K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

2015 Bodegas Casa Juan "Señor de Lesmos" Reserva Rioja

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: $19.99

Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 8/22/2025 | Send Email

On my days off, I find myself drinking plenty of sparkling Rosé. Fortunately, direct-import Champagne continues to be one of our strongest categories, where exceptional quality meets great value. This refreshing, crushable Rosé from Fallet Dart is a prime example. It opens with vibrant notes of strawberry preserves on toast, juicy cantaloupe, and ripe peaches, layered with delicate rosewater and a subtle salinity on the finish. Hard to put down on day one, even more intriguing on day two, when it revealed a softer texture and a more nuanced expression.

Price: $39.99

2015 Suduiraut, Sauternes (375ml)

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/21/2025 | Send Email

The 2015 Suduiraut Sauternes is a blend of 94% Sémillon and 6% Sauvignon Blanc, aged 18 months in equal parts new and used oak barrels (3.8 g/L TA, 138 g/L residual sugar). It seamlessly delivers caramelized apricot, orange blossom honey, barley sugar candies, hints of green tea, fresh jasmine, and lightly toasted cashew—all lifted by a bright thread of tangerine zest. Perfectly poised between freshness and opulence, it finishes with waves of honeyed apricot. I picked up a bottle last week on the recommendation of our Bordeaux buyer; after tasting it just now, I immediately went back for another.

Price: $44.99

JD: 99

RP: 98

TWI: 98

2020 Gloria, St-Julien

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/21/2025 | Send Email

Composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc that aged 14 months in 40% new oak. Incredible pricing aside, the 2020 Gloria was a grin-inducing standout during a recent staff tasting with its soft, silky, and seductive mouthfeel. The flavors are fresh and vibrant—cassis, red-fleshed plum, black cherries, rose petals, with a hint of just-picked herbs bolstered by black tea tannins. A subtle sanguine note on its delightfully lengthy finish makes me glad to be alive—wines like this make my heart skip a beat—a glorious Gloria!

Price: $49.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/20/2025 | Send Email

It is very exciting to taste our very first Discovery series Bordeaux release from my favorite village, Pauillac. Home village to so many magnificent vineyards. It has a textbook Pauillac nose of pencil lead, dark red cassis, bitter cocoa and tobacco. On the palate, quite the mouthful! Rich and well-rounded fruit with additional dose of dark red cassis, black plum, hard black licorice candy and a creamy texture. This after being open (and tried) over two days. It is such a wonderful bargain which you can match with so many foods from a steak sauteed in butter to classic barbecue ribs or a roasted vegetable stew. Don't wait too long to try it and buy it. I'm looking forward to seeing what the other villages of this series offer up as they arrive!

Price: $29.99

2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/20/2025 | Send Email

This new Discovery Series of Bordeaux (with Italian wines on the way, as well!) is a real treat for affordability and a look at terroir. In the case of this 2009, it's all about old school scents and flavors. There is a nose of deep and dark black cherries, with anise seed, earth, tobacco and a light touch of spearmint. In the mouth, quite rich and easy to drink with baked cherries, creamy oak, some tart tannins at the back of the throat. The finish lingers at the tip of the tongue with dried cranberry flavors. Quite a bit of wine for the price!

Price: $14.99

Compass Box Bespoke Culver & Sepulveda + 5th & Harrison + Secrets of Smoke Limited Edition Pack (3x700ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/20/2025 | Send Email

Compass Box has always been near and dear to our hearts and there are few whisky makers in the world more innovative. We have supported them from the very beginning and this limited edition bundle was an opportunity too good to pass up. Three bottles of truly exceptional Scotch at an astounding value, essentially the equivalent of taking $140 off your tab when you buy the set. More importantly, it is the only way to access the very last of 5th & Harrison II, while also adding an outstanding bonus bottle to the lineup. You do not need to take only our word for it either, as Whisky Advocate rated it 93 points and Drinks Hacker gave it an A-, making it one of the most highly acclaimed blended malts in years. “The Secrets of Smoke” is everything a peat lover dreams of while still offering remarkable fruit, reminiscent of the great sweetly peated whiskies of decades past. Fans of old Lagavulin Distillers Edition will immediately recognize the kinship. The nose bursts with roasted fruit—grilled peaches, pineapple, roasted lemon—woven into creosote, tar, exotic oils, hemp rope, and honeyed nuts. The palate is brilliantly composed, balancing purple fruit with the deep peat, framed by vanilla, spiced sugar, blueberry pie, garam masala, and pine, all layered over a pillowing haze of smoke. It is an absolutely gorgeous whisky and a fitting sendoff to our friend James Saxon, who guided this release as one of his final Compass Box projects.

Price: $380.00

2021 l'Esprit de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Léognan

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/19/2025 | Send Email

This is definitely a little bit classier of a nose than some of the other Bordeaux blancs that I've tried lately, nothing against them, they were all super delicious but the well-integrated oak in the back just elevates it a little bit more and helps round on the Sauvignon Blanc heavy blend as well. Crisp green apples, white flowers, lemon zest, and chalk round out the nose. The palate is super refreshing and yet still quite deep, really great chalky minerality with a little bit of a saline finish, all present fruit first with juicy lemon, underripe green apple, and quince all work together. Then, last but not least, the barrel spice on the very finish makes all the flavors feel complete. This is just such a delicious bottle of wine and people really need to start drinking more Bordeaux blanc, they're all so good and range from super approachable to yummy yummers.

Price: $34.99

2016 Larrivet Haut-Brion Rouge, Pessac-Léognan

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/19/2025 | Send Email

Reviewing these wines back to back to back is so great, it gives me such a wonderful feel for those more subtle differences between otherwise similar wine and is such a real treat to be able to do. The fruit on this one is definitely higher tones, there's ripe raspberry, red cherry, and really intense sort of dusty cocoa+coffee earthen note in the very back but kind of shoving its way forward. Along with that, I get some rosehips and a little bit of sweet pomegranate in the very back, just bringing everything together and rounding it out. The palate is inky and chewy, but with just a little hint of that sweeter mashed raspberry red fruit in the very front and in the finish. The tannins are nice and already calming down and lining up, integrating themselves very politely. The acidity is really nice, helping to push the whole palate forward and giving it a little bit more fruit on the finish. This is really nice and with a touch more intensity than some of the others I've tried recently.

Price: $49.99

2020 Collines de l'If, St-Emilion

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/19/2025 | Send Email

It's so crazy to me how wines made within miles of each other can sometimes feel so different. Bordeaux itself is roughly 63 miles north to south and 78 miles east to west, and there's so many wines that are so individual and distinct despite their similarities. This is the second 2020 I've tried in a row, this one roughly 20 miles away from the other and it feels kind of night and day different, but in a really good and interesting way. The fruit on the nose is dark and a little dusty, with a generous sprinkling of dark cocoa, a little touch of leather and a light little touch of black olive in the background. On another nosing, the cocoa is coming across more like black coffee, but it's the same basic idea there's something rich and a little bitter hiding in there. The palate is rich and dark, the fruit is a little chewy, with a slightly grippy but really well developed and integrated tannin profile. The fruit is black and a little inky, quickly moving into more savory dark cocoa and cedar notes a little bit of a green herbal bitterness in the very back gives it a roundness and kind of uplifted presence that will make this such a quintessential food wine. I want to have this with something braised, maybe a stew or just some really well lacquered short ribs, and then something rich like a Robuchon potatoes, or just a stick of butter. Definitely approachable already, but wants a reasonably long decant, open it up and decant it at lunch and then have it at dinner. Perfect.

Price: Hidden

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

By: Lacie Schwarz | Review Date: 8/18/2025 | Send Email

While this wine is hazy in the glass, it isn't accompanied by your typical "Natural wine" funkiness. Bright notes of white flowers, Meyer Lemon and green apple on the palate - but what you don't find is any oak - this wine was entirely fermented and aged in stainless steel. Organic practices, indigenous yeasts and limited intervention make this wine perfect for natural wine lovers; fresh fruit, a clean and pristine nose and no "funk" make this wine perfect for everyone else. This wine punches way above its $9.95 price point.

Price: $9.95

2019 Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/17/2025 | Send Email

When measured against the gold standards of the estate—2009, 2010, 2015, 2020—this 2019 is a wine that must be in the conversation. We’ve adored it since En Primeur, and there’s no shortage of acclaim, including Jane Anson’s 99-point mark that places it shoulder to shoulder with names like La Mission, Latour, and Montrose. The fact that it can still be had at this pricing makes it one of the greatest upside buys from Pessac, and a Grand Vin that is destined for great things. At the heart of it, the Cathiards and Fabien Teitgen continue to pursue excellence and excel at an incredible rate, and this 2019 is just one piece of evidence in a compelling case that describes the heights of Pessac-Léognan. There’s a polish to the structure here—tannins are firm but fine, textured, deeply fruited, but refined. The wine moves with precision, gaining volume through the midpalate, and then narrows again into a finish that just won’t let go. It has clarity, depth, and the kind of length that feels both intentional and earned. This is Grand Vin in form and feel—substantial, composed, and just entering the long stretch of its evolution.

Price: $129.99

Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne

By: John Majeski | Review Date: 8/16/2025 | Send Email

Over the last several years we’ve watched the festive appeal and allure of rosé champagnes swell and multiply, likely because they offer such attractive versatility and red fruit flavors to complement cuisines from Caribbean-inspired pork dishes to deep-fried tempura. And fortunately we carry a range of superb styles to cover every budget. This direct-import rosé is a riveting, fruity version with a blend of Pinot Noir and Meunier fermented in both tank and French oak, aged for a minimum of three years before disgorging. Aromas of strawberry, citrus fruits and peach merge into a tantalizing palate of grapefruit and pomegranate with an undertow of spice, minerality and toasted brioche.

Price: $39.99

Wild Turkey 8 Year Old "K&L Exclusive" TY-Q 5th Floor Single Barrel 24-6130 Kentucky Straight RyeWhiskey

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 8/15/2025 | Send Email

When I visited Wild Turkey in 2017, I had the chance to taste some 10-year-old rye straight from the barrel with Eddie and Bruce Russell (braggy name-drop, I know. But it was pretty cool). At the time, I asked if I could get a private barrel of the rye, and they were a bit tight-lipped about it. Apparently, these were extremely limited back then - maybe only ten released per year. Oh well. The fact is, Wild Turkey doesn’t make much rye, especially compared to the other big Kentucky producers. Their 101 rye is a bartender favorite, and the Russell’s Reserve rye has its own devoted following. Last year, though, they seemed to open things up, and we here at K&L were lucky enough to land this fantastic barrel. This 8-year, 9-month-old whiskey is a beautiful expression of the Lawrenceburg legend, made with a 51/37/12 mashbill that uses as little rye as legally allowed. The nose is fruity, with peaches, bananas, and cherries rising to the surface. Milk chocolate brownies and a touch of chamomile round out the aromas even before the first sip. On the palate, the rye character emerges with pepper and black tea notes, while the cinnamon-dusted chocolate brownies and fruit salad flavors continue to shine. The finish lingers with tea and roasted caramel, without a hint of harshness. For a whiskey that’s known to be on the rugged side, this one has a welcome elegance. I’m grateful we have it all to ourselves.

Price: $79.99

2021 Vine Mind Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale South Australia

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/15/2025 | Send Email

Vine Mind is a side project from winemakers Jen Gardner and Colin McBryde of Adelina winery and the Some Young Punks label. As they describe it, Vine Mind allows them to explore different blends and regions, all made in an approachable, ready-to-drink style. The pair met while students at the University of Adelaide, where both earned phDs in microbiology. After many combined years of working at various wineries in the region, they took over the reins at Adelina, where Jen’s parents are the longtime owners and where Jen grew up. Although Adelina is located in the Clare Valley, Jen and Colin also source old vine fruit for the Vine Mind wines from other nearby regions in South Australia, including McLaren Vale. The 2021 Vine Mind Shiraz Cabernet is a classic expression of the famed region. Located about 45 minutes south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale has a warm and dry Mediterranean climate but its proximity to the Gulf of St. Vincent lends a cooling effect to the region. McLaren Vale is also the oldest winemaking region in South Australia, and many of the vines here are decades-old, gnarled survivors. Medium-bodied, with densely packed red plum, currant and blackberry notes, this unoaked blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe and plush on the palate, reflecting the warmth of the region, yet it has a refreshing lift on the palate.

Price: Hidden

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Simon Li | Review Date: 8/15/2025 | Send Email

This 2019 Pauillac from our discovery series is something else entirely. The first thing I got was this wave of ripe of black plum and black cherry, giving it a really rich and inviting feel right away. But underneath, that classic cassis and a cool, earthy vibe remind you that it's still a serious Pauillac. What really gets me is the texture; its got this great structure and firm tannins that give it powerful backbone, but it's not aggressive at all. It feels both plush and powerful at the same time. This is one of those bottles that's impressive enough to lay down for few years, but also really good to enjoy it as its young as well. And for this pricing is unbeatable!

Price: $29.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 8/14/2025 | Send Email

Our first Discovery Series wine! We're starting with this Bordeaux, then, in the coming months, a Barolo, Cote-du-Rhone, and Champagne! This Bordeaux hails from the world renown left-bank Bordeaux subregion of Pauillac, known for its full-bodied, rich, mineral driven Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blends (this one is 51% Cab, 49% Merlot) , and is from the universally lauded 2019 vintage. The 2019s are cellar worthy and characterized by their power, elegance, and balance. This is a classified Chateau (we don't know which one!) and the pedigree of the vintage screams BIG TIME DEAL for a wine that will age and evolve for the next 20 + years. Old school Bordeaux notes of sweet tobacco, wet stone minerality (from Pauillac's famous gravel soils!), mint, graphite, cassis, dark plum, chocolate, dark cherry, vanilla, earth, and chewy tannins that will round out with a little more age!

Price: $29.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 8/14/2025 | Send Email

This 2019 Pauillac is exactly what Bordeaux should be—classic, honest, and full of character. It hits you first with cassis, blackberry, and that unmistakable graphite note. The tannins are firm but refined, letting the fruit shine without getting bossy. It’s drinking beautifully now, but has the backbone to go the distance. Frankly, at this price, you’d be crazy not to stash a few bottles away.

Price: $29.99

2024 Oakridge "Over the Shoulder" Pinot Noir Victoria

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/14/2025 | Send Email

Made by 20-plus-year Yarra Valley winemaker David Bicknell, the Over the Shoulder is an entry-level offering from Oakridge. Light-bodied and sprightly on the palate, this is an easygoing expression of Pinot Noir, with loads of crunchy red fruit, hibiscus and red licorice. An incredible price for a youthful, fun style! This wine could also be chilled slightly and enjoyed on a warm, sunny day.

Price: Hidden

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Michael Benoit | Review Date: 8/14/2025 | Send Email

This 2019 Pauillac is the first bottling in our new Discovery series, and does it ever deliver! The nose is classic Pauillac, with powerful aromas of blackberry and graphite and hints of cracked black peppercorn. On the palate this wine is still youthful, with rich black plum fruit, and grippy but fine-grained tannins. Hints of tobacco leaf and smoked meat give a preview of what's to come with continued aging. This wine is a great introduction to Pauillac for drinkers just getting into Bordeaux, and at this price, a perfect bottle for burgers on the grill tonight or to cellar and pair with a special steak dinner a few years from now.

Price: $29.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 8/14/2025 | Send Email

I love the idea of our discovery series. This series presents an opportunity to learn/discover more about famous wine regions. I think it is appropriate that we start this series off with Pauillac. This is arguably the most important/prestigious subregion of Bordeaux. I cannot think of a better vintage to start with: 2019, which, among all the recent vintages, could be the most charming. This wine is TEXTBOOK Pauillac! That first sip hit my palate, and my first two thoughts were delicious! and Pauillac! The structure and mouthfeel of this wine is the platonic ideal of Pauillac. This is a roadmap to the great wines of the region. And it is at a great value. This is an incredible teaching opportunity; there is a QR code on the back that will deliver your lessons. However, this wine is just delicious, you might open this with the intention of doing some homework, but it is distractingly tasty, and I can see those plans being quickly abandoned. This is something to be enjoyed first and foremost, so I understand if it takes a bottle or two before you get to your lessons. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series.

Price: $29.99

2021 Halcon Estate Yorkville Highlands Syrah

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/13/2025 | Send Email

Today we have an incredible offer on one of the most spectacular and singular Syrah's in California. We have long been fans of Halcon here at K&L and this incredible estate is now taking it to the next level under the ownership of Pax Mahle (Pax Wines) and Baron Ziegler (Marine Layer Wines). The estate is located high in the remote and rugged Yorkville Highlands close to Anderson Valley in Mendocino. The vines grow at 2,500 ft elevation in extremely rocky soils of fractured schist and quartz. The nutrient depleted soils and wind exposure means the vines produce tiny yields of thick skinned grapes packed with intense flavor and concentration. Vinification is very low tech and traditional following traditions of the Northen Rhône Valley. Fruit is hand-picked, block by block, fermented using 100% whole-clusters and native yeast. The must is foot-trodden for gentle extraction. The wine is then matured in a mixture of new and seasoned French oak. Right from the first sniff this is an intense wine. Big aromas of potpourri, forest berries, camphor, hints of leather and savory spice tones. Medium-plus bodied with inky concentration and a plush mid-palate of fine but mouth-coating tannins. Fragrant and perfumed, but dense and concentrated at the same time. Dark fruit, mountain chapparal, graphite, and red meat on hot cast iron. A powerful but nuanced wine really showing the special qualities of this world-class vineyard site. No one plants or buys a vineyard at 2,500 ft up a remote, rugged mountain because it's convenient, they do it because the have a conviction that the place can produce something truly special, and that something is plain to see here.

Price: Hidden

2015 Suduiraut, Sauternes (375ml)

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/13/2025 | Send Email

With near-perfect, best-in-class press, an exceptional vintage, a touch of bottle age, and one of Bordeaux’s premier producers behind it, 2015 Château Suduiraut is easily one of the sharpest buys in collectible wine—and an absolute joy to taste. Our recently landed parcel comes direct from the estate, and the 375ml format makes it an especially compelling addition to any cellar. I always recommend keeping Sauternes on hand, but if you're looking for an experience that shows the heights of the style—at a price that makes opening a bottle feel easy, and with impeccable provenance—this is it. Aromatically, it’s a panoply of stone fruit, kiwi, orange blossom, and ever-evolving nuance as it opens in the glass. On the palate, the texture is refined, but the flavor is explosive: grilled pineapple, honeycomb, peach, and Meyer lemon, with a sweetness and acidity in perfect harmony. The balance of botrytis, sugar, and freshness is masterful—rich but never fatiguing, endlessly complex, and deeply layered. This is a true rival to the greatest Sauternes of the past decade, and I think it might even give Yquem a run for its money in one of the region's great vintages, 2015. Open it now or cellar it for decades. Either way, if you keep just one Sauternes on hand, make it this one—it punches far above its price and delivers a world-class experience every time.

Price: $44.99

JD: 99

RP: 98

TWI: 98

2020 Gloria, St-Julien

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 8/13/2025 | Send Email

I think Jane Anson put it best, calling Gloria “St-Julien’s secret weapon” in a 20-year vertical where this 2020 took top billing. If I had any bones to pick, it’s that it was our secret weapon first! Either way, it hardly matters—as long as Gloria keeps delivering incredible value like this. For an all-too-reasonable price, you get a serious, compelling, and delicious St-Julien with typicité, character, and the structure to age effortlessly for decades. The density of the 2020 vintage shows here in its concentrated texture, deep red-to-black fruits, and a finish lined with fine, mouth-coating tannins wrapped around a fresh core of acidity. Yet for all that density, it’s immediately rewarding and delicious. I remember it being a star at our UGC tasting a few years ago—a standout even among a roomful of show-stealers. This is one I’ll be thrilled to have in my cellar for years to come, and at this price, it’s all too easy to recommend you do the same. For a top-notch Left Bank gem that hits every mark, 2020 Gloria is a can’t-miss buy.

Price: $49.99

2022 Nga Waka Pinot Noir Martinborough

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/12/2025 | Send Email

Martinborough, located at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island, has long been regarded as one of the best winegrowing regions in the New World for Pinot Noir and the 2022 Nga Waka is such a classic — and value-oriented — offering from this corner of the world. Balancing vibrant red and black fruit with a distinct savory component and subtle spiciness, this Pinot Noir has bright, refreshing acidity and a plush, easygoing mouthfeel. 2022 was the one of the last vintages produced by longtime Nga Waka winemaker Roger Parkinson, who managed over three decades of harvests at the estate. And while 2022 was a wetter than normal vintage in Martinborough, the free-draining gravel soils of the region, which itself is located on the bench of the Ruamahanga River, handled these conditions with ease. The result is a wine that is ready to drink now, with wide open fruit aromatics and flavors. This is a great choice to pop open on a movie night at home or a casual backyard dinner. Its friendly, approachable style and wide range of food pairing possibilities make this one a crowd pleaser.

Price: Hidden

SK: 94

Wild Turkey 8 Year Old 101 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 8/12/2025 | Send Email

Guess who’s back… back again… 8 year's back… tell a friend. Not seen in the U.S. since 1992, the 8 Year Old 101 proof has returned from our friends at Wild Turkey. Bruce Russell - the son of Eddie and grandson of Jimmy - is at the helm of this new permanent fixture in the lineup, and it’s a wonderful complement to the standard non-age-statement 101, which is said to be about 6–7 years old. The extra age and more selective barrel choices make this an elevated dram, even on par with some of the Russell’s Reserve releases. The classic Wild Turkey sweetness and spice are here, but with added depth and richness. The nose offers kettle corn, graham cracker crust, black pepper, cloves, and a touch of orange oil. The first sip pushes that orange oil toward chocolate-covered oranges, joined by spicy pie crust, burnt caramel, and sweet oak in a rich, coating mouthfeel. The finish brings the signature charred oak, baking spices, and vanilla tobacco. This is everything I love about Wild Turkey: robust without being rough, playful without being gimmicky, and a reminder of how special it is that this family is still doing it right after all these years.

Price: $29.99

2023 Eric Kent "Sascha Marie - Roberts Road Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/12/2025 | Send Email

The nose on this opens up just so expressive and pretty, loads of both red and black cherries, just a touch of ripe raspberry, and something very slightly earthy and tarry in the very back. The palate is just a little rich, fairly medium bodied, and really fruit-driven. There's just loads more red and black cherries, super ripe raspberry, and some sweet cranberry towards the ends. The finish is long and lingering, with a little bit of toasty barrel spice coming up, but this just helps round out those corners, and then at the end a little bit of that very slightly tarry note that just makes the wine feel a bit bigger than it is, giving it a little bit of a savory finish.

Price: Hidden

2024 Château Vitallis Mâcon-Fuissé

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/12/2025 | Send Email

There's something kind of reassuring about sticking your nose in a glass of wine and getting back the exact notes you were expecting to get. There's a really pretty soft green apple, with a little touch of ripe pear, and then a little slice of lemon on top of the whole thing, with just soft and light spice note buried down deep. The palate is clean and delicious, exactly what you want it to be. There's a good level of acidity, and the fruit is all really nice. There's more apple and pear, with a really nice splash of lemon, and a very slightly spiced finish. The palate is mid-rich with a really nice mouthfeel and overall good weight. This is a crazy amount of wine for just $18, and for people who think that Burgundy doesn't have any good values, I point at this most expressively with both hands.

Price: $19.99

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

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/11/2025 | Send Email

This exceptional brand is the brainchild of Edoardo "Lalo" Orendain. He's not resting on his family's legacy and created a new and exciting brand with the help of Rare Character founder Pete Nevenglosky. Together they're pushing the old distillery to new heights. It's particularly interesting to have a single barrel of the family brand on the shelf at the same time - the Arette barrel being selected from proof down samples, while the Paladar drawn straight from the cask having been proofed in advance of aging. Let's go. The color is a striking golden ripe corn (0.4). The nose is expressive and nearly tropical in its aromatic profile offering sweet ripe guava, hints of pineapple and exotic spices. With further aeration a sweet fresh vanilla bean character and a wild flower note poke through the pungent basket of tropical orchard fruits. The palate is surprisingly rich and spicy, with sweet oak, gorgeous velvety texture and a purity of character that's rarely matched in single cask tequila. Not to be overly effusive, but this is the closest we've gotten to the sweet supple single barrel Fortaleza's in modern bottlings. A super secret that absolutely delivers a hugely satisfying experience.

Price: $84.99

2022 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Victoria

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/9/2025 | Send Email

Oakridge's Henk Vineyard wines have always been extremely popular here with staff and customers alike. The is 2022 release is no exception. A distinctly pretty nose of rose petals, dark strawberry, tart cherry, light forest floor and baked cinnamon. On the palate, it is also very pretty. It starts out softly with dark cherry pie flavors, sweet (and slightly tangy) spice, a little saline and mellow fresh oak. All wrapped in medium-bodied weight and a lingering finish of hard cherry candy. Very easy to drink and versatile enough to match up with a plethora of foods. Great value, too!

Price: Hidden

JH: 96

JS: 94

RP: 91

Caves Messias Santola "Crab Wine" Vinho Verde

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

Fizzy, fresh and fun — what's not to like about the Crab Wine? Clocking in at only 9% alcohol, with the slightest touch of sweetness on the palate, there's a reason why we've kept this wine in stock for over a decade. Simply delicious and dangerously drinkable, this is a crisp, refreshing style of Vinho Verde bursting with zesty lemo, lime and juicy peach that is perfect for sipping by the pool in the sun.

Price: $9.99

2022 Nga Waka Pinot Noir Martinborough

By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 8/8/2025 | Send Email

A playful rebel in Pinot's clothing - bright red fruit and earthy spice wrapped in an easy, almost careless charm. There's a subtle funk that keeps it interesting, and a surprising weight from it's generous alcohol content, adding warmth without sacrificing freshness. Effortless to drink, dangerously easy to finish, and just the right amount of wild.

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SK: 94

2007 Mannochmore 17 Year "Single Cask Nation" Charred Red Wine #173445 Single Barrel Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 8/8/2025 | Send Email

This beautiful Speyside expression unlocks rich and decadent flavors from a distillery that primarily supplies the malt for blends like Haig and Pinch. The nose unfolds with bright orange oils, graham cracker crust, toffee and hay. On the palate there is a bit of a berry sweetness that complements the rich woodiness. Warm earthy oak, charred pineapple, and buttered toast remain on this long and elegant finish.

Price: $164.99

2009 Teaninich 15 Year Old "Single Cask Nation" Charred Red Wine #162418 Single Barrel Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 8/8/2025 | Send Email

Here we have a special selection from another distillery whose primary role is supplying malt for major blends, mainly Diageo labels like Johnnie Walker and Buchanan’s. What makes this distillery unique is its use of a mash filter, which produces a clearer wort and leads to a vibrant, grassy spirit. Even after 15 years of aging, including three and a half years in refill charred red wine barrique casks, that fresh, green foundation still shines through. Notes of fresh hay and honey take the lead, supported by jammy stone fruit and bright Highland heather. The finish is long and oily, with flavors of orange blossom honey, milk chocolate, and toasted pastry lingering beautifully.

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2022 Tormaresca "Torcicoda" Primitivo Salento

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 8/7/2025 | Send Email

From the sun-drenched Salento peninsula in Puglia, the "heel" of Italy's boot, comes this exceptional Primitivo from Tormaresca. This estate represents the Antinori family's passion project in southern Italy, blending their centuries of Tuscan winemaking expertise with the unique terroir of Puglia. "Torcicoda" is a modern, polished expression of Primitivo, sourced from the estate's best vineyards to create a wine with both power and grace. In the glass, it pours a deep, opaque ruby. The nose is rich and inviting, bursting with aromas of ripe blackberry, plum jam, and black cherries, layered with sweet notes of vanilla, cocoa, and a hint of cinnamon from its time in oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, velvety, and smooth, with plush tannins that coat the mouth. The dark fruit flavors are concentrated and jammy but beautifully balanced by a subtle acidity that keeps the wine from feeling heavy. The finish is long and warm, with lingering notes of sweet spice and dark chocolate. This is a perfect companion for hearty dishes like barbecue ribs, braised lamb shanks, or aged, hard cheeses.

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JS: 91

WS: 91

2019 Malgiacca 'Malgiacca' Super Tuscan

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 8/7/2025 | Send Email

This is a rare and deeply personal wine from the hills of Lucca in Tuscany, crafted with methods that feel like a beautiful echo from the past. The 2019 Malgiacca is not a typical Tuscan red; it's an artisanal field blend and a labor of love. The heart of the wine is about 50% Sangiovese, supported by a diverse cast of traditional Tuscan grapes like Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo, alongside Italian and international varieties including Barbera, Merlot, and Syrah. The winemaking is profoundly traditional: grapes are destemmed by hand over a sieve, crushed by foot, and fermented with native yeasts in small, open-top vats. After a challenging, humid spring, the winemaker’s dedication in the vineyard paid off, yielding perfectly ripe, savory grapes. The wine then matured for 12 months in mostly used oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered. The resulting wine unites finesse with a rich Mediterranean soul. The nose shows detailed fruit, nuances of forest floor, and savory, iron-like mineral notes. On the palate, it is deep and balanced, with spicy and balsamic undertones. A truly authentic wine for those seeking character over polish.

Price: $24.99

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$19.99

2021 Azienda Sacco "Aleis" Falanghina

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 8/7/2025 | Send Email

Producer/Historical Fact: Falanghina is an ancient grape variety, believed to be the basis of the legendary Falernian wine of the Roman Empire. It was nearly lost to phylloxera but has made a triumphant comeback. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with a rounder, softer texture than its Campanian cousins, showcasing ripe stone fruit and a gentle, refreshing acidity.

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2018 Sportoletti "Villa Fidelia" Rosso

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 8/7/2025 | Send Email

The 2018 Sportoletti "Villa Fidelia" Rosso highlights the refined and refined nature of Umbrian wines which represent the most excellent red wines of Central Italy. The Sportoletti family presents this wine by 70% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc while upholding their dedication to quality and local character. The vineyards of this blend are located in the Assisi area of Italy where the clay-limestone soils and temperate climate allow for slow and balanced ripening. The wine presents itself in a deep ruby color when held against the light. Aromatic scents of black cherry along with blackberry and cassis meet with violet and graphite and vanilla and sweet spices. Forest floor scents and tobacco notes emerge subtly in the wine. This full-bodied Villa Fidelia shows velvety texture together with ripe tannins and vibrant acidity that keeps the dark fruit flavors fresh. The plum and blackcurrant and dark chocolate flavors are balanced by cedar and clove notes before a long-structured finish. This wine complements roasted lamb and aged Pecorino as well as hearty pasta meals and requires 5 to 7 years of age. A beautiful Umbrian red wine that harmoniously unites intense character with refined elegance.

Price: $14.99

2022 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Victoria

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 8/6/2025 | Send Email

Vibrant and expressive, the 2022 Oakridge “Henk Vineyard” Pinot Noir is hands-down one of the best values we import from the Southern Hemisphere. With a host of high scores year after year, this wine delivers incredible value for a very reasonable price. Sourced from a single vineyard in the Woori Yallock area of the Yarra Valley, the aspect is north-facing — ideal for fully ripening grapes in the cool climate of the region. The wine is joyously youthful still, bursting with pretty aromas of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. On the palate the wine is more savory, with faint dried green herbs, turmeric and an almost autumnal element of dried leaves and loam. The finish is long and lingering. Altogether, this is an excellent example of an approachable, ready-to-drink Pinot Noir with refreshing acidity and supple, well-integrated tannins providing backbone. This is so enjoyable on its own but would also be great with appetizers and small bites, or even a wood-fired pizza straight from the oven.

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JH: 96

JS: 94

RP: 91

2021 Villa Bucci Verdicchio Classico dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/6/2025 | Send Email

A highly collectible flagship wine, the 2021 Bucci Villa Bucci is tightly corseted, wasp-waisted, and sensational. Densely flavored with radiant Eureka lemon, fresh fennel bulb and chalk hint that this is not quite at the age of consent. There will be so much more to unpack at a later date. Covet this one in your cellar until 2030 and beyond. Composed of 100% Verdicchio that will rock your world.

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JS: 92

2023 Vignamato Versus IGT Marche

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 8/6/2025 | Send Email

The 2023 Vignamato Versus IGT Marche presents an intricate baroque tapestry of flavor. Flourishes of honeyed pear slices and baked quince are masterfully interwoven with finely grated Eureka lemon zest and fragrant white blossoms. It’s medium-bodied yet dry, crisp, and minerally. One could bring this bottle to the dinner table with a confident swagger and a grin.

Price: $24.99

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$19.99

2018 Sportoletti "Villa Fidelia" Rosso

By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

This one is for sure for my value driven crowd - this wine completely over-delivers for the price. Rich with a tiny bit of rustic characteristics, this Bordeaux blend hits all the right notes for my new world wine lovers. Dense but soft, this wine has aromatics of earth, touch of leather, and dried plums and blueberries - on the palate you get a little savory herbs, well integrated oak and baking spice, and grippy but approachable tannin. You want a wine to go with some steak, prime ribs, or fatty pork belly? This is the wine that'll take on all three no problem.

Price: $14.99

2018 Ink Grade "Andosol" Napa Valley Proprietary Red

By: Mariah Mier | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

"Ink" is an appropriate name for this wine—plush, full-bodied midnight black fruit from the zinfandel mingles with the silky yet robust tannins of the cabernet sauvignon. This is a lot of wine for the price!

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2021 Azienda Sacco "Aleis" Falanghina

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

While there's some fruit for sure, the more savory notes in the wine come out first. There's a dense minerality, and the lightest hint of something that kind of is reaching towards a Riesling-petrol note, but not quite getting there, maybe an extension of the minerality. Underneath that is really pretty crisp green apple, juicy and pithy lemon, and some white flowers. The palate is round and moderately deep, fairly weighty overall and the fruit is all a little honeyed, despite the wine being totally bone dry. There's a little bit of fatness to the palate, coupled with a little bit of a barrel note that make me want something with this, some chicken, pork, and grilled fish all sound great - but you could also just go for it and pair it solely with a glass. Every day is your own Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book.

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2023 Vignamato Versus IGT Marche

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

Yet another new wine grape for me, this time I don't feel like I'm some kind of ignorant wretch for not having heard it is, this wine is made completely from Incrocio Bruni, which is a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Verdicchio. You definitely can understand that parentage once you get your nose in the glass, there's a definite sort of blending there, there's a little bit of grassy notes and a little bit of pithy citrus fruit, but there's also a weightier and rounder mouthfeel. This is yet another lovely summer wine, round and plump and juicy. The palate is crisp and has a lot of citrus, but there's a little bit of white peach as well. Refreshing but not crazy acidity. Just another lovely little pool wine that you can have with whatever you want, but all you need is fun in the sun and this wine nice and cold in your glass. It's the total equation for a delightful summer day. Other people optional.

Price: $24.99

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$19.99

Bresolin "Cabernet Sauvignon " DOC Montello Colli Asolani

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

This is just absolutely great Cabernet Sauvignon for this price. The fruit on the nose is just a little creamy, the oak is super well integrated into wine. Ripe blackberry, black cherry, just a little bit of dried and fresh herbs. The palate has such a really nice uplifted fruit, black cherry and blackberry are the foremost, but there's also a little strawberry as well, a little bit of those dried and fresh herbs, and then a nice and lingering finish with just a little bit of barrel spice on there. This is such an approachable and easy to drink bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's really delicious. It's definitely not a huge or explosive bottle, but it's got everything you really need, and it delivers it so pleasantly. As I'm sitting here writing, the finish is still going, and there's just this lovely little toast on the tip of my tongue. I might have to get a few of these.

Price: $24.99

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$19.99

2022 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso

By: John Archuleta | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

Lacryma Christi is probably one of my favorite little niche styles of Italian wines - coming from *the* benchmark producer Mastroberardino, this Piedirosso is light, elegant, and everything I want out of a summer red. On the nose it is very savory - you get notes of pepper, warm spice, and a little bit of sulfur - but on the palate it is incredibly fruit forward; notes of fresh cranberry, underripe black cherry, with underlying notes of basil. You can certainly serve this on a chill, as the tannins are very light and acidity nice and high. Serve with lamb, lean pork, or any lemony chicken dish.

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2022 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

I feel so fortunate getting a chance to review all of these Italian wines we tasted today hours afterwards again, they benefit so much more from that time open than most other wines. While I remember liking this wine this morning, right now it's just absolutely stunning. There's such a pretty quality to the nose, and even the color is really lovely just a little bit translucent in the glass. The nose has a creaminess to it, peppered with red and black fruits, dried herbs, purple flowers, and a little bit of tarry earth at the finish. The palate is light and extremely elegant, there's a lot of crunchy fruits, with cranberry, pomegranate seeds, underripe raspberry, more dried herbs, and a little bit of spice. This has great acidity and just a light grip of tannins, a wine that wouldn't complain about being chilled down just a bit. I want to have this with a braised meat, or some pasta, maybe even a piece of firm but not too aged cheese. Absolutely perfect summer red.

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2018 Ink Grade "Andosol" Napa Valley Proprietary Red

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

Back in 2018 when Gaylon Lawrence purchased the iconic Heitz Cellars the deal included some 425 acres of vineyards around Napa Valley. One such vineyard was Ink Grade. Originally planted in 1873 by Theron Ink, this mountainside has long been recognized as a special place to grow grapes. The site was so distinctive the team decided to create a new brand based entirely around this historic and dramatic vineyard. Situated on the eastern slopes of Howell Mountain (parts of the vineyard are just below the official AVA boundary and thus labelled as Napa valley). The vineyard has numerous blocks many carved into the hillside as steep terraces. It's a wild, remote, mountainous site that produces dramatic wines. Under Heitz family stewardship the site has been farmed using meticulous organic forming methods since the 1980s. This continues today with CCOF and Biodynamic certification. Since 2018 winemaker Matt Taylor has sought to define this unique terroir by capturing the raw, rugged land in refined elegant wines. The wines are fermented with native yeast, aged for 24 months primarily in large format oak casks and foudre with another portion going into top quality new French oak. The 2018 Andosol Red Blend combines mountain-grown Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Zin brings deep brambly fruit, blackberry and kirsch. The Cabernet adds big, bold structure, hints of cassis, Bay laurel, and graphite. The wine is a distinctive mineral core from the volcanic tufa soils, and some savory mountain chapparal elements add more intrigue. As with establishing any new brand, despite top pedigree and getting great scores from the critics, the winery was a little long on inventory and made us a sweet deal on this wine! We're offering it at more than 50% off the original price and at least $15 a bottle less than elsewhere!

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Kanosuke Single Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml)

By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 8/5/2025 | Send Email

One of the most exciting whisky releases of the last year, Kanosuke finally comes to an approachable price point, and I could not be happier. The quality on display here is unrivaled in Japanese whisky at this cost. It even gives single malt Scotch a run for its money. The nose starts strong with big oak and vanilla, but there's more nuance than apparent at first whiff. White flowers, tropical fruit, candied citrus and confectioners sugar lie just beneath the heavy base notes. The palate is soft but structured, offering far more complexity than you could expect from relatively young whisky. Peaches drizzled with condensed milk, sweet grain, toasted oak and a kick of spice make the first impression. But a thread of saline and earthy umami from the coastal aging and the recharred shochu casks counter the sweeter flavors and round out the whole package. What keeps me coming back though is the elegance and purity of it. This will strike some fans of Japanese whisky as odd or strong, but I believe it hits all the hallmarks that separate Japanese malt from Scottish. It's perfectly composed without a single note out of place. I dare say it will convert some Scotch drinkers who thought Japanese whisky too light or too expensive, because at the end of the day, it's just exceptional whisky.

Price: $79.99

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