I mispronounced this wine for years. I said “bougie,” which it sort of is, but the correct Françaises is “boo-gay.” Boo-gay sehr-don. It’s sparkling Gamay and Poulsard from the village of Mérignat in the Savoie region of France, made with the Ancestrale method of fermentation. You’re used to the Traditional Method (Champagne, Cava, most New World sparklings) or the Charmat method (Prosecco), but Methode Ancestrale is the OG, the original sparkling. Wine would start fermenting in the fall, but go to sleep once the temperatures dropped below 50 degrees F. Thinking it was done, winemakers would bottle it and then be shocked/terrified when bottles would explode in the spring when temperatures rose and fermentation resumed. Once a working knowledge of yeast and fungi were learned (thanks, Louis Pasteur), they could plan the whole thing out. For winemaking, this means a lightly sparkling wine with a hint of sweetness that, in modern terms, is super chuggable. Like an adult juice box. Bugey-Cerdon (nice pronunciation) is amazing with cheeses from the region, particularly Abondance, but also Beaufort and anything light you want to snack on whilst sitting on a patio, in the sun, preferably at Sidebar. - Peter Plaehn