K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

2023 Domaine des Remizières "Cuvée Christophe" Crozes-Hermitage

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 5/15/2026 | Send Email

Our story with Domaine des Remizières begins nearly a decade ago. They had parted company with their national importer, and I was on the hunt for a serious but not overly serious producer from the Northern Rhône. When I first tasted the wines, I knew they fit a great niche in our Direct Import portfolio — showing the generosity and density you might expect from Hermitage, but in their regular Crozes-Hermitage bottlings. I eventually met Émilie Desmeures, the winemaker who, along with her brother Christophe, was beginning to take over the day-to-day responsibilities from their father, Philippe — though he is still very actively involved today. Émilie really believes in the purity and vibrancy of the fruit, choosing to destem all of their Syrah before fermentation. There’s a range of barrel sizes and oak usage depending on the cuvée, but the winemaking always feels thoughtful and balanced rather than overly worked. The Christophe bottling is 100% Syrah, mostly from the hillside slopes around Larnage, just north of the hill of Hermitage. Some of the vines are planted over kaolin, a powdery white clay, while the rest comes from parcels with more classic clay-limestone soils. Fermentation takes place in large oak vats, and the wine is aged in a mix of new and used barrels. This has always been a showstopper of a red for us, going all the way back to the first vintage we brought in — the 2014. The wine consistently delivers deep blackberry fruit along with notes of cassis, fig jam, smoked meats, and spice. Rich on the palate, it drinks great now with a quick decant, but it will also evolve beautifully over the next five to ten years. I love it with smoky barbecue or grilled sausages over creamy garlicky beans — the kind of hearty food that just makes Syrah from the Northern Rhône shine.

Price: $34.99

Wine Club

$29.99

2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne

By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 5/15/2026 | Send Email

2018 was an especially beautiful year, with ripe fruit and relatively low acidity. As the aromas revealed themselves, the first thing that came to mind was toasted bread spread with warm butter and honey. Then it developed into fresh apple, blooming flowers, and bright citrus notes that gradually came into focus. I love how seamlessly the palate follows the nose and intensifies those exact profiles. Though only a small portion saw oak, the wine carries a gentle roundness layered with a lees character and a mineral finish that keeps it refreshing. Elegant and comforting, this is the kind of Champagne that disappears from the glass far too quickly.

Price: $119.99

2022 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru "Les Lys"

By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 5/14/2026 | Send Email

A beautifully polished Chablis that leans more sensual that severe. The nose opens with lemon curd, crushed oyster shell, white flowers, and a cool chalky minerality that feels unmistakably Chablisien. On the palate, there's a gorgeous tension between ripe orchard fruit and razor-sharp acidity, with a silky texture that gives the wine extra depth and presence. "Les Lys" always seems to bring a slightly more generous, elegant side of Chablis, and the 2022 vintage adds just enough richness without losing that icy limestone precision. Clean, electric, and quietly luxurious.

Price: Hidden

BH: 90 - 92

2023 Domaine de l'Amandine Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Séguret

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 5/14/2026 | Send Email

The 2023 Domaine de l'Amandine Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Séguret is more than half Syrah with Grenache in the balance, all destemmed for pure fruit expression. It's plush and fruity with notes of ripe plum, black cherry, and soft hints cocoa with a touch bouquet garni. It would go great with burgers, BBQ, or your favorite savory snacks. Pretty bottle too!

Price: $14.99

DC: 90

2023 Domaine de l'Amandine Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Séguret

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 5/14/2026 | Send Email

I met Alex Suter of Domaine de l'Amandine, years ago at a wine expo in Paris. I had lost my luggage a few days earlier and was still waiting for it to turn up, yet somehow still had an entire trade fair to work through. I was feeling rumpled, tired, and more than a little out of sorts. Worse yet, I had tasted plenty of wines that day that were perfectly fine, but very few that felt memorable. Then I stopped at Alex’s table. His warm demeanor and welcoming energy were an immediate antidote to my grumpy mood — and the wines were every bit as uplifting. The estate’s vineyards straddle two of the most compelling villages in the Southern Rhône: Séguret and Vaison-la-Romaine. Séguret is famous for its hillside village, protected by ancient stone walls originally built to spot invaders from miles away. Vaison-la-Romaine, meanwhile, is best known for its Roman ruins and the picturesque village built along one of the Rhône’s tributaries. While history draws most visitors there, the area is also home to some wonderfully characterful wines — l’Amandine’s included. Alex and I immediately hit it off, and later that year I visited the estate. I was greeted by his daughter, Mathilde and a rather sassy Jack Russell terrier mix who seemed deeply suspicious of me getting out of the car. At the time, Mathilde was home from school, where she was studying oenology. She walked me through the vineyards before taking me into the cellar, proudly showing off the large concrete tanks her grandfather, Jean-Pierre, had installed by hand. I fell in love with the spirit of the place: three generations actively involved in the winery, crafting wines that are every bit as charming as the family behind them. Fast forward to today, and I often run into Mathilde at wine fairs around the world. She now plays a major role in both the winemaking and day-to-day operation of the estate, supported by her father Alex and even her grandfather, who still spends plenty of time managing the vineyards. Mathilde and I recently caught up at Wine Paris this past February, where I tasted the newest bottling of the 2023 Séguret. One of the things I always love about this cuvée is how prominently the Syrah shows itself. Made up of more than half Syrah, it brings savory spice and warm blackberry tones that beautifully complement Grenache’s lifted red fruit and subtle tobacco notes. The palate feels harmonious and complete, with ripe yet balanced fruit and supple tannins. When we talk about terroir, the conversation usually centers around soils, drainage, or exposure. But one of the most important elements is the people themselves. This is one of those wines where you can genuinely taste the passion and care of the family behind it — and that spirit shines clearly through the glass. Santé!

Price: $14.99

DC: 90

2023 Domaine de l'Amandine Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Séguret

By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 5/13/2026 | Send Email

Quality strawberry jam, cherry cola, kirsch, a touch of peppercorn, and leather. Refreshing and expressive on the palate, would pair well with a variety of roasted meats. Bring this to a party or a pic-nic!

Price: $14.99

DC: 90

2025 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan

By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 5/13/2026 | Send Email

The Domaine de Chevalier Rouge is always a wine the overperforms, and the 2025 vintage is no exception. This year I found a polished, expressive wine, with layers of dark red fruit and ripe tobacco, supported by cedar and pencil shavings. Medium-plus acidity keeps the wine lifted and structured, while a subtle smoky note adds complexity through the lingering finish. Elegant and well-composed with classic savory depth.

Price: $57.99

2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne

By: Devin Elting | Review Date: 5/13/2026 | Send Email

A commemorative release celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, this 2018 vintage from Billecart-Salmon is composed of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. It opens with bright lemon zest and ripe Honeycrisp apple, rounded out by lightly toasted brioche and a persistent mineral crispness. The mousse is delicate and fine. A refreshing splash of salinity makes for a truly delightful sip.

Price: $119.99

2025 Larcis Ducasse, St-Emilion

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/13/2026 | Send Email

Larcis Ducasse is continuing to produce landmark wines that deserve attention among the finest on the Right Bank. Now under the direction of David Suire, who also crafts the incredible wines of Laroque, the estate has been going from strength to strength over the past decade. A literal stone’s throw from Pavie, the limestone, hillside soils of Larcis Ducasse have long yielded distinctive wines, but the refinement, tension, and complexity now seem to be operating on another level. Deep black‑fruit aromas hint at an imposing wine, yet waves of vivid red fruit, bright acidity, beautiful texture, and soft, integrated tannins reveal something far more expressive, precise, and endlessly compelling. A long, saline‑tinged finish keeps you coming back to the glass for this impeccable, delicious wine. At our En Primeur pricing, it remains one of the great values in the region, thanks to the combination of terroir, limited production, and remarkable quality.

Price: $69.99

2024 Nicole Chanrion Côte-de-Brouilly "Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes"

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

Really lovely nose on this, it might be my favorite of the tasting, it's just so fresh and lovely and inviting and there's almost this innocence to it, it doesn't even know I'm about to drink it. I feel bad, but it's the job. I think that "innocence" is just this kind of powdery floral note that surrounds the fruit almost giving it kind of this fuzzy glow. The palate is crunchier than the nose lead me to believe, and I feel slightly lied to, but it's fine. It's bright and crunchy and has really great acidity pushing through the whole thing, cranberry, underripe raspberry, white tea, pie cherry, and some light white flowers.

Price: $22.99

JS: 92

2024 Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

Bright crunchy red fruit on the nose, with some dried herbs, bay leaf, and then a little blackberry. The palate is bright with a really nice acidity, some underripe cherry, pomegranate seeds, and a little bit of ripe cherry on the finish, along with just this little touch of barrel spice and roundness. Easy and friendly, this is a go to bottle year and year from this fantastic producer and of course one of our favorite importers, Kermit Lynch. Just great stuff through and through.

Price: $29.99

VN: 90

2024 Domaine Marcel Lapierre Morgon (Non-Sulfur)

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

Really fantastic nose, little bit of cinnamon hiding in there, but raspberry and then cherry come out towards the end. There's something comforting about the nose that kind of reminds me of a candle I smelled once and really really enjoyed, but I can't really place it beyond that. Either way, this nose pops. There's such a clean purity of the fruit itself. The palate has a juiciness, but also some black tea tannins, definitely more spices mingling with the fruit, there's some clove and mace, I think, working in as well with really crunchy fruit, pie cherries, cranberry skin, pomegranate, and underripe raspberry, with some white flowers in the mix as you crunch that fruit. This is really phenomenal stuff, and one of my top picks from today's tasting.

Price: $42.99

VN: 91

JM: 90

2025 Domaine Marcel Lapierre "Raisins Gaulois" Vin de France

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

Crushable and chillable red alert! Alert! Oh good, you heard the alert. We've got another great contender for best chillable wine for the summer with this little number. The nose is bright strawberries, crazy bright florals like a bouquet in the glass, stewed rhubarb, bubblegum, and black pepper. The palate is light and bright, super crunchy red fruits, not a lot of tannin, and a little touch of those carbonic bubblegum notes, but it has enough acidity it really finishes cleanly. I really like this and it's definitely going in a bunch of hands for people who want that next chillable red.

Price: $23.99

2023 Domaine Ferret Pouilly-Fuissé "Autour de la Roche"

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

There's an almost waxy quality to the nose, and it's really compelling in all the best of ways, I feel like it's a promise of texture and weight on the palate, but first let's work on this bouquet. Underneath the light waxy note, there's golden apple, lemon zest and lemon juice, this super light umami touch in the middle of the nose, white flowers around the edges, and dry stones. The palate has a nice little pop at the front, green apple with lemon, then wet river rocks, lingering sort of white peach and roundness. It is as hoped really lovely and textural, with a serious and lingering denseness that sticks with you, maybe not on your palate but in your mind between sips. It's very fun to drink, and what else could you want from a wine?

Price: $49.99

2022 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru "Les Fourneaux"

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

Light, almost ethereal on the nose even after several hours to open up, I don't think it's shy I think it's just this style of much more elegant wine than we're sometimes used to, not you though K&L customer - you know elegant that's why you're with us. It's very apple and lemon, with some white flowers when it shows itself, and there's this lithe gracefulness that really is appreciated. By me at least. The palate has just really great acidity pushing through the whole thing, and there's some savoriness mid-palate with a touch of pithiness on the end, this is a trifecta of super tasty pairings. I really like how the fruit on this one pops just a bit on the finish, there's this bruised apple and lemon candy note that comes back around and it really lingers beautifully, a really great finish to an incredibly enjoyable wine.

Price: Hidden

2022 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru "Les Lys"

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/12/2026 | Send Email

Incredibly classic and incredibly alluring nose, there's a ripeness to the lemon that kind of coats that bruised golden delicious apple, it's a little sweeter and more welcoming lemon, a friendly lemon. Around the edges of the nose, I get a little bit of ocean spray, and there's some roundness. The palate has this really amazing texture, and some mid-palate phenolics that give this a more serious and savory tension. The fruit is on the front and on the end, a dense lemon twist with apple and a little hint of floral pear. This is serious and intense Chablis, definitely heavier than some, it's really delicious and that savory note will make this such a fun and easy wine to pair with.

Price: Hidden

BH: 90 - 92

2022 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/11/2026 | Send Email

Is there a more custom-fit vintage for Lynch-Bages than 2022? This wine takes full advantage of a landmark Left Bank vintage, delivering loads of Pauillac character while showcasing the irresistibly delicious yet remarkably complex style that has defined the estate’s reputation over the past few decades. Aromatically compelling and striking in its balance of richness without excess weight, this is a long, extremely fine, and undeniable Lynch-Bages. I see a bit of the 2010 in this one, but with an added level of elegance and precision, thanks to tireless work in the vineyard and the revolutionary new winemaking facility. Combining the accessibility of the 2022 vintage with the depth and density that promise a long, graceful evolution, I expect we’ll be talking about this 2022 as a reference point for the estate for years to come.

Price: $174.99

2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion 6-Pack in OWC

By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 5/11/2026 | Send Email

Cheval Blanc has long stood among the most coveted estates on the Right Bank, and indeed in all of Bordeaux. That reputation is likely to be even more pronounced with the 2025 vintage, as yields at the château were dramatically reduced by the summer heat, resulting in the smallest harvest in 35 years. What was harvested, however, was of exceptional quality: intensely concentrated fruit that has produced a wine already been hailed by many critics as one of the wines of the year. Layers of black bramble fruit, dark chocolate, and baking spices unfold over a framework of bright acidity and finely sculpted tannins, while the oak remains seamlessly integrated throughout. The resulting wine has a lifted character that is charmingly refreshing, (wearing its lower alcohol of 12.7% in style), presenting its complexity through restraint. Given the dramatically limited yields in 2025, collectors considering Cheval Blanc would be wise not to delay in securing an allocation at the earliest opportunity.

Price: $3,295.00

2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion

By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 5/11/2026 | Send Email

Cheval Blanc has long stood among the most coveted estates on the Right Bank, and indeed in all of Bordeaux. That reputation is likely to be even more pronounced with the 2025 vintage, as yields at the château were dramatically reduced by the summer heat, resulting in the smallest harvest in 35 years. What was harvested, however, was of exceptional quality: intensely concentrated fruit that has produced a wine already been hailed by many critics as one of the wines of the year. Layers of black bramble fruit, dark chocolate, and baking spices unfold over a framework of bright acidity and finely sculpted tannins, while the oak remains seamlessly integrated throughout. The resulting wine has a lifted character that is charmingly refreshing, (wearing its lower alcohol of 12.7% in style), presenting its complexity through restraint. Given the dramatically limited yields in 2025, collectors considering Cheval Blanc would be wise not to delay in securing an allocation at the earliest opportunity.

Price: $549.99

2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion

By: Andrew Shaheen | Review Date: 5/10/2026 | Send Email

Record low yields and high expected demand will almost certainly make this one of the most limited releases of the 2025 campaign. A perfumed, floral nose of cassis, dark cherry, and plum opens with subtle hints of cacao and delicate herbal notes. The tannins are soft and fine, the texture silky and remarkably fresh, the wine stays light on its feet throughout. The finish carries the seamless elegance that defines this estate at its best, and all signs point to a bright future in the cellar. Those interested should act quickly to secure an allocation.

Price: $549.99

2022 Croix de Labrie, St-Emilion

By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 5/10/2026 | Send Email

This is Saint-Émilion turned all the way up—opulent, hedonistic, and impossible to ignore. Waves of black cherry, crème de cassis, espresso, and dark chocolate explode from the glass, wrapped in a velvety texture that feels almost decadent. Beneath all the richness is a polished mineral spine that keeps the wine focused and dangerously drinkable. The 2022 vintage gives this bottle enormous presence, but there’s still a seductive elegance underneath the power. A dramatic, modern Right Bank wine that feels built for candlelight, long dinners, and serious Bordeaux lovers.

Price: $124.99

2022 Réserve de la Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac

By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 5/10/2026 | Send Email

This is everything people love about Pauillac in a more seductive, earlier-drinking style. Layers of cassis, blackberry, graphite, and cigar box unfold slowly from the glass, carried by a classic Left Bank structure that feels both powerful and polished. There’s real depth and pedigree here—the kind of wine that immediately signals “serious Bordeaux”—yet the texture is seamless and remarkably inviting for such a young vintage. A stunning introduction to the Pichon Comtesse style for anyone craving the dark, aristocratic soul of Pauillac without stepping all the way into Grand Vin pricing.

Price: $64.99

Mantensei Kinoko Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ml)

By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 5/9/2026 | Send Email

I had a feeling this sake would be special just from the label- a playful bouquet of mushrooms in all shapes and colors, hinting at what’s to come. And it delivers! This Junmai Ginjo opens bright and lifted, yet surprisingly full, gradually developing into something richer and more layered. I especially like its complexity, balancing savory and sweet- earth and toasted nuts alongside notes of honey and sweet miso. The finish leans into umami, with a mouthwatering mushroom note that ties everything together. It made me think of a steaming-hot pan of juicy foraged mushrooms, deglazed with a splash of this sake to make the flavors burst even more. While I often serve lighter, more delicate styles chilled, this is one I’d gently warm so it can open up and show its depth.

Price: $36.99

2012 Bunnahabhain 13 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt #19 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 5/8/2026 | Send Email

Bunnahabhain is one of those distilleries that’s as hard to singularly identify as it is to pronounce or spell from memory (BOO-nuh-ha-bin, if you were wondering). An outlier Islay house known more for its rich, oily texture than the unctuous, medicinal peat of its island brethren, it shows best in bolder casks that allow the dense distillate a sturdy canvas for expression. Unafraid to be simultaneously rugged and elegant, the liquid from this specially selected cask walks the line as if hiking through the Scottish brush, overlooking a windswept cove surrounded by bristling marsh and grazing cattle. It is sherry-forward without being a one-note sherry bomb; it reminds you where it was born without overloading you with the island's signature smoke. It carries its 128 proof points delicately, reminding you of its strength with the quiet intensity of a Jedi master (our modern-day Obi-Wan is a Scotsman, after all). With that, we taste. The nose immediately displays signature sherry notes, with antique leather, espresso beans, toasted walnuts, and dense fig jam arriving first. The palate explodes with dark chocolate, charred orange oil, Cavendish pipe tobacco, and stewed dates, followed by a wisp of island peat that takes more from the bog itself than the malt-drying process more common in Islay Scotch. The fruit leads the finish, with a mix of marmalade and caramelized artichoke hearts careening toward a final touch of mahogany bookshelf. Bold and welcoming, this is another stellar private selection from our friends at Signatory, bottled exclusively for the K&L family.

Price: $99.99

2025 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux 6-Pack in OWC

By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 5/8/2026 | Send Email

The 2025 Château Malescot St. Exupéry delivers a compellingly dark expression of Margaux, showcasing both the ripeness of the vintage and the estate’s more classical sensibility. Deeply concentrated yet finely composed, this is a wine built on power and balance. The nose opens with intense aromas of black and wild bramble fruit, underpinned by cherry blossom and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is firm and commanding, framed by polished yet assertive tannins. A backbone of bright acid brings energy and precision to the dense fruit profile while preserving the wine’s elegance. While the wine bears all of the hallmarks of the 2025 Bordeaux vintage, Malescot St. Exupéry distinguishes itself through balance and a more traditional interpretation of Margaux terroir.

Price: $295.00

2025 Anonymous Wine Collective Oakville Sauvignon Blanc

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 5/8/2026 | Send Email

This is a seriously classy bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that combines purity of fruit and sheer quaffability with next-level complexity and depth. The source of this wine is a parcel of old-vine Sauvignon Blanc in the heart of Oakville, a subregion of Napa where precious little Sauvignon Blanc is grown anymore, simply because folks can replant the land to Cabernet and get two to four times the price for the fruit or wine. However, some growers realize it’s better to keep world-class Sauvignon Blanc in the ground than plant a few more acres of average Cabernet if the soils aren’t right. We partnered with one such estate to make this wine. That old-vine fruit was then fermented and aged in a variety of different vessels to build texture and tension in the wine. Some was aged in 500L seasoned French oak. Some rested in concrete tank. Another portion aged in a handmade Italian terracotta amphora. I worked with the winemaker to combine these fascinating individual components into one cohesive blend, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. As a young wine, the vivacious tropical and ripe citrus fruits are at the forefront, but there’s also a wonderful mineral tension and crystalline quality to the wine. The portion that spent time in relatively neutral oak boosts the texture just a touch, giving the wine wonderful length and presence on the palate. Despite its relatively inexpensive price point, this is not your typical, simple, stainless-steel, straightforward Sauvignon Blanc. There’s real sophistication and nuance here. I can’t wait to see how this wine settles in; I think it will continue to improve over the coming weeks, months, and probably years. Cheers!

Price: Hidden

2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion

By: Thomas Zacharia | Review Date: 5/8/2026 | Send Email

If you're a fan of Cheval Blanc's glorious Franc dominated expression, buy now or forever hold your peace - yields were down 50% in 2025 and all of their wine is being released during En Primeur. The good news? The wine delivers with elegant and lifted aromatics, a juicy and vibrant palate complex fruits, all carried along by excellent mineral freshness. Even at this young stage the wine is super promising with great persistence and focus.

Price: $549.99

2025 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux

By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

The 2025 Château Malescot St. Exupéry delivers a compellingly dark expression of Margaux, showcasing both the ripeness of the vintage and the estate’s more classical sensibility. Deeply concentrated yet finely composed, this is a wine built on power and balance. The nose opens with intense aromas of black and wild bramble fruit, underpinned by cherry blossom and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is firm and commanding, framed by polished yet assertive tannins. A backbone of bright acid brings energy and precision to the dense fruit profile while preserving the wine’s elegance. While the wine bears all of the hallmarks of the 2025 Bordeaux vintage, Malescot St. Exupéry distinguishes itself through balance and a more traditional interpretation of Margaux terroir.

Price: $49.99

2022 Le "C" des Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan

By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

What an incredible hidden gem in the sea of fantastic wines that hail from Pessac-Léognan. The nose is elegant and refined, with notes of sour cherries, rose hip, and fresh berry bramble. On the palate, I was immediately blown away by the acidity of the wine - almost felt at first as biting into an underripe bing cherry. Amazingly layered here, the initial red and blue fruit notes give way to a mid-palate of rosemary, thyme, a hint of gravel and pencil lead. The finish was superb with even more back palate notes of bright red fruit and currant. If you're looking for something incredibly flirtatious, refined but still playful and fun, you should definitely reach right for this bottle here.

Price: $49.99

Scarlet K&L Exclusive "Fernet Cask Marriage Peated Cask #21" Japanese Amaro (700ml)

By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

Make no mistake, Scarlet's standard Fernet is fantastic, but this barrel selection is on a whole different level. This K&L Exclusive Amaro immediately hits you on the palate with notes of fresh mint, sugar, vanilla, herbs, and licorice, tied up with a salty, slightly bitter finish. The Laphroaig cask adds the aforementioned salty note along with a subtle smoky note that balances this smooth amaro perfectly. Only a small quantity made, buy while you have the chance!

Price: $109.99

Limit of 2 per customer

2022 Eyrie "Estate - Sisters Vineyard" Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

There's this very slight matchsticky reduction on the nose, and just incredibly pretty and perfect where it is, which is confusing since I don't normally care for it but here, I'm totally into it. This is so lovely and elegant, the fruit seeps in around the edges and then is front and foremost, almost as if I could lean into it and touch the fruit itself with the tip of my nose. Underripe raspberry, bright cherry, and slightly bruised strawberry, the fruit runs the entire gambit back and forth and then there's a dark earthiness around the edges, almost in my nasal peripherals, which are a real thing. Don't look it up, though. The palate brings us back to a light and pure elegance once more, the fruit has a little crunch, but the texture and the gentle and integrated tannin structure is just really enjoyable with each and every sip. This is the kind of Pinot Noir that I really get into, something with grace that feels like it's dancing across my palate. It's just great all the way through.

Price: Hidden

2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

Yet another crazy delicious Champagne from the House of Billecart Salmon. I feel like there's this intense roundness on the nose that is starting to define Billecart for me more and more, but maybe I'm also deluding myself, it's entirely possible. Either way, I've had the opportunity to try this a couple times, and it's just been outstanding for both of them. The first time, we just opened and shared the bottle as a staff and remarked on how good it was, definitely thought that it wouldn't hurt to lay down and kind of just get a little more of that savory character developed. The second time, it was after Gary had opened the bottle earlier in the day and put a cap on it so it wouldn't go flat, and gosh, it opened up so incredibly nicely, I would definitely suggest laying it down for a few years all that development from it opening really helped encircle and showcase the fruit so prettily, making a little basket for it to delicately rest on. Just phenomenal.

Price: $119.99

2023 Eyrie "Estate" Dundee Hills Trousseau Noir

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

We here at K&L love us some Trousseau Noir, but it's not super often we see one on the domestic side of things, but of course it's our friends at The Eyrie Vineyards that brings us this beautiful little creature here. The nose is so ephemeral and lovely, soft and highly nuanced there's a dozen different directions it comes from, with light and lovely red fruit undertones and overtones, white and red flowers, a lingering savory umami note in the midst of the bouquet and then a long dusty red-fruited note as I find myself at the bottom. The palate is bright and lovely, amazing acidity with this savory note in the middle again, bright crunchy fruits fleet across the palate, and there's a little bit of a light grip in the back and this would be perfect with a little bit of food, I can easily enjoy it by itself and definitely with a little chill it would be even that much better and pair that much easier. Just fantastic, thank you guys for making such a lovely wine.

Price: $29.95

2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne

By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

What a lovely Anniversary cuvee from Billecart-Salmon! It offers great depth of flavor with slightly toasty and brioche driven texture, sea breeze notes, lovely citrus fruit nuances and floral aromatics. It's dry with vibrant mineral touch but also has incredibly supple finish. As with all Champagne from Billecart, this Cuvee seems to change and evolve once in the glass, revealing new layers of flavors and showing impressive level of complexity.

Price: $119.99

2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne

By: Graham Collis | Review Date: 5/7/2026 | Send Email

This is a great bottle to be Billecart-Salmon’s anniversary champagne, as it represents the house so well. This champagne is defined by its elegance and minerality, despite the record-breaking heat in the 2018 vintage. The nose leads with crushed rock, and toasted sourdough, while crisp red apple notes give depth. The palate is consistent with the nose, and the warmth of the 2018 vintage lends lovely roundness and concentration of flavor. The finish is long and crisp. I have tasted this bottle twice within a week now and am already looking forward to the next time I get to enjoy it.

Price: $119.99

2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/6/2026 | Send Email

Yields were low across Bordeaux in 2025, but then there’s Cheval Blanc, which produced roughly half of what many of its neighbors did. With fewer than 5,000 cases for the world, this is a wine to secure early for anyone who keeps the cherished Right Bank estate on their shortlist. But rarity alone does not make the wine—it’s what’s in the bottle that matters. What I found was an incredibly elegant, ethereal, and lifted Cheval Blanc, a wine whose concentration is on full display while remaining feather-light on its feet. There is ample structure, but it never feels demanding—if anything, it is refreshingly graceful. At a mere 12.7% alcohol, this is a poised and refined Cheval Blanc that will be fascinating to follow over the years, singular both in its production and in its profile.

Price: $549.99

2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/6/2026 | Send Email

I love this- what a great combination of the elegance of Billecart-Salmon vintage champagne inside the bottle, and celebratory fun on the label! This celebrates not only the 200th anniversary of this house, but also 250 years of the USA. I love how the frame of baguette toast and dark cherry Pinot Noir power coalesce on the generous nose of this wine. It has great richness in the mouth without being heavy and features lovely white flowers as well as super salinity. This is a great 2018 from Billecart!

Price: $119.99

2024 Samuel Louis Smith "Baytree Lane Vineyard" Sonoma Valley Gamay Noir

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 5/6/2026 | Send Email

There are few young winemakers in the business with more raw talent than Sam Smith. His wines have that magical balance of edgy, electric vibrancy, elegant refinement, and quiet repose all at the same time. They show incredible purity and a vivid sense of place. Made using very non-interventionist techniques, they remain polished and sophisticated nonetheless. The Baytree Lane Gamay is a new wine in his lineup, and it is immediately one of my favorites. Coming from a small vineyard above the town of Sonoma, this Gamay Noir is grown on red volcanic soils. Pouring it for our sales staff last week garnered the same reaction time and time again: “Ooohhh, now that’s just delicious!” The wine has the perfect combination of upfront, bright red fruit - think ripe raspberry, pomegranate, and alpine strawberry, along with baking spices, a hint of black pepper, dried rose petal, hot volcanic stone, and bramble leaf. Elegant, light-medium-bodied, and translucent in the glass, yet packed with flavor, it has a refined, silky texture on the palate. Just an eminently quaffable wine. I absolutely loved it. The value here is also stunning given the quality in the bottle.

Price: Hidden

JD: 97

WE: 94

2025 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux

By: Andrew Shaheen | Review Date: 5/6/2026 | Send Email

The 2025 Malescot-St-Exupéry is a very compelling wine. Violet and cassis open on the nose with red berry undertones adding lift and freshness, leading to a richly layered palate of dark fruit, cocoa, licorice, and sweet cigar box. The tannins are fine yet firm, carrying the wine with an ease that is distinctly Margaux, while the finish is long and composed. This is a beautiful, complete wine with genuine depth and a clear sense of place. A solid buy.

Price: $49.99

Scarlet K&L Exclusive "Fernet Cask Marriage Peated Cask #21" Japanese Amaro (700ml)

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

Look at this smile, oh right. You can't see me, well my picture is somewhere nearby look at that and my smile, the one I have on now is even bigger. This feels like more what I was originally expecting when I tried Scarlet's traditional Fernet, not that I came away disappointed before, but this is just wow. The nose is intense but alluring, I can't stop just going in deeper and deeper, trying to get ever more. There's mintiness, cola, medicinal herbs, and just so much going on, with this touch of that brine in the background. The palate is drier with just a little touch of heat, but really excellent bitterness that's fighting and pushing against the sugar the whole way, but the balance is impeccable this razor's edge brilliance with some chewy smoke in the background as it continues the long and inexorable finish. This is great, I love it, I'm going to marry it I love it so much (I'm kidding, Kristen) but yeah it's very good.

Price: $109.99

Limit of 2 per customer

2019 Doisy-Védrines, Sauternes

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

First, you need to stop being worried about getting a full bottle of Sauternes. It will last in your fridge for ages, and is just a great excuse to indulge twice. This has that kind of fresher and younger Sauternes smell where there's a little touch of that noblest of rots, but it's also super clean and brightly fruited still, pineapple, guava, yellow peach, and sultanas. The palate is bright and fairly light, not rich or cloying at all with amazing acidity that tries to gaslight you, the sweetness is mild and this is something I would definitely pair with something savory, this really feels like a cheese plate or foie gras or something indulgent because we're worth it. This is really nice and an easy cheat code for Yumtown population you.

Price: $39.99

DC: 96

VN: 92 - 94

2024 Chantegrive Blanc, Graves

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

It's really a big shame that not enough people prioritize Bordeaux Blanc for their summers, because it's really awesome stuff. It's got a little more weight depending on the amount of Semillon, but that also gives it a little better mouthfeel, a little kind of gentle roundness. This has some grapefruit zest, white peach, and some gooseberry on the front of the nose with a little chalkiness following, and then the palate is just pure fun times. More peaches come to the party along with a little bit of weight, lemon candy, grapefruit zest and pith, and then a little bit of honeyed peel . This has great acid, totally dry, and for this price drinks surprisingly fun and complex. It's really great, why don't you drink more Bordeaux Blanc?

Price: $17.99

VN: 90 - 92

JS: 90 - 91

2022 Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

I think this might be my favorite Bordeaux Chateau? I don't know, it's hard to pick a favorite but I've never had a bottle of Chevalier that bums me out at all, and there's really nothing nicer you can say about a winery, right? This is classic and rich, there's this really lovely depth that spirals down towards something I can't quite touch. There's ripe and fairly rich fruits, dark cherry, blackberry jam, bruised strawberry, and then there's a little bit of something floral and the barrel spice comes in. The palate is much the same, but more enjoyable because I think tasting is more fun than smelling, not to say I get more from it but yeah, I have opinions I guess. Either way, this is just fabulous and made me crazy happy when we had it. Big smile all day.

Price: $84.99

2022 Croix de Labrie, St-Emilion

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

Such a really nice little nose this guy has, the fruit has a ripeness to it, but not overdone at any measure, raspberry, bruised strawberry, black cherry, cassis, rough stone, fresh leather, and a little bit of pomegranate candy. The palate is vibrant with great acidity and gentle loving tannins that are super well integrated already, this approaches so politely, and then the palate has black cherry, more strawberry, rhubarb crumble, and then barrel spice for the long and luxurious finish. I accidentally deleted this and had to re-write it and it's still finishing, I didn't retaste it, still minutes later I get little touches of fruit and barrel. Fab-u-lous.

Price: $124.99

2022 Réserve de la Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

Like a lot of the 2022s this has a ripe and pretty nose, really fully fruited. There's ripe black cherry, blackberry, a little touch of cassis, and then more spices and a little dried green herbs. The tannins are incredibly well integrated and very fine, one could easily argue you don't need anything with this, and they'd be wrong but they could make a compelling case. Since this morning the opening has given it a good amount of depth and length, the finish feels like it's where it should be. Really nice bottle.

Price: $64.99

2022 Le "C" des Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

Pretty and ripe on the nose, there's some really lovely ripe raspberry on the front, there's also fresh fig, black cherry, blackberry compote, barrel spice, and a touch of cedar. The tannins are incredibly tight knit and well integrated, giving a soft and gentle little grip with each sip, but nothing crazy that makes me run for the butter dispenser we have here at work for high tannin incidents. It takes nickels for some reason. The palate has stewed strawberry, more cherry, a little creaminess from the barrel, rhubarb crumble, and just a long and enjoyable finish that gets a little woody at the very end, but in a way that just makes me want to take another sip. This is just such an approachable and easy bottle. Easy recommendation, too.

Price: $49.99

2019 Joanin Bécot, Cotes de Castillion

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

This has really sweet and pretty fruit on the nose, some really ripe cherry, blackberry, sweet cranberry sauce, a little bit of fresh tobacco. The palate has grip, but is not soul or mouth destroying, the tannin is already starting to get finer and while I do think this needs some food or a few more years, it really is quite delicious, it just needs some fat to counteract the still fairly firm tannic grip. It has really nice acidity and will improve in the cellar over the next 5-10 years without a doubt and then past that too. Pretty crazy to have that kind of longevity on a bottle this price. Life is fun.

Price: $24.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 5/5/2026 | Send Email

Such a lovely nose even though I just pulled the cork. There's a really pretty bramble-cherry note right on the front, with a little touch of cocoa following and then something alluring and floral. Deeper into the nose there's a touch of developing tertiary, with a little bit of worn saddle leather, a hint of something mushroomy, and then a lingering oak spice. The palate is medium plus with just enough tannin to encourage you to think about laying it down for a few years, but soft enough not to demand it. There's a nice dusty blackberry and cherry, more cocoa than the nose, and then a firm hit of barrel spice towards the end. The finish is lingering and enjoyable with fruit, acid, and barrel mixing back and forth and the only one winning is me. This is so drinkable and accessible, and this wine absolutely deserves to be had with a nicely marbled ribeye and a fat potato. If you don't do that kind of thing, a mushroom stroganoff would absolutely be amazing with this as well, preferably on top of a fat potato. I really love how we're bringing in these wines at really cut rate deals compared to the producers price, but it never feels like we're bringing in a wine that someone didn't want, but instead they're wines we really saw something in.

Price: $29.99

2025 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/4/2026 | Send Email

There are few things more comforting than a great vintage of Malescot St-Exupéry, and this 2025 is firmly in that class. Aromatically, the wine hints at deeper black fruits, underpinned by Margaux’s signature floral note. On the palate, it opens with purity and poise, then builds to an explosive expression of fruit and flavor, expanding with terrific texture and detail. Well-judged acidity carries the richness effortlessly, resulting in a wine that deftly balances fruit and terroir. Jean-Luc and now Léa Zuger have done wonders with this property over the years, and this 2025 cuts no corners. When Malescot is this good—and priced this well—it’s often one of the most compelling wines to load up on during En Primeur.

Price: $49.99

2024 Domaine la Clef du Récit (Anthony Girard) Quincy

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 5/4/2026 | Send Email

Quincy often lives in the shadow of Sancerre, but it quietly holds its own place in history—recognized as an appellation in 1936, the same year as Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In fact, it even predates Sancerre’s official status, a fun bit of wine trivia for those paying closer attention. Shaped by the nearby Cher River, a tributary of the Loire River, Quincy’s soils lean sandier and more gravelly. While limestone does lie beneath layers of alluvium, it’s these lighter, rockier soils that tend to produce wines with a more open, rounded feel. Anthony Girard of Clef du Récit has been working with vineyards here in recent years, crafting a quintessential expression of Quincy. The style leans into a creamier texture while maintaining a fresh spine of acidity, showing notes of apple and softer Meyer lemon rather than the sharper, more linear grapefruit tones often associated with Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. One of Quincy’s enduring appeals is its value. Still flying a bit under the radar compared to its more famous neighbors, it consistently delivers character and charm at a more accessible price point. For anyone who loves classic Sauvignon Blanc but prefers a slightly more supple, generous style, Quincy is an easy yes.

Price: $19.99

WE: 91

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