Pavel Tchichikov
Pavel Tchichikov
stylistically or hierarchically?
Chard, Pinot, and Gamay TNs (Summer 2025)
- Thread starter Yule Kim
- Start date
stylistically or hierarchically?
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
In NYC they were sold by Burgundy Wine Company, along with Pavelot. BWC was very well-known in its day.
Claude Kolm
Claude Kolm
Both.
Claude Kolm
Claude Kolm
Yes, I remember BWC, but I think that Larry and Pete likely did not get their bottles through them. I recall Écard being sold in SF, but I don't recall the importer. Maybe North Berkeley? Pavelot has always been Wasserman, so distribution should have been wide; Guillemot has been Kermit since 1985, so again, distribution should have been wide. Beaune Wine Imports in Berkeley picked up Camus-Bruchon shortly after I wrote about them, and then I later turned John Gilman on to them, but I think that Daniel Johannes may have already been importing them in NYC by that time. Bize went through various agents before finally winding up with Wasserman, but was pretty much always around in SF. Chandon-de-Briailles was Martine before she dropped them and then went to Beaune Wine in Berkeley for CA; I don't know about the rest of the country. Rollin has been Rosenthal for as long as I can remember.
Claude Kolm
Claude Kolm
Kysela makes sense. I no longer recall who Wine Imports would have been, but Kysea was national.
Peter Creasey
Peter Creasey
Claude, yes, it was a merchant in Calif, but I can't recall for sure. N Berkeley does ring a slight bell so that probably is it. There was a salesman I particularly liked and trusted at whatever store it was.
. . . . . Pete
Peter Creasey
Peter Creasey
On second thought, my Ecards MIGHT have come from Draper & Esquin. I bought Maurice's son's wines (Michel Ecard) for a while but lost interest (and don't remember anything about them).
. . . . . Pete
. . . . . Pete
Pavel Tchichikov
Pavel Tchichikov
does anyone remember the special NB barrels of ecard serpentieres "reserve"? good lord...
Larry Stein
Larry Stein
I'm pretty sure I bought my 2005 Ecard and Camus-Bruchon at Whole Foods in San Mateo? At the time, they had a savvy wine buyer. 2005 Pavelot and Bize from Woodland Hills Wine Co, but I'm not 100% sure. I can't recall where I purchased 2005 Chandon de Briailles. CdBriailles is no longer with Beaune Imports. A search says Bowler now bring them into CA. A few folks who are in my jeebus groups tasted their current wines at La Paulée in SF and were very impressed.
Larry Stein
Larry Stein
Claude, what was the now long-closed store specializing in French wine on Brannan (Bryant?), I think between 2nd and 3rd, or 3rd and 4th St? They direct-imported. Might Wine Imports have been the importer name they used?
Draper & Esquin's was Wine Distributors.
Claude Kolm
Claude Kolm
You're thinking of Wine House, Larry. They're still around but in the southern part of the city now.
Mentioning Draper & Esquin refreshes my memory, and I think Wine Imports was their import label.
Claude Kolm
Claude Kolm
Going further back in time and further up Bryant St. (toward the Bay), there was Connoisseur Imports, originally run by Art Formicelli and then Dade Thieriot.
Larry Stein
Larry Stein
THAT'S the store I was thinking of, not the Wine House. I first met Bob Collins there.
Claude Kolm
Claude Kolm
He's had Clemens Busch for many years, considerably longer than Dressner. I expect that Dressner has a carve-out for California ceding representation there to Dee Vine Wines. Same with Keller. These arrangements are not unusual: e.g., Kermit Lynch represents Gonon in 49 states, but there was a small CA importer who had Gonon before Kermit, and she continues to distribute Gonon here.