May 2026 | Enthusiast Wine Club
by Caileen BrisonDomaine de la Colline Bibendum 2022 Cotes du Rhone Blanc
Winemaker Jonathan Jacquart comes from an outstanding lineage of winemaking with a resume including Emmanuel Reynaud at Château Rayas and Thierry Allemand. The Bibendum is an entry level project coming from Saint-Gervais and is 100% organically farmed Clairette.
Opening with a profile reminiscent of Carricante, this wine immediately presents a complex blend of river water, lemon flowers, and shortbread, leading into a full-bodied mid-palate characterized by butterscotch, dandelion, and pollen. After a couple of hours, the wine begins to open further, revealing softer floral notes like fresh daisy even as it passes through a brief reductive phase; during this time, a growing salinity emerges, suggesting it would pair exceptionally well with acidic, salt-forward dishes. By the second day, the wine’s structure becomes more integrated, transitioning into a satin-like texture with flavors of honeycomb cereal, golden apple skin, and ginger. This evolution, underscored by persistent notes of sea spray and pollen, suggests that while it is showing depth now, it could be consumed anytime between 2027 and 2032.
For food pairings I would opt for crudo, ceviche, or shaved fennel salad. Serve in all-purpose stemware just above refrigeration temperature.
Fenocchio 2022 Barbera d’Alba Superiore
I keep telling myself that I’m not going to feature an Italian wine in every club almost every month…and yet, here we are. From a classic Piedmontese producer, this wine just ticks every pizza wine box for me.
On the first day, the palate is juicy and forward, supported by moderate tannins and a bright acidity that makes it a natural partner for pizza. After roughly two hours of aeration, the nose softens, yet the palate becomes more vibrant; the flavors shift toward candied flowers while the tannins tighten, maintaining its excellent food-pairing potential. By the second day, the wine’s profile settles into a more "mature" expression; the initial candy-like sweetness gives way to fresh blueberry and marionberry, backed by tamed tannins and a persistent, structural acidity.
While you can - and maybe should? - opt for the pizza, this can certainly be enjoyed with your favorite (red sauce based) pastas, hard cheeses, or mortadella with focaccia. Most importantly with Barbera, don’t forget the food; the varieties naturally elevated levels of structure need balancing. Drink now - 2027 and serve in all-purpose stemware at cellar temperature.
Domaine de Reuilly 2024 Pinot Noir
From a sleeper appellation in the Loire Valley, Reuilly is closer to Sancerre and Menetou Salon than the rest of Loire entirely. This wine is farmed biodynamically from clay and limestone soils leading to a rich fruit profile with austere minerality.
The wine opens with a vibrant bouquet of fresh red apples, raspberries, and currants; it is defined by its aromatic elegance, showcasing notes of rose petals, hibiscus, and violets underpinned by a distinct, graphite-like minerality. While the early palate is marked by a firm tannic structure and savory hints of dried herbs, about twenty minutes in the glass coaxes out richer layers of brown sugar and shortbread. After two hours, the wine softens into a much "prettier" profile, where the floral notes of violet become more pronounced against a backdrop of persistent acidity that pairs exceptionally well with rich proteins. By the second day, the wine reaches its peak integration; the acidity calms significantly to reveal a refined core of soft cherry, wildflowers, and raspberry tea, though the lingering presence of pencil shavings proves that this wine bats way above its price point.
For food pairings I would opt for some lean protein such as duck, rabbit, or tartare; this will balance out the strong tannins of the wine when young. Drink now - 2034 and serve in large-bowl stemware at cellar temperature.