Featured Producer
Guy Breton
Guy Breton is known by his friends as Petit Max – though he is anything but petit, by the way. He took over the family domaine from his grandfather in 1986. Until that point, the family was selling their fruit to the large cooperative wineries which dominated the region and were gravitating towards a uniform style. The rise of imported yeast cultures to impart flavor and aroma, the use of high-tech carbonic maceration, and the widespread commercialization of Beaujolais Nouveau debased the region’s reputation, and Beaujolais came to be seen as one-dimensional, lacking any expression of the native terroir. Following the example of traditionalist Jules Chauvet, Guy and three other local vignerons, Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Jean Foillard, soon hoisted the flag of this back-to-nature movement. Kermit dubbed this clan the Gang of Four, and the name has stuck ever since. The Gang called for a return to the old practices of viticulture and vinification: starting with old vines, never using synthetic herbicides or pesticides, harvesting late, rigorously sorting to remove all but the healthiest grapes, adding minimal doses of sulfur dioxide or none at all, and refusing both chaptalization and filtration. The end result allows Morgon to express itself naturally, without make-up or plastic surgery: rustic, spicy, loaded with schist minerals and at the same time, refreshing and deep-down delicious.Breton’s domaine is comprised of three hectares (only 7.2 acres), eighty percent of which lies in the appellation of Morgon, around the village of Villié-Morgon. The vines range in age from 8 to 80 years, with the 80-year-old vines dedicated to the “Vieilles Vignes” cuvée. Guy’s property is located in the microclimates “Saint-Joseph” and “Grand Cras,” where the naturally low pH of the soil creates favorable conditions for Breton’s sulfur-free vinification.
Domaine de Chérisey
The lost hamlet of Blagny, up in the hills between Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault in the Côte d’Or in Burgundy, is home to Domaine Comtesse Bernard de Chérisey. You may have heard the name “Blagny” before, attached to a bottle of premier cru Meursault-Blagny, or perhaps even a bottle of the increasingly rare Blagny rouge. Monks were the first inhabitants, planting vines in the 14th century. This almost magical, lost-in-time corner of the world boasts a unique microclimate, with a slightly different average temperature, exposition and soil than the rest of Burgundy. In our humble opinion, our friend and vigneron, Laurent Martelet, creates the most haunting masterpieces that emerge from this terroir. Laurent bottles the wines we import under the Comtesse Bernard de Chérisey label named in honor of his wife Hélène’s mother, who inherited their vines and passed them on to Hélène, who works side by side with Laurent.All of the de Chérisey vines are premier cru, are at least 60 years old, and they encircle their ancient cellar in the Hameau de Blagny. Their Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Hameau de Blagny is from vines on the south side of Blagny, level with the village, just above Puligny Truffières. It is a wine that combines the power and richness of Meursault with the ethereal finesse of Puligny. Laurent’s Puligny-Montrachet1er Cru Les Chalumeux is from vines just below Blagny, between the aforementioned Truffières and Meursault-Perrières. If you were a Chardonnay vine it wouldn’t be a bad place to put down your roots. The wine is loaded with white limestone and gives a very fine, intensely focused white Burgundy, très Puligny, screaming with minerality. It doesn’t have the renown of its neighbors, but it should. The de Chérisey Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru La Genelotte is from a vineyard just north of Blagny, on the Meursault side of course, high on the slope above the village. The wine is a powerful, classic, long-lived Meursault. The Genelotte vineyard is also a monopole meaning Laurent and Hélène are sole proprietors.
Christophe Buisson
Christophe Buisson is a young, passionate vigneron with all the skills for success. From his home base in Saint-Romain, the little known and thus underappreciated (and undervalued) appellation in the hills behind Meursault, Christophe has been honing his craft for the last decade. The appellation of Saint-Romain is ampitheatre-like, with the best sites located on stony slopes beneath a striking outcropping of limestone cliffs. You access the village after traversing Auxey-Duresses on the way to the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Christophe owns land in some of the best sites in Saint-Romain, Sous le Château and La Perrière, sites that would likely be premier cru in a village such as Chassagne-Montrachet.Christophe’s beliefs, meticulous work in the vineyards, fermentation in cement cuves, élevage in medium age barrels, minimal racking and pumping, and a gentle bottling with no filtration or fining for the reds, all combine to give wines of impressive depth and complexity. He manages to achieve sufficient natural ripeness every year and shuns chaptalization, and his wines show impressive concentration year in and year out. His are deeply colored reds with ample fruit and great texture and layered whites with ripeness and intense minerality juxtaposed for just the right balance. They are very user friendly Burgundies, capturing the immediate pleasure of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Buisson’s wines are always imminently drinkable upon release with generous aromas and flavors and while they do age well in a good cellar, these are wines to drink over the short to medium term.
Domaine de Terrebrune
Before acquiring vineyards, Georges Delille trained as a sommelier in Paris. In 1963, he bought what would become Domaine de Terrebrune, a property in Ollioules, just east of Bandol, framed by the Mediterranean and the mountain called Gros-Cerveau (Big Brain), dotted with olive groves and scenic views—an idyllic spot. During the years following the declaration of A.O.C. Bandol (1941), mass overhauling and reconstruction of vineyards were commonplace, and vignerons were eager to revive the noble Mourvèdre grape. Georges spent ten years just renovating the property; he terraced hillsides, refashioned the masonry, replanted vineyards following the advice of Lucien Peyraud, designated soils to lie dormant and regenerate, and built a new cellar. In 1980, his son Reynald joined him after finishing winemaking school, and together they launched their first bottled vintage of Domaine de Terrebrune, which Reynald named in honor of the rich, brown soils they farm.Reynald’s Bandols are different. There is a more ethereal quality to them, a real freshness—and with Mourvèdre accounting for 85% of the final assemblage, this is praise indeed. Soil, climate, and winemaking all play a role. Limestone dominates the subsoil of Bandol, with tremendous variation between vineyards. Throughout Terrebrune’s thirty hectares, beneath the layers of clay and earth, the blue, fissured, Trias limestone is silently at work. This bedrock lends a more noticeable minerality to the wine than others. The soil here is healthy and full of nutrients, because he adheres to organic farming practices; to achieve the balance in the vineyards, he plows regularly. Gentle maritime breezes funnel air into the vineyards directly from the Mediterranean, cooling the grapes from the bright sun—another factor in safeguarding the freshness. This, in turn translates to wines for great long-term cellaring, including the rosé and dry white. Reynald’s credo of “Philosophy, Rigor, and Respect” is not a catch-phrase. He believes that the hard work and extra attention to the vines is worth it, and, as they say, the proof’s in the pudding—a glass of Terrebrune!
André Perret
When André Perret was growing up in Chavanay, in the northern Rhône Valley, most of the land there was planted to orchards, including the bulk of the family’s own small estate. Their roots were in Burgundy, though, where André’s forefathers owned and worked vineyards in Chassagne-Montrachet until World War II forced them to relocate. As a young man André studied biology and took a job as a cancer researcher, but he felt cooped up in the laboratory and dreamt of a life outdoors. In 1982, after completing a degree in viticulture and enology, he returned to his hometown and started out with a few small rows of vines that had belonged to his uncle. At that time there were just two other vignerons in Chavanay and the region was in decline, but he believed profoundly in the value of the local terroirs and worked hard to valorize the area, becoming president of the department’s association of young agriculturalists and establishing programs that would encourage people to settle down and plant vineyards there. He also worked tirelessly to develop his own estate, expanding production by renting vineyards and replanting the family lands to vines. Today he is proud to be surrounded by dynamic, passionate young vignerons and to see that most of his neighbors’ children are eager to take over the family estates as they grow up.Perret’s approach to winegrowing is classic: respect each individual terroir—he produces several single-vineyard wines—and work the soil to avoid the need for chemical treatments. His goal is to make fresh, structured wines, in “a sort of Burgundian style” as he says, but without too much wood; wines that aren’t too worked over and will age well. His Condrieu bottlings are reference points for the entire appellation. In 1995 André built a new cellar, but he has never expanded beyond the very best terroirs and keeps the estate small so he can maintain his standards of manual labor in the vineyards and individual attention to all of his wines.
Domaine de Reuilly
When tasting the wines of Denis Jamain, it is clear that the appellation of Reuilly, in the eastern Loire, is experiencing a renaissance, moving far beyond its former status as the “poor man’s Sancerre.” This land was once a source of great pride, having been part of a gift of the 7th century king, Dagobert, to the Royal Abbey of Saint Denis. Phylloxera had ravaged the majority of the vineyards here in the late 19th century, but Camille Rousseau (Denis’ maternal grandfather) had faith in the future of Reuilly. In 1935, he planted his first vines here, in addition to farming a large oak forest on the outskirts of town. Denis shares his grandfather’s passion for the vineyards and the forest, as well as his hometown pride. Though he studied in the United States and speaks excellent English, this charismatic and friendly gentleman wanted nothing more than to return home to take over the family domaine. In 1990, Denis began adding to the family holdings. Today, he farms a total of seventeen hectares in the heart of the appellation, with eleven planted to Sauvignon Blanc, four planted to Pinot Noir, and two planted to Pinot Gris, which makes his superb and distinctive Reuilly rosé.The soils here are rich, resting on the prized Kimmeridgian limestone, a geological chain that connects the Loire Valley with Chablis in Burgundy. This limestone is valued for its high content of marine and shell fossils dating back 150 million years ago to the Jurassic period. These minerals are without equal for producing some of the most beautiful whites in France. Denis has been practicing sustainable agriculture for many years and has recently started the conversion process for organic certification. Though he uses both stainless steel tanks and oak, Denis is very proud to be able to select special oaks from his grandfather’s forest to make his barrels. This is the concept of “local” in its purest form.
Domaine de Marquiliani
The village of Aghione is not far from the old Roman capitol of Corsica on the eastern coast of the island, poetically known as the Costa Serena. Flanked against the Corsican Mountains where the flats begin to rise into the hills, this small village of 235 inhabitants is just as celebrated today for its sulfur springs, olive groves, and vineyards as it was thousands of years ago. The enduring legacy is no coincidence—cool nights, high altitude, and the soil help the grapes retain their freshness and allow for a slow, even ripening. The terraced land of Aghione is a mix of schist and granite gravel with silt that has descended from the mountains over the last ten thousand years.The Amalric family has farmed Domaine de Marquiliani since the 1950s, nearly twenty years after the two hundred-year-old domaine was destroyed in a fire and abandoned. The Amalrics bought the property and replanted the vineyards. Daniel Amalric earned great recognition for his wines, as he was the first to plant Niellucciu and Syrah on this side of the island. In 1995, he was joined by his daughter, Anne, an agricultural chemist who had returned from mainland France to take her place at the family farm. Initially, Anne put her energy into planting olive and almond trees. Her determination has not been in vain, as Domaine de Marquiliani’s olive oil is widely regarded as the best in Corsica. Recently, Anne has turned her focus back to the vineyards, which are well-rested after a long hiatus. She still works side-by-side with her father and is quick to credit him as her guiding light in the vineyards and the cellar. In spite of her modesty, Anne has become a success in her own right. Her wine made an instant impression on Kermit, who raves, “Drinking her rosé is like drinking a cloud. There’s an absolute weightlessness to it. Nothing is left on the palate but perfume.”
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.
Pierre Gonon
Pierre Gonon farmed some of Mauve’s best slopes in the heart (some say the birthplace) of the St-Joseph appellation. In 1989, he turned direction of the property over to his sons, Jean and Pierre. This friendly, talented team of brothers has since earned a reputation as the domaine of St-Joseph. This appellation sits along the western bank of the Northern Rhône, with its neighbor, Hermitage, across the river. When it gained its A.O.C. in 1956, the area under vine was very small, centered around the town of St-Joseph and neighboring villages Mauves, Tournon, and St-Jean-de-Muzols. The eastern exposure in the vineyards allows for fewer hours of sunshine, lending an unusual freshness and joie de vivre to these Northern Rhône whites and reds.In 1971, the appellation was expanded, and with it many over-cropped, forgettable wines soon followed. The Gonon brothers break this paradigm completely, as they both farm and ferment in the old-school style. They work their nine hectares of land without any chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, using all-natural composts. They just recently started the process for organic certification, although they have been farming this way since 2004. Their low-yielding vineyards span three of the original communes of St-Joseph, all sitting on prized granite bedrock, the best of which was purchased from the famous Raymond Trollat, now retired, in 2005. Vineyards are replanted with cuttings from their strongest vines to perpetuate healthy rootstock and continuity of style. Once in the cellar, they ferment the wines traditionally in open, oak vats, with regular punch-downs by foot. Their wines are gutsy and wild, while still showing the freshness typical of the appellation.
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 Vallé 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.
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