The Sommelière Accidentelle: Backyard Tastings, Bold Bottles, and a Life Reclaimed
From backyard bliss to balcony tastings, I’m sipping my way through recovery — one unexpected bottle at a time.
I didn’t set out to become a wine lover.
I wasn’t trained in oenology. I didn’t study sommellerie. I’m not swishing glasses under expert noses in limestone caves outside Lyon. But somehow, over the past few months, I’ve become what I call a Sommelière Accidentelle — the accidental wine woman. The kind who grills solo, lights a candle, and pours a glass of something bold and mysterious that costs under $10 but tastes like liberation.
These days, wine is not just a drink. It’s a ritual. A reward. A recovery marker. A way of reclaiming joy on a Tuesday night. And it’s the soundtrack to my transformation — from surviving to savoring. From starving to flavoring. From silence to symphony.
Each glass is poured on my balcony, often accompanied by grilled vegetables, moody music, or a plate that whispers of my Belgian roots and worldly palate. And though I drink alone, I’m not lonely. These tastings are intentional. Textural. Anchored in the sensory, and rooted in deep self-trust.
So here’s what I’ve tasted and loved — not just for their notes of cherry or citrus or sea breeze, but for the way they paired with a moment, a memory, a mood.
🍷 Tasted and Loved — My Balcony Bottles
1. Ruggero di Bardo Susumaniello (Italy)
Dark, velvety, and intense — like an aria in a candlelit opera. Pairs with grilled eggplant, solitude, and the kind of night that needs no explanation.
2. Muchas Manos Blanco (Spain)
Crisp and cheerful, this white was made for fresh corn, grilled lemon, and olive-laced greens. Tastes like a balcony lunch in Barcelona — even if you're in Nashville.
3. Espiral Vinho Verde (Portugal)
Spritzy, citrusy, and barely boozy. The summer fling of wines. Perfect with seafood, but honestly, I’d drink it while folding laundry if the light hit right.
4. La Rosace Languedoc (France)
A French red with the kind of depth that earns your attention. Earthy and powerful. Serve it with grilled mushrooms or roasted garlic anything.
5. Global Trails Pinot Noir (USA)
Light, drinkable, and great with flame-kissed salmon. This is the wine I reach for when I want something soft — but not forgettable.
6. Satis Dei Syrah-Garnacha (Spain)
A rebellious blend — spicy, structured, dramatic. One sip and I felt like I should be dancing barefoot in a courtyard somewhere in Andalusia.
7. Dailet Marsanne-Roussanne Pays d’Oc (France)
Silky and floral, with that golden-hour kind of glow. Pairs beautifully with grilled squash or anything involving goat cheese and honey.
8. JL Quinson Côtes de Provence Rosé (France)
Light, fresh, and classic. I sipped it while watching traffic pass below me and realized I felt — for once — fully at peace in my body and in my life.
9. Vignobles Lacheteau Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie (France)
Bright, saline, and made for mollusks. I had it with mussels, corn, and a memory of Deauville fog. A $9 escape to the French coast.
I’ve photographed every pour. Poured with intention. Paired with dishes grilled on the electric altar gifted by my boss. Lit candles. Wrote reflections. Played Chopin. Let the wine become part of the ritual of living alone — and living fully.
I may not be certified, but I am qualified — by fire, flavor, and the fight it took to get here.
La Sommelière Accidentelle is my way of honoring recovery. And sensuality. And everything I was told I couldn’t have. She’s bold. She’s nuanced. And she’s got impeccable taste — even if the bottle was $7 at Trader Joe’s.
Coming soon: Notes on wines I’ve photographed but haven’t opened yet — and what I plan to pair them with. Because like life, some things are best uncorked slowly.