Wine Spectator – At Kermit’s Table, Part 1 & Part 2
In Wine Spectator, journalist Robert Camuto sits down in Provence with legendary importer, author, and now novelist Kermit Lynch, whose influence helped shape America’s modern love affair with terroir-driven French wines. Over two long lunches, Lynch reflects on his life’s chapters—from his 1970s Berkeley beginnings to his Provence retirement—while unveiling his debut novel, At Poupon’s Table, a story that celebrates food, friendship, and “the attitude of wine as a joy and a blessing.” At 83, the Adventures on the Wine Route author remains a vital voice in the global wine conversation, railing against sterile winemaking, the dominance of enologists, and the loss of individuality in modern wines. Some Interesting Quotes From The Interview:
From Part 1:
“I wanted some of that feeling in my book … this attitude of wine as a joy and a blessing.”
“Harmony is important. And individuality. I look for a wine that smells and tastes like wine. When you start doing new oak, you no longer have the taste of wine.”
From Part 2:
“Now the enologist is king … they use the same yeast, the same methods, the same everything—so there’s no individuality in those wines.”
“The fine wine–drinking community will not wither before mere price changes. Sometimes prices go up, sometimes down. The important thing is to dine well.”
SF Chronicle – No one is making more exciting sub-$25 California wines than this winemaker
In San Francisco Chronicle, the wine writing team profiles Kenny Likitprakong, maestro behind labels like Hobo, Folk Machine, Camp, Edith & Ida, and Ghostwriter. Working out of a humble 100-year-old warehouse in Santa Rosa, Likitprakong has built a reputation for crafting high-quality, adventurous wines under $25. From the Article:
Likitprakong has consistently been at the forefront of trends — dialing back alcohol levels, seeking out under-the-radar grape varieties and experimenting with oxidative white winemaking before these things became de rigueur for a certain set of California winemakers. But if there’s anything he should be known for, it’s his unyielding commitment to keeping wines affordable: It’s hard to name a winemaker making a more exciting lineup of sub-$25 California wines right now.
Wine Business – Visionary Winemaker Charles Smith Wants You to Know What’s in Your Glass and He’s Willing to Pick a Fight – House Of Smith Website
WineBusiness announces that Charles Smith, the outspoken and trendsetting Washington and Oregon wine producer, has launched a new release with a clear message about transparency in winemaking. The article emphasizes that Smith wants consumers to fully understand what’s in their bottle — from vineyard to bottle — challenging conventional industry secrecy around additives, processes, and labels.
From the Article:
REAL Wine is more than a product–it’s a movement. With this launch, Charles continues his 25-year crusade for purity in the bottle, truth on the label and wine for the moment. REAL is the answer for consumers who want to know what’s in their wine and a call to action for wine companies to list all ingredients on the packaging.
What Makes REAL Truly Real:
Phys Org – Bacteria could help fix the smoky taste of wildfire-tainted wine
According to a Phys.org writeup (based on research in PLOS One), scientists have identified strains of the bacterium Gordonia alkanivorans living naturally on grapevines that can break down guaiacol, a volatile phenol responsible for the “smoky” or “ashy” fault in smoke-tainted wines. When the gene guaA was deleted in lab experiments, the bacteria lost that ability, confirming its role in guaiacol degradation. This discovery suggests that the grape microbiome might one day be harnessed to mitigate smoke taint in wines. From the Article:
Wildfires are occurring increasingly often in wine-producing regions of the U.S. West Coast. Wine grapes can absorb substances from wildfire smoke that ultimately make their way into the bottle, resulting in a smoky, ashy-tasting pour. Prior research has shown that one such substance, guaiacol, can be broken down by certain species of bacteria living in soil, raising the possibility that bacterial metabolic processes could be harnessed to help fix the taste of smoke-tainted wines.
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe stands as one of the most iconic estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, rooted in the stony plateau of La Crau since 1898. Family-run for over a century, the Brunier dynasty continues to craft some of the Rhône Valley’s most age-worthy, terroir-driven wines.
2021 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine
Grenache in a well-cut suit: La Bernardine 2021 moves from black-cherry depth to licorice and warm spice, then tightens on a clean, stony line—polished, composed, and quietly persuasive.
Le Comptoir de La Mère Germaine in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Le Comptoir de la Mère Germaine blends bistronomic flair with South American accents in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Located on the village square and firmly rooted in local wine culture, it’s a compelling stop for Rhône Valley travelers seeking both tradition and innovation.
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