Values Beyond Price
by Dustin Soiseth
Prosecco Superiore Brut
Italy | Veneto
I view sparkling wine as an essential pantry item. Quality sea salt, fresh spices, and good olive oil can turn a quotidian dish into something a bit more gourmand, and the same is true for a cold glass of Sommariva’s convivial Prosecco. Its lively bead and soft, stone-fruit notes add an epicurean sheen to any meal, and it certainly costs less than a fancy bottle of olive oil these days.
2024 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
France | Loire
After I poured him a glass, my father-in-law asked me what I thought of this wine. I replied that it was the quintessential bistro wine, the kind that might be served in a carafe alongside steak frites or a croque monsieur: foods that soften the edges of this earthy red and allow its bright fruit to pop. It is meant to be as much of a fixture on your table as the salt and pepper shakers, a notion bolstered by the fact that locals can still bring their own carafes to Chanteleuserie and fill them straight from the cask with juicy, vibrant Cabernet Franc for enjoyment at home. If that’s not a testament to the wine’s true purpose, I don’t know what is.
More from the December 2025 Newsletter
