KERMIT LYNCH WINE MERCHANT

Cantine Valpane

The Fojadelli family proudly displayed the awards bestowed on their Barbera: gold medals at tastings in Dijon and Bordeaux in 1898, silver the same year in Hamburg and the next in Rome. Their stately villa at Valpane overlooked one of the most enviable vineyard sites in the Monferrato, a perfect amphitheater that had been planted with vines since at least the 1700s. One day a young man came to the estate and enthusiastically described his dream to buy Valpane and pursue his passion for winegrowing on this exceptional plot of land. The elderly Fojadelli brusquely refused at first, but a housekeeper saw the young man’s desolation as his hopes were crushed and convinced the owner to give him a chance. Pietro Giuseppe Arditi began working the land in 1900 under a sharecropping agreement, and after his passion and dedication to his work had earned Fojadelli’s confidence, he purchased the estate in 1902. Over the years he planted more vines and raised his family at Valpane. His eldest daughter, Lydia, was a brilliant student with a bright future in mathematics, but her mother needed help around the house so, like many girls of her generation, she was pulled out of school at an early age. But instead of cooking and tending to her elderly grandmother, Lydia followed her father out to the vineyards, where she quickly became fascinated by his craft. Before long, she was working alongside him and showing a keen business sense in dealing with clients. As Pietro grew older she gradually took over the estate, continuing to make the same structured, aromatic wines for which Valpane was already known. Today Lydia’s nephew, named Pietro for his grandfather, runs the estate. He is bursting with pride in his vineyards and the distinguished history of Valpane, but he never takes credit personally for his wonderful wines. “People tell me I’m a great winemaker,” he says, “but the wines of Valpane have been winning awards for well over a century, so it can’t be my doing. I’m just careful not to ruin what the land gives us!”
Although the names Asti and Alba may be more widely recognized today, Pietro explains that the Monferrato provides more faithful expressions of Barbera. This is due in part to the warmer climate and longer hours of sunlight here, which allow the grapes to ripen completely and unfurl the full personality of the variety. The Monferrato is also still relatively untamed, and the forests and fields here benefit the area’s vineyards by providing a natural source of variety. At Valpane these factors combine to provide meaty Barberas that nevertheless offer plenty of lively fruit. Pietro then lets them sit in large oak botti and cement tanks for several years, depending on the cuvée, and releases them only when they are ready.

Mas Champart

Isabelle and Matthieu Champart were relatively new to winegrowing when they first took over Domaine Bramefan (as her family’s farm is also known), in Saint-Chinian, in 1976. Isabelle was a Parisian with a degree in Geography, while Matthieu came from a family of farmers in Champagne. For nearly twelve years they sold their grapes to the local cooperative. Though they waited until 1988 to bottle under their own label, they won almost instant acclaim, and have become the standard against which other producers in the appellation have been measured ever since. Matthieu tends to the vines, and Isabelle makes the wines—that their home is surrounded by their vineyards makes their division of labor all the more poetic. The Champarts have made significant changes to their business over the years. While the domaine started from just a simple, humble, stone farmhouse, they later added a winery and have expanded the holdings from eight to twenty-five hectares (sixteen of which are consecrated to vineyards, the remaining nine to arable crops and orchards). The terroir here is a patchwork of soils: steep slopes of clay and limestone (Mourvèdre), brightly colored marl (Carignan & Syrah), limestone (Syrah & Grenache) and lower slopes of clay and sandstone (Cabernet Franc). They live among their old vines on a gentle slope and have slowly started integrating more organic practices into their farming. Though the wines are easy to appreciate now for their inky complexity, they age extremely well and shine after some decanting.
Kermit wants to add that Isabelle is also one of his favorite cooks. He always tries to land an eleven a.m. appointment on the off chance they will invite him to stay for lunch.

Domaine Hauvette

Not far from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a tourist town known for Roman ruins and as the place where Van Gogh painted “The Starry Night,” you’ll find Domaine Hauvette. Nestled among the foothills of Les Alpilles, the vines are surrounded by a rocky and wild landscape—the clay and limestone soil retains moisture for the arid summer months, the Mistral blows half the year, and garrigue is seemingly everywhere. It is here that in the early 1980s Dominique Hauvette, seeking more sunshine, left her job as a lawyer in the Savoie, re-discovered her passion for raising horses, and began studying oenology. Thirty-some years later and Dominique now has 17 hectares of vines and an international reputation for making benchmark natural wines.

When striving to make wine as naturally as possible, a focus on growing the healthiest and most perfect grapes is an absolute necessity. Dominique’s conversion to biodynamics starting in 2000 added rigor to her intuitive organic practices, and coupled with her magical terroir she has found an exciting recipe for success. In the cellar, she takes a decisively non-interventionist stance and is very low-tech, yet she is not afraid to experiment as is evidenced by her being one of the first winemakers to use concrete fermentation eggs. Like Didier Barral and Catherine and Pierre Breton, Dominique is a trailblazer in the natural wine movement, each year pushing the quality of her wines higher and higher with uncompromising standards. Her range of wines provides much to be excited about: the “Petra” rosé completes its malolactic fermentation in concrete eggs, the “Jaspe” Roussanne is probably the most delicious pure varietal Roussanne you’ll ever taste, the “Cornaline” Rouge is like a blend of Trévallon, Tempier, and Vieux Télégraphe, and the “Amethyste” Cinsault has finesse to rival many Burgundies. Bienvenue Dominique.

Corte Gardoni

Documents show that the Piccoli family has owned vineyards in the Veneto since the year 1600. Many generations tended the vines, but after phylloxera hit, the ravaged family estate couldn’t support all five brothers, and one of them left to become a fruit grower. Two generations later Gianni Piccoli grew up surrounded by orchards, but he had wine in his blood so when an estate with extensive vineyards came up for sale in 1971 he jumped at the opportunity. For several years the grapes of Corte Gardoni were sold to local cooperatives, but Gianni felt that their wines lacked the soul and individual attention necessary to produce an honest, natural product. In 1980 he definitively broke those ties and for the first time crafted his own wine, focusing on the inherent character of the grapes and the terroir.
Over the course of his long career, Gianni became a highly respected figure in the region as well as a fierce leader in the fight against the homogenization of the local wine scene. While local cooperatives pushed for laws that would encourage producers to plant French grapes like Chardonnay and Merlot, the place of honor at Corte Gardoni has always been reserved for local varieties such as Garganega, Corvina, Rondinella, and others. The Piccolis’ vineyards occupy 23 hectares, while the rest of the property encompasses orchards, forests, olive trees, and arable land, from which the family also produces fruit, olive oil, and the first balsamic-style vinegar to be made from apples.
Gianni passed away in 2020 with nearly fifty vintages under his belt at the helm of Corte Gardoni. In the process, he became a local hero and proud ambassador of Bardolino and its terroir, setting the stage for a new generation to follow in his path creating humble, delicious wines from native grapes that speak to the region and its traditions. Corte Gardoni remains in capable hands today, as Gianni's three sons had already taken over daily operations at the winery several years before his passing. Mattia is in charge of the cellar, Stefano manages the vineyards, and Andrea helps both of his brothers and also handles the commercialization of the wines. They carry on their father's work and continue to strive forward, taking further steps toward sustainability while seeking creative solutions to new challenges such as climate change. The majority of their production goes to the versatile and irresistibly delicious Bardolino “Le Fontane,” Bardolino Chiaretto (rosé), and Custoza, while the more sophisticated Bardolino Superiore “Pràdicà,” Custoza “Mael,” and Becco Rosso demonstrate nuance and incredible longevity. At dinners with clients the Piccolis regularly uncork bottles from renowned names like Armand Rousseau and Sassicaia, then they sit back and grin as their guests discover how well the older vintages of their own wines show in comparison.

Domaine Michel Brégeon

Founded by Michel Brégeon and run today by Fred Lailler, this historic domaine helped to redefine Muscadet as we know it thanks to Michel's crusading efforts throughout his career. Over the years, he became an ardent defender of the Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine terroir, the most highly regarded of the seven appellations in the Pays Nantais. Thanks to his deep understanding of the nuances of the land, he played the game much differently than the region’s caves cooperatives and négociants, whose tendency to mass-produce threatened to destroy the appellation's reputation. For seven years, Michel worked for his family’s domaine before setting out on his own in 1975. When his father retired in 1989, he gave his remaining vineyard land to Michel. Today, the domaine comprises 8.5 hectares of vineyards in clay, silica, and gabbro soils. Gabbro is old, blueish-green, igneous rock, rarely found in vineyard land. Formed by magma solidified deep inside the Earth's crust, it is said to impart complexity, length, and intense minerality to the domaine’s wines. This corner of the Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine, Gorges, is particularly known for this soil, and all of the domaine's vines are planted in it. Gorges was among the first crus of the Sèvre-et-Maine appellation to be recognized in 2011.

Though Muscadet (made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape) has been commonly known to produce young, fresh wines, (even those that spend a few months sur lie), Michel broke the mold, keeping some of his wines on the lees for as much as seven years! These wines are aged in subterranean glass-lined cuves, as local tradition dictates, and while they always drink well upon release, they have a proven track record of aging. The unexpected freshness and depth of these older wines has silenced many a skeptic. Tastings at the domaine of bottled vintages spanning twenty years are the stuff of KLWM lore. An older wine from Brégeon has similarities to aged Chablis, gaining in weight while developing an earthy, mineral bouquet of surprising complexity.

Our collaboration with the domaine is one of the longest-running of our portfolio, dating back to 1979. Though Michel retired after the 2010 vintage, the domaine’s legacy lives on with the young vigneron, and Muscadet native, Fred Lailler. Since taking over from Michel, Fred has continued the Brégeon ethic of producing serious, terroir-driven Muscadet of great complexity and aging potential. He has even completed an organic conversion for the domaine's vineyards—a rare feat in a region still dominated by high-yielding, intensive viticulture. Tasting a Muscadet from Domaine Brégeon is enough to convince anyone of the caliber of a terroir like Gorges, and proof that the region is capable of much more than the simple quaffer.

Peter Dipoli

Peter Dipoli represents one of the wine world’s pure talents, a pioneer in Alto Adige who is producing wines on a level beyond what anyone thought possible in this mountainous region. After much research and study, Peter determined that the steep, high-altitude slopes near Bolzano are ideal for the production of complex, age-worthy white and red wines. He began by replacing the local red Schiava with Sauvignon Blanc: at this altitude, Sauvignon would be able to enjoy a longer growing season, attaining great ripeness while retaining the acidity that would allow it to age in bottle. His in-depth study of terroir seems to have paid off, as the Voglar bottling—a pure Sauvignon Blanc grown in limestone soils on near-vertical slopes, fermented and aged in acacia casks—is characterized by gorgeous exotic fruit with abundant minerality.

Peter’s research led him to detect a zone with a milder climate and soils of clay and limestone, ideal for Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Like for his white, he can achieve longer hang time that confers optimal maturity to the fruit while avoiding unpleasant vegetal flavors. After two years in barriques and another two in bottle, Iugum is released. Peter's goal is to make an age-worthy, complex red from Alto Adige that simultaneously reflects its terroir, and like Voglar, Iugum has been a great success in this regard. It is a cool climate Cabernet that shows both great poise and class and excellent drinkability. Broadly useful at table, it is approachable young but has great potential for the cellar as well. Experience the unique artistry of one of northern Italy's great talents, a secret largely guarded within Italy's borders, until now.

Champalou

Catherine and Didier Champalou both come from a long line of vignerons—Catherine represents the twelfth generation in her family to make wine in Vouvray, while Didier, from the Poitou region just to the south, marks the sixth generation of his family to dedicate his life to the vine. Upon completing viticultural school in Saumur, where they met, the couple decided to brave it on their own, starting with modest holdings in Vouvray. Since founding the domaine in 1983, they have not only grown their vineyard land, but their label has become one of the most highly-acclaimed in the appellation. Vouvray is home to the noble Chenin Blanc, more commonly known as Pineau de la Loire in their part of the world. Blessed with ideal soils and climate perfectly adapted to the Pineau, the Champalous are veritable Chenin specialists whose diverse cuvées show off Vouvray at its very finest.

In the Loire's Touraine region, Vouvray enjoys a warm, continental climate during the summers. Slowly dropping temperatures in autumn make for a long ripening season, while microclimates with high humidity can also bring about the beloved noble rot in some years. The soils of clay, rocky limestone, and silex (flint) sit atop the Loire's famous tuffeau bedrock, a chalky foundation that provides freshness and finesse to the wines. The Pineau of Vouvray can be pétillant (sparkling), sec (dry), demi-sec (off-dry), moelleux or liquoreux (sweeter styles either due to botrytis or concentration by sun and wind). The Champalous master all five styles.

The family now farms twenty-two hectares of Chenin Blanc. They have embraced sustainable viticulture from the start, while also integrating the use of the lunar calendar more typically associated with biodynamics. Cover crops between vineyard rows help with excess water absorption and encourage biodiversity, and they limit the number of tractor passages through the vines to reduce emissions and avoid compacting the soil. Soe land is always left to lie fallow for a period of seven years in a rotation that restores the soils before replanting. As the climate becomes less predictable and extreme events like drought and frost occur more frequently, the Champalous continue to think critically about how to sustainably adapt their viticulture.

The Champalous have real touch in the cellar, crafting wines of great elegance and tenderness. Their Vouvrays are highly aromatic with impeccable balance at all sweetness levels, still and sparkling. No one comes close to copying their distinct style.

Didier and Catherine’s daughter, Céline, joined the domaine in 2006 after internships in New Zealand, South Africa, the Languedoc, Corsica, and Canada. Céline now runs the show at Champalou, with her parents always nearby to lend a hand when needed. There is no question that the tradition and quality for which this domaine is known will continue for many years to come.

Catherine & Pierre Breton

Catherine and Pierre Breton are the real life bon vivants vignerons of lore. They are passionate about what they do, they enjoy sharing it with others, and they entertain with a generosity and charm. That they make great wine with such integrity makes our appreciation of them complete. The Bretons farm eleven hectares of vines just east of Bourgueil in the village of Restigné. They produce Chinon and Bourgueil, as well as a bit of Vouvray, creating honest wines for both early consumption and longer aging. The Bretons first introduced biodynamic practices into their viticulture in 1994, just after receiving their organic certification in 1991. Recently, they started the three-year process of seeking biodynamic certification. In fact, they have become international icons for the natural wine movement in an area where the climate and soil can make organic viticulture difficult.
The Bretons farm vineyards on varied soil types, including gravel, limestone, clay, schist, and yellow tuffeau. Their wines are made primarily from Cabernet Franc (known in the Loire, curiously, as “Breton”) with small quantities of Chenin Blanc for their Vouvray. Though Pierre is the principal cellar master, Catherine makes a series of cuvées under the label “La Dilettante,” or the Dabbler. Together, they divide their wines into three categories: Natural Wines (for easy consumption), Classic Wines (that represent the typicity of the appellations), and Wines of Terroir (vinified individually by parcel). The Wines of Terroir from Chinon and Bourgueil are destined for long life in your cellar. A 1964 made for unforgettable drinking in 2008! Each of the Breton cuvées is unique, with differences in soil, vinification, and élévage all playing a role while still demonstrating a familial resemblance. Catherine and Pierre are two of the hardest working people we know of in the wine business. This explains why their wines, despite the fact that they are totally natural and unadulterated, are so incredibly consistent; consistently delicious. Their achievements and contributions to the natural and organic wine movement globally cannot be underestimated.

Jean Foillard

Jean and Agnès Foillard took over his father’s domaine in 1980, and soon thereafter began to make Kermit Lynch customers very happy. Most of their vineyards are planted on the Côte du Py, the famed slope outside the town of Villié-Morgon and the pride of Morgon. These granite and schist soils sit on an alluvial fan at the highest point above the town and impart great complexity. However, great real estate is not the only key to Foillard’s success. Early on, Jean began to follow the teachings of Jules Chauvet, a traditionalist who defied everything that the more commercial brands were touting in the region. Jean and three other local vignerons, Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton, soon joined in on the movement. This Gang of Four, as Kermit christened them, 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, as it should be without the bubblegum and banana aromas of so many other Beaujolais available today. Its rustic structure, spicy notes, and mineral-laden backbone are what real Morgon is all about.
This estate comprises nearly fourteen hectares. Foillard’s Morgons are deep, structured, and complex, with a velvety lushness that makes them irresistible when young despite their aging potential. Jean raises his wines in older barrels sourced from top estates in Burgundy, a logical decision for someone crafting Gamay in a Burgundian style. It is the passion and dedication of vignerons like this that have brought pride back to the crus of the Beaujolais.

Domaine la Roquète

In September 1986, René Laugier wanted to retire but had no successors to take over La Roquette (as it was then known), his domaine in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. When Daniel and Frédéric Brunier bought the domaine, it was a logical choice. The brothers had been proving their worth as rising young stars of the appellation, and the Brunier family, proprietor of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, had a long history of working tough soils—they farm the La Crau plateau, which boasts some of the most challenging vineyard terrain and most pedigreed soils of Châteauneuf.
Daniel and Frédéric purchased twenty-nine hectares of vineyards at La Roquète. They have since added three additional hectares of Vin de Pays vines bordering the Rhône and seven more in the Ventoux appellation to the east, leading to the creation of the well-priced “Pigeoulet” and “Mégaphone” labels. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge vineyards they acquired upon purchasing La Roquète now constitute the “Piedlong” and “Télégramme” bottlings (the latter of which primarily consists of young-vine fruit from La Crau). The brothers replanted the small Clos La Roquète to white in 1987; this is currently the only wine bottled under the La Roquète label. Along with “Le Pigeoulet,” “Mégaphone,” and “Piedlong” (see Vignobles Brunier), it is vinified and bottled at La Roquète.
 In Châteauneuf, for many the greatest appellation of the southern Rhône, vineyard specificity plays a role almost as critical as it does in Burgundy. Geography here is as important as geology. La Roquète sits on prime real estate at the foot of the Piélong plateau, north of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and adjacent to the western end of the famous Le Rayas vineyard. Galets roulés scatter the vineyard floor, but the primarily sandy soils impart great finesse to the wine. The Bruniers recommend drinking the white young for its freshness and elegance, but it can also evolve for several years if so desired.