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- Gary Westby (541)
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- Keith Mabry (433)
- Kerry Kennell (1)
- Kirk Walker (276)
- Lilia McIntosh (44)
- Matthew Landau Hassan (5)
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- Ryan Woodhouse (900)
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Staff Favorites
| If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers! |
Reviews
2020 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/7/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/7/2025 | Send Email
I really enjoy when I give a wine a really nice and deep first sniff and it just comes across as super friendly, like when you meet someone and get a good vibe off of them. Not to ruin the rest of the review, but that's how this wine came across, and unlike some people who tried to steal my social security card, it's actually super friendly and not just pretending. The nose has some touches of florality around the edges, but the core is still juicy bright red fruit with a little bit of barrel spice and cedar on the finish. The palate is just juicy and delicious with moderate tannins and a really nice line of acidity pushing through the whole thing. This is just such a perfect mid-week wine when you want something that's going to scratch the quality itch while not scratching too deep a groove into your wallet. Highly recommended.
2022 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Super Tuscan
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/7/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/7/2025 | Send Email
The nose has some of that creamy cassis, a mingling black cherry, some dried green herbs, and a good amount of toasty barrel spice. The palate is deep and a bit chewy, very dark fruited with a little bit of dustiness on it all, black cherry, pomegranate, and underripe blackberry lead into the lingering barrel finish. This is a really nice bottle of wine, something that anyone who likes a Bordeaux style blend, with a good amount of power and depth, but also a good amount of structure. There's a firm grip of tannin, but also a nice line of acidity through everything helping it all work together even better. Despite the youth, it's very approachable as long as you don't mind a little bit of tannin, which could easily be alleviated and worked with, just get a really nice richer steak and a fat potato and just go crazy. Mushroom ragout on buttery mashed potatoes if you're not a meat enjoyer.
2019 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Brunello di Montalcino
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/7/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/7/2025 | Send Email
Having had most of the day to open up, there's just so much on the nose, it's so open and giving right now. Tons of cherries both black and sweet red, plum skin, a little hint of tomato leaf, and lots of barrel roundness on the nose. The palate is bursting with fruit on the front with really bright cranberry, pie cherry, and raspberry, before getting a little bit of saline olive savoriness on the midpalate and then just the lightest little touch of rose oil on the very finish, mingling with the firm grip of tannin. This is delicious and absolutely comparable to bottles half again as expensive without batting an eye, not only that but this is a more approachable style of Brunello, something that with a vigorous decant or a Mollydooker shake would be ready for dinner tonight.
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 10/5/2025 | Send Email
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 10/5/2025 | Send Email
From the stellar 2016 vintage, we have the newest in our Discovery Series, this time highlighting the legendary Bordeaux appellation of St Estephe, home to some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon blends in the world (including the likes of Chateau Cos d'Estournel and Chateau Montrose). This wine is dark and brooding in the glass. On the palate, the mouthfeel is luscious and decadent. There's a nice acidity too, making this a great food wine, particularly red meat. The wine is earthy as well, with cedar, blackcurrant, and a bit of black pepper before ending with just a touch of tannin on the finish. This wine packs a punch and seriously over-delivers at this price point!
Price:
$24.99
2021 John Duval "Plexus" GSM Barossa Valley South Australia
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 10/3/2025 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 10/3/2025 | Send Email
Comprised of 48% Shiraz, 28% Grenache, and 24% Mourvedre – all sourced from old vines in the heart of the Barossa Valley – the 2021 Plexus nimbly balances power with elegance. According to John Duval, the aim of Plexus is to express a wide spectrum of flavors, while offering seamless integration of the three varietals. The Shiraz adds richness and a spicy note, while the Grenache lifts the wine with juicy fruit notes, and the Mourvedre adds a suble but brooding black fruit undertone. A pretty iris note lingers in the background, enhancing the wine’s sense of finesse and restraint. Fermented separately, the parcels were later blended together and matured in French oak barriques, only 15% new. The resulting wine is stunning, almost Southern Rhône inspired, but entirely South Australian. Neither cloying nor overly rich, the Plexus manages to be highly concentrated yet very delicate at the same time.
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 10/2/2025 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 10/2/2025 | Send Email
Wow, wow, wow! This is my favorite one yet! Ryan really scored an outstanding St-Estèphe from the benchmark 2016 vintage! The whole point of the Discovery series is to discover a new region that perhaps you don't know a lot about or discover a new wine from a region you love. Either way, this St-Estèphe is indicative of its terroir -- 1,300 hectares of gravel, clay, and limestone along the banks of Gironde River in the upper Medoc that produce rich, well-structured wines, mainly from Bordeaux's twin towers - Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The K&L Discovery Series 2016 Estèphe is a Cab-Merlot blend with notes of blackcurrant, violet, mocha, vanilla, spices, and licorice. Beautiful ripe fruit that is soft and seamless on the palate. Thankfully nobody tracked how long it took me to finish this bottle after I opened it (paired with penne beef ragu).
Price:
$24.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/2/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 10/2/2025 | Send Email
There's definitely a lushness and really inviting allure on the nose. There's such a dark and intense core that we have to find our way around the outside of it first, peeling back a dark purple floral note from the far back and then finding lots of black cherry, plum skin, and blackberry. Past the fruit there's really lovely cigar box kind of barrel spice, touches of anise, and a little bit of dried green herbs on the finish. This is just such a really impressive wine already at this price, and we haven't even tasted it yet. The palate is phenomenal, there's a bright touch of really pretty fruit, firm but incredibly integrated tannins and then more barrel spice, toast, a little touch of green peppercorn all rounding everything out. This is the kind of value that I'm super proud we can deliver, it's just super impressive especially for under $25.
Price:
$24.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 10/2/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 10/2/2025 | Send Email
St-Estephe is always my favorite appellation in Bordeaux and this 2016 Discovery Series from St-Etephe captures the essence of its renowned vintage, opening with an inviting bouquet of dark cherry and fresh blueberry. On the palate, these concentrated fruit flavors are seamlessly woven with savory undertones of dried herbs and a distinct mineral streak. A bright acidity lends balance and energy, keeping the profile both substance and aging potential.
Price:
$24.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
St-Estèphe is renowned for wines of richness and muscular structure, and this 2016 from our Bordeaux Discovery Series lives up to that reputation. Aromas of blackcurrant, cherry, and blueberry mingle with mineral notes of graphite. The palate is broad and mouthfilling, carrying the fruit seamlessly into a long, persistent finish. The tannins are thick and enveloping, yet the excellent concentration of the 2016 vintage renders them sweeter and more pliant. There’s still youthful vigor here, so a little air—or a brief decant—will be well rewarded. However you enjoy it, this is a lot of wine from a great vintage, and at an incredible price.
Price:
$24.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
What a great nose and incredible concentration on the palate—dark and alluring cassis envelops the senses, followed by sweet tobacco. A lick of graphite is tempered by notions of vanilla bean, soft cedar, porcini mushroom and fine leather. A juicy blackberry finish bookends it all. This proper Claret is totally my speed—an absolute must buy for Bordeaux lovers of all stripes.
Price:
$24.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
Deep garnet in the glass, this wine immediately shows the classic power and structure of St-Estèphe. Aromas of blackcurrant, graphite, cedar, and dried tobacco lead the way, with a subtle lift of violets and a touch of earth.
On the palate, it delivers firm tannins and dark fruit intensity—think blackberry, cassis, and black plum—layered with hints of leather, crushed stone, and savory spice. The finish is long and structured, marked by the appellation’s trademark minerality and freshness. This bottling captures the balance between power and elegance, offering a taste of Bordeaux’s Médoc pedigree at a very approachable everyday price.
Price:
$24.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
The first thing that strikes me on the nose of this latest Discovery Series Bordeaux release are the clean and pure scents. Minerals and light chalk. Followed quickly by deep, dark red fruits, cherry and deep red currant. There is also a light hint of tart cranberry. In the mouth, it has that distinct 2016 vintage clean and bright tannin that is present but, also kind of delicate. The red fruits expand and deepen to coat the tongue. After that, it finishes clean and lingers with back of the throat tart red fruits and pleasantly mellow spice. I think that this just might be my favorite wine of the Discovery Series Bordeaux. It is very flexible per food pairings and also just fine and dandy on its own.
Price:
$24.99
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 10/1/2025 | Send Email
The benchmark wine from this wonderful producer makes big-house Champagne look silly. Sure there are some fabulous offerings from the great names in Champagne, but none come close to this magical bottle even at a $20 premium. This has everything you want in a Blanc de Blancs. Exquisite structure and vibrant creamy texture. Gorgeous aromatics filled with nuanced mineral, citrus and stone fruit flavors. There's no wonder this is one of our best-selling wines of any kind, but I'm still shocked we still are able to get this at such an incredible price. Also, these do amazingly in the cellar if you want to put a few years on there.
Price:
$39.99
2022 Domaine Pierrick Bouley Bourgogne Rouge Côte d'Or
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
While this might be a little light for people seeking to transition from California Pinot Noir to Burgundy, this is absolutely perfect for people who have already found their stride within the region. This is just absolutely gorgeous and really delivers on the QPR that people are looking for in the region. This is a bottle I'd happily hand to anyone who is looking for a bottle that is drinking well already, but is still going to deliver all the elegance that you want from a great Burgundy. The nose is bright with pie cherry, raspberry, cranberry skin, a little bit of red floral in the very background. The palate has great acidity and slightly higher toned fruit, underripe raspberry, pie cherry, and cranberry flesh. This is so good for the price, it's crazy that we haven't already sold out. Don't worry though, we will soon enough, these great Burgundy deals never last long.
Price:
$49.99
2019 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Brunello di Montalcino
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
One of the hallmarks of our Italian Discovery series is the authenticity of the wines and their unmistakable character. Each is a true representation of their zone and this Brunello is no exception. It captures the essence of Sangiovese from a warmer section of Montalcino and offers both immediate pleasure and aging potential. Whether you already love Brunello and are looking for an excellent offering or are unfamiliar and interested in exploring the category, look no further.
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
Yikes! I just found that after working here since 4 B.C., I have never written a review for this Champagne. It's very strange because I love it so! In any case, this one of my perennial favorites. It exudes classic Mesnil citrus (lemon/lime) and also has the additional "house style" cream and cantaloupe scents. On the palate, oranges, green melons and (you guessed it!) vanilla cream. The small bubbles give away its Launois origins, as they are renowned for this (and the familiar "bomb" bottle). This particular cuvée should please almost anyone and I suggest buying a magnum and having a dinner party! Update-09/2025: These bottlings are still super consistent 7 years later! Fresh citrus, juicy oranges and that distinct Launois creamy bead and flavors. I'm still buying magnums of it!
Price:
$39.99
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
We are very fortunate to be the importer for this great cult producer of blanc de blancs in the famous village of Mesnil. Launois is the only Champagne that I have sold to someone from Champagne to bring back to Champagne with them! It is that sought after. All grand cru, estate grown Champagne doesn't get better than this, but it is almost always more expensive. This is a wine of depth, finesse and intrigue and yet is about as easy as it gets to drink without engaging the grey matter at all. When we get it, it is always snapped up in a hurry... Don't wait and get disappointed!
Price:
$39.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Estephe
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
Our Discovery Series has arrived! At the core of this program is a mission to showcase wines of impeccable quality, unmistakable regional typicité, and exceptional value. As I often say, we’re not just placing a label on someone’s latest release—we’re curating standout selections from our deep, trusted network of sources. Each wine must rise above its peers, often outperforming bottles at multiples of the price. Only those that meet this high bar make it into the lineup.
For many, including myself, 2016 is the “Goldilocks” vintage in Bordeaux—everything in just the right proportions. It will long be remembered as one of the great reference-point vintages for the region, but perhaps even more distinctly in the Northern Médoc, where nearly every top château produced an epic bottling. That is one of the many reasons I fell so deeply for this wine. The other is its source: a producer we’ve long admired, making a wine I would happily feature at full price. As part of our Discovery Series, it stands out as an extraordinary value.
Now, at nearly ten years past the vintage, the wine is in full voice. Aromatically, it shows a floral and mineral lift surrounding layers of dark red fruit. On the palate, it is textured and generous, with enough structure to express the typicité of St-Estèphe, while remaining open and approachable. With striking precision, impressive depth of flavor, and a vivid expressiveness right from the first sip, this is a brilliant expression of Bordeaux—and still a bargain at twice the price. I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.
Price:
$24.99
2023 Ridge Vineyards "Geyserville" Alexander Valley Zinfandel
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
The 2023 Geyserville is a picture-perfect rendition of a classic old vine California field blend. The Zin providing fantastic fruit ranging from deep ripe blackberry to maraschino cherry, peppery spice and loamy earth. Then Carignane adds lovely crunch and freshness with some more purple fruit and linear tension. Splashes of Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouchet give a little inky depth and richer base to the more lifted primary fruit components. Such a complete wine. One of the best editions of this legendary wine and one that can be enjoyed anytime over the next two decades, a probably beyond.
2022 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Super Tuscan
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
This is a truly impressive Cabernet based blend from Italy's Bolgheri region. Here the soils and Mediterranean climate create the ideal conditions to grow a wide range of varietals (including Cabernet and Sangiovese). I was surprised by the balance and overall depth of this wine. It's packed with concentrated black fruit, a fine tannic frame and a lengthy finish. Seamless! It's a uniquely Tuscan expression of Bordeaux varietals that's not to be missed.
2020 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/29/2025 | Send Email
In recent years Vino Nobile has often taken a back seat to Chianti. It's not only lesser known but also has tended to be a bit pricier than Chianti on average. As it's produced from grapes cultivated along the hillsides of the town of Montepulciano, it's often mistaken for Montepulciano d'Abruzzo which is made from another grape varietal and hails from a completely different zone outside of Tuscany. This is a classic expression of Vino Nobile and the ideal introduction to this uniquely Tuscan wine. Soft, juicy and packed with delicious red fruit flavors, this very affordable red drinks nicely now.
2022 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/28/2025 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/28/2025 | Send Email
The 2022 vintage of Léoville Poyferré is plush and powerful yet retains its signature refinement. The nose opens with layers of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, and dark cherry, accented by cedar, violets, and a touch of cocoa. On the palate, it's full-bodied and concentrated, showing ripe fruit richness balanced by fresh acidity and polished, fine-grained tannins. There's a depth of cassis, graphite, and dark chocolate with hints of spice and tobacco emerging as it unfolds. The finish is long and structured, suggesting superb aging potential while still offering immediate charm in its youthful fruit. It strikes the perfect balance between power and finesse, showing why Saint-Julien remains one of Bordeaux's most consistent appellations.
2020 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/28/2025 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/28/2025 | Send Email
This Vino Nobile shows a balance of rustic charm and Tuscan elegance. Aromas of sour cherry, dried herbs, and leather mingle with hints of earth and spice. On the palate, it leans medium-bodied with bright red fruit, lively acidity, and firm but approachable tannins. The finish is savory, with notes of tobacco and dried flowers that linger pleasantly. A classic example of Sangiovese from Montepulciano — versatile with food and offering great value for a traditional Tuscan red.
2021 Domaine des Carlines "Tremoulettes" Chardonnay Côtes du Jura Blanc
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 9/26/2025 | Send Email
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 9/26/2025 | Send Email
This is my kind of wine! Lush and creamy with the kind of long finish that both invites you to savor the moment and go back for another sip. There is a bright undercurrent of orange and meyer lemon that helps cut through the roundness and adds a lovely citrusy lift to the finish. Made with chardonnay and aged in 3-5 year old barrels, this can hold its own with white burgundy twice the price. Last little note for those who may have been burned by Jura before, this is not a vin de juane, which is to say it's not aged under a layer of flor and it won't taste oxidated the way sherry does :)
Price:
$29.99
2019 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Brunello di Montalcino
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/26/2025 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/26/2025 | Send Email
This Brunello is rich and structured, with dark cherry and plum notes layered with dried herbs and a touch of spice. The tannins are firm but smooth, balanced by bright acidity that keeps the wine lively. The subtle earthiness and hint of leather add depth without being heavy. This Brunello is drinking well now with some air, but it has the structure to age beautifully.
2022 La Tour Léognan, Pessac-Léognan
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 9/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 9/25/2025 | Send Email
Pessac-Léognan is one of my favorite appellations in Bordeaux. These wines showcase distinctive notes of terracotta and minerality. This bottling from the famous Château Carbonnieux encapsulates that Pessac character at a stunning value, along with juicy red fruits and an earthy finish.
Price:
$19.99
2023 Agnes Gleizes Chablis Grand Cru "Vaudesir"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 9/24/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 9/24/2025 | Send Email
I always love Chablis from the Vaudesir Grand Cru vineyard and the 2023 Agnes Gleizes Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir is no different. This is a terrific wine with brilliant citrus and orchard fruit notes, flint and oyster shell aromas and lively acidity. A complex and layered Chablis that fans out across the palate and drapes you with perfectly delineated fruit flavors. A stunning Grand Cru that delivers on the reputation of the vineyard.
2023 Agnes Gleizes Chablis Grand Cru "Preuses"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 9/24/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 9/24/2025 | Send Email
What a wonderful bottle of Preuses! There's a wealth of beautiful orchard fruit and an open-knit feel to the palate that expands across the palate. Fresh, bright and full-bodied this is a joy to drink and feels so energetic and lively. Fans of approachable, ready-to-drink Grand Cru Chablis should grab this bottling.
2019 Filomena "Griffin's Lair Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Syrah
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/22/2025 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/22/2025 | Send Email
I have been wanting to try this wine for some time and I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised how good it was. It exudes a complex aromatic mix of bacon, subtle smoke, charcoal and black fruit. Smooth, flavor-packed and aged entirely in neutral oak (which allows the fruit to shine). Syrah lovers will not want to miss this one, especially at this price.
Price:
Hidden
2017 Fèlsina Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (375ml)
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
The process is a painstaking labor of love. A blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes are hand-harvested and then hung to dry (appassimento) in airy lofts for months, concentrating their sugars and flavors. The thick, sweet juice is then pressed and sealed in small oak and chestnut barrels, called caratelli, where it ferments and ages slowly for at least a decade in the vinsantaia—a process that exposes it to the natural temperature fluctuations of the seasons.
It is rich and lusciously sweet but with a vibrant, electrifying acidity that cuts through the richness, preventing it from ever feeling cloying.
This is a wine to be sipped slowly on its own at the end of a meal, or paired with the classic Cantucci (almond biscotti). A small bottle will last for weeks after opening, its flavors continuing to evolve.
This wine is immortal; you can keep it in the cellar for generations.
2021 Fèlsina "Maestro Raro" Toscana IGT Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but it is a world away from the opulent style of Bolgheri. This is Cabernet Sauvignon with a Chianti Classico soul—a powerful, savory, and profoundly terroir-driven wine from the heart of Castelnuovo Berardenga.
First produced in 1987, "Maestro Raro" is one of the original Super Tuscans, a testament to Fèlsina's vision and the versatility of their incredible land. This isn't just a great Tuscan Cabernet; it's a great Cabernet, period.
The nose is a captivating blend of dark, savory fruit and classic Chianti terroir. Blackcurrant, dark plum, and blackberry are woven with notes of cedar, graphite, fresh tobacco leaf, and the signature wild herbs of the Berardenga hills.
Aged for 18-20 months in French oak, this is a wine built for the long haul.
The best wine to bring to dinner. Drink it next to Napa’s Cab and you will be impressed.
2021 Fèlsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
This is one of Tuscany's most iconic single-vineyard wines, a true "Grand Cru" of Chianti Classico, and in a vintage as brilliant and classic as 2021, it has reached an absolutely monumental level of quality. For collectors, this is one of the most essential Italian wines of the year.
The Rancia vineyard, a historic, high-altitude site in Castelnuovo Berardenga, is known for its limestone-rich alberese and galestro soils. This unique terroir imparts a signature combination of power, austerity, and aromatic finesse that is the hallmark of Fèlsina's greatest wines.
The nose is a soaring, almost breathtaking display of dark cherry, blood orange, and crushed raspberry, layered with profound notes of crushed stone, iron, licorice, and savory wild herbs.
The wine is powerful and deeply structured.
A true legend from a historic vintage.
Drink now, buy it for the holiday’s time or cellar It for 10/20 years. Doesn’t really matter. At this price point, this is a must buy.
2022 Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
The 2022 Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico is the quintessential benchmark for the appellation. Hailing from the southern, warmer zone of Castelnuovo Berardenga, Fèlsina's normale bottling is anything but normal; it’s a profound and authentic expression of terroir from one of Tuscany’s most iconic estates.
This isn't a simple, fruity Chianti; it’s a serious, age-worthy wine that consistently outperforms its classification.
The nose is a classic expression of Berardenga: ripe red and black cherries, dried herbs, leather, and a touch of sweet spice are framed by an underlying earthy, almost dusty minerality. The finish is long and persistent, echoing with notes of tobacco and spice.
Aged in traditional large Slavonian oak casks, this is a wine that speaks more of the soil than of the cellar. A classic.
2020 Lunaria "Coste di Moro" Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
The Lunaria Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a great example of what this beloved Italian varietal can offer—powerful yet approachable, full of character, and deeply rooted in its Abruzzo terroir. Lunaria, a winery known for its commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, crafts a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo that’s both rich and expressive. The wine greets you with ripe dark fruit aromas—plum, black cherry, and blackberry—layered with hints of spice, earth, and a touch of cocoa. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and generous, with smooth tannins and just the right amount of acidity to keep everything in balance. This Montepulciano is versatile at the table, pairing beautifully with hearty dishes like grilled meats, rustic pastas, or even pizza. It’s a wine that speaks to the heart of Italian tradition, offering a genuine, unpretentious drinking experience. This wine is perfect for those looking for an accessible, yet expressive, red to enjoy with food or on its own.
Price:
$17.99
1989 The K&L Liquors' 35 Year Old "Sideburns" K&L Exclusive Single Vintage Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
After 18 years of buying spirits for K&L, this special parcel may be my crowning achievement. Just a few years ago, it would have been nearly unfathomable that we could gain access to stocks of this quality at such low prices. We have, of course, bottled similar whiskies before. Years back, we secured a 1991 version from Hunter Laing, and only last year we offered a Faultline barrel from 1998 that sold out almost immediately. Now, we bring you another "Single Vintage Blended Malt" a full decade that barrel's senior for exactly the same price. It is an absolute coup and, if I’m honest, may get me in a little trouble, but that surely will not stop me. My style has always been to ask forgiveness rather than permission.
The true challenge with stocks like this is how you label them. We cannot, under any circumstances, place the distillery name on the label, even though it is beyond doubt where the whisky comes from. The once-accepted trade name Burnside belongs to our dear friends at Cadenhead, and out of respect (and good sense, given their well-known litigious nature) we would never infringe on it. So the question becomes, what do we call this whisky? Our friends at Duncan Taylor sold us that wonderful barrel for our Faultline label that they dubbed “The Huntley,” a reference to their hometown. That option was off the table for us. After some consideration, we settled on a playful nod to our friends in Campbeltown: “The Sideburns.” We are not the first to use the name, but ours is plural, because who on earth needs just one Side-burn?
Needless to say, this is one of the most outrageous deals I have ever had the honor of brokering for our shop. It represents the pinnacle of my ongoing effort to push back against one of the most damaging trends in our industry: the erosion of value for the end consumer. If you destroy the primary market for great whisky by pushing prices beyond reason, you eventually destroy the market itself. Too many producers have forgotten the first rule of selling anything: give customers what they want at a price they can afford. Start with the customer’s experience and build the system backward from there, rather than forcing corporate projections and marketing jargon down their throats.
What do customers want? Great old malt whisky. But in today’s marketplace, finding a bottle over 25 years old that delivers real value in the glass is nearly impossible. Certainly there are other ways brands create value for their customers through lifestyle, image, luxury packaging, or grand storytelling. But if the true measure is taste—and for me it always is—you will struggle to point to a single product that offers what this whisky does at anywhere near this price. This parcel is, without exaggeration, one of the finest opportunities ever presented to lovers of Scotch worldwide.
I hope this is only the beginning. If we can continue to secure parcels like this through new channels, then perhaps we can begin to chip away at the barriers keeping customers from enjoying extraordinary old whisky rather than just looking at them. For now, I am confident in saying this is easily the greatest Scotch deal K&L has offered in its 40-plus year history.
Price:
$250.00
2022 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Super Tuscan
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
Now this is a super Tuscan. I do not know what the exact blend is, but it is obvious that it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. It is also obvious that this wine is Tuscan. There is that sottobosco, and a Mediterranean Coastal scrub, this is not Bordeaux, this is not Napa, this is Tuscany! The nose is dark, rich, and intense. Cassis, Black Cherry, plums, and blackberries. The fruit is framed by restrained oak, there is just a hint of spice, all interwoven with those Tuscan notes. I would assume that this is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, but what shines for me on the palate is the Cabernet Franc. There is a depth and texture to this wine that speaks to the presence of the varietal. The way that this wine tastes and feels, you can tell that the inspiration was great Bordeaux. The fruit is vibrant; it shades a little more towards red fruits on the palate. You can feel the oak, but it is not intrusive, and there is a good amount of fine tannins. This is a substantial wine, but there is a liveliness to it. The fruit pops, then the flavors transition towards the oak and then to the earth, and the finish settles into a fine minerality that I associate with the limestone soils of Tuscany. I think that this wine definitely lives up to the “super” in SuperTuscan. Drink now or stash this for a few years.
2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
Here is a gateway Barolo, even if you get no further than the nose. For me, that is one of the most important features of wines from this appellation. The almost dried fruit is integrated with the dried floral and a savory mix of aromas that is hard to pin down. Nothing stands out, and it all works together, making you want to keep on smelling it to tease it apart. On the palate, this is young Barolo. It is vibrant and well-structured. The fruit tones are fresher than the nose, the tannins are very present, and the savory tones have receded to the background on the mineral-driven finish. This is a wine that requires a meal, and would definitely benefit from a little time in the cellar. However, after about an hour decanting, it was delicious.
Price:
$27.99
2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
This is the kind of Barolo where the fruit takes a backseat to more savory notes, which just so happens to be my favorite kind of Barolo! You'll be met with notes of olive, earth, and a touch of tobacco that gently give way to notes of black cherry, whole pomegranate arils, and a finish of dried flowers. This wine is aged in Botti, large oak casks that impart very little oak flavor, resulting in a wine that expresses the pure character of Nebbiolo. This is pretty young for a Barolo and it's still a little moody, but give it a quick decant and or lay it down for a few years and you'll be in for a treat!
Price:
$27.99
2015 Nikolaihof "Baumpresse" Riesling Wachau
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
This wine is wild - in the best way. Bubblegum notes hit right up front, playful and unexpected, then it settles into this gorgeous layer of honeysuckle and soft florals. The texture is seamless, carrying all that character with ease. It has this almost meditative quality, like every sip slows things down and makes you pay attention. With a decade of age, it's showing incredible grace and depth. Complex, quirky, and totally captivating - just an amazing bottle of wine.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Food friendly, hard day friendly, wallet friendly and top top class! The Aspasie Reserve is substantial enough to enjoy by itself and has plenty of acidity to be food friendly. You deserve it!
Price:
$37.99
2020 Trimbach Gewürztraminer Alsace
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Surprisingly light for a Gewurz, almost airy on the palate. It shows off this sweet-tart candy character that instantly made me think of Smarties, playful and a little nostalgic. There's a soft floral note in the background, but it never turns perfumy or heavy. The balance keeps it refreshing sip after sip, making it a bottle that disappears quicker than you'd think.
Seven Junmai Daiginjo (50%) Sake (720ml)
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Composed of Koshi Tanei with a semaibuai of 50% and an SMV of 1.5, Seven Junmai Ginjo 50 Sake is one to drink cool rather than cold as its pure elegance will be shut down by a cold serving temperature. When served cool— anise, sandalwood, melon, green banana and jasmine notes combine in a precise expression of fine sake. This is truly exceptional sake.
Price:
$109.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
When I first came here to K&L the supply on this was low and its absence was spoken of in somber and melancholy tones. I can see why, now, because it's an absolutely gorgeous Champagne at an excellent price. This is a rich and brioche-y nose that straddles the line between rich and cloying with amazing finesse, always staying on the right side while remaining opulent and luxurious. Rich apple and pear with hints of cream and vanilla and lovely toast on the finish. A must-buy for anyone trying to experience the best that Champagne has to offer.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Aspasie is our absolute favorite Champagne here! It's beautifully balanced and structured, full of rich citrus, a bit of brioche. Flavor is so deep and finish lasts so long that it's just hard to believe. On the nose, the aroma is captivating with honeysuckle and hint of white acacia flower. Great wine to bring for any occasion!
Price:
$37.99
2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Our 2021 Discovery Series Italy Barolo is on the savory side with plum, dried cherry, finely ground black pepper, and graphite. This may sound strange but I get whispers of black pepper and cherry blossoms on the finish—it's undeniable. This is a dressy wine to wrap a meal around. I vote for a luscious steak or an assortment of grilled veggies and mushrooms served over polenta.
Price:
$27.99
2014 López de Heredia "Viña Bosconia" Reserva Rioja
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
This is divine—full stop. Everything comes together so seamlessly. The synergy of this Lopez De Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva Rioja is so fine, it's difficult to parse out. Earthy plum with a soft ferrous edge blends into luxurious leather, black tea, and bergamot. This is exquisite. Drink now and dress for the occasion.
2019 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Brunello di Montalcino
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Our 2019 Discovery Series Italy Brunello Di Montalcino charms and delights with juicy Marsca cherry, dark plum, luxurious cordovan leather, dried lavender, and a dried earth finish. It's ready to drink now, ideally with dinner or a charcuterie board with Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, Prosciutto di Parma, coppa, or spicy soppressata—dress a little nicer for this one—it deserves it.
2020 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
Composed of approximately 83% Sangiovese, 14% Merlot, and 3% Canaiolo—the first sip of our 2020 Discovery Series Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano transports me to Montepulciano in late autumn—wild boar (cinghiale) root through fallen leaves for acorns—dreamy sous bois. Black currant as soft as cashmere dances with sweet pipe tobacco. Blood orange and comforting hints of baking spices linger on the finish. This is a big YES for me, even at its full $30 price tag.
2016 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo (Vintage Release)
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
It's incredibly fortunate that we have ready to drink Barolo at such an affordable price. This wine is very classic and showcases all traditional Nebbiolo characteristics of red cherry, plum, tobacco and earth. It's developing nicely and certainly could be age longer, but it is very enjoyable now thanks to softer, well rounded tannins.
Price:
$34.99
2019 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Brunello di Montalcino
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
This is the perfect Brunello for the ‘Italian Discovery Series”. It doesn’t hurt that it is from the epic 2019 vintage. The nose demands your attention. It is deep and broad with many layers of mixed fruits, spice, earth, and wild herbs. With every sniff some new aroma jumps to the foreground. It is a wine that you just want to spend time with and see where it wants to go. It is full-bodied with that classic linear structure of the region. The tannins are polished and present. The acid brings just enough tension and pulls all of the layered flavors across the long mineral finish. With a little time, the wine opens and deepens, it takes on even more intensity with darker fruits, more sottobosco, more leather, and earth. Intense, long, and intriguing, this is everything that you can want from a Brunello!