© Molly Surbridge

The choice of wine, however, is crucial! At this intersection of the outdoors and picnic food, the wine you pick must match the free-spirited contentment of sitting on a patch of cool, green grass with your close ones. When selecting a bottle to bring on a picnic, I value wines that are above all fun, fresh, and delicious. Secondary factors are versatility and chill-ability. Before you load up the cooler, consider my top picks—I speak from experience:

2011 SAUVIGNON BLANC “UNIQUE” • DOMAINE DU SALVARD
Bright and zesty, keep it as cold as possible for maximum refreshment.
$14.95 per bottle

2011 PETTIROSSO ALLEGRO • PUNTA CRENA
Pink, bubbly, full of life, what more could you ask! Sure to put a smile on your face and get you feeling vivace.
$18.00 per bottle

2012 LANGUEDOC ROSÉ • DOMAINE DU POUJOL
Try it with some cold cuts and cheese or just pour it on its own. On a picnic, you might appreciate its screw cap.
$16.00 per bottle

2011 RAISINS GAULOIS • M. LAPIERRE
Light, juicy faux-Morgon…a classic. Chill it and drink it! Roll over in the grass laughing when you consider what you paid for it.
$12.95 per bottle

2011 BOURGUEIL “TRINCH!” • C. & P. BRETON
Fruit-driven Cabernet Franc that goes great with roast chicken, a chicken sandwich, or whatever you decide to eat.
$22.00 per bottle

2011 CORVINA VERONESE “BECCO ROSSO” • CORTE GARDONI
In the event you find yourself in the vicinity of a grill and happen to come across some raw meat during your picnic, you’re in luck! The Becco Rosso has your back in such situations.
$18.00 per bottle

 © Melanie Yee

Our first episode will revolve around pairing wine with Chinese food. Alright, not just any Chinese food: a good friend of mine has a new job cooking the boldly flavored Szechuan-influenced cuisine of Mission Chinese, in San Francisco’s Mission District. Three of us KLWM salespeople and our guests set out to prove that fine wine has its place on any table, even one where the amount of hot chili fumes in the air can cause spontaneous coughing fits. Much discussion preceded this epic meal, and each of us had our own ideas as to what would shine alongside Mission Chinese’s intense umami flavors that are often topped with a mix of Szechuan peppercorn and sizzling-hot chilis.

We decided on three wines that we hoped would quench our thirst, quell the spice, and stand up to the food.Our first wine was a 2011 Cassis Rosé from Clos Ste. Magdeleine. Sipping it while waiting for our first wave of food to arrive only increased the sense of anticipation brewing in us. Soon thereafter, the feast began, and the wine was put to the test. Provençal rosé was a no-brainer when deciding what to bring, as its combination of full body, fresh fruity flavor, and crisp acidity makes it perfect for almost all types of food. It delivered once again, and before we knew it the bottle was empty. Our next wine, the Champalou’s “Cuvée Fondraux,” is an off-dry Vouvray that we suspected would balance out the spicy flavors in the food. The wine worked exceptionally well, and not just with the spiciness. The sensually tender Tiki Pork Belly struck a chord with the Vouvray, with the wine’s slight residual sugar and fresh acidity perfectly complementing the sweet, fatty bites of braised pork. The “Fondraux” also enhanced the Spicy Octopus and Lamb Tongue’s Salad, each component of the dish bringing out different qualities in the wine.

After this second bottle was rapidly drained, the time came for main courses. To stand up to the savory overload we were about to dive into, we opened a bottle of Abbatucci’s “Rouge Frais Impérial.” Rice cakes and fermented black beans are not traditional staples of Corsican cuisine, but if the island’s Sciaccarellu-based refreshment could dictate this, we’d be seeing these ingredients alongside figatelli and boar stew on the Corsican dinner table. The Rouge Frais’ light body allowed the food to express itself, while the wild fruit and herbs came around strongly with each swallow. We finally finished our meal, our palates buzzing from the potent spice and our heads buzzing from the delicious wine. It came as a surprise that all three of our wines worked so well with such peculiarly bold, flavorful food, especially in an establishment where the norm is to have a cold beer on hand to gulp down when the heat kicks in. We left Mission Chinese that night wondering what other bottles would pair so well with this cuisine, a cuisine that is not known for being especially wine-friendly. But in fact, the opposite turned out to be true, as the intense Szechuan flavors had us constantly reaching for our glasses. We had only one regret as we walked off into the night, remarkably full-bellied: that we did not bring enough wine—something that could easily be rectified on our next visit!

2011 Cassis Rosé • Clos Ste. Magdeleine
$32.00 per bottle    $345.60 per case

2011 Vouvray “La Cuvée des Fondraux” • Champalou
$22.00 per bottle    $237.60 per case

2011 Rouge Frais Impérial • Comte Abbatucci
$25.00 per bottle    $270.00 per case

Mission Chinese Food
2234 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94110

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

MEDITERRANEAN WHITES

by Dixon Brooke

2011 ÎLE DE BEAUTÉ BLANC • YVES LECCIA

I chose these three wines for their freshness and elegance, qualities I value highly in southern, sun-ripened white wines. Leading the charge is this Vermentino-based beauty from the Leccias in northern Corsica. Salty and lemony, bright and maritime, it’s a great way to awaken the palate before a meal, to cut through cured sardines, or to enliven and complement fresh seafood.

$26.00 per bottle   $280.80 per case

2011 LANGUEDOC BLANC “SAINTE AGNÈS”
ERMITAGE DU PIC SAINT LOUP

The Ravaille family’s blanc keeps getting better every year, to the point that to my taste it has become one of the reference points for all of southern France. Precision, freshness, and finesse are the first three adjectives that come to mind. There are many secrets to this achievement, most importantly terroir. The backbone of the wine comes from Roussanne grown in a pocket of dolomite high on the Pic Saint Loup (the only location like this in the entire appellation). Combine that with ninety-year-old Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Clairette vines, harvesting before the grapes get too ripe, raising the wine in small Alsatian-style foudres and demi-muids, and the mystery begins to reveal itself. What impresses me the most is the touch on the palate—it is a textural masterpiece. The sensuality of Botticelli’s Venus and the backbone of Michelangelo’s David rolled into one. This suggestion is so much more banal than the Italian Renaissance, but I can’t help imagining a melon and prosciutto appetizer as an ideal pairing.

$23.00 per bottle   $248.40 per case

2011 BANDOL BLANC • DOMAINE DE TERREBRUNE

Reynald Delille’s Bandols are in a league of their own. All three colors! Reynald values finesse above all, and his soil of Trias limestone, his vines gazing down upon the Mediterranean—they help him execute his vision. When I visit, he regularly uncorks ancient whites from his amazing cellars that display mind-bending complexity and the freshness of youth. His rosé and rouge get most of the attention, but his blanc is truly a gem, too. La Revue du Vin de France recently called it one of the four best whites of southern France. I might be tempted to go farther. Buy a case and drink six bottles this year—put the other six in your cellar to witness the magic unfold over the next ten years. You won’t believe how it blossoms and deepens.

$32.00 per bottle   $345.60 per case

Fishing the Med’                                 © Gail Skoff

NORTH AND SOUTH

by Steve Waters

Unlike the regional differences that plunged the United States into civil war one hundred fifty years ago, this North/South rivalry has battled over a more thirst-inspiring objective—great wine! Let’s take a trip together and explore a few wines from one of the most distinctive wine-growing regions in all of France, the Rhône Valley.

Philippe and Lionel Faury                   © Domaine Faury

2011 SYRAH “L’ART ZÉLÉ” • DOMAINE FAURY

Talk about a great opportunity to get yourself in on the ground floor. This KLWM first-ever release, a young-vine Syrah, is from the celebrated northern slope of Côte Rôtie: Côte Brune. I’ve always thought Faury makes the prettiest Syrah—so redolent of lilacs, but also with trademark aromas of bacon fat and slate that make all the great Côte Rôties distinctive. This is no exception. The uniqueness of this wine is that because of the young vines it is very drinkable now. Oh, and by the way, at this exact moment in time, this is Anthony Lynch’s favorite wine!

$32.00 per bottle   $345.60 per case

2010 LIRAC “LE CLASSIQUE” • DOMAINE DU JONCIER

Okay, I’m not going to hesitate in saying this—Marine Roussel, proprietress of Domaine du Joncier, is an extremely talented winemaker. The release of her wines is eagerly anticipated vintage after vintage. She’s also a helluva nice person who is deeply committed to the art of her craft. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan (all grown among the galets roulés, the rounded stone–littered landscape of the southern Rhône) are the core ingredients that give this wine its terroir and typicity. By the time you finish your first bottle, you’ll be hankering for more, because this is also one of the best southern Rhône values we have to offer.

$24.00 per bottle   $259.20 per case

The first of the two pieces he sent is called: 8 Arguments to Wring the Neck of 8 Common Preconceptions About Alsace Wines, And Turn Them Into As Many New Ideas!

Below are the eight preconceptions that André dispels and click here to download the English version (translated by André himself)—a must read for any Alsace skeptics.

1. Alsace wines are too complicated!

2. Alsace wines are has-been!

3. Alsace wines give you headaches!

4. Alsace wines are sweet!

5. Alsace wines smell after petroleum!

6. Alsace wines do not cellar!

7. Alsace wines drink with Choucroute!

8. Alsace is freezing cold!

The second piece is: 2012: Great Dry Whites and Other Digressions

Here’s an excerpt:

“Today, in Alsace, our main challenge is to make great dry whites from ripe grapes.

And “ripe grapes” it is, not harvested too early and/or chaptalized! To me, grapes are ripe when their pips—or reproductive organs—are ready for offspring, since this is the very job of fruit in nature. And fruit will not be ready to be cut off from their foster shoots until they reach their full reproductive capacity. Indeed, once reached, most fruit will fall off. Grapes will then be ripe when berries come off easily and pips are brown in color and lignified and taste of sweet almond, so nothing to do with the ripeness governed by pure oenological prerequisites. It is true, however, that grapes harvested too early are not a fermentation issue, and lead to a lower alcohol content than ripe ones!”

Download André’s entire text on the 2012 vintage here.

Another one of these misconceptions is that Champagne is only meant to be drunk for celebrations and never with food. The brilliant marketers from Champagne (whose predecessors are at fault for creating the idea that Champagne is only for celebrating) have been trying to change this idea by claiming that Champagne makes for a wonderful wine to pair with a meal. On the surface, this notion might seem like a thinly veiled attempt to boost sales during the non-holiday months of the year. That might be true, but behind it was most likely a stunning first-hand experience, similar to the one I had a few weeks ago when I paired a heritage pork chop with the J. Lassalle “Cachet Or” and had a food-pairing revelation. Instead of immediately taking to Facebook and screaming, “I get it!,” I took a step back to fully understand why people don’t pair Champagne with food more often. Then I realized that Champagne is the problem, not the fine wine drinking public.

When people say, “pair Champagne with food,” they mean real Champagne—sparkling wines of great complexity, hailing from the Champagne region of France. Quality Champagne starts around $35 per bottle—a sum that for many customers is a little pricey, and falls in to the “special bottle” category. And isn’t that what Champagne is after all? A bottle for an extraordinary occasion?

The issue here is that there are few substitutes for Champagne. Consider a dinner of grilled halibut. What to pair? If you walked in to our retail shop, a salesperson might recommend the 2011 Bordeaux Blanc from Château Ducasse at $16 or the 2010 Pouilly Fuissé “La Croix” from Robert Denogent at $39. Two very different wines but both would make great pairings. For a toast on New Years Eve, Prosecco can substitute for Champagne, but when it comes to pairing with a nice meal, it just doesn’t work—when considering food, you need a sparkling wine with depth of character and some grip and length on the palate.

The myriad of other sparkling wines available are great for sipping by themselves, toasting an occasion, mixing with cocktails, and pairing with oysters and consequently I drink Prosecco, Vouvray Pétillant, and Clairette de Die more often Champagne. But give it a go. Trend towards white wine pairings but consider rosé Champagne as another option for a red wine pairing. Enjoy a bottle of Champagne at a nice restaurant or have it at home with a special dinner—you’ll be pleased and surprised at the possibilities.

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

 BORDEAUX FOR ALL

by Anthony Lynch

2010 SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU
CHÂTEAU TERTRE DE LA MOULEYRE

To understand the meaning of the term grand cru, have a taste of this Saint-Émilion. It is indeed grand, with a deep and impressive feel on the palate. Right now the velvety texture and luscious fruit aromas draw the glass to my lips. However, its hefty structure suggests that several years in a cool cellar will give a majestic wine, a true mark of its grand cru status.

$65.00 per bottle $702.00 per case

2009 MONTAGNE-SAINT-ÉMILION
CHÂTEAU TOUR BAYARD

Serve your Saint-Émilion grand cru to impress a distinguished guest at your table after you have toiled all day to fix the perfect dinner. Save the Montagne-Saint-Émilion for when it’s just you and your buddies making burgers. Château Tour Bayard’s Montagne is bold and juicy, and thanks to its reasonable price you won’t feel obliged to lick up any drop you might spill. Although, with its ample fruit flavors and smooth finish, nobody could blame you if you did . . .

$22.00 per bottle $237.60 per case

2008 POMEROL “CLOS PLINCE”
CHÂTEAU GOMBAUDE-GUILLOT

If my grandparents drank Pomerol, then this would be the Pomerol of my grandparents. It is the perfect example of a fine, elegant version of Merlot—the exact opposite of the wines that give the grape a bad reputation. Claire Laval bottles this single-vineyard cuvée from her oldest vines, and after a few hours in a decanter, it will reach its peak with silky tannins and a refined mouthfeel. I challenge you to hold back from drinking a few bottles and let them evolve slowly in your cellar!

$58.00 per bottle $626.40 per case 

LOIRE

by Dixon Brooke

2011 MUSCADET CÔTES DE GRAND LIEU
ÉRIC CHEVALIER

A few examples of KLWM daily standards: our namesake Côtes du Rhône and Monferrato Rosso bottlings, Dupeuble Beaujolais, Coutale Cahors, Salvard Cheverny, Corte Gardoni Custoza, Fontsainte Gris de Gris. Here’s another one: Chevalier Muscadet. Dry, crisp, always pristine, always thirst-quenching, a fantastic and versatile value.

$14.95 per bottle $161.46 per case

2011 SAVENNIÈRES “CUVÉE SPÉCIALE”
CHÂTEAU D’EPIRÉ

When the resurgence of knowledge about Savennières (currently in motion) is complete, you will no longer be able to buy these incredibly complex dry whites, capable of aging thirty years or longer, for thirty dollars. These Chenin Blancs, or Pineaux de la Loire, rival the greats from Alsace and Burgundy in terms of complexity and aging potential—but not price. The French press recently called Luc Bizard, owner and head wine man at Epiré, the last remaining holdout making truly traditional Savennières, crafted with no compromise whatsoever. Amen to that.

$30.00 per bottle $324.00 per case

2010 CHINON “LES GRÉZEAUX”
BERNARD BAUDRY

Baudry’s name stands tall in the circles of those who appreciate the Loire’s best Cabernet Francs. Many years ago Charles Joguet gave Kermit Baudry’s name, and Kermit has returned to the Baudry cellars every year since his first visit. Both the man and his wines are bastions of tradition, humility, and old-fashioned good sense. These Chinons aren’t just brilliant in their own right, they are pillars of a very old and grand tradition in the central Loire, and there aren’t many of these left.

$27.00 per bottle $291.60 per case

2010 SANCERRE ROUGE “LE CHANT DE L’ARCHER”
DANIEL CHOTARD

It’s back already! The 2009 flew out of here, and we quickly got the new vintage on a boat to California. Here’s to delicious Pinot Noir at a price that makes you a little less hesitant to pull the cork whenever the mood strikes. The combination of this noble grape, the Kimmeridgean limestone marl in Sancerre, and barrels from Burgundy for refinement makes for some really interesting pairings at table. Smooth as silk, beautifully balanced.

35.00 per bottle $378.00 per case

What do the majority of the wines we choose to cellar have in common? More often than not, they stand apart from the rest thanks to two factors: prestige and price. Big names like Châteauneuf, Chambertin, Montrachet, Pauillac, etc., are obvious choices, and for good reason. Such wines can be truly majestic, and while patience is required to get the most out of them, they rarely disappoint in the long run. But why should we limit ourselves to these tried-and-true classics when a whole new world of ageable wine lies in the shadows? Not to mention that very few of us bring home the grand cru paycheck that allows us to make large investments. Bringing some new faces into your wine storage area can delight you with unexpected pleasures, all while reducing your cellar’s financial footprint.

A wine’s reputation is often what prevents us from observing its maturation after a few years stowed away. One such example is Aligoté. Known to many as poor man’s white Burgundy, Aligoté satisfies in its youth with its refreshing acidity. The finest examples, including Aubert and Pamela de Villaine’s Bouzeron Aligoté, can also show impressive structure and complexity, placing it a step above its longtime status as a simple bistro wine. In his book Adventures on the Wine Route, Kermit recalls his experience of opening an aged Bouzeron for none other than the de Villaines themselves!

 Next on my list is Beaujolais, which shares Aligoté’s reputation of being simple and easy. Some Beaujolais is just that, perfectly at home in a little neighborhood joint next to a plate of paté and saucisson. But some Beaujolais, namely Cru Beaujolais, can pack a punch—full of wild aromas conveying fruit, earth, and spice, along with the tannic and acid structure of a very serious red. This is the Beaujolais to lay down.  One such Cru Beaujolais is Nicole Chanrion’s Côte-de-Brouilly. When young, the fresh berries on the nose make it hard to resist, but it’s evident that there is much more going on—a sleeping monster that needs years before it begins to stir, ultimately releasing a plethora of fascinating aromas. I recently had the privilege of tasting the last bottle of Nicole’s own stash of 1969s. “It was opened yesterday, so don’t expect too much,” she said, unnecessarily apologetically. We were all blown away by the wine’s silky texture and rich, complex flavors. It told a story, like a respected elder sharing wisdom with younger generations. Experiences like this one have taught me that ageing Beaujolais can be just as special as ageing Burgundy, only more affordable. The hard part is suppressing the urge to pull the cork today.My third improbable ager is rosé. Why would anyone age rosé? It tastes so good now that it might seem silly to do so. However, the right rosé—fuller-bodied rather than your everyday quaffer—can be worth laying down. Bandol rosé, for example, has the crisp freshness and fruit that makes it delightful to sip on a summer evening. It also has the necessary structure to go the distance, allowing these bright flavors to evolve into something truly worthy of contemplation. Domaine de Terrebrune’s Bandol rosé is an obvious choice thanks to its food-friendly nature and overall deliciousness. Winemaker Reynald Delille shocked me by opening a 1993. Its color was no longer rosé, but some sort of golden amber. The nose was no longer saturated with fresh strawberries and grapefruit, but had moved on to candied citrus, anise, and I guess we’ll call it spice. Mind-blowing! A true rosé de gastronomie: not meant for sipping by the pool, but featuring the roundness and succulence that makes it great to drink at table with a roast chicken or some aged cheeses. Never dismiss an old rosé!

These are only three examples to show that the wines we lay down don’t need to be first-growths or premier crus. They can be white or red or rosé and can come from anywhere and at any price point. Practice open-mindedness and patience, and in five, ten, or twenty years from now, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

However, these hills also have a long history of grape growing. Patrick offered to give me a tour of his vineyards on his ATV, but before starting the engine, he poured us each a glass of his Bugey-Cerdon. Sparkling Bugey is made not in the méthode traditionelle that we know from Champagne, but in the méthode ancestrale, where the wine is bottled part way through fermentation. “Back in the day, Bugey-Cerdon was a Christmas wine,” Patrick explained. “The heat of spring would cause the bottles to restart fermentation and explode from the pressure. As a result, the locals consumed all the wine over the holidays.” Fortunately, modern winemaking techniques and stronger bottles allow today’s Bugey to be available all year long.

We eventually hopped on Patrick’s ATV and sped off on a dirt road up the hill. He stopped at the base of a very steep vineyard and we dismounted. “This is my Gamay,” he began. “As you can see, I do not weed my vineyards—this is to maintain biodiversity in the soil and prevent erosion.” The vines stood tall, showing healthy foliage and pristine round purple berries. The space between each row was filled with all sorts of insects crawling around in the bright green grass.

We continued the ride and zoomed off into the wind, stopping only for a herd of cows, who clearly had the right of way. Minutes later, Patrick motioned toward a nearby vineyard. “This is my neighbor’s plot. He weeds between each row and uses chemical products on the soil.” The contrast with his own plot proved astounding—here, the vines looked as though they were struggling to stay standing, and many of the bunches were nastily discolored by rot.

Upon returning to the winery, we shared one more glass of Cerdon before I had to leave. For a rosé, its color is atypically dark, mirroring its bright flavors of fresh raspberries, cherries, and red currants. Gamay and Poulsard are the grapes responsible for this charming sparkler that is sweet only to the point of prompting you to dig your nose into your glass and quaff down the contents effortlessly.

Bugey-Cerdon is traditionally consumed as an aperitif or with dessert, but the possibilities are limitless. According to my colleagues here at KLWM, a glass of Bugey is appropriate at brunch, on the beach, at a party, in the bath, or with a significant other. We encourage you to explore other fitting occasions!

Highlights from this month’s newsletter…

 RIOFAVARA

by Delia Dent

As our only Sicilian property, Riofavara holds a special place in the Kermit Lynch portfolio; it is a natural fit but also stands out in many ways. The philosophy that drives owner Massimo Padova and his family matches our usual profile: they champion eco-friendly methods and expression of the terroir above all else, and their passion and rigor are evident in everything they do. But sitting in the middle of the Mediterranean, over 320 miles farther south than any other winery we represent and closer to Africa than France, the Eloro appellation is very distinct. It’s no coincidence that the bedrock is limestone, just as in many other famous wine regions—but its presence is all the more important here because its high moisture retention is crucial to keep the vines hydrated and happy in the torrid summers. For most of its history, the local Nero d’Avola was considered fit only to blend into French and mainland Italian wines to give them extra color and body, but today we marvel at the nuances that Massimo draws out of his old vines.

In Riofavara’s Sciavè these disparate elements come together to create a delicate harmony. It has all the power you would expect in a Sicilian wine and that sun-drenched quality that in the wrong hands can become overwhelming. But here they are perfectly balanced by a soft, velvety cloak. Profound and fresh. Hefty and drinkable. New and exciting.

2009 ELORO “SCIAVÈ”

$29.00 per bottle $313.20 per case

I pulled up to Domaine Achard-Vincent in my rented yellow Fiat Panda just as the harvesters were returning from a long day of work. Jean-Pierre, whose family has been making wine in the Diois (Dee-oo-ah) for several generations, greeted me before returning to tend to the day’s pick: about a dozen large crates packed with clusters of Muscat grapes, straight off the vine. He proceeded to dump the crates into the de-stemmer, demonstrating the process by which the grapes are crushed and eventually pressed. The entire operation is gravity-fed, consistent with the Achard-Vincents’ enthusiasm for organic and biodynamic agriculture. As the pressing began, a steady trickle of liquid turned into a heavy torrent, slowly filling the empty tank under the press. Jean-Pierre handed me a glass and motioned toward the stream of fresh Muscat juice. Its delicious grapiness almost made me wonder why one would even make wine out of it.

However, fermenting the Muscat has been a long-standing tradition in the Diois—the effervescent Clairette de Die, a somewhat sweet wine made mainly from the Muscat grape, is supposed to have outdated the production of all other sparkling wines. The méthode Dioise, as it is called, involves bottling the wine during fermentation, trapping the resulting carbon dioxide gas. The building pressure eventually reaches a point that causes fermentation to stop, leaving a playful sweetness in the wine that is balanced by crisp acidity and low alcohol. Nowadays, of course, the wine is subsequently racked and filtered to remove sediment and prevent any remaining yeast from finishing the job once the wine is in bottle. The Achard-Vincents also bottle a dry sparkler made exclusively from Clairette. Like the more traditional sweet wine, it is equally delicate and lively, showing incredible finesse.

The following morning, I woke early, eager to volunteer my hand in the harvest. The summer heat had yet to kick in and a pillow-like layer of fog still rested against the hillside. I joined the rest of the crew in the vines and began picking. The work was tiresome but snacking on the grapes provided adequate fuel. Finally, the time came for me to continue my trip.

Still sweaty from the intense labor in the vineyard, I knew I couldn’t leave without taking a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the Drôme. I climbed down from the road to the bank of the river before plunging in. I felt refreshed by the bracing cold and cleansed by the translucent purity of the water. My only regret was not bringing a bottle of Clairette to chill in the river and freshen up my palate.