Featured Producer
Château de Trinquevedel
Guillaume Demoulin is the fourth generation of his family to farm the beautiful vineyards of Château de Trinquevedel. His great-grandfather, Eugène, bought the eighteenth-century château in 1936—an opportune decision that coincided with the establishment of Tavel’s A.O.C that same year. However timely, the vineyards were in terrible disrepair, and Eugène had an enormous task ahead. By 1960, the grapes were finally producing wine worthy of the Demoulin’s own bottlings, and the château had at last been restored to its former glory. Louis XIV was among the first to sing the praises of Tavel’s delicious and memorable rosés, which only stands to reason given the appellation’s grand cru reputation today. Tavel is the only A.O.C. entirely made up of rosé, which prohibits any whites or reds from wearing the label of this Southern Rhône cru. No more than sixty percent of the final blend can be made up of the noble Grenache. In other appellations where rosé is made, it is often regarded as an afterthought— most of the grapes are frequently sourced from lesser parcels, as the lighter maceration of the grapes is seen as “wasting” precious juice. In Tavel, even the best parcels may contribute to the blend, yet another aspect that makes this cru so special.Guillaume, with the help of his wife, Céline, farms thirty-two hectares of vines that are situated in the hills of the Montagne Noire (Black Mountain). Their stony vineyards resemble those of the famous Châteauneuf, comprised of sand and quartzite galets roulés (rounded stones). The climate and sun exposure produce grapes with tremendous concentration and power. To counteract this power and higher alcohols that are typical of the appellation, the Demoulins perform a bleeding off of the free-run juices, followed by a light pressing, and a very balanced extraction. Guillaume believes in taking all measures necessary to preserve the natural pressing of the grapes. The rosés of Château de Trinquevedel consistently enjoy aromas of ripe, red berries with notes of the ubiquitous spicy, garrigue.
Domaine Costal
The Domaine Costal Chablis “Truffières” is a unique KLWM collaboration that stems from Kermit’s decades of experience in the region. This project led to the creation of Domaine Costal, the second label of the well-known Domaine Jean Collet, a family domaine since 1792. The project began with a simple barrel tasting with Kermit and led to a custom label, a new cuvée and custom vinification and bottling process exclusively for the American market. The end result was a great new terroir-driven white Burgundy for our customers.The Chablis comes from a single vineyard site called Truffières, or truffles. We decided to use the name of the parcel on the label, which had never been done by the domaine in the past. The parcel has been worked organically for many years. Kermit and the Collet family together agree on a blend of stainless steel, foudre, and barrel vinifications. Our bottling is not filtered or cold-stabilized—a true rarity in Chablis. The skill of the Collets and the excellent terroir of Truffières combine to give us a wine of extraordinary purity and finesse. There is no mistaking it—one taste and you are in Chablis territory: zesty minerality, wet stone, freshness and nervosity. And is that a hint of black truffle in the bouquet? Tasting the recent vintages that have resulted from this collaboration, we all noticed an “elusive” suggestion of divine black truffles. Maybe that is why the vineyard parcel has been called “Truffières” for so long.
Domaine la Roquète
In September 1986, René Laugier wanted to retire but had no successors to take over La Roquette (as it was then known), his domaine in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. When Daniel and Frédéric Brunier bought the domaine, it was a logical choice. The Brunier brothers had been proving their worth as rising young stars of the appellation. The Bruniers had a long history of working tough soils—they farm the La Crau plateau, which boasts some of the most challenging vineyard terrain and most pedigreed soils of Châteauneuf. ( Click here for the family’s history.) Daniel and Frédéric farm twenty-nine hectares of vineyards at La Roquète, each parcel with its own distinct identity.At Châteauneuf, for many the greatest appellation of the Southern Rhône, vineyard specificity plays a role almost as critical as it does in Burgundy. Geography here is as important as geology. La Roquète’s three largest vineyards are all situated on prime real estate along the Piélong plateau, a high altitude location north of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with similar soil and weather patterns as La Crau ( click here for more information). Adjoining vineyards La Roquète and Pignan are situated to the east, at the foot of the Piélong, adjacent to the western end of the famous Le Rayas vineyard. Galets roulés scatter the vineyard floor, but the elegance of the wines is most attributed to the sand in the soil. To the southwest of the village is the vineyard Colombis, where a thin topsoil of clay gently covers a bedrock of hard limestone.
The combination of these three vineyards imparts a surprising finesse—only surprising in contrast to the earthy, deeply structured style of Vieux Télégraphe. John Livingstone-Learmonth quotes Frédéric Brunier in his classic The Wines of the Rhône, “ ‘Daniel and I can make wines of similar aromas, but here there is less tannin, less alcohol and less general power – that’s the nature of the domaine.’ ” The Brunier brothers have made great strides since taking over in 1986. The elegance and velvety texture in these wines make them easy to appreciate in their youth, with generous, rich, red fruit, uncharacteristic freshness, and beautifully integrated tannins. Their impeccable balance is extraordinary in such a warm climate. Its finesse and drinkability make it the Châteauneuf-du-Pape for restaurant lists and for those wine lovers who do not have a cellar for aging.
Domaine Comte Abbatucci
In the colorful, picturesque city of Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, you can’t get very far without seeing the name Abbatucci. There are streets, monuments and plazas that carry the name, which is normal given that General Jean-Charles Abbatucci from Ajaccio was a hero of the French Revolution and comrade in arms of another local hero, Napoléon Bonaparte. Step into a wine bar or a restaurant there, chances are these days they’ll pour you a glass of Domaine Abbatucci. The domaine is run by Jean-Charles Abbatucci, a direct descendant of the General, who has now become a local hero of another kind—for providing the local populace with its most sought-after libation.Corsicans are proud defenders of their traditions and environment, and with Abbatucci they indulge guilt-free. His wines are certified biodynamic, and he believes in following even the most far-out biodynamic practices to the letter. On his large estate south of Ajaccio he keeps a pristine poly-culture ecosystem in place, complete with herds of sheep foraging through his vines, groves of olive trees on ancient terraces, and large swaths of untouched forests. His vines come from cuttings of indigenous grapes, sourced decades ago high up in the isolated and mountainous interior of the island from elderly peasant farmers, effectively saving several native varieties from extinction. To keep his vines happy, he’s known to drive his tractor out to his vineyards and play traditional Corsican polyphonic songs over loudspeakers for their benefit. After the harvest he’ll treat his cellar to the same music as his grapes ferment and come of age. All part of the terroir, he says. Does all this have an actual effect on the wine? Have a taste for yourself. The proof just might be in the pudding.
Domaine Maume
Bertrand is the current Maume-in-charge at the tiny Domaine Maume. He has been involved in making the wines here since the mid nineties. Domaine Maume’s wines are deep, profound Pinot Noir experiences. They are wines of mystery – constantly changing and evolving, both in barrel and in bottle, like the Burgundies of the past. They are bottled from barrel by gravity without any pumping, fining or filtration. The secret to Maume’s success is his rigid adherence to selection massale cuttings in his replanting of the family’s vineyards. By isolating vines with the healthiest grapes, they replant only the best. Most of their vines are quite old, too, averaging 50 years of age across all parcels. Maume does not believe in using new clones but is a strong believer in the diversity of old Pinot stock.Maume’s premier cru bottling is a real gem. It is a blend of two parcels, Cherbaudes and La Perrière, that are right in the saddle of grand cru country – below Mazis-Chambertin and Clos de Bèze, next to Chapelle-Chambertin. There are only a few barrels. “En Pallud” is a particularly well-suited lieu-dit just south of the village on the slope, below the premier cru Les Corbeaux and at the same elevation and exposure as the grand crus. The Maumes have a sizeable parcel here of 65 year-old vines. Etelois is also on the grand cru slope, just below Griotte-Chambertin. Champeaux is a higher elevation premier cru parcel that was one of the first vineyards worked by the monks of Cluny. Lavaux St. Jacques is a great premier cru site situated on the Combe de Lavaux, a valley that runs east to west and whose air currents help dry the vineyards of Gevrey after rains. This is a wine with a remarkable texture, finesse, and length. The Maume wines have a well-deserved reputation for long-term cellaring potential. A 1980 Lavaux St. Jacques tasted in 2009 was perfectly mature. A 1979 Mazis tasted in 2008 seemed capable of going on forever at its peak of perfection. A great bottle from Maume takes you about as deep into the Burgundian soul as you can get.
Champagne J. Lassalle
Jules Lassalle established this family-owned Champagne house in 1942 in the village of Chigny-Les-Roses on the Montagne de Reims. A master of his craft, he established a signature style of elegant, tightly knit wines with a certain ampleur. When he passed away in 1982 his wife, Olga, and their daughter, Chantal Decelle-Lassalle, stepped in and took over the estate, upholding Jules’ high standards and progressively pushing the domaine to the next level. In 2006 Chantal’s daughter, Angéline Templier, joined the estate as winemaker. Their twenty-eight-year tradition of “une femme, un esprit, un style” (one woman, one spirit, one style) holds true today more than ever. In the 1970s, Kermit was the first to begin importing artisanal, grower Champagne, and the Lassalles have been in the KLWM portfolio longer than anyone. Today, we are proud that the relationship has continued into the third generation of the Lassalle family.Champagne J. Lassalle works with all three varietals authorized in the region (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier) on sixteen hectares of vineyards, all of them premier cru. These tough, hardworking women continue to follow the vinification methods established by Jules in the forties: they use the same wooden basket press he installed in the winery over fifty years ago, pressing and vinifying the individual plots separately. It is one of the rare Champagnes that has been allowed to finish its malolactic fermentation, just like the great whites from the Côte d’Or. Every bottle is riddled by hand, and all cuvées are aged extensively once in bottle. This results in an astonishing complexity and depth from the beginning of their range up to the luxury cuvées. Don’t miss their Blanc de Blancs, sourced uniquely from premier cru Chardonnay grown on the Montagne de Reims. It is a classic vin de terroir that ages beautifully.
Domaine de la Cadette
In the village of Saint-Père, along a little creek to the southeast of Vézelay in Burgundy, a quiet, peaceful revolution is taking place. This part of Burgundy has been producing wines for centuries, although as much as half of the entire appellation’s production is being sold off to the local cave cooperative. In 1987, Jean and Catherine Montanet, with the help of friends and family, created Domaine de la Cadette. Cadette, or the youngest child, is a nod to Catherine, whose family’s vineyards contribute to the domaine’s production. It took them ten years to clear land and replant vineyards. By 1997, the I.N.A.O. (Institut National des Appellations d’Origines) had awarded Vézelay its own A.O.C; a timely decision that lends more credibility to the noble work of the Montanets. Jean and Catherine farm thirteen hectares of vineyards today, and have been farming organically since 1999, receiving their certification in 2002. This is a particularly bold decision in an area where most wine is sold in bulk.The vineyard land sits deep in the Morvan, the great mountain range that runs west by northwest of the famous Côte d’Or. The land here is quite exceptional. The creation of the granite massif of the Morvan has uplifted a marl and limestone strata, revealing fossilized marine deposits. Though Vézelay is a geographic appendage of Chablis, the soils are not exactly the same. The climate here is cooler, too. Instead of the Kimmerdigian soils, the clays here range from blue and gray to red, sometimes with no clay at all but just shallow limestone. In this cooler climate, their vines enjoy great sun exposure, lending a balance between generous fruit and deep mineral structure. That the wines from Vézelay have gone largely unnoticed until recently may certainly be attributed to an underwhelming production of forgettable wines, however Domaine de la Cadette stands proudly as a beacon of change, representing the most sincere expression of their terroirs with grace and integrity. Though they are best known for their Bourgogne Vézelay, a Chardonnay, their Bourgogne Rouge and their Melon de Bourgogne are also equally remarkable.
Cantine dell’Angelo
While Angelo Muto comes from a family of winemakers, he is the first to estate-bottle. His five hectares of Greco vineyards sit around the small village of Tufo, center of the Greco di Tufo appellation—the smallest of Campania’s four DOCGs—tucked into a picturesque landscape of rolling hills inland of bustling Naples. Greco, an ancient varietal that found its way to southern Italy from Greece long ago, expresses its full structural and aromatic potential in the volcanic soils that give Tufo its name. These soils offer a complex assortment of minerals to feed the vines: atop the bedrock of volcanic tufo lies a mix of clay and limestone with chunks of chalk, quartz, and yellow striations of elemental sulfur.Angelo’s flagship parcel is in fact situated directly atop an abandoned sulfur mine, on a very steep slope at high altitude. The vineyards are worked entirely by hand, as much a result of the significant grade as it is Angelo’s determination to bring out the best in his land. He refuses to treat his vines with herbicides or pesticides, proudly pointing out the abundant grasses, wildflowers, and butterflies prospering amid the rows of Greco.
Similarly, he allows indigenous yeasts present in the vineyards to carry out fermentation, after which the wine ages in tank on its lees with little manipulation save racking and a light filtration prior to bottling. Angelo’s commitment to traditional production methods, along with input from his like-minded friend and enologist, Luigi Sarno (see Cantina del Barone), allows for a classic rendition of this unique white wine. His Greco di Tufo is a beautiful golden color with elegance, plenty of acidity; ripe, tender citrusy lusciousness, and a firm, completely mineral-packed, finish. This is a full-bodied white—Greco is often referred to as ‘a red dressed as a white’—that is excellent in its youth alongside all sorts of cuisine, with the potential to age well in good vintages. It is truly an honor to work with Cantine dell’Angelo and a pleasure to represent wines that are a testament to the potential of this exciting region.
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.
Château Tour Bayard
The Château Tour Bayard has only been in the family since 1956, but the Nicoletti-Richards have already demonstrated great skill in bringing out the best in the land. Current owners Fanny Nicoletti-Richard and Bruno Richard inherited the estate from Fanny’s parents, who purchased the domaine, but several generations of the family had already worked as vignerons at other estates in the region, so the Nicolettis were masters of their trade by the time they arrived at the château.Unlike some of their fancier neighbors, these Right Bank vignerons get a little earth under their fingernails. The Richards also plant other crops in addition to their vines, but it is their Montagne St-Émilion that surprises us year after year with its firm, chewy tannins, plump fruit, and incredible value. Montagne St-Émilion is regarded as a “satellite appellation” of St-Émilion. While it shares much of St-Émilion’s elegance and quality, the wines are a fraction of the price and the estates much less corporate than those in the neighboring hillside town. The Richards tend ten hectares of forty-year-old vines, deeply rooted in clay and limestone soils in a perfectly exposed natural amphitheater where they incorporate organic methods, shunning chemical pesticides in favor of natural composts which encourage microbiological activity in the soil. The Tour Bayard vineyards face south, yielding such ripeness that Kermit has been known to follow Bandol tastings with their wines. Merlot accounts for 70% of the blend, along with 25% Cabernet Franc (known regionally as Bouchet), and 5% Malbec. All vineyard parcels are hand picked and vinified separately. This terrifically bold Montagne St-Émilion is another amazing KLWM selection that is approachable enough to be enjoyed now and intense enough to age happily in your cellar for years to come.
From the Blog
July Newsletter: Staff Selections, Domaine Tempier P-A, New Arrivals from Corsica
The July newsletter is now available. Click here to download the pdf. Highlights from this month’s newsletter...
PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER
2012 DOMAINE TEMPIER
by Kermit Lynch
Today was my first visit of the year to Domaine Tempier. Down in the cellar, Daniel Ravier pulled tastes of the 2012 from their foudres, because they are not yet in bottle. Meeting the 2012s was like meeting an old friend—their 1979, to be specific, which made good drinking from the start. I recall the 1979 served cool in carafes for a bouillabaisse feast during the wine’s first summer. It was good right after the bottling, too, and at least in magnums, it is still good today at thirty-five years old. Not bad! Our 2012 is also a medium-bodied vintage, generously flavored, a real charmer. Even Cabassaou, which can be pretty tough and square-edged when young, is easy on the palate.
Then at 11:30 I met Lulu Peyraud for an apéritif—Lulu, who at ninety-six claims that she doesn’t drink water. At all. Never. She says she prefers red wine. I asked if she didn’t keep some Vittel or Evian hidden around the house to take a swig or two, you know, when no one is looking. And I wondered aloud, “Why, Lulu, why never a glass of water?”
“I don’t want to get rusty,” she said.
And as for the three 2012 cuvées spéciales, I’ll wait a few years before attacking them, but I’ll have several classiques for drinking cool during summer 2015.
per case
2012 Bandol “Classique”
$456.00
2012 Bandol “La Migoua”
660.00
2012 Bandol “La Tourtine”
660.00
2012 Bandol “Cabassaou”
984.00
2013 BANDOL ROSÉ IS HERE!
by Anthony Lynch
DOMAINE DE LA TOUR DU BON
First, you’ll notice the beautiful color of Agnès Henry’s 2013: it conveys the depth of flavor to be found in this excellent dry rosé. Very elegant, with subtle accents of garrigue, it is also our most affordable Bandol rosé at this time.
$30.00 per bottle $324.00 per case
DOMAINE DU GROS ‘NORÉ
Alain Pascal’s rosé seems to inevitably top last year’s version. While he is best known for his big, rustic, macho reds, his wines—in all colors—have recently begun to show an increased sense of finesse. In fact, his rosé in 2013 is notably delicate, quite the opposite of what one might expect given the wild, beastly reds he has produced in vintages past. It is lively and fresh, expressing not bananas but all those Provençal flavors that drive us bananas.
$32.00 per bottle $345.60 per case
DOMAINE TEMPIER
They say great wine is evocative of place. With Tempier rosé, all it takes is one sniff to be carried back to Provence, conceiving a dreamy fantasy of sunshine and ice-cold pink wine. Suddenly we are in the shade of a massive umbrella pine tree at Domaine Tempier, refreshed by a soothing breeze and generous sips of rosé. The cigales chirp buzzingly in the background, while the sound of laughter complements their constant hum. Your glass of Bandol, evocative of rosemary, ripe peaches, and citrus, is the perfect elixir to wash down the assortment of snacks that has spontaneously materialized: garlic-rubbed toasts with cured anchovies, olives marinated in herb-infused oil, and slices of salty saucisson. This is what Tempier rosé is all about—celebration, gaiety, and delicious simplicity.
$40.00 per bottle $432.00 per case
The Mediterranean at Cassis © Gail Skoff
PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER
2012 DOMAINE TEMPIER
by Kermit Lynch
Today was my first visit of the year to Domaine Tempier. Down in the cellar, Daniel Ravier pulled tastes of the 2012 from their foudres, because they are not yet in bottle. Meeting the 2012s was like meeting an old friend—their 1979, to be specific, which made good drinking from the start. I recall the 1979 served cool in carafes for a bouillabaisse feast during the wine’s first summer. It was good right after the bottling, too, and at least in magnums, it is still good today at thirty-five years old. Not bad! Our 2012 is also a medium-bodied vintage, generously flavored, a real charmer. Even Cabassaou, which can be pretty tough and square-edged when young, is easy on the palate.
Then at 11:30 I met Lulu Peyraud for an apéritif—Lulu, who at ninety-six claims that she doesn’t drink water. At all. Never. She says she prefers red wine. I asked if she didn’t keep some Vittel or Evian hidden around the house to take a swig or two, you know, when no one is looking. And I wondered aloud, “Why, Lulu, why never a glass of water?”
“I don’t want to get rusty,” she said.
And as for the three 2012 cuvées spéciales, I’ll wait a few years before attacking them, but I’ll have several classiques for drinking cool during summer 2015.
per case
2012 Bandol “Classique”
$456.00
2012 Bandol “La Migoua”
660.00
2012 Bandol “La Tourtine”
660.00
2012 Bandol “Cabassaou”
984.00
2013 BANDOL ROSÉ IS HERE!
by Anthony Lynch
DOMAINE DE LA TOUR DU BON
First, you’ll notice the beautiful color of Agnès Henry’s 2013: it conveys the depth of flavor to be found in this excellent dry rosé. Very elegant, with subtle accents of garrigue, it is also our most affordable Bandol rosé at this time.
$30.00 per bottle $324.00 per case
DOMAINE DU GROS ‘NORÉ
Alain Pascal’s rosé seems to inevitably top last year’s version. While he is best known for his big, rustic, macho reds, his wines—in all colors—have recently begun to show an increased sense of finesse. In fact, his rosé in 2013 is notably delicate, quite the opposite of what one might expect given the wild, beastly reds he has produced in vintages past. It is lively and fresh, expressing not bananas but all those Provençal flavors that drive us bananas.
$32.00 per bottle $345.60 per case
DOMAINE TEMPIER
They say great wine is evocative of place. With Tempier rosé, all it takes is one sniff to be carried back to Provence, conceiving a dreamy fantasy of sunshine and ice-cold pink wine. Suddenly we are in the shade of a massive umbrella pine tree at Domaine Tempier, refreshed by a soothing breeze and generous sips of rosé. The cigales chirp buzzingly in the background, while the sound of laughter complements their constant hum. Your glass of Bandol, evocative of rosemary, ripe peaches, and citrus, is the perfect elixir to wash down the assortment of snacks that has spontaneously materialized: garlic-rubbed toasts with cured anchovies, olives marinated in herb-infused oil, and slices of salty saucisson. This is what Tempier rosé is all about—celebration, gaiety, and delicious simplicity.
$40.00 per bottle $432.00 per case
The Mediterranean at Cassis © Gail Skoff