Langlois-Château Crémant de Loire Réserve Brut NV

Super-fine bubbles. Snappy yet rich. 94 POINTS! At $14.95 on two or more, this Loire Valley sparkling is very hard to beat.

Breathe in, breathe out, slow down… Langlois-Château dates back to 1885. The estate is in the town of Saumur, along the Loire River in western France. Its modern period began in 1973, when Champagne powerhouse Bollinger acquired a majority ownership. All that is to say: although this bottle was only $30 retail – and half that right now on Invino – the standards within it are top tier. Bollinger has invested consistently so that Langlois could be one of the very best houses in the region. The cellar protocols are rigorous, and the vineyards have been organic since 2020. For a whenever-priced sparkling… this Crémant de Loire tastes so smart. Even nicer than it needs to be (like us, tee hee). 

Notes of ripe yellow plum, cantaloupe, and kiwi are held in a brisk, dry posture that makes you want to curl up on the edge of your seat like Diana Vreeland ordering a perplexed Irving Penn to “find me the Gypsy queen who bathes in milk and has the most beautiful skin in the world!” Teensy tiny bubbles bring up flaky croissant and halva. Poised and bracing – this carries itself more like a $40 bottle. But for under $15, open it with everything. Curry fries. Scrambled eggs and rye toast for dinner. Road-stand strawberries. Thick-cut Korean noodles from that place you’ve been meaning to try.

This is a Crémant, meaning it was born through the same painstaking, multi-year, traditional method as Champagne, but made elsewhere in France. The blend is 50% Chenin Blanc (10% of which is reserve), 25% Chardonnay, and 25% Cabernet Franc. If that mix sounds wonderful – IT IS. Falstaff called this “a first-class Crémant” when they bestowed 94 points. You will feel incredibly clever having a case of this on deck. And the minimalist, earthy label looks so sharp.