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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
2024 Tahbilk Marsanne Nagambie Lakes Victoria
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/29/2025 | Send Email
Really fresh nose, with big tropical hit off the top note, before descending down into fleshy apricots and peaches accompanied with a hit of lemon. The palate is weighty with just a little bit of pith, and a lot of white peach with candied lemon, despite being completely dry. This is your cheap and cheerful bottle when you want a bottle of white wine but you just can't quite decide what. This will pair with most things, but really only needs a glass and some sunshine to get the job done right. Not something to be contemplated, but instead something to be consumed, enjoyed, and then excitedly picked up later with remembrances of the fun day you had while you drank it.
2024 Swinney Mourvedre Rosé Frankland River Western Australia
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/29/2025 | Send Email
Really soft and pretty nose, with a little bit of red raspberry, some very light strawberry, and a little bit of some white flowers. There's a little bit of something savory, some light dried herbs and a little bit of lemon zest. The palate is really nice and incredibly dry with a little bit of a pithy bitterness that's going to make this absolutely sing with foods. The fruit is light and ethereal, more raspberry and strawberry along with just a little spritz of lemon over the top, and a little bit more of those dried herbs from the nose. This is something I want to sit down and have a bottle or two while outside and having some sort of barbecue adjacent meal, maybe some chicken and grilled vegetables.
2022 K Vintners "Motor City Kitty - Boushey Vineyard" Yakima Valley Syrah
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/28/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/28/2025 | Send Email
We just jumped on rare chance to grab a chunk of this brand new release at an extra special price! This wine is always one of the most highly rated and sought after K Vintners wines, and right now we can offer it at 25% off the regular pricing! The new 2022 release of Motor City Kitty has already racked up two 98-point scores from Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, with a solid 95-point back up from The Wine Advocate! Hailing from one specific block of the legendary Boushey Vineyard, this hillside parcel is the highest point on the estate featuring extremely rocky volcanic soils and wind exposure that concentrates yields. As with most K Vintners wines, fermentation is completed whole-cluster, and the wine is given a long, slow elevage in large format oak as is traditional with Rhone varieties. The results once again are spectacular. It's brimming with dark fruits, plum, blackberry, plus dried herbs, smoldering embers, pepper-crusted steak and some crushed rock mineral. Quite rich and fruit driven, but with plenty of savory elements so essential to the best expressions of Syrah. An exceptional value especially at our razor sharp price!
2024 STiRM "Neptunite" Cienega Valley Rosé
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/27/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/27/2025 | Send Email
Composed of 58% old-vine (planted in 1964) Riesling from Wirz Vineyard, 38% Chenin Blanc from Gimeli (aka El Gabilan) Vineyard, and 4% each of Pinot Noir and ancient-vine Cabernet Pfeffer—all meticulously sourced fruit grown on granite and limestone mixed gravel soils. “Netptunite,” named after a rare gemstone found in the old mines of San Benito County, underwent spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and neutral oak where the wine aged on its fine lees and underwent full malolactic. Bottled unfined after a delicate filtration for clarity, only 200 cases were produced. Juicy lychee, fragrant nectarine, tangerine zest, and orange blossoms—clean, dry, 12.5% ABV, medium-bodied and so full of flavor. This is a mesmerizing sensory experience—something completely different and I love it!
Price:
$17.95
Domaine Carneros "Cuvée de la Pompadour" Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/25/2025 | Send Email
Cuvée De La Pompadour, a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, is aged 18 months in-bottle sur lie and has a 0.9% dosage. It bursts with zesty pink grapefruit and vibrant, fresh crunchy cherries. Notes of vanilla pastry cream, honey, and perfectly balanced toasted brioche and flint create a delightful finish. I adore this wine. When Domaine Carneros’ pioneering winemaker Eileen Crane retired in 2020, I feared change, but this remains as fabulous as ever—consistent, familiar, and truly la vie en rose.
2015 Ronchi di Cialla Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/25/2025 | Send Email
The Rapuzzi family transforms wild rustic Refosco grapes into refined noble wines. The wine presents dark flavors with spicy notes and structured tannins which include black cherry and wild herbs and earthy minerality. The grape's firm tannins receive expert integration which indicates the wine will age remarkably well.
2022 Ronchi di Cialla "Ciallabianco"
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/25/2025 | Send Email
This is not your typical Friulian white. The Cialla Bianco represents a masterful combination of Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo and Picolit grapes which produces a complex wine with textural elements and savory characteristics that require aging. The wine presents itself as a structured wine with mineral notes that will evolve over time. The wine reveals dried apple and chamomile and beeswax notes and a strong salty core which develops complexity and depth as it ages.
Daniel Bouju "Fines Saveurs" K&L Exclusive Grand Champagne Cognac (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/24/2025 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/24/2025 | Send Email
After a many-year hiatus, this longtime staple from an underrated house in one of Grande Champagne's prime terroirs is finally back. Bouju played a pivotal role in reshaping my understanding of Cognac. When I first approached the category, I was frustrated by the widespread use of additives meant to soften or correct the spirit. But after tasting thousands of cask-strength Cognacs, I came to understand that traditional methods often produced better-tasting results. When done properly, the “classic” elevage remains a proven path to excellence. Yet there are a handful of producers who, through time and care, can raise untouched brandies that transcend convention. Dudognon was the first to show me this, and Bouju confirmed that there was another way that did not rely on traditional manipulation. Mr. Bouju is a true master of elevage, gently coaxing the soft nuance and layered complexity from his exceptional fruit while tempering the raw power of young Grande Champagne eau-de-vie. The only thing ever added to this Cognac is water. The result is delicate but never weak, complex without being inaccessible. It is floral and fruit-driven, and at this price point, no other additive-free Cognac delivers a better experience. It's a spectacular value good enough to serve to even the most ardent aficionado, yet inexpensive enough to consider using in your Sidecar. It's dryer than large house cognac, but never austere and since there's no sugar added it's the perfect base for many many drinks.
Price:
$44.99
2019 Canon, St-Émilion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/24/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 7/24/2025 | Send Email
Canon has been one of the greatest success stories in modern wine, but that success didn’t come easily. After being purchased by Chanel in 1996, the estate underwent two decades of renovation—from the vineyards to the winery—all guided by a long-term vision that few outside the wine world can truly appreciate.
Their long, painstaking efforts began to bear fruit over the past decade, most notably with the epic 2015 vintage. But the not-so-well-kept secret is that they didn’t stop there, nor was 2015 a flash-in-the-pan success. Instead, they’ve continued to produce one remarkable wine after another—luxurious yet refined, always expressive of their incredible limestone terroir.
Canon is a wine that can easily rival the world’s finest collectibles and has garnered a litany of 100-point scores, all of which make its still-reasonable price seem almost contradictory. I’d argue it’s the poster child for the modern generation of Bordeaux: had it been made ten years earlier with this level of accomplishment, the price would likely be double. Instead, it remains a wonder of a wine, still priced within reach.
As for the 2019, I find it notably more structured than its peers in 2018, 2020, and 2022. That might come as a surprise given the generally generous nature of the 2019 vintage, but I think it speaks to the wine’s character and long-term potential—qualities that elevate it even among a lineup of outstanding wines from this year.
As always, Canon delivers incredible refinement in 2019: concentrated but never heavy, with deep red fruits lining the palate, bright acidity, and a long, textured finish tinged with saline minerality. Though it’s tightly wound today, there’s already so much to enjoy at this early stage. A scintillating wine that hits all the marks—I cannot recommend the 2019 Canon enough.
2023 Maison Verget Pouilly-Fuisse "Terres de Pierres"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 7/23/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 7/23/2025 | Send Email
Wow! If this is where the wines of Pouilly Fuisse are headed we are in for a treat. This wine easily stands up qualitatively to village-level Chassagne Montrachet & Meursault with ample fruit, impressive depth and complexity with a purity of fruit and substance that is remarkable. Layered and rich this wine has classic Burgundian fruit with salty/smoky nuances and a long layered finish.
Price:
$49.99
Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/22/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/22/2025 | Send Email
Our longest aged current release, this is profound, majestic single vineyard champagne! This wine blew my mind with extraordinary brioche and white flower notes on the nose, subtle elegance in the mouth and a nearly all night finish. I am convinced that this is not only one of the best bottles at K&L, but also an incredible piece of affordable luxury at the price. One of my top releases of the year!
Price:
$79.99
2024 Bodega Chacra "Mainqué" Chardonnay Rio Negro Patagonia
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/21/2025 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 7/21/2025 | Send Email
Since 2017, Bodega Chacra owner Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (third generation member of family behind Sassicaia) has teamed up with friend Jean-Marc Roulot of Domaine Roulot to craft exceptional Chardonnay from the marginal climate of the Rio Negro subregion of Patagonia. Piero always held a passion for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – obviously not varieties commonly seen in Tuscany! – and after a blind tasting of Pinot Noir in 2001 was stunned to discover that the wine he loved most was from Patagonia. He searched the region for vineyards, many of which has been largely abandoned in favor of more developed regions further north. In 2004, Bodega Chacra was formed with the acquisition of several old vine vineyards, with plantings as old as 70 years. The 2024 Mainque Chardonnay is sourced from three parcels, all farmed biodynamically, and fermented in neutral barrel. Piero believe this southerly region of Argentina, located about equidistant from the Andes mountains and the South Atlantic Ocean, has a pure, unpolluted energy, and this undeniably comes through in the glass. So racy and electric, with notes of crisp green apple and celery leaf, the purity of the fruit is radiant. Very lean and mineral-driven, with a slightly saline finish that stretches on, this is an incredible example of cool climate New World Chardonnay that might just convert a few Burgundy lovers!
2022 Ghostnote Wines "Calleri - Siletto Vineyard" San Benito County Corvina
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
Hello Corvina! This darling variety of the Valpolicella comes from own-rooted, organically grown vines planted on the limestone-rich soils of the Caleri plot within Stiletto Vineyard in San Benito County. The wine underwent native primary and secondary fermentation, aged 16 months in neutral 225L barrels and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. This strikes clear notes of black raspberry, cassis, blood orange, and whispers of vanilla and crushed rock. Fresh, clean, light on its feet and well-defined—it's so easy to sip, ideally with a light chill.
Price:
Hidden
2019 Mastroberardino "Radici" Taurasi
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
A more austere and traditionalist expression of Taurasi, this wine has a formidable tannic backbone and a focus on earthy, mineral tones, promising decades of evolution.
2019 Mastroberardino 'Stilema' Fiano di Avellino Riserva
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
A brilliant expression of Fiano’s potential for complexity, this shows textural depth with notes of hazelnut, pear, and honey, all held together by vibrant acidity.
Laurent-Perrier "Héritage" Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 7/18/2025 | Send Email
Move over, there is a BRAND NEW CHAMPAGNE in town and it's made by Grand Marque Laurent-Perrier (established in 1812)! Laurent-Perrier has not produced a new champagne since its inaugural release of their Blanc de Blanc Brut Nature in 2019. The Laurent-Perrier Héritage Brut Champagne continues Laurent-Perrier's history of innovation. Unique, distinctive, and groundbreaking, the Héritage is a masterful blend of four reserve wines and reserve wines ONLY. There are no new harvest grapes in the blend. The first Héritage release is 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir from 2019 (great ripe vintage with zippy acidity), 2018 (also a great ripe vintage), 2016 (vintage has aged beautifully), and 2014 (the last of the "classic cool" years before the onset of the now normal "solar" vintages) and will be available in all of our stores on September 1st, 2025. For those who are familiar with Laurent-Perrier's prestige cuvee, Grand Siècle, may notice a similarity in winemaking methodology. The Grand Siècle is also a multi-vintage blend, but of three vintages that includes the current harvest year. Building on that success (the last release #26 was given 100 points by James Suckling), the Heritage combines Laurent-Perrier's focus on Chardonnay and the art of blending. By the numbers, 40 crus are in the blend, half of which are Grand Cru, fermented in stainless steel tanks, and is aged on the lees for a minimum of 4 years. This new cuvee is already making a splash, racking up 90 + point scores from Janice Robinson, Wine Advocate, and Decanter. Since this is new release, I'm posting LP's official winemaker notes: "A white gold colour with a fine and persistent effervescence. A nose offering notes of lemon, white peach and fruits in syrup followed by aromas of toasted bread and toasted almonds. Fresh at first which gives way to a lively, elegant and complex palate with aromas of white fruits and citrus zest. Héritage offers a perfect balance between freshness, elegance and maturity with notes of floral honey."
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Tradition" Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
By: Simon Ball | Review Date: 7/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Ball | Review Date: 7/17/2025 | Send Email
Gilbert Jacquesson “Cuvée Tradition” Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne is the perfect choice to satisfy your summer bubbly cravings—an excellent value. It offers crisp green apple flavors with a subtle hint of clove, a creamy texture on the mid-palate, and a bright, fresh, and lively finish that will have you reaching for another sip!
Price:
$29.99
2023 Domaine Samuel Billaud Chablis 1er Cru "Montmains"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 7/15/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 7/15/2025 | Send Email
The "Montmains" is the most classically Chablis of the 3 1er Crus. Iodine, sea shell, white flowers and wet stone aromas spring from the glass with green fig, tangerine and kiwi flavors running across the complex and layered palate. A bright and zesty finish makes this a great 1er Cru Chablis.
Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
If you want something with real age and complexity, this is the one. A single-vineyard Champagne aged over 15 years on the lees and made with a good amount of Chardonnay, it pours deep gold and smells like baked pear, dried flowers, toasted nuts, and even a bit of spice. It’s rich and layered, with caramelized apple and nutty, earthy tones coming through. But what makes it special is that it’s still fresh—there’s acidity, tension, and a kind of quiet power to it.
Price:
$79.99
Fallet-Dart "Cuvée de Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
This is a bigger, more generous style of Champagne made mostly from Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, and you really feel that weight and warmth. On the nose, it’s like walking into a bakery—baked apple, toasted brioche, and hazelnuts. The palate is broad and full, but not heavy—it’s lifted by a bright core of citrus and fine bubbles. There’s a little edge of bitterness and minerality that keeps everything in check and gives the finish some grip. It’s a great example of a rounder, more savory Champagne that still feels fresh.
Price:
$34.99
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Eugénie" Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
This is such a pretty and expressive rosé Champagne. It’s made with mostly Pinot Noir and a little Meunier, and it pours a delicate pink that just makes you want to sit back and enjoy. The nose is full of red berries such as strawberry, cranberry, and soft floral notes like rose petal and citrus blossom. The fruit is fresh, not sweet, and the texture is light and silky. You get a little creaminess mid-palate from the lees, but the finish is clean and floral, with great acidity. It’s charming, graceful, and just flat-out delicious.
Price:
$34.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Nature Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
This is Champagne stripped down to its essentials—no sugar added, just pure fruit and chalk. It’s a blend of Chardonnay, Meunier, and Pinot Noir, and while it’s made in the same style as the regular Quinconce, this one is much more about structure and tension. The nose is all oyster shell, citrus peel, and raw almond, with just a little yeasty background note. On the palate, it’s lean, electric, and bone-dry—green apple, lemon pith, and a bracing mineral finish. There’s no softness here, but that’s exactly the point.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
This is a fuller expression of the Baron-Fuenté style—more rounded than the Blanc de Blancs but still very refined. It’s a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, aged seven years on lees, and the result is a Champagne that feels both plush and focused. You get baked apple and soft brioche on the nose, with a bit of toasted nut and creamy lees complexity underneath. The bubbles are super fine, and the palate has great balance—there’s richness, but it’s never heavy. It’s the kind of bottle that feels special but doesn’t demand too much attention.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/14/2025 | Send Email
If you’re into Chardonnay-based Champagne with a serious mineral core, this Blanc de Blancs from Baron-Fuenté is a great pick. It’s aged for a long time on the lees—seven years—and that gives it complex texture, but the wine stays sharp and focused. You get lemon peel, green apple, and crushed chalk on the nose. The palate is zesty and bright, but there’s also a smooth layer underneath from all that aging—think lemon curd without the sweetness. It finishes clean and mineral, with a nice snap of salinity.
Price:
$39.99
Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 7/10/2025 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 7/10/2025 | Send Email
Fallet Dart's single vineyard 'Clos du Mont' is a great example of a perfectly balanced, well-aged Champagne. Aromas and flavors of white jasmine, slices of yellow pears, soft apricots, bruised lemons, and marzipan. Barrel fermentation adds complexity, several years on lees gives it texture, and ample acidity maintains it's freshness.
Price:
$79.99
2014 Tronquoy-Lalande, St-Estèphe
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
Upon opening there is a burst of cedar dust scents followed closely by rich black cherry and dark cassis scents. Light herbs and background spearmint scents, as well. On the palate, it has that 2014 telltale tannic grip. In this case, it is quite subtle and clings to the upper palate. It tends towards very dark red and black-fruited with more black cherry fruit, blackberry, light chalk and grilling spices. It straddles that fine line of traditional style Bordeaux and plushness of fruit. Quite a feat for a wine at this price. It should appeal to pretty much anyone who like Bordeaux or to those who are seeking a nice vintage-aged Bordeaux that doesn't cost a fortune.
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Tradition" Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
This earthy, lightly savory 100% Pinot Meunier is everything that I love about the varietal. Rich, yellow fruits (pear and apple), a hint of mushroom and baked caramel. The difference between this one and other producers is that it has a clean finish with a nice hint of minerality and chalk. There are also clean citrus flavors, as well. For those of you who love Blanc de Noirs, this is a must. For those of you unfamiliar with the varietal, this is your chance to try an excellent one that is very reasonably priced. I buy magnums of it, myself.
Price:
$29.99
Fallet-Dart "Cuvée de Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
There's a really lovely quality to the leesy-ness on this, it's like a well-toasted piece of brioche. There's also apple butter, very light bits of a lemony chalk and a little bit of orange zest. The palate is crisp and delicious, really nice throughline of acid running through the whole palate, but it's not too much for those who are afraid of an acidic bite, it's a little more soft and gentle. This is a great bottle of approachable and shareable Champagne that will please a wide range of palates, exactly the kind of bottle you need to reach for when you aren't quite sure what to get.
Price:
$34.99
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Eugénie" Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/9/2025 | Send Email
This all Meunier rose champagne is absolutely fantastic. The nose is full of soft red fruity flowers, but then in the very back there's this soft hint of baked rhubarb and wet stones. The palate is super friendly, with a medium amount of weight, it's not super heavily fruity nor is it austere, comfortably riding the fence at a crazy good price. This is definitely something to be had with food, but I could see you going a little wacky and off-field with this, maybe with a savory salmon pie or some kind of fancy stuffed chicken breast. The world is your oyster, and you could also have it with oysters if you felt so inclined, I feel like the fruit in it would help it pair better with most classic oyster mignonettes.
Price:
$34.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Nature Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
Once upon a time, before Climate Change became a reality for the people of Champagne, Brut Nature could be an almost punishing designation. These high-acid wines with zero dosage would sing on the palate, bringing line after line of racy and ripping acidity that would be austere to the point of masochism, you know, in that fun wine way. Now, they're often higher in acid but with the warming of it all, they're not nearly as punishing. This is a great example, because the nose has a lot of promise with a lot of sourdough accompanying a Cosmic Crisp apple and some lemon zest. The palate is bright and mouthwatering but not punishing, instead this is just on the edge, there's still a roundness there that pulls back that final punch and instead gives you a little pat on the shoulder. This is deliciously intense in the best of ways. Always one of my favorites year after year.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
An even blend of 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Meunier, and 1/3 Pinot Noir, this is also aged on the lees for 7 years before bottling. The nose has a nice briochey note to it, along with some really pretty but classic fruit, fresh and baked apples with lemon, a little floral touch of quince in the back. The palate is really crisp and clean, the brioche still light with lemon-doused fruit and a really really pretty finish that lingers for a long moment before a softly saline and mineral finish. Time and time again, the Baron Fuente wines overdeliver while undercharging, but hey, we'll take that recipe any day.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
All of the Baron Fuente Quinconce wines are aged on the lees for 7 years, this help develop that beautiful toasty briochey note that some people really look for in their Champagne. This is no different, made from 100% Chardonnay, the nose smells like a freshly baked baguette, green apple slices, and lemon zest. The palate is crisp and delicious, with a really nice depth from the time on the lees. The fruit is really dense, almost a little reduced on the palate, giving this is a sense of opulence for me, there's just something so pleasantly unctuous about how the fruit lingers. This would be one of my top choices for passed appetizers after a toast, or by yourself at 8pm while you read a nice book.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
This is super pretty, super classic, with a really lovely fruited nose with red apple, a little bit of lemon zest, the middle of a baguette and just a little bit of chalkiness. The palate is still very red apple, but now completely drenched in lemon juice, really delicious and a crowd-pleasing style of Champagne. It's got a little bit of toast for those who want it, lots of fruit, and a really nice round acid character, not too sharp or biting. This is such a good deal at this price, and really deserves to be entered into your rotation for as long as we have, this bottle like all our other direct-import Champagne moves quickly, so if you like it, case up right away.
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Tradition" Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/8/2025 | Send Email
I've found that Champagnes made with Meunier is so incredibly food friendly, there's a little bit of savoriness in the mid-palate that just makes it match a little bit better than other Champagnes for me. This is no exception. There's a lovely leesy toast on this, kind of like a toasted baguette, accompanying soft floral red notes, like raspberry flowers and strawberry buds, accompanied by a little honeysuckle. The palate is strikingly delicious, crisp green apple doused with lemon and a little bit of chalk, umami notes and then moving into a soft and pretty floral finish, with apple blossoms and orange flowers playing about. This is absolutely fantastic and extremely well priced. This shouldn't last, so make sure to get what you can now.
Price:
$29.99
2014 Tronquoy-Lalande, St-Estèphe
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/7/2025 | Send Email
By: Simon Li | Review Date: 7/7/2025 | Send Email
The 2014 Lalande reveals a structured, expressive profile with a savory, meaty core. Aromas of black pepper and a hint of tobacco spice lend energy and complexity to a nose layered with blackcurrant, mint, and smoky undertones. On the palate, ripe black cherry and dark berry fruit are framed by firm yet well-integrated tannins. A subtle smokiness lingers through the finish, adding depth and dimension. This is a confident, character-driven Bordeaux that balances spice, fruit, and earth with finesse, and it continues to evolve beautifully in the glass. What makes this bottle truly stand out is its serious structure and traditional St-Estèphe character, all at a price under $30. For those looking for a Bordeaux with classic typicity, terroir expression, and aging potential, this is arguably one of the best values available. A sleeper vintage that punches well above its class.
2023 Brokenwood Sémillon Hunter Valley New South Wales
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/1/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/1/2025 | Send Email
There's like soft notes of melon, lemon, a little bit of something tropical, something bright and herbal, and then wet river rocks on the nose. The palate is unctuous, super dense and heavy mouthfeel, often described as "waxy", but whatever you choose to call it, it makes the whole sip feel plush and round in the most perfect of ways. Despite the weight, there's great acidity here, the fruit is lemon-lime with amazing acidity pushing those flavors forward, along with that rocky kind of minerality and a lingering, ethereal finish. This is fantastic and I look forward to pairing this with a number of different things before I decide which I like the best, tastes extremely versatile.
2019 La Rioja Alta "Viña Ardanza" Reserva Rioja
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/1/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 7/1/2025 | Send Email
This has such a classic Rioja nose, there's a lot of black cherry and brambley fruits but also a lot of dill, cigar box, and that sweet touch of American oak on the finish. The palate is surprisingly bright, but still solidly medium bodied, with a great line of acidity rushing through the whole palate and helping to balance everything out in the end. Raspberry and pie cherry fruit give way to tannin and then a long and lingering barrel spice and toasty oak finish. This is such a tasty bottle of wine for the price, a really great wine for barbecue if you want something that will really cut through that fat and grease and compliment whatever you choose to have with it. I could also see this with a fatty cut of steak as an alternative if one was so inclined. While this could lay down, it really doesn't need to, it just needs someone to love it and have it with a little food.
Port Charlotte (Bruichladdich) 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: Stephanie Manning | Review Date: 6/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Stephanie Manning | Review Date: 6/30/2025 | Send Email
Port Charlotte 10 Year shows off Bruichladdich’s knack for turning raw Islay elements into something striking, yet elegant. It’s a coastal campfire in a glass—smoky, salty, and deeply rooted in Islay’s maritime soul. The barbecue and brine are distinctive, but the smoke frames rather than overwhelms, allowing oak and fruit notes to shine. The ten-year age statement smooths this dram’s wilder edges, giving it a body and balance not always found in heavily peated whiskies. Balance is something at which Bruichladdich excels; their flagship expression, The Classic Laddie, is mellow and unpeated; a stark contrast to their releases of Octomore, the most heavily peated Scotch in the world. They have hypermodern branding, yet the closest thing to a computer found in their distillery is a chalkboard. They do nearly everything as it was done in the late 1800s, while championing sustainability and pure Islay provenance, using Scottish barley, maturing all their whisky on the island, and refusing chill-filtration or caramel coloring. In fact, they are one of only three B-corp certified distilleries in the country. Unlike most of their bottles, Bruichladdich itself is transparent, producing their various expressions grain-to-glass. The Port Charlotte line is an homage to the nearby, long-shuttered Lochindaal distillery, which historically produced heavily peated whiskies. About 75% of the 10-year expression spends its life in American whiskey barrels, while the remainder is matured in French red wine casks. Ultimately, it’s a vibrantly layered, smoky charmer, perfect for both peat-heads and the peat-curious alike.
2014 Tronquoy-Lalande, St-Estèphe
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/30/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/30/2025 | Send Email
This is easily one of the best buys in aged Bordeaux on today’s market. It’s a long-time K&L favorite (both the producer and the vintage), a legit 95-pointer from a superb St-Estèphe year, and crafted by one of the most talented winemaking teams in the world. We're offering it with a decade of age and impeccable provenance at a price you simply won’t find anywhere else.
Now just over ten years old, the 2014 vintage from the northern Médoc continues to impress, showing the kind of poise and structure that define great Bordeaux. Few producers captured the vintage’s potential with as much finesse as the team at Montrose. While the Grand Vin rightly earns accolades as one of the wines of the year, their work at Château Tronquoy-Lalande is equally compelling. This wine is a masterclass in precision and character—deeply fruited, with layers of ripe black and red berries, subtle notes of spice and dried herbs, and a savory undertone that has emerged beautifully with age. Silky tannins and a fine, polished texture round it all out. There’s remarkable complexity and energy here, and the wine is drinking beautifully at the moment with a long, long way to go. Opportunities where maturity, pedigree, and value align are not exactly rare in Bordeaux—but the degree to which this wine over-delivers on all fronts makes the 2014 Tronquoy-Lalande a truly exceptional buy.
2022 Font de Courtedune Châteauneuf-du-Pape
By: Lauren Jacobson | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Lauren Jacobson | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
An incredibly pretty Châteauneuf-du-Pape that leaves no doubt as to its place of origin. Elegant and finessed, this wine still presents undeniable structure. When it comes to pairing potential, it offers a versatility almost comparable to northern Italian reds—though with softer tannins. Red fruit and apricot on the nose are joined by notes of garrigue, sage, violet, and a hint of orange peel. I immediately think of lamb meatballs with plenty of herbs, olive tapenade, or even grilled tuna steak over greens.
2022 Font de Courtedune Châteauneuf-du-Pape
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
One of our best recent acquisitions to our Direct Import portfolio continues to blow me away—Caroline Charrière of Font de Courtedune of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Since taking over from her father (and joined by her brother who tends the vineyards), she’s stayed true to the family’s roots, working with the same old vines and using the traditional tools and methods handed down through generations.
Her vineyards are mostly old-vine Grenache, planted on sandy soils (safre), which are cooler than the region’s famous galets (rolled stones). That means fresher wines with finer tannins—especially important as the climate continues to warm. Her main vineyard is even next door to Rayas, and yes, I’ve seen Emmanuel Reynaud working the parcel just down the slope.
Caroline’s approach in the cellar is simple: whole cluster fermentation in concrete tanks, no punchdowns, just gentle pumpovers to keep things moving. The result is a wine that’s all about purity, elegance, and place.
The 2022 vintage is showing beautifully—strawberry, red plum, garrigue, and a subtle oolong tea note. It’s got ripe, polished tannins and a long, graceful finish. Drink it now with a good decant (perfect with grilled lamb or, like I had it, steak haché), or tuck it away in the cellar for a few years and let it evolve.
This is distinctive, character-driven Châteauneuf that really overdelivers!
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Tradition" Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
This 100% estate grown, 100% Meunier bottling has to be tasted to be believed. No short cuts have been taken- the vines are painstakingly looked after by JB Jacquesson and the wine aged for three years on the lees with 50% reserves from the four previous years. What is the catch? There is none... We buy this direct from JB and then sell it to you. The wine is clean, full of pastry crust aromas and has a long finish that is dry but not austere. Why drink sparkling when you can drink great grower champagne?
Price:
$29.99
2020 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
While this vintage stylishly celebrates 100 years of the Cuvelier family at the helm, what they’ve accomplished over the past 20 years is a towering achievement in itself. Pick any vintage from that period, and you'll find an overachieving rendition of St-Julien—one that blends quintessential terroir with a consistently delicious and remarkably complex house style.
The 2020 highlights the more concentrated structure of the vintage, with deeply pitched fruit, fine and precise tannins, and a density that will undoubtedly unfold beautifully over time. There’s a lot going on here, and while its best years are still ahead, this wine clearly echoes some of their all-time greats—perhaps most notably the 2010.
Either way, this stunning and beautifully adorned bottle will be a standout in any collection and marks yet another triumph for Léoville-Poyferré and the Cuvelier family.
2019 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
This is one of my secret weapons in collectible Bordeaux—a world-class experience at an all-too-reasonable price. I firmly believe it captures the brilliance of Left Bank Cabernet that defines the 2019 vintage, while benefiting from the attractive pricing that makes 2019 one of the best buying opportunities in Bordeaux.
Though still primary at this stage, it’s accessible, dynamic, and immediately delicious. Perfectly balanced, with deep cassis, fine minerality, and incredible texture, this is a wine of real substance and depth. From the aromas to the mid-palate to the long finish, it moves seamlessly from one nuance to the next.
I can’t wait to see how it ages, but even now, it has so much to offer. I can easily imagine it going toe-to-toe with the estate’s benchmark releases from 2009 and 2010—but for the moment, it remains one of their best-kept secrets. Don’t miss it.
2016 Les Pagodes de Cos, St-Estèphe
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 6/25/2025 | Send Email
In 2016, nearly every wine in Bordeaux performed at a very high level, but a few standout examples rose above the rest—and Cos d'Estournel was clearly one of the champions of the vintage. Their second wine, Pagodes de Cos, has long been a top-tier value, but it takes things to another level in a year like 2016, when the Grand Vin earned multiple 100-point scores.
Elements of that flagship wine are present in Pagodes: great St-Estèphe structure, deep red fruits, superb texture, impressive concentration, and a mineral-lined, long finish. It’s now beginning to enter what I expect will be a broad drinking window. With 50% Cabernet in the blend, that varietal’s character shines through on the finish, while the Merlot brings brightness and accessibility.
This is a stunner for Pagodes—and one of the best they’ve produced. We also happen to be offering it right now at market-best pricing.
2023 Domaine de Gaubourg "Rosa" Val de Loire Rouge
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 6/24/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 6/24/2025 | Send Email
Really pretty floral notes on the opening along with a lot of the crunchier red fruits, cranberry, chokecherry, bright raspberry, along with a slightly creamy note, and a lot of spices. The palate is super refreshing, especially with a slight chill on it, with a reasonable amount of tannins but nothing crazy. This isn't rose, this is just a very light and chillable red. The fruit is cranberry, pie cherry, and under ripe raspberries along with a slight touch of a fresh tarry leather, bringing in a lot of savory notes. This is really great and I could see myself having this with duck, chicken, or just a chunk of cheese and some charcuterie, either way it's going to be a delicious evening. This wine deserves to be on everyone's summer to-do list.
Price:
$24.99
2019 Roederer "L'Ermitage" Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 6/23/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 6/23/2025 | Send Email
40 years after first planting vineyards in Northern California's Anderson Valley, famed Champagne house Louis Roederer has just achieved a remarkable feat, being awarded the first 100-point score for a US sparkling wine from Wine Enthusiast! Roederer Estate's prestigious "L'Ermitage" bottling is the tête de cuvée from their US estate. The equivalent bottling on the French, Louis Roederer side of the business, is Cristal. Winemaker Arnaud Weyrich has been working with Roederer since 1993. He has held several roles with the company both in Champagne and here in Anderson Valley. After a stint at Champagne Louis Roederer in Reims, as the Chief Technical Officer, Arnaud took an opportunity in 2002 to move with his family to run operations in California and has been doing so ever since. When selecting fruit for L'Ermitage, Arnaud chooses only his favorite parcels from dozens of blocks, across seven different vineyards throughout the Anderson Valley. Only the very best wines are selected. 5% of the base wine is barrel fermented, then the wine ages for over 5 years on the lees before being disgorged. The 2019 is a suave and sophisticated wine with stunning purity of fruit, crystalline elegance, a fine, silky bead on the palate with so much freshness and vibrancy. A blend of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, with 5% reserve wine added to the assemblage. The dosage is just 6g/L, the lowest ever for L'Ermitage because the wine has all the texture and depth it needs without a heavy dosage. It's a stunning wine that will continue to grow and shine for 5-10 years at least.
2015 Billecart-Salmon Rosé Champagne
By: Mandana Tourani | Review Date: 6/22/2025 | Send Email
By: Mandana Tourani | Review Date: 6/22/2025 | Send Email
The 2015 Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé is a vintage Champagne that combines elegance, structure, and aging potential. Made from 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, it's been aged for 98 months on the lees and finished with a low dosage. Expect vibrant notes of wild strawberry, blood orange, baking spice, and crushed chalk. This is a beautifully crafted rosé that shows the depth and precision Billecart-Salmon is known for. Just Stunning!
Price:
$119.99
Arran 10 Year Old (New Label) Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: Stephanie Manning | Review Date: 6/21/2025 | Send Email
By: Stephanie Manning | Review Date: 6/21/2025 | Send Email
Arran 10 Year Old is an inviting, graceful expression of unpeated malt from the Isle of Arran’s first legal distillery in over 150 years, Lochranza. It drinks light and clean, with notes of soft, creamy vanilla and honey, followed by loads of bright citrus, baked pear, and mildly nutty pastry. One gets a slight note of warm coconut in the finish. An extremely balanced whisky characterized by the fruit-forwardness Lochranza is known for. The distillery utilizes water from Loch na Davie that’s naturally low in minerality, which is then filtered through six waterfalls before being used directly for production. This one is gentle enough for a daily dram, with a quiet complexity that lingers. Those new to single malts take note: none of Arran’s releases add coloring or chill filtration, and all are perpetually drinkable. Their transparency and simplicity only adds to their charm; much like the island itself.
Price:
$59.99
Arran 10 Year Old (New Label) Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 6/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 6/19/2025 | Send Email
A true classic island malt, the Arran distillery demonstrates what a great unpeated maritime whisky can be. This is their flagship expression, and it’s supremely approachable—equally suited to the seasoned Scotch connoisseur and the newly malt-curious drinker.
The nose is warm and honeyed, with notes of baked apple, toasted coconut, malt, graham crackers, and a hint of sea salt. The first sip builds on the aromas, introducing touches of nuttiness, lemongrass, and dried stone fruits.
The finish is clean and rounded, settling into a gentle harmony of honeyed malt and toasted pastries. It’s a perfect everyday dram.
Price:
$59.99