Heirloom Grapes of France and Italy
by Anthony Lynch
Punta Crena’s Paolo Ruffino in the vineyard
© Dixon Brooke
Old Molette vines in Savoie
© Lambert de Seyssel
Domaine Comte Abbatucci
© Magali Cancel
Tenuta Anfosso’s century-old Rossese Bianco vines
© Dixon Brooke
Gianni Carparelli
© I Pástini
A great number of viticultural gems—once found tucked away in all corners of the Old World—have something unique to say, offering new flavors to curious drinkers, while embodying a rare link to a region’s history and culture.
Punta Crena’s Paolo Ruffino in the vineyard
© Dixon Brooke
Old Molette vines in Savoie
© Lambert de Seyssel
Domaine Comte Abbatucci
© Magali Cancel
Tenuta Anfosso’s century-old Rossese Bianco vines
© Dixon Brooke
Gianni Carparelli
© I Pástini
A great number of viticultural gems—once found tucked away in all corners of the Old World—have something unique to say, offering new flavors to curious drinkers, while embodying a rare link to a region’s history and culture.
Heirloom Grapes of France and Italy
by Anthony Lynch
In the 2012 edition of their seminal work Wine Grapes, experts of the vine Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, and José Vouillamoz cataloged no fewer than 1,368 unique grape varieties. The authors specified that these represent only those cultivated on a large enough scale to be commercially available; in reality, they estimated there to be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of additional types of wine grapes in existence. Other research has shown that, of these myriad specimens, only a dozen or so make up roughly 90 percent of the surface area planted to wine grapes worldwide. What, then, of the countless others?
There is no doubt that certain grapes are inherently “nobler” than others—the finest expression of Gros Plant, for example, will never come close to rivaling the finest Chardonnay on the planet. But that is not to say we shouldn’t place value in other varieties outside the tried and true classics such as Pinot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Riesling, Barbera, and the like. Numerous lesser-known, less-cultivated grape varieties are more than capable of yielding wines that are at the very least interesting, and occasionally downright superb. The globalization of the wine world and the emergence—and subsequent domination—of commercial trends in wine consumption have all but eradicated a great number of the viticultural gems once found tucked away in all corners of the Old World. Many of these, as it turns out, have something unique to say, offering new flavors to curious drinkers while embodying a rare link to a region’s history and culture.
Luckily, there are still vignerons eager to protect and preserve these traditions. Aware that they possess something special and rare that deserves to be perpetuated, they proudly wave the flag for their region’s heirloom varieties instead of letting these grapes, and the wines made from them, go completely extinct. The choice is not always an easy one: commercial pressures and other socioeconomic factors often favor uprooting these old treasures in favor of more recognizable, more marketable, or higher-yielding vines.
Here you will discover twelve examples from Italian and French vignerons who have resisted the tendency to globalize their vineyards, honorably sustaining the varieties native to their respective terroirs. Some represent the last remaining ambassadors of an otherwise lost variety, while others have gone out of their way to revive a grape from near-extinction. And though we will never come close to acquainting ourselves with all of the 1,368 wine grapes in cultivation, perhaps we can be enriched and inspired from tasting and savoring something other than yet another Sauvignon Blanc.
Wines In The Collection
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
This rosé, made entirely of the local grape Carcajolu-Neru, is world class and different from anything else we import in the pink category.
Tenuta Anfosso Italy | Liguria
Sourced from 170 year old Rossese Bianco vines (the oldest of all our producers!) the Anfosso Bianco is a rare bird to say the least.
France | Corsica
This rosé, made entirely of the local grape Carcajolu-Neru, is world class and different from anything else we import in the pink category.
Italy | Liguria
Sourced from 170 year old Rossese Bianco vines (the oldest of all our producers!) the Anfosso Bianco is a rare bird to say the least.
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.
