VIP Kermit Lynch Event :: Truth & Authenticity in French Wine
Saturday
August10,
2019
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Bottle Shop of Spring Lake
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VIP Kermit Lynch French Wine Event Meet Sommelier Ben Augustine
When we were first learning about fine wines, a wise person told us that you should get to know the best, highly respected importers of wine, so that throughout your 'wine' life, you can choose a label smartly and follow these great importers' wines with confidence. The perfect example of this theory is how we feel about Kermit Lynch. In 1972, with a $5,000 loan and a bit of gumption, this writer/musician opened Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant with thirty-five cases of wine stacked on the floor. Attracted by the Old World wine cultures of Europe, Kermit became a national importer for authentic wines that express their terroir. When we are in the market for new French wines for the shop, or perusing a restaurant wine list, we seek out Kermit Lynch selections. His choices are always authentic, balanced and true to the region. We are excited to welcome Ben Augustine to take us through a tasting of excellent 'Kermit' wines, more details on which wines will be poured to-be-announced very soon!!!
Come taste this new staff favorite on Saturday August 10 and see how a perfect bottle of Sauvignon Blanc truly refreshes the palate! Made by Régis Minet , who could easily be considered the Loire Valley’s answer to an action hero, this winemaker may play it cool on the outside, but at closer look, one sees a man of brooding intensity on an insatiable quest for adventure. It may just be in the blood. His grandfather, Robert Minet, was an artisan tonnelier, or barrel-maker. At the beginning of the last century, Robert kept a mere three hectares of vines in the eastern Loire town of Pouilly-sur-Loire—just enough to make the family’s wine. He, too, was very independent, living autonomously off his own livestock and fresh vegetables from his farm. When he passed away in 1976, Régis left his studies to continue the work of the domaine without giving it a second thought. Since then, he has made this tiny farm a full-time domaine, and has succeeded in adding an additional eight hectares of vineyards to the holdings. It is certain that his love of his native terroir translates into his wines, although one sees it in many other aspects of his character as well.
Made of 100% handpicked organic Cabernet Franc, from vines of 30 years old on average, grown in
siliceous alluvial sand, the Joguet Rosé is made by running off a certain quantity of juice from different vats, before the color of the must becomes too pronounced. It is very slowly fermented in stainless steel vats at low temperature (15° to 17°C), to preserve all the aromas, an essential characteristic looked for in this style of wine. Malolactic fermentation is avoided, as the freshness of the wine should be preserved intact. Enjoy throughout the year, and sometimes for 2 to 3 years depending on the vintage. Look for ripe yet tangy red fruits, especially cranberry, wild raspberry and plums on the nose and in the mouth. Essence of river stones and hints of licorice pick up as the wine opens up. This is a really beautiful rendition of dry Rosé in general, and a benchmark of the Loire Valley.
Made from 50 - 100 years old vines planted in granite, clay and limestone soils, this is a perfect example of fresh, effusive Gamay rouge. In the hamlet of Le Breuil, deep in the southern Beaujolais and perched above a narrow creek, the Domaine Dupeuble has been running almost continuously since 1512. The name of the domaine has changed just three times in its history, most recently when the last heir, Anna Asmaquer, married Jules Dupeuble in 1919. Anna’s son Paul, and her grand children Ghislaine and Stéphane Dupeuble, manage the domaine. Kermit first met Ghislaine and Stéphane’s father, Damien, for lunch in Paris in the late 1980s, and thus began the long relationship for these charming, delicious Beaujolais wines. Strong advocates of the lutte raisonnée approach to vineyard work, they tend their vines without the use of any chemicals or synthetic fertilizers. The vineyards, planted primarily to Gamay, face Southeast, South, and Southwest, and about two thirds of the property is on granite-based soil. The grapes are harvested manually and vinified completely without SO2. The wines are not chaptalized, filtered, or degassed and only natural yeasts are used for the fermentation. The wines of Dupeuble represent some of the best values in the Beaujolais today and are widely regarded for their very high quality and eminently reasonable price.
