Kermit Lynch

Teaches at Astor Center

Kermit Lynch was raised in the wine region of San Luis Obispo, but for forty years his name has become synonymous with French and Italian wines. In 1972, with a $5,000 loan and some raw gumption, this writer/musician-turned-wine-retailer opened Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant with thirty-two cases of wine stacked on the floor. Convinced early on that the wines of Europe were better suited to his palate than those of California, Kermit has become an advocate for authentic wines that express their terroir. He has had so much success at bringing notice to small, artisan producers that he has won two James Beard awards and was knighted by the French government in 2005 with the prestigious Legion of Honor. In addition to having two books published, Adventures on the Wine Route (1988, Veuve Cliquot Wine Book of the Year), and Inspiring Thirst (2004), his passion for roots music has driven him to record three CDs so far. Kermit and his wife, photographer Gail Skoff, divide their time between Provence, France, and Berkeley, California.