Vin de France Brut "Elle est pas bulle, la vie" 2024

While the Bretons may be pleasure-seekers, unserious at times, they do not take their reputation for characterful wines lightly; what they eschew in formality, they make up for with intentional practices in the vineyard and cellar. Flawless natural wines like theirs, albeit evocative of a laissez-faire lifestyle, require precision, discipline, and experience.

This Vin de France, made with grapes grown in the Vouvray appellation, sparkles naturally, meaning it ferments in bottle without the use of dosage or sulfur, giving us a gregarious, palate-pleasing wine that’s one of the more radical ways to kick off an apéritif. It’s less classical than other sparkling wines—a bit more wild, savory, and lush—but equally cheers-worthy.