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Staff Favorites - Steve Greer

Steve Greer
Steve Greer  | Send Email  |   Subscribe to My Sommelier Service
I think I started down the path into the wine world with my first job, at 16, bussing tables in a Chinese restaurant. Blue Nun Riesling was the big seller (this in 1985, so don't laugh). While the Blue Nun Riesling was not an "epiphany" wine, I drank a lot of it. It was a magnum of Robert Sinskey Claret that I shared with friends while watching the 1994 World Cup that got me started reading about wine (Brazil won). My first "wow" wine was that same year, when a customer gave me a glass of 1982 Haut Brion. It was amazing. Next I found pinot noir, specifically a 1994 Whitcraft Bien Nacido, and I was hooked. I knew I wanted to sell wine so I moved from restaurants to wholesale wine sales, working for Metamora in Ohio and Kentucky. But after continued consolidation of distributors and the realization, that in wholesale you wear blinders, tasting only the wines you sell, I knew I wanted to move to the retail side. I would like to say I moved from Cincinnati just for K&L but I left the "Red" state for Los Angeles (a Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals fan in San Francisco just would not do) and I was very lucky to find the K&L store in Hollywood. The rest is history.


Reviews

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2010 Lascombes, Margaux Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-4-2013
Coffee and spice, extracted fruit, high toast. Côte Rotie-like?
Price: $129.99 Add To Cart RP 96 JS 94 WE 92
2010 Chasse-Spleen, Moulis (1.5L) Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-4-2013
Black fruit and spice. This has a good finish with lots of astringency.
Price: $69.99 Add To Cart WE 90-  92 RP 90 WS 90
2010 Chasse-Spleen, Moulis Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-4-2013
Black fruit and spice. This has a good finish with lots of astringency.
Price: $37.99 Add To Cart WE 90-  92 RP 90 WS 90
2010 Labégorce, Margaux Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-4-2013
Chalky nose with cassis and mineral.
Price: $29.99 Add To Cart WE 94 JS 93 ST 87-  90
2010 Poujeaux, Moulis Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-4-2013
Cassis and red fruit on the juicy mid-palate with a mineral finish. Good structure.
Price: $34.99 Add To Waiting List JS 92 ST 88-  91 WE 89-  91
2009 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien (1.5L)
Review Date: 1-22-2013
This was the hit of the in-store tasting. Heady dark fruit nose with a background of coffee and chocolate. The palate was rich and dense packed with blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate and coffee. The tannins were evident but very supple and a long long finish.
Price: $169.99 Add To Cart RP 96 JS 95 WE 95
2009 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien
Review Date: 1-22-2013
This was the hit of the in-store tasting. Heady dark fruit nose with a background of coffee and chocolate. The palate was rich and dense packed with blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate and coffee. The tannins were evident but very supple and a long long finish.
Price: $89.99 Add To Cart RP 96 JS 95 WE 95
Brouwerij West Blonde, California 16.9oz
Review Date: 1-8-2013
This is a very good Blonde with an almost Saison-like feel. It has nice, toasty, almost bready malt notes with lots of citrusy aromas and flavors. Similar to the Achel.
Price: $5.49 Add To Cart
2012 Brouwerij West Saison Extra, California 16.9oz
Review Date: 1-8-2013
I think this is the most interesting beer from their line-up. Almost herbal, grassy aromas dominate with a bit more sweetness from the malt than traditional Belgian Saisons, and just a bit of estery aromas on the finish.
Price: $6.49 Add To Cart
Brouwerij West Tripel, California 16.9oz
Review Date: 1-8-2013
After trying the Triple I think you will understand what Mercer is going for: creating his own understated versions of traditional Belgian beers. This is spicy and floral with a bit of clove and a nice creamy texture. Sweeter malt comes through on the finish with tons more spice at the end.
Price: $6.49 Add To Cart
Noble Ale Works ESB, California 22 oz.
Review Date: 1-8-2013
The malt here takes on a toastier note to support the nice bitter finish. Surprisingly this is only 41 IBUs (International Bittering Units).
Price: $5.29 Add To Cart
Boulevard Brewing Co. "Tank 7" Farmhouse Ale, Missouri 750ml
Review Date: 1-8-2013
This is a maltier Farmhouse ale with plenty of citrus aromas and a nice, spicy, clean, crisp palate.
Price: $9.99 Add To Cart
Boulevard Brewing Co. "Dark Truth" Imperial Stout, Missouri 12oz
Review Date: 1-8-2013
Wow, these beers are balanced. I was surprised how well this carried its 9.7% ABV with a nice chocolaty, coffee palate. There is a great bite on the finish from the hops and never-ending coffee flavor.
Price: $2.99 Add To Cart
Boulevard Brewing Co. "Double Wide" DIPA, Missouri 12oz
Review Date: 1-8-2013
This is a balanced IPA, especially for a Double. The profile is more citrus and floral from the Cascade and Centennial hops, but there’s some pine resin on the palate from the Chinook. Showing nice malty richness balanced by a good bitterness on the finish. One of my new favorite IPAs.
Price: $2.99 Add To Cart
2009 La Tour de By, Médoc
Review Date: 1-8-2013
This wine is somewhat old school, but with a touch more fruit. The nose is a mix of currants, tobacco, a touch of roasted herbs and cedar. The palate shows a bit more ripe fruit—somewhere between bright red berry and plums. There is very nice acidity that gives a touch of tartness on the finish with plenty of tannins to fuel some aging potential.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
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More Favorites

Steve Greer is also a fan of the following items. To become a fan of Steve Greer, click here to join Steve Greer's Personal Sommelier Service.
1995 Mortlach 17 year Duncan Taylor Dimensions Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($134.99)

Jacky Navarre 30 Year Old Tres Vieux Pineau de Charentes 750ml ($69.99)

Suze Gentian Liqueur 1L ($27.99)

Kina L'Avion D'Or Aperitif 750ml ($32.99)

Tequila Fortaleza Blanco Tequila 750ml ($44.99)

Tequila Fortaleza Reposado Tequila 750ml ($54.99)

Tequila Fortaleza Anejo Tequila 750ml ($74.99)

Ocho Plata Tequila 750ml ($44.99)

2010 Knez Winery Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($29.99)

2009 Copain "Les Voisins" Yorkville Highlands Syrah ($34.99)

2010 Westrey Willamette Valley Pinot Gris ($16.99)

2011 Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Grüner Veltliner ($14.99)

2008 Reinisch "Vom Steinfeld" St. Laurent Thermenregion ($18.99)

2010 Montirius "Garrigues" Vacqueyras ($19.99)

2011 Montirius "Mineral" Vacqueyras Blanc ($19.99)

St. George Terroir Mt. Tam Gin 750ml ($30.99)

Citadelle French Gin 750ml ($19.99)

1987 Chateau Pellehaut K&L Exclusive Tenareze Vintage Armagnac 750ml ($79.99)

2000 Domaine d'Ognoas Vintage Bas-Armagnac 750ml ($55.99)

Camut Aperitif Normand Pommeau 750ml ($39.99)

Domaine du Manoir de Montreuil Calvados Pay d'Auge 750ml ($42.99)

Comandon XO Borderies 18 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #524 Cask Strength Cognac 750ml ($89.99)

Comandon XO Grande Champagne 40 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #179 Cask Strength Cognac 750ml ($169.99)

Comandon XO Petite Champagne 30 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #256 Cask Strength Cognac 750ml ($109.99)

Nardini Acqua di Cedro 375ml ($24.99)

2006 Arbios Cellars Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.99)

2010 Hedges "CMS Red" Columbia Valley Red Blend ($12.99)

Averna Amaro Siciliano 750ml ($29.99)

Maurin Quina Aperitif 750ml ($34.99)

Varnelli Caffe Moka 1L ($41.99)

Adrien Camut Réserve de Semainville Pays d'Auge Calvados 750ml ($179.99)

El Dorado 15 year old Demerara Guyana Rum 750ml (ships as a 1.5L) ($39.99)

Banks 5 Island White Rum 750ml ($29.99)

Michel Dervin Brut Champagne ($32.99)

Fleury "Cuveé Robert Fleury" Brut Champagne ($49.99)

Franck Bonville Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($39.99)

Berry Bros & Rudd No. 3 London Dry Gin 750ml ($34.99)

2010 Wattle Creek Yorkville Highlands Sauvignon Blanc ($11.99)

2006 Alice Bonaccorsi "ValCerasa" Etna Rosso ($32.99)

2010 Elio Ottin Petite Arvin Valle d'Aoste ($22.99)

Chokaisan Junmai Daiginjo Sake 720ml ($49.99)

2008 Anderson's Conn Valley "Right Bank" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend ($49.99)

2007 Pyramid Valley Vineyards "Kerner Estate" Pinot Blanc Marlborough (Biodynamic) ($21.99)

Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne ($34.99)

2002 Bruno Michel "Cuvee Millésime" Brut Champagne ($59.99)

Domaine du Viking Vouvray Brut ($18.99)

2008 Domaine la Garrigue "Cuvée Romaine" Côtes du Rhône ($10.99)

2003 Señorío de P.Peciña Crianza Rioja ($19.99)