Featured Producer
Champagne Paul Bara
The Montagne de Reims boasts some of the best Pinot Noir in the region, and Bouzy is its capital. The key to Bouzy’s inherent greatness lies in its deep, chalky subsoil which imparts intense expression of fruit and great mineral complexity in its grand cru wines. The village of Bouzy and Champagne Paul Bara are practically synonymous. As the published village historian, Paul is indelibly linked to the lore of his hometown. Many argue that he is their most renowned producer, being one of the rare récoltants-manipulants in a region inundated with the mass-produced wines of the large, corporate champagne houses. These récoltants-manipulants, or R.M.s as they are known, are of the few that still grow their own grapes and make their own wines. Champagne Paul Bara is the quintessential example, where everything is done with a personalized touch.Over the years, gradual improvements have been made to the estate: the surface area of the vineyards was expanded to eleven hectares (only 26 acres!), the winery and press modernized, and the cellar extended – and what an impressive cellar! It is carved entirely out of pure chalk and reaches a depth of over thirty feet below ground. When Paul returned home at the end of World War II, he found these same cellars raided, pillaged of nearly all inventory, and irreverently trashed by the German occupying forces. Of the few bottles that were salvaged, one can still experience the longevity and timeless quality of the Bara’s classic style. When Paul retired, he passed the direction of the estate over to his eldest daughter, Chantale, who has kept their family traditions and their house style very much alive. The Baras make their wines by hand, with low-yielding vines. Chez Bara, good maturity is ensured by prolonged bottle aging: four years minimum for the vintage Champagnes and two years for the non-vintage. Andrew Jefford, author of The New France, calls them, “…essential references for anyone who wants to enjoy and understand the ripe, dry richness of Bouzy…”
Catherine Le Goeuil
The hilltop village of Cairanne on the left bank of the southern Rhône between Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine is a picture of Provençal fantasy where fields of lavender paint the landscape purple and proud plain trees line the marketplace in the center of town. Cairanne belongs to the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation and is widely regarded as the star among the seventeen villages that have the right to use this designation.Catherine Le Goeuil’s taste for adventure has made her a leading pioneer in Cairanne. Having been born in the Congo to French parents, she had already lived in interesting places, but she longed to return to her roots. In 1993, with little experience and great determination, she and her family bought a six-hectare domaine. Soon after implementing one of their first chemical treatments on the vines, Catherine became very ill. The viticultural direction for the domaine became instantly clear. In her mind, farming as naturally as possible was the only way to go. Over time, she started the conversion to organic farming, and is now fully certified in this methodology. In a village just shy of one thousand inhabitants and only two others who farm organically nearby, her decisions have been met with suspicion and trepidation. Though rooted to the place both figuratively and literally, she is still considered an outsider—not that she lets this dilute her conviction in any way.
Cairanne is located deep in the heart of the Vaucluse and boasts spectacular views of the famous Dentelles de Montmirail and Mont Ventoux. Catherine’s vineyards are frequently subject to the forceful mistral, which is known to purify vines of excess moisture when it is not wreaking havoc on her beautiful flower garden. Her vineyards enjoy all the benefits of organic farming: a grassy cover crop in between vineyard rows that provides nutrients and microbiotic growth and well-aerated soils in a typically tough and relatively impermeable sandy molasse. She credits this soil for giving her wines with finesse and approachability, but she deserves credit, too. Brave trailblazing, risk-taking, and persistence in the face of scrutiny have given this creative maverick the fortitude to make delicious, elegant blends year after year.
Bruno Colin
Michel Colin was the third generation in his family to grow grapes in Burgundy within the prestigious Côte de Beaune. When he retired in 2003, he handed the property over to his sons, Philippe and Bruno, who split the holdings between them to bottle under separate labels. With the help of his wife, Stéphanie, Bruno farms eight hectares of land, in thirty different parcels scattered over five communes, with sometimes as little as just a few rows per parcel. To farm under these circumstances is quintessentially Burgundian, where the old Napoleonic codes of inheritance (evolved from Roman law) divide property equally among offspring. Parcels farmed by any one family continue to get smaller and smaller as they are distributed among relatives.He bottles Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Santenay, and Maranges. In the old family winery in the center of the village of Chassagne-Montrachet, he vinifies nineteen cuvées separately, twelve of which are premier cru! He uses traditional vinification methods and ages his wines anywhere from twelve to eighteen months in barrel, though he tends to vinify each parcel in a similar fashion. Bruno’s style shows beautiful balance, both aromatically and texturally, while showcasing the delicate minerality and nuanced complexity of each vineyard.
Veuve Fourny & Fils
Champagne Veuve Fourny & Fils is relatively new to the KLWM portfolio, although it has been an active family domaine since 1856. The estate is located in the prestigious Côte des Blancs, in the premier cru village of Vertus, an appellation that gives them the rare opportunity to grow Pinot Noir as well as Chardonnay. Brothers Charles-Henry and Emmanuel Fourny sustainably farm nearly nine hectares of vineyards and have been carrying on the family winegrowing tradition since 1993. Their “Clos Faubourg Notre Dame” is a rare jewel in Champagne, primarily due to the fact that there are few existing clos parcels left in the region. In this walled plot of land, their older vines benefit from a unique microclimate with deep, chalky subsoil and clay and limestone deposits. Southeastern sun exposure optimizes grape maturity in an area of France where ripe grapes are a precious commodity. Their other vineyards share the soil composition of the clos and get east, southeast and southern sun exposure.Veuve Fourny produces classic grower Champagne, raising pedigreed fruit, adhering to high standards, and hand-crafting wines that showcase the chalky terroir of Vertus. All of the Fournys’ vineyards are farmed according to the same meticulous practices and principles, and each parcel is vinified individually. The Brut ages in their cellars for three years before release, the vintage Champagne for five years, and the Clos for nine years. The house style at Veuve Fourny is best characterized as classic Côte des Blancs: a fine bead, rich, deep aromatics, and a complex minerality emphasizing freshness and purity. The Fournys believe in minimal dosage for all of their Champagnes, preferring to let the individual terroirs express themselves more clearly. This technique, in addition to their dedication to partial malolactic fermentations in their overall blends, impeccable vineyard management, and their decision to age most base wine partially in barrel, all contribute to their unique style.
Château Haut-Lariveau
Bénédicte and Grégoire Hubau do not come from winemaking families, nor did they pursue studies in enology or viticulture. Both natives of northern France, Bénédicte was a computer specialist and Grégoire a chemist. Without much ado, they decided one day to leave it all behind and start a new life as vignerons. After visiting an endless line of available properties in various regions of France, they finally came across Château Moulin Pey-Labrie, an estate in Fronsac that met their requirement for a terroir de caractère. Unconcerned by their ignorance in the field of winegrowing but reassured by their experience as avid consumers, they purchased the property and dove head-first into their new adventure, counting on their employees to teach them as they worked. The young couple’s eagerness to learn earned them free advice from all their neighbors, and they drank in every word. It quickly became clear which approaches matched their own easygoing, natural philosophy, and before long they were deftly handling the vineyard and winery work on their own. The problem with many winegrowers, as they see it, is that they decide what a vine should have rather than giving it what it wants. Just as each of us has a unique style and prefers certain clothes or hairstyles, they learned that each vine needs individualized care in order to thrive. In 1990, having mastered their new craft, they purchased a second property, Château Haut-Lariveau. Château Moulin, though not a physical château, bottles wine from both Canon-Fronsac and Fronsac. The fruit for these “easy-drinking” wines is sourced from the lower-slope clay vineyards of either Château Moulin Pey-Labrie or Château Haut-Lariveau.Though their growing experience has only shown that their instincts were right from the start, the Hubaus have tweaked their methods over the years in order to bring the reality of their work more perfectly in line with their vision. Refusing to slacken their strict quality standards, they frequently design their own equipment, including one machine that works the earth from below. In the cellar they consider themselves observers, letting the character of the land express itself freely and encouraging the greatest possible elegance and finesse in all of their wines.
Bernard Baudry
Bernard Baudry is unquestionably one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers. Not only does he have the talent to make delicious and consistent wines, vintage to vintage, but he is also fortunate enough to have vineyard land that showcases many of the varied soil types of the appellation. After completing his studies at the viticultural school in Beaune, Bernard returned to the Loire Valley to consult in Tours. By 1975, he had purchased his first two hectares of land in Cravant-les-Coteaux, a village from which almost half of the production of A.O.C. Chinon is sourced. Over the years, the domaine has grown to twenty-five hectares. Bernard’s son, Mathieu, joined the family domaine in 2000 after studying winemaking in the Mâconnais and Bordeaux, with internships both in Tasmania and California!The Baudrys work vineyards composed of gravel, sand, limestone, silica, and clay. The variations of terroir and vinification methods make each of their cuvées unique and distinct. Bernard and Mathieu focus the lion’s share of their production on Chinon Rouge, five fine cuvées of Cabernet Franc, all aged in old and new barrels in their incredible cellars chiseled out of tuffeau behind the winery. They make a surprising Chinon Blanc, a rarity to find let alone to import, as well as a stunning Chinon Rosé. The Baudrys are staunch traditionalists, and you would have a hard time finding a Chinon more classic than theirs.
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.
Sommariva
For several generations the Sommariva family worked the vines on the high plains of the Veneto, growing a mix of French and local varietals and selling off most of their crop as was common practice at the time, but it was Caterino Sommariva who pinpointed the slopes as the best place for vines and began purchasing hillside vineyards together with his wife Urbana in the 1970s. The couple also had great faith in the Prosecco varietal (now known by its historical name, Glera) and decided to plant it exclusively on their new property, which gradually grew as they continued to snatch up adjacent parcels over the years. This great foresight put them in a very advantageous position when Prosecco and the hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene began to gain recognition in the late ‘80s for the light, clean sparkling wine we know so well today. Caterino and Urbana’s daughter Cinzia remembers watching her parents work and thinking as a child how hopelessly difficult the harvest seemed; so she chose another path in life and pursued studies in marketing. As she got older, though, she regularly returned to the estate and began to see her parents’ work through different eyes, slowly discovering her own passion for the hard work of winemaking. She eventually joined them and has since become a dynamic and enthusiastic partner in the estate.The name Palazzo Rosso, meaning red building or palace, is a historic epithet for the zone that refers to the russet color of the earth here due to its high content of iron and other micronutrients. Despite Prosecco’s reputation for being light and easy, the Sommarivas take their work very seriously, adhering to eco-friendly practices in the vineyards, harvesting manually, and keeping a very close watch over the vinification process while many of their neighbors settle for easier methods and mediocre wine. These are perfectionists who only sit back once the work is done and it’s time to enjoy the delightfully fresh, elegant fruits of their labor.
Château Gombaude-Guillot
In the heart of the Pomerol plateau, on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, the vineyards of Château Gombaude-Guillot have been a family property for so long that the current generation doesn’t even know when they were first acquired. The Bélevier family was already well established as vignerons in Pomerol and Néac when this property was passed down to Marie Bélevier as a dowry in 1868. The “château” itself, which was originally a café where the locals would gather for a drink after church services, was added to the property in 1922. Today, Claire Laval, Marie’s great-granddaughter, runs the estate. Claire started her career as an agronomist, specializing in soils best suited for cattle, and had no formal training in viticulture. It is through viticulture, though, that she has refined her expertise in soil management, learning from her own work in the vineyards. Though the estate is already certified organic, she is now pursuing the more stringent requirements of biodynamics. Her dedication to the environment even extends to using local oak for the wines’ élevage. Claire’s reputation among her peers also speaks volumes of her capabilities and work ethic: in 1991, she and only one other woman were inducted into the Confrerie des Hospitaliers de Pomerol, a first in this traditionally all-male wine fraternity.As a recently discovered jewel in the crown of Bordeaux, Pomerol does not have an official classification system, yet the standards set for the vignerons here are high. The château’s vineyards are comprised of glacial gravel deposits and clay, and vineyard work is focused around soil health, low yields, and maximizing ripeness. Cover crops are planted between vineyard rows to encourage microbiological activity in the soil. No chemical or synthetic herbicides or fungicides are used, and Claire is also careful not to eliminate vineyard pests entirely, citing their importance to the vineyard’s ecosystem. The vines average forty years of age and give naturally low yields. The wines of Gombaude-Guillot are classic reflections of Pomerol: rich and supple, with a deep gravel mineral structure. This vin de garde has all of the grace and finesse for which the appellation is known, without any of the highbrow pretention or price.
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy
Hippolyte Reverdy’s family has been making wine in the charming village of Verdigny, a commune of Sancerre in the eastern Loire, for many generations—perhaps as far back as 1600. Traditional in nature, the farm was planted to multiple crops, and the Reverdys raised goats and made small quantities of wine from their own vines for local consumption. It was not until the end of World War II that Hippolyte began increasing his Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir production, selling it to accommodate increasing demands from Paris. Hippolyte and his three sons began bottling small quantities under their own label, although the lion’s share of the grapes was still being sold off to the local cave coopérative. Michel joined his father and brothers in 1971, shortly after finishing high school. Kermit began working with the domaine for the first time in 1983. Shortly after, the passing of Michel’s father and the untimely deaths of his two brothers brought a climate of sadness to the domaine. Michel was left with his mother to bear the burden of loss and to assume the responsibility of running the farm alone. Slowly but surely, Michel has found his own rhythm. After tasting a Sancerre rouge from the domaine, Kermit asked Michel to craft one for him in the traditional demi-muids, and specified that he would like it unfiltered. Once convinced of the quality, Michel expanded the winery to accommodate these new reds. Since then, his rouge is the talk of Sancerre, one of a kind.Today, Michel farms fourteen hectares of vineyards on his own. Chris Santini, our man in France, writes of Michel, “His dedication is total. He’s one of the few remaining vignerons in France who truly live like a paysan [peasant]. No vacation, no travel, ever. He’s happy just to stay on the farm, working seven days a week, and wanting nothing more and nothing less…[Michel] plans to keep working the land until he physically can’t get himself out to the vines any longer.” In earlier days, Kermit considered the Sancerre blanc very good, with great typicity, although since Michel has taken the reins, Kermit says that Reverdy has since “become the benchmark domaine of our day.”
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