Wine Of The Week: French Bloom La Cuvée
This zero-proof sparkling wine has become a staple at Michelin-starred eateries.
When Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger (the former director of the Michelin Guide) and French model-turned-entrepreneur Constance Jablonski would meet at parties, they’d often remark how few chic options there were to choose from if you weren’t drinking. In 2021, they took matters into their own hands.
Their brand, French Bloom, shows that great wine doesn’t need to have alcohol—the line of bubbles are all completely zero-proof. The blanc and rosé mirror all the driving bubbles and delicate aromas of a high-end sparkling wine. (Frerejean-Taittinger’s husband, Champagne maker Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, is responsible for the blends and the winemaking side of the brand.)
The newly-launched La Cuvée, a vintage-date aged sparkling wine, is particularly exciting. They take high-alcohol, naturally-farmed Chardonnay from the Languedoc, gently remove the alcohol before the wine undergoes the effervescence process. It’s opulent and indulgent, full of nuanced notes of honey, dried apricot, and financier. If you’re abstaining this Dry January, it’s one of the few options that pairs well with high-end gastronomy. Because of that, it’s become a sommelier darling—find this bottle at many Michelin-starred restaurants, New York’s Jungsik and Paris’ Cheval Blanc. $119
Kate Dingwall is a WSET-trained sommelier and spirits writer. Her work has appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.
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