Featured Producer
Domaine Vinci
It took Olivier Varichon and Emmanuelle Vinci years of dabbling in various careers before finally settling down and establishing their domaine in Estagel, in the heart of the Roussillon. Olivier had previously studied enology and owned a wine shop while Emmanuelle worked as a biologist, but ultimately their dream of making their own wine prevailed and they began searching throughout France for desirable vineyards to purchase. They fell in love with the wild, rugged landscape of the Agly Valley, and in 2001 Domaine Vinci was born. Olivier and Emmanuelle now organically farm six hectares of vineyards, with parcels so isolated that they need not worry about chemical products from neighbors’ vineyards contaminating the rocky soils their vines call home. These stunning sites, nestled at high altitudes amid scraggly garrigue and perilous outcrops, are planted with very old vines that give absurdly low yields, often below 15 hl/ha. Due to many of the parcels’ remote locations and steep grades, everything is worked by hand, including Domaine Vinci’s very own sélection massale nursery that allows them to replant vines one at a time when necessary. As a result, each vineyard represents a stable, balanced ecosystem in which the native Maccabeu and Carignan Blanc, along with Grenache Blanc, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Grenache Noir, are able to thrive and express the rustic wonder of this unique terroir.After harvesting by hand—only when the grapes have reached peak phenolic maturity—the fruit is brought to the small Vinci cellar, where natural yeasts carry out fermentation in neutral vessels before the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, with little to no added sulfur. All of Vinci’s bottlings, from the Maccabeu-based “Coyade” to the 100-year-old Carignan “Rafalot,” express profound concentration and minerality from the clay, limestone, granite, and schist of this corner of the Roussillon. While each of their three cuvées is capable of inspiring sincere awe, this is no surprise given Olivier and Emmanuelle’s painstaking determination and endless hard work. The wines are a testament to the potential of the rugged terroir as well as the Vinci philosophy, and it is truly an honor to represent wines of such purity and vitality.
Domaine Robert Chevillon
The stunning collection of premier cru and old-vine vineyards held by the two Chevillon brothers would make any Pinot Noir grower jealous. Their innate ability to carefully tend the vines and master the difficult Burgundian conditions provides ripe, healthy clusters of grapes year after year. Taste through the barrels of Chevillon post-harvest and it doesn't matter what happened the year before, almost as if by miracle, the wines show class and character and each terroir has its distinct idiosyncrasies. It is le vrai Pinot chez Chevillon.Brothers Bertrand and Denis Chevillon are the fifth generation managers of this property in Nuits- Saint-Georges, which means they work the vines and make the wines. Their father Robert, for whom the domaine is named, is still active as well. Both brothers bring passion, experience, a tireless work ethic, and intensity to their work at the domaine. Tasting through their palate of Nuits- Saint-Georges is a venerable tour of the appellation. Their Passetoutgrain, a blend of Pinot and Gamay, is a worthy introduction and their rare (two barrels made) Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc made from the “Pinot Gouges” is an exotic treasure that ages just as long as the domaine’s fabled reds. And their Bourgogne Aligoté, Bourgogne Chardonnay and Bourgogne Rouge are grown and vinified with the same care as their premier crus. It shows.
The track record of the Chevillon wines in the cellar is one of the most remarkable aspects of this storied domaine. We regularly have the good fortune to taste back through the past three decades of vintages of all the various premier crus and the wines always more than convincing—they are amongst Burgundy’s very best. In fact, I have often been more disappointed with grand cru bottlings than I am with the top-tier Chevillon premier crus. Indeed, Nuits-Saint-Georges does not officially have any grand cru vineyards, but we are convinced that Cailles, Vaucrains and Les Saint-Georges are firmly grand cru quality. This decision is currently in the hands of the appellation authorities but it is almost better if the status quo doesn’t change–that way we are assured to get grand cru quality at a premier cru price!
Domaine Ostertag
To call André Ostertag a revolutionary winemaker is to tell just half the story. He is a pioneer, certainly, but also an ardent environmentalist (as demonstrated in both his wine and his sculpture, another passion). After training in Burgundy, André returned to the family domaine in Alsace with renewed zeal: he lowered yields considerably and introduced viticultural and vinification techniques from other regions to his own home ground. The 1996 vintage marked his first collaboration with KLWM, and the following year he brought biodynamic viticulture to his fourteen hectares of vineyards, including his flagship parcel in the Muenchberg Grand Cru.There is poetry to Ostertag’s practices. He looks for the nuance of terroir rather than the typicity of a grape varietal. In an act of rejection against the official classifications dictated by the A.O.C., he made up his own categories: Vins de Fruit that express fruit character rather than that of a specific vineyard site, Vins de Pierre reflecting the terroir from which they originate, and Vin de Temps that rely on time and weather to encourage the development of botrytis. He ferments the majority of his wines completely dry, so their versatility at the table surpasses that of many other wines from the region. In Ostertag’s experience, a careful use of oak subtly enhances the traditional Alsatian varietals from the Pinot family, giving them greater depth on the palate. He uses oak sourced exclusively from the Vosges Mountains and, for his Pinots, prefers barriques to the traditional foudres. He rejects formulaic, scientifically engineered wines, and since going biodynamic in 1997, has been an active member of the natural farming community. As he so beautifully explains in Kermit Lynch’s Inspiring Thirst,
…true quality is that which succeeds in surprising and moving us. It is not locked inside a formula. Its essence is subtle (subjective) and never rational. It resides in the unique, the singular, but it is ultimately connected to something more universal. A great wine is one in which quality is contained. Such a wine will necessarily be uncommon and decidedly unique because it cannot be like any other, and because of this fact it will be atypical, or only typical of itself. (p 279)
That is a quote we wish more wine critics would take to heart.
Blog posts on Domaine Ostertag:
New Website from Ostertag
White Wine For Aging? It Is Time To Look To Alsace
Daniel Chotard
Daniel Chotard and his wife, Brigitte, live just outside Sancerre in the village of Reigny. The Chotard family has been making wine for well over two hundred years, though Daniel was initially reluctant to accept the family vocation and started as a teacher. Daniel is a bit of a Renaissance man. His enthusiasm and passion for learning extends beyond wine and into music; he is a gifted guitarist and accordion player. A visit to his website illustrates the symmetry between his music and his wines. Sauvignon Blanc is more than a grape variety; it is a tempo as well. He organizes lively music and wine soirées that showcase wine as an equally compelling art form to jazz. He has also invited Kermit to bring his rootsy band to perform in Sancerre – stay tuned for concert dates!The terroir of Sancerre is widely regarded as producing one of the greatest expressions of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. Sancerre was once more celebrated for its red wine, a Parisian bistro favorite. The Chotards grow Pinot Noir as well, used to make both red wine and rosé. The hilltop town of Sancerre is surrounded by a commune of villages that collectively make up its eponymous appellation, and each village is blessed with varieties of a distinct limestone that imbues a lengthy mineral component to its wines. Daniel and his son Simon farm the slopes of the village Crezancy-en-Sancerre, where flint meets clay and the famous Kimmeridgian limestone. He practices sustainable farming, and uses organic composts to treat the vines. Typically, he harvests his grapes later than his neighbors which results in less of the acidity that is so typical of the appellation. Aging the wine on its lees further rounds the mid-palate. Like his jazz, Daniel’s wines are luscious and complex with deep notes and long, satisfying finales.
Domaine Antoine Jobard
François Jobard was one of the first vignerons Kermit imported when he began prospecting for wines in France in the 1970s. The relationship has endured into the next generation, and François’ son Antoine now runs the domaine. This is as classy and as consistent a property as you’ll find in Burgundy, and theirs are generally counted among the best Meursaults. Other respected vignerons like Coche and Raveneau hold these wines in the highest esteem and are generous with their praise when Jobard comes up in conversation. Among the highlights from the domaine is Jobard’s stunning Bourgogne Blanc, which is routinely one of the best to carry that appellation. Their Meursault En la Barre is an outstanding value from an assiduously tended vineyard plot located just behind their home, and their enviable line-up of premier cru white Burgundies includes Meursault Poruzots, Blagny, Genevrières, and Charmes, each with its inimitable charms. Recently, they added Tillets to their list, the excellent vineyard that Roulot fans know and love – a high-elevation, very stony lieu-dit. Finally, their Puligny-Montrachet Le Trézin comes from another steep hillside parcel above the Hameau de Blagny and is always textbook Puligny, chiseled and fine-grained.All the Jobard wines are aged in barrel and spend a lengthy period of time sur lie in their cellars in Meursault. They are the last of our white Burgundies to come to the market every year due to their unhurried approach to vinification and typically slow malolactic fermentations. In their youth, these wines are often tightly wound with an intense mineral structure that only begins to soften with extended bottle aging. Though François and Antoine work side by side, Antoine has brought his own signature to the domaine: a more sensuous approachability to the wines, most recently evident in the 2006 and 2007 vintages, which are delicious and ready to drink immediately. That said, the Jobard legacy lives on, and the wines will still explode with intense aromas of honeycomb and stone later in life. If you just can’t wait, there’s no reason not to uncork.
Château des Deux Rocs
Jean-Claude Zabalia, one of the Languedoc’s most talented vignerons, spent over twenty years at Saint Martin de la Garrigue before striking out on his own to start Château des Deux Rocs. Like any new venture undertaken by a seasoned veteran, Jean-Claude did his homework. In his many searches for great terroir in the Languedoc, he came across Cabrières—an area already known for producing outstanding rosé, but what he found was so much more.The vines of Jean-Claude’s new domaine, Château des Deux Rocs, are located in the isolated Vallée des Crozes. This enclosed valley is protected from the dominating winds of the region and benefits from more than 220 days of sun per year. His vines are planted at nearly 1000 feet above sea level in deep schist soils, higher than anyone in the region has planted before. These elements lend a delicate and finessed nature to both the rosé and red.
Our two bottlings from Deux Rocs are aptly named “Prémices,” meaning a sign of things to come—we certainly believe that great things are to come from this exciting new domaine.
Domaine de Durban
To walk through the high-altitude vineyards at Domaine de Durban is to walk through an astounding span of history. On the site of a former Roman healing springs destination, a mere handful of soil reveals well-preserved, ancient Roman roof tiles and medieval pot shards. The domaine and its vineyards sit atop a picturesque plateau in the Vaucluse, sheltered by the Dentelles de Montmirail, just above of the village of Beaumes-de-Venise. The scenic views put one at pause considering the timelessness—wine has been a part of the culture here for millennia, and ancient philosopher Pliny the Elder was the first known to praise the Muscat from this place. During the Middle Ages, it was a fortified farm, where it has run regularly since 1159. Jacques Leydier bought the property in the 1960s when the farm had fallen into disrepair. Today, his grandsons, Henri and Philippe, are running the domaine. This magical spot has assumed a higher purpose today, producing some of the most memorable wines of the Southern Rhône. The Leydiers farm fifty-five hectares of vineyards to make a powerful and aromatic Gigondas, a velvety Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge, and undeniably the most celebrated Muscat in the entire appellation.A constellation of fortune seems to converge at this particular spot. Pine trees protect the area from the intensity of the persistent mistral. The soils are rich and deep, with clay, limestone, and the soft, ochre Trias, lending finesse and freshness to the wines. The high altitude in the vineyards means a slightly cooler microclimate with strong sun exposure, a blessing that the Leydiers credit for the amazing consistency their wines enjoy year after year. (Even The Oxford Companion to Wine takes space to note the terrific concentration that Durban’s vineyards achieve.) The Leydiers are particularly proud of their Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a vin doux naturel, as they are among the last to craft it in the traditional style. Leydier’s old-fashioned vinification keeps the spirits as low as possible, so that they may hold on to the bright freshness in the grapes. One can find more powerful Muscats, but none as tasty and fine.
Domaine Gallety
The bright and talented Alain Gallety began making wine in the Côtes du Vivarais alongside his father. Together, they had a vision. They built a state-of-the-art winery, constructed right into the hillside below their high-altitude vineyards. Today, Alain’s son, David-Alexandre, works with him. Quietly and diligently, they imagine one day making one of the greatest cuvées of the Southern Rhône. One wouldn’t initially think such a goal is easy to achieve in a little known area as the Vivarais. The Côtes run down the western flank of the Rhône, just south of Montélimar in the Ardèche. Although these hills mirror those of the Côtes-du-Rhône on the opposite bank of the river, the Côtes du Vivarais was only recently awarded A.O.C. in 1999. Over a decade later, the region is finally starting to receive the attention it deserves, both as a cooler and wetter climate than its neighbors across the river, but with a longer ripening season. The wines here stand as a gateway between the Northern and Southern Rhône, frequently seeing equal blends of the noble grapes, Syrah and Grenache.Though the Galletys reside here, making their exquisite blends with pride, determination, and focus, their minds are frequently traveling to other regions in France, where they are closely studying the methodologies and techniques of their contemporaries. Alain takes every aspect of the process seriously. To grow the quality of grapes he wants, he farms his fifteen hectares of vineyards organically, as he has done since the early 80’s. To best insure freshness, he has installed top-loading, hatch doors over their gravity-fed cuves, so that the grapes go exactly where they need to immediately following the harvest—bypassing the cellar completely to begin their fermentation. The wines are then aged in Burgundian barrels, as the Galletys believe them to produce wines with greater finesse. Today, they are planting a vineyard so stony and wild that it will have to be worked by a draft horse. Alain Gallety is indeed a man of vision. Domaine Gallety is a new acquisition to the KLWM portfolio, but one well-positioned for stardom with wines of such brightness, density, and impeccable balance.
Cascina Fèipu Dei Massaretti
Agostino “Pippo” Parodi and his wife Bice inherited a family estate of mostly fruit and vegetables that Pippo’s grandfather, Filippo or “Fèipu” in local dialect, had first planted. Convinced that his property was particularly well suited to winegrowing, Pippo slowly cleared the land starting in the mid-1960s and replanted it with vines, focusing especially on the native Pigato. Since there were no appellations for Ligurian wine at that time, he decided to highlight this exceptional terroir by naming the estate after the locality, Massaretti. His efforts were instrumental in establishing Ligurian Pigato as a quality wine, and soon they had a long list of potential clients begging for an allocation of their tiny production. As Pippo and Bice eased into retirement, they handed the reins over to the next generation: their daughter Brunella married a banker, Mirco Mastroianni, who quickly fell in love with winemaking and joined his sister-in-law, Ivana, at the family estate. Under Mirco’s direction the family has rebuilt the old winery and increased production, but the estate remains small and the wine is still a clear expression of the terroir.Mirco is proud to be in an area where wine estates are still family-run and most of his neighbors share his respect for traditional wines. Massaretti lies just inland of Albenga on the Mediterranean coast, in what is probably the former riverbed of the Neva, which left a sandy alluvial soil. The area also enjoys striking diurnal temperature shifts thanks to the alternation between winds from the sea during the day and from the land at night. These two factors combine to provide the perfect home for Pigato and Rossese to develop their full aromatic potential, giving light wines that are easy to drink but more elegant and complex than you might expect.
Domaine Colin-Deléger
As the nephew of the great Georges Deléger, Michel Colin inherited part of the Chevenottes vineyard, combining it with holdings from the Colin family’s domaine. Today, he is semi-retired. He cannot let go completely, thank goodness. He still farms a few, small parcels, three in fact: Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Demoiselles, and Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. Though the quantities that we are able to buy of each every year are miniscule, it is always a pleasure to continue to be able to taste wines from a mature master vintner with some of Chardonnay’s greatest terroirs. All three vineyards are within a stone’s throw of one another, with En Remilly just around the corner on the south side of Chevalier-Montrachet and Puligny Les Demoiselles on the northern edge of Le Montrachet.From the Blog
The Struggle of the Languedoc
by Chris Santini
Hard to imagine but true, Gaddafi once sent a team of Libyan messengers deep in the hills of the Languedoc to meet with a group of angry and exasperated vignerons. The year was 1973, and a century of boiling tensions between these growers and the omnipotent local négociants had culminated in gunfights with local police. The négociants had amassed fortunes by importing boat tankers full of Algerian wine, mixing it with local wine and unsavory additives, calling it “Languedoc,” and then sending it up by rail to Paris to supply the working masses with their daily four liters of liquid strength. Gaddafi’s offer to these growers was unlimited armament and training camps in the desert in exchange for the group declaring war on the French government and launching a revolution. The growers promptly declined and sent the Libyans home. This wasn’t about revolution; it was about reclaiming the wines of the Languedoc. Still to this day, the battle rages on: a shadowy group called CRAV, armed with axes and hunting rifles, regularly sabotages oil-refinery-sized tanks of manipulated “wine.” They fight for the Languedoc that was once synonymous for stony terroir, garrigue-infused air, and a distinct Mediterranean soul. True Languedoc is a wonderful thing, yet the name is still a broad cover for far too many cheap, industrial, and at times fraudulent wines of international ilk that continue to harm its reputation and make it difficult for honest growers to make an honest living. We can do our part by drinking our share of real Languedoc.
Pic Saint Loup
A good place to start is the Lascaux Languedoc rouge, fresh and full, an incredible value of pure, approachable limestone-grown organic juice. Then tackle the La Roque Pic Saint Loup rouge, an herbal, spicy, biodynamic wine that is a rare southern French wine to show minerality before fruit. And finally, save the Mas Champart terroir-driven Causse du Bousquet for a special meal. It’s a deep, juicy, long-aging wine from the pioneers of Saint-Chinian. As angry protesters once shouted in the streets of Montpellier back in 1907, “Vive le vin naturel! Mort aux fraudeurs!”
WINES MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE:
2012 Languedoc Rouge • Château de Lascaux >
2012 Pic Saint Loup Rouge • Château La Roque >
2012 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet” • Mas Champart >
Hard to imagine but true, Gaddafi once sent a team of Libyan messengers deep in the hills of the Languedoc to meet with a group of angry and exasperated vignerons. The year was 1973, and a century of boiling tensions between these growers and the omnipotent local négociants had culminated in gunfights with local police. The négociants had amassed fortunes by importing boat tankers full of Algerian wine, mixing it with local wine and unsavory additives, calling it “Languedoc,” and then sending it up by rail to Paris to supply the working masses with their daily four liters of liquid strength. Gaddafi’s offer to these growers was unlimited armament and training camps in the desert in exchange for the group declaring war on the French government and launching a revolution. The growers promptly declined and sent the Libyans home. This wasn’t about revolution; it was about reclaiming the wines of the Languedoc. Still to this day, the battle rages on: a shadowy group called CRAV, armed with axes and hunting rifles, regularly sabotages oil-refinery-sized tanks of manipulated “wine.” They fight for the Languedoc that was once synonymous for stony terroir, garrigue-infused air, and a distinct Mediterranean soul. True Languedoc is a wonderful thing, yet the name is still a broad cover for far too many cheap, industrial, and at times fraudulent wines of international ilk that continue to harm its reputation and make it difficult for honest growers to make an honest living. We can do our part by drinking our share of real Languedoc.
Pic Saint Loup
A good place to start is the Lascaux Languedoc rouge, fresh and full, an incredible value of pure, approachable limestone-grown organic juice. Then tackle the La Roque Pic Saint Loup rouge, an herbal, spicy, biodynamic wine that is a rare southern French wine to show minerality before fruit. And finally, save the Mas Champart terroir-driven Causse du Bousquet for a special meal. It’s a deep, juicy, long-aging wine from the pioneers of Saint-Chinian. As angry protesters once shouted in the streets of Montpellier back in 1907, “Vive le vin naturel! Mort aux fraudeurs!”
WINES MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE:
2012 Languedoc Rouge • Château de Lascaux >
2012 Pic Saint Loup Rouge • Château La Roque >
2012 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet” • Mas Champart >