Featured User: Kit H

We are delighted to welcome Kit Halvorsen as the second Featured Delectable user. In contrast to the Old World wines that are his passion, Kit is Californian through and through. Kit lives and works in foggy San Francisco where he is the co-founder and CEO of Panafold, a design and software company. With his team, Kit spends his life thinking about finely-crafted things, so there is no surprise that he has a thirst for beautifully made wines. Delectable: What sparked your passion for wine? Kit: A trip to Burgundy sparked my passion. I was a beer geek at the time, so my palate was primed, but how could a wine from one vineyard have such a different character than another from a vineyard just across a dirt path? I wasn’t expecting to be blown away like I was. There was so much complexity! D: What wine region are you wild about right now? K: I’m fanatical about the Loire. From Sancerre to Muscadet and all of the magical regions in between, this region delivers insane complexity and value. I could go on for hours about its wonders. The multitude of grape varieties grown, the many passes pickers make through the vineyards, the willingness of growers to convert domaines to organics or biodynamics… the list goes on. Even longer, though is the list of topics that I don’t know about. And that’s one of the beauties of wine. D: What are some tips for aspiring connoisseurs? K: Pick a region and learn it inside and out. After my trip to Burgundy, I vowed to do my best to drink only white Burgundy for the next year. This was when the wines were not prohibitively expensive, and at the time I was happy with what I could find at Trader Joe’s. D: What is your golden rule for wine? K: Does it bring pleasure? D: If you were a wine, what wine would you be? K: Champagne! I love Georges Laval. The entry-level cuvée is excellent. If I’m going for something more cerebral, I’d be a 1964 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses.

Domaine Jamet

Côtes du Rhône White Rhone Blend 2015

An exceptional wine, and that’s what it is, an exception. White flowers and, orange and herbs on the nose, but distinctly savory. The palate is unctuous, almost “oily” but not quite. It has weight but gets lift from the remarkable acidity. (It is remarkably like drinking kefir in terms of apparent texture and acidity) Flavors of orange marmalade and kaffer lime and a squeeze of lemon. Lengthy finish. A mind-bending experience that I really enjoyed. — 6 years ago

Keith, Trixie and 10 others liked this
David T

David T Influencer Badge

Congrats on your Delectable feature. Cheers! 🍷
Kit H

Kit H Premium Badge

Haha thanks @David T It came out of the blue

Vilmart & Cie

Grand Cellier d'Or 1er Cru Brut Champagne Pinot Noir Chardonnay

07/14dd / I had expected a larger-scaled wine. This one was disjointed at first and became more composed with air. A very fine bead. Citrus, lime over an underlying layer of peanut brittle. Returning, honey and biscuit. Strong acid kept things in check. — 6 years ago

Ira, Trixie and 4 others liked this

Weingut Clemens Busch

Pundericher Marienburg Falkenlay Erste Lage Riesling 2010

Ripeness and perceived sweetness balanced by insane acidity. How can something with such a rich texture come from such poor, gray slate soils? This has the ampleur/gras of slate over clay. I’m sure I’m wrong, but that’s how it tastes to me. — 6 years ago

Trixie, Samantha and 4 others liked this

Emmanuel Brochet

Le Mont Benoit Champagne Blend

Well this was striking. Brochet wines of this bottling are consistently excellent but this was a real surprise that totally exceeded my expectations. V12, dd06/16. Perfect harmony here. @Austin Ferrari said it best with peach skin as that captures both texture & flavor. Acid and tannins across the mid-to-back palate. A sublime wine and my WOTN — 6 years ago

Austin Ferrari
with Austin
Riddley, Kimberly and 7 others liked this

Domaine Jean Michel Stéphan

Vin Nature Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2012

This was good to go right after popping, but I opted to decant and wait about 2 hrs given Syrah’s reductive qualities it paid off nicely. Gave a fine nose of black olive, dried rosemary, hot gravel and bright raspberry fruit with a cut of brooding purple fruit in the background. The nose was pleasant, though I wouldn’t have minded a bit less carbonic character. Dusty tannins at the teeth and front of the mouth. — 6 years ago

Keith, James and 6 others liked this

Marie-Noelle Ledru

Extra-Brut Grand Cru Champagne Blend

Oh so, so good. Freshness, ripeness and drinkability. This took awhile to open, then it reached glory and came back to earth feeling fresh, ripe and served with a slice of toast and an autolytic, rice lager-esque aftertaste. An interesting experience because, when tasting analytically, it doesn’t give much, but this gives hedonistic pleasure like none other. — 6 years ago

Riddley, Trixie and 4 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne

Saint-Joseph Syrah 2014

Tight upon opening but air worked wonders. Opened to sweet blackberry, picked at just the right moment on a warm day. The standard note of bacon fat to be sure, but this memory stands out to me. On palate tannins are medium-fine and across the entire mouth, lingering in the front quarter of the tongue and back of the lips. Medium acidity that has the impression of increasing with a long finish. — 6 years ago

Austin Ferrari
with Austin
Keith, Riddley and 14 others liked this

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 1997

structure: very fine tannins that hit the gums and inside of the lips. refined, soft. Acidity hits back of palate. Aromatics/flavor:enormous bacon fat here. Hint of mint. Black olives, rosemary. Autumn leaves. Sweetness of fruit (cherry) increased with air, as did my perception of acidity. Swirling does not benefit this wine. Granite. Because of its delicacy, I do not recommend decanting. It was firing on all cylinders at the start and then shut down. Opened up again 1.5hrs in. A good wine with which I fell in and out of love. — 6 years ago

Marc, Larry and 7 others liked this