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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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Mackinlay's "The Journey" Rare Old Highland Blended Single Malt Whisky 750ml
Review Date: 6-8-2013
This is my kind of aged Scotch. Lightly smoky on the nose, think lovely, judiciously peated Highland smoke as opposed to the more forceful campfire or iodine driven smoke of an Islay single malt. After opening up, there are more sweet, vanilla cream type aromatics which lead to an effortlessly balanced, soft and sweet yet, again, subtley smoky and savory profile. Something about this whisky reminds me of old leather bound books, an historic office or library, a gentle yet rugged older grandfather type - these are what come to mind when I taste this edition of the Mackinlay. There is more than just a story to this whisky, and I strongly recommend you check it out for yourself!
Price: $172.99
2011 CVA A Portela Mencia Valdeorras
Review Date: 6-7-2013
This is a delicious, brightly fruited, highly mineral wine from steep granitic vineyards in Valdeorras. I love this wine for its combination of freshness and structure. It's a perfectly balanced red for any sort of grilled food you want to throw at it!
Price: $14.99
2010 Te Mata "Awatea" Bordeaux Blend Hawkes Bay New Zealand
Review Date: 5-30-2013
Man, is this a tasty Cab blend. It's the type of wine that reminds one of why Cab is so popular in the first place. Bluberry and currant fruit flavors are bright, not lacking in acidity, but also showing a subtle leafy savor. Imagine a Santa Cruz Mountain Bordeaux blend, perhaps just a bit less ripe and lighter on its feet. Really good stuff - you may want to stash some of these away in your cellar to see how they develop with age.
Price: $29.99
2012 Te Mata Gamay Noir Hawkes Bay New Zealand
Review Date: 5-30-2013
Gamay from Hawkes Bay? Absolutely. Compare this with good quality cru Beaujolais around the same price and I think it will quickly earn your respect. This wine has a similarly crunchy red fruited aspect, with wonderful minerality as well. Highly recommended.
Price: $16.99
2010 Fromm "La Strada" Syrah Marlborough New Zealand
Review Date: 5-30-2013
Plump mixed berry aromas, juicy blueberry fruit,very pure tasting. This is a tasty counterpoint to the spicier, slightly leaner and more restrained NZ Syrah from TWR.
Price: $21.99
2009 Fromm "Brancott Valley" Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand
Review Date: 5-30-2013
Full disclosure: I was not a big fan of this wine when I first tasted it a few months back. It just seemed too fleshy, too rich and fruity for my blood. That said, boy was this wine showing differently when I tasted it yesterday. Ripe red cherry fruit aromas then lead to a juicy and generous palate, but one with loads of freshness, acidity and length. This is a wine that should appeal to a large number of Pinot Noir drinkers.
Price: $29.99
2010 Te Whare Ra (TWR) Syrah Marlborough New Zealand
Review Date: 5-30-2013
A serious Syrah, this release of the TWR is very spicy, full of mixed peppercorns and purple fruit. Hints of green cardamom as well which bringsthe northern Rhone to mind. Very good style Syrah, slightly reserved and decidedly not a richer, jammier take on this grape variety.
Price: $29.99
2011 Te Whare Ra (TWR) Riesling "D" Marlborough New Zealand
Review Date: 5-30-2013
Delicious and oh so gulpable. Think of this as a much drier, vinous version of Sprite and you'll get the idea. As far as Riesling go, this is definitely on the drier side, without veering towards being strict or austere. Serve chilled; glassware optional!
Price: $18.99
2009 Pyramid Valley Vineyards "Lion's Tooth" Chardonnay North Canterbury New Zealand (Biodynamic)
Review Date: 5-30-2013
It's a reflection of how serious and talented a winemaker Mike Weersing is that he can make such a delicious Chardonnay, serious yet crowd pleasing at the same time. Rich yellow apple and pear flavors show volume and intensity, as well as balanced acidity and length on the finish.
Price: $39.99
2010 Trapiche "Broquel" Malbec
Review Date: 5-29-2013
This is delicious Malbec! Fruit forward, with plum confit flavors, hints of licorice and subtly spicy, toasty accents. The tannins are smooth and nicely balanced, making this equally ready for a pre-dinner glass or the dinner table.
Price: $12.99
1990 Mortlach 22 Year Old K&L Exclusive Chieftain's Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml
Review Date: 5-18-2013
Reading my co-workers' reviews, I couldn't help but notice both the huge number of total reviews, and the fact that they are all very similar raves about this whisk(e)y.I'm admittedly late to have caught this train, but absolutely feel the need to chime in on this one. As a sherry drinker, I'm especially fond of the burnished, burnt caramel, dried citrus peel and walnut husk flavors of dry oloroso. This bottling perfectly embodies these flavors; you can tell that not only are these first fill Oloroso Sherry barrels, but really high quality ones at that! (I wonder where they were purchased?) I have to agree with David; this is perhaps the most complete, well balanced, delicious bottle of sherry barrel aged scotch I have tasted. A new favorite and instant classic for me and, I suspect, for many of our single malt customers as well.
Price: $169.99
2012 Zudugarai "Amats" Getariako Txakolina
Review Date: 5-9-2013
Do you love unoaked, dry white wines? This is textbook, deliciously crisp, slightly fizzy, bone dry txakoli! One of my favorite wines to drink in summer, I have in the past always been happy to pay the piper for these delicious, mineral, yet ultimately uncomplicated and refreshing whites. Now that we import this one directly though, I think I've found a new go to summer white (though I'm sure I'll be drinking this in the winter as well, with oysters, dungeness crab, pan fried trout...). A by the case purchase for me and probably for staff as well; buy some before we drink it all.
Price: $12.99
2010 Finca Decero "Remolinos Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza
Review Date: 5-7-2013
Finca Decero is a relatively new project, but one that has already earned some glowing press, including the aforementioned review from Neal Martin as well as some praise from Jancis Robinson. This cab is both polished and fruity, yet balanced and true to the grape variety as well. A subtle, appealing leafy note weaves its way between layers of red and dark cherry fruit, baking spices and well integrated oak. While this may seem like cliché at this point for top quality cab producers outside of Napa, it bears repeating here: you will not find a Cab nearly as good as the Finca Decero at this price in Napa!
Price: $14.99
2004 Bodegas Fernandez "Escudo de Plata" Gran Reserva Jumilla
Review Date: 4-24-2013
If you are a fan of old school, long aged Rioja, old school southern Rhone wines, old school, slightly more rustic 1990's era Spanish reds...then may I humbly suggest this 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre)? The Escudo de Plata is a delicious wine that offers an incredible balance of generous fruit, intensity of flavor without excessive heaviness,and nice developed complexity from long barrel and bottle ageing. This is true Monastrell, unmistakably Spanish and simply one of the better values in mature red wine we're likely to find this year. Don't miss out!
Price: $16.99
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
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