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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
2023 Domaine Parent Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge "Sélection Pomone"
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
Such a pretty cherry on cherry nose, I really love it when this is one of the earlier notes I get when I stick my beak into the glass. There's bright red cherry and also a little touch of dried cherry in the back, along with some lightly dried green herbs, and then raspberry and stewed strawberry. The only tasting note I wrote down is "Wowie Zowie" so, I definitely liked this one the first time through and here I am again liking it all over again. The palate is fruit up front, and then a savory kind of core, with creamy barrel-spiced fruit coming back on the end, lots of cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and then the creamy fruit and vanilla all mingling together on the lingering finish. This is just such a drinkable and lovely bottle of Pinot Noir, I think that this is such a compelling bottle at this price, it's delivering everything you want and then just a little bit more I feel like. Just so good, do yourself a favor and get one.
Price:
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2022 Domaine Pierrick Bouley Volnay
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
This is just an absolutely phenomenal bottle of wine, I don't care who you are, this is just straight up good. The nose is this really amazing mélange of fruit and spice, there's a lot of really pretty red fruit, a little bit of stewed strawberry, but fresh raspberry, pie cherry, and then a little bit of cranberry-pomegranate-rosehip compote towards the end, all with just little touches of barrel spice throughout. The palate is fairly dense, albeit still solidly towards the light side of things, there's super pretty raspberry, red cherry, and cranberry skin on the palate. This is just so good and I really had a tough time spitting this one out, both during the tasting and even more so now a few hours later once it's had a really nice time to open up. Have this with anything you want, because if you're drinking this you already should know what you're pairing it with, but if you're just winging it all the usual suspects would be great. Roast chicken could be great, salmon, some pork dishes. Just go for it.
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
2023 Domaine Gerard Mugneret Vosne Romanee "Cuvee Quatrain"
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/30/2025 | Send Email
Wow, smelling through all these different Burgundies and some stand out more than others, this one is definitely one that stands out a bit further from the pack than others, and for the better in my opinion. I love all wine that isn't gross, and there isn't a gross Burgundy to be had in our store, but I mean, it's still nice when something a little atypical. Same with people, really. There's just a lot of hibiscus coming off of this, just tons of really floral forward red, along with a little bit of purple fruit behind that after it's had all this time to open up. The palate is surprisingly savory, but wow it's just really got this amazing depth and a little bit of bitterness towards the very end. This is absolutely going to be such a banger with some food, just give me the duck and leave, I will not be requiring assistance. There's this really beautiful fruit in the very finish bringing it all around, that coupled with the acidity tells me that maybe lay this down a couple years but after that just go for it. This is just outstanding.
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.
Price:
$59.99
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.
Price:
$39.99
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.
Price:
$17.99
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.
Price:
$17.99
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Tradition" Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/28/2025 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 9/28/2025 | Send Email
This Champagne shows the character of pure Pinot Meunier: a generous, fruit-forward style with approachable charm. The nose gives ripe apple, white peach, and a touch of honeysuckle, layered with subtle pastry and almond notes. On the palate it’s rounded and supple, with flavors of stone fruit and citrus zest balanced by a fine chalky minerality. The mousse is delicate yet persistent, carrying through to a clean, slightly floral finish. A well-crafted grower Champagne that’s both elegant and inviting — ideal for aperitif or alongside lighter dishes like sushi or creamy cheeses.
Price:
$29.99
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.
Price:
$59.99
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 "Valmur"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 9/24/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 9/24/2025 | Send Email
Valmur is always one of the deeper and richly-textured of the Chablis Grand Cru vineyards and the 2023 Agnes Gleizes Chablis Grand Cru Valmur does not disappoint. The wine is loaded with sexy orchard fruit flavors veering towards pear and nectarine notes as well as a splash of sea spray. Classic in structure this is a top-notch offering that does justice to the regality of Valmur!
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.
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2023 Birichino "Besson Vineyard - Old Vine" Central Coast Grenache
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
Planted in 1910, dry-farmed. 5% of their Amarone-style Grenache added for complexity and substance.
Garnet color. Nose offers soft earth and currant. Piquant palate notes of preserved plum and cranberry. Soft mouthfeel with acidity on the edges. Pleasant astringency to the finish.
2023 San Lorenzo "Vigna di Gino" Marche Rosso (Montepulciano - Sangiovese)
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
If you're looking for your next sub 20 red, this is it! This chillable red is on the lighter side, with notes of crunchy red fruit and an earthy, almost peppery finish. This is the kind of wine you're going to want to take everywhere: picnics, parties, or just catching up with friends. This blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano is juicy and chillable, what's not to love?!
Price:
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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.
2016 Montrose, St-Estèphe
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/19/2025 | Send Email
This is an all-timer from Montrose. They crafted nothing less than a masterpiece in 2016, one that took an already incredible vintage and transformed it into a First Growth–quality experience, without a doubt. Everything that makes Montrose so cherished is amplified in the 2016—there is beautiful, weightless concentration, structure built on extremely fine tannins, unmistakable typicité, seamless texture, and a Cabernet-driven palate that’s at once bright, deep, and endlessly complex. Each element feels dialed up with precision, creating a wine that manages to be both powerful and graceful at the same time.
What I adore about Montrose is the way it has retained its identity across the years. While many estates chase the next stylistic trend, Montrose continues to uphold its indelible character and classic voice. That consistency is on full display in the superlative 2016, which radiates transparency and a sense of place. It is a wine that reminds you not just of the quality of the vintage, but of the estate’s ability to interpret it with singular vision.
I don’t think any cellar can ever have enough of this wine. When you compare the going rate to its top-tier collectible peers, it becomes clear that Montrose also delivers tremendous value alongside its greatness. A joy to drink now with a long, generous decant, it is also certain to be a marvel for decades to come. The 2016 Montrose is a celebration in itself, and truly, a wine to build a collection around.
El Tesoro "K&L Liquors Single Barrel #B105-L352 Reposado Tequila (750ml)
By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
Few family names resonate with tequila drinkers quite like “Camarena.” Descendants of the man who helped bring blue weber agave to Jalisco, the family continues to craft some of the most traditional and sought-after tequilas on the market. El Tesoro, run by siblings Carlos and Jenny Camarena, is one of them.
Highland agave is grown to full maturity, slow-cooked in traditional horno ovens, crushed by a volcanic tahona stone, fermented with bagasse in open wooden vats using wild yeast, and distilled in small copper pot stills. The result is a tequila as traditional and old-school as they come. This private K&L-selected barrel was then aged eight months in ex-bourbon casks before landing on our shelves.
Sweet, grassy agave aromas greet you on the nose, joined by green apple, pink peppercorn, and a touch of citrus oil. On the palate, vegetal flavors and earthy spice mingle with the rich minerality of the highlands. The bourbon oak rounds out the finish with warm creaminess, vanilla bean, and caramelized peppers.
This is a stunning barrel pick from a classic tequila house. If you love tequila made the old-fashioned way, this one belongs in your glass.
Price:
$74.99
2018 San Lorenzo "Solleone" Marche Rosso (Montepulciano)
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
The estate’s top red, "Solleone" ("Scorching Sun") is a powerful and structured wine built for the long haul. The 2018 is just beginning to enter its drinking window, showing complex notes of dried plum, leather, tobacco, and that classic Marche earthiness. It’s a deep, contemplative red that showcases Natalino’s incredible talent with red grapes as well.
Price:
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2023 San Lorenzo "Vigna di Gino" Marche Rosso (Montepulciano - Sangiovese)
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
The red counterpart to the Gino Verdicchio, this is a rustic and soulful blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese. It’s full of savory dark cherry, wild herbs, and earthy notes, all framed by honest, grainy tannins. This is the kind of authentic, delicious red wine you want on your table every night.
Price:
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2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo Mosconi
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 9/18/2025 | Send Email
I think our 'Discovery Series' really nailed it with this excellent bottle of Barolo. Single vineyard, great vintage, value driven, and it is absolutely delicious. Pretty flavors of dark cherries, savory dried herbs, aged leather, with a touch of menthol on the long spicy finish. Cheers!
Price:
$37.99
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.
Price:
$39.99
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
2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo Mosconi
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
The nose on this is the veritable iron fist in a velvet glove, there's something pretty about this but it's undeniably a bit rugged in a handsome sort of way. The fruit is dark and dusky cherries and bramble fruit with just a little bit of floral yum yums in the very back, as well as a sense of roundness from what feels like neutral oak. The palate has a really lovely density, with a medium grip of very fine and well integrated tannins. The fruit is dark with a little bit of cocoa on it, but it's dark bramble-fruit and a black cherry along with something that feels like barrel spice in the back of the palate. This is really pretty and a great price for something that's already this drinkable, lay this down for another 5-15 years and just watch this perfect itself over time.
Price:
$37.99
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.
2017 López de Heredia "Viña Cubillo" Crianza Rioja
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
This is such a brilliant wine—so fresh and alive! No doubt there is more to reveal, so this is one to buy a bottle for now and another for later. Fresh, clean, and lively—this is a generous Rioja that is the kind of wine that makes my heart skip a beat. It offers spiced plum, juicy cherries, dried rose petals, and parched earth with a subtle ferrous finish. If you want a fine red wine to drink, this is it.
2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo Mosconi
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
The nose on this immediately grabs my attention. It's the kind of wine that is just as fun to sniff as it is to sip. Take your time with this one because it has a lot to say. The 2021 Discovery Series Italy Barolo Mosconi is all about black raspberry, plum, Thanksgiving cranberry relish, blood orange zest, black pepper, black tea, licorice, leather and dried lavender. This is fit for the holiday table! The cost-to-value ratio is bonkers.
Price:
$37.99
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.
Price:
$59.99
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.
Price:
$17.99
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!
Price:
$59.99
2020 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/17/2025 | Send Email
The aromatics of this wine have a dynamic push/pull between just-ripe and perfectly ripe red fruits and berries with those classic earthy underbrush (sottobosco) tones that I love to find in Tuscany. The wine is rich and nicely textured. There is a fullness here without any of the edges that can accompany Sangiovese. Vibrant red berries and fruits, with leather, more of that sottobosco, and an intriguing minerality that speaks to the region. It finishes long, with a right mix of fruit and savory elements. This wine caught me off guard! It delivers a beautiful expression of Sangiovese without any of those classic edges that can be a challenge for people who cut their wine-teeth on Cabernet. This will be Autumn's “Intro to Sangiovese” wine for me in the shop.
Price:
$17.99
2022 MarBeso "Ascona Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
Boy oh boy, I love Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. I have ever since I started in the wine business in the area, and it's just grown to be better and better over time. This has the prettiest and more pure fruit kind of persona, it's got this really pretty cherry on cherry nose, with fresh and dried. Then there's raspberry flowers, a little tomato leaf, and an really kind of pretty and loamy earth that brings the terroir into play. This is just fantastic and a really elegant and pure fruited expression, it's really everything you want a perfect Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot to be, at least for me. The palate is amazingly juicy, with lots of cherry and raspberry, but this time the floral notes are more rose and there's still that loamy forest note on the finish. I love this. Maybe you'll love it too.
2021 Evidence "Bruadair Vineyard" Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
Hello Mr. Inky! As I swirl this in my glass, it keeps painting the sides pink over and over again. This is absolutely going to be another big Napa Cabernet, my future is preordained. Lots of dark fruit, brambley and dusty with a lot of cedary oak behind it, the fruit is definitely a combination of dried and fresh with maybe a little hint of something stewed in the far back. The palate is fat and rich, but there's really a nice line of acidity pushing through the whole thing and a really nice tannin structure that's just a touch coarse right now, but has all the promise of something that will soften and integrate fully as it lays down. I'm super impressed, because while there's a lot of fruit there's so much structure that this feels very age-worthy to me. This is really fantastica and more than just another big dumb Napa wine, this is a 350lb linebacker who listens to cello during his workouts and reads Edwardian-era mystery books with a female lead detective while he's snuggled up with his six cats.
2021 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
A little bit more dense and brooding than I expected at first, there's a little touch of tobacco along with some darker bramble-fruit, it's not pretty but it's more ruggedly handsome. The palate definitely has a good amount of tannin and acid both, making me really want to lay this down for a few years, but if you forced me at sword-point to drink this I would absolutely do that with some rich braised meat, or a thick and rich steak, or just something rich enough to cut the tannin and acid, and you know what? We would have a great time, because this bottle has so much promise and I'm excited to be offering something like this for our customers that's worthy to lay down and that I know would do well with more time, while still being approachable now.
Price:
$27.99
2016 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Barolo (Vintage Release)
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/16/2025 | Send Email
This is just such a really pretty and alluring nose, that is just drawing me in deeply, almost like a siren song. It's just so pretty and pure fruited, lots of cherry and raspberry, backed by a touch of tomato leaf and some neutral barrel roundness. The palate is really beautiful, the tannins are soft and pretty ready, and there's this wonderful line of acidity pushing through the whole thing. The fruit is bright and very freshly ripe, raspberry, cherry, a little bit of pomegranate. This is exactly what you want when you're coming in for a bottle of ready to drink Barolo, and it's coming at you for less than you'll find a lot of declassified wines from the region. This is going to be a go-to recommendation from me until we sell out of this, it's just that good.
Price:
$34.99