Our relationship with the Leydier family in Beaumes-de-Venise goes back decades, to the late 1970s, when Kermit discovered their sublime Muscat after a visit to the village with Richard Olney. That sweet nectar was the lone bottling he imported from the family until 1999, when he showed up and, for the first time, they offered a taste of rouge from a foudre in their new cellar, recently carved out of the hillside. The Leydiers had owned and farmed vineyards of Grenache and Syrah for years, but they didn’t have space to do anything with the grapes, so they simply sold them to other producers in the village. It’s hard to believe now, twenty-five years later, because the Leydiers work wonders with the southern Rhône’s classic red varieties. Blending mostly Grenache and Syrah, along with a splash of Marselan and Merlot, this cuvée is their ultimate introduction to their corner of the Rhône called the Vaucluse. Fragrant and sneakily sophisticated, this country rouge teems with notes of black olive, iron, garrigue, and, in the background, dark fruit. Pair it with your favorite stew for a soulful feast.

Before working for Kermit, I hadn’t really considered white Bordeaux as a category. I knew about Sauternes, but in my mind I could only conjure the elite reds that were so integral to the wine lore of the times. Red wine may have made the region famous, but even the Bordelais need white wines in their repertoire (they live close to the Atlantic, after all!). We’ve proudly imported the Château Ducasse blanc for decades, and among our value picks, it consistently draws in customers who end up requesting cases full of it. I guess it’s tough to tire of such a buoyant, joyful, and vibrant white: zingy passion fruit, ripe grapefruit, and salty minerality combine to create this perennial crowd-pleaser. It’s simply a leader in its class.