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 May newsletter is now available. Dowload the pdf here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter….

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER
2008 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” • Domaine duVieux Télégraphe
by Steve Waters, Retail Manager

One of the things I like about working here is that we taste every wine before it is offered to our clients. We don’t have shelf talkers; we feature educated tasters—actual living, breathing, thinking human beings who taste before speaking to you.

Pre-arrival offerings are no exception. Just the other day, sample bottles of this 2008 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge arrived by air for tasting, and the staff was assembled with wine glasses at the ready. The anticipation to taste the wine was palpable. A new Vieux Télégraphe! As everyone swirled and slurped and made various gurgling sounds, we came to a consensus: this was one of the most approachable V.T. vintages in quite some time. Loaded with generous, deep berry fruit and ample body, the wine was open, accessible, even charming, and flowed easily across the palate because of its soft tannin. Don’t get me wrong—you’re looking at some great Châteauneuf-du-Pape that will age splendidly, but the beauty of this wine is in its precocious nature. And let’s not forget the stones—we concluded that Henri Brunier, the recently deceased patriarch of Vieux Télégraphe, would be extremely proud of this wine and its stony nature. The 2008 Vieux Télégraphe is from a perfect vintage that will allow you the opportunity to pop a bottle every year and gauge the course of the wine over the next decade and beyond. Kermit said it reminds him of the 1972 when it was young.

$687 per case fifths

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

White Loire Sampler

by Clark Z. Terry

A Sampler replete with white wine from the Loire is well timed for spring. Clean, crisp, refreshing, and—my favorite attribute—quaffable epitomize these wines.

Here we have three Sauvignon Blancs (Sancerre, Reuilly, Pouilly-Fumé), two Chenin Blancs (Savennières, Vouvray), and a stunning bottle of the nearly extinct Sauvignon Gris (Fié Gris). Don’t expect these six wines to all taste the same—diversity is the name of the game in the Loire.

Normally $128.90
Special Sampler Price $97
(25% discount)

Bordeaux Vintage Sampler

by Clark Z. Terry

It is worth showcasing when we have multiple vintages available from one domaine or château. In this case we have three producers, two vintages from each, all from one region. This Sampler is a study in vintage appreciation. My advice: Decant each wine and drink with food. See which producer you enjoy most and start following future vintages. Buy enough to drink a few young, but make sure to age some, too. The reward will be immense down the line. This is the best deal in Bordeaux out there.

Normally $165.00
Special Sampler Price $124
(25% discount)

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

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

SPRING SAMPLER
by Mark Congero

Spring is a season of blossoming abundance. What a pleasure it is, strolling through the farmers’ markets from mid-March through May. Bright green asparagus and sweet peas are at their peak while juicy, red strawberries and fragrant cherries begin to appear and sweeten the market stalls. With all the new flavors to play with, spring cooking is a treat, but I wonder, maybe the true reason I enjoy spring cooking so much is because winter is past and summer isn’t far off!

Spring is a fun time for choosing wines to drink as well. It could be chilled rosé and backyard grilling one night and braised lamb with a vigorous young Bandol rouge the next. With that in mind, here is a variety of KLWM imports to match the fickle weather of spring. A selection of appropriate recipes will be in each sampler box. Both my wife and I are alumni of Chez Panisse, so hopefully we learned something worth passing on to home cooks.

Normally $208.65
Special Sampler Price $157
(a 25% discount)

2005 BRUNELLO • SESTI
by Dixon Brooke

What we have here is a classic, dark, brooding, phenomenal Brunello, loaded with truffles, cocoa, and some of the most perfect tannins you will ever experience. The wine is tightly wound, compact, deep, and profound, demanding another few years in bottle to round out and shake off its extended wood aging.

The Sesti domaine is a great addition to our portfolio. Even the labels show us a rare aesthetic sensibility. Here is one of Italy’s greatest wines in a top vintage, perfectly vinified. Our staff tasted samples just after the bottling and will be happy to share their comments with you.
Reserving pre-arrival assures you an allocation of the 2005 at a special price.

$846.00 per case
(also available in magnums, jeroboams, and 5-liter bottles)
Pre-arrival terms: Half-payment due with order; balance due upon arrival.

OYSTER BLISS XIX

The vibes were good, it can be said, borrowing a sixties phrase to describe last year’s Oyster Bliss. Even though the event took place during some of the darkest days of the recession, those of us present enjoyed the live music, the gorgeous day, and managed to down 6000 oysters, 700 sausages, and a confidential number of glasses of fermented grape juices.

We’ve planned this year’s event to coincide with the visit of two favorite French vignerons. Jean Montanet makes our Chablis-like oyster-friendly Vézelay blanc—the world’s finest Chardonnay value, by the way. He is traveling with Catherine Breton, who produces great Loire reds from Bourgueil and petite quantities of dry, crisp Vouvray, and whose good looks and sparkling personality have no place in this context. Right? They’ll help pour and tell you whatever you might want to know about their wines.

I was just realizing, Oyster Bliss has become my favorite holiday, and it is not even an official one. But what a party!

We close the parking lot to cars, set up tables and tents and a big barbecue for Chris Lee’s sausages; we’ll have some foot-tapping music, and of course Monterey Fish has been assigned the task of locating and shucking the best oysters money can buy.

Note the date. It’s a gas, gas, gas.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 11 A.M. to 4 P.M.

This event is presented by Café Fanny.

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

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

STAFF SELECTIONS

Staff selections are always a big hit in our newsletters. This time, I’ve decided to take it a step further. We’d like to give you, our clientele, the opportunity to get to know us better. One of the most common requests I hear from clients throughout the year is for the opportunity to work regularly with a salesperson. Please take a look at the bios of the salespeople to see if there is someone who is right for you. Also, during the month, each staff member will be posting on here on our blog about their favorite wines and experiences drinking them.

After the job of finding great wines at great prices, there is nothing more important in our business than making the client feel as comfortable and confident as possible when making a purchase. Let’s face it—buying wine can seem a bit intimidating sometimes. As retail manager of KLWM, I want to make it easy for you to have a positive experience in the store. Feel free to introduce yourself and latch on to any one of us. Like they say in my favorite Bogart movie, “This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” —Steve Waters

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER
GROS ’NORÉ IN MAGNUM
by Kermit Lynch

From my house near Bandol, I can see Alain Pascal’s Domaine du Gros ’Noré across the valley. He has created a beautiful estate—he came up with the design himself, and with friends even laid the stones and tiles. Now his wines are putting the place on the map.

Gros ’Noré? Well, Alain’s father’s name was Honoré and he was a huge chunk of a man, so people called him Big ’Noré. Gros ’Noré.

Alain and I have become friends. Drinkin’ buddies. We might meet early and go to La Ciotat to await the fishing boats’ return and buy the catch still wriggling. Octopus is often available, slippin’ and a-slidin’. Also, Alain hunts and invites me for roast boar or various fowl cooked over vine cuttings.

Once, he loaned me his shotgun so I could take care of a pesky wabbit that was dining out in my vegetable garden with such appetite that there was nothing left for me. I took my well-fed organic victim to Alain, who skinned it and cooked it with lots of garlic and thyme. I uncorked a Cornas from Allemand, 1995. Zounds and gadzooks!

Another evening, this year before the harvest, Alain brought out a magnum of his 1999 Bandol rouge. For the two of us. I told him his eyes were bigger than my stomach, but he said no, no, he just likes wine better in magnums. He says they always taste better. And then it came out that he has a bunch of magnums he has never offered for sale.

And here they come. My advice? Go for it!

The January newsletter is now available! Download the PDF here.

Highlights from this month’s newlsetter…

New From Corsica

Corsica’s north is named Cap Corse. Not only is it northern, it is hilly. Northern, hilly location—like Chablis? Well, these two new wines are from Cap Corse, they taste almost nothing like Chablis, and yet when I introduced them to the staff the other night, the consensus was that there is something sort of Chablis-like about the white. You could say that this Cap Corse Vermentino is to the Patrimonio whites as Chablis is to the Côte de Beaune—leaner, more discreet, crisper, and seemingly drier.

2008 Rosé de l’Île de Beauté • Domaine Gioielli $28.00/btl
2008 Coteux du Cap Corse Blanc • Domaine Gioielli $28.00/btl

Corsican Sampler

We released a Corsican Sampler last year that turned a bunch of you on to the wild island’s wines, so here’s a new version, another chance to sample the island’s best—at a discount.

2008 E Prove Blanc • Domaine Maestracci  $16.95
2007 Patrimonio Blanc • Domaine Leccia 28.00
2008 Vin de Pays Blanc “Bianco Gentile” • Domaine Arena  37.00
2006 E Prove Rouge • Domaine Maestracci  19.95
2006 Patrimonio Rouge • Domaine Leccia  24.00
2006 Patrimonio “Morta Maio” Rouge • Domaine Arena  35.00

6 bottles normally $160.90
Special Sampler Price
$121
(a 25% discount)

Pre-Arrival Maume

The wines of Domaine Maume define the Gevrey-Chambertin style: traditional, earthy, powerful, and intense. If you want Pinot Noir from Gevrey-Chambertin (and what sensitive palate wouldn’t?), start right here. They seem to come from a deeper well of the past than others.

2007 Gevrey-Chambertin $576.00/cs
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin “En Pallud” 657.00/cs
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin “Lavaux Saint-Jacques” 1er Cru 1194.00/cs
2007 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 1572.00/cs
2007 Pommard “Les Argillières”1er Cru 954.00/cs

The December newsletter is now available! Download the PDF here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

Special Holiday Hours With Kermit Lynch
Open Sunday, December 20 & Monday, December 21
11 a.m.–6 p.m.

To ensure that you have enough wine for the holidays, we’ll be open extra hours in late December. As an added attraction, Kermit will make a point of being in the store from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st to chat, sign his books and new CD, and talk wine with you.

During those two days, and two days only, we will have a special “Inspiring Thirst Sampler” that will include six classic Kermit Lynch wines and a copy of his book Inspiring Thirst. If you come in Sunday or Monday, Kermit will sign it and sell it at only $19.95.

Details of the Inspiring Thirst Sampler will be announced here on our blog and through our email list. Sign up here if you’re not on the list. See you then!

Four Samplers!

12 bottle Holiday Sampler

Once again, we are doing our best to make holiday gift giving easy on you. Choose from our various gift Samplers, or give a gift certificate, or why not a signed book from Kermit? Do you have friends on your list who deserve to know more about us?

We start you off with a Sampler chock full of bargain wines. At the Sampler discount you will be paying only $12.00 a bottle for fine French and Italian imports.

SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $144

***

6 bottle Italian Gift Box

Over the past couple months, our staff and customers alike have been thrilled about the tremendous values to be found in our Italian section. Our Italian selections boast a quality and typicity that is rare at such low prices. In this Sampler, we have reds, whites, and a sparkling wine coming from the regions of Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto, and Friuli. Discover Kermit Lynch Italian wines for yourself or introduce a friend to our imports. At our Sampler price the average price per bottle is $12.00.

SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $72

***

6 bottle Domaine Joguet Sampler

Here is your chance to sample at a reduced Sampler price Joguet’s top three vineyards from two great vintages. Either taste them to see if you want more, or put them in your cellar for future gratification.

SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $190

***

6 bottle Collector’s Sampler

All too often we equate a good value with something that is inexpensive. Value means bang for your buck regardless of how many bucks you spend. With that in mind, here is a Sampler that is bound to please even the most discerning palate. Six bottles of great wine at a great price; add these wines to your own cellar or get friends started on collecting for themselves. This Sampler will be a welcome addition to any wine buff’s collection.

SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $228

Download the newsletter to read details on the samplers.

2007 Northern Rhône PA

At KLWM we ardently love the pure Syrahs of the northern Rhône. We think it is the greatest, most diverse collection of terroirs for Syrah in the world, and despite the miniscule acreage, the prices remain more than correct. Everyone knows by now that 2007 was a fabulous vintage in the Rhône Valley and certainly not one to be missed from these top addresses.

Domaine Clape
2007 Cornas $972.00 per case
2007 Cornas “Renaissance” $636.00 per case

Thierry Allemand
2007 Cornas “Chaillot” $876.00 per case
2007 Cornas “Reynard” $1056.00 per case

Patrick Jasmin
2007 Côte Rôtie $636.00 per case

The November newsletter is now available! Download the PDF here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

2009 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU

Come help us celebrate the fantastic 2009 vintage in France with our first arrival—live it up with us and a glass of our irresistible Nouveau.

Note the date.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER
2007 DOMAINE DE CHERISEY

Here are some of the most captivating wines you will ever experience. Great Chardonnay terroirs, masterfully vinified, superb vintage. They are to be enjoyed young, old, and in between.

De Cherisey never chaptalizes, and in 2007 it was far from necessary anyway. You have about 13.5° alcohol, perfect acidity, and the clincher is the conspicuous expression of the domaine’s noble terroirs. Here, in this sector of the Côte de Beaune, is Chardonnay’s native soil, and de Cherisey is one of the rare masters.

2007 Puligny-Montrachet “Hameau de Blagny” Premier Cru $756.00/case
2007 Puligny-Montrachet “Les Chalumeaux” Premier Cru $756.00/case
2007 Meursault-Blagny “La Genelotte” Premier Cru $756.00/case

ANNUAL CHAMPAGNE DISCOUNT!

Anybody in their right mind would fill their Champagne needs now. This year, don’t put off your gift shopping or wine buying. Do it now! We’re making it easy on you to plan ahead and get a great price on an essential part of holiday meals: CHAMPAGNE. We’ve put together a list of our grower Champagnes and discounted them 15% on the bottle and 25% on the case. The prices will be back to normal in December, so act now.

WINTER SAMPLER
by Mark Congero

It is now one year since my first seasonal food and wine Sampler. The response has been positive, and Kermit encourages me to keep them coming. My first edition was last October with a fall Sampler, but fall is such an ambiguous food season here. The calendar says October, but often the markets are still full of late summer foods. So I have waited until November this year.

When you open your Sampler you will find a few of my recipes—hope they give you some ideas for getting the most out of winter produce. Of course you’ll find some lovely wines in your Sampler as well, a fun mix of reds and whites to match with your holiday meals or just for relaxing by the logs of a fire.
Check out our huge discount, and bon appétit!

2007 Côtes du Rhône Rouge “Il Fait Soif” • Maxime Laurent $25.00
NV Clairette de Die Brut • Domaine Achard-Vincent 19.95
2007 “Tradition” • Saint Martin de la Garrigue 14.95
2007 Bourgueil “Alouettes” • Domaine de la Chanteleuserie 14.95
2007 Sancerre • Domaine des Grandes Perrières 19.95
2005 E Prove Rouge • Domaine Maestracci 18.95
2008 Côtes du Rhône Blanc “Sunflower Cuvée” • Louis Barroul 19.95
2008 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris” • Domaine de Fontsainte 13.95
2007 Pigeoulet Rouge • Vignobles Brunier 16.95
2006 Mâcon-Villages • Henri Perrusset 14.95
2007 Pinot Blanc • Kuentz-Bas 14.95
2006 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” • Charles Joguet 19.95

SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE
$159
(a 25% discount)

The October newsletter is now available! Download the PDF here.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

New Italian Producer: Punta Crena

I couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to these wines, made in the tiny town of Varigotti, Italy, right on the ocean in the wine-producing region of Liguria. The Ruffino family is famous in their hometown but little known elsewhere, even in Italy. They’ve been making wine in Varigotti since 1500! From the first sniff I was hooked on their delicious wines, made traditionally from indigenous grapes, wines with typicity and character but without a hint of pretension. These are exactly the kind of wines I’ve been seeking for a long time, country quaffers from the Ligurian coast.

Pre-Arrival: Domaine Boillot

Pierre Boillot, the man in charge at Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils in Gevrey-Chambertin, still isn’t a known quantity in Burgundy or the USA—or anywhere else, for that matter. We are working hard to change that, just by getting the bottles in front of our clients and letting the wines do the talking. Pierre has the unique advantage of having inherited extensive holdings in both the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. In the north he is focused in the appellation of Gevrey-Chambertin, although he also works an ancient parcel in the premier cru “Pruliers” vineyard in Nuits-Saint-Georges. In the south his holdings are in Pommard and Volnay—choice holdings, I might add.

Pierre used to work alongside his brother Louis but they went their separate ways in 2003 and the wines have improved dramatically under Pierre’s leadership, in my opinion. Fifty/fifty decision making can be a problem, I suppose. Pierre’s creations now show a greater depth of interest. Bottomless interest, if you will. The style is decidedly traditional (can you say you’re surprised?), and a tasting through the range is a tour of terroirs: all the nuances are there, they are harmonious and sturdy Burgundies with finesse and character. Kermit rates them on the same level as Chevillon’s gems.

The Volnay “Les Angles” is one of Pierre’s flagship bottlings, from a lesser-known but very well-exposed and historically respected premier cru vineyard below the village—it’s a classic. We strongly encourage all of our Burgundy buyers to make this domaine a regular, yearly purchase; we are certain you will not regret the decision. Because Pierre is not yet on people’s radar, the prices are reasonable for great red Burgundy. Limited availability at these prices.

2007 Gevrey-Chambertin $37.00/bottle
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Evocelles” 45.00/bottle
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Corbeaux” Premier Cru 56.00/bottle
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin “La Perrière” Premier Cru 56.00/bottle
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Cherbaudes” Premier Cru 64.00/bottle
2007 Nuits-Saint-Georges “Les Pruliers” Premier Cru 64.00/bottle
2007 Pommard “Les Fremiers” Premier Cru 54.00/bottle
2007 Pommard “Les Croix Noires” Premier Cru 56.00/bottle
2007 Volnay “Les Brouillards” Premier Cru 47.00/bottle
2007 Volnay “Les Angles” Premier Cru 49.00/bottle
2007 Volnay “Les Caillerets” Premier Cru 56.00/bottle

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

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

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER: 2007 DOMAINE ENTE

I want good homes for these wines. They are for palates that are educated in the ways and wiles of white Burgundy. You have to appreciate nerve, minerality, precision, and impeccability.
Domaine Ente is a rarity these days. Arnaud and his wife, Marie-Odile, have no employees. They do it all, from the pruning of the vines in the harsh Burgundian winter to the unfiltered bottling and labeling. Their wines are truly artisanal, truly remarkable expressions of their extraordinary terroirs—terroirs for the ultimate in Chardonnay class.
The 2007s are a great success, a must-buy for white Burgundy fans. The quantity is painfully limited, and when I discussed pricing with Arnaud, he told me that their pricing is simple—they charge what they must in order to survive. I believe it. Even if you can only go for a few bottles, don’t miss them.

2007 Bourgogne Aligoté $279.00/case
2007 Bourgogne Blanc 378.00/case
2007 Meursault* 639.00/case
2007 Meursault “Clos des Ambres”*  888.00/case
2007 Meursault “Les Petits Charrons”* 1215.00/case
2007 Meursault “La Sève du Clos” 1254.00/case
2007 Meursault “La Goutte d’Or” 1er Cru 1254.00/case
2007 Puligny-Montrachet “Les Referts” 1er Cru 1254.00/case
2007 Volnay “Les Santenots du Milieu” 1er Cru  888.00/case

*Inquire about availability of magnums.
Pre-arrival terms: Half-payment due with order, balance due upon arrival.

Summer 12-Bottle Sampler

The time for tomatoes and chilled rosé has arrived! It seems impossible not to fall for the bright, fresh flavors of summer, and it all begins with tomatoes. Those kaleidoscope boxes of heirlooms are the true sign that summer has risen to a higher level. Tomatoes invade my kitchen and my cooking from August through October. There is more though: sweet peppers, corn, haricots verts, summer squash, eggplants, and fresh shell beans!

Along with a nice mix of wines for summer drinking, I will include a few recipes in the sampler carton that I hope you can enjoy with your family and friends. Remember: keep it fresh, keep it simple, and always try to have chilled rosé ready to drink.

12 bottles normally $224.20
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE
$168
(a 25% discount)

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