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
Displaying both the oyster shell quality we love about Chablis and the sunny orchard fruit notes that make Bourgogne blancs so delicious.
Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy
January Club Bianco ~ 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
Displaying both the oyster shell quality we love about Chablis and the sunny orchard fruit notes that make Bourgogne blancs so delicious.
France | Burgundy
January Club Bianco ~ 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
Trip to Corsica
For all the regions Kermit has become closely associated with after more than five decades in business, Corsica might, surprisingly, be the one where we work with the greatest concentration of “stars” today. And yet, as rich as our Corsican selection has become, Kermit almost came up empty on his first scouting trip to the island...
In Case You Missed It: A Collection of Noteworthy Selections from 2024
The past few Decembers we’ve reviewed your year in wine, highlighting recurring favorites in categories such as pricepoint, color, style, and region. This year we’ve set aside the formal data in favor of the anecdotal to bring you a collection of wines—newcomers of sorts—that stood out for any number of reasons...
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.
Provençal Gems from North of Nice
Today I had the Clos Saint-Joseph blanc. I imagine if François Raveneau had made wine there, his blanc would have tasted like Roch’s. What a pure expression of that fabulous terroir. Filtered by the stones. — Kermit Lynch
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.