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November 2024 Newsletter
Receive our Monthly Newsletter and Special Promotions. Stay up to date on new arrivals, sales, and events at our Berkeley shop.
November 2024 Newsletter
Table of Contents
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Memories, Wines, and Reflections
Wine & Cardoons by Kermit Lynch - Domaine Tempier by Chris Santini
- Beaujolais Nouveau
- Alpine Whites by Anthony Lynch
- Autumn Values by Tom Wolf
- Pinot Noir With Regional Appeal by Jane Augustine
- Loire Reds by Anthony Lynch
- Patrimonio Blanc & Rouge by Jane Augustine
- Riesling Built to Last by Allyson Noman
- The Holiday Market
Of the many things I like about being alive, wine with cardoons is one of them. For you new to the subject, wine is fermented ...
Of the many things I like about being alive, wine with cardoons is one of them.
For you new to the subject, wine is fermented grape juice. You don’t ask the juice to ferment. It wants to. Fermentation is the work of yeasts that turn sugar into alcohol. Let’s stop for a moment to simply say, Thank you, Mother Nature! Way to go! Too cool!
And cardoons, I now grow my own, because the fresher the better, and you don’t often see them for sale. The plant can easily be mistaken for an artichoke, but we humans only eat artichokes’ flower buds and cardoons’ stalks. I have read that cardoons are difficult to prepare. Not true, thankfully, because getting bogged down in the kitchen bugs me. If you know how to de-string celery branches, that’s exactly what you do with cardoons. True, a cardoon rib resists being de-strung more than celery does. Not a big deal, I promise. So, with a paring knife, pull off the tough strings, then cut the ribs into bite-sized slices and boil them until your knife’s point glides right on through. Is that so difficult? Pull strings; boil ’til tender. All this verbiage is designed to acquaint you with cardoons so that when you find some to prepare, you’ll feel like you already know them.
My favorite renditions have been in Piedmont at the Osteria del Boccondivino in Bra, between Turin and Alba. They often serve cardoons with a bagna cauda, because cardoons and anchovies go together like a horse and carriage. Last night, I put the boiled stalks into a gratin dish and poured an anchoïade over them. Then I drizzled some cream over that. After baking it for about thirty minutes at 380°, I sprinkled the surface with Parmesan and returned it to the oven for another fifteen minutes.
The ultimate cardoon preparation exists only during Piedmont’s white truffle season, and long may it live, but I’ll bet black truffles would work as well. Bake boiled cardoons in a blend of cream and pecorino cheese. While the gratin is still good and hot, at table it is showered with thinly sliced white truffles. The resulting perfume is one of the best things in the world. I mean, I get a kick from what van Gogh can do with a cypress tree, and Beethoven’s last piano sonata recorded by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is divine, but don’t knock this cardoon/white truffle gratin. Imagine all that occurring at once. Your eyes are filled with one of van Gogh’s cypresses, your ears with late Beethoven, your nose and palate with the explosive majesty of the gratin!
What’s missing from this Fireworks for the Senses? Well, at home or in Piedmont, I always drink either Nebbiolo or Barbera with said gratin, so last night I pulled out a 1997 Barbaresco from Silvio Giamello. His under-the-house winery perched above his steep, amphitheater-shaped vineyard is on the outskirts of the village, Barbaresco, where his wife works delivering mail for the post office. It was a remarkable marriage, and I don’t mean Silvio and Marina. I am not privy to that information. No, I’m talking about the way the cardoons made the Barbaresco taste better and vice versa.
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 r...
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. There must be something in the water, or the wine, down at Tempier, as everyone in each succeeding generation seems to laugh, smile, live long, and live well (it’s been nearly a century of constant joyous commotion at the estate, with countless gatherings of family, friends, and clients over apéritifs and legendary meals). The family and the team at the helm of Tempier today continue to keep these traditions alive, the wines just as expressive, soulful, and unquestionably provençal as always, and the domaine a place of welcoming joviality, same as it ever was.
Buy this collection 3 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2022 Bandol Rouge “Lulu et Lucien”
France | Provence
As Kermit wrote, “there is always something wild and unpredictable about it, spirited, shall we say, yet it is honest and impeccable, full of warmth and finesse.”
2022 Bandol Rouge “La Migoua”
France | Provence
At the domaine's highest-elevation site, Mourvèdre's might is gently enveloped by Grenache and Cinsault to yield a Bandol of great finesse.
2022 Bandol Rouge “La Tourtine”
France | Provence
There are few pleasures like aged Bandol rouge from Tempier.
Whole-cluster fermented with native yeasts and vinified without sulfur, our Nouveaux arrive in the shop on Thursday, November 21. Here’s the on-the-...
Whole-cluster fermented with native yeasts and vinified without sulfur, our Nouveaux arrive in the shop on Thursday, November 21. Here’s the on-the-ground update from France!
Reserve yours by calling (510) 524-1524, or visit kermitlynch.com to join our email list to be alerted when the wine is available for purchase online.
Buy this collection 2 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2024 Beaujolais Nouveau
France | Beaujolais
Limited Quantities! ~ The 2022 bottling is deep purple, with glimmers of violet, and fragrantly perfumed with dark, brambly fruits and intoxicating notes of cassis.
2024 Beaujolais Nouveau
France | Beaujolais
Limited Quantities! ~ Valentin Montanet also makes the most hedonistic of all wines–Beaujolais Nouveau. His rendition is light on its feet, floral, and juicy.
In 2019, mountain sports enthusiast Mickaël Olivon settled in the remote Hautes-Alpes region to pursue his other passion, wine. He recovere...
Buy this collection 3 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2022 Hautes Alpes Blanc “Grand Pic”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Crystalline purity, mouthwatering salinity, and complexity without weight make this akin to an Alpine premier cru.?
2023 Savoie Les Abymes
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Les Abymes is the epitome of an Alpine white—an invigorating mineral lick of Jacquère, crackling with freshness and crystalline purity.
2019 Alto Adige Sauvignon “Voglar”
Italy | Alto Adige
The uncommon location and treatment capture a different face of this very familiar variety, deep and mouth-filling yet carrying a bracing jolt of limey acidity.
You can count on just two hands the growers we’ve worked with for four decades or more. Joining such families as the Peyrauds (Domaine Tempier) and ...
Buy this collection 6 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2023 Cheverny
France | Loire
Sauvignon and a splash of Chardonnay: the epitome of minerally Loire refreshment
2023 Locorotondo Bianco “Antico”
Italy | Puglia
Open this alongside a bowl of fennel taralli, the donut-shaped Puglian cracker that has become my go-to aperitivo snack.
2023 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
Italy | Le Marche
This low-alcohol, youthful bianco has a subtle, chalky texture you might find in much pricier French Chablis.
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo
Italy | Piedmont
There’s no mistaking this red for anything other than Nebbiolo—perfectly ripe fruit and the telltale scents of tar and roses.
2022 Cahors
France | Southwest
Consistently great year in and year out. It possesses class, country soul, and more-than-meets-the-eye complexity.
2021 Corbières Rouge
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
November Adventures Club ~ For this perennially over-delivering cuvée, Bruno Laboucarié blends two parts Carignan with one part Grenache and a splash of Syrah to produce a vibrant country red reminiscent of black cherries and spice.
I can’t recall a grower that we started importing whose wines so quickly and seamlessly integrated into our pantheon of classic, can’t-miss select...
Buy this collection 4 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2022 Alsace Pinot Noir
France | Alsace
Kuentz-Bas’s version is laced with dark fruit and spice and offers a supple, satiny texture.
2019 Irancy “La Grande Côte”
France | Burgundy
It’s classy and herbal, from the prettiest, most characterful fruit grown on the steepest slopes.
2020 Toscana Rosso
Italy | Tuscany
Expect fennel seed and black cherry from this Pinot Nero, age-worthy acidity, and a velvety tannin.
2020 Alto Adige Pinot Nero “Mazzon”
Italy | Alto Adige
Always one of the dreamiest versions of the variety we import—ethereal and bright, with notes of orange peel and pink peppercorn.
Can Cabernet Franc taste any more pure than this? Les Granges is the Baudry cuvée to drink in its youth, while the perfume of rose petals and brambly...
Buy this collection 3 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2023 Chinon “Les Granges”
France | Loire
Les Granges is the Baudry cuvée to drink in its youth, while the perfume of rose petals and brambly berries is at its most vivid and vibrant.
2020 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
France | Loire
A lovely combination of Grolleau Noir and Cabernet Franc, there seems to be a synergistic effect elevating both grapes to create a juicy, spicy, refreshing whole.
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
France | Loire
The family’s grandest wine, a brooding elixir of satiny fruit, cedar, and graphite.
If a northern Corsican cuvée named for a sunny grotto doesn’t pique your curiosity, perhaps a bit of background on the lieu-dit might...
Buy this collection 3 bottles
Wines in this Collection
2021 Patrimonio Rouge “Grotte di Sole”
France | Corsica
Think classic, spirited Sangiovese with a wilder, slightly darker-fruited, herb-singed character from the ancient seaside maquis-studded limestone.
2022 Patrimonio Blanc
France | Corsica
It’s beautifully ethereal, with pillowy fruit that tastes so sublime it would be limiting to attempt a description, although quince and verbena jump to mind.
2021 Patrimonio Rouge “E Croce”
France | Corsica
Leccia's earthy, delicious island-mountain wine is fun, accessible and pairs with anything from fish stew to pasta to lounging in the park.
Though I am, admittedly, more of a drink-it than save-it kind of gal, I recently tasted a bottle of 2011 Muenchberg, and my notes have the kind of bre...
Those who joined us in July at our Summer Market know how thrilled we were to revive our parking lot events. We are now excited to announce our next: ...
Those who joined us in July at our Summer Market know how thrilled we were to revive our parking lot events. We are now excited to announce our next: the Holiday Market! Join us for a day of food, wares, music, and—of course!—wine. This time, even more of our favorite East Bay folks will be popping up on our corner for a festive gathering in our parking lot. Join us to revel in the spirit of the season, dive into abundant holiday gift shopping, or simply enjoy some vin chaud. See you there!
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2024
11 AM to 4 PM
F E A T U R I N G
Wine bar by Chez Panisse + Oysters by The Salty Pearl + Music by Gaucho Jazz
And many more—stay tuned for our full vendor list in December!
Annual Sparkling Sale
There is pure, carnal pleasure in a big bite of succulent, crispy-skinned chicken washed down with a swig of elegant and luxurious Champagne. This is one of the wine world’s most satisfying sensorial combinations, right up there alongside beloved classics like Chablis with oysters and Barolo with truffles...
Shop the Sale >
Memories, Wines, and Reflections
Wine & Cardoons
by Kermit Lynch
Of the many things I like about being alive, wine with cardoons is one of them.
For you new to the subject, wine is fermented grape juice. You don’t ask the juice to ferment. It wants to. Fermentation is the work of yeasts that turn sugar into alcohol. Let’s stop for a moment to simply say, Thank you, Mother Nature! Way to go! Too cool!
And cardoons, I now grow my own, because the fresher the better, and you don’t often see them for sale...
Domaine Tempier
by Chris Santini
“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...
Beaujolais Nouveau
Whole-cluster fermented with native yeasts and vinified without sulfur, our Nouveaux arrive in the shop on Thursday, November 21. Here’s the on-the-ground update from France!
Alpine Whites
by Anthony Lynch
In 2019, mountain sports enthusiast Mickaël Olivon settled in the remote Hautes-Alpes region to pursue his other passion, wine. He recovered some of France’s highest vineyards, perched at 3,000 feet elevation beneath some of the tallest summits in the Alps, and got to work producing unlikely field blends such as this white featuring Marsanne, Jacquère, Altesse, Müller Thurgau, and Chasan. It doesn’t taste like anything we’ve ever imported before...
Autumn Values
by Tom Wolf
You can count on just two hands the growers we’ve worked with for four decades or more. Joining such families as the Peyrauds (Domaine Tempier) and the Bruniers (Vieux Télégraphe) in that company are the Laboucariés...
Pinot Noir With Regional Appeal
by Jane Augustine
I can’t recall a grower that we started importing whose wines so quickly and seamlessly integrated into our pantheon of classic, can’t-miss selections like Benoît Cantin, as if they’d been a staple on our shelves for decades...
Loire Reds
by Anthony Lynch
Can Cabernet Franc taste any more pure than this? Les Granges is the Baudry cuvée to drink in its youth, while the perfume of rose petals and brambly berries is at its most vivid and vibrant. At the domaine recently, it pained me to spit out each taste...
Patrimonio Blanc & Rouge
by Jane Augustine
If a northern Corsican cuvée named for a sunny grotto doesn’t pique your curiosity, perhaps a bit of background on the lieu-dit might...
Riesling Built to Last
by Allyson Noman
Though I am, admittedly, more of a drink-it than save-it kind of gal, I recently tasted a bottle of 2011 Muenchberg, and my notes have the kind of brevity that only comes with amazement...
The Holiday Market
Those who joined us in July at our Summer Market know how thrilled we were to revive our parking lot events. We are now excited to announce our next: the Holiday Market! Join us for a day of food, wares, music, and—of course!—wine. This time, even more of our favorite East Bay folks will be popping up on our corner for a festive gathering...
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
You don’t have to be rich to cellar a great wine.