Inspiring Thirst An inside look at the wines of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.

I have just returned from a two-week tasting trip to France that ended in the beautiful region of Alsace. I am in love with the region, the people, and the wines, and I hope all my purchases will continue to find appreciative homes in America! I am inspired by the work that young Samuel Tottoli […]

Italy – how mystifying and mythologized of a country can it be, especially concerning its culinary and wine culture? When traveling in this lush Mediterranean nation, it is a land of extremes – things never seem to go as planned, and yet, the outcome for just about any situation seems to lead to incredible homemade regional food and […]

by Kermit Lynch Again, this year I urge our readers who are going to Paris for several days or weeks to research finding an apartment rather than a hotel. For one thing, you can enjoy shopping for your own cooking. Remarkable vegetables? Google Joël Thiébault and frequent his street market stand. His lettuces are the […]

by Sarah Hernan Our guest today is Pierre Ravaille, one of the three Ravaille brothers from the Languedoc domaine Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup. Kermit first met the Ravaille family about 15 years ago. He was struck by the almost pre-historic stone house, farm, and cellar, as well as their private wine collection (which includes […]

by Dixon Brooke Contadino, vignaiolo, artista: all-around Renaissance man Edi Kante is as much of an enigma as the brilliant wines that he ekes from the rugged Carso hills in the extremes of northeastern Italy’s “Adriatic Baltic” zone. This little slice of the world—where the beautiful coastal town of Trieste hugs borders with Slovenia and […]

by Anthony Lynch Corsican winemaking has come a long way in recent years, and it would be foolish to deny Antoine Arena’s role in its transformation. Having taken over the family domaine as much out of national pride as out of passion for the land, Antoine pioneered a new school of viticulture on the island—one […]

by Dustin Soiseth It was our colleague Mark Congero’s last day at the retail shop—he decamped to Maui, so don’t feel bad—and after work we toasted with a gift from one of his clients, a bottle of 1983 Chateau de l’Hospital. This wonderful red, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon, offered a glimpse of […]

AT DOMAINE D’AUPILHAC by Chris Santini I’ll never forget a dinner in Corsica one night a few years ago with the venerated vigneron Antoine Arena in attendance, plus a pompous (yet also venerated, albeit by a different crowd) French wine critic. The critic, who had seemingly never much muddied his boots in vines or cellars, […]

by Sarah Hernan If I said “whole cluster fermentation,” what would be your first thought? Fruit? Freshness? Beaujolais? Bravo! But this post is not about Beaujolais. Let me give you another clue. Old vine Carignan, Grenache, Macabou, and Terret. Southern Rhône? Closer—Languedoc-Roussillon! Featured at one of our recent weekly staff tastings were the new arrivals […]

One of my favorite dishes to prepare during summer is ceviche. I’ve tried multiple methods, but the household favorite remains my Peruvian husband’s family recipe. Ceviche, a citrus-flavored marinated fish dish can be challenging to pair with wine. Adding ingredients like garlic, red onions, cilantro, peppers, corn, or even ginger (as the family recipe requires), […]