In February, Seattle’s most renowned restaurant announced big staff shakeups: Chef Aisha Ibrahim was leaving, as was third-generation co-owner Brian Canlis, to be replaced by Anne Marie Canlis, wife of the other third-generation co-owner, Mark Canlis. In June, executive sous-chef James Huffman was announced as the new chef. In September, a much quieter internal change came to the restaurant’s leadership when Ally Lanoue took over as wine director.

When I checked in on Canlis in October prior to refreshing our annual list of Seattle’s best restaurants, Lanoue’s wine service blew me away. Precise and intriguing wines, catered to each diner’s taste, arrived with informative spiels and easygoing banter. Easily the highlight of the meal, it went a long way in keeping Canlis on that list, and she’s just getting started.

Lanoue, a musician, began working in restaurants while getting her master’s at the Boston Conservatory. When she started to burn out as a musician, the wine world called to her. “There’s a lot of crossover in skill sets from music,” she says. “It’s art, at the end of the day.” She started at Canlis in 2018 as a kitchen server, working her way up to assistant wine director under Linda Milagros Violago, who had been the first woman to lead the vaunted wine program.

“I just want the right wine to get to the right person. I don't care how much it costs, and I want to have something for everyone on our list,” says Lanoue. As she puts her own mark on the list, she hopes to champion underrated regions and grapes, though her expertise and passion lies in Champagne. “It’s always a question,” she says, no matter what bottle a guest is looking at. “Do you want a glass of sparkling before that?”

Unsurprisingly, she had a recommendation for a bottle of bubbles when we asked her what wines people should be buying for this year’s holiday parties and dinners. “I like to choose wines that are crowd-friendly,” she says—both impressive to experienced drinkers and delicious to those who know less. Faced with the usual comfort food, she aims for fresh, aromatic wines. “Big wines make the meal feel even heavier,” she says, suggesting light- to medium-bodied wines with acid to counteract the richness.

Sparkling

NV Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve, Blanc de Blancs, Brut

$65

An entry-level wine from a classic Champagne producer. “Chardonnay grown on pure chalk is magic,” says Lanoue, describing it as very stony, but with deep fruit flavors like apricot and baked apple. “Christmas morning, I’m probably opening Pierre Peters and sitting by the fire. It just has that vibe.”

White

2023 Jean Philippe Fichet, Bourgogne Blanc, France

$42

Talking about this world-class white Burgundy for under $50 makes Lanoue feel like she’s giving away a secret. That’s because it’s made from Meursault grapes but bottled as the more affordable, more approachable Bourgogne Blanc. Producers based in Meursault will take some of the younger vines or specific plots and bottle it as Bourgogne Blanc, she explains, “to make a friendlier, easier drinking style, but most importantly approachable in its use.”

2021 Martin Woods Koosah Vineyard Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon

$50

From one of the highest-elevation vineyards in the Willamette Valley comes this citrus-driven chardonnay that Lanoue describes as having piercing acidity and mouthwatering freshness. It’s complex enough for wine nerds, but super approachable for anyone, making it a hit for mixed groups.

Red

Brigaldara Valpolicella, Italy

$18

Lanoue gave each of her staff a bottle of this to take home for Thanksgiving because it was the perfect wine for the holiday feast. “It has this gorgeous spice element, almost like anise or fennel,” she says, along with tart red fruits like pomegranate and cherry, plus enough structure to match a wide variety of foods.

Jean Foillard Beaujolais Villages, France

$35

This high-acid, light gamay feels like a wine you’re taking a bite of, says Lanoue, “Like a fresh blueberry, and it almost has that crispy skin.” She also likes the earthiness, which allows it to go with all kinds of different foods—or none. “If you want to have a bottle while you’re cooking, that’s probably the thing I’m drinking, because it’s so delicious on its own.”

Bottle photos courtesy of the vineyards