Wine Tasting in 2025 is going to be fabulous. C'EST WHAT?
How did we arrive here so swiftly, like a comet streaking through December’s misty veil? Perhaps we’ve been tumbling through festive indulgence or gliding on the placid waters of camaraderie. And now, as the calendar flips, we find ourselves with clay-streaked hands, snow-dusted hair, and a sprinkle of magic in the air. 2025 is here to greet us, offering a moment to pause, inhale deeply, and let the horizon’s golden glow wash over our souls. It is time to taste the new, with some wine tasting near you.
C'EST WHAT? Wine and Sensory Ideas is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
C’EST WHAT?
Whether you’re ready to dive into reflection, replenish your spirit, or simply savor the now, I have a trio of wines that will whisper, sing, and shout, “Welcome to a new year!” These are not mere beverages—they’re companions in sensory delight, evoking the essence of wine tasting with their intricate flavors, curious aromas, and deep-rooted histories. Let’s embark on this journey through three unforgettable bottles as meilleurs amis for your coming months.
Barolo: The Philosopher-King of Wines
We begin in the mystical hills of Piemonte, Italy, where the Nebbiolo grape weaves its magic into the legendary Barolo. With its light brick-red hue, Barolo tempts you to underestimate it—but oh, the depth within! On the nose, it dances between rugged and romantic, with aromas of tar and roses. Tar speaks of life’s challenges—sticky, stubborn, yet grounding. Patching up the fractures. Smoothing the road ahead. Roses, on the other hand, are the poetry of perseverance, a fragrant reward for mending life’s fences. Dried or fresh, they remain full of love and the essence of June.
The first sip of Barolo awakens the palate with tannins that scream, unless they’ve been tamed by time (never buy a Barolo less than six years old). Tart cherries, and a heady swirl of smoky earth. It’s bold, contemplative, and endlessly complex—perfect for pairing with hearty dishes like Fettuccine Carbonara or a rotisserie-roasted boar served under a canopy of stars that you might accidentally find roasted on a spigot in your front yard before a wedding.
One standout is the 2015 Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Bussia, a wine of endless balsamic whispers, wild Marasca cherries, forest-floor mystery. blood orange zest, fading rose, wild sage and fennel. This wine is a dancer, seamlessly flowing from wild movements to sultry nuzzling, masculine and feminine, yin and yang, diamonds and rust. This is a wine to savor now or let evolve until 2045, when the world may yet find its calm.
Grgich Hills Chardonnay: A Golden Beacon of Joy
From the sun-drenched valleys of Napa comes the radiant 2021 Grgich Miljenko’s Selection Chardonnay. This Chardonnay is way beyond any stereotypical understanding of Napa Chardonnay. Its golden hue is a promise of better days, each sip a warm embrace of lemon chiffon, tropical fruit, and a touch of wildflowers. Unlike the heavy, buttery Chardonnays of yore, Grgich’s style is clean, vibrant, and alive—proof that minimal intervention lets nature sing.
Grgich, the man behind this masterpiece, is a legend who shattered expectations at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, proving that California could rival France. The Chardonnay from his name-sake has minimal intervention. Unlike many Napa Chardonnay that might be categorized as “buttery”, Grgich Chardonnay does not experience malolactic conversion, yet its acids are mellow and the palate is dynamic and lively, brimming with terroir, tropical profiles, fields of flowers, the grace of the bees, exuding fresh fruit.
“For years, everybody in the world believed that only French soils could produce great wines,” Mike explains. “We shattered that myth.
His spirit lives on in every bottle, guiding us like a lighthouse through life’s waves. Pair this luminous Chardonnay with seafood, laughter, and dreams yet to come. Follow the golden road, I say and you shall have sunshine at least once a month.
Crémant d’Alsace: The Sparkling Sprite of Biodynamics
For the final toast, let’s pop the cork on Crémant d’Alsace, the sparkling marvel from the verdant foothills, around 1500’ high east of the Vosges Mountains. Biodynamic by nature, way beyond what is considered organic, these wines embody the harmony of their terroir. Imagine golden sunlight, gentle breezes, and the joyous hum of nature—a scene that translates beautifully into the bottle.
If you don’t mind the woo, biodynamic wines are more about what is included in the growing process than organic, which is more about what is excluded, namely pesticides. Biodynamic wine growing is about creating a contained ecosystem based on finding the harmonious intersection of science and spirituality, using an astrological calendar and the right insects and the right plants to make better wine. Having natural harmony is an aspiration for 2025 when our desire for minimal intervention might be disrupted by the chaos of maximal political intrusion.
The Mittnacht Frères Crémant d’Alsace Rosé Brut is a standout, with its deep pink blush and aromas of violets, wild berries, and springtime mischief. On the palate, it’s effervescent and elegant, a flirtatious companion for celebratory moments. Prefer a white Crémant?
The Camille Braun Crémant d’Alsace Brut combines floral bouquets with crisp acidity, making it perfect for oysters, desserts, or simply savoring the spark of a fresh beginning.
Raise Your Glass to 2025
This trio—Barolo, Grgich Chardonnay, and Crémant d’Alsace—is more than a collection of wines; it’s an invitation to embrace life’s highs and lows with passion and zest. Whether you’re indulging in wine tasting to discover hidden depths or raising a toast to cherished memories, these bottles will elevate your year.
Sip boldly, dream brightly, and let every swirl and sip remind you that 2025 is yours to savor. Learn more at www.cestwhatwine.com. Cheers to the adventure ahead! 🍷✨
C'EST WHAT? Wine and Sensory Ideas is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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