Inspiring Thirst An inside look at wines of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.

The September newsletter is now available. Download the pdf here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER

RED BURGUNDY

by Dixon Brooke

2008 PIERRE GUILLEMOT

Our pick of the bunch in Savigny-lès-Beaune, the Guillemot family, has won our confidence with their consistently impeccable quality, great prices, and all around good humor. Their 2008s are instant classics of the Burgundian old school, with brilliant, dark garnet robes, sweet Pinot fruit, and spicy, earthy tannins. Picotins is pushing premier cru territory with its great core of sappy fruit, smooth attack, then some bite to its finish. Don’t let the delicate perfume of the Narbantons fool you, this creeps up on you with chiseled, fine-grained tannins. In this case, delicacy is a virtue. Their Jarrons, also premier cru, is typically muscular, deep, and meaty. Serpentières shows me the best qualities of both Narbantons and Jarrons—typically firm in its youth, it evolves at a glacial pace. These wines are always snapped up quickly by the Guillemot faithful, but if you are looking to put a toe into Burgundy without a huge investment, this is a great place to start.

2008 ROBERT CHEVILLON

There is no pretension from brothers Bertrand and Denis Chevillon, but there is a lot of pride, and their great wines speak for themselves in the same down-to-earth fashion. It is le vrai Pinot from these veterans of Nuits-Saint-Georges, and the Pinot really shows its true colors in their capable hands in 2008. These are across-the-board must-buys for Burgundy lovers, Pinot lovers, wine lovers period. Not to imply that color is any harbinger of quality for Pinot, but these are full-colored, full-throttle Pinots of impressive ripeness and structure. In short, the Chevillons have done it again.

The wines are listed below in a general order of most approachable to longest lived. Chaignots and Bousselots are from the Vosne side of Nuits and have silkier textures, while Vaucrains has the manliest structure of the bunch.

2008 LUCIEN BOILLOT & FILS

Some of the greatest red Burgundies of our era come from this address in Gevrey-Chambertin—the domaine run by Lucien’s son, Pierre Boillot, and his wife, Sophie. Pierre has the good fortune to be working family vineyards at many of the top sites in both the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits, which is rare for a Burgundian vigneron. He prefers a classic, no-frills vinification after a year of judicious work in his vines, and chooses to work with a small percentage of new oak in order to preserve the signature aromas, flavor, and tannic profiles of each of his sites with purity and authenticity. These wines demand two to three years in the cellar before you embark upon measured, patient, and soul-satisfying consumption. Please inquire about Pierre’s stunning but very limited-quantity 2008 white Burgundy, the grand Puligny-Montrachet premier cru Les Perrières. He makes a barrel or two per year.

RAIDING BELLEVUE’S CELLAR

by Steve Waters

I’ll never forget visiting André Chatenoud of Château de Bellevue a few years back during a tasting trip. After a visit to the winery, we were treated to a very simple and delicious lunch: grilled magret de canard. On an open hearth, André lit a pile of dried grapevines, waited till they smoldered into embers, and then placed a grill on top covered with the fresh duck breasts. The intense heat quickly seared the meat to a perfect medium-rare, or à point, as the French say. André opened a few magnums of older vintages of his Lussac Saint-Émilion that washed down the duck effortlessly with a velvety texture and lip-smacking acidity. We have received older vintages of Château de Bellevue before, but nothing like the line-up we have for you right now. Let’s not forget that André is an organic producer as well. Considering how ludicrously expensive 2009 Bordeaux futures have already become, these prices are absolute bargains!

1998 LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION

From a superb vintage for this bank of the Gironde, the 1998 is drinkable now but could still benefit from a few more years of aging, if you like. Predominately Merlot with Cabernet Franc, give it an hour or more in the decanter and the wine will open up gloriously for you.

$26.00 per bottle $280.80 per case

1999 LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION

In our staff tasting of all three vintages last week, the 1999 was drinking beautifully—not quite as intense or concentrated as the others, but with a lot of style, elegance, and it is already agreeable to being explored. It has complexity, a silkiness on the palate, and a finish that lingers on and on.

$24.00 per bottle $259.20 per case

2000 LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION

Considered by many as one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages ever, the 2000 Château de Bellevue is truly classic. With a deep core of black cherry fruit and earthy notes, coffee, and cedar, the 2000 is just starting to reveal its captivating personality. Drink now but make sure you cellar enough to follow what will be a magnificent evolution.

$28.00 per bottle $302.40 per case

The August newsletter is now available. Dowload the pdf here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

EXPLORING BURGUNDY SAMPLER
by Sam Imel

On a cloud-covered, peaceful afternoon I headed north to Marsannay, where I had the pleasure of tasting the Bouvier 2008s accompanied by Madame Régis Bouvier and her daughter. They were proud of the vintage, noting specifically the complexity the wines embody.

Those same wines have now docked, giving me the chance to put together this Sampler so you, too, can taste and compare to see how differences of terroir influence the wine’s taste. This Sampler affords you the opportunity not only to dive into Burgundy and experience the essence of each village, but to do so from a vintage that fully reveals their distinct character.

2008 Bourgogne Rouge “Montre Cul” $24.00
2008 Marsannay Blanc “Clos du Roy” $32.00
2008 Marsannay Rouge “Les Longeroies” $30.00
2008 Fixin $36.00
2008 Gevrey-Chambertin $48.00
2008 Morey Saint Denis “En La Rue De Vergy” $49.00

Normally $219.00
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE
$164
(a 25% discount)

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFERS

2007 SAUTERNES “CUVÉE ANDRÉ”
CHÂTEAU ROÛMIEU-LACOSTE

It is with his Cuvée André that Hervé Dubourdieu takes on the premier cru classé Sauternes and whittles them down to size.

I believe that if you don’t drink some of this monumental Sauternes—well, only a masochist would miss the experience this wine provides. It is one of the great bottles of the past few years—an essence of peach, apricot, and orange peel, one of the most delicious things your mouth will ever have the pleasure to contain. A work of art, I say, noble rot and noble sweetness.

It will have a long life, but it is too delicious to miss right now.

$576.00 per case fifths

2008 DOMAINE LES PALLIERES

by Bruce Neyers, KLWM National Sales Manager

Ever since the Bruniers broke Pallières into two distinct personalities with the 2007 vintage, the drums are beating and the phones ringing with questions about the two bottling.

Here come the 2008s, which I have had the pleasure to taste out of foudre on three separate trips to France. They have everything you could ever want in a southern Rhône red—aromatic fireworks, full body, lots of flavor, real complexity and character, and sturdy structures to keep them good for years and years to come.

2008 Gigondas “Les Racines” fifths
$336.00 per case

2008 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” fifths
$336.00 per case

Inquire about availability in tenths, magnums, jeroboams, and methuselahs.

Pre-arrival terms: Half-payment due with order;
balance due upon arrival.

Vacation time can means different things for employees of KLWM. So far this year we’ve headed to Hawaii, Vermont, Zion National Park, and a few have taken the relaxing “stay-cation,” choosing just to stay home. I’ll be following in the footsteps of many salespeople who decide to spend their precious vacation time traveling to France, visiting the properties of the vigneron’s whose wines we import.

Having been fortunate enough to study in France during college, this pilgrimage will be a new discovery of a country and culture I’ve already learned to love. What an opportunity.

Here’s a few producers I’ll be visiting and why I’m excited to see their properties.

Domaine Les Pallières

I’m going to ask that the tour at Kermit and the Brunier’s domaine will include a viewing of the “Terrasse du Diable” vineyard. This parcel is located high above the winery and beneath the imposing Dentelles de Montmirail. It is responsible for the wild, brambly, and chewy bottling of the same name. The 2007 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” is available for the moment at $34 a bottle. It is one of 2007’s greatest wines. The vineyards of Pallières are pictured to the right.

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

What self-respecting Kermit Lynch employee wouldn’t want to see the famous “La Crau” vineyard? The stones! The massive galets covering the vineyard floor of this Châteauneuf-du-Pape are legendary among fans of Vieux Télégraphe, and that is something I’ve got to see with my own eyes.

The La Crau vineyard at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

Domaine Comtesse Bernard de Cherisey

De Cherisey produces classic Chardonnay, described by my colleague Michael Butler as “wine from a different time.” White Burgundy like this doesn’t come around very often unless you purchase from the likes of Coche-Dury and Antoine Jobard. Unlike Coche, de Cherisey is regularly available for purchase and at a fraction of the price.
Vigneron, Laurent Martelet, is a family man who took over his mother-in-law’s vines in the late ‘90s and has focused his craft on making precise, mineral-driven wines. He’s even writing a book on his winemaking philosophy. Start purchasing these wines now. Demand is quickly growing, but the supply isn’t. The 2008s are currently on pre-arrival.

De Cherisey’s Meursault “La Genelotte” 1er cru vineyard

Pierre Guillemot

Kermit has imported the red and white Burgundies of Pierre Guillemot since the 1970s. They aretightly coiled, terroir-driven masterpieces that never break the bank (premier crus for $35!?!). Entering the Guillemot cellar is like taking a step back in time, not just because of the old vintages that are often opened during tastings, but because nothing has changed in decades. The wines and family are true to their roots, old-school Burgundian. I can’t wait to get underground with them.

I’ll be taking a hiatus from the blogging during my two weeks in France but I’ll be updating the KLWM Facebook and Twitter accounts regularly. I hope to have some interesting tidbits for you when I return.

A taste for the esoteric sends enthusiasts of all kinds to the edge of their interest in an attempt to find the latest and greatest, the most obscure, or anything to invigorate their curiosity. Whether your curiosity lies in art, music, books, wine etc. the obscure can be found, but you must know where to look.

As a musician with mercurial taste, living in the East Bay has served me well. Between Down Home in El Cerrito and Amoeba in Berkeley, my recorded music needs are fulfilled. A year-long fixation on the Bon Scott years of AC/DC and early ZZ Top recently gave way to a dormant bluegrass obsession that has lead me deep into the catalog of the old guard (namely Tony Rice) and the new guard (the Punch Brothers).

For wine enthusiasts though, look no further than the southeast corner of our Berkeley retail shop. There, you will find selections from the Basque region of France, and more specifically the new arrival from Domaine Bru-Baché—the 2009 Jurançon Sec ($16.95). Jurançon is deeply engrained in French wine culture and history. This village in the southwest of France was one of the first appellation controllées and wine has been made there since the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, the regional aristocracy identified and valued premier parcels in Jurançon, thus introducing the idea of cru vineyards.

The sweet wines of Jurançon are made primarily with the Petit Manseng grape. This small, thick-skinned variety hangs on the vine until December before being harvested. The sec is made of Gros Manseng and presents a character as unique as the appellation is obscure. The classic lime-green tint in the glass gives way to a zingy, exotic palate of fresh-cut, zesty citrus. A persistent herbal, resin, juniper finish makes this a perfect quaffer—great as an apéritif with some cheese and olives.

Having one glass just to say that you’ve now tasted Jurançon won’t be sufficient, you’ll start wanting more and more of this wine. Act soon—not much is made which means it will only be in our shop for so long.

What are you favorite esoteric wines? Don’t hesitate to respond in the comments section below…

I vividly remember the first staff tasting of Alsatian producer Meyer-Fonné in January of 2007. We had a recently received a shipment of a dozen or so of their Rieslings, Pinot Blancs, Gewurztraminers, and Pinot Gris bottlings and Kermit was excited to show them off to the staff. He had tasted samples in France with Daniel Ravier, the winemaker of Domaine Tempier, and they were both stunned by the consistency, quality, and character of the wines. The staff immediately got hooked on the über-floral, rose petal aroma emanating from our glasses. You could smell the wine from three feet away.

I’ve been fortunate enough to drink Alsatian vintages back to the 80s and Mosel Rieslings from the 70s. Though tasting aged Rieslings and Gewurztraminers is an unforgettable experience, these wines taste so good young, as well. For me, determining whether an Alsatian wine will age or not is based more on familiarity with the history of a producer’s wines than with interpreting the structure and character of a young wine.

Some of my questions regarding the longevity of the wines of Meyer-Fonné were answered when I came across a bottle of 1999 Riesling Katzenthal (which Kermit did not import at the time) in a friends cellar a few month’s ago. I brought it into work and tasted it with the staff. The Riesling Katzenthal is one of Meyer-Fonné’s mid-level wines. The 2008 retails for $28.00, well below the grand crus that retail in the $40s, and a few dollars above the 2008 Riesling Réserve at $22.00. I knew the wine had been stored properly so the quality of the wine would determine whether the wine had aged well.

The wine stopped the tasting in its tracks, as often happens when the staff is completely enthralled with a wine. The 1999 inspired introspective awe. We all contemplated how wonderfully the wine had developed over the years. The classic Meyer-Fonné floral aroma was present, but had taken on darker, earthier notes. There was a touch of petrol, a hint of leather, and a prominent texture and grain. It left me ruminating about the splendors that some of his aged grand cru wines must hold. I plan to discover these pleasures in due time when I start cellaring Meyer-Fonné’s wines and I highly recommend you do the same.