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Wine Scores
Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.
- Allen Meadows - Burghound
- Connoisseurs Guide
- Gambero Rosso
- James Halliday
- James Suckling
- Malt Advocate
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
- International Wine Cellar
- Wine & Spirits
- Wine Enthusiast
- Wine Spectator
- The Wine News
- Malt Advocate
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Staff Favorites - Joe Manekin
Joe Manekin
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Joe arrived at our doors in February 2007 from far away, Washington, DC to be exact. Just so no one gets the wrong idea, though, he was merely earning a living in DC; Joe’s cultural identity, as well as his professional sports allegiances and, when he has a few drinks in him, his accent, are all Baltimore through and through. After working on the wholesale side of the business for nearly 4 years, Joe decided that he wanted to work wine retail with the best, so he emailed Cindy Westby at K&L and the rest is history. While Joe is well versed in a number of wine regions, he most enjoys the wines of Europe, though he is growing increasingly interested in the great wines of the Santa Cruz mountains. When he is not at K&L, Joe enjoys cooking, traveling, catching up on The Wire, doing occasional PR, booking and recording work for reggae band JohnStone (www.johnstonemusic.com), and writing for his wine, food and music blog, Old world Old School (www.oldworldoldschool.blogspot.com)
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Reviews
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2011 Roark Wine Company Happy Canyon Santa Barbara County Malbec
Review Date: 4-3-2013
This is one crazy Malbec. Crazy in that the dark fruit breathes on the palate, and shows a just ripened quality, not at all the rich and chewy style of Argentina. Yes, this is in fact the first Malbec I've had from outside of the Loire Valley to truly bring Côt to mind. For that fact alone, this Malbec is well worth trying. It's not cheap but it is quite tasty and a bottle that I imagine would be drained very quickly indeed.
Price: $26.99
2011 Donkey & Goat "Broken Leg Vineyard" Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 4-3-2013
In a sprawling yet very high quality domestic line-up yesterday, this was quite possibly my favorite wine in the bar. Clocking in at 12.8% alcohol, this bottling of Donkey & Goat Pinot Noir shows a lovely, spicy aromatic profile, very pretty. On the palate, there are tart cherries, as well as a fairly thick, natural texture that suggests no filtration was used. The wine is persistent, with a long finish. Spectacular stuff.
Price: $34.99
2005 Clendenen Family Vineyards "Bricco Buon Natale" Santa Maria Valley Nebbiolo
Review Date: 4-3-2013
As a bonafide Euro wine guy, I must admit that the best wines of California continue to challenge my long held prejudice that the old world simply does it better and cheaper. Take this Nebbiolo from one of the old pro winemakers in California, Jim Clendenen. It has delicious fruit, a pleasantly astringent Nebbiolo finish, and for $30 would likely do very well in a line-up of entry level Barolo. More importantly, the wine is simply delicious and would make a fine pairing with any foods you normally associate with Barolo (a rich mushroom risotto, braised lamb et al)
Price: $29.99
2012 Copain "Tous Ensemble" Anderson Valley Rosé
Review Date: 4-3-2013
Some quick K&L Redwood City slang: "fraysh" means fresh but incredibly so. Copain's latest Tous Ensemble Anderson Valley Rosé is fraysh. It has all the bright red fruit flavors I like in rosé with a soft texture, no rough edges, no excess of SO2, just beautiful, thirst quenching fruit flavors. This one is drinkable and ready for the season. Git some!
Price: $18.99
1993 Kalin Cellar "Cuvée LD" Sonoma Chardonnay
Review Date: 4-3-2013
Kalin tends to be a sommelier's and hip wine journalist's darling, and why not? They do things their way, releasing all kinds of stuff when they deem it to be ready, even if it's been ageing for years and years. What's old is new and what's current is library with these guys, if that makes any sense. I love and respect that about Kalin. Truth be told, though, lately I've been a bit disappointed in their releases. This '93 Chard however, is delicious, hitting all the high notes of a properly cellared white, with rich yellow fruit, surprising lift and brightness as well as a very elegant texture. If you're a Kalin fan then you'll love it. If not, but you like well aged, mature whites, then you should definitely give this a try.
Price: $44.99
2010 Copain "Brosseau Vineyard" Chalone Chardonnay
Review Date: 3-29-2013
"Brings the Burg," my tasting notes read. This is clearly a terrific site within the Chalone AVA for Chardonnay. A beautifully bright take on Chardonnay, with crisp apples and hints of fennel, as well as an impressive core of minerality and acidity. A serious Chardonnay.
Price: $54.99
2010 Ancient Peaks Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon
Review Date: 3-29-2013
Full of grippy, structured dark fruit, this is serious Cab value for the money. Tough to do much better in Cab Land for under $15....
Price: $13.99
2010 Qupé "Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard" Edna Valley Grenache
Review Date: 3-29-2013
This young vineyard is producing very good quality grenache. Bright, savory, slightly peppery and wonderfully balanced. If you like Grenache that is not in the riper style, then this would be a good one to try.
Price: $29.99
2007 Palmina Santa Barbara County Nebbiolo
Review Date: 3-29-2013
Spicy red fruits, particuarly cranberry, show lovely precision and tension, brought out even further by the serious, gripping yet fine tannins which Nebbiolo is known for. Very good!
Price: $27.99
2011 Chanin Wine Company "Los Alamos Vineyard" Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
Review Date: 3-29-2013
Spicy, earthy dark cherry fruit shows the kind of fresh and ever so slightly savory nuance I love to see in Pinot Noir. A very good effort.
Price: $47.99
2012 Claiborne & Churchill Central Coast Pinot Gris
Review Date: 3-29-2013
This is a wonderful Pinot Gris, one of the best I've had in quite some time. Bright fruit combines with a fairly rich texture and very persistent flavors to make this wine one that should appeal to many different palates. Delicious and very fairly priced for the quality.
Price: $19.99
2010 Calcu Cabernet Franc Colchagua Valley
Review Date: 3-27-2013
This is delicious, textbook cab franc from the folks at Viña Maquis in Chile's Colchagua Valley. While the acidity is not quite at sky high Loire Valley cab franc levels, the lovely combination of fresh berry fruit and slightly herbaceous snap could be nothing other than cab franc. We tasted this recently with staff and it was one of the sleeper hits of the line-up. Enjoy it with a nice piece of grass fed beef and your choice of oven roasted potatoes or fries - add plenty of fresh thyme for a treat that should also work quite well with this wine!
Price: $11.99
2007 Antaño Reserva Rioja
Review Date: 3-27-2013
Interested in a traditional, reserva level Rioja for a song? If so, then we've got something for you. Full of savory notes (braised meat, agridulce pimenton and herbs) balanced by bass toned fruit all wrapped in a classically velvety, very Rioja texture, this is a wine to enjoy with food, and one that you could not mistake for anything other than Rioja.
Price: $9.99
2005 La Rioja Alta "Viña Arana" Reserva Rioja
Review Date: 3-27-2013
Finally, the most underrated (and at times, my favorite) of the wines at La Rioja Alta is back: the Viña Arana. While folks still can't get enough of the 2001 Viña Ardanza (we get it, we also love this one!) I think that the 2005 Arana is every bit as elegant and classic a Rioja. Less high toned and fruit forward, it shows a slightly darker fruited profile, with a subtle earthy savor, discreet oak and such effortless balance/drinkability on the palate. It's no wonder the team at La Rioja Alta consistently goes for this wine as their house red. Viña Arana is a real treat, particularly with a roast leg of lamb or standing rib roast to accompany it.
Price: $26.99
2011 Montes "Classic" Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley
Review Date: 3-6-2013
Upon first tasting this a month or so ago, I knew that it would be a big hit with our customers. All the things folks look for in a value Cab are here: generous, ripe dark fruit, lightly toasted vanilla notes and good persistence on the mid palate and finish. The wine opens up nicely with air, too, gaining in freshness and structure. This vintage of Montes definitely punches outside of its weight class and for $10 will make most Cab fans very happy indeed.
Price: $9.99
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