Locations
Login
Reviewers
- - Operations Culver City (1)
- Aaron Hughes (10)
- Adam Winkel (96)
- Alex Pross (794)
- Alex Leonardini (54)
- Andrew Nunes (1)
- Cary Herrman (3)
- David Othenin-Girard (338)
- Dejah Overby (147)
- Gary Westby (541)
- Jacques Moreira (703)
- Jason Marwedel (73)
- Joel Nicholas (29)
- John Majeski (296)
- John Downing (80)
- John Flanigan (1)
- Jonathan Parnell (3)
- Kai Pedreno (3)
- Kate Soto (11)
- Keith Mabry (433)
- Kerry Kennell (1)
- Kirk Walker (276)
- Lilia McIntosh (44)
- Matthew Landau Hassan (4)
- Michael Benoit (7)
- Michael Pires (14)
- Michael Hulihan (1)
- Orazio Campoli (5)
- Rachael Ryan (2)
- Ralph Sands (222)
- Ryan Woodhouse (899)
- Ryan Moses (616)
- Sal Rodriguez (32)
- Scott Beckerley (306)
- Scott Turnbull (61)
- Simon Li (3)
- Stephanie Manning (2)
- Tom Martinez (1)
- Will Blakely (27)
K&L Email Alerts
Sign up to receive custom alerts, new arrivals and the latest happenings from K&L Wines
Staff Favorites
| If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers! |
Reviews
2023 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia "Ornellaia" Toscana (375ML)
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
This vintage completely redefines the estate's profile, trading in sheer mass for breathtaking electric tension and strict, unyielding structure.
The 2023 vintage completely bypasses the jammy, baked traps of the Maremma coast. It leaves the sweet cassis behind to deliver a brooding, cooling wave of crushed graphite, cedar box, and dark, macerated blackberry, all tightly wound with a profound hit of wild Bolgheri macchia—roasted rosemary, eucalyptus, and wild mint.
The Cabernet and Merlot here are framed by a rigorous grid of chalky tannins. They are ultra-fine but incredibly demanding, clamping down hard on a bone-dry, fiercely savory finish. This is a tense, uncompromising masterpiece that demands absolute patience. Lock this away in the darkest corner of your cellar for at least a decade.
2025 La Marea "Kristy Vineyard" Monterey County Albariño
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
Such a pretty little nose on this guy, there's such a casual elegance to it, unmistakably Albariño, with this gorgeous and perfectly ripe peach in a field of white flowers. The palate is still super peachy, but I get some yellow plum, and of course more white flowers. There's a kind of slightly stony minerality on the lingering finish, and there's gorgeous acidity pushing through the whole palate. This is definitely a porch wine for me, that sure you could pop the cork and just crush it, but with a couple finger foods or some cheese this would absolutely rule. I love it, summer fun all bottle long.
2023 Antech "Emotion" Extra Brut Rosé Crémant de Limoux
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
Sparkling Rose is normally on the pricey side which makes this one truly rare. It's nearly impossible to fine a Rose of this quality under $20. It delivers subtle red fruits, a low dosage and an unmatched complexity and value at the price. Great with or without food.
2023 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Feinherb "Uralte Reben" Mosel
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
I've long appreciated well made German Rieslings as they offer lower alcohol levels along with delicious fruit, crisp acids and compatibility with a wide variety of foods. They're especially ideal for our Western US climate. This first-class white has distinct granite mineral aromas and rich orchard fruit flavors along great depth and complexity. Can be appreciated now yet will cellar nicely.
2024 Alzinger "Ried Loibenberg" Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
Alzinger is one of my favorite Austrian wine producers and this one reminded me why. It's an incredibly complex and complete Gruner that combines bright, lifted aromas and flavors with a textural palate. Ample underlying acidity keeps it fresh and lively. Truly outstanding Gruner.
2024 Carl Loewen Alte Reben Riesling Trocken (dry) Mosel
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
This is a very unique and special wine. It's difficult to believe it's actually dry as there is so much delicious fruit extract. It bursts with richness and loads of delicious tropical fruit flavors. Excellent acidity adds freshness and length. Impressive.
2025 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
Pontet-Canet, a property on a qualitative run few can match, has quietly refined things even further in recent years while preserving its indelible character and refreshingly modest pricing—especially given its top-tier scores and Pauillac neighbors.
The 2025 is a terrific example, delivering remarkable volume for a wine with just 13.3% alcohol and only 50% new oak. Black fruits line an inky core that is at once rich and finely balanced, with elegance and energy carrying through to a long finish marked by minerality, cocoa, and well-judged tannins.
The scale and character are unmistakably Pontet-Canet, yet there’s a clear sense of careful management in both extraction and balance. Releasing early in the campaign at yesteryear pricing, Pontet-Canet seems intent on making a statement—one that reinforces its exceptional value as a collectible when the wine is this good.
2023 Domaine de Fondrèche Ventoux Rouge
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
A delightful young wine that, without a doubt, will only get better in the next few years. On the nose, you get blackberry, plum, and a pleasant hint of charcuterie. The palate is dominated by berries and high tannins. It has a medium-to-full body and a long finish. This wine can provide immediate satisfaction or, if you'd prefer a more velvety mouthfeel, be a great wine to lay down for a couple years.
2025 La Bargemone Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
Composed of certified organic Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, the 2025 La Bargemone Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé is no porch pounder. For goodness’ sake, please give it some space and time to be admired for its vivid flavors and impossibly juicy splendor. It generously offers up a cornucopia of ripe red berries, red-fleshed plum, white nectarine, rose petals, and a hint of Meyer lemon zest. I’m sad my tasting glass is empty right now, and I’m daydreaming about when and where I’ll drink it again, and with whom.
2023 Antech "Cuvée Eugenie" Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 4/28/2026 | Send Email
Composed of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 10% Mauzac, the 2023 Antech "Cuvée Eugénie" Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux aged 18 months on its lees and was finished with a 5 g/L dosage. It’s another fine example from Antech, offering delightful bubbles for times when you don't want to feel like you're on a tight budget. You can suspend your disbelief with this one, thinking that you paid much more for it than you actually did. Notes of crunchy pear, ripe green apple, and sourdough toast carry a touch of honeyed flavor without the sweetness. Dry, crisp, thirst-quenching and civilized, it would be equally at home at a garden party, a family gathering, or a relaxed Wednesday night with a cat or two and a good movie.
2017 Elio Grasso "Gavarini Chiniera" Barolo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
Here is one of those deals that stops you in your tracks: a single-vineyard Barolo from a master producer, Elio Grasso, at a price we almost never see. The "Gavarini Chiniera" is a benchmark for Monforte d'Alba, and this is your chance to get it for a steal.
The 2017 vintage was hot and dry, resulting in wines of immense concentration and power. In lesser hands, these wines could be clumsy, but this is Elio Grasso. He has channeled that intensity into a wine that is both powerful and impeccably balanced. The nose is a captivating storm of ripe dark cherry, plum, and licorice, layered with those classic Monforte notes of iron, scorched earth, and savory herbs.
What makes this offer so compelling is the wine's readiness. At this point in time, the 2017 is ready to go—a more forward and accessible Gavarini Chiniera that is absolutely delicious and thrilling to drink now with a decant. Yet, its formidable structure ensures it has many years of beautiful evolution ahead of it, easily 15-20 more.
For this price, it’s an absolute must-buy. You rarely, if ever, see this iconic single-vineyard Barolo priced so low. This is a true killer deal and the perfect powerhouse red to stock up on for the upcoming holiday season.
2025 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Turnbull | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
Pontet-Canet delivers yet another benchmark Pauillac in 2025, reinforcing its status as one of the Left Bank’s most compelling estates. Centered around an expressive core of crème de cassis and black fruit, the wine is fully ripe without being over-extracted. On the palate, it is expansive, with the vintage’s soon-to-be hallmark bright acidity working in tandem with lush fruit, dark chocolate, and baking spices. In 2025, only gentle pump-overs (with no punchdowns) were used to manage the tannins from berries kept small by the summer’s heat, a process expertly handled by the winemaking team. A hint of bitterness on the finish provides a pleasing coda, prompting a return to the glass. A subtle, appetizing touch of bitterness on the finish adds complexity and invites another sip, making this a wine that is as compelling as it is age-worthy. Pontet-Canet continues to set the standard on the Left Bank: this is a vintage collectors and enthusiasts alike will not want to miss.
2025 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
By: Andrew Shaheen | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Andrew Shaheen | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
Pontet-Canet has produced yet another standout wine in 2025. A classic Pontet-Canet, built for the cellar. Deep black cherry, cassis, and subtle floral notes open on the nose, lead to a richly textured palate of black fruit, cocoa, and cigar box. The wine's polished tannins carry genuine weight without sacrificing balance, while high acidity and a modest alcohol keep the wine composed and precise throughout. There is real depth and length here. With releases like this, it is little wonder the estate has earned such an unwavering following over the past two decades.
2023 Domaine de Fondrèche Ventoux Rouge
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
I’ve had the chance to visit Fondrèche several times over the years, and sitting in the shadow of Mont Ventoux, it remains one of the most impressive estates in this otherwise humble appellation. A diverse mix of alluvial soils, schist, and clay-limestone gives the domaine a broad palette of terroirs to work with, creating wines of real depth and character.
Ventoux still flies a bit under the radar, which keeps prices refreshingly accessible for the level of quality in the glass. Fondrèche’s Ventoux Rouge has been a touchstone for us since we began working directly with the estate nearly a decade ago. Built primarily on Grenache, with support from Syrah and Mourvèdre, it’s packed with lush raspberry fruit that unfolds into layers of bramble, spice, and a subtle mineral edge.
This is serious wine for under $20—easily one of the Rhône’s standout values. Another beautiful release from our friends at Fondrèche.
2025 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
By: Thomas Zacharia | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Thomas Zacharia | Review Date: 4/27/2026 | Send Email
Lovers of Pontet Canet, rejoice! Alfred Tesseron's estate emerges from the unique challenges of the 2025 vintage victorious, carrying the Pauillac standard high. Harvest at Pontet Canet took place two weeks later than several other Pauillac estates, and that decision appears to have paid off in accentuating their style. This is a powerful release with a rich, decadent palate full of cocoa and mocha, alongside dense dark fruits. A fully fleshed out core of fruit is balanced by chiseled tannins, and a fresh backbone of acidity keeps this bottle humming with energy. An admirable showing to say the least, and one that will thrill regular buyers of this wine, and new tasters alike.
New Era 9 Year Old "K&L's Tesseract" K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/26/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/26/2026 | Send Email
The wonderful people at New Era have done what nearly every lover of bourbon has always dreamed of—turned their love of this golden elixir into a full time occupation. For Zane Brammell it started with simply sharing his love of the spirit with hundreds of other people and eventually developed into this wonderful new brand. Along the way he enlisted some industry veterans to help his cause, and that's how we connected through an old friend, Kris Comstock of Buffalo Trace fame. Kris was integral to our success in the early days of K&L's KY Barrel program.
Our selection was to take place in a little restaurant in the tiny, historic town of Midway, and my colleague Stephanie Manning joined for the festivities. We enjoyed a hearty lunch before cracking into their samples and, despite my insisting we wanted anything except more Wilderness Trail, this barrel stood out among the eight samples we tried. The classic Black Label Wilderness Trail recipe, but aged MUCH longer than we've seen from the distillery's single barrels, which never even crack into the 6 year range. Anyway, it was such a revelation we knew we couldn't let it slip from our grasp.
New Era's fun newsprint labels were the perfect canvas to utilize the beautiful art designed by Stephanie's own grandmother, Dorelle Heisel. Her exquisite, mind-bending design represents perfectly the dimensional enigma that this barrel represents. Anyway, let's have a taste!
The color is a vibrant mahogany (1.6). The nose is so tight and tied up after opening it needs plenty of AIR! Don't make the mistake of guzzling this right out of the bottle. No, no, it's got so much there, but needs time and air. If you let it wait out, you'll notice an incredible array of sweet confectionary flavors, but the baked apple, cherry compote, and dark chocolate notes dominate. On the palate, some very unusual combinations here with big cinnamon and leather coming in after roasted oak, sweet baked orchard fruit, and jammy red fruit. It's not quite like anything else out there to be honest, and it's hard to pinpoint another distillate in the same flavor range, but that doesn't stop it from being completely delectable. Occasionally, different and delicious are one and the same, and this is a perfect example of that. New combinations of classic flavors, but it will especially reward the most patient drinkers.
Price:
$129.99
2023 Antech "Emotion" Extra Brut Rosé Crémant de Limoux
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
This is the kind of rose that instantly makes everything feel like summer! Bright strawberry, watermelon, and a touch of citrus zest glide across the palate, backed by a crisp, refreshing finish that keeps you coming back for another sip. It's light and energetic, and effortlessly drinkable, but still has just enough texture to feel polished rather than simple. A perfect grab for warm evenings, casual dinners, or anyone who wants a Proviçal-style rosé feel with a little extra charm.
Launois "Oeil de Perdrix" Brut Champagne
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
This is Champagne with a quiet kind of allure—the color of rose gold at sunset and a perfume that feels almost nostalgic. Notes of wild strawberry, blood orange, and toasted almond drift from the glass, joined by whispers of chalk and cream. On the palate, it moves gracefully between richness and restraint: bright, delicate bubbles carrying flavors of red fruit, pastry, and a touch of spice.
It’s the sort of bottle that invites you to slow down and savor. Elegant but never showy, deeply charming without effort—Launois reminds us that beauty in Champagne doesn’t always need to shout.
2021 Ventisquero "Obliqua" Carménère Valle de Colchagua
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
This is Carménère done right- ripe, polished, and just a little big wild. Dark plum, blackberry, and black cherry lead the way, backed by that signature Carménère note of smoked herbs, cocoa, and touch of cracked pepper. The texture is plush and generous, but there's enough structure and savory edge to keep it from ever feeling heavy. Apalta is one of Chile's top terroirs, and this shows why-depth, balance, and serious value in the glass. Perfect for anyone who loves bold reds but wants something more distinctive than the usual Cabernet.
2025 La Bargemone Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
A more expressive take on Provence than the usual pale and quiet style. The nose is immediately aromatic, leaning tropical with notes of peach and melon, plus a subtle hint of banana that adds a slightly exotic edge without overwhelming things.
On the palate, it shows a bit more depth than expected. The fruit carries through, balanced by enough freshness to keep it focused. There's a nice texture here, giving it some presence, and the finish is notably long, with those tropical notes lingering in a clean and composed way.
A well put-together rose that stands out for it's aromatics and length while still keeping everything in check. Easy to enjoy, but with enough character to hold your attention.
2015 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru "Vaillons"
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
This Chablis with patience, and it shows. Nearly a decade of aging brings deeper, more layered expression of Chardonnay, with notes of lemon curd, baked apple, and chamomile unfolding over a core of classic oyster shell minerality. The texture is broader and more generous than typical young Chablis, yet still driven by a vibrant, saline backbone that keeps everything lifted and precise. A rare opportunity to experience Premier Cru Chablis with real bottle age-complex, refined, and quietly powerful.
Price:
$64.99
2024 Laberinto "Cenizas de Laberinto" Pinot Noir Valle de Maule
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
Bright and lifted, this Pinot Noir opens with aromas of red cherry, cranberry, and rose petal, accented by subtle smoky and mineral nose. The palate is fresh and energetic, vibrant red fruit, fine tannins, and a touch of earthy complexity. A gentle savory edge and underlying volcanic character add intrigue, leading to a clean, balanced finish. A distinctive, cool-climate Pinot Noir that overdelivers with freshness, character, and value.
Price:
$21.99
2022 North Valley "Compass" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir for only $19.95? Well, yes and no. Yes, it's $19.95 at K&L, but it's higher everywhere else - if you can find it. The 2022 North Valley Compass is a blend from five biodynamically farmed vineyards in the Willamette Valley and is pure organic Oregon Pinot Noir that punches way above its price point. Aged for ten months if French oak, 25% new, the Compass has notes of black tea, blackberry, dark strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate, rose petals, and baking spices
Price:
$19.95
2024 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
$18.95 for this California classic? Are you kidding me!? Seghesio Family Vineyards has been in Healdsburg since 1895 and is the oldest continuous family owned and operated winery in California. That's 125 vintages over 5 generations! Seghesio is only 1 of 100 California wineries that operated during the tragic scourge that was Prohibition. And you can't get more California classic than Zinfandel! USA! USA! USA! The Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel is an institution and the 2024 delivers in spades. On the nose and palate, blueberry, dark chocolate, espresso, spice, fennel, blackberry, soy sauce, and fresh herbs. An excellent new chapter in the storied history of Seghesio. Love it!
2023 Antech "Cuvée Eugenie" Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 4/25/2026 | Send Email
This is the kind of bottle that makes a strong case for skipping Champagne without feeling like a compromise. The nose leans properly yeasty, think fresh bread and a touch of brioche, with a pop of citrus zest that keeps it lifted.
On the palate, it snaps into focus. There is a strong mineral background here, stony and almost saline, pushing everything forward. Citrus and green apple keep it bright, the mousse is tight and energetic, and the extra brut finish lands bone dry and clean. It all feels intentional. No fluff.
The value is the kicker. This drinks with more structure and character than the price suggests. Mineral, a little savory, and easy to keep going back without overthinking it.
2025 La Bargemone Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
Delightful nose of candied grapefruit. Kiwi and strawberry on the palate. Invite your friends, put in on ice and watch the afternoon melt into the sunset, with smiling faces all around.
2021 Château Sainte-Eulalie "La Cantilene" Minervois La Liviniere
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
Complex, elegant nose gives cassis, seasoned wood and stewed red fruit. Palate shows beautifully, expressing red stone fruit. Nice lingering finish. Wonderful for the price.
2024 E. Pira Chiara Boschis Barolo Chinato
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
The ultimate conclusion to an Italian dinner. Chiara’s Chinato is a labor of love—a fortified Barolo aromatized with a secret recipe of herbs, spices, and barks (including Cinchona). It is rich, bitter-sweet, and profoundly complex. In an era where many houses have moved to commercial styles, Chiara maintains the traditional depth that makes this one of the world's great digestifs.
Price:
$49.99
2024 E. Pira Chiara Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
Don't call this an "entry-level" wine; it is a serious Nebbiolo sourced from prime parcels in La Morra. The 2024 is incredibly fresh and expressive, dominated by a bouquet of cherry, raspberry, and dried rose. It is vibrant and "nervous" in the best way, making it the perfect bottle to open while you wait for the Barolos to cellar.
Price:
$39.99
2022 E. Pira Chiara Boschis "Cannubi" Barolo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
The 2022 Cannubi is a triumph of finesse over heat. It is deep and restrained, showing a sleek elegance that is hard to find in a warm year. Expect a myriad of sweet perfumes—red fruit, spice, and the signature balsamic notes of mint and eucalyptus that only this hill can provide. Suckling calls it "profound in its depths" with plush tannins you can really sink your teeth into.
2022 E. Pira Chiara Boschis "Mosconi" Barolo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
A total powerhouse. This is one of the most refined expressions of Mosconi we’ve seen, managing to maintain its structural presence while layering in stunning floral overtones. It is austere, complex, and driven by a massive mineral core. Notes of bright cherries, cedar, and sliced mushrooms lead into a driving, persistent finish.
2022 E. Pira Chiara Boschis "Via Nuova" Barolo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
The "New Road" is outstanding for its pure savoriness in 2022. It is a vibrant, mid-weight Barolo that perfectly balances the characteristics of its six constituent vineyards. Expect earthy strawberries, peonies, and restrained blood orange on the nose, with a silky, dainty palate and tannins that add a surprising, chocolatey touch.
2013 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru "Cote de Lechet"
By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
What a steal, 5 dollars per year of age on Premier Cru Chablis! This wine is worth every penny, a crisp, complex expression of a prized appellation. On the palate, this wine is bursting with minerality, with notes of apple, pear, and lemon zest, complemented with salinity and a touch of honey. 2013 Chablis is drinking beautifully right now, and this is certainly among the best options on the market.
Price:
$64.99
2024 Torres "Pago del Cielo - Celeste" Verdejo Rueda
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
Albariño might be the white grape people most commonly associate with Spain, but I’d like to nominate another worthy variety: Verdejo. The flagship white grape of Rueda, a region sandwiched between Ribero del Duero and Toro in north-central Spain, Verdejo produces stunning wines of concentration and complexity, with perhaps a touch more body and stone-fruit-driven intensity than Albariño. The region is more inland and warmer than coastal Spain, but high elevation and a big temperature swing between day and night helps to keep the wines here snappy and fresh. The other major white grape grown in Rueda is Sauvignon Blanc, and when blended with Verdejo, as the 2024 Pago del Cielo “Celeste” Verdejo is, each variety complements the other, leading to a sum greater than its two individual parts. In this wine, 14% Sauvignon Blanc highlights youth and primary fruit, lending an ultra-zesty and racy finish, while the Verdejo contributes signature yellow peach and nectarine notes, as well as Meyer lemon zest and orange blossom. Incredibly vibrant, with ripe and juicy yellow fruit notes, the finish lingers. This wine is fermented in stainless steel, which emphasizes its crispness and vibrancy, then aged in the same tanks on the fine lees, which adds a bit of richness on the palate – just enough to add depth and weight – making it perhaps the ideal food wine for warm summer days. I would pair this wine with shrimp cocktail, sushi, summer salads, or even just on its own, hopefully poolside on a sunny day.
2015 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru "Les Lys"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
Les Lys is one of the most underrated Premier Cru sites in all of Chablis. Capable of producing some of the region’s most profound and complex wines, it has somehow remained under the radar for many enthusiasts—making the 2015 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis all the more exciting. The nose opens beautifully with aromas of lemon peel, white flowers, crushed rock, and hints of flint. The palate delivers impressive energy and intensity, with citrus notes fanning out across the wine’s layered, complex structure. There is depth here with layer upon layer of fruit and spice seamlessly supported by vibrant acidity and lifted by captivating aromatics. A wine to love, and a remarkable opportunity to enjoy a Chablis of this caliber with over a decade of age at such an appealing price.
Price:
$64.99
2015 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru "Vaillons"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
The 2015 Vaillons opens with an intensely flinty nose that gives way to aromas of lemon chiffon and dried herbs. The palate is richly textured, with abundant orchard fruit balanced by a surge of acidity and energy. The mid- to back-palate is particularly impressive, revealing layers of fruit and complexity that carry seamlessly through to a finish marked by classic Chablisienne character.
Price:
$64.99
2013 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru "Cote de Lechet"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
A beautiful nose of Red Delicious apple and pear mingles with notes of straw and lemon. The palate shows wonderful drive and verve, with racy acidity that carries orchard fruit, wet stone, and flinty mineral tones across the palate, building complexity from start to the long, satisfying finish. A truly delicious Chablis, it feels remarkably vibrant and exuberant for a wine at 13 years of age.
Price:
$64.99
2024 Ridge Vineyards Paso Robles Grenache Blanc
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
While the winemaker behind this delicious Grenache Blanc is being playful, this bottle doesn't play around. You can really tell how much effort went into making it- from the precise combination of varieties (85% Grenache Blanc, 12% Picpoul, and 3% Roussanne), to the meticulous fermentation process that involves stainless steel, barrels both old and new, as well as amphora and concrete tanks mixed in. The result? A vividly aromatic wine, that’s complex and serious but still fresh and vibrant. The bright acidity balances the smoky flint notes, and the savory minerality ties the whole thing together beautifully.
2024 Matteo Ascheri Langhe Nebbiolo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
If the brilliant 2021 Barolo is the benchmark for value and precise terroir expression, the 2024 Langhe Nebbiolo is the ultimate everyday proof of Matteo Ascheri's no-nonsense approach. This is exactly what entry-level Nebbiolo should be: pure, unmanipulated, and completely stripped of any commercial makeup.
The nose is incredibly open and fragrant, immediately mirroring the ethereal qualities of his Barolo. . It is undeniably one of the smartest, most expressive everyday Nebbiolos on the market.
Price:
$24.99
2024 Raen "Royal St. Robert Cuvée" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/24/2026 | Send Email
A truly benchmark expression of the ultra-cool, western edge of the Sonoma Coast. This wine is sourced from a handful of vineyards, all within a few miles of the frigid Pacific. Fruit comes from Occidental, Bodega, and Fort Ross, where temperatures tend to hover in the upper 60s and low 70s even in mid-summer. This long, moderate growing season allows for incredible flavor development while preserving the fruit’s natural acidity.
Clones include Calera, Swan, and Dijon selections 667, 115, and 777. The wine is made with 100% whole-cluster native fermentation and aged in neutral French oak to preserve a pure expression of the coast. The nose soars from the glass with dried rose petals, alpine strawberry, bramble leaf, torn herbs, camphor, subtle leather, and earthy spice. The fruit profile mirrors the aromatics beautifully, with wild red berries, black raspberry, lifted floral tones, and deeper earthy notes. Woodsy spice, coastal chaparral, and brambly tones are always present, interwoven with the bright red fruit.
Long and silky on the palate, this is beautifully resolved even as a young wine, though it will surely become even more striking and gain additional mid-palate breadth with a few years in bottle. A singular, distinctive, and truly compelling expression of Pinot Noir that deserves a place on anyone’s dinner table.
2024 Aniello Blanco de Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 4/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 4/23/2026 | Send Email
So fresh, flavorful and fun, this is my pick for the wine of the summer. The 2024 Aniello Blanco de Pinot Noir from Patagonia is a refreshing white wine vinified from 100% Pinot Noir, however, it is actually the palest shade of pink possible, more akin to a vin gris style of rosé from France. This tiny amount of pigmentation is extracted during the pressing of the fruit – the bunches of Pinot Noir are put directly into the press, and during this process itself, a subtle amount of color is extracted from the grape skins as the juice is extracted from the berries. Aniello is located in the heart of Patagonia, in southern Argentina, where long sunlight hours combined with cold nights help to create wines with great intensity and an electric, refreshing feel on the palate. This is evident in the Aniello, where a high level of fruit concentration is contrasted by bright acidity and lingering minerality. Also, an interesting characteristic about white wine made from red grapes is that many typical red fruit aromatics remain: in this wine, fresh strawberries and cream, juicy red plum and a slightly tarter red currant note. Aging in concrete and neutral barrels on the fine lees adds white almond and yeasty brioche to the mix, all backed up by a bracing, lingering finish. At this price, there’s a lot to like here: top-notch winemaking from a premium (and very up-and-coming) wine region, leading to a highly unique style of wine that would be very fun to serve to guests – after all, how many people have tried a white Pinot Noir from Patagonia? This is one to buy by the case while still available.
Domaine Hubert "K&L Exclusive" Pays d'Auge Vieux Calvados (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
Its absolutely nuts that we're still able to get this stupendous product on the shelf for $35. The simple fact is that apple brandy production is extremely slow and difficult. It requires years and years of waiting for the trees to produce enough fruit for them to be commercially viable. But the Huberts are nonetheless putting exceptionally high quality brandy into great old would and doing it at a very reasonable price. Let's taste it! The first nosing is fragrant and round with soft ripe apple, hints of sweet spices and bake pears. The palate is very zesty and bright, moving more toward your granny smith than the baked pear on the nose. Medium bodied with a super round soft finish. There's tons of character here, so into the cocktails is where this will suit most people, but if you've ever been to Normandy this is as good as anything you'll ever try. It is the perfect thing to put on the table for the "trou" in your holiday dinner. An incredible digestif by any measure.
Price:
$34.99
2021 Château Sainte-Eulalie "La Cantilene" Minervois La Liviniere
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
Deep and Mediterranean in character, this blend opens with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and plum layered with note of licorice and subtle spice. The palate is rich and full-bodied, with ripe dark fruit supported by firm, well-structured tannins and a warm, savory core. Hints of vanilla and dried herbs add complexity, leading to a long, smooth finish. A classic southern French blend that delivers power, rustic charm, and excellent value.
2021 Red Car Sonoma Coast Syrah
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
Sourced from Red Car's Estate and Romondo vineyards, the 2021 Red Car Sonoma Coast is classic cool climate Syrah - savory with bright acidity and polished tannins. It is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 18% new. Savory aromas of black olive, lavender, dark plum, mint, black pepper, with bright, vibrant acidity, and a weightlessness on the palate common to Sonoma Coast wines.
2024 Anonymous Wine Collective "Envy Block" Ballard Canyon Syrah
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
Hot off the wine press, the brand-new-and-already-going-fast Anonymous Envy Block Ballard Canyon Syrah! This is such a savory Rhone style Syrah I don't think I would believe it's from Ballard Canyon unless somebody told me. Northern Rhone Syrah is "the benchmark by which all global Syrah wines are measured" (Wine Folly), which is why California winemakers dedicated to the variety named themselves "The Rhone Rangers" in the 1980s (an official non-profit since 1998). The Anonymous Syrah has flavors of black olive, blackberry jam, violets, dried herbs, charcuterie, spice, and rotundone (think black pepper).
Price:
Hidden
2023 Monte Rio "Old Vines" Lodi Zinfandel
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
What a great yummy old vine Zin! I can't believe it's only $15 because it sells for $25 on the Monte Rio website! A blend from four organically farmed Lodi vineyards with 95-year-old Zinfandel vines, the 2023 Old Vine Lodi is pressed and fermented whole cluster in stainless steel followed by 10 months is neutral barrels. Low intervention in the cellar and no sulfur added. Bottled unfiltered. This is the opposite of a big jammy high alcohol Zin, which is say it's better. Medium bodied with flavors of blackberry, blueberry, red and black cherry, black pepper, tobacco leaf, and dried herbs.
2022 Brane-Cantenac, Margaux
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 4/22/2026 | Send Email
I’ve been watching Brane-Cantenac closely over the past decade as they’ve steadily raised their game, delivering some of the most refined and rewarding releases in Margaux during that time. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re among the kindest and most welcoming people in Bordeaux. But while their wines have been on the rise, the 2022 is on an entirely different level. Neal Martin even called it out in his recent Southwold tasting as "a wine for the ages," where it ranked fifth in the entire vintage, outscoring a few First Growths.
The 2022 Brane-Cantenac leads with tons of typicité, showing unmistakable Margaux notes of florals, blackcurrant, and spice. The palate has a Cab-forward character, oscillating between black and red fruits, plum, cedar, graphite, and more. But the true mastery lies in its incredible freshness, textural refinement, and precision—the tannins are so pure, and the wine endlessly refreshing and long.
To find this kind of ethereal expression in such a powerful vintage is a real tribute to the work being done at Brane-Cantenac. This deserves to be in the conversation for the top wine of Margaux—and one of the greats of the Left Bank in 2022. Considering that, the asking price is also very impressive.
Bernard Rondeau Bugey Cerdon
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
We almost didn't get to taste this today, Keith forgot and almost skipped it at the end, but since I pull the bottles for the tastings so I knew it was there. I'm really glad I did, because I was good through the whole tasting so I felt like I deserved a little treat. This is just so lovely, and it's one of those wines you just almost can't bear to spit out, but I did, because I'm a professional. The nose is fruity and pretty, strawberry, raspberry, guava, and rosehips all blend to make a very slightly off-dry sparkling wine that is so approachable and lovely. The palate is very slightly sweet with wonderful fruit and a really great acidity, this is Keith's perfect Thanksgiving wine, but I think for me it's just a banger bottle to share with friends or with no friends and just me and Mr. Tummy. Good boys get treats.
Price:
$19.99
2025 Domaine de Triennes Mediteranée Rosé
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
Easy and approachable this is such a friendly and fun bottle of pool wine. A little bit of tropical, but then more raspberry and bright strawberry than anything else, with a really pleasant but not too pushing acidity that goes through the whole palate. For people looking for a nice Provencal style rosé. The lingering finish has a little touch of something floral at the very end, really ending on a pretty and lingering note. This is new to us, and what a nice surprise!
Price:
$17.99
2022 Domaine Vico "Cantinone" Corse Rouge
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
Having these less common varietals is always such a treat, and I've found the Corsican wine I've had so far to all be really good. I realize that Keith is just trying to bring in the best ones, but still, hey, thumbs up Corsica keep up the good work. Obviously this wine is no exception, and gosh, I really enjoyed it when we opened it this morning but it's so much better now. The nose is a study in delicacy and elegance, all these angels balancing on the head of a pin, there's raspberry, red cherry, strawberry, a bouquet of flowers, a sachet of dried herbs, and something intensely savory and umami. This is just marvelous, absolutely top notch. The palate is racy and beautiful, this super rush of fruit at the front with this deeply savory middle that both then twine and blend together for a finish that has fruit but pushes forward with barrel spice, roundness, and a lingering sort of fruit and leather on the very finish. This is one of my favorite new wines already, and there's a lot of people who enjoy a little pretty wine that are going to get this in their hands. If that ends up being you, you're welcome, happy to help!