When Florence Haynes was hired as the production manager and enologist at renowned winery Gratien & Meyer in 2015, one of her goals was to redefine each wine with a personal touch that embodies the best of the region. As the first female oenologist in the winery's history, her vision was to bring the romance and finesse that characterize the Loire Valley's beautiful sparkling wines.

There is nothing more delicious and luxurious than tipping a glass of bubbly. However, when we become so engrossed in drinking wine, we sometimes lose sight of the story of how that wine came to us. Haynes sheds light on this process, revealing the care, attention, and thought that goes into each bottle of G&M Crémant de Loire.

For those who are not yet familiar with the term "crémant," here's some background: crémant is a group of French sparkling wines made in the same traditional way as champagne. Crémant is made in eight wine-growing regions, including the Loire Valley. Gratien & Meyer has had a cellar in the Loire's gorgeous Valley of the Kings since 1864, where each bottle of Crémant Brut and Crémant Rosé is carefully and precisely crafted using the traditional techniques of this style.

So how can it be improved? Florence Haynes grew up in Paris and initially earned a degree in engineering, focusing on physics and chemical analysis. But the Champagne-born Haynes has always been a wine enthusiast, and when she went back to school for a degree in oenology (the study of wine), her engineering know-how translated surprisingly well to her next step. After several years of viticulture and vineyard consulting, she joined the team at Gratien & Meyer.

By bringing scientific precision and passion to winemaking, Haynes has revamped G&M's beloved Crémant de Loire, adding a new level of elegance to these classic wines. Under her guidance, the traditional techniques of Crémant de Loire were retained, but Haynes also incorporated modern considerations, such as making each wine vegan and gluten-free, and refining the balance of the blend.

Haynes' additions bring the next level of excellence to classic wines and show how much women can bring to the winemaking arena. Plus, Santé.

G&M's Cremant Brut and Rosé sparkling are available here.