Stagiaire Wine 'Don't Tell Mom' 2024

The vibe: Technically it’s a piquette but our panel of experts all thought it was Gamay d’Auvergne. A blend of various lots made up of Pinot, Carignan, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc. Serve chilled and try not to drink too fast

The winemaker: Stagiaire Wine is the brainchild of New Orleans native Brent Mayeaux. The project takes its name from Brent’s time spent as an apprentice - or stagiaire - at various wineries around the world at the beginning of his career. He began by working under more conventionally-minded winemakers in California, but it was during experiences in Australia and then France, where his head was turned towards natural wine by the likes of luminaries such as Philippe Bonard in the Jura and Gareth Belton of Gentle Folk in the Adelaide Hills. Mayeaux returned to California in 2018 armed with a more European sensibility around winemaking and the role of the vineyard. He now makes wine in a former industrial space on Treasure Island, a reclaimed piece of land in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.

Serve: With a chill.