While we love wine the world around, France is where the heart is. The country is steeped in tradition, geography, and wine; and for most people, it can be intimidating. You’ve probably had your share of bottles you took a chance on and had been disappointed, and well, we’re here to help! The best part of these tastings is that you get to a) try before you buy, b) expand your palate, and c) learn while indulging!

Here are our choices for Tuesday, which funny enough, Eric Asimov has also picked two of the five wines we’ll be showing as his Thanksgiving picks.

Domaine du Closel 2014 Savennières $29.85

Domaine du Closel in Savennières has a history stretching back to the Napoleonic era and produces marvelously intense, dry white wines. Today it is owned and run by Mme. de Jessey, who inherited it from her aunt, and her daughter Evelyne de Pontbriand. They have 12 hectares of vineyards planted with Chenin Blanc, some of which are 70 years old. The grapes are picked by hand under selection, and the vinification is slow under controlled temperatures. Savennières la Jalousie (formerly les Coulées, or Cuvée Classique, i.e., dry) is a classic Savennières from a stainless-steel cuvée of young and older vines from their steepest soils of pure schist. Intense!

Franck Peillot Altesse $25.85
Franck Peillot Bugey Mondeuse $22.85

Bugey is not a household word yet among American wine drinkers. Bugey is a small region tucked into the foothills at the southernmost end of the Jura Mountains—a range older than the nearby Alps–in the southern tip of the Savoie region in eastern-central France. This sub-alpine territory along the Swiss border has a unique terroir well-suited to two native varietals, the white Altesse and the red Mondeuse; it also grows a significant amount of Chardonnay, some Gamay and a little Pinot Noir (not a big stretch with Burgundy being due west). Arguably, its best-known wine so far on this side of the ocean is the dem-sec pink sparkling Cerdon de Bugey.

But south of Cerdon, the village of Montagnieu lends its name to the best-known local cru, which features Altesse. Known locally as Roussette, Altesse thrives on the steep, rocky hillside vineyards and clay-limestone soils; is thought to be a relative of the Hungarian variety Furmint, and is the passion of fifth-generation grower Franck Peillot. Local parlance can get confusing: the appellation “Roussette de Bugey” can also contain Chardonnay, so Peillot adds “Altesse” on the label of his still white wine to clarify its contents. He feels that Altesse, naturally on the more neutral side aromatically but high in acidity, is a perfect and elegant vehicle for terroir expression—much more so than the ubiquitous Chardonnay—if and when its natural high ripeness and pulpy fleshiness are reined in.

2014 Cheverny Rouge, Herve Villemade $21.95

Half Gamay, half Pinot Noir, all natural and delicious. A wine from a 5th generation winemaker inspired first by the fruit of Marcel Lapierre and Thierry Puzelat at Clos de Tue-Boeuf. His Cheverny Rouge is juicy and bright, but with enough earthiness to balance everything out.

2015 Cahors Le Pur Fruit du Causse de Château Combel la Serre $16.85

Julien Ilbert is a young, charismatic vigneron with a fresh perspective on his native Cahors. Vines have been in the Ilbert family for generations, though grapes had always been sold to the local cave coopérative. In 1998, Julien decided to break off and start his own estate. Things didn’t exactly go according to plan, and a chance meeting with Mathieu Cosse at a rugby match quickly led to a seven-year relationship, with Julien being Mathieu’s primary source for high-quality Auxerrois (aka Malbec, aka Côt). Now back on track, and producing his own wine, this fresh, fruity and textured Cahors rouge will tickle your taste buds and have you craving more.