Two Tastings This Week!

Wines of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants

Thursday, September 20th
5:00 - 7:00

We had originally planned this tasting for this past Saturday, but postponed it due to the uncertainty surrounding the storm that passed through.  We hope everyone stayed safe and dry, and can now join us for a great mid-week tasting event!  At least once a year we dedicate a tasting to some of the beautiful wines brought to the US by Kermit Lynch.  One of the first truly notable importers, Mr. Lynch represents unfiltered, unfined wines with an incredible sense of place.  In 1972, with a $5,000 loan and maybe a bit of gumption,  he opened Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley, California with thirty-five cases of wine stacked on the floor. Attracted by the Old World wine cultures of Europe, Kermit became a retailer, distributor, and national importer for authentic wines that express their terroir. Much like his close friends, the late food writer Richard Olney and Chez Panisse's founder Alice Waters, Kermit's influence has been enduring. He has had so much success shining the spotlight on small, artisan producers that he has won two James Beard awards and was knighted by the French government with their prestigious "Legion d'Honneur." Nearly every wine he imports is produced following organic practices, and are exceptional examples of terroir driven wines.  We will sample KLWM selections from both France and Italy.

Santa Barbara Verdicchio
Castelli di Jesi DOC, Italy, 2016

La Viarte Pinot Grigio
Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC, Italy, 2017

Château Ducasse Blanc
Bordeaux, France, 2017

Portelli Vittoria Frappato
Vittoria, Sicily, Italy, 2016

Clos La Coutale
Cahors, France, 2015

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The Beauty of the Blend

Saturday, September 22nd
4:30 - 7:00

The idea of labeling a bottle of wine by the grape name is a relatively new trend in the wine world.  Some areas, such as Alsace in France, have done so for years, but they were very much in the minority.  Historically the name that went on the label most often, the name thought to be most important, was the region, village, or vineyard the wine came from.  It was often the case for many of these classically known wines that they would also not necessarily be made of just a single grape, but were blends.  Many believed that blending a variety of grapes which prospered in a specific area would give a better sense of terroir, that the wine tastes of where it was grown.  In the Southern Rhone Valley Chateauneuf-du-Pape is king, and can be composed of up to 13 recognized grape varieties.  Red Bordeaux has thrived based for centuries on a classic collection of 5 noble grapes, and Tuscany's Chianti allows 4-5 other grapes to be blended with the mainstay Sangiovese grape.  Even in Californian wines, many people drink more blends than they realize, as a wine need only be 75% of a single grape to be listed as such, and they are not required to indicate if it is blended with other grapes (though the large majority do).  So this Saturday we are going to look at five of our current favorite blended wines, and investigate if the whole is truly more than the sum of its parts!

Domaine Galévan 'Libre Expression' Blanc
Côtes du Rhône, France, 2017
80% Clairette, 10% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne

Au Bon Climat Pinot Gris / Pinot Blanc
Santa Barbara County, California, 2017
50% Pinot Gris, 50% Pinot Blanc

Evolution 'Big Time' Red
America, NV
Syrah, Sangiovese, Nero d'Avola, & assorted White Varieties

Petra 'Zingari'
Toscana IGT, Italy, 2014
25% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 25% Syrah, 25% Petit Verdot

Daou Vineyards 'Pessimist'
Paso Robles, California, 2017
64% Petite Sirah, 23% Syrah, 10% Zinfandel, 2% Lagrein, 1% Tannat