Twenty Years of An Extraordinary Partnership in Chablis
by Tom Wolf
Twenty Years of An Extraordinary Partnership in Chablis
by Tom Wolf
Most vignerons throughout France have their hands plenty full managing one domaine, but when the opportunity to create a special side project arises, it can be hard for the most ambitious and curious growers to say no.
Rewind twenty years to the birth of Domaine Costal, a singular collaboration between Chablis’s historic Collet family and Kermit, whose appetite for classic Chablis was—and still is—insatiable. As the story goes, Kermit asked vigneron Gilles Collet to separate a little juice from each harvest, age it the traditional way (i.e. full malo and mostly in wood), and bottle it unfiltered. Kermit would then import this small production to the United States under a label commemorating Henri Costal, a throwback to Gilles’s grandfather who launched the domaine in 1920.
The project was a success from the start, but when Gilles’s son Romain inherited the domaine a few years later he took things to a whole other level, leaning so fully into the collaboration that he began adding exceptional premier cru vineyards to the range and giving Kermit first pick of the lot. Of the premiers crus, first came Vaillons with its trademark racy precision and mouthwatering minerality, followed by Butteaux, a site known for its generous fruit and steely structure.
Now, after two decades of Domaine Costal, we have collaborated on the famed premier cru Montée de Tonnerre for the first time. The first Chablis site Kermit ever sold in his November 1972 newsletter, Montée de Tonnerre has played a monumental role throughout the history of our business. Kermit reaffirmed this a few days ago when he told me, “One, this site always strikes me as the most Chablis of the Chablis grands and premiers crus. That steely backbone, the decomposed oyster shells, the austerity compared to Cote d’Or whites. Two, it’s the grandest of the premiers crus.” In Romain’s hands, this certainly bears out as the Montée shows impressive concentration and that irresistibly marine expression of Chablisien Chardonnay. A triumphant addition to our lineup of Costal wines, we only have a few cases, so don’t miss it!
Wines In The Collection
Henri Costal France | Burgundy
Devouring a fresh crab and pairing it with this pure, elegant, chalky, earthy (wet stone), and stunning finish is the perfect combo.
Henri Costal France | Burgundy
There is no mistaking it—one taste and you are in Chablis territory: zesty minerality, wet stone, freshness and nervosity.
France | Burgundy
Devouring a fresh crab and pairing it with this pure, elegant, chalky, earthy (wet stone), and stunning finish is the perfect combo.
France | Burgundy
There is no mistaking it—one taste and you are in Chablis territory: zesty minerality, wet stone, freshness and nervosity.
More Collections
Nothing Taken Out
You have probably heard us applaud many of our vignerons for bottling unfiltered. Kermit even earned a reputation for importing wines that had not been subject to filtration, going so far as to request a special unfiltered bottling for the US from many producers following years of comparative tastings with domaines such as Tempier and Vieux Télégraphe…
Kermit’s Best Bargains
For five decades, Kermit has sought out France and Italy’s highest-quality selections at all price levels, so we can imbibe thoughtfully crafted wines without breaking the bank. Budget-friendly yet reliably delicious…
A Classic, Vibrant Vintage from Famille Savary
Certain wine estates are all about the story: centuries of family production, obscure heirloom grape varieties, perilous vertical vineyards, radical production methods... With Domaine Savary, forget the fluff and romantic backstory. Focus instead on what’s in your glass: delicious, vibrant, classic wines that place this among the most consistent, reliable Chablis to be found…
Arretxea in Irouléguy
Oh, how far Irouléguy, the hidden gem of French Basque country, has come! Once upon a time, not so long ago, a local joke went something like this: “How do you say vinegar in Basque? Irouléguy!” Vines covered hardly any ground, and you could count the growers on a single hand. Enter the Riouspeyrous family…
This Just In!
The old winemaking adage says that you only have one shot each year to get the vintage right. While this idea may be daunting to a vigneron, we see things a bit differently: one vintage per year means that we are always looking forward to a new batch of wines from all our favorite producers…
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.