During the summer we received a surprise visit from one of our French winemakers, Agnès Henry from Domaine de la Tour du Bon in Bandol. Agnès came in right as the shop opened and introduced herself. I chatted with her a while and showed her where her wines are located in the shop. This was in July, when Kermit had publicized her rosé in the monthly newsletter. My colleague Michael was with a customer at the time and directed him to Agnès’ rosé. She then explained to the customer that she knows our three other Bandol producers quite well and recommended that he try something from each of them. She said, “Try them all, not to find the best one, but to understand the differences in terroir of each wine.” She then expounded about the differences between each of the various Bandol reds we carry. Terrebrune she described as disciplined, Gros ‘Noré has power, and Tempier, well, it’s simply excellent. She described her own wine as having power like Gros ‘Noré but with an elegant, feminine touch. After divulging that Reynald Delille of Domaine de Terrebrune is a Tae Kwon Do master and raises champion show dogs, she left to continue her family vacation in California.

Agnès so succinctly and humbly summed up one of our core values here at KLWM. Why do we carry four producers from Bandol, three from Chinon, three from Sancerre, and four from Morgon? Each producer makes wine from a place that might be similar to that of their neighbors, but their vineyards, specific location, traditions, and history have influenced their wines, creating a unique style.

Check it out for yourself. Here’s a list of appellations that we carry which have at least two representative bottles in stock. Try for yourself the comparison Agnès recommends.

We sincerely hope to see Agnès here again soon and hope you’ve tried one of her Bandol reds, whites, or rosés.

Bandol
2006 Bandol Rouge • Domaine de la Tour du Bon         $32.00
2007 Bandol Rouge • Domaine Tempier            40.00
2006 Bandol Rouge • Domaine du Gros ‘Noré        36.00
2005 Bandol Rouge • Domaine de Terrebrune        30.00
2008 Bandol Blanc • Domaine de la Tour du Bon        29.00
2007 Bandol Blanc • Domaine du Gros ‘Noré        32.00

Chinon
2006 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos” • Charles Joguet        28.00
2006 Chinon “St. Louans” • Catherine et Pierre Breton    32.00
2006 Chinon “La Croix Boissée” • Bernard Baudry        29.00

Bourgueil
2007 Bourgueil “Cuvée Beauvais” • Chanteleuserie        $16.95
2007 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal” • Catherine Pierre Breton        32.00

Sancerre
2007 Sancerre VV • Grandes Perrières    $27.00
2008 Sancerre • Daniel Chotard        24.00
2008 Sancerre • Hippolyte Reverdy        24.00

Vouvray
2008 Vouvray Sec • Catherine et Didier Champalou       $18.95
2008 Vouvray Sec • Catherine et Pierre Breton            17.95
NV Vouvray Pétillant Brut • Catherine et Didier Champalou    19.95
NV Vouvray Pétillant Brut • Catherine et Pierre Breton        19.95

Chablis
2007 Chablis • Olivier Savary        $24.00
2007 Chablis • Roland Lavantureux        22.00

Côte de Brouilly
2007 Côte de Brouilly • Château Thivin    $22.00
2008 Côte de Brouilly • Nicole Chanrion    19.95

Morgon
2008 Morgon “Corcelette” • Jean Foillard    $34.00
2008 Morgon “Côte du Py” • Jean Foillard     34.00
2008 Morgon VV • Jean-Paul Thenevet    29.00
2007 Morgon VV • Guy Breton        28.00
2007 Morgon “Cuvée Marcel Lapierre” • Marcel Lapierre    42.00

The July newsletter is now available! Download the PDF by clicking here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

2007 Bandol, Domaine Tempier Pre-Arrival

Yes, I  just arrived at my place near Domaine Tempier and immediately visited to re-taste their great 2007s now that they are in bottle. How convenient!

It is a great vintage for Tempier in the sense that the reds have quite a monumental quality, grand wines brimming with flavor, and they will obviously age almost forever. To compare them to something, trying to give you an idea of the vintage style, I’d look to really stunning Bordeaux vintages like 1945 or 1947. I mean, there is one hell of a lot of wine in these wines.

La Migoua and Tourtine show their personalities vividly in 2007. Winemaker Daniel Ravier concurs: “Definitive Migoua, definitive Tourtine.”

La Migoua is fat and sweet and juicy. The nose combines ripe black cherry with dried thyme and other local herbs. Don’t let my use of the word sweet throw you. I couldn’t believe that Migoua 2007 is really dry, but Ravier showed me the analysis. When I once had the luck to taste a 1947 Cheval Blanc, I had the same impression.

Tourtine is the aristocrat—perfectly formed, lean, muscular—and more closed at the beginning of its life than Migoua. The infinite depth is obvious. It shows more dried herbs, a dash of black pepper, and Ravier said it also reminds him of the smell of a good steak on the grill.

Cabassaou is close to being too much. I mean it is unbelievably concentrated and powerful. Pure old-vines Mourvèdre. Great vintage. Extreme Mourvèdre! At this stage of its life—hmm, let’s just say I won’t touch my stash of bottles for a number of years.

2007 Bandol “Classique” $396.00 per case of twelve

2007 Bandol “La Migoua” $298.50 per six bottles

2007 Bandol “La Tourtine” $298.50 per six bottles

2007 Bandol “Cabassaou” $216.75 per three bottles

Inquire about availability in tenths, magnums, and jeroboams.

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

New Arrivals

Italy and the Loire Valley
by Dixon Brooke

2008 BARDOLINO “CHIARETTO”
CORTE GARDONI

The Chiaretto strikes a cheerful chord in me every time I uncork one: it has a great balance, starting with the bass notes of the Bardolino red varietals (Corvina, Rondinella) and a treble in the form of just the right amount of freshness and minerality. This impeccable rosé makes a year-round spirit brightener. And you don’t need to be lakeside in the Veneto to enjoy the Piccolis’ Chiaretto, because it is at home any old place, any old time.

$12.95 per bottle $139.86 per case

2008 BARDOLINO ROSSO “LE FONTANE”
CORTE GARDONI

The triumvirate of Corte Gardoni wines isn’t complete without their young Bardolino Rosso. Le Fontane is vinified for early drinking pleasure, emphasizing the bright, exuberant fruit for which the appellation is known. Le Fontane is all about carefree quaffing, and it is hard to beat with a slight chill during the summer months. Keep it around as your Old Reliable.

$12.95 per bottle $139.86 per case

2007 ROSSO TOSCANO
“MONTELECCIO” • SESTI

The must-be-seen-to-be-believed property of the Sestis is in the Brunello di Montalcino zone on a hilltop graced by a 12th-century castle and an 8th-century chapel. Cypress trees all over the place. Just another day in the Tuscan hills . . . Monteleccio is the Sestis’ early-drinking pure Sangiovese, raised in big oak botti for twelve months. The 2007 is a grand success, intense and bursting with flavor. This is classic, classy Sangiovese, irresistible today, so dive right in!

$18.00 per bottle $194.40 per case

2001 BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO SUPERIORE “VALPANE” • CANTINE VALPANE

In my opinion, Pietro Arditi’s winery in the Monferrato region of northern Piedmont is one of our most exciting discoveries of the past several years. This is Pietro’s flagship Barbera, for which he has created a lengthy five-year élevage including time in cement, demi-muid, and barrique. The resulting wine is eventually blended with 10% Freisa, another indigenous Piedmontese varietal, for a dose of fresh, bright fruit. The 2001 is truly a gem and is in perfect harmony right now. A tinge of smoky meatiness hints at its age, but the dominant theme is fresh, vibrant Barbera fruit and lots of it. Bravo, Pietro! This is quite a creation, and a superb vintage.

$19.95 per bottle $215.46 per case

2008 CHARDONNAY • ÉRIC CHEVALIER

An anomaly in the region, Éric’s Chardonnay is planted in sandstone, silex, and quartz next to one of his Muscadet vineyards, and it doesn’t much resemble Chardonnay from anywhere else. It is crisp, clean, flinty, and easy to down. Some folks buy cases at a time.

$12.95 per bottle $139.86 per case

2008 FIÉ GRIS • ÉRIC CHEVALIER

Fié Gris is a local name for Sauvignon Gris, a grey- to rosé-hued relative of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. Mostly abandoned in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux, where it was formerly planted with some regularity, the grape may be in the early stages of a comeback. Éric’s version is solid proof that there is merit to the grape as a mono-cépage—it gives a unique, highly aromatic wine loaded with spicy and even tropical nuances. André Chatenoud of the Château de Bellevue in Lussac-Saint-Emilion has also planted some in order to make a white Bordeaux, while Éric is lucky enough to have a parcel of older vines to work with.

$22.50 per bottle $243.00 per case

The time around July 4th is when French wine sales take a little hit. Domestic wineries jump on the “buy American” bandwagon and people head to their local shops that feature their favorite homegrown wines. This makes sense, right? July 4th = Zinfandel? Why on earth would you buy a bottle of French wine to go with an Independence Day celebration?

I’d argue that the first bottle you look for should be from France! I believe it was the involvement of the French Navy in the Revolutionary War that played a major factor in the U.S. sealing the deal. Also, let us not forget that it was the French who gave us the Statue of Liberty. So, clearly, we should raise a glass to the French this weekend! Three great picnic wines emerged from our last staff tasting that would be the ideal accompaniment for an Independence Day gathering.

2007 Coteaux du Languedoc “Tradition” • St. Martin de la Garrigue ($14.95)

The wines of St. Martin de la Garrigue are consistent values. “Tradition” is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan, possessing a wild, rustic edge, but without any gnarly tannins. Dark spice, black fruit and a hit of stoniness reminiscent of a Côtes du Rhône make this wine a perfect pairing for summer barbeque fare. Burgers, ribs, or Portobello mushrooms on the grill – this is the wine to uncork.

2008 Sauvignon Blanc “Unique” • Domaine du Salvard ($13.95)

“Unique” hails from the village of Cheverny, where to take the village name the bottling must have a small dose of Chardonnay. The lack of Chardonnay in “Unique” allows Salvard to name his “Sauvignon Blanc” without breaking any rules. Clearly this is convenient for the consumer and the wine lives up to Loire Sauvignon Blanc standards. Quaffable, sprightly, and bright, this wine jumps around your tongue like a fiddler’s bow on strings.

2008 Bandol Rosé • Domaine de la Tour du Bon ($26)

Tour du Bon has nailed it with their ’08 Rosé – pure, classic Bandol. Fresh light peach notes and funky herbs de provence aromas coat your mouth, imploring you to take another gulp. This wine might transport you to the Côte d’Azur, but, even better, you could visit their property near Bandol where they have a quaint Provençal farmhouse available as a vacation rental.

The other night we tasted through our first large shipment of 2008 rosés and some other recent arrivals. Here are the highlights…

40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault and man does that Syrah show in the 2008 Languedoc Rosé from Château Lascaux ($14.95). The Lascaux Rosé consistently has a peppery spice to it that makes it stand out of the crowd and that healthy dollop of Syrah goes a long way in bringing out that spice. But don’t misunderstand me, this isn’t a big powerful rosé! The fruit is delicate and supple, making this wine a total quaffer.

The 2008 Languedoc Rosé from Mas Champart ($13.95) seems to have a cult following. This is funny because usually cult wines are rather expensive. So how can it be a cult wine at $13.95? I guess it doesn’t matter what the price is, people want this wine and the domaine doesn’t make much. The Champart Rosé is delicate and fresh with an underlying herbs de provence that makes it, quite frankly, similar to Bandol in style. It’s not quite the intense complexity of Bandol, but it sure is close. Are you a member of the cult of Champart?

Speaking of Bandol, the inimitable Tempier Rosé is now in the store. The 2008 ($32) is refined, elegant, subtle, and perhaps lower in alcohol than the 2007. Check out our post from last week to read about Kermit’s favorite rosé food pairing and read excerpts from the old newsletters about the 1979 and 1981 Tempier Rosé.

After a rather breathtaking and refreshing line-up of rosés, we moved on to some reds, starting with the 2007 Vin de Pays d’Oc from Mas Champart ($19.95). This wine always stuns me. 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Syrah. Wait…what? Cab Franc in the Languedoc? Yup, that’s right. The classic grape of the Loire Valley can be found in the Languedoc and Mas Champart knows what to do with it. The 2007 is frighteningly good. How did they get that tobacco in there? Where did the cocoa powder come from? Soft, striated tannins make this wine a joy to drink and a great match with meat. Mas Champart makes it seem that Cab Franc fruit was also meant to be grown in the south.

We stayed in the Languedoc but moved south of St. Chinian where Mas Champart is located, to the region of Corbières where Domaine de Fontsainte resides. The three wines we bring in from Fontsainte, Gris de Gris Rosé, Corbières Rouge, and Corbières “Réserve” La Demoiselles, never fail to impress. The 2007 Corbières Rouge ($12.95) and 2006 Demoiselles ($16) arrived last week and they upheld the standard. The Corbières is primarily Carignan with 30% Grenache and 10% Syrah. Dark but not overpowering, this wine has impeccable balance and seamless velvety tannins (yes, at $12.95 you can have velvety tannins). The Demoiselles comes from primarily 100 year old Carignan vines. It is deep, dark, earthy and very young. It is a common misconception that only expensive bottles of wines age. Both these wines could benefit from a few years in the cellar, especially the Demoiselles which is easily a 10 year wine.

Two 2007s arrived from northern Rhône producer Philippe Faury recently, the Vin de Pays Syrah “Collines Rhodaniennes” and the Côte Rôtie. Many northern Rhône wines, like Cornas, Côte Rôtie and even St. Joseph are best held for a few years before drinking. If you want to drink classic Syrah without having to wait, the 2007 Syrah “Collines Rhodaniennes” ($18.95) is the bottle to have. Coming from the plateaus above the St. Joseph appellation, this wine cannot take the St. Joseph name because the vines are planted on a flat surface while St. Joseph only has hillside vineyards. There is also a small percentage of young-vine St. Joseph in the final blend. The “Collines Rhodaniennes” (Rhône Hills) has a medium body on the palate, filled in by spice, pepper, red meat, and iodine notes. This is NOT a huge wine, but a very balanced big wine and should not be missed. The Côte Rôtie ($52) is an honest steal for a wine from the 2007 vintage. It is young and should not be touched for a number of years. Perhaps the best value there is in Côte Rôtie.

Tempier might be our most well known Bandol producer but there’s a good reason we import three other Bandol domaines: they all produce unique and excellent wines. Wines from different producers from the same region should have similarities but they better not all taste the same. We tasted bottlings from two of our four Bandol producers, starting with the 2005 Bandol Rouge from Domaine de Terrebrune ($30). Terrebrune’s wines are meant for aging. At our trade tasting earlier in the month, Reynald Delille, vigneron of Terrebrune, poured current vintages of his Bandol Rouge as well as his 1999 and 1987. 1987 is not known for being a great vintage, but his red was drinking beautifully. The 2005 is impressively luscious, giving, and forward right now. I was struck by the complexity and approachability at such a young age. Our final bottle of the night was a 1999 Bandol Rouge from Domaine du Gros’ Noré ($45). At ten years old, this wine is now reaching, let’s say, its early adolescent years. There’s no teenage angst here though. The nose is bright and young and the palate is just starting to show classic signs of aged Mourvèdre: a velvety touch of earthy tobacco, reinforced by bright berry fruit. I love wines that are just starting to show their age. The aged complexities that are starting to peak through and the retention of fruit and acidity makes them perfect at table. We have very little of the 1999 Gros’ Noré available so act fast.

The moment that you rosé drinkers have been waiting for has finally arrived: the 2008 Bandol Rosé from Domaine Tempier is now in the Berkeley shop! Give us a call at 510.524.1524 or come by the shop and pick some up before we drink it all. No really, we might drink it all…it’s that good.

Also, give a try to one of Kermit’s favorite Bandol rosé pairings: popcorn! Stir a little olive oil, salt, and dried thyme into the popped corn.

2008 Bandol Rosé • Domaine Tempier

$32.00 per bottle    $345.60 per case

We’ve been importing Tempier rosé for over 30 years now. Here’s a couple of excerpts from the newsletter about Tempier rosé from 1979 and 1981.

1979

1977 Domaine Tempier Rosé

A connoisseur’s rosé from the finest wine domaine in Provence. This rosé, incidentally, is the perfect bouillabaisse wine. ($6.50)

1981

Domaine Tempier’s Bandol Rosé

Our biggest single client for Tempier’s rosé… is Chez Panisse Restaurant because Alice Waters loves the wine and recommends it often with her cuisine. Her book, The Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, should appear soon. It quite successfully communicates the spirit of Chez Panisse.

I asked Alice for a little something that would go well with Domaine Tempier’s rosé. She responded with this Anchovy Toast recipe:

Cut a thin slice of good bread. Toast it. Rub it with raw garlic. Saturate it with your best olive oil.

Filet an anchovy (packed in salt). Rinse it well. Place the anchovy shiny side up on the bread and broil it under a hot flame until brown. Brush with olive oil. Serve with nicoise olives, basil leaves, dried tomatoes, whatever seems appropriate and handy.

$6.95 per bottle    $75.06 per case

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