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- Keith Mabry (433)
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- Matthew Landau Hassan (4)
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Staff Favorites
| If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers! |
Reviews
2023 Trois Noix "Rancho Pequeno Vineyard" Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
The Araujo family’s own east-Oakville estate, on red volcanic loam off the Vaca alluvial fan—and it wears that pedigree quietly. Cassis, black cherry, and dark plum framed by cedar, crushed rock, and violet. Just 25% new French oak and modest ripeness make for a restrained, elegant style: firm but polished tannins, real freshness, and a long, savory finish. This is Oakville Cabernet with the volume dialed back and the detail turned up—serious wine at a fraction of its usual ask.
2023 Trois Noix "Muir Hanna Vineyard" Oak Knoll Napa Valley Cabernet Franc
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
A tiny planting, handled with restraint: 22 months in French oak (78% neutral) lets the variety’s savory side lead. Expect crushed red and black currant, violet, graphite, and a green herb lift that reads as varietal signature rather than under-ripeness. Trois Noix’s earlier picked keeps it crunchy and fresh, with fine-grained tannins and gastronomic acidity. Elegant, aromatic, and built for the table—Cab Franc for people who love Chinon as much as Napa.
There Does Not Exist "Black Antler" Black Barleywine w/ vanilla, California (500 ml.)
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
Stunning Barleywine! The nose is brimming with vanilla bean, espresso, biscotti, black currants and toasted oats. Weighty on the palate and velvety smooth. Starts off sweeter and ends with clean hop bitterness. On the palate, black currants and plums up front that transition into dark chocolate and toasted oats. This is definitely one that can be drank now or aged for a couple of years.
Price:
$11.99
2024 Trois Noix "Muir Hanna Vineyard" Oak Knoll District Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
From the old-vine Wente-clone block that helped feed Montelena’s 1973 Paris-winning Chardonnay—and it drinks like that lineage. White peach, green apple, and jasmine over a whisper of honeycomb, all in tight focus. Entirely neutral oak and only partial malo keep it lean, crisp, and mineral, the volcanic-and-marine-shale soils lending real cut. Medium-bodied, energetic, and pure. Anyone expecting oaky-buttery Napa Chard will be happily disarmed. Absurd value at $15.
2024 Trois Noix "Ryan's Vineyard" Oak Knoll District Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/12/2026 | Send Email
The Sauvignon Musqué does the talking here: jasmine, citrus blossom, and white peach lift out of the glass, backed by lychee and honeydew. Six months of neutral oak on fine lees builds a supple, faintly creamy texture without ever weighing down the fruit. Bright, focused acidity carries a long, mineral-laced finish. Oak Knoll’s cool nights and big diurnal swings show in the tension—this is barrel-fermented Napa SB with Sancerre ambitions, not a supermarket pour. A staggering steal at this price.
2022 Croix de Labrie, St-Emilion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/11/2026 | Send Email
Axelle and Pierre Courdurié are crafting some of the finest wines in Bordeaux at Croix de Labrie, a fact made unmistakable when tasting their absolutely stunning 2022 vintage. Sourced from hillside parcels between Troplong Mondot and Larcis Ducasse, this tiny, cult‑caliber estate feels almost Burgundian in scale and humility, yet the wine is unmistakably Bordeaux in character.
I love how this wine delivers endless depth of flavor while maintaining extraordinary elegance. The texture is perfect, the tannins seamless, the acids bright, and a beautiful mineral thread runs throughout. It’s so thoughtfully composed and endlessly delicious. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting it with the team on multiple occasions, and it has been one of the most impressive wines in every setting.
If you want a first-hand experience with one of the region’s ascendant properties—or to add a true under‑the‑radar gem with immense potential to your collection—this is it. The 2022 Croix de Labrie is a masterpiece, and one I cannot recommend highly enough. They produce only a few hundred cases per year, so our property‑direct allocation represents a meaningful share of what exists for the world. It’s a get‑it‑while‑you‑can wine, made even more compelling by the soaring success of the benchmark 2022 vintage.
2024 Domaine la Clef du Récit (Anthony Girard) Menetou-Salon
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/11/2026 | Send Email
Talking about Sancerre vigneron Anthony Girard of Clef du Récit is one of my favorite pastimes. We have been working directly with Anthony for nearly a decade now, and I have had the opportunity to visit him several times over the years. Every visit comes with a sense of adventure and usually a hint of mischief. We have taken off-the-beaten-path journeys through the forest to pick flowers for his daughter’s school project and visited his brother’s goat farm to watch the goats being prepared for chèvre season. I sometimes refer to Anthony as the king of the side quest.
That same curiosity has led him beyond Sancerre to explore some of the Loire’s neighboring appellations, including Quincy and nearby Menetou-Salon. His Menetou-Salon is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and is handled much like his regular Sancerre, fermented and raised entirely in tank to preserve freshness and purity.
The difference is in the terroir. The fruit comes primarily from Terres Blanches, the clay-limestone soils that tend to give Sauvignon Blanc more weight, texture and richness. You can see that character on full display here. Candied lemon peel and white peach are layered with wild thyme and a streak of salinity. It is inviting and fresh, but with a little more depth and richness than you might expect.
Every journey with Anthony seems to turn into a new adventure, and his Menetou-Salon is definitely a side quest worth taking.
2023 Baker & Hamilton Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/11/2026 | Send Email
The Baker & Hamilton Cabernet is a total sleeper wine that continues to fly under the radar for many folks. The second wine of Vine Hill Ranch (VHR), this entirely estate-grown and produced Cabernet comes from one of the most highly regarded and critically acclaimed parcels of vines in all of Napa Valley. VHR’s flagship wine regularly earns perfect 100-point scores and costs $325 per bottle. Baker & Hamilton comes from the same estate vineyards and is made by the same winemaker.
Vine Hill Ranch sits at the southwestern end of Oakville, right on the border with Yountville, nestled against the Mayacamas Mountains. Immediately to the south lies Dominus Estate. To the east is Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, once part of Vine Hill Ranch. Just to the north are Harlan Estate and Martha’s Vineyard. This is truly sacred ground for growing Cabernet Sauvignon.
The vines grow on an ideal alluvial fan of coarse gravels washed down from the mountains over millennia. The peaks to the west also provide critical afternoon shade, helping preserve varietal character, acidity, and freshness through the growing season.
The wine is made by famed winemaker Françoise Peschon, whose résumé includes decades of producing world-class Cabernet at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Araujo Eisele Vineyard, Accendo, Heimark, and others. Trained at UC Davis and in Bordeaux, including a stint at Château Haut-Brion, Peschon has a remarkable ability to combine power and grace seamlessly.
In a strong vintage like 2023, second wines can be an especially savvy choice. There was a bounty of top-quality fruit, and the long, cool, near-perfect growing season allowed winemakers to pick exactly when they wanted, without major heat spikes or other issues compromising fruit quality. In the cellar, the top parcels and barrels are selected for the premier VHR bottling. The remaining estate lots are blended into Baker & Hamilton and sold for a fraction of the price while retaining much of the same pedigree, character, and quality.
At a recent staff tasting, the sales team and I kept coming back to how much this wine reminded us of Dominus right next door. There’s beautifully detailed red and black fruit, a suave, silky texture from refined tannins, subtle earthy spice, and savory notes of leather, tobacco, and seared meat. It’s an incredibly refined, perfumed, detailed Cabernet.
There’s plenty of power and lush fruit, but that’s almost a given in Napa Valley. What I love about this wine is the refinement, purity, and sense of place that are hallmarks of this magical parcel of land. I think it absolutely crushes many wines costing significantly more and will continue to do so for a decade or longer in the cellar. This is an extremely smart buy in the world of high-end Napa Cabernet.
2021 Viña Bujanda Crianza Rioja
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
From a family winery founded in 1889, the 2021 Viña Bujanda Crianza is composed of 100% Tempranillo sourced from Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa estate vineyards. The vines average roughly 30 years of age. This Crianza fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in American oak barrels. For the price, this is a no-brainer. First off, the 13.3% ABV is immediately appealing for sensible mid-week and casual enjoyment. Second, it’s absolutely delicious as it opens in the glass. Blackberry, blood orange, leather, dried herbs, black tea, and touches of ferrous red earth in the finish. Due to the cool vintage, this will appeal to the Bordeaux palate and is one of those rare hidden treasures that drinks orders of magnitude better than its price tag. It's a terrific case buy opportunity! I expect it will blow out of here pretty quickly once people catch on.
2025 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
Vacheron remains one of Sancerre's benchmark producers, and the 2025 vintage is a clear reminder why. Bright grapefruit and Mandarin orange peel lead the charge, grounded by fresh pea shoots and Meyer lemon for that unmistakable Sancerre profile. A wisp of smoky flint adds nuance to the wine's texture, while taut acidity keeps everything precise and focused. Always limited—and always a treat.
Price:
$47.99
| Limit of 6 per customer |
2022 Château du Perry Malbec Cahors
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
It has been a couple of years since we first offered the 2022 Château du Perry, and it proved every bit as popular as the 2020 that preceded it. We sold through our original allocation, but recently had the opportunity to secure another small parcel of the 2022 vintage—and we were more than happy to bring it back.
One look in the glass and you understand why Cahors was historically known for its “black wine.” Deep, dark and nearly opaque, it stains the glass and immediately hints at the concentration to come. The 2022 is a touch bigger than the 2020, with sumptuous flavors of black raspberry and currant layered with grilled meat and savory spices. It practically erupts from the glass.
What we loved about this wine the first time around remains true today. It captures the depth and character that make Cahors distinctive, but in a style that is accessible, generous and ready to drink. This is a LOT of wine for under $15 and an easy recommendation for fans of Cabernet, Bordeaux and, of course, Argentine Malbec.
We were thrilled to get another shot at the 2022, especially at this price. Quantities are limited, and this may well be our last opportunity to feature this vintage.
2025 Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol Rosé
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/10/2026 | Send Email
There is rosé, and then there is Bandol Rosé. Among the great estates of the appellation—a group that includes Tempier and Pibarnon—Terrebrune keeps the very best company. Mourvèdre dominates here, setting Bandol apart from greater Provence, where Grenache and Cinsault tend to drive the blends. It is what makes these wines so distinctive. Mourvèdre can produce rich, full-bodied and deeply structured reds, but as a rosé, it takes on an almost ephemeral quality. It is elegant yet textured, intense yet nuanced and graceful.
The new vintage of Terrebrune is one of the best rosés of the season. That may sound like hyperbole, especially when you’ve heard me talk about favorites like Pradeaux and Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rosé, but this ranks right alongside them.
It captures everything I look for in great Bandol Rosé. Expressive notes of ruby red grapefruit and wild strawberry are accented by more subtle tones of wet stone, anise and bay leaf. Fuller-bodied but never heavy, it carries remarkable freshness and a bright, vibrant finish.
Bandol Rosé as a category transcends what we typically think of as Provence rosé, and Terrebrune is proof in the glass. This is superb to drink now, but it has the structure and depth to continue developing beautifully for several years to come.
2024 Domaine Seguinot Bordet Petit Chablis
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/7/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/7/2026 | Send Email
I’m not embarrassed to admit that, though the 2024 Domaine Seguinot-Bordet Petit Chablis was one of the least expensive wines in a recent Burgundy tasting, it was one of my favorites. It’s like a pair of jeans that fits just right. You can dress it up or down. It’s easy breezy. Baked apple, fresh pear, jasmine, green tea, and lemon swirl across the palate. The finish brings pear, soft jasmine, and lemon peel, followed by a chalky seashell note that speaks directly to the Kimmeridgian soils on which the 25- to 35-year-old vines are planted. The wine is aged in temperature-controlled tanks for precision and purity, both of which come through clearly on the palate. This is what you drink while waiting for cherished Burgundy collectibles to get some beauty rest. A winner-winner for a chicken dinner, too.
Price:
$24.99
2025 Trois Noix "Kajita Vineyard" Sonoma Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/7/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 8/7/2026 | Send Email
This project delivers exactly the pale, whisper-pink Provence homage the glass promises. Pinot Noir picked early and pressed straight to salmon-onionskin color, then coaxed into something taut and mineral. Expect wild strawberry, white peach, blood orange rind, and a saline-crushed-stone lift that keeps it honest. Bone-dry, high-toned, and cut with the kind of acidity that makes you reach for the bottle again before you’ve decided to.
This is patio wine with a résumé—serious enough for the table, easy enough to drink without thinking. Chill hard, pour into a real glass, and don’t overthink the pairing: oysters, a niçoise, a roast chicken with too much lemon. Drink now through summer; rosé rewards nobody who waits.
2025 closes the book on Trois Noix rosé; the final vintage, and worth stocking your fridge accordingly.
Price:
Hidden
2022 Croix de Labrie, St-Emilion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/7/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/7/2026 | Send Email
Axelle and Pierre Courdurié are crafting some of the finest wines in Bordeaux at Croix de Labrie, a fact made unmistakable when tasting their absolutely stunning 2022 vintage. Sourced from hillside parcels between Troplong Mondot and Larcis Ducasse, this tiny, cult‑caliber estate feels almost Burgundian in scale and humility, yet the wine is unmistakably Bordeaux in character.
I love how this wine delivers endless depth of flavor while maintaining extraordinary elegance. The texture is perfect, the tannins seamless, the acids bright, and a beautiful mineral thread runs throughout. It’s so thoughtfully composed and endlessly delicious. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting it with the team on multiple occasions, and it has been one of the most impressive wines in every setting.
If you want a first-hand experience with one of the region’s ascendant properties—or to add a true under‑the‑radar gem with immense potential to your collection—this is it. The 2022 Croix de Labrie is a masterpiece, and one I cannot recommend highly enough. They produce only a few hundred cases per year, so our property‑direct allocation represents a meaningful share of what exists for the world. It’s a get‑it‑while‑you‑can wine, made even more compelling by the soaring success of the benchmark 2022 vintage.
2024 Domaine Seguinot Bordet Petit Chablis
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/6/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/6/2026 | Send Email
Another super bargain Chablis has arrived! From its clean nose with the perfect amount of saline and white orchard fruit scents to the palate of clean acidity, lemon/lime and a light sea salt infused finish. There are even some light background mid-palate white peach flavors. Previously, the entire line of the Seguinot Chablis sold out quite quickly and I assume that this very nice Petit Chablis will do the same!
Price:
$24.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
Here's an honest Champagne that delivers elegance and pure delight without unnecessary pomp and posturing. Dry and refreshing, Baron Fuente Grande Réserve Brut Champagne is a blend of approximately 60% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir vinified in stainless steel and aged three years on the lees. Crisp green apple and lemon curd on toasty brioche - - zesty, yet rich and rewarding. There's a little bit of almond croissant on the finish, no doubt due to ample time maturing on its lees. Delicately textured, it's truly one of the best bubbles for the buck in the store - - perfect as an aperitif to greet guests or as a bottle to have chilling in the fridge at all times. Pop cork in case of emergency. Aaah...that's better. Cheers!
2024 Domaine Seguinot Bordet Petit Chablis
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
This is exactly what a Petit Chablis should be, vibrant, zesty, fresh brimming with racy acidity and salty notes as well as fresh citrus accents. Easy to drink and enjoy this is a wonderful summer white that won't break the bank and is incredible versatile. 100% stainless steel this wine is all about freshness, fruit and lip-smacking enjoyment.
Price:
$24.99
2018 Baron-Fuenté "Rebelle" Brut Nature Champagne
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
All estate-grown, the 2018 Baron-Fuenté "Rebelle" Brut Nature Champagne is made of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Meunier. This generous zero-dosage Champagne is a rebel in the best sense of the word. It likes dancing and it looks divine as it dazzles the palate with an unexpected note of ripe, juicy Rainier cherry. Cherry. Yes, cherry. I went back, retasted, and confirmed. Oh, it’s so there. This bold fruit is framed by toasted caramel, almond, a hint of lemon peel and wisp of flinty smoke. You could rock this beauty on its own as an aperitif, but I’m eager to pair it with a sous vide fillet mignon, seared in butter and finished with Maldon sea salt. Hot tramp, I love you so.
2021 Viña Bujanda Crianza Rioja
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
The 2021 vintage in Rioja was excellent, and now that many of the wines have been released, it’s evident that it might even be one of the best vintages in recent memory. The collectible wines, of course, are standouts, but what’s even more exciting, in my opinion, is that this high level of quality is evident even in the most modest of weeknight wines. A great example of this is the 2021 Viña Bujanda Crianza Rioja, easily one of the most impressive sub-$15 wines I’ve had this year – from any region. As a vintage, 2021 in Rioja was cooler and later than average, and most of the wines favor elegance over power. In this wine that translates as bright red fruit flavors of pomegranate, red cherry and plum, along with very fresh, elevated acidity. Classic savory notes creep in on the palate – tobacco, graphite, shitake mushroom – and the tannins are so fine-grained, they weave together seamlessly on the palate. With some air in the glass, this wine expands aromatically even more, with orange peel and subtle potpourri notes. Tasting this wine, I’m struck by the level of complexity and concentration for the incredibly low price – it makes me wonder why this winery is not charging more! This is just a fantastic wine to pick up by the case to have at home for weeknight dinners and casual get togethers. I would snap this one up while it’s available, which surely won’t last long.
Goldeneye North Coast Brut Rosé Traditional Method Sparkling Wine
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
If you're in a hurry and need to grab a bottle of sparkling wine- this is an excellent choice. It's fruity and fresh, with balanced acidity that adds brightness without taking over the whole experience. The value for money is incredible- for $20 you get a traditional method sparkling wine that spent 26 months on the lees. You really don't have to think twice about picking this one up. It's an easy crowd pleaser for a casual get-together or just a relaxed day.
Price:
Hidden
Goldeneye North Coast Brut Rosé Traditional Method Sparkling Wine
By: Devin Elting | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Devin Elting | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, this crisp, refreshing sparkling rosé comes from California's North Coast. After 26 months on the lees, it picks up subtle toasty notes that pair beautifully with bright, fresh red fruit. An easy-drinking bottle that's perfect for making the most of the last days of summer.
Price:
Hidden
2019 d'Issan, Margaux
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/5/2026 | Send Email
D’Issan has long been one of the great values in Margaux, and the 2019 clearly drives that point home. The heart of the wine comes from its holdings on the Margaux plateau, stretching north toward Palmer and Château Margaux—an ideal position for expressing the appellation’s signature character.
To me, it borrows some of the power you find on the Palmer side of Margaux, but in recent vintages like 2019, there’s also a brightness and elegance that give it a strong sense of place. It’s a terrific Cabernet vintage, and d’Issan makes the most of it with a blend led by 70% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Our new Bordeaux-direct parcel is coming to you at one of the best prices available—a level that will look like a towering value once the wine reaches its full potential in a few years. Until then, feel free to keep it our secret.
2024 Clos de Luz "Agras" Pais Cachapoal
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/4/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/4/2026 | Send Email
Chillable reds are so versatile that I'm mystified they aren't more popular. Unfussy and easy to love, they sip well on their own with casual snacks and are a refreshing counterpoint to rich or meaty meals. The 2024 Clos de Luz "Agras" País Cachapoal brings it on home by way of País sourced from 100-year-old vines with a wee splash of Moscatelle, lending an alluring floral rosiness. Grapes are 100% destemmed for a pure fruit expression and supple tannins, then foot-stomped and aged 10 months in oak barrels. With only 375 cases produced, it tastes like the kind of wine only lucky locals are privy to and somehow never makes it beyond their borders. Bright cranberry and hibiscus are layered with red rose petals, cinnamon, black pepper, and a whisper of smoke. The 12% ABV makes it a great mid-week or early afternoon wine. Though great on its own for chit-chat with friends or movie night, it would be fantastic with charcuterie, burgers, pulled pork, baby back ribs, street tacos.
2021 Strala Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/4/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/4/2026 | Send Email
What do you think it would cost to take ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from a highly renowned vineyard in one of Napa Valley’s most exclusive and expensive sub-regions, then have it crafted into wine by one of the valley’s most sought-after cult winemakers? Now put that wine into a beautiful screen-printed, hand-waxed bottle and add a 96-point score from a top wine publication. What would you expect to pay - $150? $200?
Well, today we have exactly that, exclusively through Insider’s Advantage, for under $50!
Here are the details: the 2021 Strala Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced predominantly from La Montagne Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, with celebrated neighbors including Colgin, Bryant, Ovid, Realm, and Chappellet. The wine was made at Atelier Melka by superstar winemaker Maayan Koschitzky, whose résumé includes Screaming Eagle, Lail, Dalla Valle, and Checkerboard.
This is a stunning bottle, inside and out, delivering truly luxurious, cult-Napa Cabernet character at a price that seems practically impossible given the wine’s pedigree. Powerful, bold, and unapologetically modern, it oozes class from the first pour. Hedonistic layers of ripe dark fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry preserves, and exotic oak spice unfold across a rich, mouth-filling texture.
Yet for all its decadence and generosity, the wine never loses sight of its mountain origins. Powerful structure, savory graphite, a volcanic mineral core, and hints of wild mountain herbs and chaparral bring complexity and definition beyond the opulent fruit.
This is a wine that both looks and tastes seriously expensive, yet thanks to our huge Insider’s Advantage discount, is remarkably affordable. It is sure to strike a chord with a lot of Cabernet lovers, so don’t sleep on it. This is a one-time deal, and it will sell out.
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/3/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/3/2026 | Send Email
Incredibly delicious, this might be my favorite release of the Billecart BdB that I've had yet. The dosage is just perfect to keep it clean and refreshing without quite going electric and it's just such an easy and perfect bottle. The nose is soft and pretty with lemon candy, a little bruised yellow apple, some fresh crisp green apple. The palate has that perfect acidity pushing through the whole thing and bringing the freshness that you want from a bottling like this. I love it and I'm glad that one of my go-to Champagnes is back.
2014 Braeval 11 Year Old "Redacted Bros." (Thompson/Dornoch) Single Oloroso Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/3/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/3/2026 | Send Email
This gorgeous barrel of Braeval probably won’t strike a chord with the distillery’s devoted fans because, well, there really aren’t many Braeval fans. That’s not to say we haven’t sold plenty of excellent examples over the years, but the complete absence of official distillery bottlings and lingering confusion around the name, originally Braes of Glenlivet, have kept this excellent little malt off almost everyone’s radar. It doesn’t help that much of the spirit is destined for blending and often filled into less-than-inspiring cask stock, which may explain why only the oldest Braevals have historically achieved true greatness. But take this lovely Highland malt and place it in a fresh Oloroso hogshead, and you have a recipe for something wonderful. Here we go. The beautiful color tells us we’re firmly in sherry-bomb territory, a healthy auburn (1.4). The nose is explosive, with baking spices, roasted almonds, tinned stone fruit, and complex aromas of dark-roasted coffee. The palate is dense and chewy, offering surprising depth of roasted malt and zesty orange oil alongside rich, sweet dried fruit. It’s a classical, if not entirely unexpected, style. We might have assumed that enthusiasm for dense, dark, sherried malt would have faded decades after aficionados first embraced it, but drinkers both new and old still adore this profile. It may never have gone out of fashion, but it has certainly become far more expensive. For sherry lovers, this is the deal of the year. Hands down.
Price:
$64.99
2021 Hanzell "Estate" Moon Mountain District Pinot Noir
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/3/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/3/2026 | Send Email
Today we have an incredible offer from a winery that simply does not make deals on its wines. Should you choose to read no further, know this: this is absolutely world-class Pinot Noir at a price that is unheard of. A wine capable of standing toe-to-toe with any Pinot Noir-based wine on the planet without flinching. And at a price 50% lower than you'll find it elsewhere.
Hanzell is one of my three favorite wineries in all of California. This iconic property possesses an extraordinary combination of history, pedigree, quality, and innovation.
First and foremost, Hanzell is one of the most historic wineries in the state. It is home to California’s oldest continuously producing blocks of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, planted in 1953. The winery was also the first to use stainless steel tanks for commercial wine production - commonplace today, but revolutionary at the time - and the first to isolate the strain of bacteria responsible for malolactic fermentation in wine.
The estate has long been renowned for producing world-class wines with the ability to cellar gracefully for decades. I have personally enjoyed Hanzell Pinot Noirs from the 1960s and Chardonnays from the 1970s that remained vibrant, complex, and utterly delicious.
Given that history and pedigree, you might imagine Hanzell simply resting on its laurels and cruising on reputation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Today, Hanzell Estate may be the most progressively farmed vineyard and farm I have ever experienced. Fully explaining the level of detail and intention behind the estate’s holistic farming and commitment to biodiversity would require a thesis-length breakdown of everything the team does in its stewardship of the land.
A visit to the property reveals just how extraordinary the farming program has become and why Hanzell now stands as a modern standard-bearer for regenerative, holistic, closed-loop agriculture. I can think of no better example of a more thoughtfully farmed and meticulously crafted true wine of terroir. The sheer amount of care, intention, labor, and craftsmanship invested in these wines is second to none - and I mean that wholeheartedly.
The many glowing critical reviews of this wine will provide more than enough aroma and flavor descriptors to communicate just how complex and delicious it is. What I hope to convey here is the larger importance of Hanzell: not only the staggering achievements of the past seven decades, but also the estate’s tireless pursuit of a brighter future.
Better farming. Better soils. Healthier ecosystems. Better livelihoods for the people who live and work on the estate.
Jason Jardine - president, farmer, winemaker - and the entire team at Hanzell are deeply aware of the estate’s history and significance. Yet rather than allowing that pedigree to become an excuse for complacency, they use it as continued motivation to pursue greater excellence, meaningful progress, and an even more thoughtful expression of this remarkable place.
2025 Soalheiro Alvarinho Vinho Verde Monção e Melgaço
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
One of my favorite producers of this varietal (no matter which language you prefer to spell it with). I am particularly charmed with this vintage. It feels a touch lighter and a little more focused than the last few. It has the classic aromatics and flavors with just a little more pop! Mouth-watering acidity pulls the wine to a long finish that expresses its Portuguese origins through the tenor of its minerality.
2024 Comando G "La Bruja" Garnacha Sierra de Gredos
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
Comando G is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine producers in Spain. Each vintage their wines seem to grow in popularity, as wine collectors discover these wines that are unlike anything else currently being produced in Spain. Their singular focus is on old vine Garnacha from the Sierra de Gredos region, a rugged, mostly forested area not far from Madrid. Long known for simple, inexpensive country wines, the region has been transformed by the rediscovery of high-altitude vineyards forgotten by many. These old Garnacha vines revealed a surprising character: pale in color yet intensely expressive, with taut, nervy energy and striking minerality rather than the variety’s typical lush power when grown in hotter and flatter areas of Spain. The “La Bruja” is made from 100% Garnacha and is labeled as a “Vino Regional,” serving as an introduction to both the region as to the Comando G style. On the nose, there are classic Garnacha red fruit notes of cherry and raspberry, enhanced by subtle lavender, licorice and scrubby underbrush. Fine-grained, grippy tannins add balance, keeping the wild aromatics in check. The goal of founders Dani Landi and Fernando Garcia is to elevate Spanish Garnacha to the same ranks as Syrah from the Northern Rhône or Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and it’s clear they’re well on their way to attaining this goal. Considering that the top wines of Comando G – nearly impossible to secure – now fetch hundreds of dollars, this is a stunning value from one of the fastest rising stars in Spain.
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
The Billiecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs is super a super clean, refreshing champagne. On the nose there is a nice bit of brioche, bright Meyer lemons and a small hint of apple. On the palate its very light, mineral and high acid showcasing a long chalky finish. Love the Meyer lemon notes on this guy!
2013 Bowmore 12 Year Old "Redacted Bros." (Thompson/Dornoch) Single Refill Ex-Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
Those who follow my tastes know that Bowmore is one of the distilleries I consider a true enigma. It remains among the finest whiskies on the planet by any measure, yet the contrast between the distillery bottlings, which are perfectly acceptable but rarely transcendent without spending ungodly amounts of money, and the quality of the independent bottlings currently available to us is truly absurd. Every modern Bowmore cask we have received from our suppliers has been absolutely spectacular, and part of the charm is that no two are ever quite alike. This is the beauty of handmade single malt, and a significant proportion of Bowmore’s barley is still malted by hand. In my opinion, it is precisely that inconsistency that makes these whiskies so compelling. If every cask tasted the same, what would be the point of buying single barrels? So here we go with another beautiful barrel of Bowmore. The color is a perfect deep copper (1.0). The nose offers a remarkable mélange of salty maritime intensity and wild tropical fruit: lychee, sweet saltwater taffy, diesel oil, camphor, roasted almonds, dried mango, pink peppercorn, and malty smoke. The palate is vibrant and angular, with a huge mineral note and dense, billowing smoke. After all that talk about the individuality of single casks, this one feels quintessentially Bowmore in the best possible way. If we continue to find barrels like this, there is no question that we are entering a new era in which Bowmore’s preeminence will once again be more widely recognized.
Price:
$79.99
2014 Ariston Aspasie Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
2014 was the last "cold" vintage in Champagne and age has been very kind to it. There's a real tactile difference between champagne produced pre-2015 and post-2015. Now, the grapes are riper and the acidity is more restrained. The 2014 Ariston Aspasie Brut Champagne harkens back to a bygone era when the acidity was off the charts and the struggle was to ripen the grapes. The 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, and 1/3 Meunier are sourced from young vines only, which is a key component of Paul-Vincent Ariston's vintage wine philosophy. Vintage champagne must express what nature wrought from a single year and old vines are the opposite of that. A beautifully toasty nose, with notes of bitter almond, caramel, apple, baked pear, and citrus. On the palate, the autolytic character also takes center stage -- toasted baguette, pastry crust, and lees are indicative of Aspasie's extended lees aging, a whopping 11 years and 5 months for the 2014! The young vines produce fresh vibrant fruit and the (last) cold vintage adds zippy acidity to complete the package. A great vintage expression from a house that's been cranking out the bubbly for 232 years.
Price:
$49.99
2022 Mallea (Tyler) Santa Barbara County Rhône Red Blend
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
Mallea is back with a new vintage, and once again it’s a strong contender for the best-value bottle of wine in our entire inventory. Now, that’s a bold statement, but let me explain.
Mallea is a collaborative project between Eric Mallea of Sanford and Justin Willett of Tyler. Eric is the longtime vineyard manager for Sanford Winery, whose estate holdings include the legendary Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada Vineyards. For Mallea, Eric hand-selects top-notch fruit from other vineyards he farms throughout the region, giving him control over quality from soil to bottle. For the winemaking, he partnered with longtime friend Justin Willett of Tyler Winery fame. Long regarded as one of the most talented winemakers in Santa Barbara County (if not all of California) Justin brings incredible experience and pedigree to the cellar.
The Mallea wines were designed to seriously over-deliver in the $25–$30 category. At our massively discounted, winery-direct pricing, this wine is absolutely maxing out the QPR however you look at it. And don’t just take my word for it...ask any of our sales staff. At a recent round of staff tastings, this wine made just about everything else in the lineup look silly. It’s simply unbelievably delicious at an unheard-of price for handcrafted, high-quality, small-production wine.
A classic Southern Rhône-inspired blend of Grenache (44%), Syrah (42%), and Mourvèdre (14%), this is made with truly artisanal, small-lot techniques. The fruit is fermented with partial whole clusters and native yeast in open-top wooden vats, then aged in neutral French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The wine is medium-plus bodied, with lovely deep red and black fruits. The mid-palate is plush yet fresh and vibrant, with polished tannins and savory hints of warm earth, dried garrigue, and hard-ground spices lingering through the finish. So complete, delicious, and beautifully balanced. It’s hard to believe a wine this tasty can be this inexpensive!
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne
By: Michael Benoit | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Michael Benoit | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
Crisp green apple, Meyer lemon, and the faintest brioche aromas pop out of the glass of this blanc de blancs stunner from Billecart-Salmon. On the palate it's fresh and electric, with ripe citrus flesh flavors, a delicate bead, and a long, chalky finish. This would make a great aperitif and would drink beautifully with a dozen briny oysters on the half shell!
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
This is simply great Blanc de Blanc with golden orchard fruits, minerals, white cake, and sea salt on the nose. On the palate, golden apple and yellow pear flavors with just a hint of caramel, candied ginger and a light mineral/sea salt aftertaste. It has the bonus of an extremely long finish of lemon meringue! Absolutely delicious!
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
If you like your Champagne clean and refreshing, this is the best bottle that we have for you. Antoine Billecart insists on fermentations that are slow and cold, and the family has developed its own strain of yeast that can work in super low temperatures, resulting in a Champagne that is light as feather and arcs with electric excitement. This wine delivers all of this without any harsh grain, since it has been aged for over sixty months on the lees... A fabulous treat!
Lehmann "Jamesse Reference" Grand Champagne Glass #40 (we can only ship in 6-packs)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
This glass is so good- I can't believe that we can buy them direct from the manufacturer in Reims and offer you, the champagne lover, such an incredible deal. They show off the champagne even prettier than in a flute yet also allow for the aromas to develop and the flavors to pop. On top of that, they are machine washable! At this price, no champagne lover should be without a six pack!
Price:
$12.99
2020 Bélair-Monange, St-Émilion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/31/2026 | Send Email
Coming from one of the most extraordinary terroirs in all of Bordeaux—right in the heart of the St‑Émilion plateau—it’s no surprise that Belair‑Monange (formerly Magdelaine) produces one of the region’s top wines. Add the unparalleled expertise of the Mouiex family and it reaches another level entirely. But that’s only the starting point, because the 2020 vintage takes all of these elements and moves from compelling to truly epic. This is a not‑to‑be‑missed wine of the highest caliber, one that can stand alongside anything on the Right Bank from one of its greatest vintages.
Just recently, Jeb Dunnuck awarded the 2020 Belair‑Monange a perfect score in a 20‑vintage vertical, calling it “a legendary Saint‑Émilion” and noting that it reminds him “of a great vintage of Petrus”—and considering the Mouiex lineage at that estate, it’s not far‑fetched. Experiencing that kind of pedigree at this price is remarkable on its own, but when you add near‑perfect reviews from other top critics, including Jane Anson and Georgie Hindle of Decanter, it’s clear this is no flash in the pan. It’s a legitimate superstar and a cult collectible of the highest order.
I’ve always adored Belair‑Monange, consistently a standout among Mouiex’s great wines every year. But the strides they’ve made over the past decade are astounding, and given their singular vineyard, masterful touch, and soaring quality, it won’t be long before everyone is in on the secret. For now, the fact that it’s this good and still relatively under the radar makes it a remarkable opportunity for collectors to experience one of fine wine’s true hidden gems.
Famille Dupont "Cask Finished Collection - No 4 . Islay Whisky Casks" Pays D'Auge Apple brandy (Decertified Calvados) (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Calvados is near and dear to my heart and this beautiful estate being one of my favorite to visit. In a region that avoids unusual or out of the norm, Dupont has become somewhat of an iconoclast. The youthful exuberance that the estate exudes is absolutely infectious and is the continued work of the visionary who brought these expressions together, Jerome Dupont. Sadly, our dear friend Jerome passed prematurely in 2018, but his vision for adding a new chapter to the Calvados story lives on. Very few people in the industry were more passionate, thoughtful and kind as Jerome. He's deeply missed here at K&L, but his legacy lives on through these incredible brandies. And this is technically not Calvados because they've used American oak to finish this brandy, but by any logical measure it is Calvados.
Let's have a taste. The color is white wine (0.1). A lovely balance between crisp classical Calva flavors, quite crispy on first nosing with the baked apple note dominating at first. Further aeration reveals a good deal of depth and a buttery flakey pie crust note, sweet pear compote, hints of savory spice and briny smoke behind it all. There is this unusual connection with the feeling of being in a Calvados distillery, the funk of all that ferment, that peeks through thanks to the wisps of peat, which weirdly brings me back to France rather than Scotland. It's this slight medicinal note that is obviously a result of the Scotch whisky but doesn't divest itself from its core character on the nose. In fact, the note slowly melds into an almost honeysuckle floral aromatic. On the palate, the whisky is more pronounced but still does nothing to overpower the gorgeous apple character. Medium bodied and supple on the palate with a soft easy finish. This is an incredible value at nearly 50% off the original price. A perfect grab for any spirit lover, but not so weird that it will scare people away.
Price:
$59.99
Ariston Aspasie "Cépages d'Antan" Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Are you ready to get your pre-World War II champagne on? Enter Ariston Aspasie Cepages d'Atan Brut Champagne - a blend of three of the four "other grapes" of Champagne. Before WWI turned Champagne to rubble, it was teeming with many grapes other than the "big three" - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier, which ascended to exclusive prominence when Champagne was rebuilt after the war. Grown together "vigne en foule," or "vines in a crowd," the vineyards included Fromenteau (Pinot Gris), Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier, Arbanne, Savignan, and Gouais just to a name a few. The “seven grapes rule" came into effect in 1938, when new plantings of the four minor varieties (Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, and Petite Meslier) were discontinued, leaving only the three main ones in use. Legally, the other four can still be used as long as they are sourced from vines planted before 1938. Thus, the Ariston Aspasie Cepages d'Atan ("Grapes of Yesteryear") is a champagne unicorn. A blend of 40% Arbanne, 40%, Petit Meslier, and 20% Pinot Blanc, the d'Atan is chalky, floral, herbal, and exotic. You have to try this old style of champagne to truly appreciate how distinctive and delicious it is. Most people who try it love it. You will not be disappointed!
Price:
$119.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
The Ariston Aspasie Reserve Brut Champagne is 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 30% Meunier. It is a blend from two Crus, which in Champagne means villages, and has 15% - 20% reserve wines. Paul-Vincent Ariston loves to age his champagnes and this Brut Non-Vintage, which only requires 12 months of aging on the lees by law, spends 5 years sur lie! It's toast-y, lees-y, citrus-y, cream-y, brioche-y, and yumm-y with notes of peach, pink grapefruit, and baking spices. Aspasie is in Brouillet, a super cold micro-climate, giveing this cuvee popping acidity to compliment all of its other charms. This flag ship Brut NV is a great introduction to Aspasie's unique and delicious house style.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
The Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne is 100% Chardonnay and is a real "La Goutte d'Or," or "drop of gold," produced from a single variety grown in a single-vineyard in a single village, Brouillet, which has a super cold microclimate that gives the Aspasie champagnes mouth watering acidity. Crisp with a round finish, loaded with stone fruit, yellow apple, citrus, and pear. It's no wonder that piles and piles of empty Aspasie Blanc de Blancs bottles can be found in Gary Westby's recycling bin 24/7/365.
Price:
$44.99
2025 Soalheiro Alvarinho Vinho Verde Monção e Melgaço
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
The first striking thing about this bottling is the very pretty and super fresh nose of citrus fruits, key lime, sea salt and creamy stone fruits. The saltiness and concentrated citrus come through even more so on the palate. Tart and tangy, with green lime, a little peach pit, lemon verbena, Anjou pear cream. The finish is very long, precise and clean. This is a great go-to wine for fish and chips, seared scallops, crabcakes and a good old-fashioned salami sandwich on sourdough bread!
2018 Launois "Helia" Rosé Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
In 2013, Launois produced its last prestige cuvee through the Champagne Special Club and began working on their "Helia" series. Because of the long aging, the first release was in 2017, but it was only the Blanc des Blanc. Launois delayed production of its prestige rose a year because 2017 was stellar for Chardonnay, but tricky for Pinot Noir and Meunier. They were well rewarded for their patience. The hot 2018 vintage produced lush ripe fruit that gives this champagne an elevated red fruit profile (10% old vine still Pinot Noir added to the blend) to go along with the 90% toasty Grand Cru Chardonnay from Mesnil and Cramant. Think strawberries, cream, and the perfect croissant and you'll get an idea of why the Helia rose lives up to its prestige designation.
Price:
$74.99
2025 Soalheiro Alvarinho Vinho Verde Monção e Melgaço
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Albariño from Rias Baixas is one of the most popular Spanish wines we sell, but the region just across the border in Portugal – Vinho Verde – remains somewhat undiscovered by comparison. Vinho Verde built its reputation on inexpensive, fizzy whites that were also often off-dry – uncomplicated, simple and straightforward wines made from a blend of indigenous grapes, easy to drink but not necessarily very memorable. In recent years, however, a new category of Vinho Verde has emerged, focused mainly on the Alvarinho (a.k.a. Albariño) grape made in a more serious style: still, bone dry and driven by minerality. And no producer has done more to elevate this style of Vinho Verde than Soalheiro. Founded in the 1970s, they planted the first contiguous Alvarinho vineyard in the prestigious sub-region of Monção and Melgaço. This part of Portugal is just a stone’s throw from Rias Baixas – Soalheiro’s winery is less than a mile from the Spanish border – and much of what makes Rias Baixas special holds true for Vinho Verde as well: proximity to the Atlantic Ocean; warm, sunny days; and cool, misty nights. The resulting wine highlights why Alvarinho is just so delicious. Incredibly racy on the palate, with mouthwatering acidity, the 2025 Alvarinho bursts from the glass with notes of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and lime zest, as well as celery leaf, tarragon and of course, significant aromas of sea spray. On the palate, peach and apricot flavors emerge, and the overall feel of the wine mineral-driven, lean and very fresh, not unlike sitting by the ocean on a windy day. The finish is squeaky clean and bone dry, inviting another sip. Obvious food pairings would be oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail or anything with crab, but this wine is also delicious on its own. If you haven’t yet tried the Portuguese twin of the more well-known Spanish variety across the border, I highly recommend trying a bottle of the Soalheiro – it might just become your favorite example of Alvarinho/Albariño!
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Launois continues to be one of our most popular grower-producers. Based in the Cotes des Blancs Grand Cru village of Mesnil, the gold standard for Chardonnay in Champagne. The "Veuve Clemence" is a Blanc de Blancs and customer favorite of those who like leesy, brioche-y champagne from extended lees aging, in this case 4 years! On top of that, the Clemence has a secret. It's really a vintage champagne, but it's unlabeled. Why? Because the Launois philosophy is that vintage champagne can only be 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay that is 100% from the mid-slope. While the Clemence is Grand Cru Chardonnay, it comes from the tops and bottoms of the hills - not the mid-slope. On the nose lemon-lime, saline, caramel, butterscotch, and candied fruit. On the palate, medium bodied, baked pastry crust, sourdough, lees, citrus, with a long creamy finish. If you're a fan of the Cuvee Reserve, you should definitely try the Clemence!
Price:
$44.99
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
The Launois "Cuvée Réserve" Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne is the all-time undisputed champion of K&L's Direct Import Champagne portfolio. It's our best selling champagne, our most repurchased champagne, and it's in K&L's Top 10 selling products across all categories every year -- and all for (still) under $40! Consistently excellent, the "Cuvée Réserve" pedigree is beyond reproach -- 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay sourced from three of the most prestigious Grand Cru villages in the Cotes des Blancs: Mesnil, Cramant, and Oger. This region has the chalkiest soils in Champagne in which Chardonnay thrives. Beautifully balanced, with it's chalky minerality, and toastiness from three years of aging on the lees (the legal requirement for vintage champagne), it's a crowd-pleasing bubbly masterpiece crying out for oysters, sushi, and caviar!
Price:
$39.99
2024 San Lorenzo "Vigna di Gino" Marche Rosso (Montepulciano - Sangiovese)
By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Another sub-twenty banger from the Italian category - if you're looking for something easy, crowd pleasing, and just down right good, grab a bottle of this.
I'm always a fan of Montepulciano, this varietal always brings notes of jammy red fruit, a little earth, and a hint of baking spice, and with the Sangiovese addition to the blend it is rounded out with some zippy acidity, notes of bright red cherry, and a bit of florality.
For the price you are getting a ton of depth and complexity, as well as just something you can pop open and be confident all will enjoy at the dinner table.
Price:
$14.99
2024 Stony Hill "SHV" Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
This is one of the most compelling bottles of Chardonnay I've drunk in some time. A laser-focused wine with incredible tension and reverberating minerality. The iconic Stony Hill property on Spring Mountain is now owned by Demeine Estates, which also owns the legendary Heitz Cellar and historic Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville. With this new Napa Valley-appellated bottling, winemaker Reid Griggs flexes his fruit-sourcing prowess, combining Chardonnay from Heitz's Quartz Creek Vineyard in Oak Knoll and Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville with a little Stony Hill Spring Mountain estate fruit to create something truly special. These world-class Chardonnay vineyards have been woven together seamlessly, each complementing the others perfectly.
The style of the wine is very much in keeping with how Stony Hill has made its age-worthy Chardonnay for many decades. The wine has searing acidity, was not put through malolactic fermentation, and was aged with only a sparing use of new oak. It's linear, focused, and bristling with electric energy. In the glass it reveals struck flint, preserved lemon, crystalline white peach, ripe citrus, barley water, citrus oil, split white oak, and wet river stone. With time in the glass, the wine keeps opening up and gaining mid-palate texture and depth. So wonderfully layered and complex.
This is amazing and so energized now as a young Chardonnay, but it's clearly a wine built to age for decades. If you love mature Chardonnay, forget a few bottles of this in your cellar for 15–20 years. I bet it will be spectacular.