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Staff Favorites - Steve Greer

Steve Greer
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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 Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Médoc Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 3-14-2013
Cassis and spice on the nose with plenty of fruit and structure on the finish.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart RP 91
2010 Petit Guiraud, Sauternes (375ml)
Review Date: 3-5-2013
Well, this might be the greatest value dessert wine in the store. Just buy a bunch and start introducing more sweet wines at your dinners, with cheese plates or just by itself. A bit more rich and fat than the Guiraud, the second label has a bit less acidity, it seems. But the rich, tropical fruit on the nose and palate, with a honey, pineapple, almost candied finish, is really good. I still can’t believe it is only $14.
Price: $13.99 Add To Cart WS 90
2009 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac (1.5L)
Review Date: 3-5-2013
I think the wines produced in 2009 and 2010 by this château are amazing. The 2009 had graphite, black tea and currant on the nose, and there were so many layers to this wine that it continued to show over the hours (and two days later) the same graphite and black tea, plus flinty, rocky minerality, currants, garrigue and cedar. There is a refinement to the structure and mouthfeel of this wine. Just wait until the 2010!
Price: $199.99 Add To Cart
2009 Montviel, Pomerol
Review Date: 3-5-2013
In Hollywood, the group was split on whether this wine or the Alter Ego de Palmer was their favorite. The Montviel estate sits close to Clinet (same soil) and is a part of the Château Le Gay group. It showed toasty oak spice on the nose along with coffee and dark chocolate. The wine was more astringent than I expected, but after a couple hours decanting the rich dark fruit more than balanced out the tannins with tons of chocolate, coffee and oak spice.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart WS 89-  92 RP 87-  90 WE 88-  90
2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 3-5-2013
This was the one wine that really opened up after two to three hours of decanting to wake up the fruit. Right out of the bottle the nose was mushroomy and dusty, and the wine had a rustic mouthfeel, but after decanting the pretty red berry fruit became expressive and an earthy spice poked through.
Price: $24.99 Add To Cart JS 92 WE 90-  92 WS 88-  91
2009 de Birot, Côtes de Bordeaux
Review Date: 3-5-2013
Without a doubt this was the overall value winner of the tasting. The aromatic nose was full of dark plum with a touch of spice, while the lush palate was filled with more dark, dense plum along with an earthy funk on the finish. For fun I took this home to see how long it would stay alive, and two days later it still drank well. This wine is great for shortto mid-term drinking.
Price: $14.99 Add To Cart
2010 Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux
Review Date: 3-4-2013
Spice and cocoa on the nose. Lots of rich, juicy fruit. A value pick!
Price: $49.99 Add To Cart JS 90-  91 ST 88-  91 WE 91
2010 Caronne Ste-Gemme, Haut-Médoc Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 3-4-2013
Elegant mid-palate. The fruit is evident, but structure dominates the finish.
Price: $16.99 Add To Cart JS 89-  90 RP 90
2010 Pagodes de Cos, St-Estèphe Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 3-1-2013
Ripe, with perfumed cassis fruit and nice spice. Astringent but polished. A good value!
Price: $69.99 Add To Cart WS 92-  95 JS 92-  93 RP 93
2010 Meyney, St-Estèphe (1.5L)
Review Date: 2-18-2013
Cherry cola, dark fruit and spice. The finish is long with lots of tannins.
Price: $69.99 Add To Cart JS 93-  94 RP 90 WS 90
2010 Gloria, St-Julien Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-18-2013
Sweet fruit, naturally extracted.
Price: $51.99 Add To Cart RP 93 JS 90-  91 ST 88-  91
2010 Rouget, Pomerol Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-14-2013
Cola spice. Rich but balanced, with good extraction.
Price: $59.99 Add To Cart JS 93 RP 93 WS 91
2010 d'Issan, Margaux Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-14-2013
Black cherry, spice and anise. Nice, elegant mid-palate.
Price: $89.99 Add To Cart WE 94-  96 RP 95 JS 94
2010 La Tour de Mons, Margaux Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-13-2013
From barrel... for the money it is hard to beat this wine. Cassis, mineral, tobacco and spice on the nose. An elegant mid-palate with tons of cassis and spice. Mineral dominate finish and very balanced.
Price: $24.99 Add To Cart JS 91-  92 WS 89
2010 Bon Pasteur, Pomerol Pre-Arrival
Review Date: 2-13-2013
From barrel...Raspberry coulis poured over Chocolate were my notes off to the side.... bright red fruit on the nose with chocolate, liqueur and spice. Touch astringent on finish.
Price: $84.99 Add To Cart JS 95 RP 95 WE 91-  93
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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)

Cana Brava Panama Rum 1L ($24.99)

2010 Knez Winery Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($29.99)

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

2010 Maysara "3 Degrees" McMinnville Pinot Noir ($17.99)

2010 Westrey Willamette Valley Pinot Gris ($16.99)

2011 Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Grüner Veltliner ($14.99)

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

2010 Montirius "Garrigues" Vacqueyras ($19.99)

2011 Montirius "Mineral" Vacqueyras Blanc ($24.99)

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)

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)

2010 Adega Vella Mencia Ribeira Sacra ($9.99)

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)

Russell's Reserve 6 Year Old Small Batch Rye 90 Proof 750ml (3 btls per customer) ($34.99)

Rock Hill Farms "Rye Recipe" High Rye Mashbill Kentucky Straight Bourbon 750ml ($44.99)

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)