To put it subtly, I love this wine. It’s elegant, it’s expensive, and it’s odd, in the very best way — a conversation piece at a party, the strange food pairing that shouldn’t work, but you can’t get enough of it.
Jacques Lassaigne is a small vineyard located in Montgueux, a village in the south of Champagne, France. Unlike the stark white chalk soils in much of Champagne, this part of the wine-growing region is a unique blend of clay and chalk, adding a richness to the wine seldom seen farther north. (Originally the vineyards were held for the Montrachet of Champagne.)
In the glass, there’s an intense backbone of acidity that’s present at every second of each sip that balances out intensely savory, bready notes of toasted almond, warm brioche spread with butter, miso, and hazelnut. It would pair well through a winter meal, though I’d simply savor it on its own — it’s one of the most special grower Champagnes available. $160
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.