KERMIT LYNCH WINE MERCHANT

An icon, representing icons.

It’s as fundamentally important as it gets… a part of the DNA of how we consume, teach, and talk about wine in America… I could go on and on, but if you know wine, chances are you already know the story. Across six decades, Kermit Lynch has lived and shared a beautiful tale of exploration, discovery, people, and of course, wine. Since 1972, his import, retail, and distribution company - Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant - has been a tireless champion of small, traditional, family-owned wine producers from across France and Italy. Long before these types of wines had become fashionable, Kermit had been working diligently to bring them to America - not because they were popular, but because they were great.

The relationships the company holds with wineries are long and personal. They stick with their chosen partners through good times, harder times, generational changes, and everything in between. At this point, Kermit’s family of producers includes around 200 unique and exceptional estates, many of which most wine professionals would consider iconic in their regions. Over the decades, the consistency of Kermit’s work has yielded a kind of unspoken guarantee of excellence that most other importers surely consider enviable; for many professionals and consumers alike, a label that says Kermit Lynch absolutely means quality.

Wine aside, one of the things that make’s the company’s approach so unique it how so much of the story has been told through written and visual arts. Kermit himself has authored and published two books about his experiences with wine. The company employs an exceedingly talented staff of writers who put together a beloved monthly newsletter filled with beautifully written stories about personal experiences with producers, wine regions and cuisine. This commitment to sharing so much more than technical facts, scores, or tasting notes brings readers closer to the things that actually matter - the people and places behind the bottles. They create connection.

And, of course, there’s the iconic photography…

If you are an avid reader of the KLWM newsletter, you’ve seen some incredible photos over the years - particularly those taken by the inimitable Gail Skoff (who also happens to be Kermit’s wife!). She has a style all her own - playful, engaging, detailed, and with a punchy, fun color palette. And, after decades of friendship and so many visits, there’s quite obviously a deep intimacy and closeness to the vintners that is the hallmark of so many of her photos.

Whenever I’m invited to join in any project where great work is already in place, my first and most important job is to identify how I may need to adjust my own artistic instincts and desires to dovetail with what’s already there. In this case, balancing my more observational style to meet up with the deliberate and personal images of longtime friends was a fun challenge that I look forward to continuing to hone on future trips. Also notable - the nature of the newsletter’s layout being what it is called for a heavy reliance on vertical photo orientation as opposed to my more reflexive landscape aesthetic. It took lots of self-reminders to turn the camera sideways to get into the habit - hard at first, but now I’m actually having trouble turning it back!

Being invited to join on as a contributing photographer in 2023 was one of the most exciting moments in my career. For more than 20 years Kermit’s work and wines have been a part of my life - as a Sommelier, a consumer, and a fan. The work included below is a small selection from a massive collection shot on a whirlwind visit to France and Italy in Spring of 2023, 100% photographed in available / natural light. What a great honor it is to work with such an exceptional organization - future trips to expand the library are already in the books.