Locations
Login
Reviewers
- - Operations Culver City (1)
- Aaron Hughes (10)
- Alex Leonardini (54)
- Andrew Nunes (1)
- Cary Herrman (3)
- David Othenin-Girard (339)
- Dejah Overby (147)
- Eric Goldstein (1)
- 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 (5)
- Michael Benoit (7)
- Michael Pires (14)
- Michael Hulihan (1)
- Orazio Campoli (5)
- Rachael Ryan (2)
- Ralph Sands (222)
- Ryan Woodhouse (899)
- Ryan Moses (628)
- 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
2025 Soalheiro Alvarinho Vinho Verde Monção e Melgaço
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Albariño from Rias Baixas is one of the most popular Spanish wines we sell, but the region just across the border in Portugal – Vinho Verde – remains somewhat undiscovered by comparison. Vinho Verde built its reputation on inexpensive, fizzy whites that were also often off-dry – uncomplicated, simple and straightforward wines made from a blend of indigenous grapes, easy to drink but not necessarily very memorable. In recent years, however, a new category of Vinho Verde has emerged, focused mainly on the Alvarinho (a.k.a. Albariño) grape made in a more serious style: still, bone dry and driven by minerality. And no producer has done more to elevate this style of Vinho Verde than Soalheiro. Founded in the 1970s, they planted the first contiguous Alvarinho vineyard in the prestigious sub-region of Monção and Melgaço. This part of Portugal is just a stone’s throw from Rias Baixas – Soalheiro’s winery is less than a mile from the Spanish border – and much of what makes Rias Baixas special holds true for Vinho Verde as well: proximity to the Atlantic Ocean; warm, sunny days; and cool, misty nights. The resulting wine highlights why Alvarinho is just so delicious. Incredibly racy on the palate, with mouthwatering acidity, the 2025 Alvarinho bursts from the glass with notes of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and lime zest, as well as celery leaf, tarragon and of course, significant aromas of sea spray. On the palate, peach and apricot flavors emerge, and the overall feel of the wine mineral-driven, lean and very fresh, not unlike sitting by the ocean on a windy day. The finish is squeaky clean and bone dry, inviting another sip. Obvious food pairings would be oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail or anything with crab, but this wine is also delicious on its own. If you haven’t yet tried the Portuguese twin of the more well-known Spanish variety across the border, I highly recommend trying a bottle of the Soalheiro – it might just become your favorite example of Alvarinho/Albariño!
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Launois continues to be one of our most popular grower-producers. Based in the Cotes des Blancs Grand Cru village of Mesnil, the gold standard for Chardonnay in Champagne. The "Veuve Clemence" is a Blanc de Blancs and customer favorite of those who like leesy, brioche-y champagne from extended lees aging, in this case 4 years! On top of that, the Clemence has a secret. It's really a vintage champagne, but it's unlabeled. Why? Because the Launois philosophy is that vintage champagne can only be 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay that is 100% from the mid-slope. While the Clemence is Grand Cru Chardonnay, it comes from the tops and bottoms of the hills - not the mid-slope. On the nose lemon-lime, saline, caramel, butterscotch, and candied fruit. On the palate, medium bodied, baked pastry crust, sourdough, lees, citrus, with a long creamy finish. If you're a fan of the Cuvee Reserve, you should definitely try the Clemence!
Price:
$44.99
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
The Launois "Cuvée Réserve" Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne is the all-time undisputed champion of K&L's Direct Import Champagne portfolio. It's our best selling champagne, our most repurchased champagne, and it's in K&L's Top 10 selling products across all categories every year -- and all for (still) under $40! Consistently excellent, the "Cuvée Réserve" pedigree is beyond reproach -- 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay sourced from three of the most prestigious Grand Cru villages in the Cotes des Blancs: Mesnil, Cramant, and Oger. This region has the chalkiest soils in Champagne in which Chardonnay thrives. Beautifully balanced, with it's chalky minerality, and toastiness from three years of aging on the lees (the legal requirement for vintage champagne), it's a crowd-pleasing bubbly masterpiece crying out for oysters, sushi, and caviar!
Price:
$39.99
2024 San Lorenzo "Vigna di Gino" Marche Rosso (Montepulciano - Sangiovese)
By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
Another sub-twenty banger from the Italian category - if you're looking for something easy, crowd pleasing, and just down right good, grab a bottle of this.
I'm always a fan of Montepulciano, this varietal always brings notes of jammy red fruit, a little earth, and a hint of baking spice, and with the Sangiovese addition to the blend it is rounded out with some zippy acidity, notes of bright red cherry, and a bit of florality.
For the price you are getting a ton of depth and complexity, as well as just something you can pop open and be confident all will enjoy at the dinner table.
Price:
$14.99
2024 Stony Hill "SHV" Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/30/2026 | Send Email
This is one of the most compelling bottles of Chardonnay I've drunk in some time. A laser-focused wine with incredible tension and reverberating minerality. The iconic Stony Hill property on Spring Mountain is now owned by Demeine Estates, which also owns the legendary Heitz Cellar and historic Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville. With this new Napa Valley-appellated bottling, winemaker Reid Griggs flexes his fruit-sourcing prowess, combining Chardonnay from Heitz's Quartz Creek Vineyard in Oak Knoll and Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville with a little Stony Hill Spring Mountain estate fruit to create something truly special. These world-class Chardonnay vineyards have been woven together seamlessly, each complementing the others perfectly.
The style of the wine is very much in keeping with how Stony Hill has made its age-worthy Chardonnay for many decades. The wine has searing acidity, was not put through malolactic fermentation, and was aged with only a sparing use of new oak. It's linear, focused, and bristling with electric energy. In the glass it reveals struck flint, preserved lemon, crystalline white peach, ripe citrus, barley water, citrus oil, split white oak, and wet river stone. With time in the glass, the wine keeps opening up and gaining mid-palate texture and depth. So wonderfully layered and complex.
This is amazing and so energized now as a young Chardonnay, but it's clearly a wine built to age for decades. If you love mature Chardonnay, forget a few bottles of this in your cellar for 15–20 years. I bet it will be spectacular.
2023 Coutet, Sauternes (375ml)
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/29/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/29/2026 | Send Email
2023 is quietly shaping up to be one of the great modern vintages in Sauternes—a true classic that marries brightness and richness in a way that makes these wines both immediately approachable and deeply ageworthy. One of the region’s standout successes is Coutet in Barsac, a property run by the Mouton team and fully deserving of First Growth stature in 2023.
Beautifully expressive on the nose, it opens with orange blossom, honey, and lime pith. The palate follows through with superb balance among sweetness, acidity, and botrytis spice, delivering a vibrant mix of stone fruit, grilled pineapple, and Meyer lemon. There’s ample sweetness and structure to carry this for decades, yet I love how irresistibly delicious and open it is right now. Add in best‑in‑class press, and you have one of the most rewarding buys in the region—especially in the wonderfully convenient 375ml format.
2021 Warwick "First Lady" Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
Made with a clear nod towards Bordeaux, the 2021 Warwick “First Lady” Cabernet Sauvignon is dominated by graphite and woodsy forest notes over opulent fruit or toasty oak. Light-footed and easygoing, this is an herbaceous and mineral-driven style of wine, with a distinct leafy note running through the core. Crunchy red fruit emerges in the background along with tomato leaf and currant. The tannins are firm but well-integrated, and overall, this is a bright style of Old World-inspired Cabernet Sauvignon that would be great with burgers on the grill or barbecued ribs. There’s a surprising amount of complexity here for a weeknight-priced wine, and you’d be hard pressed to find another Cabernet with this level of winemaking and aromatic complexity at this extremely reasonable price.
Price:
$11.99
2022 Warwick "First Lady" Pinotage Stellenbosch
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
Pinotage might just be one of the most misunderstood grapes in the wine world. To be fair, in the past, there were plenty of rustic examples, often cloaked in heady new oak. In recent years, however, many wineries have approached the variety with a lighter hand, harvesting earlier and fermenting gently, to allow the red fruit notes and bright acidity to carry the wine. Warwick’s “First Lady” Pinotage is a great example of this fresh and modern style. It’s pale in the glass and bursting with Bing cherry, juicy red plum and strawberry notes, with only the faintest hint of button mushroom and woodsy forest floor. Vibrant and almost humming with an electric sense of freshness, this wine could easily take a chill. It would be fantastic served alongside charcuterie or even just take out pizza. Uncomplicated and super easy to drink, this is the Pinotage to try if you haven’t opened one in a while.
Price:
$11.99
2018 López de Heredia "Viña Cubillo" Crianza Rioja
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
The “baby” of the López de Heredia lineup of wines, the 2018 “Viña Cubillo” Crianza ages in older American oak barrels for three years, followed by several more in bottle, far exceeding the length of time most other wineries in Rioja age their Gran Reservas for. Despite this extended maturation, the Cubillo remains improbably fresh, loaded with wild blackberry and juicy red plum notes, tied together with classic dried dill and tobacco leaf aromas. Much like 2013, the 2018 vintage in Rioja was cooler than average, with a later harvest, so the resulting wine has energetic, bright acidity and a subtle floral, almost perfumed quality. The tannins are fine and well-integrated, deftly supporting the wine, but also smooth enough to open the bottle and enjoy now. Given the history and legacy of López de Heredia, as well as the extended aging, this is hands down one of the best values in Rioja, and one of the more finessed vintages in recent memory.
2013 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/28/2026 | Send Email
In many regions of Europe, 2013 was a difficult vintage marked by cool temperatures and wet weather, but at Viña Tondonia this somehow translated into a wine with improbable finesse, a high degree of complexity, and a gorgeous, fine-boned structure. The harvest was unusually late, and this extended hang time on the vine allowed the flavors to build in complexity, while the acidity remained fresh. In the glass, signature Rioja aromas and flavors of dried cherry, cranberry, orange peel, tobacco, leather and cedar are woven together with violet and wisteria notes. There’s a nervy tension to the palate, leading into a finish that lingers. Already beautifully expressive thanks to extensive aging in both barrel and bottle, it also possesses the firm structure, acidity, and balance that will allow it to age for another twenty years or more. While I can’t remember an unlikeable vintage of Tondonia Reserva, the 2013 feels like a definite step up in terms of elegance – rather than muscle through the door with sheer power and brawn, it feels more restrained and subtle, yet also more intriguing in the glass, unveiling new aromas as the minutes pass.
Ariston Aspasie "Cépages d'Antan" Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Made from the near-extinct Champagne varieties — Arbane, Petit Meslier, and Fromenteau. Lean and high acid with a crisp apple finish, nine years on the lees adding texture without weight. A totally unique bottle and worth seeking out. One of the coolest bottles to give or drink with a real champagne nerd!
Price:
$119.99
2014 Ariston Aspasie Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
From 25-year-old vines: brioche, baked apple, Parmesan rind, and real richness through the middle, closing on a mineral finish. Seriously good Champagne.
Price:
$49.99
Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Single vineyard off a steep slope. Light, citrus-driven, high acid and dangerously easy, it's the kind of bottle that disappears before you know it, such and easy bottle to crush!
Price:
$44.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Bottled at 7 atmospheres, so it opens with a real pop and a fine, energetic mousse. Five years on the lees give it substance while keeping things light and easy. Don't need to say much this is a great value Champagne!
Price:
$37.99
2018 Baron-Fuenté "Rebelle" Brut Nature Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Unlike most brut naturals I have had the Rebelle is Loaded with fruit — red apple and orange peel. Again, much less austere on the palate than most Brut Natures. 50% Chardonnay, 50% Meunier. Delicious, and an easy entry point for anyone nervous about zero dosage. tied for my favorite Baron-Fuente with the "7"!
Baron-Fuenté "7" Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Seven years on the lees and it shows! Leesy, toasty, with bruised apple and a savory Parmesan rind edge. An equal-thirds blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier. really Lovely stuff tied for my favorite from Baron-Fuente with the 2018 "Rebelle"!
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Brioche, cream, and a savory, faintly cheesy depth, all held together by nicely balanced acid. It a good all-around champagne!
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
A bright, high-acid Champagne built on 40% reserve wine and 3–4 years on the lees. Bruised apple and orchard depth. Meunier-led with Chardonnay the lending lift. Magnums get 5 years on the lees and drink with noticeably more richness.
2018 Launois "Helia" Rosé Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
A really Perfumed and pretty Champagne starting on the nose with rose petal, hibiscus. followed through with cherry and rose notes on the palate. It also keeps the house signature fresh style.
Price:
$74.99
2017 Launois "Helia" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
Another great addition to the Lanois line up! Apple and citrus up front, real depth and complexity underneath, mineral throughout as expected from a Lanois.
Price:
$79.99
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Kai Pedreno | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
This Fruit pulled from the tops and bottoms of the slope, where ripeness lags as a result you get a very mineral Champagne with a high-acid finish that slices clean through. Precise and chalky. One of my favorites from Lanois!
Price:
$44.99
2025 Domaine Jacourette Côtes de Provence Cru Sainte-Victoire Rosé
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/27/2026 | Send Email
The Jacourette vineyards sit beneath the shadow of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, the limestone massif that has watched over this corner of Provence since long before Cézanne made it famous on canvas. Over millennia, the mountain's limestone has eroded, forming the surrounding clay soils, laying down the calcareous foundation that gives these wines their signature minerality.
We've been working with vigneronne Hélène Dragon since her 2013 vintage, and in that time her style has only sharpened — each vintage leaning further into purity and precision. Her base cuvée has always been a great success for us, a bright and reliable expression of Provençal rosé. But this year, with Sainte-Victoire's elevation to Cru status, we've decided to shift our focus entirely to her top cuvée: select parcels within the Sainte-Victoire Cru, carved out from the lower-yielding vineyards directly beneath the mountain.
We couldn't be more thrilled with this decision. For just a few dollars more, this wine offers so much more — riper fruit and a richer, more layered palate: white strawberry, raspberry, grapefruit, and herbes de Provence, with a light fennel note that adds real dimension and sets it apart from lesser bottlings in the appellation. Depth, length, and gorgeous minerality make this a genuinely harmonious glass.
This is Provençal rosé built for the table — think roasted vegetables in olive oil, tuna niçoise, brandade on toasted bread, grilled sardines, even lamb chops. Jacourette remains one of our favorite producers working in the region today.
2024 Brick & Mortar Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/25/2026 | Send Email
Another rocking value, the 2024 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir from Brick & Mortar showcases the dark, brambly fruit character I always associate with this region. A little deeper and more brooding than the Sonoma Coast bottling, it leans toward blackberry, dark cherry, dried herbs, and forest floor. Polished tannins and a subtle touch of oak spice lift the wine and linger through the finish.
It is still a baby, but already drinking beautifully, needing only a few swirls in the glass to awaken the aromas. Incredible QPR.
2024 Brick & Mortar Anderson Valley Chardonnay
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/25/2026 | Send Email
Showing that they are every bit as skilled with Chardonnay as they are with Pinot Noir, Matt and Alexis bottle this wine simply as Anderson Valley, even though it comes entirely from a single renowned vineyard: Ferrington. You may recognize the Ferrington name from iconic producers such as Williams Selyem, which have long sourced fruit from this mature Anderson Valley site.
The wine offers beautifully crystalline golden orchard fruit, ripe citrus, spiced apple pie, salted almond, and stone-ground flour. The balance between fruit and minerality is spot-on, with generous ripeness matched by wonderful tension and verve. This is a seriously sophisticated Chardonnay at a remarkably reasonable price. Awesome stuff!
2023 Brick & Mortar Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/25/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/25/2026 | Send Email
Matt and Alexis Iaconis, the husband-and-wife duo behind Brick & Mortar Wines, continue to produce some of the most consistently delicious and exceptional-value wines in the state. These wines overdeliver in every way. The 2023 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir actually comes from a single vineyard in Carneros, right on the edge of San Pablo Bay. The fruit is sourced from 25+ year-old vines farmed under certified organic standards. Elegant and silky, the wine is packed with juicy, ripe fruit, offering notes of red berries, alpine strawberry, nutmeg, and dried rose petal. This is simply crazy delicious at such a modest price point. There are hundreds of $50+ Pinot Noirs out there that can’t come close to the quality in this bottle.
2025 Vin Vif (Union Sacre) Central Coast Albariño
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
Vin Vif (pronounced Vahn Veef) is French for “lively wine.” The 2025 Vin Vif (Union Sacré) Central Coast Albariño is bright lively as it shimmies on the palate. Whole-cluster pressed, it fermented in neutral oak barrels and aged sur lees for 6 months. A smile in a glass, it’s a sheer delight. What a perfect wine to open any dinner or event with because it’s refreshing, freestyle fun. Passionfruit, white peach, jasmine blossoms, and lime zest jive to the beat of a juicy, mouthwatering acidy. Tongue-tingling minerality is electrifying—definitely sequins on this go-go dancer’s hot pants. At 12.5% ABV it’s a great afternoon sipper while listening to Fabienne Delsol.
Price:
$14.95
2024 Anonymous Wine Collective SLO Coast Pinot Noir
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
This Pinot is proof that you don't need to spend a fortune to drink well. Punching comfortably above it's price point, it delivers a surprising amount of structure with fine, grippy tannins that give the wine far more backbone than you'd expect. Bright red cherry and raspberry lead the charge, but it's the savory herbal notes that keep things interesting, adding a touch of wild sage and dried thyme that makes each sip a little more compelling than the last. It's approachable on a Tuesday night but has just enough personality to earn a spot at the dinner table. Pair it with roast chicken, grilled seafood, or mushroom risotto.
Price:
Hidden
2014 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Blanco Reserva Rioja
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
López de Heredia is one of my favorite wineries. They live up to the expectations of being one of the first three wineries in Rioja (and the first in Haro). I appreciate that it is run by two sisters (women in a male-dominated industry), However it's their dedication that truly stands out. They maintain their own cooperage- still hand-making their barrels, and they release their wines only when they believe they are ready- aging the wines well beyond the minimum requirements of the DOCa. That commitment shines through in this four-years aged, oaky Viura. The result is a dry, medium-bodied wine with gentle acidity, a rich texture, and just a touch of "ripeness"- the qualities I want in my white wines. Yummy.
2021 Almaviva Bordeaux Blend Puente Alto Valle de Maipo
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
A joint venture between two of the most famous names in Bordeaux and Chile – Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha y Toro – Almaviva has long been one of Chile's flagship wines, and the excellent 2021 vintage is a great example of exactly why it ranks among the world's most collectible Bordeaux blends. The 2021 vintage is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Carménère, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, sourced from meticulously farmed vineyards at the foot of the Andes. Following fermentation, the wine matures for 20 months in French oak barrels, mostly new, adding structure and polish without overwhelming the fruit. The cooler 2021 growing season produced a wine with tremendous freshness and more restraint than the plusher 2020 vintage, emphasizing elegance over sheer power. Sun-ripened blackberry, raspberry, graphite, violet, cedar, and subtle graphite unfold gradually in the glass, supported by vibrant acidity and a seamless, supple mouthfeel. Rather than leading with opulence, this is a wine that is elegant and sophisticated, revealing increasing layers of complexity with air and promising decades of graceful aging in the cellar. If you're looking for a bottle that showcases why Chile has become one of the world's premier fine wine regions, Almaviva remains the benchmark. The 2021 Almaviva is a compelling reminder that Chile's finest Bordeaux blends belong in the same conversation as the great classified growths of the Médoc, delivering First Growth-level craftsmanship at a fraction of the price commanded by Bordeaux's elite.
2022 Alpha Estate "Ecosystem - Barba Yannis" Xinomavro Reserve Amyndeon Greece
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
If Hedgehog Vineyard is Alpha Estate's most approachable expression of Xinomavro, "Barba Yannis" is the other end of the spectrum — the estate's most serious, structured, and age-worthy bottling of the grape. The difference starts in the vineyard: these vines were planted in 1919, making them over a century old, and that age shows in every aspect of the wine. Old vines like these naturally yield less fruit, but what they do produce carries a depth and concentration that younger plantings simply can't replicate.
Where Hedgehog shows Xinomavro's lifted, Valtellina-like grace, Barba Yannis leans into something denser and more brooding — dried cherry and dried rose give way to tobacco leaf, dried fig, and a savory, almost meaty undertone. The tannins here are firmer and more assertive than in Hedgehog, built for extended aging rather than immediate pleasure, though they never feel harsh or unresolved. There's a real sense of gravity to this wine that speaks to both the vine age and the reserve-level attention it receives in the cellar.
This is a wine to set aside for a few years, or to open now alongside something equally substantial — braised short rib, aged sheep's milk cheese, or a rich lamb stew. If Hedgehog is where I'd send someone new to Xinomavro, Barba Yannis is where I'd send them once they're ready to see how far the grape can go.
2025 Hatzidakis "Familia" Assyrtiko Santorini Greece
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
"Familia" draws from a selection of the estate's own family-owned parcels, some of the oldest and most prized sites they farm, planted in the classic kouloura basket-trained vines that protect the fruit from Santorini's relentless wind and sun. The result is a wine of extraordinary precision showing white peach, preserved lemon, crushed oyster shell, a whisper of fennel. This is all wrapped around that signature volcanic minerality that just seems to keep going on the finish.
This is a serious, cellar-worthy Assyrtiko, and one of the most complete expressions of the grape I've tasted this year. Drink it now alongside grilled octopus or a rich seafood risotto, or tuck a bottle away — it has the structure to reward five, even ten years in the cellar.
Price:
$94.99
2016 Domaine Economou Assyrtiko Crete Greece
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
The 2016 Assyrtiko, aged semi-oxidatively like the Odyssey, carries real tension — underlying acidity and minerality that unfurl as it opens. Lime peel, toasted almonds, and pineapple rind emerge with air. This is not a wine to rush.
Price:
$74.99
2020 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/24/2026 | Send Email
This is the first Lynch Bages made at the new winemaking facility, and they've rung in the new era in style. Another 2020 that looks like a long distance runner, especially compared to the more elegant and bright 2019, it feels like an echo of their 2010—sure, it'll need time, but those who get in early will be thrilled with what they have in their cellar for the years to come. Dark cassis, graphite, tobacco, and black cherry line the palate that retains a level of freshness, but the depth is just stunning. Long, energetic, and dynamic, it is in the style that makes it so apparent why folks adore Lynch Bages, while still keeping its feet planted firmly in Pauillac. I can't wait to see how this develops, but for now, it is a sleeping giant and one of the best buys you'll find from this estate.
2017 Launois "Helia" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
Every time I have the Launois 2017 "Helia" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs it brings me more joy. It just rocks. 2017 was a stellar vintage for Chardonnay so when it's sourced from old massal-selected vines in the Grand Cru villages of Mesnil, Cramant, and Oger, in the iconic Côte des Blancs, and is aged for over 6 years on the lees, you should expect great things. Launois makes other champagne that are a single year (e.g., Veuve Clemence), but they only vintage date it if it's 100% Chardonnay that's 100% from the mid-slope. On the amazing nose, sweet cream, biscuit, lemon, lime, orange, and hints of dark toast. Medium-bodied, ripe orchard fruit, sweet vanilla, peach, pair, hints of white pepper, and zippy acidity up front but soft on the finish. An outstanding champagne of power, depth, and complexity that will continue to evolve and become more delicious!
Price:
$79.99
2019 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
While their Rosso is our go-to for immediate gratification, the Zannoni family's flagship Brunello is the reason Tenuta La Fortuna remains an absolute cornerstone of our direct import Montalcino portfolio. They have mastered the art of traditional, terroir-driven winemaking, and in a historically great vintage like 2019, that expertise results in something truly profound.
The 2019 vintage is already spoken of in hushed tones across Tuscany—a year that delivered wines of immense power, structure, and flawless balance. La Fortuna's 2019 captures every ounce of that potential. It pours a deep, commanding garnet and slowly unwinds in the glass to reveal a stunning, classic Montalcino bouquet of dark wild cherry, baked plum, sweet tobacco, worn leather, and savory underbrush. On the palate, it is full-bodied and beautifully muscular, with firm, perfectly ripe tannins and a driving core of acidity that promises a long life ahead.
This is serious, old-school Brunello built for the long haul. While it is undeniably impressive right now with a few hours in the decanter and a rich piece of roasted meat, this is a brilliant candidate for the cellar. It is a phenomenal showcase of the 2019 vintage and an unbelievable value for top-tier, direct-imported Sangiovese Grosso.
2023 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
Every once in a while, I get the chance to taste in the humble cellars of Vieux Chateau Certan, where Alexandre Thienpont lets the wines speak for themselves, and they not only speak with volume, but also great harmony. The 2023 is such a wine, one that just puts a smile on your face. Thienpont called this vintage "back to Bordeaux," capturing the classic notes of a fine VCC. The most vibrant wine aromatically of perhaps the whole vintage, it had wild aromas of bright fruit, florals, and a deep clay minerality. On the palate it is layered, with perfect fruit, balanced and seamless texture, and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, and each smell/sip brings another nuance. It's a wine you want to spend time with. 2023 Vieux Chateau Certan is a brilliant Pomerol and a success by any measure.
Baron-Fuenté "7" Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
The Baron-Fuente 7 Brut Champagne has the depth and complexity of a Grand Marque. Layers and layers of flavors wrapped up in toasty package that's 7 years in the making. Produced from old vines on colder sites than the rest of their line, this tete de cuvée is all-estate fruit, 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Meunier, with 90% fermented in stainless steel tanks and 10% in oak barrels. That 10% in barrel adds great texture to the blend's pinpoint minerality, baking spices, and candied fruit. Baron-Fuente promotes the 7 as a gastronomic champagne, so it pairs with everything from poultry and seafood to grilled meats with heavy sauces.
1996 Isle Of Arran 27 Year Old "Vintage Bottlers Ltd" Rare Cask Series Single Sherry Butt #352 Non Chillfiltered Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
This remarkable expression from the Arran Distillery in Lochranza on the Isle of Arran is not the oldest Arran ever released, but it comes remarkably close. It is easily the oldest Arran we have ever sold and one of the oldest independent bottlings yet to reach the market. Distilled in 1996, just one year after the distillery opened, it represents an important benchmark for this exceptional modern producer, which has consistently delivered superb malt despite all the challenges of operating as an independent distillery in Scotland. Ordinarily, we would expect a new distillery to need several years to find its stride and produce whisky worthy of extended maturation, but this cask makes it clear that Arran had things dialed in from the beginning. Bottled at an incredible 27 years old, it stands stylistically alongside the finest mature Highland malts selling for many times the price. It is no powerhouse or smoke bomb, but it offers a delicacy that borders on the transcendent. Let’s taste it. The color is a shimmering old gold (0.6). The nose is hushed at first, but give it a little air and it begins to blossom: fine honey, fresh apricot, vanilla flowers, hints of cacao and shea butter, quince, distant ocean air, old oak, and citrus oil. The palate is extraordinarily delicate without ever feeling thin or overly oaked. Sweet, lightly roasted nuts mingle beautifully with the fresh fruit before giving way to a mid-palate surge of malt and a long, striking thread of oak spice. A tiny drop of water softens the faintly bitter spice on the finish, revealing an immensely drinkable, almost sweet, aperitif-style old Highland malt of the highest order. It is so beautifully composed that it comes as no surprise to see bottles selling for several hundred dollars more in the UK. Thanks to a new relationship with this bottler, however, we are able to offer this rare and impressive whisky at a price well below the prevailing market.
Price:
$325.00
2018 Baron-Fuenté "Rebelle" Brut Nature Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
If you're a fan of K&L Champagne Buyer Gary Westby's Instagram account like I am, you've learned that the "Rebelle" is vigneron Ignace Baron's passion project. "He wanted to make something he wanted to drink." You don't see many Chardonnay-Meunier blends, but the Rebelle is 50% of each, so already a departure from typical champagne. 2018 was as "solar" (read: HOT!) of a year as you can get - it holds the record for being the hottest vintage in Champagne ever. However, the result was beautiful ripe fruit with generosity and approachability. Perfect for a Brut Nature! With all that lush ripeness and candied Meunier, you might expect a fruit bomb, but it's the toasty autolytic character that dominates the nose and palate. What a treat!
2019 Troplong Mondot, St-Émilion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
For me, Troplong Mondot’s renaissance is perfectly captured by this incredible 2019—a wine that champions brightness and freshness in a way that needs to be tasted to be believed. Just a decade ago, Troplong Mondot was also producing 100‑point wines, but they were built on power and extraction. The graceful, ethereal, and lifted wines now emerging from this estate show that the terroir is undeniable, but perhaps it simply needed a gentler touch to shine.
The nose is bright, crisp, and floral, while the palate delivers a mélange of thirst‑quenching fruit, fine texture, driving acidity, and freshness throughout. The long finish keeps revealing nuance after nuance, and the depth of flavor never tips into weight. A thread of limestone minerality carries through from start to finish.
It’s no surprise this has earned a litany of near‑perfect scores from nearly every major critic—something you don’t often see at this price point. Congratulations to Aymeric de Gironde for the revolutionary turnaround at one of Bordeaux’s great estates, and for a foundational 2019 that should not be missed.
2023 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
Every once in a while, I get the chance to taste in the humble cellars of Vieux Chateau Certan, where Alexandre Thienpont lets the wines speak for themselves, and they not only speak with volume, but also great harmony. The 2023 is such a wine, one that just puts a smile on your face. Thienpont called this vintage "back to Bordeaux," capturing the classic notes of a fine VCC. The most vibrant wine aromatically of perhaps the whole vintage, it had wild aromas of bright fruit, florals, and a deep clay minerality. On the palate it is layered, with perfect fruit, balanced and seamless texture, and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, and each smell/sip brings another nuance. It's a wine you want to spend time with. 2023 Vieux Chateau Certan is a brilliant Pomerol and a success by any measure.
2020 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
Pichon-Lalande is crafting wines today that stand among their finest releases, and the 2020 is a resounding example. What makes these modern vintages so irresistible is how clearly they express their terroir—regardless of the era, this is Pichon-Lalande at its core. Yet the added refinement and polish bring a decadence reminiscent of its First Growth neighbor.
Hints of graphite, deep cherry, and that signature, subtle herbal note lead the way, but the weightless concentration is the star—somehow poised and elegant while still rich in flavor. Precise texture, vibrant acidity, and refined tannins carry a long, persistent finish. The 2020 offers a level of density that makes it slightly less immediate than the 2019 or 2022, but that depth will pay dividends with time. Either way, it’s an unmistakable success and one of the standouts of the great 2020 vintage.
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
Quinconce means "clink clink," which is the sound champagne bottles make when they're being stacked "sur latte" in a cellar.I have no idea why Baron-Fuente decided to make the name change, but the champagne is excellent. This "elegant and harmonious blend" is unique. The grapes are sourced from Baron-Fuente's best Coteaux de Rivière slopes, which they consider their "finest grapes." 50% of the blend is a perpetual reserve that spans three harvests and 50% of the blend is Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier in equal amounts. Then they "clink, clink" it into the cellar for a full years on the lees. The result is a magnificently toasty champagne bursting with orchard fruit and baking spices. I was super impressed with this expression, and for sub-$40 it's a steal!
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
First off, shout out to Gary Westby who has figured out how to keep the very popular Baron-Fuente "Grand Reserve" Brut Champagne at $29.99! It's our most economically priced champagne and it delivers. In fact, this is the best B-F Grand Reserve I've tasted in my 4 + years with K&L. The majority Meunier gives it a full fruit forward body, but it's perfectly balanced by the 30% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir, and the 3 years it ages on the lees. It has a beautiful toasty nose and a round creamy texture. A real stand out. Please note: the magnum is aged for 5 years on the lees!
2022 Podere 29 "Gelso D'Oro" Nero di Troia
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
We head far south to the sun-baked, wind-swept coast of northern Puglia to discover Podere 29. Situated in the Daunia region near the Adriatic Sea, this organic estate is fiercely dedicated to elevating the local, historic grape of the area: Nero di Troia. The name "Gelso D'Oro" translates to "Golden Mulberry," paying homage to the ancient mulberry trees that dot the estate and symbolize the deep agricultural heritage of the land.
While Puglia is famous for producing massive, jammy reds from Primitivo further south, Nero di Troia in this northern coastal pocket behaves differently. The vineyards here thrive on sandy, mineral-rich soils that are constantly ventilated by salty sea breezes. This maritime influence is crucial; it mitigates the intense Southern Italian heat, allowing for a long, slow ripening season that preserves the grape's natural acidity and complex aromatics.
"Gelso D'Oro" is the estate's crown jewel. In the glass, it pours an inky, impenetrable ruby. The nose is a profound sensory journey into the Mediterranean scrub, exploding with the grape's signature aroma of crushed violets, followed by dark blackberry, dried figs, and roasted cocoa. On the palate, it is enveloping and powerful, yet held together by a surprising coastal freshness and velvety tannins. It is a magnificent, soulful red that demands rich, slow-braised meats or aged Pecorino cheese.
2024 Cascina Alberta Nebbiolo Langhe
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
Nestled in the high-altitude hills of Treiso—one of the four prestigious communes of the Barbaresco appellation—Cascina Alberta is a brilliant example of Piedmontese revival. The estate is dedicated to organic viticulture and the meticulous restoration of its historic vineyards, prioritizing biodiversity and ecological balance. Treiso is renowned for having some of the highest elevations in the Barbaresco zone, which is the absolute key to understanding the sheer elegance of this wine.
The vines plunge their roots into classic Sant'Agata fossil marls, a pale mix of calcareous clay and sand. Because of the cooler microclimate and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, the Nebbiolo grown here eschews the heavy, brooding tannins often found in warmer parts of the Langhe. Instead, it leans fully into ethereal aromatics and nervous, high-toned energy.
This Langhe Nebbiolo serves as a pristine, unmasked snapshot of the Treiso terroir. In the glass, it shines with a translucent, classic garnet hue. The nose is incredibly lifted, offering a perfumed bouquet of crushed roses, wild strawberry, and a dusting of white pepper. On the palate, it is vibrant and vertical, wrapped in fine, chalky tannins with a bright, mouth-watering acidity. It is a sophisticated, terroir-transparent red that acts as a fantastic introduction to Barbaresco's terroir, pairing beautifully with a mushroom risotto or an elegant veal roast.
2023 Michele Chiarlo "Cipressi" Nizza
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
If there is one producer responsible for transforming Barbera from a simple, rustic "farmer's wine" into a world-class, cellar-worthy masterpiece, it is Michele Chiarlo. He is a titan of Piedmontese viticulture, and his visionary work in the Asti region fundamentally changed the landscape of Italian wine. The "Cipressi" bottling is a profound testament to that legacy, hailing from the magnificent Tenuta La Court estate in Castelnuovo Calcea.
More importantly, this wine comes from the heart of the Nizza DOCG. For years, this small, sun-drenched enclave was just a sub-zone of Barbera d'Asti, but its terroir is so exceptional that it was recently elevated to its own independent appellation—effectively becoming the "Grand Cru" zone for the Barbera grape. The secret to Nizza lies in the Astian sands: a unique geological mix of calcareous marl and magnesium-rich sand. This well-draining soil stresses the vines just enough to produce low yields of incredibly concentrated, aromatic fruit.
Because Barbera naturally possesses high acidity and very low tannin, the sandy Nizza terroir amplifies its elegance rather than adding heavy weight. The 2024 Cipressi pours a brilliant, glowing ruby. The nose is an intoxicating, pure expression of ripe red cherry, wild raspberry, and a delicate dusting of sweet spice. On the palate, it is electric, savory, and wonderfully silky, avoiding heavy oak in favor of terroir-driven freshness. It is a brilliant, sophisticated red that pairs flawlessly with traditional agnolotti pasta, mushroom risotto, or roasted pork.
2020 Amista Nizza DOCG (1.5L) 1-Pack in OWC
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
It is a rare event to see a true Nizza DOCG hit the shelf at twenty dollars. When you consider that the 2020 Amista is positioned at fifty dollars in every other market, the proposition becomes undeniable. Nizza is Piemonte’s answer to structural Barbera, yet so many modern examples fall victim to syrupy extraction, burying the grape's identity in heavy-handed cellar tricks. The Amista, sourced from the chalk-dominant soils of the Bricco subzone, stands as a direct refutation of that lazy, spoofed-up style.
Do you like Cabernet? You need this. Do you like Barbera? Again, you need this. What a deal!
2020 Amista Nizza DOCG (Barbera)
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/23/2026 | Send Email
It is a rare event to see a true Nizza DOCG hit the shelf at twenty dollars. When you consider that the 2020 Amista is positioned at fifty dollars in every other market, the proposition becomes undeniable. Nizza is Piemonte’s answer to structural Barbera, yet so many modern examples fall victim to syrupy extraction, burying the grape's identity in heavy-handed cellar tricks. The Amista, sourced from the chalk-dominant soils of the Bricco subzone, stands as a direct refutation of that lazy, spoofed-up style.
Do you like Cabernet? You need this. Do you like Barbera? Again, you need this. What a deal!
2024 Anonymous Wine Collective SLO Coast Pinot Noir
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/22/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/22/2026 | Send Email
This very brightly colored is, if memory serves me correctly, the most affordable Pinot Noir from this line. It even looks crunchy just sitting in the glass! The nose is both bright and deep. Some dried floral rose petal scents with Bing cherry and ripe strawberry scents. A note of cinnamon in the background...reminds me of the cinnamon on crumb cake. On the palate, there is a brightness and "bounce" that is at the upper palate while the fleshier (and darker) cherry fruit sits on the tongue with more cinnamon and some exotic spices. Very nice! The finish has nice acidity and a bit of orange peel. Delightful!
Price:
Hidden