K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 3/11/2026 | Send Email

The 2006 Fallet Dart Clos du Mont Brut Champagne is big in every way. It is barrel fermented in French oak, from a single vintage (2006), a single vineyard ("Les Hauts des Clos du Mont"), and has spent a mind boggling 15 years on the lees. That's more than most prestige cuvees from the greatest and oldest houses in champagne. This is a beast in all the best possible ways! Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, ripe and developed with vanilla cream, toasted baguette, gingerbread, peach, pear, hazelnut, almonds, Meyer lemon, lime, dried fruit, apple, and aged barrel notes like butter, honey, and caramel.

Price: $79.99

Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 3/11/2026 | Send Email

Fallet-Dart has crafted champagne since 1610 so they must be doing something right! The latest release of their "Grand Selection" is the best one I've tasted since I started working at K&L in 2022. 70% Pinot Noir, 15% Meunier, and 15% Chardonnay, let's start with the extended lees aging - 6 years - giving the champagne beautiful leesy character that gives champagne-o-philes (now a word) who love autolytic character a real treat. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. Powerful, elegant, and round, with aromas and flavors of brioche, ripe orchard and stone fruit, candied red fruit, nuts, fig, pepper, baking spices, hints of chalky minerality, and a long popping finish. A complex and distinctive champagne for under $40!

Price: $37.99

Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 3/11/2026 | Send Email

The Fallet family has been growing grapes since 1610 and winning awards for their wines since 1903. In 1953, Gaston Fallet married Genevieve Dart, and they created the Fallet-Dart brand in 1970. Located in the far western part of the Marne Valley, their historic terroir, old vines, and family traditions continue to produce fine champagnes of character and distinction. The Fallet Dart Brut Rose is a Blanc de Noir with an assemblage of 70% Pinot Noir, 15% Meunier, and 15% still red wine. Fermented in stainless steel and French oak barrels with full malolactic conversion, this rose has creamy red fruit character, grapefruit, orange peel, peach, and subtle oak notes. * Gold Medal - Wine International Competition * * Gold Medal - International Challenge"

Price: $39.99

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 3/11/2026 | Send Email

This has such a beautiful nose for a Chardonnay! Citrus, saline, green apple, vanilla, pie crust, and a zippy dose of minerality are just a few of the delectable aromas wafting out of the glass of this 2014 Anonymous Chardonnay Sonoma Coast. On the palate, a bouquet of flowers, orchard fruit, graham cracker, lemon-lime, with a long tart finish. There is concentration from the old vines, but still restrained and balanced. The new French oak gives it some extra structure and focus. This s an outstanding expression that's going to continue to evolve to greater heights.

Price: Hidden

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 3/11/2026 | Send Email

The Anonymous series continues with two great selections from the Sonoma Coast. This Pinot Noir meets the high expectations attached to any juice sourced from the Russian River Valley - dee-licious, without the RRV price! On the nose, dark cherry, red berries, cola, vanilla, dried herbs, fennel, and spice. On the palate, light bodied, seamless and soft, with loads of dark red fruit depth and character, cherry cola, espresso, with hints of oak. A must try!

Price: Hidden

2023 Les Athlètes du Vin Grolleau Vin de France

By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 3/11/2026 | Send Email

This wine is light, bright, and just plain tasty. It starts off with red candy aromas, then shifts into juicy, tart red fruit. With its low acidity and gentle tannins, the cherry flavor pops on the palate. I really liked it, and next time I’m definitely trying it chilled- it's perfect for a warm day! Honestly, it’s the kind of bottle you can bring to anyone who likes an easy, refreshing red. Safe choice, and super enjoyable.

Price: $18.99

2023 Sheild Pinot Noir Nelson

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 3/10/2026 | Send Email

The 2023 Sheild Pinot Noir might just be the perfect wine for springtime: it’s fresh and vibrant, bursting with youthful fruit flavors, and it’s incredibly silky and seamless on the palate. Hailing from Nelson, at the very top of the South Island, this is a delicate, fine-boned example of Pinot Noir that also completely overdelivers for its modest price point. Compared to warmer or more southerly regions of New Zealand, the wines of Nelson are known for being lighter-bodied on the palate, with more subtle earthy notes. Proximity to the ocean lends a coastal feel to the wine, while the region’s ample sunshine ensures perfectly ripe fruit. And while the purity of the fruit in this wine – juicy red cherries, wild raspberry – clearly speaks to the New World, there’s something distinctly Old World about the freshness of the palate and the electric backbone of acidity. It’s just superbly light on its feel and elegant in expression. According to winemaker Trudy Sheild, this wine is crafted from three Pinot Noir clones – Abel, 10/5, and Pommard – with the inclusion of 40% whole clusters during fermentation, which amplifies the bright freshness of the fruit. The wine was then matured in French oak barrels for 9 months, 25% of which were new. In other words, at under $20 per bottle, this is a screaming deal for the quality of winemaking and regional expression of the wine. With only about 1000 cases made, this also is a wine to stock up on by the case.

Price: $17.99

JS: 94

SK: 93

Binder's Stash Distilled By Willett 9 Year Old "Single Barrel #745" French Oak Wave Stave Cask Strength Kentucky Wheated Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 3/10/2026 | Send Email

The opportunity to purchase a barrel from the remarkable Binder’s Stash marks a real turning point in the landscape of great American whiskey. The famed Willett Estate Distillery remains one of the most coveted properties in the country and historically has shared virtually none of its whiskey with outside brands, especially in any formal way. That makes this partnership with Bill Binder’s particularly significant, as it represents their first official single barrel collaboration. Even more compelling is the nature of the barrels themselves. These casks come from the distillery’s small experimental runs, whiskies produced during the learning phases of Willett’s modern distillation program. Some were recipes that ultimately did not align with the house profiles of their regular releases, while others were matured in unusual barrel types. None of that implies compromise in quality. If anything, these are among the most fascinating and distinctive whiskies coming out of the distillery today. Yes, the price is serious, but it still represents a meaningful discount compared with a traditional Willett Family Estate purple top of comparable age. This particular barrel is among the most intense and complex modern bourbons I have tasted. Wheated bourbon loves oak and age, and this one embraces both with complete abandon. If you are looking for a gentle, spirit driven craft whiskey, this is not the bottle. If, however, you crave an unctuous, unapologetic oak bomb loaded with oily texture and endless flavor potential, you have found it. The spiral barrel used here lends an experimental character that feels almost shocking in today’s pursuit of consistency, yet the results are remarkable. The color is simply absurd, deep treacle (2.0). The nose is massive and tightly wound, clearly demanding air. At first it is packed with roasted espresso bean, cacao, clove, and vanilla. Given time in the glass it transforms dramatically: deep red cherry, cola, leather, stewed peach, galangal, exotic woods, and varnish emerge. With further air the aromas darken into dense cherry compote, espresso crema, bitter bark, quinine, sarsaparilla, and wormwood. The palate is enormous, oily, and deeply textural. Huge sweet fruit leads the charge before dense earthy oak and a massive surge of spice dominate the mid palate. This powerful, brooding core drives into a remarkably long and satisfying finish. A singular whiskey that refuses to fit neatly into any category. If you want to explore the outer limits of modern American bourbon, it is hard to imagine anything on the shelf today more impressive, regardless of age or price.

Price: $360.00

Rhys "Perpetual Reserve" California Sparkling Wine

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/10/2026 | Send Email

When sparkling wine in California is produced with the utmost care, intention, diligence, and absolute focus on quality, the results can rival even the great wines of Champagne. At Rhys Vineyards, everything they do is guided by an uncompromising dedication to quality - from the clonal selections in the vineyard, to the farming and viticulture, to the meticulous small-lot winemaking in their state-of-the-art cellar. Rhys has long been considered one of the premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in the country, crafting Burgundian-inspired wines from their incredible estate vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Anderson Valley. More than a decade ago, the team at Rhys began experimenting with estate-grown sparkling wines. In the early years, these wines were made only in minuscule quantities and shared among friends and family. As the team dialed in the results, and even planted dedicated vineyard blocks with sparkling wine clones, they edged ever closer to producing enough wine to release to their devoted mailing list. Now, finally, Rhys is making enough sparkling wine for us to get our hands on some. It’s still a tiny production of just a few hundred cases, entirely handmade, riddled, and disgorged. But we secured some cases, both here in California and in NYC. I shared this wine with our staff during the 2025 holiday season to much applause. They immediately recognized its spectacular quality. In fact, I poured this wine at my own holiday table and was blown away. Then, in February, Jeb Dunnuck awarded it a monster 98-point score. I immediately went back to secure whatever additional cases were available, and today we’re thrilled to offer them to you. A little about the wine itself: though it carries a broad California AVA designation, don’t confuse this with inexpensive wines sourced from inferior sites. This wine is entirely estate-grown at Rhys’ properties in Anderson Valley, from Bearwallow Vineyard, and in the Santa Cruz Mountains, predominantly from Mt. Pajaro Vineyard in Corralitos. The fruit is organically and biodynamically farmed. The base wine is very gently whole-cluster pressed, fermented with native yeast in neutral oak barrels, and allowed to rest on fine lees for eight months prior to a further two years aging en tirage. After that, the wine is disgorged and finished with a low 4 g/L dosage. The blend is roughly 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, and around one-third of the wine comes from a solera-style perpetual reserve dating back to the 2016 harvest. The vibrant, crisp, electric freshness of the cool-climate, coastal fruit is beautifully contrasted by the rich, toasty, umami character of the reserve wine, along with the yeasty, brioche notes from extended time on tirage. That interplay of freshness and richness in both the aromatics and flavor profile also carries through to the texture of the wine. It is at once piercing and focused, with incredible tension on the palate, yet the finish fans out with breadth and textural finesse like a vintage Champagne. It’s a spectacular wine that delivers on every level. I can’t think of another sparkling wine, from anywhere in the world, that rivals this for the price.

Price: $59.95

Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Réserve" Brut Champagne

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 3/9/2026 | Send Email

What a revelation! I'm a huge fan our DIs but this new arrival may be one of the best yet. Layers of fruit erupt from the glass including notes of apple, pear, peach and blood orange. A hint of the exotic as well including some starfruit, kiwi and a bit of ginger. On the palate the mousse is creamy with flavors that are generous and keep unfolding. Bravo!

Price: $34.99

2023 d'Yquem, Sauternes

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 3/9/2026 | Send Email

What an incredible run Yquem has been on in the last few years. I suspect this will rival the famed ’88, ’89, ’90 trio as a sequence of landmark vintages—wines that exemplify one of fine wine’s great treasures at its peak. Stylistically, where the ’21 was focused and bright and the ’22 rich and decadent, the ’23 brings together the best of both, finding a middle ground without ever compromising complexity or depth. The aromatics on the 2023 Yquem might be worth the price of admission alone. This is one of those wines you simply want to spend time with, not rush. On the palate it is majestic, with a superb balance of texture and sweetness, lifted by a thread of acidity that keeps everything fresh. While I have no doubt it will age effortlessly, it should deliver immense pleasure throughout its long lifespan. 2023 Yquem is a truly special wine—one for the ages. Whether you're a longtime collector looking for the best from this iconic label, or someone hoping to experience the magic of this legendary Sauternes at its finest, this is a not-to-be-missed vintage.

Price: $424.99

2021 Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

The 2021 Mt. Veeder Cab is yet another incredible wine from the folks at Mayacamas. Well worth its price tag, this wine is extraordinary, showing incredible depth, beautiful tannins, and notes of ripe dark fruit, iron, cedar, and espresso, balanced out with the perfect level of acidity. Amazing today, but this wine will age beautifully over the next 10-15 years.

Price: $184.95

JD: 98

VN: 97

WS: 97

2021 Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

A benchmark expression of mountain-grown Napa Cabernet, this wine opens with aromas of blackcurrant, wild blackberry, and crushed violets layered with cedar, graphite, and mountain herbs. The palate is structured and energetic, with firm tannins and vibrant acidity framing dense dark fruit and savory mineral notes. True to Mayacamas’ historic style, the wine emphasizes balance, restraint, and longevity over sheer power. A classic Mt. Veeder Cabernet built for aging, showcasing depth, freshness, and remarkable structure.

Price: $184.95

JD: 98

VN: 97

WS: 97

K&L Liquors' 7 Year Old Every Drop "Living Legend" Batch No. KY-03-25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

There are few professional moments more gratifying than the work I’ve done on the recent releases of our new K&L Every Drop brand. This historic label, which predates the founding of our store by many decades, fell into my lap thanks to a thoughtful customer who won a little mini from the 1940s at auction and passed it my way. So when the opportunity arose to create a new, store-exclusive brand, I knew this magnificent, long-forgotten IP had to be revived. We painstakingly reimagined every detail of the label, staying faithful to the original design. From its classic clean lines to the timeless tag line “Supreme Quality” stretching across each bottle’s shoulders, it perfectly reflects our ethos. The label’s revival was inspired by an exceptional batch of rare bourbon that we had acquired by a stroke of good fortune: a great old whiskey from Frankfort, followed shortly by a second release of the same. But how could we continue producing whiskies that lived up to those extraordinary beginnings? My premise was never that Every Drop must be mythical in rarity, but that every bottle, yes, every drop, should offer our customers an experience of unmistakable quality, unique character and unmatched value. That’s a tall order, especially given that I have no control over the aging or production of the barrels we source. With only tiny samples representing entire lots, I set out with a wing and a prayer to find our third batch. That search led to a parcel of mature bourbons from a certain distillery near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. While I can’t name it on the label, nothing stops me from saying it outright: it’s that ol' Kickin' Chicken in Tyrone. The question then became, how could a seven (nearly eight) year old Turkey compete with the best in class? The answer lay in blending and proofing. I’ve always found immense joy in blending on the small scale that I've been afforded, and this project gave me the chance to shape the final character through careful selection and proof adjustment. When a customer emailed asking if it might be similar to W.B. Saffel, a whiskey twice the price and up to 12 years old, I knew we’d hit the mark. The proof and batch name pay quiet homage to the great blenders behind that legendary bourbon and, indeed, it was a beacon which I hoped would guide me. Now, this is my Tuesday to Sunday whiskey. It’s exuberant, balanced, and endlessly satisfying. It’s unquestionably the best value on the shelf today in this style, which is quite distinct from regular WT or Russell’s Reserve. It just so happens that it’s a style I love. Expect an elegant balance of sweet oak, fragrant fruit, zesty spice, and a rich caramel backbone. It shines in cocktails and stands beautifully on its own. And if you don’t appreciate “Minerva's Purple Wax”, I know a monk in Midway who wants a word.

Price: $49.99

K&L Liquors' 7 Year Old Every Drop "Living Legend" Batch No. KY-03-25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

Seven years, bottled at entry proof, from one of my favorite Kentucky distilleries that you can rarely get independent barrels from? Oh, yeah. Sign me up. To say this is one of the most ridiculous values I’ve seen from us here at K&L would be an understatement. Getting our own liquid from this undisclosed Lawrenceburg distillery - one that, let’s just say, pairs nicely with the main dish at your late November family feast - is, pretty, ahem, wild. I’m certainly giving thanks for this whiskey. The nose gives all those beautiful fall spices, with cinnamon and clove, allspice and dried flowers, like the potpourri surrounding the gourd on your table. The oak from an old barn, sweet caramel, along with apple, apricot, and cherry pie all play roles in the lovely aromatics as well. On the palate the spices continue along with musty oak, toffee, some orange peel, and pepper, with a bit of peanut brittle and nutmeg to round it all out before finishing with a little more of that barnyard rickhouse funk, soft leather, and roasted honey. You’d be a turkey not to gobble up this bottle for your holiday festivities.

Price: $49.99

K&L Liquors' 7 Year Old Every Drop "Living Legend" Batch No. KY-03-25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

Taste a bit of history for under $50? Sign me up! You had me at "Lawrenceburg", actually. Oak and spice on the nose. Black tea, crème brûlée, ginger, and woodsy goodness abound. 107 proof hits just right. Get some before this homage to Kentucky's finest is all angel's share! Perfect for a hosting gift during the holiday season.

Price: $49.99

K&L Liquors' 7 Year Old Every Drop "Living Legend" Batch No. KY-03-25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

I really like that in our K&L Liquors "Every Drop" series, we're including some more budget-conscious options for people who want to try something from this series but don't have the means or inclination to drop a couple hundred bucks on a bottle. Josh gave you all the hints that we could possibly give for the source of this, so I'll just leave that part to him. The nose had this kind of maple note when I let it sit in the glass for a little bit, and it promptly went away with a single swirl. Now it's just baking and barrel spices, everything that goes into the pie except the pumpkin. There's vanilla crème brûlée in the background, the palate is fairly sweet but not overly so, lots of toffee, peanut shells, vanilla custard, and a little bit of lemon oil working its way through the whole thing. This is just really a lovely bottle, and for the price, I think it really over-delivers. This is a particularly favorite distillery of mine, so I could be biased, but I do think that for what you're paying you get a really fairly priced bottle. Plus, we picked this one just for you, so give it a try.

Price: $49.99

K&L Liquors' 7 Year Old Every Drop "Living Legend" Batch No. KY-03-25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 3/8/2026 | Send Email

The caramel hits first - bold and buttery, like sunshine melting over an old porch swing. It's the flavor of a Midwest afternoon. As it settles, a touch of oak and spice steps in, rounding the edges with a quiet confidence. "Living Legend" fits: familiar, comforting, and just a little golden around the edges.

Price: $49.99

2023 Graci Etna Rosso

By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 3/7/2026 | Send Email

This is for my Pinot aficionados out there looking to spice things up. Etna Rosso and the Etna DOC is one of my favorite niche regions at the moment, and Graci delivers an amazing wine at this price point it would be criminal of me not to do some promotion of it. Normally at this level, Etna Rosso's will have a bit of Nerello Carpuccio to help body the blend, but not here - 100% Nerello Mascalese. NM shares a lot of qualities with PN - light skin, floral aromatics, ripe cherries and a little liquorice - and you will get all of those both on the nose and on the palate here. The winemaking techniques here are what really sets this wine apart - fermented in classic vertical wood casks called 'tini', the wine is aged for 18 months, and then transferred to concrete tanks for a little malolactic action. This helps to give structure to the wines, refine the acidity, and helps to bring out some minerality and give this wine a great texture. If you haven't tried anything from Etna thus far, give this one a go.

Price: $29.99

JS: 95

VN: 92

2024 Cantina Terlano Pinot Grigio Alto Adige

By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 3/7/2026 | Send Email

Don't let the grape varietal fool you - this is no ordinary Pinot Grigio. Cantina Terlano will always hold a special place in my heart for being the producer that woke me up to what great Pinot Grigio can be like. Terlano, with their mountain estates in the Alto Adige, take extreme care over their vines and fruit growing on the rocky soils atop the mountains - while PG from warmer climates can suffer from over-ripening, Terlano's vineyards sites are planted high above sea level, where they get just enough sun to develop the fruit while maintaining a cool overall climate to nurture the acidity of their whites. This wine has a relatively aromatic nose - something uncommon for the varietal - with notes of lemon, white flowers/white tea, and a touch a salinity. Crisp, bright acidity on the palete, citrus, and riverstone minerality makes this such an interesting and complex vine - even vintage to vintage. If you haven't give PG a try for awhile, give this one a go - you wont be disappointed.

Price: $24.99

JS: 93

2024 Bodegas Frontonio "Microcosmico" Garnacha Valdejalon

By: [email protected] | Review Date: 3/7/2026 | Send Email

If you're looking for a red that will work well this Spring and Summer with dining al fresco, barbecue or just sipping on a picnic blanket, winemaker Fernando Mora has delivered this gem of nouveau Spanish style. Lively with lots of red fruit, but with a wonderful tension and food-friendly personality. This is all about terroir and the expression of pure, fresh Garnacha!

Price: $21.99

RP: 93

2016 Bodegas Muga "Prado Enea" Gran Reserva Rioja

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 3/6/2026 | Send Email

Only made in exceptional vintages, Prado Enea is the flagship wine of iconic winery Muga, and more importantly, one of the great wines of Rioja. The 2016 vintage was slightly cooler than average, though not dramatically so, and the result is an exceptionally elegant Prado Enea that deftly balances typical Muga power and intensity with an incredible amount of finesse on the palate. Aged in both American and French oak barrels, the wine is framed by toasty hazelnut and saddle leather notes, as well as well-integrated tannins. This is a style of Gran Reserva Rioja that just seems to get more complex with every swirl in the glass. Dried thyme and oregano are followed by tea leaves and portobello mushroom, which are followed by graphite and dried red plum. It’s hard to put the glass down! Slowly savor this Rioja along with a great meal and conversation. Personally, I’d suggest picking up a few bottles – one to enjoy now and the others to open down the road, because it will be fascinating to see how this develops and gains even more complexity as the years pass.

Price: $94.99

Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Graham Collis | Review Date: 3/6/2026 | Send Email

What a great representation of Champagne Rosé! This bottle has loads of different fruit aromas, reminiscent of fruit cocktail, while maintaining Champagne’s signature elegance through hints of sweet cream and toasted brioche. The palate is full of ripe nectarine, red apple, and finishes with a lovely iodized mineral character. This is a crowd pleaser, and at 40 dollars offers great value.

Price: $39.99

2024 Viña Elena "Bruma Paraje Marín" Monastrell Jumilla

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 3/6/2026 | Send Email

The 2024 Viña Elena "Bruma Paraje Marín" was wine critic Tim Atkin’s Value Red Wine of the Year for 2025, and I couldn’t agree more. Wildly expressive and bursting with youthful aromas of wild lavender, juicy blackberry, black plums and wisteria, the wine also has a nervy, exuberant energy – quite simply, it’s a joy to drink! Made from 100% Monastrell (better known as Mourvèdre in France and occasionally Mataro in the New World), this wine is a wonderful expression of the variety, which is thought to be native to Jumilla, where Viña Elena is located. Winemaker Elena Pacheco is the youngest of four sisters, and the daughter who most closely trailed her father in the vineyards and winery, absorbing the knowledge passed on from his own father, who planted the family’s vineyards. Her father’s business was mainly selling bulk wine, but in 2002, Elena bottled her first wine, named after her father. The family winery is located in Estrecho de Marín, a valley encircled by gentle, low-lying mountains at the southern edge of Jumilla. This Monastrell is sourced from several vineyards surrounding the winery, combining fruit from warm, west-facing slopes with that of cooler, east-facing sites. The wine is then fermented and aged in concrete vats to maintain its fresh, vibrant fruit character. There’s so much going on with this wine aromatically, yet on the palate it feels silky and refined, almost ethereal. The flavors glide across the palate effortlessly, supported by refreshing acidity and grippy, yet well-integrated tannins, and the finish just goes on and on. There’s also something darker and meatier lingering in the background: faint campfire, black licorice and freshly ground pepper, all very subtle, but just enough to add an intriguing component. This wine would be wonderful with a charcuterie board but also could stand up to spring lamb or grilled chicken, or even something more intense like a wild boar sugo. It would also be great slightly chilled on a warm day. This Monastrell is just so delicious and so drinkable, and I’m in agreement with Tim Atkin – it’s a stupendous value for the price.

Price: $19.99

TA: 93

2010 Mira "Hyde Vineyard" Napa Valley Syrah (Winery Direct Library)

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/6/2026 | Send Email

The 2010 Hyde Syrah is a complex and thought-provoking wine that clearly reflects the dramatic growing season of 2010. A year that began historically cool, only to heat up as harvest approached, produced some seriously structured, concentrated, and powerful wines. This wine is no exception. Dark, rich black fruit and smoldering scorched earth are balanced by toasted spices, hints of peppered steak, and campfire coals. A robust wine with charred spices and meaty elements underscoring the muscular dark fruit. It has aged very well and is now showing lovely development of character from its 15 years in bottle. What a treat—especially at this ludicrous price. Enjoy.

Price: Hidden

WE: 91

2009 Mira "Hyde Vineyard" Napa Valley Syrah (Winery Direct Library)

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/6/2026 | Send Email

The 2009 Hyde Syrah from Mira is a potent wine with lots of ripe, rich fruit—boysenberry, smoked plum, and black cherry. With time aging in bottle, the wine has developed lovely notes of saddle leather, dried herbs, and hints of steak tartare with aged balsamic. It’s in a great place right now, where the plush fruit and texture remain generous, while complex secondary characters are beginning to fill in as the wine’s maturity shows beautifully. How fun to be able to enjoy a perfectly aged wine, direct from the winery’s cellar, at such a modest price. If you love wines with a nice amount of age on them, this is an offer you won’t want to miss. Limited availability.

Price: Hidden

WE: 92

2016 Siaurac, Lalande de Pomerol

By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 3/5/2026 | Send Email

Elegant and beautifully mature, this Right Bank Bordeaux opens with aromas of ripe plum, black cherry, and cassis layered with notes of cedar, graphite, and subtle baking spice. The palate is supple and refined, with Merlot-driven dark fruit supported by silky tannins and a gentle earthy complexity. With several years of bottle age, the wine shows impressive harmony, where fruit, structure, and secondary notes of leather and spice come together seamlessly. A classic Right Bank Bordeaux offering depth, elegance, and exceptional value for those seeking the character of Pomerol without the Pomerol price tag.

Price: $24.99

2021 Château Sainte-Eulalie "La Cantilene" Minervois La Liviniere

By: Lauren Fisher | Review Date: 3/5/2026 | Send Email

The 2021 Château Sainte-Eulalie “La Cantilene” is aromatic and textured. The nose shows blueberry, eucalyptus, and wild herbs layered with warm baking spices. The rustic palate is savory and spice-driven, with tart dark fruit lifted by balanced acidity and refined tannins. Notes of dried herbs and pepper linger on a long, earthy finish that reflects its Mediterranean origins. This would be a lovely little accompaniment to your go-to weeknight dinner.

Price: $24.99

JD: 94

2022 Tread "Sierra Madre Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 3/5/2026 | Send Email

This wine smells coastal! Here is a California Chardonnay that has more cut, minerality, and persistence than many wines that are grown around the village of Chichée. I know that those are fighting words… but this is a terroir-driven wine with lots of personality. Heirloom apples, citrus zest, seashells, and a whiff of salt from an onshore breeze. This is not a typical California Chardonnay; this is a wine that shows off the potential of a truly cool-climate growing region. Speaking of potential, this wine has awesome potential. I would like to see what this is like in 5 years!

Price: Hidden

VN: 94

WE: 92

2022 Tread "Sierra Madre Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

I’ve long been a fan of this vineyard site, and I even had the chance to work with the fruit during my time in the cellar 15 years ago. Originally planted in the 1970s, it’s a historic site that has long earned its Grand Cru status. The wines from here always strike a fascinating balance between power and precision—naturally concentrated and dense, yet driven by vibrant, piercing, mouthwatering acidity. That’s exactly the case here. This isn’t a fruit-forward Chardonnay; it’s all about saline, stony minerality, freshly baked pie crust, hints of jasmine, citrus peel, and Marcona almond. Complex and compelling, it clearly reflects the pedigree of the site and its intense maritime influence. Chablis-like perhaps, but it doesn’t need to imitate anything. This wine has a true sense of place all its own.

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VN: 94

WE: 92

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

Another incredible Pinot from the Anonymous Wine Collective, this wine retails for $100 under its producer's label and it's evident. This Sonoma Coast Pinot is light bodied and smooth, with notes of cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and a hint of oak on the palate. An elegant Pinot at a steep discount.

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2024 Viña Elena "Bruma Paraje Marín" Monastrell Jumilla

By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

Wild and expressive, this Monastrell opens with aromas of ripe blackberry, dark plum, and Mediterranean herbs, lifted by subtle notes of black pepper and warm earth. The palate is rich yet energetic, with dense dark fruit balanced by fresh acidity and a distinct mineral edge from the region’s limestone soils. Fermentation in concrete preserves the wine’s purity, giving it a vibrant, lifted texture and savory depth. For customers who love bold reds but want something with more character than the usual Cabernet or Malbec, this is a perfect discovery bottle. It delivers the power and dark fruit people crave, but with the rustic charm, freshness, and sense of place that make Spanish Monastrell so compelling.

Price: $19.99

TA: 93

2022 Tread "Sierra Madre Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

Another really clean and fresh little guy from this winery. This is probably, of the ones I've tasted, one of the bigger and richer Chardonnays but it's still really accessible and fairly easy. The nose has a little bit of oak to it for me, but it's probably in the low double digits. Please understand I am just guessing and it's my impression from what I'm tasting and smelling, so if I'm wrong, I'm okay with that. There's that pretty and crisp red apple, some lemon curd, and then that little touch of oak. The palate is elegant and really has a great texture while maintaining this beautiful line of acidity the whole way through, very crisp and tart red apple, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a little bit of chalk on the finish round everything out. It's really gorgeous and a great deal at this price. Buy it, you'll like it.

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VN: 94

WE: 92

Michel Arnould "Acuité" Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

This has such a really inviting nose, there's some soft very freshly baked brioche, but just the crumb and then some white flowers, crisp apple, quince, and lemon zest. The palate is incredibly round and inviting, with a good level of acidity but definitely an easy drinking style of Champagne. This has such a long and pretty lemony finish on it, it really just makes me want to have this with nothing in particular for the most part, this pairs super well with just the glass, but if forced some passed appetizers or a baked oyster or two would certainly not go amiss. Absolutely delicious.

Price: $44.99

2025 Anonymous Wine Collective Contra Costa County Rosé of Mourvedre

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

This is THE Rose of Spring! It has wonderful depth, intriguing brightness and bouncy acidity. It is full of raspberry-fruited goodness with tart strawberry, a little bit of watermelon rind and crunchy juicy fresh cut mandarin orange flavors. The finish is clean and has bright acidity. The Mouvedre fruit adds lush mouthfeel and deeper red fruits. This one is made by one of my very favorite producers of so many varietals. They are MasterCraft winemakers! This delectable Rose is full proof of that!

Price: $14.95

Damien Hugot "Hommage 1921" Extra Brut Champagne

By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 3/4/2026 | Send Email

From Damien Hugot comes a deeper, more complex style of Champagne! This uses a blend of current harvest grapes for the Chardonnay, but the red grapes are coming from a solera style blend, and this is where a lot of depth and complexity comes from in Champagne. This blending, coupled with some large oak aging, creates an elegant Champagne (as one would expect from Hugot), but also adds softer texture for added depth. It's still full of citrus thanks to the Chardonnay, but the roundness on the palate creates a lovely contrast.

Price: $49.99

2019 Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan is one of those wines that makes you feel like you should be better dressed. When a colleague at work said, "here, try this," I made the mistake of not saving it for last because the wines that followed paled in comparison, making it nearly impossible to be objective. As soon as I raised the glass to my nose, I knew I was about to sip pure sophistication. Aromas of freshly turned soil, blackberries, and beef consommé made me stand a little straighter. The palate is confident and richly layered with soft waves of blackberry, cassis, an alluring umami note, tobacco, black tea, fresh soil after a rain, and a lick of graphite. Time stopped and I felt momentarily embraced. In a word: exquisite.

Price: $144.99

Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Vieilles Vignes

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

A lovely, creamy nose of lemon meringue, bread dough and chalk. On the palate, it starts out a bit richly with caramel green apple, cream, and macaroon. By the mid-palate, up pops the acidity, chalk, and citrusy lemon flavors. There is a long, chalky finish that lingers with a very fine bead. An excellent value for this quality of Blanc de Blancs!

Price: $44.99

Pierre Mineral Mesnil "Vieillie En Fût" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Magnum 1.5L

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

I’m not naming names, but there’s a Champagne out there strikingly similar to this one that’s currently fetching $260. Need I say more? Probably not. But as a shameless bubble head, I can’t help but sing this wine’s praises. Think ripe pear layered with delicately toasted almond, vanilla crème anglaise, green apple, and a whisper of fresh sourdough toast that fans out across the palate. The texture is plush, the perlage exquisitely pinpoint. This is luxury, full stop. I tasted it on a day when I was a little down, and it felt like a shining mercy: a reminder that we need Champagne this fine in both victory and defeat. Just as time heals all wounds, so does great Champagne.

Price: $119.99

2020 Domaine de Pallus "Les Pensees de Pallus" Chinon

By: John Majeski | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

'Nature abhors a vacuum'. Good advice from Francois Rabelais, the 15th century doctor, satirist and polymath who was born in a modest hamlet a crow's flight from where these vineyards today lie. To correct any vacuum in your glass, fill it midway with this flagship wine from Domaine de Pallus. Culled from vines grown on the south-facing, limestone rich hillside of Cravant-les-Coteaux, the Pensees is a superbly balanced expression of Chinon’s signature way with Cabernet Franc. Medium-bodied, imbued with textural tannins, this lovely wine evokes flavors of blackberry, blackcurrant, herbal and earthy mushroom notes. It spent its first year in older burgundy barrels, then fully three more in bottle before it was released. Coming in at just 13% abv this pure rendering will pair well with herb-roasted chicken, mushroom stroganoff or coq au vin.

Price: $25.99

Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Vieilles Vignes

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

A longtime favorite of mine even amongst the plethora of great wines Gary has sourced from all over Champagne. This old vine bottling from Boulard Bauquaire always delivers. An ultra mineral-driven Blanc De Blanc from a parcel of vines over 75-years of age! This wine is so fine, aromatic and complex. I just love the delicate floral aromas, lingering minerals and elegant texture this wine expresses. It's also a remarkable value for money especially when you consider this is coming from a small grower-producer, with top pedigree, and sourced from a single parcel of vines planted in pure chalk soils. Fantastic as always!

Price: $44.99

2025 Anonymous Wine Collective Contra Costa County Rosé of Mourvedre

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

Aged in stainless steel and neutral oak, the 2024 Anonymous Contra Costa County Rosé of Mourvèdre is rumored to be composed of 83% Mourvèdre, 9% Zinfandel, 7% Carignane, and 1% Grenache = 100% deliciousness in total. I'm not ashamed to admit that my third sip of this at K&L in San Francisco prompted a combo of jazz hands and a little happy dance. I didn't care who saw me, because I am so ready for spring! I am ready for fun! I am ready for THIS WINE! Refreshing bright red raspberry, fragrant wild strawberries, blood orange zest, and tulsi rose tea put the joy in enjoyment. This is a case-buy proposition — drink young, drink often.

Price: $14.95

2021 Boroli "Cerequio" Barolo

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

When we talk about the historical "Grand Crus" of the Langhe, Cerequio is always part of the conversation. Straddling the border of La Morra and Barolo, this magnificent amphitheater of vines is famous for producing wines of unparalleled balsamic complexity and power. The nose is instantly recognizable. It completely bypasses heavy, extracted fruit, offering instead a soaring, high-toned wave of wild mint, eucalyptus, and crushed black tea leaves. Beneath those classic Cerequio balsamic notes lies a precise, "crunchy" core of red cherry, blood orange, and a distinct, cooling ferrous minerality. There is no other Cerequio at this price point, this is an absolute deal.

Price: Hidden

JS: 94

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

Massively overdelivering for its price point, the 2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir walks that perfect line where California fruitiness meets Burgundian clarity and restraint. At the moment it is youthful and primary, but who cares when the fruit is this delicious. A kaleidoscope of black raspberry, red cherry, violets, and a hint of bay laurel evolves on the palate. The finish hums with bright cherry and delicately whispered black tea sweet nothings. This is the kind of Pinot to sip slowly and revisit because the aromatherapy coming off the glass is half the experience. As a California girl with French ancestry, this is exactly what I want in domestic Pinot Noir. SOLD, to the woman in the flat cap!

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2021 Boroli "Villero" Barolo

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

The Villero cru in Castiglione Falletto is, without question, one of the most historically significant and architecturally profound vineyards in the entire Barolo appellation. When working with this prized, limestone-rich terroir in a classic vintage like 2021, the result is a wine of power. it reveals distinct layers of ferrous crushed rock, iron, and a soaring balsamic wave of wild mint and licorice root. It smells ancient and completely tied to the earth. A magnificent, traditional masterpiece for the long haul.

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JS: 94

2021 Boroli "Brunella" Barolo

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

If you still associate Boroli with the modernist movement of the 1990s and early 2000s, it is time for a serious recalibration. Their strict return to traditional winemaking and large oak casks over a decade ago has completely unlocked the soul of their vineyards, and nowhere is that more evident than in their monopole cru, Brunella. Sitting entirely within Castiglione Falletto, this exclusive, sandy-soiled site is a masterclass in the village's signature balance of ethereal perfume. IIt vibrates with that "nervous" energy I am always hunting for. It is straight, vertical, and propelled by a tense, saline snap that literally makes the mouth water. The 2021 tannins are undeniably serious—granular, chalky, and demanding, but pleasent nonetheless. The new enologist, Cristiano Garella is really making this wine shining. A beautiful surprise.

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JS: 94

DC: 93

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

The 2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Chardonnay opens with Golden Delicious apple and ripe pear, layered with hints of white blossoms and vanilla-kissed butterscotch. The finish lingers on bright orchard fruit, leaving a fresh, sunlit impression that makes me look forward to warmer days ahead. It’s definitely a mood-lifting Chardonnay with lots of charm.

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2020 Ada Nada 'Cichin' Barbaresco Riserva Rombone

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

When we talk about Barbaresco, the commune of Treiso is known for its higher altitudes, giving Nebbiolo a notoriously ethereal, high-toned expression. But the Rombone cru is the fascinating exception—it provides the muscle and depth of Treiso. Ada Nada’s "Cichin" Riserva, sourced from their oldest vines in this prized vineyard, is a masterclass in balancing that inherent power with absolute, traditional transparency. Ada Nada is strictly old-school. They don't force extraction or mask the wine with new oak; instead, they let the terroir speak, resulting in a wine that vibrates with nervous energy. The nose is deeply savory and intellectual. It bypasses sweet fruit to deliver a profound, balsamic wave of camphor, licorice root, and tar, wrapped around a core of crushed wild cherry, dried rose petal, and white pepper. It has that "crunchy" tension I am always hunting for in Nebbiolo.

Price: $54.99

JS: 95

KO: 93

2022 Tenute Inverso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

I taste a lot of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, and too often, the market is flooded with heavy, jammy, and over-oaked versions that completely lose the grape's natural identity. This 2022 is the exact opposite. Because it is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel, it is exactly what everyday Montepulciano should be: pure, fresh, and deeply tied to its region. By keeping the wine out of wood, Tenute Inverso preserves all of its "crunchy" energy. The nose doesn't try to overpower you with sweet, extracted fruit or vanilla. Instead, it offers a vibrant, savory mix of crushed dark cherries, wild blackberry, and a distinct hint of roasted earth and black pepper. This isn't a wine to overthink; it is a wine to drink. Pop the cork on a Tuesday night and enjoy.

Price: $17.99

2024 Tenute Inverso "Anfora" Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/3/2026 | Send Email

Let's start off by saying this is one of the most exciting, under-the-radar projects in Abruzzo right now. Tenute Inverso is a tiny, family-run discovery that produces an incredibly small amount of this wine—just around 2000 bottles. We are incredibly proud to have this as an exclusive gem. Often, Montepulciano can fall into the trap of being too heavy, overly extracted, or masked by aggressive oak. Tenute Inverso completely bypasses that. What makes this wine so singular is its aging method: it is fermented and aged entirely in clay anfore. By removing the influence of wood, the producer allows the pure, rugged terroir of the Abruzzo backcountry to speak for itself. In the 2024 vintage, the result is a wine that vibrates with nervous energy. The nose is a lively, high-toned blast of sour cherry and crushed amarena, woven with savory wild herbs, forest floor, and a distinct, smoky minerality. It feels alive and vertical, offering a refined, almost saline texture that only clay aging can impart. It is intensely savory, lacking any heavy, jammy weight, and finishes with a pure, mouthwatering grip. A steal at this price point.

Price: $22.99

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