Why
this matters is that small wine importers today are like
small book publishers battling the multimedia conglomerates.
Both seek quality over quantity. They travel the wine
roads, discovering unknown wines, tasting & selecting
wines with flavor and finesse for their portfolio thus
saving us the travel time and expense. Some of them are
also eclectic writers - who else but Kermit Lynch could
describe a young Cornas (a Rhone red made from Syrah)
thus: “there is something about a brand-new Cornas
that should not be missed. Muhammad Ali may have grown
more savvy as he matured, but who can forget the young
Ali, that dazzle and explosiveness?”
Introduce
yourself to these importers.
Kermit Lynch>
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Kermit
Lynch
Start with Kermit, who was the first of
the small, independent importers. His book,
Adventures Along the Wine Route, is my favorite
wine book of all time. Why? Listen:
“Finesse
has to do with class, elegance, balance,
the harmony of all these parts. Its presence
is what makes us sometimes consider a
certain wine a work of art ... A wine
without finesse is tiring to drink. A
sniff and sip can impress, but a second
glass is not inviting. Your palate has
been assaulted. A wine with finesse is
not tiring; it will continue to reveal
its qualities. A second and third glass
is a pleasure, not a wrestling match.”
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