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Importer of fine wine from France and Italy. Established 1972 | Berkeley, CA
Featured Producer
Comtesse 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 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 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 premier cru vines 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 Chalumaux 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 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.
Domaine Monier
Jean-Pierre Monier is as happy and as grateful a vigneron as one finds. His small production wines certainly have not made him wealthy (far from it), but his effortless calm, natural sensitivity, and quiet conviction give him an enviable air of simplicity. He is the third generation of his family to be farming in Brunieux, a lieu-dit in the hills above the village of St-Désirat in the Northern Rhône appellation of Saint Joseph. Like his forefathers, wine is only part of his farm’s overall production. Apricot orchards complement the vineyards, and everything is farmed biodynamically. Between 1977-2001, Jean-Pierre sold his fruit to the local cave cooperative in St-Désirat, but the noticeable quality his vines were producing was enough to encourage him to bottle wines under his own label. Heavily influenced by the teaching and research of the German biodynamic guru, Maria Thun, Jean-Pierre earned certification in 2006.Northern Rhône expert, John Livingstone-Learmonth has developed a category for select vignerons of the region called STGT (Soil to Glass Transfer), of which Domaine Monier is a part. He explains, in his definitive classic, The Wines of the Northern Rhône,
This is a numerically small group, one that has survived the onslaught of marketing campaigns, press hype, fashions in winemaking, and wine school orthodoxies. There are a few other domaines that occasionally turn out unfettered wines in the STGT vein, but without the consistency. A sincere wish, of course, is that this group should grow in the coming years. (xiv)
With only five hectares of land to farm, all on gentle, higher altitude slopes, one might question the interest in working by such stringent standards. For a joyful artisan like Jean-Pierre, purity and authenticity are paramount, and his viticultural methodology is merely the most genuine manifestation of these ideals.
Podere Campriano
Almost all of the growers with whom we work manage “small family farms.” Then there is Podere Campriano in Greve-in-Chianti, who proves the statement more literally than just about anyone. This tight-knit Tuscan family lives in a humble farmhouse atop a small hillside of 2 hectares of Sangiovese vines. This is their little organically pampered backyard from which they craft a delicious range of Chianti Classicos in the tiny stone cellars beneath their home. It is all family, all artisanal, all natural, and all good. The only hard part is figuring out which is better: the wines, or the heaping platters of house cured salamis and prosciuttos and the local, aged pecorino cheese drizzled with their own homemade red wine must balsamico, all of which are permanent place holders at their table every single day. Thankfully one doesn’t have to choose. Unfortunately we can only import the wine.The three Campriano red wines are traditionally made and reflective of the unique terroir of the Alta Greve—dark, galestro schist infused wines with bold fruit and serious depth. All are 100% Sangiovese from three different micro terroirs (the upper and lower slope below their home, and a third hectare across the valley with a different exposition and more limestone). Their “IGT,” the way we like our “Super Tuscans,” is a de-classified Chianti Classico from their oldest, highest altitude vines, just to diversify their range. The extreme care and focus of the Lapini family and their dedication to organic agriculture impart a unique character and spirit upon their wines. These soulful wines are, much like the family, instantly likeable. Above all, and most importantly, they are delicious to drink at table, and we can't wait to make them a part of our daily life.
Domaine du Salvard
Domaine du Salvard has been a working domaine since 1898, through five hardworking generations of the Delaille family. Today, all forty-two hectares of vineyards are farmed by the capable brother team of Emmanuel and Thierry Delaille, with help from their father Gilbert. To our delight, they have carried on the traditions established by their ancestors, producing a true, classic Cheverny that is both simple and elegant. The Delaille brothers have focused their attention on growing fresh, lively Sauvignon Blanc, deeply rooted in the sand, clay, and limestone plains of northeastern Touraine. Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cot constitute their red grape holdings, creating youthful reds with great aromatics. Gilbert and his sons have also made their own contributions to the heritage of the domaine, including the introduction of sustainable farming practices into the vineyards, as well as temperature-controlled vinification equipment to the winery.Until finally achieving A.O.C. status in 1993, Cheverny was widely regarded as one of the best V.D.Q.S. (Vin de Qualité Superieur) of the Loire. However, some argue that this A.O.C.-in-waiting designation was a political maneuver by the I.N.A.O. to keep Cheverny’s delicious, sprightly Sauvignon Blanc out of competition with the other more famous appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Kermit was the first to discover the charm and value of Cheverny back in 1978 when he imported the Domaine Jean Gueritte. He took on the Cheverny of Domaine du Salvard in 1992, a year before the status change in the appellation. We continue to tout the domaine’s wine as one of the greatest values for Sauvignon Blanc perfection.
Podere Sante Marie
Luisa and Marino Colleoni’s native village of Bergamo is famous for its proud ramparts and medieval palaces, but to them it just couldn’t compare to the legendary natural beauty of Tuscany. The couple purchased an old property outside Montalcino known to the locals as Le Sante Marie and moved there in 1993. The following year during an evening walk in the glow of the setting sun, they spotted a bunch of grapes peeking out through the uppermost leaves of an old tree. The undergrowth was so thick that they couldn’t get to the vine, but their interest was piqued, and the next summer they got to work clearing away the scrub. When they finally finished, a neatly planted vineyard lay before them. Though many of the neglected vines had dried out, several were still intact, so they summoned the local inspector and had the vineyard certified to grow grapes for Brunello. Willingly plunging down the path that had unexpectedly opened before them, they replanted the vineyard in 1998 and produced their first wine from the 2000 harvest.Although the discovery of the vines was entirely coincidental, it seems today that the Colleonis were born to work the land. Luisa and Marino embraced organic viticulture from the start, and they are constantly searching for even more natural methods. For instance, introducing a natural predator of yellow spider mites proved just as effective against the pest as the organic insecticide used by their neighbors during a recent infestation; and they are researching the introduction of a certain spider that eats the roots of oidium in order to reduce (and eventually eliminate) the use of sulfur to protect the vines.
The northern exposure, high altitude, and marl soil (that is littered with huge seashell fossils) that characterize this property all combine to give an extremely elegant and fine Brunello that really sets itself apart from the majority of Brunellos in Montalcino. For all their seductive characteristics, these wines do not lack the characteristic muscle and concentration of Sangiovese from this part of the world. All of Marino's wines are capable of long aging, but can be enjoyed upon release especially by giving them several hours to breathe in bottle or in a decanter.
La Viarte
From a young age Giuseppe Ceschin had a great passion for wine, studying enology as soon as he was old enough and traveling around Italy gaining experience working for wineries in various regions. With the support of his wife, Carla, he followed his dream to Friuli, where the couple worked for thirteen long years before seizing an opportunity to purchase 35 hectares in Prepotto, near the border of Slovenia. The land was a long way from ready, but the Ceschins saw their future in it and dedicated the next decade to the hard labor of building terraces and planting new vineyards. In 1984 the family finally celebrated their first harvest and the realization of their dream. They chose the Friulian word for springtime as the name of the estate since it was the beginning of a new era in their lives.Giuseppe and Carla’s son, Giulio, says that he “grew up with their dream, breathing their passion, which helped me discover the fascinating world of wine.” Giulio and his wife Federica expanded La Viarte to 41 hectares, including 17 hectares of forest that they conserved to maintain the area’s ecological balance. After several decades managing La Viarte, Giulio decided to sell the estate to Alberto Piovan, bringing in outside management to ensure the long-term financial health of the property. Alberto has continued the focus on local heirloom varieties, such as Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Schioppettino, and has embraced the passion, perfectionism, and technical capabilities of the Ceschin family. He has shown both his talent and his creative side in bringing exceptional new wines to market recently, such as a lightly sparkling, gently sweet Verduzzo, and deep, complex, incredibly age-worthy Pignolo Riserva. He is also producing some of the best Refosco, Cabernet, and Merlot in Friuli. With the investments Alberto has made in the vineyards and in the talent of his team, this estate is going to continue to be a lot of fun to follow in coming years.
Domaine Costal / Henri Costal
Domaine Costal / Henri Costal is a unique collaboration between the well-known Chablis producer Domaine Jean Collet and Kermit Lynch. The project began with a simple barrel tasting with Kermit and led to a custom label, custom vinification, and bottling process exclusively for the American market. The end result of this first tasting was a terroir-driven Chablis from a single vineyard site called Truffières, loosely translated as “site where truffles grow.”In 2018, owner Romain Collet was digging through his family’s archives and found the original label that his great-grandfather, Henri Costal designed and used when he founded the domaine. Romain proposed that we revive this historical label and use the Henri Costal name. In keeping with our desire to preserve historical European wine styles as well as labels, this was a natural fit. Beginning with the 2017 vintage, all wines from our collaboration with the Collet’s will be labeled as Henri Costal.
Domaine Costal / Henri Costal continues to produce the “Les Truffières” bottling and recently they have added bottlings from the premier crus Vaillons and Mont de Milieu. The vines are worked organically and Kermit and the Collet family together agree on a blend of stainless steel, foudre, and barrel vinifications. Our bottlings are not filtered or cold-stabilized—a true rarity in Chablis. The skill of the Collets and their excellent terroirs combine to give us wines 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.
Vigneti Vecchio
While viticulture on the slopes of Mount Etna dates back thousands of years, only in the last decade or two have the wines produced on Sicily’s mythical volcano entered the global spotlight. Eager to exploit the terroir riches of this stunning natural wonder, waves of newcomers from around Italy and abroad have settled, relying on both traditional methods and modern enology to search for Etna’s truest expression.The fascination with Etna in the eyes of growers and consumers alike stems not only from its fertile soils of sandy, decomposed volcanic rock but also from the elevation that allows its wines to retain an uncommon freshness and delicacy at such a southerly latitude. Reaching over 1,000 meters above sea level, Etna’s vineyards are some of Europe’s highest, and the cool nights late in the growing season favor slow ripening and the development of extremely complex aromas at relatively low alcohol levels. Harnessing this potential to create wines of nuance and finesse, however, is another story altogether: it requires vision, dedication, and careful execution. It is with tremendous excitement, then, that we announce our collaboration with Vigneti Vecchio, a small family-run estate on Etna’s northern face.
Carmelo Vecchio and his wife, Rosa La Guzza, did not come from afar to make wine on Etna: they are true locals, raised in the heart of the vineyards. Carmelo began working at the nearby Passopisciaro winery at a young age, and after fifteen years of hands-on experience, the time came to strike out on his own. From barely one hectare of vines up to 130 years old inherited from Rosa’s family, the couple took matters into their own hands: sustainable farming by hand, with the goal of achieving an elegant balance in the grapes; micro-vinifications in the tiny cellar beneath their home, with respect for tradition and terroir; and aging the wines in used barrels before bottling without fining or filtration.
Armed with excellent raw materials along with Carmelo's years of experience and an appreciation for ancient local practices such as skin maceration for whites and blending white grapes into the reds, Rosa and Carmelo succeeded in crafting delicate, pure, and highly refined wines from their inaugural 2016 harvest. While Etna still searches for its identity, Vigneti Vecchio demonstrates that this towering volcano rising from the Mediterranean can in fact produce wines as beautifully nuanced as anywhere else in Italy.
Domaine Gallety
The bright and talented Alain Gallety began making wine in the Côtes du Vivarais alongside his father. Together, they had a vision. They built a state-of-the-art winery, constructed right into the hillside below their high-altitude vineyards. Today, Alain’s son, David-Alexandre, works with him. Quietly and diligently, they imagine one day making one of the greatest cuvées of the Southern Rhône. One wouldn’t initially think such a goal is easy to achieve in a little known area as the Vivarais. The Côtes run down the western flank of the Rhône, just south of Montélimar in the Ardèche. Although these hills mirror those of the Côtes-du-Rhône on the opposite bank of the river, the Côtes du Vivarais was only recently awarded A.O.C. in 1999. Over a decade later, the region is finally starting to receive the attention it deserves, both as a cooler and wetter climate than its neighbors across the river, but with a longer ripening season. The wines here stand as a gateway between the Northern and Southern Rhône, frequently seeing equal blends of the noble grapes, Syrah and Grenache.Though the Galletys reside here, making their exquisite blends with pride, determination, and focus, their minds are frequently traveling to other regions in France, where they are closely studying the methodologies and techniques of their contemporaries. Alain takes every aspect of the process seriously. To grow the quality of grapes he wants, he farms his fifteen hectares of vineyards organically, as he has done since the early 80’s. To best ensure freshness, he has installed top-loading, hatch doors over their gravity-fed tanks, so that the grapes go exactly where they need to immediately following the harvest—bypassing the cellar completely to begin their fermentation. The wines are then aged in Burgundian barrels, as the Galletys believe them to produce wines with greater finesse. Today, they are planting a vineyard so stony and wild that it will have to be worked by a draft horse. Alain Gallety is indeed a man of vision. Domaine Gallety is a new acquisition to the KLWM portfolio, but one well positioned for stardom with wines of such brightness, density, and impeccable balance.
Domaine Vinci
It took Olivier Varichon and Emmanuelle Vinci years of dabbling in various careers before finally settling down and establishing their domaine in Estagel, in the heart of the Roussillon. Olivier had previously studied enology and owned a wine shop while Emmanuelle worked as a biologist, but ultimately their dream of making their own wine prevailed and they began searching throughout France for desirable vineyards to purchase. They fell in love with the wild, rugged landscape of the Agly Valley, and in 2001 Domaine Vinci was born. Olivier and Emmanuelle now organically farm six hectares of vineyards, with parcels so isolated that they need not worry about chemical products from neighbors’ vineyards contaminating the rocky soils their vines call home. These stunning sites, nestled at high altitudes amid scraggly garrigue and perilous outcrops, are planted with very old vines that give absurdly low yields, often below 15 hl/ha. Due to many of the parcels’ remote locations and steep grades, everything is worked by hand, including Domaine Vinci’s very own sélection massale nursery that allows them to replant vines one at a time when necessary. As a result, each vineyard represents a stable, balanced ecosystem in which the native Maccabeu and Carignan Blanc, along with Grenache Blanc, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Grenache Noir, are able to thrive and express the rustic wonder of this unique terroir.After harvesting by hand—only when the grapes have reached peak phenolic maturity—the fruit is brought to the small Vinci cellar, where natural yeasts carry out fermentation in neutral vessels before the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, with little to no added sulfur. All of Vinci’s bottlings, from the Maccabeu-based “Coyade” to the 100-year-old Carignan “Rafalot,” express profound concentration and minerality from the clay, limestone, granite, and schist of this corner of the Roussillon. While each of their three cuvées is capable of inspiring sincere awe, this is no surprise given Olivier and Emmanuelle’s painstaking determination and endless hard work. The wines are a testament to the potential of the rugged terroir as well as the Vinci philosophy, and it is truly an honor to represent wines of such purity and vitality.
From the Blog
Elena Lapini’s Ribollita Recipe
Earlier this month, Elena Lapini of Podere Campriano shared her recipe for ribollita with us. She explained, “Usually, every family in the Florence area (ribollita is typical only in Florence, Arezzo, and the plain of Pisa) has its own recipe that was passed down from generation to generation, and I have my own recipe that came from my grandmother. Here is that recipe, translated into English because we occasionally make it in our cooking classes and I offer it to my English-speaking guests.
“As you might know, it was traditionally a peasant recipe, made of bread, vegetables, and broth. It was usually done on Friday, because the Catholic religion says that meat should not be eaten on Friday, but then it was also heated in the following days and this is why the name ribollita (re-boiled) was born. It seems the name was born around 1910, but already in the Middle Ages, a similar bread soup was cooked that was simply called by another name. Today, it is eaten during winter because of our abundance of winter vegetables.”
Click here to view our 6-bottle sampler of Tuscan reds to pair with ribollita.
Posted on January 29, 2020, 4:11PM, by Tom Wolf
Earlier this month, Elena Lapini of Podere Campriano shared her recipe for ribollita with us. She explained, “Usually, every family in the Florence area (ribollita is typical only in Florence, Arezzo, and the plain of Pisa) has its own recipe that was passed down from generation to generation, and I have my own recipe that came from my grandmother. Here is that recipe, translated into English because we occasionally make it in our cooking classes and I offer it to my English-speaking guests.
“As you might know, it was traditionally a peasant recipe, made of bread, vegetables, and broth. It was usually done on Friday, because the Catholic religion says that meat should not be eaten on Friday, but then it was also heated in the following days and this is why the name ribollita (re-boiled) was born. It seems the name was born around 1910, but already in the Middle Ages, a similar bread soup was cooked that was simply called by another name. Today, it is eaten during winter because of our abundance of winter vegetables.”
Click here to view our 6-bottle sampler of Tuscan reds to pair with ribollita.