so it can give us the deep red fruit flavors we love so much.

Okay so now you know a little bit about Germany and Spain, what does that have to do with anything else? Well, everything! Kind of. You can now see that Riesling thrives in cooler regions, so what other areas could it be from? Alsace, France is pretty cool and so is the New York region of the Finger Lakes. These regions have similar geographic make ups and climates which means Riesling can fully ripen there.

This is all to say, if you have an idea of what types of wine you like, whether it be a crisp white or a full bodied red, it may make your next wine purchase decision a little easier if you dive into what grapes are in the wines you enjoy. You like deeper reds? Okay maybe focus on some warmer areas like Spain, Portugal, Australia, Southern Italy and even California. You like an easy, light white? New Zealand, Germany, and Northern Italy may be some areas to look at next time.

In a way, the deeper you get into wine the easier it is to understand it. Once you take away all the fluff of the awards and desirable expensive bottles you are left with a product. And all that product is, is grape juice in a bottle. Yes, it can be a grueling process for the winemakers to get it from the vine to your glass, but they want you to enjoy it. They want you to try new wines and get to know more areas. The more areas and climates you get to know, the more wine you may like. Next time you’re on a walk and feel a cool breeze from the river or are on a hike in the desert mountains maybe think to yourself, what grape would grow here and would I drink it?

Luckily, with wine, this process can be quicker and easier if you’re focused on a few key points. Then it will soon become a full blown addiction but that’s a topic for another time.

Before we buy more wine, or any for that matter let’s take a step back to see how the wine can be stored. Do you have a proper way to store it? Now, this doesn’t have to be a wine rack in a temperature controlled room. All you need to store wine properly is a coolish (55-65 degrees), dark space. This can be a closet, a cabinet (away from electronics or home appliances since they produce heat) or even a bar cart if it’s not directly in the sun. Then you need to make sure you have space to lay the bottles horizontally. Simple as that! I have even used a shoe rack in the back of my closet in times of need, kinda works perfectly.

All that’s left is to organize your current bottles and start buying some more! Of course, there is a difference between buying wine for aging purposes and buying wine for you and your guests to enjoy. For now we are just going to build a base for the latter. All the below wines are $25 and under!

Versatile Red: A medium bodied red like a Pinot Noir, Sangiovese or a Cabernet Franc work because they can be slightly chilled if needed and pair with most foods. You can grab a bottle like this Pinot Noir that will be a crowd pleaser.

Crisp White: Maybe my favorite wine to buy, I feel like the choices are endless. Easy to serve to guests and something you’ll always be able to keep in the fridge. This would be something like a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or try this Vinho Verde.

Rich White: Rich whites can be slightly divisive (historically when haven’t they). Chardonnay is the most well known one, especially an oaky one from California. But you could also see if your local shop has a Viognier or a Semillon.

Sparkling: Maybe the easiest one to buy for your stock in my opinion. This of course could be a Champagne but you could get a quality Cava or a crisp Prosecco like the one here:

Fun bottle: This of course is not mandatory, but I think it’s always fun to have a wine that is a bit fun. This could be a funky Pet Nat, an orange wine or maybe even a Ruby Port to enjoy after dinner in the summer.

Whether you have a Friendsgiving party coming up or you’re traveling back home, you should never show up empty-handed. And no, a can of cranberry sauce doesn’t count as a gift. So, what bottles of wine should you bring for all to enjoy?

Turkey: We should get the biggest (and worst) pairing out of the way, the dry ass turkey. Now, don’t come after me. I love a turkey sandwich, but I do think turkey is the worst part of the meal. A Chardonnay is perfectly versatile for a dish like turkey because an oaked Chardonnay will complement the fattiness or dark meat, while a light Chardonnay pairs well with the salty-herbiness of the meat.

Mashed Potatoes: It is probably the Idahoan in me, but mashed potatoes may be the most important part of any holiday meal. A mashed potato deserves a wine that won’t try to outshine it but can provide some contrast to the buttery saltiness. A white wine like a Riesling is a perfect pairing because the acidity and slight sweetness of the wine will balance out the creaminess of the potatoes.

Gravy: I feel like a lot of the time, the gravy doesn’t get the recognition it deserves during these big meals. It is the glue that holds the plate together. And with that, you need a wine that can do the same. Something like a Tempranillo with a hint of spice and earthiness will help accentuate the power of the gravy.

Stuffing/Dressing: Personally, I love a bread dish in all forms, so the stuffing is up there for one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Something like this that is so simple yet difficult to perfect deserves a wine that won’t try to come in and outshine it. A solid Pinot Noir will do the trick because the wine is full of cherry and red berry notes that will uplift the flavor of the stuffing.

Sweet Potato Pie: I could never say no to a slice of sweet potato pie, and it would be a shame to enjoy it with an empty glass. For this pie, I would recommend a Viognier due to its stone fruit flavors that will work well with the pie’s sweetness. And yes, sweet potato pie over pumpkin pie all day.

Pumpkin Pie: Pumpkin pie has proven time and time again that it has everyone in a chokehold, so it deserves a wine that can stand up to the flavor. Something like a Sauternes would be my pick due to the notes of apricot and vanilla to enhance the flavor of the pumpkin pie.

Now, go be free to drink and terrorize loved ones on a special holiday that brings us all together, whether we like it or not!

Now, the parties that you are attending may be different, but one thing stays the same: never show up empty-handed. There is no other faux pas worse than showing up with just yourself and an ugly sweater at someone’s home. While bringing something is better than nothing, let’s discuss what bottles will keep the whole party talking long after they forget Sam went over the holiday gift budget by $100.

Sparkling: The easiest and best one to start with is, of course, a bubble; no one is ever mad at a bubble. But while everyone else is jumping for the Veuve or Moet at the wine shop, dig a little deeper for a Pet Nat or an Ancestral/Method Traditional. These wines will give you A) a better bang for your buck, usually, and B) you can explore a larger flavor profile than just being stuck with a bready Champagne that will get lost in the pile.

Red: A red wine for a dinner party, groundbreaking! Just kidding, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Right. Even more groundbreaking than a red wine…a Pinot Noir! Yes, yes, I am not trying to reinvent the wheel here, just showing you how it turns. Before you reach for any old Pinot Noir, though, see if there is a blend. Something like a Pinot Noir and Blaufränkisch, Birdscape by Christian Tschida is a perfect example of this. Best served a little chilled (another way to stand out from the crowd), it is easy, delicious, and a certified party hit. When you show up to the party with a bottle like this, you’ll know you’re bringing the heat.

White: While winter doesn’t scream “chilled white wine,” there are still plenty of options that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Something like an oaked Chardonnay, which is full and textured, or a Viognier, will do the trick. Greenstone Vineyards' “Gimme Some Skin” Viognier is medium-bodied and features notes of apricot and florals. This bottle will hold up well against the other Cabernets at the party and pair nicely with most cheeses and appetizers being served.

Orange: I don’t think there is ever a bad time to bring out the orange wine. There are so many different types that it is easy to find a bottle for every occasion. My favorite one to bring is the Gulp Hablo. Firstly, it comes in a Liter and secondly, it’s yummy, also the label artwork is so fun (everyone is a sucker for a good label). Their wines are great price points too, consistently under $25, which will make all your gift-giving dreams merry and bright.

When wine maintains contact with the wood barrels during the fermentation and aging period, the wine undergoes many modifications due to organic compounds in the oak. Now, the intensity of the barrel’s impact on the wine depends on the type of oak tree it comes from and how “toasted” the inside of the barrel is (toasting a barrel involves applying heat to the inside of the wood to develop flavors like vanilla and caramel without charring it). For example, American oak tends to provide stronger vanilla and coconut notes, while French oak can add more subtle, savory notes like chocolate and spice. The phenols (the organic compounds I was just speaking about) interact with the wine, and you will start getting what is called “Secondary” aromas. These aromas come from the fermentation in the oak barrels and are usually vanilla, caramel, coffee, butter, and bread. Now, depending on what kind of grape you’re using or how long you’re fermenting and aging in the oak, it will change a little, but those are predominantly the aromas and flavors that will come from the barrels.

Not dissimilar to making tea, oak flavor extraction is reduced each time the barrel is used. Aging periods will vary depending on the winemaker’s preference, along with the type of wine they are making. Here are a few examples below:

• Pinot Noir 10 months in used French oak barrels (Raen Winery)

• California Chardonnay 13 months in ~50% new French oak barrels (Lynmar)

• Bordeaux 12 months in 50% new French Oak barrels (Château Pontac-Lynch Margaux)

• Zinfandel 17 months in 20% new French, American and Hungarian barrels (Carol Shelton)

• Malbec 18 months in untoasted 3500 liter foudres (Altos las Hormigas) Brunello di Montalcino 24 months in large used 1000+ liter French and Slavonian Oak botti (Uccelliera)

• Gran Reserva Rioja 24 months in 40% American and 60% French Oak barrels (Valserrano)

Wine making is science and art at the same time. Knowing how long to ferment and age the wine in barrels is a skill that takes time and dedication, along with appreciation for the process. It is also expensive; only about 2 oak barrels can be made per oak tree, which takes several decades to grow. Additionally, the process of carving the wood into barrels is a profession that takes time and separate skills. For this reason, the average price of a new wine barrel can cost the winery about $600–$1200. (WineFolly) In some cases, winemakers will put oak chips into the wine where which can add the flavors and aromas of oak barrels, but at a lower dose and price point.

At the end of the day, this is all about preference. From the winemaker to the wine buyer and down to the wine drinker, it is all about what you want out of a glass of your favorite wine. But now you may know why you like a big glass of that oaky chardonnay.

While it may seem that natural wine is a new fad, cellaring it is not. In the United States, we typically consume wine within the first week of purchasing it. Which I am not saying is a bad thing, I fall guilty to this 9 times out of 10. But, there has been a sneaky rumor weaving its way around the community that you can’t age natural wine, which isn’t totally true.

In reality, so many of the wines that we love, natural and not, deepen and develop over time. They become more complex, reveal their true personalities, balance out, and may even evolve into entirely different wines in the process. A red wine’s tannins could soften while a white wine’s acidity may mellow out, but how would we ever know that if we open them right away?

Before we start, you may be asking: “How do you even age wine if you don’t have a cellar??” Big Cellar is out to get you with this fear-mongering because you don’t really need anything to age wine. All you need is a dark, stable environment that is going to stay between 50-60 degrees F and to store the bottles horizontally. I use my coat closet. I have friends who use a cardboard box under their bed. Choose your own adventure.

The reality of this is that most of us, especially here in NYC, don’t have the space to cellar or age a wine. We have minimal square footage, rarely have control of our heating (which is a conversation for a different time), or simply don’t have anywhere to put said wines to keep them from the sunlight or other harsh conditions that will damage the wine within the process. Temperature racks aren’t really an amenity in a pre-war 5-story walk-up. When you pair this with the mainstream idea that natural wine or low-intervention wines are meant to be opened and enjoyed young, it’s hard to wrap your mind around the idea that these fizzy and funky little bottles are meant to be aged. While yes, those bottles probably aren’t the ones you want to be aging since Pet-Nats are more a less “Enjoy me now!” type situation, but you can age a Tempranillo from Spain, you may just have to adjust the technique a little.

The wines that have little to no sulfites are technically still alive, very, very slightly, but still. They have yeast in the bottle that is mostly dead by the time it makes it to your home, but that yeast has helped create a little form of microbiology in the bottle that is still chugging along (pun intended). This means that the wine could be even more fun to age and put away for a few years.

In a world of glou-glou, the concept of aging has gone the way of the Dodo, or so I thought. And don’t get me wrong, I love a porch crusher (™) more than most. Cracking open a light, crisp wine in the summer to immediately enjoy with my friends is one of life’s few and fleeting pleasures. The reality is, though, that these wines are created for a different purpose; they are made to be enjoyed immediately. Their structure isn’t created for maturing or holding away for long periods of time. But every once in a while, you may get your hands on a bottle from a producer you love, or you finally score a birth year Morgon (this is mostly me manifesting this), and you get so excited, but you know you don’t want to open it yet. So what do you do? It’s a natural wine, you can’t age it, right??

And here is the truth: you can absolutely age natural wines. Just not for the same period of time, you could have a “regular” wine that has added sulfites. Now, this is a distinction with a difference. A natural wine is not going to be one you age in your cellar for 2-3 generations, but it is one you can age for a few years, maybe even a couple of decades if it all lines up correctly.

So with all this rambling, you’re probably wondering when I am going to tell you how to actually age a natural wine. And the answer is, there’s not a direct answer…It’s more of a vibe check, no, I’m kidding…but only kind of. Aging natural wine has a lot of different factors in it vs aging a “regular” wine. What you really need is a wine that has some structure to it. Something that has a higher ABV (alcohol by volume), a heavier wine, and one that has some bite. It also has to do with the winemaker or where the wine is coming from. Is this a French red wine from a vineyard that has been passed down through five generations? If so, you will be able to hide it away more easily because you have proof that their wines will hold up over time. If it’s a first-generation producer, you may want to ask them or a wine shop employee how to store it because you’re testing it out with them.

While this is all to say that there is no definitive rule or list on how to age natural wine, it is kind of a “feel it out and find out” with some of them. It’s a little adventure of researching the vineyard, checking the ABV, knowing the grapes, and then trusting the process. Which I think is a great metaphor for life in general: trust the process.

• I am going to start with maybe one of my favorite genres of music, Yacht Rock. This music has gone through so many changes from decade to decade. Some people scoff at how “simple” or “overrated” it is. But those who know, know. “Dad rock, soft rock, boat rock,” whatever you want to call it, but it’s a classic for a reason and continues to stay around. This is how I feel about Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. These “basic” wines are some of the most popular for a reason, and, like the musicians behind Yacht Rock, they are the foundation behind a lot of people’s love for other wines.

An ice-cold Sauvy B or PG is smooth, melodic, crisp, breezy and light. Exactly how you feel when the first note of “What a Fool Believes” pumps through the speakers. These wines are the ones you always come back to, never let you down, and always get the people singing.

• I feel as if when I say this, some people may disagree with me, so walk with me for a moment. I am a huge fan of ‘90s and early 2000s Hip Hop. I am also a big fan of Syrah/Shiraz, and I think that these are a great pairing. Syrah is layered, deep, rich, full of mixed berries, tannic, and chewy. When I'm drinking it I’m thinking Method Man, Nas, Jadakiss, UGK, E-40, Lil Kim…the list goes on and on. These rappers built their music off of Jazz, R&B, and Soul of the ‘50s-’80s. Their music is layered, deep, rich, full…must I go on??

• Let’s turn to some Electropop music, your high-energy pop, the music you may be sweating to by the end of the night. Lady Gaga is bumping, then Troye Sivan, Dua Lipa and even some Blessed Madonna maybe. We may be all over the map, but the one thing we’re doing is dancing. You need a wine that can keep up with that, but also not upset your stomach from all the bouncing around. Let's talk about Gewürztraminer or a Viogner. These wines are intense, aromatic, with flavors all across the board, but always FUN. You have stone fruit, lychee, citrus, some floral, and creamy. Get them nice and cold while turning the music up louder and louder, and you’re in for a night.

• Could the Sweetest Taboo be that I love to ruminate over a Pinot Noir? I think you get where I am going, when I want a classic that has range, I want a Pinot Noir, just like I will request that you play some Sade. Sade has it all, I don’t need to tell you, but I will. She is a classic, she has range, she’s smooth Jazz, Soul and R&B. She is a sophisticated blend of all things great and her music never lets you feel anything less than elevated. Pinot Noir has entered the chat. It’s delicately balanced, light to medium bodied, smooth, with complex flavors of red fruit and Earth. This wine has range people!

• Now, before I say this, don’t get mad at me. I love a Rose just as much as the next girl, so I am saying this with love in my heart. A rose on a summer's day while some pop girlies are playing? That’s going to be a great day. Rose can be light, fun, and easy, everyone loves it! This is why I firmly believe Sabrina Carpenter or Addison Rae should be playing in the background. The thing is, just like their music, these wines are actually really good. Now on the other hand, if you find yourself getting a deeper, more “intense” Rose, I think Celine Dion ballads should be playing in the back because someone (me) will be belting and crying by the end of the night.

• Now, what may be on to one of my favorite genres and one of my favorite wines. Pet-Nats are so cool, they’re unique and loud and fun. They are expressive and quirky along with sweet, tart, crispy and fruity. There’s also a bottle for any type of mood you’re in. Which is why I think they should be paired exclusively with 2000/2010s Indie. Imagine this, you pop open a fizzy bottle of one of your fave Pet-Nats and 1901 by Phoenix or Time to Pretend by MGMT is playing and everything is going to be okay. You feel like you’re in an episode of Girls, walking around Brooklyn and buying a pair of sunglasses with a mustache hanging from them. You pour your friend some deep, rich bubbles and Daylight by Matt and Kim are being blasted in the streets…its 2011 and everything is going to be okay.

Can the list go on and on? Yes. Should it? Maybe not for right now. But, in the meantime you have some work to do and I expect to see all the curated playlists by the end of the weekend.

There is a revolution happening, and I am the battalion leader rushing towards the public, screaming, “Justice for boxed wine!!”. While I understand this sounds dramatic, let me further convince you by highlighting its economic benefits.. A 3L box will run you about $30-40, that’s basically $10 a bottle, which is pretty much free when you do wine math (like girl math but strictly for drinking).

Jenny and Francois: From the Tank®

From the Tank® has to be my first pick for stepping into the box wine world for two main reasons: It’s accessible, and it’s delicious. From the Tank® came from the idea of going to the local winery with a big empty jug to fill up with easy-drinking wine, a tradition that stretches back for ages in France. These 3L boxes are perfect to bring to a backyard BBQ or to keep in the fridge for the summer, because once opened, they are good for up to one month once opened! The wines are made by Domaine de La Patience, an amazing winery on the Mediterranean, and come in a Red (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvedre), White (Chardonnay), and Rose (Grenache, Cinsault), so there is an option for everyone.

Schplink: Gruner Veltliner

I will admit, the first time I saw this box, I bought it solely for the design. It immediately made me want to put on some House Music and have an evening…that turns into the next morning. It just so happens to work out that this is some seriously crushable Gruner Veltliner, which I am a sucker for. This wine is consistently making the 'top boxed wine' lists, so it’s not surprising it’s also on my list. Schplink is light, crisp, easy, and oh so crushable, it’s the life of the party and never dull.

Field Recordings: Boxie

Field Recordings is a winery I have been following for a little while. Coming from Paso Robles, CA, these guys just want to make good juice. And make good juice they do. They make a Boxie Red (Charbono, Valdeguie, Sangiovese, Barbera, Cab Franc), White (Chardonnay, Xarel.lo, Melon, Trousseau Gris) and Orange (Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Melon, Pinot Gris) which leaves an option for all of your guests..or just for you if you want all 3 of them which I fully support.

As we have discussed, boxed wine has gotten a bit of a bad rap, but don't let that stop you. It's actually the best way to keep your wine fresh & drinkable. The box protects your wine from light, while the bag prevents any oxygen exposure. So essentially, you are saving the wine and also saving yourself money, no downsides!

With boxed wine, there is only one rule: classy consumption is optional. I encourage, nay I implore you to relive your college days by having a boxed wine in the fridge, and if people end up slappin’ the bag by the end of the night…then you know you just had a really great party with some really great wine. I can’t promise the hangover will be better, but I can promise the wine will be.

Whether I am out at a restaurant or picking up a bottle to go crush on a patio, here are my choices for some white wines that deserve a little more love, especially as the summer gets closer.

Verdicchio: If I am sitting down at the bar, and they have a Verdicchio on the list, I am going to order it 10/10. This white wine is found primarily in the Marche of Italy, where Verdicchio wines are loved for their sweet, peachy aromatics and somewhat oily texture. If you are a fan of the Sauvy B, you’ll like Italy’s answer to it.

Taste Level: Classic

Palate: Medium acidity, a bit dry, a bit sweet, a bit crisp

Goes with: Prosciutto, truffle, and white fish

Picpoul: This is another one I don’t see out in the wild a lot, but when I do, I get very excited. Along with having an amazing name, it’s also a pretty cool grape. Picpoul is a very old French white wine variety that’s recently become more popular for its VERY acidic profile.

Taste Level: Adventurous

Palate: Highly acidic, dry, crisp, notes of green apple

Goes with: Fresh seafood, raw oysters, fried calamari

Albariño: This delicious wine from coastal Spain is one that I come back to time and time again. It’s crushable, delicious, crisp, and a fan favorite. Fun fact: the Albariño grapes are tiny with thick skins. Not only does this make Albariño harder to produce, but it also results in a distinct raw-almond or citrus-pith-like bitterness from the skin’s phenol content.

Taste Level: Easy Going

Palate: Highly acidic, dry, crisp, notes of melon and lemon

Goes with: Fatty or oily seafood dishes or soft cheeses

Vinho Verde: When I worked at a wine bar back in the day, we always had a Vinho Verde on the menu…that I would imbibe in after my shift frequently. Vinho Verde is one of my favorites because its a one of a one-of-a-kind grape. Coming from Minho, Portugal, it literally means “green wine” in Portuguese. This is because it’s a young grape that is released 3-6 months after being harvested. It’s a fun, fruity drink that usually has a touch of spritz.

Taste Level: Want something new and fun

Palate: Highly acidic, dry, light, notes of green apple and lemon

Goes with: Ceviche, fish tacos, or a mango salsa

Grüner Veltliner: It can be argued that the Grüner is Austria’s most important grape, and I agree, at least it’s the most important one to me. It’s known for its spicy, peppery aromas and lean style, but it can also produce full-bodied, rich styles. It all depends on how and where it grows, which is why I love it, because no matter the profile, I’ve never had a bad time with a Grüner.

Taste Level: Classic but with a twist

Palate: Highly acidic, dry, medium body, notes of stone fruit

Goes with: Hard cheese, schnitzel, ramen

In my opinion, all that matters when drinking wine is that YOU enjoy it because YOU are paying for it. We live in a cool time period where all kinds of amazing wines and producers are available no matter your price point and I think that’s awesome. While you might not be able to splurge on that $200 bottle of champagne this month, you still can get a delicious bottle of bubbles in your price range without having to sacrifice flavor. Below I have outlined some of my favorite bottles or producers in each bracket so next time you walk into a wine shop, decision paralysis doesn't take over.

This of course is just a small list, and honestly I felt like I was trying to pick my favorite children, it was very hard on me emotionally. But, it is a great starting point whether you’re new to wine or just needing a quick buy at the shop.

Let’s start with under $20.

Red: Bodegas Pinoso Zillamina (around $20)

Taste Level: Classic

Grape: Mourvedre (Monastrell)

Palate: Red forest fruits aromas, notes of black fruits, and whiffs of spices

Bodega de Pinoso is a leading organic wine producer in the Valencia Region and a significant one nationally. Their high-quality organic wines are achieved through meticulous vineyard management with minimal intervention and careful winemaking processes. The great thing about this producer is almost all of their wines are on the lower end of the price range but they make sure their wines are delicious and crushable all the same. This is one of my favorite ones to grab from the shop, pop in the fridge, and take to a summer rooftop party. It’s approachable and accessible.

White: La Patience Chardonnay 2023 (around $20)

Taste Level: Classic

Grape: Chardonnay

Palate: Orange peel, banana, and sweet almond on the nose, with crisp flavors of apple, pear, and a touch of honey

La Patience is in Bezouce, a small village located in the heart of the Costières de Nîmes region in southern France. So you can already see that for a great price you are getting access to a really cool small family vineyard in France. This family estate, established in 1930, takes its name from a wild, aromatic Mediterranean herb called “La Patience” that can be found throughout the vineyards. And when the owner and winemaker, Christophe Aguilar, arrived in 2007, the land went organic and he added a lot of new vineyards to it, and simplified the vinifications. They not only have this chardonnay, but a box wine also at a reasonable price that is one of my favorites. (Justice for box wine!)

Sparkling:Meinklang, Epic 2022 (around $20)

Taste Level: Fun

Grape: Welschriesling, Muscat, Grüner Veltliner

Palate: Grapefruit, apricot, lychee, and orange blossom and BUBBLES

It is getting increasingly harder to find a good a natural sparkling under $20 - thanks to inflation and impending tariffs. But Meinklang has and continues to do it right. All their wines teeter between $20-45, but I would say most stay under $27 pretty consistently. If you know me, you know I am a sucker for Austrian wine. So being able to get such a high quality bottle at this price point feels like the golden ticket. Epic is a vibrant sparkling wine with fresh fruit flavors like citrus, peach, and a hint of stone fruit. Made with indigenous yeasts and aged in steel tanks, it has lively acidity with a touch of minerality. If you bring this to a get together, people will think you know your stuff (because you do!)

$25-50

I like to say the “mid” range is my sweet spot. I think you can get pretty much any bottle you want in this area with only some concessions, if any.

Red: Frank Cornelissen, Susucaru (around $40)

Taste Level: Good Juice

Grape: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Capuccio, Allicante Boushet, Minella Nera, and Minella Bianco

Palate: Raspberry, blackberry, black currant, violets and clove, CRUSHABLE

My man Franky C can never do anything wrong in my eyes. All his wines are consistently in my top 10 and I think the secret is the goodness that flows from the area that is Mt. Etna. I am only half joking, the volcanic soil in this region is rich and brings so much to the wine paired with a cool ocean breeze. His wines can look a little intimidating but I promise that you will have one taste of this bottle and never want to drink anything again. I feel like Frank Cornelissen is like the 30 Rock of the wine world. Like the show, most people know who he is and love him, but no one thinks he’s overrated. The greats are the greats for a reason!

White: Ruth Lewandowski, Mahlon (around $37)

Taste Level: Middle of the road

Grape: Arneis

Palate: Citrus, green apple, melon, and peach

Ruth Lewandowski Wines' "Ruth" is more than a name; it's a philosophy of farming, winemaking, and life inspired by the Old Testament. It represents the natural cycle of death and renewal, reflected in the fermentation process where each microorganism contributes uniquely, symbolizing the interconnectedness of life and the emergence of new beginnings.

Sparkling: Vivanterre, White Pet-Nat 2022 (around $38)

Taste Level: Middle of the road/ Adventurous

Grape: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Sylvaner

Palate: Dry, Crisp, bit yeasty, bit acidic, all yummy

Vivanterre is the brainchild of Patrick Bouju and Justine Loiseau in France's Auvergne region, and was founded by Rosie and Max Assoulin. Auvergne's natural wines are known for their purity, freshness, and lively acidity, with reds showcasing vibrant fruit flavors and earthy undertones, while whites exhibit crispness and minerality. This bottle is a perfect mix of “I’m cool with great taste” and “I know what I’m talking about”.

$50-100

Alright, we’ve got our big girl pants on and we’re ready to buy some bottles! This price range will have everything you're looking for: fun, interesting, rarities, layered flavors etc. This is also where we will be dipping more into the OG’s of the wine world or the smaller producers who are selective with distribution. These are my “hell yeah!” bottles, just one step under “f*** it”.

Red: Gut Oggau, Joschuari 2021 (around $90)

Taste Level: You know the goods

Grape: Blaufränkisch

Palate: Delicate at first with lovely floral notes and some spice and red fruit

I know I know more Austrian wine, but trust me. Gut Oggau is from the vision of Eduard and Stephanie Tscheppe in 2007, and I am so thankful for that vision. Each wine is inspired by the creation of a familial lineup, with names and labels representing different family members, and you can taste how important and representative these individual wines are. I would go as far as to say that Eduard and Stephanie are moguls in the wine industry, and while they may reject that notion, I think most people would agree. It’s hard to go wrong with any of their wines, but their reds really have a special place in my heart.

White: Anders Frederick Steen, Jumping on a cable car to where the dreams go 2018 (around $70)

Taste Level: Middle of the road

Grape: Gewürtztraminer, Pinot Gris

Palate: Light oxidation with notes of citrus and floral. Fermentation is done for 12 months in 15-year-old barriques that give it a touch of bitterness and saltiness

Anders Frederik Steen, a multi-talented figure known as a chef, sommelier (including at Noma), restaurateur, activist, and winemaker, has made a distinct mark in the natural wine world, especially with his diverse wines from the Ardèche region of France since 2013. So he kinda knows what he is talking about. Starting with the Foxy Foxy Nature Wildlife label in collaboration with Jean-Marc Brignot, he now produces wines under his own name, characterized by spontaneous fermentation in open containers and a deeply personal, hands-on approach starting with tasting grapes at harvest.

Sparkling: Christophe Mignon, 'ADN de Meunier' Champagne AOC Brut Nature NV (around $80)

Taste Level: Sparkling Enthusiast

Grape: Pinot Meunier

Palate: Apricot and spice, with a touch of richness, lead to a bright, mineral palate and a long, dry finish

The Vallée de la Marne is the subregion within Champagne where pinot meunier dominates. Christophe Mignon’s family vineyards in Le-Mesnil-le-Huttier lie right in the meunier heartland, and Christophe himself is dedicated to growing that particular grape variety. Growing biodynamically for two decades now, he has attuned not only his farming practices but also the processes in the cellar to the rhythm of the moon cycle. He harvests his grapes at optimal ripeness and uses minimal sulfur.

Celebration Bottles

Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, breakup or just a Wednesday, everyone deserves a celebration bottle!

Red: Gabrio Bini, Fanino Rosso 2022 (around $120)

Taste Level: Adventurous and Funky

Grape: Catarratto, Pignatello

Palate: Full of fresh red berries and florals. Little funky and a little off the beaten path, but oh so good

Look, if I walk into a bar and I see someone drinking this, I know that they know what they’re talking about. Yes, this is an expensive bottle but you also have to like this flavor profile too, which is why it belongs on the list. You know those wines where you’re like “no way it can live up to the hype??”, this one does. It’s layered and cool and really transports you somewhere else. Also the label is cool AF. Which makes sense because Gabrio went from a cool architect to a cool winemaker, so only makes sense that this wine reflects his personality.

White: Renaud Boyer, Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux 2022 (around $140)

Taste Level: Not In The Little Leagues Anymore

Grape: Chardonnay

Palate: Textured and minerally, white peaches, honeycomb, preserved lemon. A light tang of acidity and pineapple

Renaud Boyer comes from a family of winemakers, but he is an anomaly in Burgundy. Located in Meursault with vineyards spread between Saint-Romain, Beaune and Puligny-Montrachet, he became a vigneron from a matter of opportunity. Renaud trained as an engineer, but late in 2001 he was offered to take over the vineyards of his cousin Thierry Guyot of Saint Romain, vineyards which were already being farmed organically since 1986. The Chardonnays are directly pressed slowly, over 6-7 hours. Pinot noir is whole bunch macerated for normally 3 weeks, he does no pump-over and only one pigeage at the end of maceration. Renaud is not looking for extraction or color, instead choosing purity and favoring immediacy. He works with gravity for transfer to barrel where the wine rests for 12 months minimum. All wines are unfined and unfiltered and sulfur usage was ceased in 2008. Renaud will not release wine into the market unless it is stable.

Sparkling : Georges Laval Cumieres Premier Cru NV Champagne ($150)

Taste Level: Middle of the road

Grape: Chardonnay/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier

Palate: aromas of delicate wildflower honey and fresh-cut grass. It is mineral-driven and resonant on the palate, and very chalky on the finish

Georges Laval is a small, artisanal estate in the Premier Cru village of Cumières, known for its south-facing vineyards. Vincent Laval produces very limited quantities of terroir-focused wines from their organic estate, which has been certified since 1971. His winemaking involves barrel fermentation with native yeasts and minimal intervention, including no fining, filtration, or cold-stabilization, and low sulfur use.

Now, go, be free!! Shop until you can’t any longer, drink until the bottle is empty! And remember, it’s your money and your taste.

Thanks and Cheers,

Avery

UNFLTRDWINE

🥳Here’s what will be happening: Even more information behind the bottles and producers: While UNFLTRD's wine page gives insights to some of my favorite bottles, producers and where to drink wine, this Substack will dive EVEN deeper into all the above.

🍷A Community of Wine Lovers and Newcomers: Beyond Instragram posts and DMs, this is another platform to share some more stories, chat about our love of wine and ask all the questions.

✅As ever, my goal is pretty straightforward: to take the elitism out of enjoying wine.  To create a space where we can all talk about our favorite bottles, how we feel about the industry and any questions we may feel a little uncomfortable asking out in public. After all, wine is a personal journey!

Thanks🍾

Avery

UNFLTRDWINE

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