K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

2020 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/8/2025 | Send Email

The Fuligni estate, a historic property on the cooler, eastern slopes of Montalcino, is revered for producing wines of incredible finesse and purity This is a Brunello that captivates with its perfume. The nose is a soaring and intricate display of wild cherry, raspberry, crushed violets, and sweet spice, with underlying notes of fresh mint, white pepper, and a distinct, stony minerality. This is a benchmark Brunello. It has all the textbook characteristics of Sangiovese in Montalcino. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and silky, with a core of pure, vibrant fruit supported by a framework of ultra-fine, chalky tannins and brilliant acidity. It yummy, really Burgundian. Aged traditionally in large Slavonian oak casks: it is a wine for the purist and the patient collector. To me this is the standout of this vintage so far.

Price: $89.99

2015 Bodegas Casa Juan "Señor de Lesmos" Reserva Rioja

By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/8/2025 | Send Email

"Lesmos" Rioja Reserva remains a staff and customer favorite and we're pleased to offer this latest release from winegrower Angel Escudero. The 2015, is singing at the moment as its had time to soften and mature. Although it's in a perfect drinking window, it will certainly offer a lot of pleasure over the next few years. Ideal with meats and cheeses.

Price: $19.99

2019 Terroir al Limit Terroir Históric Negre Priorat

By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/8/2025 | Send Email

I normally expect Priorat wines to be fairly big and concentrated so I was pleasantly surprised by this juicy, elegant red. I was even more impressed to discover that this particular wine project is designed to encourage the development of local family owned vineyards as the grapes are sourced from numerous small properties throughout the zone. It's a very expressive and flavorful red that captures the essence of Priorat in a more elegant frame.

Price: $34.99

JS: 93

RP: 92

2022 Raúl Pérez "Ultreia St-Jacques" Mencía Bierzo

By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/8/2025 | Send Email

This wine has been consistently great from vintage to vintage and this latest release is no exception. It offers delicious dark fruit in a juicy, medium-to full bodied frame with fine underlying tannins and solid acidity. The old vines fruit combined with skilled, low intervention winemaking make this an exceptional red..

Price: $24.99

JG: 93

JS: 93

RP: 93

2023 Vinos del Viento "Aventura" Campo de Borja

By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/8/2025 | Send Email

This was a pleasant surprise as I was not expecting such depth of fruit at such a modest price. It's a delicious red fermented in concrete that offers fruit-driven aromas of black cherry, plum and blueberry and a fresh and satisfying palate with good length. An outstanding value that's irresistible.

Price: Hidden

Mas Codina Brut Reserva Cava Penedès

By: John Downing | Review Date: 9/8/2025 | Send Email

It's amazing how dramatically the quality of Cava has increased over the past several years. With improved vineyard practices and extended less aging, these affordable sparkling wines from Spain have become exceptional values. Mas Codina is one of our favorites as it offers a fair amount of complexity and and fruit richness and is ideal as an aperitif of with light eats. It's also a wonderful patio/poolside sipper.

Price: $13.99

2022 Giovinco Etna Rosso

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/5/2025 | Send Email

A blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio from their parcels across the mountain. Aged in a combination of tonneaux and large casks, this Etna Rosso is both powerful and elegant. Notes of wild red berries, ash, and spice lead to a structured palate with fine-grained tannins and a long, persistent finish.

Price: $24.99

2022 Giovinco "Sgarretta" Nero d'Avola Sambuco di Sicilia

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/5/2025 | Send Email

So, what makes Nero d’Avola from Sambuca di Sicilia so special? It’s all about balance. In many warmer parts of Sicily, Nero d’Avola can become heavy or overly jammy. Here, in the Sgarretta vineyard, the Giovinco family crafts a wine that captures the grape’s generous spirit without sacrificing elegance. The calcareous clay soil provides the foundation, building a wine with structure, depth, and a subtle mineral backbone. The hot days ensure perfect phenolic ripeness, yielding classic flavors of black cherry, plum, and a touch of licorice. But it’s the cool nights, thanks to Lago Arancio, that truly define this wine. They lock in a vibrant acidity that brings freshness and energy to the palate, lifting the rich fruit and making this a sophisticated, food-friendly red. Aged for six months in large, neutral oak casks and six months in bottle, it’s a beautifully pure expression of a very special place.

Price: $19.99

VN: 91

2022 Antinori "Solaia" Toscana

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/4/2025 | Send Email

Solaia is a wine born from a specific place, a testament to the idea that the greatest wines are an expression of their unique terroir. Its story begins on the sunniest part of the Tignanello hillside, in the heart of Chianti Classico, a vineyard considered to be the estate's very best. From this privileged position, Marchesi Antinori cultivates the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese grapes that become the soul of Solaia. The Tenuta Tignanello estate lies between the Greve and Pesa river valleys, on soils that originated from marine marlstone in the Pliocene period. This ancient ground, rich in limestone, schist, and marine fossils, imparts a distinct mineral complexity to the wine. Throughout the growing season, the vines bask in hot daytime temperatures, allowing for perfect ripeness, while cooler evenings preserve the grapes' vibrant acidity and aromatic nuance. This harmony of soil and climate is palpable in the 2022 Solaia. The wine is a profound and compelling expression of its origin. The nose is a deep and captivating display of dark fruit—blackcurrant, ripe plum, and blackberry—seamlessly integrated with notes of graphite, cedar, and sweet tobacco that speak directly to its noble terroir. The palate is rich, velvety, and expansive, with a core of concentrated fruit framed by polished, noble tannins. Defined by the international press as "among the most influential wines in the history of Italian viticulture," Solaia is more than a wine; it is one of the true super wine of the world.

Price: $379.99

2022 Raúl Pérez "Ultreia St-Jacques" Mencía Bierzo

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/4/2025 | Send Email

Nicely straddling the line between traditional and modern, this release from Raul Perez places itself firmly in the former camp. Without going over the top, of course! Deliciously savory, with nicely done back of the throat (light) chalkiness. After these initial flavors and scents, the fruit takes over. Black cherries, blackberries, dried lavender, smoke and some bright minerals. There is even a floral undercurrent with a few nicely placed red fruit flavors. This wine is always enjoyable and also very affordable!

Price: $24.99

JG: 93

JS: 93

RP: 93

2019 G d'Estournel, Medoc

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/3/2025 | Send Email

This gem from Cos d'Estournel is definitely worth looking at! Bright and fresh and bouncy! Red boysenberry fruit with tart cherries, anise, some savory spice and a hint of crunchy minerals. All with a very smooth and silky mouthfeel. The finish lingers and has a very nice tartness to it. So, you buy your Cos d'Estournel and cellar it. In the meantime, you can thoroughly enjoy the "G" on your dinner table tonight. It's too good to pass up!

Price: $34.99

DC: 92

JS: 92

VN: 92

Cesar Florido Moscatel Especial Chipiona (375ml)

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

This is such a pretty pretty pretty dessert wine, which is probably a little surprising since it's got that distinctly brown color that we typically prefer wines not have. This is a sherry and is made with a fun process that partially involves boiling some of the juice to concentrate it and then pour it back into the very very low alcohol (2%) wine that you've made before fortifying it in the end. The nose is super floral with touches of brown sugar and caramel showing through, along with a sort of brighter fruit that it's hard to put my finger on at the moment, and then on the finish a touch of black tea. The palate is pretty much what I've always thought kissing an angel would be like, it's sweet and floral and there's this kind of blackstrap molasses meets dried fruit note in the very finish that is I feel is from the boiled grape juice and really ties the whole palate together amazingly. This is just a fantastic dessert wine, and really is sweet enough to pair with most desserts that you might bring to the table, I would definitely do this more with cake than pie, but poured over some vanilla ice cream this would be insanely good also.

Price: $21.99

Rare Wine Company "Historic Series - New York" Malmsey Madeira

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

I really love Maderia, it's just perfect for so many things and this is one of my perennial favorites and a bottle I've sold to a lot of customers, their Malmsey which is pretty much equivalent to Tawny port in sweetness, but with a bit of an acid bump in the mid palate which I think helps make it as perfect as it is. To make Madeira, wine is put through a torture test so the other benefit is once you open a bottle it'll stay good pretty much indefinitely, not that it gets a chance in my house. There's just such a deep and intense nuttiness to the wine, it having fully oxidated as part of the winemaking process. There's stewed fruit, bits of crunchy toffee, burnt caramel, a little touch of umami savoriness, and then all those nuts just bolstering the whole thing up. The palate is a little bit fresher due to the acid bump the fruit is more dried, and there's still caramel but also a little bit of salinity on the very finish. This is absolutely fabulous and anyone who appreciates a sweet finish to their meal should give this a look, it's worth your attention.

Price: $59.99

Barton Distillery 1792 "Full Proof" K&L Exclusive Barrel #267 Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

The fabulous and still underrated Barton Distillery suffers somewhat in the shadow of its much bigger sibling in Frankfort. This lovely little distillery, tucked into a holler on a residential street in Bardstown, is one of the most endearing. It quietly chugs along, often overlooked, but when you taste a truly great barrel you’re forced to reconsider. Maybe it’s the awkward branding - the 1792 Bourbon label has always been a tough one for many people to connect with - or the distinctly un-bourbon cognac-style decanter. Whatever the reason, the cult of Barton is small. Needless to say, I’m a proud member, and it’s a place that has grown on me through years of visiting. Maybe the bourbon is simply getting better. There’s no question this is another excellent example of the remarkable potential of this old distillery. Alongside the sister cask bottled at 100 proof, this full proof offering at 125 proof forms one half of a duo I consider among the best side-by-side comparisons in the store. Two barrels that were nearly identical straight from the barrel emerge as striking contrasts once bottled at different proofs. Let’s give the full proof a whirl. The color is a deep crimson-russet (1.3), several shades darker than its sibling. The nose is dense and brooding, packed with pungent oak, earthy warehouse floor, dark fruits, and powerful baking spice. It’s tighter and more closed than the Bottled-in-Bond, preferring time in the glass to reveal itself - more contemplative and less communicative, but ultimately louder when allowed the floor. With air, the complexity soars, unfolding exotic woods like mahogany, sandalwood, and birch, dense dark fruit -dried plums and figs- and wild savory notes of hazelnut, bay leaf, and medium-roast Huehuetenango coffee -chocolate, caramel, maple, burnt orange peel. On the palate, it’s exceptionally juicy - huge cherry syrup and sarsaparilla explode up front. It’s earthy yet lifted, with dried peppermint, chocolate, and more cherries carrying through. This is a powerful bourbon, but the juicy entry disguises its true depth at first. Ultimately it reveals itself to be a stunning barrel, especially when compared to the vast quantities of unnamed single-barrel Barton on the market of similar age that are half as good and twice the price. This one should not be ignored.

Price: $54.99

Limit of 6 per customer

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pomerol

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

Well, well, another K&L Discovery wine has landed ashore and this time it's from Pomerol. Let's see how we feel about this one, so far it's been a pretty glorious bounty, but you never know which way the tide will turn. Well, there's definitely a real nice level of sophistication on the nose, so that's a big mark in favor. I definitely get the terroir, and there's a really pretty and generous amount of fruit already showing despite having just opened the bottle. Blackberry, cherry, cigar box, barrel spice and just a touch of vanilla round out the really elegant and stately nose. The palate is no different, the tannins are incredibly fine and incredibly well integrated, the palate has pretty fruits reminiscent of the nose, but also this kind of creaminess that I'm really enjoying. The barrel is there, but the fruit wins out ultimately in the finish, which is always something I enjoy in a wine. Yes, Darryl, I like a wine that tastes like fruit, it's made out of fruit, this shouldn't be a controversial opinion. There's a good amount of savory components in the mid-palate and finish, I think that I'm going to have to grab a couple bottles of this to try with a few different meals. I see this going great with a slightly leaner cut of steak like a NY Strip and a moderate potato, or maybe something more like a filet mignon and a fat potato. You just have to find the right balance. Either way, for the price this bottle of wine absolutely slaps and I highly recommend you give a try, because you might have just found your new Wednesday bottle.

Price: $29.99

2024 Vinos del Viento "Amber" Moscatel

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

I don't always know what to think about natural wines or orange wines, and this one definitely isn't an exception, but I love a challenge and while this is definitely a bit weird it's not unpleasant or stinky in a way that natural wines sometimes can be. The nose is so aggressively floral, a little bit like a tea made out of potpourri, but in a way that somehow is good and a little but alluring. The palate is fairly similar, though there's some fruit underneath all those floral notes, something a little bit like golden kiwi and something kind of like a honeyed white grape. It's really enjoyable in a way I didn't think it would be, and while yes natural and yes orange, it's not funky or off-putting. I feel like I really want to have this with some slightly aged goat cheese or any other mostly fresh fairly soft cheese. Beyond that, my best advice to have a bottle of this with your friends while you all try to describe what you're tasting, because this is definitely a little bonkers in a very fun and surprisingly approachable way.

Price: Hidden

Barton Distillery 1792 "Bottled in Bond" K&L Exclusive Barrel #263 Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

I'm totally a Barton lover. There's something about this old-school distillery that really speaks to me. It's not just the majestic water source flowing from the limestone cliff behind the distillery or the obvious choice of location at the base of a holler - a perfect place for moonshining. It's also the contrast between their extremely old, beautiful equipment and the very young, energetic distilling team. The last time we selected barrels at the distillery, they set me up in the warehouse with one of the ops managers. They're always happy to take a moment out of their busy day to sell bourbon, and I'm always happy to have an ops guy willing to answer my endless questions. Many seemingly secret details of this special plant were shared in those moments, but I won't expose them here out of respect for my collaborators. Needless to say, it was endearing. What makes me love Barton most of all, though, is the way the bourbon (and rye) tastes. It's just damned delicious, delivering its character in such an unpretentious and approachable way. This fun project - taking two nearly identical casks and bottling them at different proofs - is exactly the sort of thing that makes me love what they do. Very few other distillers will let you do something this playful, and we love the ones that do. So let's dive into the 100-proof Bottled-in-Bond, which is really Barton’s sweet spot. The color is a mellow deep copper (1.0). The nose is boisterous and fun, it's truly one of those happy bourbons rather than that angry, brooding style. Beautiful aromas of banana bread, pistachio cake, caramel-cinnamon frosting, baked apples, and blackberry jam rise from the glass. The palate is soft and round, bursting with sugar candies, orange oil, and caramel sauce up front, then lifting into a spicier character toward the finish. The texture is oily and full, with notes of cherry jam and plummy cola on the surprisingly long descent. This is just really good bourbon to drink - it won’t smack you around too hard, but it’s not so straightforward that it loses interest. A very nice barrel, and if I must pat myself on the back for selecting it, I gladly will.

Price: $44.99

Limit of 6 per customer

Barton Distillery 1792 "Full Proof" K&L Exclusive Barrel #267 Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

Arguably the most prized of Barton's lineup, the Full Proof presents as unadulterated a look at the house style as we'll ever see. The fruit trends toward the darker side here, with fig and black cherry, with more intense spice and wood character. Where the BiB sweetness felt more akin to nougat, this reads as caramelized turbinado. The exhale here makes me feel invincible like I could drink this all day and never suffer adverse effects, though obviously at 62.% alcohol, this one is best enjoyed in small pours and even smaller sips. The perfect evening sipper, it really makes me crave a cigar and a sunset view. And once again, an uncanny value that won't last forever.

Price: $54.99

Limit of 6 per customer

2022 Tormaresca "Torcicoda" Primitivo Salento

By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

This one is for the Zin fans - a beautiful juicy and jammy red from Puglia! I love Primitivo - some folks have a tendency to write it off due to the stereotypes surrounding the varietal, but Tormaresca and the Antinori family hit it out of the park with this wine. All estate grown fruit, they do a masterful job both in the cellar and in the vineyard to make sure there are layers and complexity rather than just another one note wine. You still get all the lovely dark blue fruit - plum, blackberry, blueberries, fruit jam - but the underlying acidity helps to cut through the plushiness and elevate the mineral notes that come from the Puglianese soil. Only a touch of spice, a little dark choclate, this wine is the perfect pairing for those end of year BBQ's - definitely a crowd pleaser!

Price: Hidden

JS: 91

WS: 91

Barton Distillery 1792 "Bottled in Bond" K&L Exclusive Barrel #263 Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

Barton's 1792 barrel program remains one of my favorite to this day because of the value and variety on offer. Among their core lineup, the Bottled-in-Bond is typically my favorite for its balance providing both richness and sufficient structure to back that up. The nose starts promising with a delightful mélange of vanilla, marzipan, toasted oak and just a whiff of clove. From the first sip to the last, the palate delivers delicious flavors of maple, nougat, peach cobbler, and the hallmark Barton caramelized banana, all framed beautifully by deep, venerable oak. With just enough spice on the finish to remind you this is Kentucky spirit, it serves as a steadfast reminder of the quality coming from this underappreciated facility. It's growing increasingly hard to imagine finding better or older bourbon readily available at this price point.

Price: $44.99

Limit of 6 per customer

2024 Mendes & Symington "Contacto" Loureiro Vinho Verde

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

This might not be what you're typically thinking of when you think of Vinho Verde. There's no little playful spritz, and it's a little bit higher alcohol than what you might expect (but still a relatively moderate 12.5%ABV). The nose has a lot of lemon, but also touches of stone fruit, both white peach and something that kind of leans towards apricot but doesn't quite get there. The palate is bright and fruity and really deliciously crisp, a wonderful line of acid pushing through the whole palate while the fruit is peach and lemon with a little touch of pithiness on the finish. This is really lovely and a super delicious bottle of white wine. There's definitely some tartness there but it's so refreshing while somehow pushing up against medium bodied, with an impressive depth and lingering semi-saline river rock kind of finish. Just fantastic.

Price: $21.99

RP: 92

2022 Raúl Pérez "Ultreia St-Jacques" Mencía Bierzo

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

Despite the less than inky color, this wine smells fairly inky and dark, there's also a dustiness to it that I'm finding really appealing with what else there is. The fruit is black with touches of red, blackberry and black currant, maybe with some cranberry skin without the implied crunchiness. Along with the fruit, there's also a lot of savoriness with a little touch of something meaty towards the mid-nose and towards the end also with just a touch of something very slightly figgy. The palate is incredibly enjoyable, first from a textural standpoint, just fantastic mouthfeel and the finest most integrated tannins just cradling the fruit. The fruit on the palate is rich but not as inky or dark as the nose wanted you to think it would be, there's a lot of touches of freshness there and the acidity just keeps the whole thing moving along properly, towards the end there's some herby notes and then the barrel on the finish comes back in giving a little lingering toasty fruit note. Really delicious and another amazingly priced bottle that overdelivers big time. Big. Time.

Price: $24.99

JG: 93

JS: 93

RP: 93

2023 Teso La Monja "Romanico" Toro

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/2/2025 | Send Email

I'm not sure I've ever had a Toro wine before, so that makes this extra fun. I also really enjoy that instead of Tempranillo, they call it Tinto de Toro, it's just got a confidence that I find really amusing. The nose on this is pretty bright with lots of pretty fruit and a little bit of a flowing floral note drifting through the whole thing. The fruit is bright red cherry, Tayberry, and slightly underripe blackberry, it's all really lovely and more of a compote than distinct and individual aromas. The palate is bright with an elevated acidity that fights the very slightly grippy tannins, the fruit is really pretty again with cranberry, raspberry, and a touch of pomegranate and a little bit of something inkier like blackberry around the very edges of my tongue during the lingering finish. This is really fresh and bright while also having a little bite of a grip and a touch of savory notes on the finish that'll just help this pair with more and more dishes. I could see having this with both a lighter steak or a nice double-cut porkchop.

Price: Hidden

JD: 92

2021 l'Esprit de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Léognan

By: Simon Li | Review Date: 9/1/2025 | Send Email

Capturing the essence of its renowned sibling, this wine is a superb example of white Bordeaux(70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon). It presents a vibrant nose of lime zest, white grapefruit, and a touch of smoky flint. The palate is energetic and focused, with zinging acidity and intense citrus and stone fruit flavors. It's all wrapped in a subtly creamy texture from about 35% new oak barrels use, delivering exceptional class and value.

Price: $34.99

2020 Collines de l'If, St-Emilion

By: Simon Li | Review Date: 9/1/2025 | Send Email

As the second wine from a famed property, this offers a superb introduction to a legendary Right Bank pedigree. It opens with aromas of lush black cherry, raspberry, and subtle floral notes. On the palate, it is velvety and expressive, showcasing juicy black fruits balanced by fine-grained tannins and a hint of minerality.

Price: Hidden

2000 La Cabanne, Pomerol

By: Simon Li | Review Date: 9/1/2025 | Send Email

Here is a rare opportunity to enjoy a fully mature Pomerol from a legendary vintage. The bouquet is complex and developed, offering alluring notes of dried plum, black truffle, and dried herb. On the palate, it is exceptionally smooth and resolved, with silky tannins and a wealth of savory, mature fruit flavors like black plum and black cherry. It showcases the classic plush character and pedigree of its appellation, delivering a beautifully expressive drinking experience right now.

Price: $74.99

DC: 93

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pomerol

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/30/2025 | Send Email

Our newest Discovery Series release might just be my favorite. On the nose, I first got a whiff of saline quickly followed by dark red fruits, mellow tobacco, a little dill and milk chocolate. On the palate, luscious texture with chocolate cherry, baked cinnamon and rye seed on the finish. At the back of the throat, there is a very nice "tang" of acidity and soft herbs. A very nice introductory release!

Price: $29.99

2023 Kivelstadt "KC Labs - Never Oaked - Bazzano Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/30/2025 | Send Email

Something I'm constantly asked for at K&L is unoaked Chardonnay. So many folks it seems are looking for a nice bottle of Chardonnay and all the deliciousness that grape provides, but without a big imprint of oaky-buttery richness. Sure there's a time and a place for a powerful, rich, barrel fermented Chardonnay, but the variety can also produce, crisp, bright, refreshing white wine without all that "makeup". That's exactly what we have here. Not only is this a juicy, bright, delicious easy drinking unoaked Chardonnay, but it also happens to be from one single, organically farmed vineyard in the heart of the ultra-premium Russian River Valley. Bazzano Vineyard, also known as Lorenzo Vineyard, was planted in 1974, these old, Wente Clone vines grow in sandy clay loam soils and produce concentrated and flavorful fruit. Kivelstadt is a small winery based in the Sonoma side of Carneros. (They have a phenomenal restaurant called Bloom if you're ever in the area and need a bite to eat.) Winemaker Luke Nio has great wineries such as Bedrock Wine Co, plus Green & Red on his resume, and is very talented. If you're looking for an inexpensive, everyday, easy-drinking bottle of Chardonnay that doesn't cut any corners with the quality of fruit or small-batch winemaking, you've come to the right place! With our massive Insider's Advantage discount this is a total no-brainer.

Price: $9.95

2023 Vinos del Viento "Aventura" Campo de Borja

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/29/2025 | Send Email

This is a killer deal for the price! Made from a somewhat unlikely blend of Garnacha, Syrah, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, all fermented in concrete, this is a light-to-medium-bodied wine that is juicy, approachable, and bursting with wild raspberry, iris and violet. A spicy black peppercorn note follows quickly on the heels of all those pretty floral and berry aromatics. Almost reminiscent of a Beaujolais Village in structure and feel, a bright and refreshing acidity backs up the palate. This should be a serious contender for your new favorite house wine, as it’s so friendly and exuberant on its own, though a little bit of charcuterie would be fantastic alongside, too.

Price: Hidden

2017 Trimbach "Cuvée Frédéric Émile" Riesling Alsace

By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 8/29/2025 | Send Email

One of the great, long-standing producers in Alsace, Trimbach is renowned for producing chiseled Rieslings that age beautifully and consistently over-deliver given their price. The Frédéric Émile offering is sourced from two Grand Cru vineyards: Geisberg and Osterberg, which, when blended together, create an amazing wine. Deep, full, and complex, the 2017 Trimbach “Cuvée Frédéric Émile” Riesling stuns from the first sniff of the glass all the way to the long, multi-faceted finish. If you want a truly spectacular white wine with a little age on it and in a perfect drinking window, then you owe it to yourself to grab a few bottles of this amazing elixir!

Price: $99.99

2019 La Rioja Alta "Viña Ardanza" Reserva Rioja

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/29/2025 | Send Email

Rioja has seen massive changes over the past few decades, but La Rioja Alta has remained true to the course, known for their traditional style and reliably high level of quality. They are simply one of the most classic and iconic wineries of the region, releasing exceptional wines vintage after vintage. For most of Rioja’s history, wines were aged for several years in American oak barrels, leading to savory flavors and aromas such as saddle leather, dried dill, coconut husk and tobacco that are now considered by many to be the classic markers of the region. In recent decades, however, many wineries have chosen to make more internationally styled wines, swapping American oak for French oak or eschewing oak altogether. Additionally, some wineries have opted to leave the Crianza-Reserva-Gran Reserva system, instead opting for their wines to be labelled as simply Rioja. In the face of this change, La Rioja Alta has continued to release wines with extended aging in American oak barrel as well as bottle. In fact, the winery operates their own cooperage to ensure that their barrels are crafted exactly to their standards. The 2019 Viña Ardanza is a testament to this dedication and such a classic snapshot into the history of this storied region! Marching straight out of the glass with aromas of red plum, dried strawberry and a plentitude of dried green herbs (dill, oregano), this wine is a savory explosion of flavors on the palate, all framed by spicy cedar, porcini mushroom and tea leaf. Given the high level of complexity and almost umami-like character of the wine, this is an ideal pairing for barbeque or a simple grilled steak. It also calls to mind autumn and sweater weather, with its dried, fallen leaf undertones – perfect to open for those first, cool evenings of fall!

Price: $39.99

Verde (Momento) Amarás Mezcal (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/29/2025 | Send Email

I first stumbled across the Verde Momento (now called Verde Amarás) at an excellent bar called "Guilty" in Guadalajara. This city is vibrant, complex, and cosmopolitan, filled with excellent food and highbrow cocktail stops alongside old-school saloons, bad tourist traps, and well-worn corners where some of the world's finest tacos are slung. When I saw the wild label across the bar, I imagined that this must be some new boutique, ultra-limited mezcal, but when the bartender reached for it to prepare my cocktail, I realized that this might just be something more attainable. Turns out the loud labels (and they are striking) aren't the only thing shocking about this new brand. It's both affordable and delicious. The idea is to highlight Mexican artists through artisanal mezcal. Each batch will feature a set of new labels by Mexican artists, so there will eventually be hundreds of labels for Verde Momento. The brand calls itself a "tribute to agave's sexual energy, concentrated over 8 years." For $30 I'm in. Easily one of the best values in the shop and soon to be one of the best-looking bottles on your back bar. Bottle depicted is one of many different labels. We are unable to search for certain labels, so it's luck of the draw.

Price: $24.99

Isle of Harris Sugar Kelp Infused Gin (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/29/2025 | Send Email

Never judge a book by its cover, they say, unless it’s gorgeously appointed and unrivaled in its beauty, I’d add. There is no question that in the booze business, your bottle is nearly as important as the stuff that goes in it. Indeed, it was the striking package that drew my eye to this product on the backbar of a Glasgow pub five years ago. I asked to see the bottle and realized that this was not some crass, overdesigned marketing exercise. This was a legitimate and thoughtfully crafted Scottish gin with a character unlike any other I’d tasted. One sniff out of that bottle and I knew I needed to have this stuff – EVERY DAY if possible, but for one massive hurdle. The tiny distillery on the far-flung island in the outer Hebrides was already struggling to keep up with local demand, and the incredible care in the design of the bottle meant that creating a bottle suitable for the US market, which only recently allowed the sale of spirits in 700ml bottles, was next to impossible. So, we waited. I staged a relentless campaign with emails and phone calls to the distillery to make clear our interest. And when this special product final popped up with a small distributor, I bought every single bottle they had on hand. I’ve called this the next great Scottish Gin, and I truly believe that. It offers a complex expression of flavors that are perfectly balanced and wildly appealing. The nose is an ever-evolving explosion of aromas beginning with an ocean breeze. This sensation of being near the sea is so distinct, one must experience it to understand. On second nosing, a flutter of citrus and a deep whole pepper note give way to a bright piney character before the sweet, earthy aromas of licorice, Orris, and cassia come online. The underlying sweetness balances the subtle salinity perfectly on the palate. Of course, no sugar added here, and perhaps it is psychosomatic, but the sugar kelp seems to give it a voluptuous richness that balances the savory perfectly. And while this is slightly lower proof than I usually like in a gin, the texture and balance seem to be perfectly suited for the gin's character. Altogether one of my favorite products to drink, hands down from any category. Plus, that bottle is so beautiful. Now one of the best values for artisanal hand crafted gin in the store as well!

Price: $44.99

2019 Farella "Estate" Coombsville Napa Valley Malbec

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/28/2025 | Send Email

If you associate Malbec with big "fruit bomb" style wines, think again. This Malbec from Farella Estate has more in common with a fine Cahors. Concentrated and dark, with black fruits, herbs, rustic earth and a nice top palate of clean tannin. Long finish of blackberries and dried herbs. Nicely complex and very drinkable. As a bonus, it should cellar very well for another 5 plus years.

Price: $29.95

Wild Turkey 8 Year Old 101 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/28/2025 | Send Email

You know, can we have a little bit more respect for Wild Turkey? I've seen some of the bourbon bros roll their eyes a little bit when it's suggested, I get that you feel like you've had it before, that it's not as exciting as the quadruple cask finish cask strength bottling you managed to get from a buddy for just twice MSRP, but please let's take a closer look at this. This is 8 years old and comes it at just $5/year, which is pretty phenomenal when you look at the state of other age statement whiskies and the price direction they're going. The nose is super inviting, a little bit of brown sugar, peppery spice, something a little creamy, and then just a little hit of zest and dill. The palate is rich and super pretty, lil custard, a fair rich bit of barrel spice, more pepper, and then toast on the lingering finish. This is just delicious and impeccably done, a bounty of bourbon for your buck.

Price: $29.99

2019 Farella "Estate" Coombsville Napa Valley Merlot

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/28/2025 | Send Email

Think that you know what Merlot is all about? Once you taste the Merlot's from Farella, that notion will be put on its head. This marvelous, and very nicely priced Merlot is a winner for complexity and interest. The nose is dark, with red and black fruits, smoky cherry and some savory spices. In the mouth, quite complex with black cherries, blackberry, loam, cedar wood, more savory spices. Quite Pomerol-like!

Price: $39.95

JS: 92

2022 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/28/2025 | Send Email

An absolute stunner from Léoville-Poyferré, it’s no surprise this is once again a 100-point wine in 2022 and one of the champions of an extraordinary vintage. What they do so well here is craft a genuine, terroir-driven St-Julien with polish and finesse—concentrated enough to promise decades of aging, yet with an accessible profile that makes it endlessly delicious throughout its life. The 2022 vintage perfectly complements their style: rich but never overblown, decadent yet fresh. Aromatically, a mélange of florals and black fruits leads the way, but it’s the palate that makes it undeniable—waves of cassis, blackberry, and plum carry remarkable weightless density, lifted by vibrant acidity and finishing long, with fruit, minerality, and ultra-fine tannins in seamless balance. Whether compared to the famed 2009 and 2010 or to peers at the very top of the Left Bank, 2022 Léoville-Poyferré also delivers tremendous value as a long-term collectible. Congratulations to the Cuvelier family on another signature success—continuing a remarkable run of excellence over the past few decades.

Price: $134.99

Laurent-Perrier "Héritage" Brut Champagne

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/28/2025 | Send Email

This release from Laurent-Perrier is absolutely stunning in every way I want it to be stunning. The nose is incredibly pretty but also very deep, with a breadth that is just really impressive. There are touches of jasmine, orange-blossom honey, lemon curd, and dried pineapple all accompanied by a combination of ripe green pear and crisp green apple and a really soft and pillowy brioche. This is the kind of wine that you just pause and soak in the aroma for a few minutes before even taking the first sip, the whole bouquet is just that enchanting. The palate is a touch robust, with a kaleidoscopic depth that pulls you down and almost tries to drown you, there's just so much going on. There's fresh and candied citrus, more crisp apple, and a saline sort of nuttiness like in a Manzanilla sherry. This is just absolutely divine and I want to do an exploratory sort of dinner where it's just a ton of different appetizers and finger foods while you drink a couple bottles of this. Bite after bite each compared with the last pairing, sipping in-between and over the food to try it every which way, chatting with each other about your favorite little mixes. That's the kind of experience this Champagne merits, and you'll be doing yourself the dirtiest of disservices if you don't at least give one a try, maybe two to be safe.

Price: $104.99

DC: 93

VN: 92

2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/27/2025 | Send Email

Prime evolution on this wine showing pretty notes of mulled blackberries, cherry compote and milk chocolate. A touch of fresh tilled earth and a hint of truffle are forming in the back lending savory notes to round out the wine. This is showing great balance and is one of the best buys in the category for drink now status. You cannot beat this price for the level of character this wine offers.

Price: $14.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pomerol

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 8/27/2025 | Send Email

Classic notes of black cherry and chocolate spotlight the Merlot side and currants and sage highlight the depth Cabernet Franc can lend to the picture. Great texture with supple tannins. Terrific youthful drinking Pomerol that should evolve beautifully for another half dozen years or more.

Price: $29.99

Laurent-Perrier "Héritage" Brut Champagne

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 8/27/2025 | Send Email

This silky, complex, yet super easy to drink champagne is like a baby Grande Siècle. I love the Chassagne-Montrachet like nuttiness, and how well contrasted it is with the fresh citric component of this multi-faceted champagne. It took considerable patience to make, as the oldest part of this wine is now 11 years old and the youngest 6! If you love the tiny streamers and hidden complexity of tete de cuvée bottlings, this is a must try, especially given the value!

Price: $104.99

DC: 93

VN: 92

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pomerol

By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 8/27/2025 | Send Email

The next entry in our Discovery Series is this 2019 Pomerol. Now, I do not know who made it, but the thing is Pomerol is a small area, and no matter where this comes from it is in great company. Given that production levels in Pomerol are limited across the board, the fact that we were able to secure any juice is impressive, let alone that we're selling for at this price. Pomerol is on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, and home to some of the finest Merlot in the world, so the expectations here are very high. This wine is rich and full of luscious red fruit, yet still an elegant wine. There's earthiness and minerality, cocoa, violets, and mushroom. It is complex and with some tannins on the back-end, so definitely one with aging potential if you are so inclined. This is just a great introduction to Pomerol and at a price you never see for wines from there. And no matter how nicely I ask, they just won't tell me who the actual producer is, so your guess is as good as mine.

Price: $29.99

Paladar Estate Grown K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel #A22 Añejo Tequila (750ml)

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/27/2025 | Send Email

This Tequila was cut before being barreled, so the water that would have been added anyhow was put in and aged with the spirit instead of being added just before bottling, this is a fairly unique process in part due to the fact that it requires more barrels and more space to hold the same amount of overall proof, and ultimately most businesses are into being more economical especially with things as expensive as barrels. The result here, whatever the process, is absolutely stunning and I have found myself in a situation where I think I'm going to end up buying my dad, Dave, two bottles of Tequila for his birthday this year. I'm sure he won't be upset by that. The nose feels a little round, with really pretty coconut and tropical fruit showing through, accompanied by a little spiced vanilla and some cooked agave. The palate is really really tasty, a good amount of sweet agave, some dried pineapple, kind of a spiced rice pudding kind of flavor and a touch of minerality on the finish. This is really tasty, kind of makes me regret I never picked up one of their regular bottlings before, but I definitely certify this also as the kind of Tequila you buy your Dad for his birthday.

Price: $84.99

2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/27/2025 | 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. And speaking of high bars, we just set the standard for remarkable value in the Discovery Series, with a delicious St-Emilion with over fifteen years of bottle age for under $15. As Clyde likes to say, only a dollar a year, which is an incredibly high standard at any stage in the game. I adored this opportunity when we first tasted it, and through tough negotiations, and even after a round of tariffs, I'm still shocked that we're able to offer a wine this solid, with this kind of age, all for this price. It is a generous expression of St-Emilion, but the broad, delicious quality of the vintage also shines through. Approaching maturity with a long life ahead, it carries beautiful aromatics of red fruits, leather, and florals, with a palate that has a core of plum and cassis, wild berry, and a soft, easygoing finish. Everything is in place, and I'm certain there's not a better buy in today's market for a perfectly aged Bordeaux from a signature vintage.

Price: $14.99

Engine Italian Gin (750ml)

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/26/2025 | Send Email

You said you're looking for high quality Italian gin... in an old timey oil can? Sure we can do that. Let me introduce you to Engine Italian Gin, the only gin we currently carry that's in an old timey oil can. It's got these incredibly layers of citrus on the nose that are all being buoyed by this really lovely sage note and then at the very edges is the rose coming through powdery and pretty. This dances a bit of a line, because while there's a lot of citrus here, there's also a good amount of floral notes so it's a little bit of a switch hitter. This definitely feels like a more modern style of London Dry gin, where Juniper is less the star of the show and the secondary aromatics come out, but I'm here for it. The palate is very citrus forward, the sage and rose laying back a bit on the palate until the very end of the finish. This is delicious and I want to have this in a G&T with a slice of cucumber and a healthy squeeze of lime or maybe even lemon to go with all the Sicilian citrus already steeped into this bad boy.

Price: $29.99

Isle of Harris Sugar Kelp Infused Gin (750ml)

By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 8/26/2025 | Send Email

A product so instantly appealing that it became an overnight sensation, Isle of Harris Gin exceeds expectations in every metric. The remote distillery quietly distills some of the finest spirit in the Scottish Isles, and while their whisky only recently came on the scene, their gin has been a longtime favorite of everyone lucky enough to taste it. Classic hallmarks of good quality gin like fresh citrus, juniper and roots are held aloft by the exquisite distillate. The mouthwatering texture and salinity amplify other flavors beautifully, resulting in the best version of whatever cocktail in which you use this. Of course, it fares well in a martini, or with soda or tonic and a twist of your favorite citrus, but rarely have I so enjoyed sipping gin neat or with a slight chill. And with gorgeous packaging to boot, Harris Gin should be on everyone's home bar. Considering this originally cost $60, you can't afford not to buy it.

Price: $44.99

2014 Farella "Estate" Coombsville Merlot (Winery Direct Library Release)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/26/2025 | Send Email

If you think of Merlot as being either a fruit bomb or green bell pepper bomb, look elsewhere. Farella Estate makes some of the best Merlot and Melor blends outside of Pomerol. The nose of full of bittersweet chocolate, earth, herbs, and dry red plums. On the palate, dark red fruits with dried herbs, cedar wood and savory spice. This is from an era before the whole "fruit bomb" style took over and Combsville is the perfect area for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot!

Price: $39.95

JS: 91

VN: 90

2021 Castello di Ama "L'Apparita" Toscana

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 8/25/2025 | Send Email

The 2021 Castello di Ama "L'Apparita" is a monumental wine, a true benchmark for 100% Merlot in Italy and one of the most iconic Super Tuscans ever created. First produced in 1985, "L'Apparita" was a groundbreaking achievement, proving that the high-altitude, clay-limestone terroir of Gaiole in Chianti could produce a Merlot to rival the greatest in the world, including those from Pomerol. The 2021 vintage is being hailed as one of the finest in recent memory, known for its perfect balance of ripeness, structure, and vibrant acidity. Sourced from the top of the tiny, 3.84-hectare Bellavista vineyard, the Merlot vines here yield a wine of incredible concentration and finesse. The nose is a soaring and complex tapestry of black cherry, ripe plum, and cassis, seamlessly woven with notes of violet, graphite, and sweet tobacco. The palate is rich and velvety, with a core of dense dark fruit supported by a framework of polished, fine-grained tannins and a remarkable freshness that keeps the wine energetic and poised. The finish is exceptionally long and mineral-driven. For those curious about a single-varietal Super Tuscan, it truly doesn’t get better than this. The 2021 is a perfect expression from a perfect vintage—a stunning, powerful, yet graceful wine built for the long haul. It is a true collector's item that will evolve beautifully for two to three decades. Just stunning.

Price: Hidden

2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 8/24/2025 | Send Email

K&L's Discovery series continues with two offerings from Bordeaux's St-Emilion, a Right Bank area known for its lush, rich full-bodied Merlot based blends. The 2009 is 90% Merlot, with 5% dollops of Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon to add depth and structure. 2009 was a "legendary" vintage in Bordeaux, producing consistently excellent wines throughout the region. "Big, bold, and lavish," the 2009s are just now hitting their prime drinking window. The 2009 Discovery Series St-Emilion has all the hallmarks of the vintage, and its ripe sweet fruit, spice, and tertiary notes have reached a delectable old school equilibrium - black licorice, dark plums, mocha, chocolate, earth, dark berries, and crushed rocks. If you want to discover St-Emilion wines, 2009 is a great place to start.

Price: $14.99

2015 Bodegas Casa Juan "Señor de Lesmos" Reserva Rioja (1.5L)

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/22/2025 | Send Email

A longstanding K&L customer favorite, the 2015 Bodegas Casa Juan Señor de Lesmos Reserva Rioja is back in stock and tasting better than ever! Composed of the same blend as the Crianza Rioja (85% Tempranillo; 15% Mazuelo), this Reserva Rioja is a barrel selection by owner/winemaker Angel Escudero. He identifies barrels of the Crianza that he feels show more complexity and concentration and are able to withstand extended aging. These wines then spend a total of 27 months in barrel, before being racked to concrete tanks where they spend another year aging before being bottled and aged even further. Now with 10 years of age, the 2015 Reserva Rioja is shows a panoply of ripe, slightly desiccated red fruit (plum, strawberry) notes, backed up by wonderfully savory, earthy aromatics of mushroom, cedar, tobacco and subtle black licorice. This wine is so classically Rioja, herbaceous and woodsy on the palate, with a long and lingering finish. Considering this wine is almost a full decade old and still singing, this is an incredible value at under $20. Add in that the estate is family owned, and the vines are averaging forty-five years old, you’d be hard pressed to find many other comparable wines at this price point in Rioja.

Price: $37.99

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