Memories, Wines, and Reflections
© Gail Skoff
© Gail Skoff
Memories, Wines, and Reflections
In our July newsletter, Kermit reflects on the old days after cleaning up his home office and finding his earliest tasting notes. Particularly inspired by his first wine-buying trip to Paris, he notes that on May 3, 1974, he walked into the wine shop of Monsieur Jean-Baptiste Chaudet, who “generously opened at no charge so many great bottles for tasting and devoted such a big chunk of time to me, just me, of all people…”
I found that I preferred a perfectly made so-called “little” wine to a mediocre version of a great appellation. In France, grand cru refers to the vineyard, the land. Not the wine. You might find a masterpiece from Chinon or Cornas and a disappointing Chambertin. In fact, my experiences include exactly such incidents.
After visiting Chaudet, I was never content to look for wines only where everyone else was looking, and later I would be the first to import natural wines into the United States. Not a bad first day in France!
And I left with a copy of Chaudet’s little book, Marchand de Vin, even though I couldn’t read French. Once I could understand it, I read it, and here is where this could be interesting for you. Monsieur Chaudet wrote about lesser-known white Burgundies. Listen closely: “And sincerely, I began to prefer them to the grands crus, because they are lighter, more ethereal, and thus, easier to assimilate. I am, I must say, a big eater and I like to quench my thirst.” He points out that he can drink more wine, “not put the brakes on,” and drink much more cheaply from white Burgundies outside the grand cru zones. I grew to see what he meant, and ever since have offered my clientele a large menu of so-called “lesser” Burgundian appellations. See the list of current offerings at the end of these reflections.
Read the full piece here.
Wines In The Collection
Domaine Montanet-Thoden France | Burgundy
Climate, a clay-and-limestone soil, and stainless-steel vinification are the pillars of Valentin’s Galerne blanc, a divine rendition of pure, chiseled Chardonnay.
Domaine Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
With a delectable combination of fresh fruit and oyster-shell aromatics, this remains Lavantureux’s benchmark for value and typicity.
Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
The perfect bottling to open alongside light, grilled cod or haddock, but if you’re like me, you won’t be able to wait until dinner is served to pop the cork
Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy
Full of that perky, palate-opening freshness and vigor that’s so essential in a blanc.
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils France | Burgundy
Pinot Beurot is the Burgundian name for their local strand of Pinot Gris. It is unique and delicious and showcases an interesting bit of Burgundy’s history.
Domaine François Lumpp France | Burgundy
A bright, chalky personality full of energy and thirst-quenching savor.
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy
Bursting with energy and joy, this wine is bound to bring out the best of your inner bon vivant.
France | Burgundy
Climate, a clay-and-limestone soil, and stainless-steel vinification are the pillars of Valentin’s Galerne blanc, a divine rendition of pure, chiseled Chardonnay.
France | Burgundy
With a delectable combination of fresh fruit and oyster-shell aromatics, this remains Lavantureux’s benchmark for value and typicity.
France | Burgundy
The perfect bottling to open alongside light, grilled cod or haddock, but if you’re like me, you won’t be able to wait until dinner is served to pop the cork
France | Burgundy
Full of that perky, palate-opening freshness and vigor that’s so essential in a blanc.
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils
France | Burgundy
Pinot Beurot is the Burgundian name for their local strand of Pinot Gris. It is unique and delicious and showcases an interesting bit of Burgundy’s history.
France | Burgundy
Majority of Chardonnay planted circa 1920
France | Burgundy
Lumpp’s blanc offerings may be small, but they are mighty.
France | Burgundy
A bright, chalky personality full of energy and thirst-quenching savor.
France | Burgundy
Bursting with energy and joy, this wine is bound to bring out the best of your inner bon vivant.
More Collections
Holiday Sale!
Now through Sunday, December 28th, take 20% off the selections below from France and Italy...
Heartwarming and Spirit-Lifting Chablis
Whatever the weather, Lavantureux’s wines are as heartwarming and spirit-lifting as ever—and still deliver value, considering the craftsmanship that goes into each bottle. We’ve put together a collection of four wines featured in our Holiday Sale—their classic Chablis, the overdelivering single-vineyard “Vauprin,” and two newer bottlings from some of their most exciting vineyard additions in recent years—so you can get them at a discount and savor these beauties in their seasonal element.
From the Cellar: Holiday Edition
We’ve done some digging of our own, and came up with a collection of perfectly cellared bottles that would make for epic companions to anyone’s grandest events. You’ll find whites and reds from numerous French and Italian regions dating back up to thirty-five years, with styles and price points for everyone…
The Kermit Lynch Holiday Gift Guide
When it comes to holiday shopping, the gift of wine is hard to beat— especially when it’s a thoughtfully chosen, hand-crafted bottle from one of our many talented growers in France or Italy. Beyond wine, we have an assortment of other goodies to stuff every stocking on your list, from artisanal olive oil to gift cards to ball caps. You’ll find these items and more in the Holiday Gift Shop—now open!
Annual Dessert Wine Sale
Gingerbread cookies, yule logs, pumpkin pies…Sauternes, Banyuls, Muscat…Whether you prefer your treats baked or fermented, no holiday meal is complete without the final flourish of dessert. Now through the end of December, 20% off per bottle!
Annual Sparkling Sale
With seasonal celebrations and feasts around the corner, now is the time to stock up on sparklers from Champagne and beyond. To kick off our annual sale, we’re shining the spotlight on the KLWM quartet of Champagne growers, each with a distinctive house style that exquisitely translates its unique terroir. Get to know all four, as well as a range of lively offerings from regions like the Loire, Alsace, Veneto, and Savoie…
The Incomparable Jean-Pierre Monier
Pure and honest, Monier’s wines are farmed biodynamically and raised with the bare minimum of intervention. There are many Saint-Josephs out there today: put Monier on your shortlist.
Domaine Tempier: the Wine, the Family, the Exuberance
Domaine Tempier is a wine—it is also a family; exuberance and finesse are the traits common to both,” wrote Richard Olney back in 1984. What’s remarkable about this simple yet spot on-observation is how true it rang then, how true it rang forty years prior to that, when Tempier had just released its first wine, and how true it still rings today, forty years later.
New Arrivals
Here is a collection of recent arrivals. Every week, we’ll be adding a dozen or more new arrivals, so check back often for your favorite classics or new discoveries!
The Carpe Vinum Collection
An ever-changing offering of wines that are just about to sell out; one last opportunity to seize a range of selections before they disappear from our shelves forever.
50th Anniversary Merchandise
When the esteemed French wine artist Michel Tolmer created beautiful artwork for our 50th anniversary, we knew right away that we had to feature it on a few select items of merch. After spending maybe a little too much time researching the options, we landed on a classy, leather-strap cap, a comfortable t-shirt made from 100% cotton, and a tote made with incredibly sturdy, fair-trade, and organic cotton by a certified B corp that invests in the livelihoods of women and farmers of India, featuring three wine sleeves and two other compartments for all of your other needs!
Recent Wine Club Selections
Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.
