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Staff Favorites
| If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers! |
Reviews
2021 Paradigm Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/25/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/25/2025 | Send Email
Paradigm has long been a hidden gem in Napa Valley. This stunning estate sits in a near perfect spot on the west Oakville bench, hallowed ground from world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Right next door is Opus One's parcel of To Kalon. Other neighbors include Christian Moueix' Ulysses Estate, Martha's Vineyard, and Vine Hill Ranch. The relatively southern position in the valley and afternoon shade from the Mayacamas Range mean this estate is perfectly suited to producing classically styled, Bordeaux inspired, complex, layered and age worthy Cabernet.
When this magical terroir is combined with the exceptional winemaking skills of one of the valley's truly icons, Heidi Peterson Barrett. Referred to by Robert Parker as "the Queen of Cult Cabernet," Barret's resume includes many decades at some of the region's top estates - Screaming, Dalla Valle.
and more.
Despite this pedigree and sheer quality, Paradigm has stayed somewhat under the radar. They don't have a big marketing machine behind them. The wines have rarely been submitted to writers and critics. Because of this the pricing of the wines has remained very reasonable compared to many of the $300-400 per bottle neighbors.
The 2021 Paradigm hits a perfect balance between the natural intensity and power of Napa Cab with the nuance and complexity of a more refined, structural presence on the palate. Blackcurrant, mulberry, hints of mint and bay laurel, tobacco leaf. Inky and concentrated, but vibrant and perfumed. There's enough puppy far to make this wine accessible right away and it's delicious right out of the bottle. However, if you have ability and / or patience to lay some down in the cellar I have no doubt this wine will continue to improve over 5-8 years and will likely sail on to 2050. This is the real deal, no fluff, just incredible dirt, meticulous farming, expert winemaking.
Foss Marai "Cartizze" Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Dry
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/19/2025 | Send Email
The crown jewel of Prosecco, this Superiore di Cartizze Dry comes from the most prestigious vineyard in Valdobbiadene DOCG. With a generous, velvety texture and layers of golden apple, ripe peach, honeysuckle, and toasted almond, which is the ultimate luxurious Prosecco, best for special occasion and fine dining.
Price:
$29.99
Foss Marai "Guia" Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Millesimato Brut
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/19/2025 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 3/19/2025 | Send Email
A single-vintage (Millesimato) Prosecco that highlights the precision and purity of Glera from a standout harvest year. This Brut is drier and more mineral-driven, with crisp acidity and layers of citrus, acacia blossom, and stone fruit. A state-of-the-art, delicate Prosecco that pairs superbly with seafood and sensitive dishes.
Price:
$21.99
2021 Paradigm Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/18/2025 | Send Email
An intense and brooding nose rife with blackberry compote and cream, black cherry lozenge, and hints of purple and white flowers. Behind that is orange zest, touches of cedar and oak spices along with a bit of sugary roasted tobacco. The palate, while firm and more than a little grippy is rich and supple, lots more fresh bramble fruits and tart cherry that's backed by floral and dark green herb sachets. There's such an impressive length and finish to this wine. There's a plushness and opulence to the fruit, but it doesn't go overboard into jammy or overly fruited territory. With the level of the tannin and opulence of the wine, I'm going to have to declare this is a fat potato wine, get that ribeye and just go bonkers.
2019 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 3/17/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 3/17/2025 | Send Email
Branaire has long been a favorite of ours, consistently overdelivering for its modest price, aging beautifully, and maximizing the potential of its enviable terroir in the heart of St-Julien. In recent years, François-Xavier Maroteaux has taken it to another level—excelling not only in great vintages like 2019 but also outperforming expectations in more challenging years.
Today, we’re lucky to taste one of their finest: the 2019. It captures the warm, open character of the vintage while maintaining the density and structure for long-term aging. The red-fruit core leans into deep, rich tones, accented by hints of cedar, tobacco, and mint. But it’s the focus and texture that steal the show—fine tannins, great concentration of fruit, and remarkable balance, never feeling heavy.
A true gem among overachieving Left Bank reds, Branaire-Ducru is a surefire winner in 2019.
Sake Ono Junmai Daiginjo Sake (300ml)
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/14/2025 | Send Email
If you're looking for a clean and bright sake that will pair well with meats and cheeses and vegetables, look no further. This is it! Of course, it will also pair very well with sashimi and sushi. Clean and quite bright, with light to medium body, it has mellow citrus flavors with white melon and tart green fruits. It widens slightly on the mid-palate and expands with a very nice hint of creaminess. Simply put, it's pretty much perfect with a huge array of foods or just as enjoyable by itself or even in a cocktail. They even gave me a recipe for a Vesper martini with this sake as a key ingredient. That also looks delicious!
Price:
Hidden
Sake Ono Junmai Daiginjo Sake (720ml)
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/14/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/14/2025 | Send Email
If you're looking for a clean and bright sake that will pair well with meats and cheeses and vegetables, look no further. This is it! Of course, it will also pair very well with sashimi and sushi. Clean and quite bright, with light to medium body, it has mellow citrus flavors with white melon and tart green fruits. It widens slightly on the mid-palate and expands with a very nice hint of creaminess. Simply put, it's pretty much perfect with a huge array of foods or just as enjoyable by itself or even in a cocktail. They even gave me a recipe for a Vesper martini with this sake as a key ingredient. That also looks delicious!
Price:
$39.99
2023 Common Thread "Tasona Nafare Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/8/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/8/2025 | Send Email
This classically styled Syrah has dark cherries, smoke, savory spice and dark cassis fruit. There is the perfect amount of tannin and clean oak to keep things interesting and pure. It is both traditional and sleek, at once. Compare it to your favorite Northern Rhone!
Origami "Angelfish" Junmai Daiginjo Arkansas Sake (750ml)
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 3/6/2025 | Send Email
Just like wines sourced from vitis vinifera vines grown in American soil, Angelfish is composed of a Japanese rice cultivar planted in American soil—single-origin Yamada Nishiki from Isabell Farms in Central Arkansas to be precise. The Isabells have farmed for five generations and have cultivated rice for more than 70 years. With a seimaibuai of 40%, meaning 60% of the rice has been polished away, the result is an elegant and distinctive sake with rich, fruity flavors. With an SMV of -14, this is a sweeter sake. Fresh honeydew melon rings clear as a bell, with subtle notes of Satsuma orange (Mikan!) and jasmine blossoms. Made at Origami sake brewery in Arkansas by Toji Jusin Potts, a certified Sakasho (Master of Sake), this sake is Kosher certified, vegan, gluten free, and sulfite free — so everyone wins!
Price:
Hidden
2018 Ad Vivum "Sleeping Lady Vineyard" Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 3/6/2025 | Send Email
This is one for the cellar that is likely to continue positive development for another 5+ years, then enjoy a couple decades of perfect drinking. This wine is simply stunning, a perfect reflection of refined and focused power. There’s so much layered intensity and depth, but it's coiled and compacted into the wine’s muscular form. Notes of cassis, lavender, mulberry, briar patch, shaved cedar, cigar box, and graphite. Very fine but multitudinous tannins promise a long life along with the wine’s bright, fresh acidity that makes the aromatics sing. You get the feeling that this wine isn't quite ready to show all its cards quite yet but has the potential to be a perfect wine that can stand toe-to-toe with the best of the best in Napa and beyond.
G4 "de Madera" Blanco Tequila
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 3/6/2025 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 3/6/2025 | Send Email
Without a doubt the El Pandillo Distillery sits at the pinnacle of Tequila production among a small pantheon of great producers. This core group of 6 to 7 distillers in the region aren't the only people making good to tequila, but they're the only distillers I can guarantee only make GREAT tequila and furthermore aren't using the controversial additives that have become ubiquitous in modern tequila production. I know for a fact that none of the greatest of the great distillers ever use additives in any product they bottle. But El Pandillo is particularly special in that their owner and master distillery Felipe Camarena is so experienced and confident, he's not held back by his ego in the pursuit of great tequila. His distillery was already producing some of the regions finest distillate, so why go and change the recipe? Simply put, there are new frontiers to concur. Fermenting in wood, the most traditional and expensive, offers huge hurdles and costs, but it also has the capability to add incredible depth and richness. That is exactly what they've achieved with this exceptional limited release product. Bottled at higher proof and without any additives, G4 achieves a new level of complexity that very few other producers can match, even among the pantheon of greats. The rich powerful aromas of tropical fruit and sweet earthy herbs contrast and impeccable sense of tension on the palate which keeps the vibrant spirit from feeling overly weighty. If you're a diehard Fortaleza fan but are frustrated with the incredibly difficulty it takes to track down a bottle, you'll more than satiated with this stupendous expression. This is contender for the very best Blanco tequila available today, but these yearly releases go surprisingly quick. I'm stocking up for the coming warm months now.
Price:
$54.99
Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 3/5/2025 | Send Email
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 3/5/2025 | Send Email
This is a lovely and elegant Champagne, and what a great deal given what's in the bottle! Fine bubbles, nutty, full of brioche, candied citrus and ginger, all with a spicy backbone due to the French oak used for fermentation. An amazing vineyard site and a ton of lees aging all go into making this a rich, complex, and delicious wine, perfect for appetizers!
Price:
$79.99
2018 Ad Vivum "Sleeping Lady Vineyard" Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/4/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/4/2025 | Send Email
Coming from one of Napa's best vineyards and with enough age to make a wine this huge begin to be approachable, this is a beast of a wine. Inky purple in the glass, the depth of the color is a little imposing and a promise of what's to come. The aroma is powerful and rich, almost heady, with layers of oaken spice and dense blackberry jam. There's huge black currant notes and more stewed bramble fruit towards the back of the nose finishing with fresh cut tobacco, nothing too overwhelming or out of balance. The palate is luxurious, with a silky and smooth mouthfeel that abruptly changes once the tannin comes in, still quite grippy but nothing that you can't instantly solve with a nice rich steak and a fat potato. There's just tons of dark and rich fruit, black cherries, blackberry compote, This is an incredibly impressive and powerful wine that absolutely wants to be decanted for a couple hours ahead of time, but will give you so much with each and every sip.
2023 Common Thread "Tasona Nafare Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/4/2025 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 3/4/2025 | Send Email
Dusty blueberries and violets fill the glass with an almost hedonistic aroma, intense and inviting like a seductive perfume, this tingles the senses. There's a roundness and elegance to the fruit on the nose ending with just a touch of green. The palate has some creamy dark fruits and touches of sawdust, in the most appealing of ways, then a lingering finish with some barrel notes and black olive. This is absolutely delicious and a great little boutique wine that showcases how Syrah in the Santa Cruz Mountains handles that kind of loamy forest terroir.
1998 The Huntley (Balvenie) 25 Year Old "Faultline" K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Hogshead Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 2/20/2025 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 2/20/2025 | Send Email
If you're lucky enough to taste a cask strength single barrel of sherried Balvenie 25 year, it's probably because you ponied up for the Ultra VIP tour at the distillery. You might get a tiny little sip and then find out it's about £1500 a bottle. It's probably worth it considering how absolutely unbelievable these whiskies are when they're old, but I wouldn't be able to swing it, not when barrels like this are sneaking about Scotland. The trade name for this whisky is Burnside and we've had several great ones over the years, but never one in a high quality refill sherry hogshead like this. That barrel take this to the next level and is simply so showy I almost feel bad not charging more, but we're committed to being fair, so profit while you can. Here we go. The color is the most perfect possible burnished copper (1.1). The nose is quintessential offering deep wild honey, Tahitian vanilla, candied ginger, sultanas, fig compote & old jurancon. The palate is incredibly zesty and vibrant with huge orange oils, marmalade, apricote jam, ginger root, honeysuckle, mirabelle, dried tarragon. With water it opens and adds a beautiful lemon oil character, the tiniest cleanest wisp of white smoke, waxy pear and baked apple. This is extremely delicious old school Balvenie that could have easily stood out in their own warehouses. Not at all sure why they would have let this go, but considering we're a quarter of the price of the current 25 year and it's full strength in refill sherry its about the best deal we've ever had from the special Dufftown distillery.
Price:
$250.00
2015 A.D. Coutelas Brut Champagne
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 2/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 2/18/2025 | Send Email
This is a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from 60 year old vines, all from a remarkable vintage. So, what does all that add up to? A big, rich wine, full of ripe stone fruits, lemon curd, and of course toasty brioche. And then there's the bubbles on this thing...precise, sharp, and seemingly never-ending in the glass. This is a powerful wine that you can enjoy now, if you're in the mood for a big, rich glass (like me), or you can cellar this and see how beautifully it's going to develop over the next several years!
Price:
$54.99
A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée 1809" Brut Champagne
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 2/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 2/16/2025 | Send Email
I was blown away by this bottle. There is so much value here for the money. I would put this up against any of the big houses. The quality for the price here is unbelievable. The time and attention this bottle has received is remarkable. Besides the tie around the cork, which is hand-tied in an old, nearly forgotten tradition of Champagne, there is 8 years of lees aging on this bottle! This wine is so rich and complex, full of minerals, and a lovely acidity to balance it all out. Honestly, this wine should be twice the price, but let's not let wine-maker Angelique Coutelas know that!
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 2/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 2/16/2025 | Send Email
Talk about complexity! There is a lot going on here for this pricetag. 70% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, and the real standout for me is the 15% Meunier for some savory complexity. There is fig, apricot, and a hint of clove spice on the palate, with just the right amount acidity to balance it all out. This is a serious Champagne that would love some food so get yourself some cheese and crackers, nuts, and dried fruit and have a wonderful night!
Price:
$37.99
2021 Beaulieu Vineyard "Georges de Latour - Private Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 2/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 2/16/2025 | Send Email
One of the true legends of Napa Valley and 100% worthy of the huge scores and lavish praise from the world's top wine critics. For over 100 years Beaulieu Vineyards, known internationally as a simple "BV" have produced world-class wines from Napa Valley that have in no small part helped cement the region's reputation of excellence. The quality of this wine is firmly rooted in some of the best soil on the planet for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The BV Ranches established over the last century on the west Rutherford bench have been consistent sources of incredible fruit proven time and time again to issue forth powerful and age worthy wines. The 2021 GDL is an absolute classic, a benchmark wine of the region and vintage. The wine is certainly not inexpensive (truly great wines rarely are) however, in the context of Napa Cabernet of this quality and pedigree, it's very hard to beat. In an era where wines of this ilk frequently exceed $500 a bottle, this wine can and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any of those contenders.
2019 Recaredo "Terrers" Brut Nature Corpinnat (Cava)
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 2/13/2025 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 2/13/2025 | Send Email
The nose on this one is so interesting! I caught a whiff of light spearmint, pear puree, clean pine nut, white flowers, lemon. So darn interesting! It has great mouthfeel, too. More richness than expected, with lovely but, not jarring acidity. It is still clean and fresh, though. White orchard fruits, tangy minerals and a citrus that leans more toward mellow than overly acidic. There is a nice herbal note and a very fine bead with creamy mouthfeel. The finish is extremely long and has the pleasant citrus and salt bite that one expects from Brut Nature.
2013 Rare (Piper-Heidsieck) Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 2/11/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 2/11/2025 | Send Email
The incredibly rich, brioche filled style of the Rare is complemented perfectly by the zippier character of the 2013 vintage in Champagne. I find this to be one of the great secrets of the tete de cuvées, with fantastic complexity and truly "rare" elegance. If you like a champagne that has plenty of toast and stuffing, yet still refreshes, this is a great choice. It has the butter, the limy drive, the perfect tiny bubbles and a super long finish!
2016 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
I cannot wait to see where this wine goes over time, but do not let that dissuade you from taking one home now. The nose is a bit quiet, but the length and structure of the palate just about leave you breathless. With excellent farming and sourcing, there is so much to be excited about in this bottle. It may be one of the earlier Tête de Cuvées released, but it is still clear just how much of a knockout the 2016 is. I recommend more than one, because once you pop one cork, you'll be itching to see how it evolves too.
2016 Franck Bonville Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
“Drink me now!”—that’s what this Champagne screams. Time has softened this vintage cuvée beautifully, revealing a honeyed, brioche-kissed nose and a bright streak of zesty acidity, perfectly in sync.Vintage, Grand Cru, at this price, from one of my absolute favorite producers? Say no more, and grab more than one.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
The majority of the elegant Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs—Avize, Oger, and Cramant—are the primary sources for this estate-grown bottle of pure happiness. It beautifully showcases the quintessential chalky, bright, and refined character of this hallowed terroir, complemented by sturdy, refreshing acidity from stainless steel aging. There’s not a single thing I would change about this Champagne—especially its excellent price for such top-tier sourcing.
Franck Bonville Unisson Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
This Champagne captures everything the Côte des Blancs does best—all in a gorgeous bottle, ready to be popped for any occasion you can dream up. Sourced primarily from the Grand Cru village of Avize, with most vines over 30 years old, it balances the creamy elegance of its terroir with vibrant acidity and chalky minerality. The Bonville family’s wines, and especially the Unisson, are a personal go-to, perfect for any Champagne-worthy moment. I’ll leave it to you to decide what qualifies—but I’d argue that just about anything does!
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Nature Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
This exuberant bottle shares the foundation of the Quinconce Brut—only with zero dosage added before release. Like its counterpart, it receives exceptional care throughout production, including an impressive seven years of lees aging. While some Brut Nature cuvées can feel overly racy or unbalanced, lady time has worked her magic here. The laser-like acidity is perfectly tempered by the richness of lees aging and a masterful assemblage, resulting in a wine that is as seamless as it is striking. Simply put, it’s a lifted, bright, and beautifully balanced bubbly—one I can’t wait to pour another glass of.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
The Grande Réserve from this beloved producer is already one of the best values in the store—but for just a few dollars more, you can elevate the experience from a QPR star to something truly remarkable. Like the rest of the Quinconce line, this Champagne spends seven years on the lees, developing the quintessential toasted brioche notes that only time can create. The Chardonnay component brings fresh stone fruit to the nose, while the Pinot Noir carries the depth and richness that come with extended aging. A touch of Meunier adds lift and brightness, perfectly balancing its counterparts. Exceptional in every way, this Champagne may be a value offering, but it leaves you wanting for nothing.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
When a Champagne comes from a single vineyard, is non-vintage, and spends a remarkable seven years on the lees, you typically expect a high price tag—and sometimes a bit of lopsided weight. But this wine defies expectations, clearly benefiting from each of these elements while maintaining an almost unbelievable price point given the level of care in every bottle. It reminds you of all the finer things in life while remaining clean, focused, beautifully structured, and mineral-driven—not to mention, just downright delicious. Perfect for pairing with food, celebrating special moments, or simply elevating any day that needs a bit of sprucing up.
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
By: Chelsea Herholdt | Review Date: 2/6/2025 | Send Email
If you poured this wine for me blind and asked me to guess the price, I’d say it drinks at double or even triple its actual cost. It’s immediately inviting, with a classic toasty nose that reminds me of apple pie. With plenty of reserve wine, a traditional brut dosage, and extended lees aging, I expected a certain richness on the palate—and it delivers. But alongside that luxurious texture is a bright vein of acidity that lifts everything, making it both cozy and refreshing at once. My advice? Buy one for yourself, one for your friends, and one for your family. And by one, I mean one case!
2019 Lagrange, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 2/4/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 2/4/2025 | Send Email
Lagrange is a name to keep an eye on these days, quickly elevating from charming St-Julien to a best-in-class buy. I think this 2019 is a watershed vintage for the estate and a superb upside buy. Aromatically, there's a red flower potpourri, loam, and a core of perfectly ripe red cherry. The palate is graceful, with a beautiful texture, super-fine tannins, juicy cherry skin, subtle gravel minerality, and a long, driven finish. This really highlights the quality of Cabernet (80% of the blend) in the 2019 vintage and almost leans toward Pauillac in structure, while having the give and softness of St-Julien. A compelling wine and real gem, 2019 Lagrange is a wine that deserves more acclaim than it gets—but all the better for anybody looking for one of the savviest buys of this great vintage.
Billecart-Salmon "Le Rosé" Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 2/4/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 2/4/2025 | Send Email
This is the benchmark in rose Champagne, and it deserves every bit of its fame. I find it elegant and balanced every time that I have it, and the blushing pink color is always perfect. The supply of this wine is strictly limited by the amount of old, massal selected Pinot Noir in one village- Mareuil-sur-Ay, that Billecart has access to. It is this tiny villages best produce that makes the red wine that gives this nectar its color, bouquet and timeless elegance. I like the wine best as an aperitif, the only thing it need to pair with is a good glass.
Cellarmaker "Coffee & Cigarettes" Porter, California (16oz can)
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
This would make for a refreshing breakfast or brunch beer with hints of chocolate, toasty malt, and smokey French roast coffee with a subtle bitter coffee finish. Its light-medium body and lively freshness begs another sip, and another. Move over mimosas!
Price:
$5.99
2015 A.D. Coutelas Brut Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
Luxurious, rich Champagne with layers of flavors reminiscent of almond paste, lemon curd, and brioche. Dry and balanced with moderate acidity. It's fresh despite warm vintage and a delight to drink by itself or pair with a range of seafood.
Price:
$54.99
Franck Bonville Unisson Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
Absolutely glorious Blanc De Blancs! Textural and supple with beautiful mineral notes, reminiscent of ocean breeze and mouth watering salinity. Full-bodied and silky on the palate with just enough acidity to balance slightly brioche-like notes. Clean and elegant with striking, persistent finish, it's a magnificent drink on its own as well as a great pairing to Lobster Thermidor.
2016 Franck Bonville Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
Wow are these 2016 blanc de blancs great! This wine has a light gold color, great brioche and honey aromas and a nutty, saline super mineral flavor. The back end is bone dry and really comes alive with food. I had it last with a great tuna Tetaki dish, which gave the wine something to cut with its super dry back end. If you like a wine with a generous aroma and a super dry finish, this is for you!
Franck Bonville Unisson Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 1/29/2025 | Send Email
This is a great example of what grand cru blanc de blancs is all about. With a great nose of dark bake baguette and subtle grapefruit that leads to a rich impression on the palate until finishing clean and chalky- it has it all. Nothing is better in our stock for an aperitif on its own, but this wine also has the structure for pairing with many foods. I had it most recently with an avocado stuffed with spicy tuna- it was exceptional!
2020 Bellefont-Belcier, St-Émilion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 1/20/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 1/20/2025 | Send Email
It's a joy to see Bellefont Belcier in the hands of the team responsible for elevating Tour St-Christophe to one of the region's great buys in just a few years. It is also fun imagining them taking this gem to the next level in the same way. They might have done just that with this 2020. Leading with fine and engaging aromas that are lined with plum and bright florals, the palate shows a noteworthy sense of refinement that speaks beautifully to the masterful touch at this estate. On the palate there's a clear depth of red-to-black fruit, fine tannins, and a long, impressive finish. The 2020 shows the grace and character that this property can exhibit in top vintages, but the depth here is at another level. It'll be all too easy to pull corks early and it is well worth checking in on at this stage, but this is a wine that will keep adding complexity over the next few decades with ease. A singular value in modern Bordeaux, this is one that should line the cellars while available at this kind of pricing, but it still provides an elevated experience even at this young age.
2020 Phélan-Ségur, St-Estèphe
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 1/18/2025 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 1/18/2025 | Send Email
Phélan-Ségur is on a qualitative tear in the past half-decade, and this is another thrilling chapter in the store of one of Bordeaux's great collectible values. Enticing aromas of black fruit, cedar, tar, and bitter chocolate reveal one detail after another, while the palate is lined with deep fruit, concentrated but never too heavy. There's a great St-Estephe minerality that's followed by sweet, lifting tannins that show the pedigree here. Lots of substance and detail. Like many 2020s, Phélan-Ségur is relatively compact and primary at this stage, but it will age beautifully and I can't wait to revisit it over the years.
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Alexandre Tweedie | Review Date: 1/16/2025 | Send Email
By: Alexandre Tweedie | Review Date: 1/16/2025 | Send Email
The hidden gem of a Secret Champagne Grape, the sheer lack of produce to fill a press-load each vintage, the absolute purity of minerality and lift - Jean Jacque Lamoureaux's "Le Amoureux" ticks every box for a Special Bottle of Bubbles, and it's finally back in stock after five long years of low-yielding vintages! Sun-dried white flowers dance from the glass, leading to an electric display of green apple purity, touches of bakery warmth and *gentle* toast compliment layers and layers of uplifted marine minerality, lounging between silky and oceanic. A rare treat, a special grape, a delicious bottle!
Price:
$49.99
2022 Château de Beauregard Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru "La Maréchaude"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 1/10/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 1/10/2025 | Send Email
"La Marechaude" means hot tide because it sits just below 1er Cru Les Crays vineyard at the entrance into the valley which shields it from the wind creating a warm vineyard site. The 2022 Chateau de Beauregard Pouilly Fuisse 1er Cru "La Marechaude" has a salty, citrus-laced nose suggestive of white flowers in full bloom while the palate is a complex mixture of beautiful orchard fruits tilting towards peach and nectarine with a silky smooth mouthfeel. Harmonious and sumptuous this offering oozes beautiful fruit that goes until the long finish fades from the back of your tongue.
2022 Château de Beauregard Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru "Les Vignes Blanche"
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 1/10/2025 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 1/10/2025 | Send Email
The "Les Vignes Blanche" 1er Cru vineyard is on the slope above the 1er Cru vineyard "Les Clos" resting on soil similia in composition to soils found in Cote de Nuits like Vosne Romanee Les Reignots. This unique soil creates a wine of elegance with wight, length and a sense of harmony rarely found in a white Burgundy under $40. The 2022 Chateau de Beauregard Pouilly Fuisse 1er Cru "Les Vignes Blanche" has a beautiful bouquet of pithy kumquat, nectarine and peach aromas while the palate is striking in its purity and substance with flavors of orange marmalade, fresh apricot and pear flavors. The complexity and layers here are perfectly intertwined with the intense fruit and bright acidity all of which makes this wine a terrific find!
Scapa 16 Year Old Isle of Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 1/9/2025 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 1/9/2025 | Send Email
Scapa has long been one of those secrets of Scotland that only the very into it Scotch people had heard of. They had an extremely delicious and affordable 14 year old for many years before going NAS only for the longest time. Now they're seemingly back with one of the most incredible deals in the Scotch world. To be perfectly honest I'm still not 100% sure that someone hasn't messed up the prices on these, but for now we're forging ahead. This Scapa in other markets seems to be twice the price, but I've asked the supplier many times if the product is priced correctly and they've confirmed that we haven't been bamboozled. To have a high quality 16 year old malt from an old rare distillery like this hit the market at $60 is truly astonishing in the current environment. The only more shocking question is how the old 21 year is only $100 more. They're neighbors down the road are asking nearly double for their 21. Of course the low price doesn't matter if it doesn't taste good, so let's do it! Bottled at a lovely 96 proof the color is deep copper (1.0). The nose is gorgeous and very full offering salted dried plum, peach skin, almond skins, old furniture, hints of salt and limestone. The palate is gorgeous with lots of fruit up front and a big rich oak spice and deep dark roasted malt moving toward the middle. This is meant to be all ex-American oak, but there's an opulence that makes me think sherry influence here, although it's extremely well integrated. On the finish the ocean-y Orkney character kicks up although there's no discernable smoke/peat to my palate. This is just very very good whisky in a lovely bottle at a ridiculous price. I'm still waiting for the call to tell me they've wildly mispriced this, but for now we're forging ahead. Please don't be left behind.
Price:
$124.99
2016 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 12/13/2024 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 12/13/2024 | Send Email
This is simply brilliant Cristal, and a grand vin on the world stage. Somehow, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has managed to make something that is singing on release and promises an extremely long life in good storage- if you can keep your hands off it. The intricate bouquet has subtle pastry crust, beautiful Meyer lemon and the elusive hazelnut aroma that I associate with the first village for this wine, the north facing grand cru of Verzenay. In the mouth it has the impossible combination of layered complexity and easy freshness. This is a wine for two people over the course of a meal- the sashimi bowls that we had with it were great, but I can imagine cracked crab working just as well. As for the finish- it was spectacular; expansive, shimmering acidity carrying the deepest chalky minerality out into infinity. This is a great treat, and I feel super lucky to have experienced it.
2020 Joanin Becot, Cotes de Castillion
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 12/12/2024 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 12/12/2024 | Send Email
Crafted by the team at Beau-Séjour Bécot, who are making some of the finest wines in the region these days, 2020 Joanin Bécot brings that style and refinement to this brilliant Cotes de Castillon. Floral and raspberry aromas lead to flavors of deep blackberry on a soft and textured palate that is defined by a great elegance and a mineral and saline finish. Easy to love and remarkably affordable, it is one that'll drink well young, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it age beautifully as well.
Old Soul 8 Year Old 10 Month "Tintype #2" 2nd Release Cask Strength Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/12/2024 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/12/2024 | Send Email
These Tintypes are some of the most exciting new MGP juice on the market today. Distilled to the 21% mashbill, aged in Mississippi heat, and adorned with these underappreciated musical legends, this is what its all about. Incredible to taste these two whiskies together, Tintype #1 and this the Tintype #2. They're identical in everyway, but two years apart in age, yet they couldn't be more different. Herman Hitson's funky soulful rhythms vs Captain Luke's rumbling base voice. Here we go. The color is a deep tawny (1.4). The nose is all baked pear, sweet corn, bold oak, and cinnamon. Some red fruit layered on top, with a much bigger vanilla tone than the Tintype #2. On the palate its a big spicy roll in the dusty forest. The sweetness here is black fruit and contrasts the nose incredibly well. We get tons of spice and plenty of body. It's deeper and longer than its younger brother. These are two of the most exciting new American whiskies on our shelves and represent a fabulous way to support American musical legends while enjoying some legendary American whiskey.
Price:
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Old Soul 7 Year Old "Tintype #1" 3rd Release Cask Strength Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/12/2024 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/12/2024 | Send Email
I most be honest, I've been coveting these Tintypes for some time. Not only because of the awesome labels and great cause, but the idea of having old Indiana bourbon aged in dead heat and humidity of Mississippi makes me salivate. Also, everyone who posted online about snagging a bottle seemed to think it was top tier stuff. So when old school popped up in CA, my first question was "Tintype?!" Now we've got it. Less than a barrel worth for the CA market, only sold at K&L! Into the glass it goes. It's an easy chestnut color (1.2). The nose is lovely and very out of the typical MGP style - starts with a black cherry note before moving toward the candied stone fruit and sweet caramel sauce. Behind hints of herbs, fresh hay, and baking spice remind us that this is indeed a very high rye mashbill. On the palate it has a super fun almost sugar candy note up front with a sweet dark chocolate core and a pillowing dark spice back end. The finish seems to bring back the dark cherry note, almost a bit syrupy, but not in a medicinal way. I'm absolutely loving this and hitting Spotify up for some Captain Luke. Perfect pairing.
Price:
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2021 Faust "The Pact" Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/23/2024 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/23/2024 | Send Email
The Pact is Faust's most precise expression of their incredible estate in Coombsville. The very best blocks and barrels are selected to represent the voice of the vineyard in a given vintage. This wine really highlights the volcanic origin of the soils; this part of Coombsville is the caldera of an ancient volcano. The bedrock here is a mixture of fractured basalts, compressed volcanic ash and other igneous rock gravels that have weather down from the surrounding mountains. These intense soils combined with the area's cool temperatures and long growing season make for some very potent and characterful wines. The Pact isn't about big, jammy, extracted fruit like so much of Napa is these days. It's much more focused in its fruit profile and retains wonderful freshness and varietal typicity along with a really strong signature of place. Blackcurrant, graphite, briar patch, hot stone, cedar, alpine herbs. Quite coiled and linear, definitely a wine with exceptional aging potential. That's not to say it's tannic or unapproachable in its youth, it really can be enjoyed now, but it has a feeling, like a young left bank Bordeaux, that the layers will unfurl with time and grow in complexity. It's a beautifully crafted wine that faithfully conveys its sense of place and will be a time capsule for the incredible 2021 vintage for many decades to come.
K&L Logo 6-Bottle Tote (2979)
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/22/2024 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/22/2024 | Send Email
Recently, finding myself with exactly six bottles to carry home - I purchased a 6 bottle tote bag that we offer for sale near the register in the Redwood City store. Not only did it have every single one of the 6 holes advertised, there were additional little pocket things on the sides you could slip some beef jerky or a magazine into. The opportunities are as infinite as the number of objects that will fit there. The handle was secure and also has a good length to it. The black color is stealthy, allowing the secure transition of wine or spirits from a car to house in the dark. Overall, I'd say this is a pretty tip-top purchase and if all that isn't enough, it's got our K&L Logo branded on the side. Perfection.
Price:
$4.99
Launois Brut Rosé "Valentine" Champagne
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/20/2024 | Send Email
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/20/2024 | Send Email
Yum! Launois Rose "Valentine" impressive and inviting nose. It shows a wide variety of tree fruits, wild berries and spices in the aromatics. Fuji apple, raspberry, black currant and a spice rack of pink peppercorn and dried hibiscus. Small delicate beads and lingering flavor, this is a delicious rose champagne. Get some before it sells out.
Price:
$44.99
Berlucchi "61" Franciacorta Extra Brut
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/19/2024 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/19/2024 | Send Email
Berlucchi "61" Franciacorta Extra Brut is a sparkling wine that captures the elegance and sophistication of Franciacorta, Italy's answer to Champagne. Berlucchi, often credited with pioneering the Franciacorta style in the 1960s, continues to set the standard for quality and innovation and "61 "their first spark paying tribute to the year of the wine's release.
Made primarily from Chardonnay with a touch of Pinot Noir, this Extra Brut showcases the region's limestone-rich soils and meticulous winemaking process. The glitter on the nose gives off a citrusy aroma, green apple and white flowers. It's all layered with subtle notes of brioche and hazelnut. It is crisp and delicate on the palate. With a lively mousse and refreshing acidity that balances the wine's creamy character. Flavors of lemon curd, orchard fruit, and toasted almonds unfold beautifully for a clean, mineral-inspired finish.
Berlucchi uses the traditional method (Metodo Classico) for Franciacorta, with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Aging on the lees for at least 24 months. This dedication to quality ensures that the sparkling wine is refined and approachable. Perfect for celebrations or casual entertaining.
For those looking for a world-class sparkling wine that offers exceptional value, Berlucchi "61" Franciacorta Extra Brut is an outstanding wine. It is a wine that honors its heritage while providing the freshness and flavor that has made Franciacorta a global symbol of Italian sparkling wine.