Review Date: 2-1-2013

Crisp apple, bright acidity, and a creamy mousse make this Champagne one of the most lovely and delicious in the store right now. Brought in directly by our own Gary Westby, a man who knows his stuff. Drink it now or lay it down (if you can ignore the fact that you have perfectly drinkable and delectable bubbly in your cellar that you could be enjoying at this moment).

Review Date: 1-15-2013

We all love it when we discover something small, quaint, and unknown that turns out to be the steal of the month. At the same time, I find it to be even more exciting when a large, commonly-found, brand name comes out with something that really makes you turn your head. At our most recent tasting this Clos Du Val Cabernet shocked the heck out of me. It's delicious. Full of dark fruit and fleshy cab flavor, but totally restrained, balanced, and with subtle yet substantial tannins. Wow. What a deal.

Review Date: 12-26-2012

Simply amazing whisky. This cask dipped down to 41% naturally and is now softer than silk. This is serious aged whisky that fulfills all your expectation for mellow and mature malt. $700 for Macallan 25? Or $300 for 32 year old, single barrel, natural cask strength Glenfarclas? Easy choice in my book. There's no one who wouldn't like this. Utterly drinkable and dangerously delicious. The most accessible whisky I've tasted all year.

Review Date: 11-9-2012

More than anything, Glenlochy just seems mysterious to me. There's simply not much information about the distillery other than important dates and events. I can't find a descriptor of the house style, or any tasting notes that paint a picture of consistancy. Had the whisky we sampled from the cask of 1980 been simply run of the mill or lackluster, I wouldn't have put much more thought into the distillery. However, the taste we had in Pittlochry was transcendent. It was mindblowing whisky, easily ranking among the best I'd ever had. Before writing this I went back into my tasting book to see what I had scribbled down at the time: Candied nuts, roasted almonds, rich toffee, cotton candy, oils with butter, butterscotch, unbelievably good. Incredible! WOW! To me, there's nothing more exciting than when the whisky from the ghost of history past completely blows you away and exceeds any possible expectations. Sampling single malt from places like Millburn or Ladyburn can be extremely exciting, until you get to the part where you actually taste it. When it's good, however, there's something magical that happens - rarity, quality, and legend combine to create a total and complete whisky experience. I've only ever tasted one Glenlochy single malt whisky and it's one of the top five in my career. While I've tried to delve a bit deeper into what could have produced something so singular and incredible, there's simply not much information available, in my mind only adding to the mystique.

Review Date: 10-4-2012

Keeping my hands off of this will very tough. This is the third wine of Calon Segur, one of my favorite Bordeaux producers, and this has absolutely incredible fruit. Juicy, soft, integrated tannins. Perfect wine.

Review Date: 10-4-2012

Softer, more integrated tannins with some earthy, savory flavors. Great tasting, mature Bordeaux for $20. Will the string of fantastic 1997 wines at K&L never end? You gotta love the "off" vintages in Bordeaux because when everyone else overlooks these wines, we make out like bandits!

Review Date: 10-4-2012

I'd been craving a red Burgundy with typicity and an earthy backbone, so I picked this up. This wine needs decanting, but the quality for the price point is unmatched. Nicolas Potel has a history of delivering fantastic wine for the money, so when I search for a glass to accompany my meek table fare for the occasional Tuesday night meal, it's nice to know I won't pay too much out of pocket. The fruit is there, but so is that Burgundian earth I love so much.

Review Date: 10-4-2012

This is a serious, serious wine - a bottle that should probably be buried away for decades in your cellar, but perhaps pulled out for a special meal if you can't resist. The Sonnenuhr vineyard, located in Brauneberg, is one of the most famous in the world, known for incredible riesling grapes of the highest quality. 2009 was a fantastic vintage for the region and the depth exhibited in the Fritz Haag is incredible. A combination of stone and tropical fruits, supple textures, and hints of spice with a mineral undercurrent. I can only imagine what this will taste like two decades from now.

Review Date: 7-25-2012

One of the best sparkling wines in the store at any price. I bought a half-case after tasting it in our weekly education session. The flavors are delicate and nuanced like a fine champagne, but with less yeasty notes and more mineral highlights. The red fruits are very soft and there are savory notes on the finish. For the price, I can't think of a better deal right now in bubbles.

Review Date: 6-7-2012

Gotta love this Bourbon. Soft, creamy, banana nose, easy-drinkin' stuff. I remember when I first started working at K&L we used to give this to every person who walked in looking for Bourbon and they loved it! The crazy thing is: I think the new batch is far better than the one we were selling five years ago.

Review Date: 6-5-2012

I maxed out the space in the tasting notes portion, so I'll add a bit more info here. The Machir Bay is a vatting of 60% of 3 year,35% of 4 year and 5% of 5 year old single malt, matured in fresh bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, Kentucky. The 4 year old portion was finished in Oloroso Sherry butts for 2 months. I can't stress enough how fantastic this whisky is. It's not for the super-esoteric whisky geeks, this is as accessible as peated whisky gets - soft and gentle, yet loaded with smoke, with a high-toned cinnamon finish, and a mouthful of butterscotch when it's all said and done. It's absolutely stunning and there's no amount I wouldn't buy of it. If we could buy 2,000 cases I would. I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out the be the best whisky of 2012. For more info on this fantastic distillery check out the write up from our visit this past May: http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2012/5/18/scotland-day-8-bruichladdich-kilchoman.html

Review Date: 3-22-2012

I was in the mood for some bubbles last night, so our Champagne buyer, Gary Westby, suggested that I take home the new Fleury "Cuvee Robert Fleury" Brut Champagne as an accompaniment to my cheese and chutney spread. What a fantastic recommendation! The wine is made from one-third each Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir and it's all barrel-fermented. The richness from the wood is fabulous because it never overpowers the crisp apple fruit present on the palate. I was also quite excited to drink a Champagne with actual Pinot Blanc in it, knowing that the grape is legal to use, but no one actually uses it! The depth of flavor in the Cuvee Robert Fleury is simply stunning - delicate bubbles allow for more of the rich, bready notes to stand out when sipping. The apple notes come and go on the finish. I would have expected to easily pay over $100 for a wine this good. Luckily, I don't have to!

Review Date: 3-8-2012

Really good red wine for the price, juicy red fruits, fine tannins, medium bodied. Pretty much what everyone wants from a red wine except no one ever looks for 100% Bobol when doing so. The "La Casilla" will taste good to any wine fan, yet provides a new and exciting glimpse into the diverse varietals of Spain. Dig in!

Review Date: 3-8-2012

Wine geek central here - a classic Joe Manekin selection. Perfumy and tangy on the nose with hints of various herbs and spices, the palate has rich red fruits with grapefruit accents - yes, this is red wine! So much fun and a lovely break from the norm of everyday drinking.

Review Date: 3-8-2012

Classic, lighter body with strawberry fruit and sandalwood notes, hints of vanilla. Textbook Rioja for purists and newcomers alike.