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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
A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée Louis Victor" Brut Champagne
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 7/13/2023 | Send Email
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 7/13/2023 | Send Email
This champagne is very good company. Endlessly complex, revealing different dimensions with each sip. Starting its savory story when the glass is full and cold, all the way until the final delicious drop, a bit warmer and with some of the bubbles subdued. An absolute STEAL for the price - and a must-try for all champagne lovers.
Price:
$39.99
2021 Alessandro di Camporeale "Benede" Cataratto
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 7/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 7/5/2023 | Send Email
The Benede Catarratto has a vibrant nose. The freshness of youthfulness comes across in a lemon and passionfruit, with some wet stones and saline. This is a classic styled Catarratto finishing with bright acidity, citrus notes and saline finish. Super delightful to drink.
Price:
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Laphroaig 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/27/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/27/2023 | Send Email
Sometimes things happen that make you think "it'll all be ok." In a world of skyrocketing prices we've managed to put together an incredible deal on one of Scotland's greatest flagship marques. Laphroaig 10 sets the standard for peated Scotch for many drinkers. It's intense and yet full of balance and finesse. We've locked in pricing on a large parcel that has allowed us to turn the clock back over a decade and offer this classic for the same price we were selling it for in the beginning of 2012! This one isn't likely to last long, but we will always fight the good fight against inflation in booze pricing and keep doing all we can to get the sharpest pricing to our customers. Whether you rely on the 10 year as a staple or you're been thinking about dipping your toe in the peated waters of Islay, now is definitively the time to buy. Let's taste! Luminous amber in color, it seems to glow in the glass. The aromatics are intensely rich. Smoke and salt mesh with golden barley and toasted bread. Saturn peaches and green apples receive a BBQ char. Sweet oatmeal laden with brown sugar and maple syrup gloss the smoke. On the palate vanilla and dew covered herbs mix with the fruit and smoke. Sweet malt stands strong as a backbone and a delicate floral nuance adds incredible depth and intrigue without being overwhelming. The palate weight is huge even at 43% ABV and the finish lingers for a long time with a pleasant bonfire smoke and reprise of sweet fruit and grain. Lovely.
Lini "Labrusca" Lambrusco Emilia Bianco
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 6/23/2023 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 6/23/2023 | Send Email
Hyper-fragrant apple and pear fruit shine in this rarer white Lambrusco made from 100% Salamino grapes. Crafted by traditional producer Lini, this is a refreshing, perfectly fizzy release using the Martinotti (also known as Charmat) method. Labrusca Bianco is a clean, bright sparkler with a dry finish.
Price:
$15.99
Komos Añejo Cristalino Tequila (750ml)
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 6/23/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 6/23/2023 | Send Email
This is an extremely smooth and creamy tequila with scents of sea salt, and (light) fresh oak. On the palate, crisp agave, vanilla cream, stone fruits. Just delicious and easily drinkable!
Price:
$129.99
Damien Hugot "Hommage 1921" Extra Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/20/2023 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/20/2023 | Send Email
We often drink this wine as the aperitif, and I love the golden color from the large oak cask fermentation, aged solera reserves and the contrast that color has to the freshness and life on the finish. The French bakery aromas in this champagne are framed by subtle candied nuts and stone fruit. The mid-palate of this wine has medium body, with great compact bubbles and a ton of vitality. The finish is the best part, dry, long and subtly spicy. This style of carefully grown and meticulously made wine, utilizing large oak foudres and solera style perpetual reserves almost always costs double the modest price of this Hommage. It is a must try for the champagne lover!
Price:
$49.99
2020 Krutz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 6/18/2023 | Send Email
By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 6/18/2023 | Send Email
The color is deep purple in the glass, and the nose is just as rich. It's full of cherry cola, spices, cedar, cassis, and all tied together with strong acidity and silky tannins. There's a lot of power packed into this wine!
2020 Krutz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 6/18/2023 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 6/18/2023 | Send Email
The 2020 harvest was during the height of the Covid pandemic and exacerbated by two damaging wildfires - the Complex Fire in August and and the Glass Fire in September. However, the hot and dry growing season and low yields produced grapes of incredible concentration and flavor. Krutz Family Cellars, founded in 2003, has a winemaking philosophy that helped them navigate the tricky season: "Once the fruit is received, we cut no corners. Hand sorting, whole berry integrity, new Taransaud French Oak fermenters, and gravity-fed, Free Run Only Wine (no press fractions) straight to the finest French Oak barrels on the market." The full-bodied 2020 Krutz Cabernet has aromas of baking spices, licorice, cherry cola, graphite, mocha, and violets. Silky on the front attack and mid palate, but the tannic structure and power of the wine is felt on the finish. It should age beautifully.
2020 Krutz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Zaitouna Kusto | Review Date: 6/16/2023 | Send Email
By: Zaitouna Kusto | Review Date: 6/16/2023 | Send Email
Hard to fine a more quintessential expression of California Cab at this price point. The nose is extremely pronounced, offering notes of ripe plum, blackberry preserves, baking spice, eucalyptus, and a hint of capsicum. The palate is rich, chocolatey, and packed with sticky tannins you can really sink your teeth into. Perfect match for savory grilled meats and other hearty fare.
2019 Lamothe-Bergeron, Haut-Médoc
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 6/14/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 6/14/2023 | Send Email
Soft and silky on the palate, with notes of dark plums, cassis, cocoa, hazelnut, hint of graphite, & dried herbs. This delicious wine reminds me how value driven a great bottle of Bordeaux can be!
Ariston Aspasie "Brut Prestige" Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/13/2023 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/13/2023 | Send Email
Made from the oldest vines of Paul Vincent Ariston's Aspasie estate, this wine is always aged for at least eight years on the lees. It has old vine weight and intensity, but still maintains a vigor and brightness that succeeded in tempting me into drinking a little too much of it. Don't say that I didn't warn you!
Ariston Aspasie Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/13/2023 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/13/2023 | Send Email
Nobody in Champagne works harder on making a great rose than Paul-Vincent Ariston, owner of Champagne Aspasie, and no bottle that we carry is as outstanding of a bargain. Most producers either make a red wine to blend into their white or do a maceration of all the skins for a short time to make rose. Paul does both, as he likes the complexity that the maceration method brings to the wine, and the control that the addition of red wine offers. This isn't just a good deal, it is a Champagne of spectacular depth and character, that is also super easy to drink.
Price:
$42.99
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 6/7/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 6/7/2023 | Send Email
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" is smooth, complex, and, delicious. This is a high-rye malt bill Bourbon with notes of baking spice, caramel, orange, and stone fruit. One of the best value Bourbons I have tasted in a long time and well worth the price!
Price:
$39.99
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Alexandre Tweedie | Review Date: 6/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Alexandre Tweedie | Review Date: 6/5/2023 | Send Email
For me, good whisky opens on the nose with nostalgia - Sure Bardstown's first self-made 6yr statement has greatly direct notes of snappy sweetcorn powder and apricot marmalade, but for me, this whisky has the scent of a Summer camp in the dry heat of a Northwoods afternoon, like the dust of a gravel road settling at sunset, a backyard barbeque in the dog days of September, or even the feeling you get after mowing the lawn on the most humid day of the year - this whisky smells and tastes like places I've been and things I've experienced growing up in the Midwest, in a way that's rather hard to explain other than through sense-memory. I could list more direct flavor notes because boy this whisky has them, but Bardstown has truly set an entirely unique sense of place and time in their first "true" statement, and it's one that I hope shines through all of their following Origin releases. Try a bottle and see where Bardstown Originated, maybe you also share the same memories they're so good at bottling.
Price:
$39.99
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 6/2/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 6/2/2023 | Send Email
The Bardstown Bourbon Company's Origin Series #1 is a homerun at this price point. Right off the bat, the nose snaps with great cinnamon and black pepper bite. It moves into dusty spicebox, honey, med-dark caramel, then it hits with tropical fruit notes (pineapple, coconut). The palate starts bright and moves darker. There's flavors of orange marmalade, more coconut, and vibrant spice. Then coffee-flavored caramels and an earthy woodiness come to dominate. This Bourbon has a luscious round texture and slides into a very long finish with tongue-tingling spice.
Price:
$39.99
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/1/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/1/2023 | Send Email
The importance of Bardstown Bourbon Company in 2023 cannot be overstated. These folks set out to build the world's most sophisticated and nimble whiskey production facility on the planet, and by all accounts they have succeeded. Since 2016 they have been producing a huge portion of the non distiller producer's Kentucky whiskey (and even some whiskey for the big boys who just wanted to increase production the easy way!) if that isn't a testament to the quality they are putting out, try this bottle for yourself. Their first release of 100% their own distillate comes in at a patient 6 years and robust 48% ABV - all at a legacy distillery's price point! Color is liquid amber. Nose: poised and balanced. Given the high rye in the mash, you might expect a spicier profile, but this has it all. The sweet caramel, toffee, coffee, vanilla, and candy corn loveliness is ballast to a prickly herbaceous spice melange and toasty oak. On the palate the wood leads. You've got fresh sawn oak, loads of vanilla and fresh Belgian waffles with grade A maple syrup. Dried fruits and a kiss of zesty citrus blossom adds intrigue and depth to an otherwise very classic Bourbon profile. This is a slam dunk drinker and a shot across the bow for every one in the whiskey game. Up your quality AND lower your prices, or Bardstown Bourbon Company will eat your lunch.
Price:
$39.99
2022 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/31/2023 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/31/2023 | Send Email
An awesome wine from a great property. These folks are making fabulous wines for the past 20 years. This one may be the best this century- their 1928 is one of the ten best wines i have EVER drunk.
Spicy raspberry aromas and fabulous sweet palate entry. Packed with red berry fruits that cover the tannins. Long and lingering finish. Perfect balance and one of my top 2022 that i tasted.
2019 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/30/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/30/2023 | Send Email
This is a Léoville-Barton that does everything right - it brings forward classic flavors in a modern vintage, speaks beautifully to a sense of place, and over-delivers in the scope of St-Julien and the Left Bank. Beautiful aromas of cassis with a hint of leather and graphite lead to a palate with explosive, deep red fruits, lined with extremely fine powdery tannins that add a dimension of minerality. It is a complex and textured wine that wraps around the palate and doesn't let go. This is an impressive rendition, and one that showed brilliantly alongside two reference-point examples from the estate in recent years—2016 and 2022. It will age beautifully for years, but unlike some other more compact and demanding version of Léoville-Barton, I wouldn't mind drinking it now with a long decant. Fans of the estate, or those looking for a high-upside buy in collectible Bordeaux, should have deep stocks of the 2019 to enjoy over the years and decades to come.
Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/30/2023 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/30/2023 | Send Email
The Kentucky Spirit hangs back in the shadow of the WT portfolio, eclipsed in prominence by the Russell's single barrel picks. One thing I love about the standard Kentucky Spirits releases is they include a lot more information than a standard bottle of Russell's. While our store picks include rick, warehouse and bottling info, the regular Russell's Single Barrel does not. So while people will go nuts for a single barrel of Russell's, I'm sitting here with a bottle of Kentucky Spirit and no one seems to be the wiser. Bottled at a lovely 101 proof, these single barrels should be on every taters list of must grabs. Here we go!!! A beautiful nose of mature Turkey nose of sweet roasted oak, charred herbs, and honey candies. With time and air this guy starts to get pretty darn complex, bringing in some charred peaches, fresh cinnamon sticks, aged tobacco. On the palate, it really open and surprisingly fresh, softer and way off the big kickin' cinnamon that some WT lovers want. Instead it's really candied and sweet only turning up the heat on the finish after a few sips. Then we're reminded it's Turkey after all. Just really damned good whisky. You can count on that.
Price:
$64.99
Suntory "AO" World Whisky (700ml)
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/24/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/24/2023 | Send Email
Suntory Ao kind of comes out of nowhere as a product. There's not a whole lot of whisk(e)y lovers who are screaming for more blends, let alone a blend like this. But sometimes life hands you something you never knew you wanted, so the only thing to do is be pleasantly surprised and appreciate what was poured into your glass. Ao sees the Beam Suntory folks blending malt and grain whiskies from Ireland, Scotland, the US, Canada, and Japan. I'd definitely be curious to see more specs on this and know more about what whiskies are going into it, but all I really need to know is that it all comes together seamlessly. On the nose I get a tickle of gentle sweetness. There's honey toasted cornflakes, caramel apple, fresh pear, creamy vanilla, and red fruit. Scents of new suede come in followed by tropical fruit notes like kiwi and papaya. The palate is incredibly smooth and inviting with a lovely round texture. I get flavors of nougat and a brooding smokiness. It gets a little earthy, and notes of dusty oak come in, then it transitions to orange blossom and more tropical fruit. This whisky is so layered, and it's very impressive the way no component overshadows any other. All the whiskies going into this blend have been expertly weaved together to create something totally delicious.
Price:
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Charles Baur "Emotion" Cremant d'Alsace Brut
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 5/24/2023 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 5/24/2023 | Send Email
Delicious Cremant with serious depth and broad texture. It has touch of brioche and slight toast note with rich citrus and bright mineral strike. I love its freshness and supple finish. Fantastic value!
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/20/2023 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/20/2023 | Send Email
Everyone agrees that Bardstown Bourbon Co. is one of the most exciting new producers in Kentucky. They've done a huge amount of work to get to this point and now that there flagship own distilled bourbon is on the market, I think we can start to talk about them in the same breath as the other big boys. IN lots of ways, they've become the most important distiller in this Bardstown area - eclipsing the often forgotten Barton and the ultra rare Willett Family Estate, which only releases tiny amounts of age stated bourbon at very high prices. Bardstown on the other hand is offering 6 year old bourbon at $40 that hits every single note here. Many might look at the mashbill and think, oh it's going to be a big spicy rye bourbon, but Bardstown has managed to achieve extreme balance here, which is exactly why I keep reaching for it. Let's go! An absolutely gorgeous nose of sweet oak, honey, seville zest, yellow fruits - apricot, quince, yellow cherries, subtle fresh herbs (maybe a bit of mint, tarragon and dill), good sprinkle of baking spice. It's all at once super supple, open and quite complex, focused on corny sweetness and zesty citrus. It really balances the freshness with a sense of completeness. It doesn't feel at all young, but lifted and punchy. ON the palate, we've got a great texture at 96 proof with the stone fruit and citrus taking charge. It's by no means rye driven which is interesting, but hints of earthy spice and minty herbal character remind us it's 36% rye. If Bardstown keeps putting stuff out this good at 6 years old for $40, the big guys are going to have rethink all there plans I think. Every bourbon lover should be tasting this new benchmark from the excellent producer in Bardstown.
Price:
$39.99
Charles Baur "Emotion" Cremant d'Alsace Brut
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 5/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 5/17/2023 | Send Email
A very nice light and bright nose of fresh pear, nectarine, lemon and lightly toasted bread. Dry on the palate with small (and creamy) bubbles, lemon/lime fruit and vanilla cream. It's even Vegan!
Hakata 12 Year Old Sherry Cask Aged Fukuoka 100% Barley Japanese Whisky (700ml)
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 5/16/2023 | Send Email
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 5/16/2023 | Send Email
One of the most exciting and promising Japanese whiskies in years, Hakata should be on everyone's radar going forward. With the insane and continued price increases on age-stated Suntory offerings, it's refreshing to find something that's actually worth the price it commands. Honestly, this is the sort of whisky Yamazaki 12 wishes it could be. Pure barley with full sherry flavor, and at a price that almost feels nostalgic. What's not to love? But this stands on its own merit independent of comparisons to the over-hyped names you're familiar with. What sets it apart is the unique process to break down the barley; rather than a traditional malting process, which can create funky, savory flavors, they use koji (not the berry, but a microorganism commonly used in sake production) to break down the barley more efficiently. An added benefit of this method is how it allows more of the clean, fruity character of the barley to come through, while retaining the mouthwatering umami of the grain. Complimented by rich sherry, it is a true delight to drink. If you like those higher-priced items and lament the bygone days when you could buy them with no hesitation, you owe it to yourself to try this.
Price:
$99.99
Launois "Dorine" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/16/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/16/2023 | Send Email
For me, the Dorine demonstrates when Launois sets its sights on capturing the richness that Blanc de Blancs can reach while maintaining the wine's focus on fruit. This is at least partially due to the fact that while it comes with the Launois program's minimum 3 years aging on the lees, it also sees a full year of barrel aging. This Champagne meets the nose with a little toastiness and fresh vanilla bean that melts to creaminess. There's a lift with some fresh floral aromatics, then dried orchard fruits take over with peach, yellow apple, and golden cherry. The palate is very apple-oriented for me: there's a swirl of fresh apples, apple cider, and dried apple chips layered together. The bubbles are soft and inviting, and there's a full, round texture that gives the wine a sense of heft without losing the fresher fruity notes.
Price:
$44.99
Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
By: Adrian Gomez | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
By: Adrian Gomez | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
I was excited to get to try this Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit and it certainly delivered. Layered notes of caramel, vanilla and raisin front and center followed by subtle hints of raspberry, currant and dried apricot mingled together. The flavor bomb continues on the palate with white peach, cinnamon and currant that opens up to orange citrus and light oaky tones to help round out the sweetness. The medium finish brings more orange citrus with a lite bite of black pepper and oak on the back that doesn’t over stay its welcome. This single barrel came to play and is a great addition to the bar top.
Price:
$64.99
2020 Krutz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
Explosive flavors of cranberries, black currants, plum sauce, dried rosemary, lavender, cigar box, and hint of vanilla bean. Plump and silky on the palate, bright acidity, and a long savory finish. Decadent, and would be the perfect match for a steak dinner.
2016 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
Not to be outdone, the 2016 Barde-Haut St-Emilion is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, reflecting the power and finesse of the clay-rich over limestone soils of the lustrous St-Emilion plateau. Opulent, richly-textured and complex, as the finest wines of the vintage have proven to be, this possesses an abundance of pure fruits, cassis and violets, bolstered by ripe, velvety tannins and a cruising finish of lovely acidity. Pair with grilled, herb-crusted ribeyes for a truly memorable meal.
2015 Barde-Haut, St-Émilion
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
One of our more estimable producers has to be St-Emilion’s stunning Château Barde-Haut, under the wise, felicitous guidance of Hélène Garcin-Leveque and her husband Patrice. Her unmatched dynamism as an ambassador of her family’s portfolio and his intimate, working knowledge of the amphitheater of vines under his watchful eye, are the epitome of synergy. The 2015 Barde-Haut St-Emilion $44.99 is on track to be one of the best wines ever produced at this estate, echoing the words of the Patrice Lévèque, “no makeup, just a truthful wine that will age!” An elegant, richly imbued wine, with aromas of ripe black plum and bright cherry following through on the palate with touches of spice, loam and leather. This wine will evolve for another decade if you have the desired patience, but why wait?
Suntory "AO" World Whisky (700ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
A fascinating thing is happening in the whisky realm. Huge multinationals like Beam Suntory have access to epic whiskies from their many holdings around the world and they employ some of the most skilled blenders on the planet. Much like traditional Scotch blenders sourcing grain and malt from all over Scotland to make traditional blended whiskies, in today's landscape, they’re able to scour their worldwide inventories for component whiskies to bring together in a blend that is greater than the sum of its parts. While many purists might balk at the notion of blending across traditional whisky categories, it really is the natural and logical pinnacle of the blenders art to include all the colors of the whisk(e)y rainbow in their palette. Beam owns some of the most important distilleries in Japan, Scotland, America, Canada, and Ireland, and it is with these distillates that they’ve produced Ao, a truly world whiskey. Let’s taste: the color falls somewhere between lemon and copper. The nose is beguiling. While overtly ‘whisky-y’ it is perhaps rightfully difficult to pin down. Sweet fruits, both fresh and dried, lean surprisingly towards the tropical. Candied nuts, savory herbs, corn, malt, rye, barley, barrel spice, vanilla, caramel; all there, but nothing stands out particularly above the rest. The palate is a big surprise - peat seems to jump out of nowhere providing a grounding force to the whisky. Going back to the nose, I’m shocked at how much peat there is on the palate. There is a little easy going smoke here, but really it’s more peat than smoke. That peat and gentle smoke plays beautifully with the distinct spiciness I associate with a rye grains. The texture is smooth and approachable and at 43% ABV it’s not going to do anything for big proof heads, but it’s not soft and slouchy. The finish seems to focus on barrel and baking spice and is a complex picture of the whole whisky. Priced attractively, Ao is an excellent opening salvo in the budding category of world blends, and I can’t wait to see what else Beam does in this space as they surely can muster some of the most compelling raw ingredients for future blends should they choose to do so.
Price:
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Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
Wild Turkey has long been a favorite of mine, and I mean that for their whole lineup from the regular ole 101 to their more premium expressions. In my opinion, the Kentucky Spirit single barrel selections hit such a sweetspot of affordability and complexity. In our world-gone-mad where Bourbon prices regularly climb above $100 regardless of quality, Kentucky Spirit is there to remind us all that you can get something great at an approachable price point. The barrel I'm currently enjoying (#2386) has a nose packed with polished oak, medium caramel, and vanilla Italian soda. The spice gravitates toward level-handed cinnamon candies then shifts in a much more herbal direction, plus some very nice dark fruit notes like plum and blackberry. The palate is loaded with sweet corn, dark drizzly caramel, slight menthol, and much more pronounced fruit. The texture is a standout feature - as soon as it passes the lips you can tell how round and full this Bourbon is, and the longer that you hold it on the tongue the more viscous it gets. Towards the end, there's more sweet corn notes, chewy vanilla nougat, and candied almonds.
Price:
$64.99
Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
A fresh shipment of Kentucky Spirit just arrived after a long absence from our shelves. It's amazing to compare the quality of this old stalwart to most of the NDP whiskies being released for two or three times the price. There simply isn't a fair comparison - this blows them out of the water on every level. Tasted from barrel #2386 - bottled on 3-1-23, rested 30 minutes in glass: A powerful aroma lifts straight out of the glass - honey, toasted nuts, butterscotch, vanilla, cinnamon, Werther's Original hard candies, roasted corn, and cracked black pepper. On the palate it's surprisingly sweet yet never cloying. The respectable 101 proof gives it enough heat to stand up to all of that sweetness. It is both mouth coating and mouth watering at the same time. A little more maple than honey on the palate compared to the nose, great cut, marzipan, sweet style corn bread, green apple skins, and Dr. Pepper. The finish is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of burn to remind you you're drinkin the Kickin' Chicken, but better.
Price:
$64.99
2022 Langoa-Barton, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/11/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/11/2023 | Send Email
The red fruit and delicately spicy aromatics are enough to get lost in, which is impressive for a wine at this stage in the game. With a core of sweet cherry, a backbone of acidity, and impressive persistence, Langoa's 2022 is already approachable. There's a great sense of elegance and freshness here, light on its feet but not lacking structure. This is the first vintage at the new winemaking facility, and it is already paying dividends. Well done.
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/10/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/10/2023 | Send Email
The Clemence from Launois is 100% Grand Cru grown Chardonnay aged for four years on the lees (compared to the Brut Reserve). It's a particularly nimble member of the Launois lineup with a lot of crispness and bright characteristics. The nose is focused with aromatic light florality and a glowing citrus medley along with a touch of melon. On the palate, that extra year of aging on the lees shows in a peaches & cream flavor. The beautiful citrus acidity shines throughout with hints of clementine and tangerine on top of a chalky minerality.
Price:
$44.99
Launois "Quartz" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/9/2023 | Send Email
I'm a huge fan of everything that Launois releases, but of all their bottlings I'd probably have to say the Quartz is my favorite. (Okay, if we're counting the Special Clubs then I might have to change my tune.) Two details that set the Quartz apart come down to location and carbonation. All the fruit for this bottling is Grand Cru, coming from a single parcel in Les Mesnil sur Oger. The Quartz has lighter pressure due to being bottled at four atmospheres of pressure instead of six. The wine has a light bead and delicacy that I find very sumptuous. The nose has inviting aromatics of soft yellow apple, Bartlett pear, and a little bread. The mouthfeel is soft and round. Quartz has flavors of fresh cream and honey that never become decadent because of a nice line of lime acidity and a fresh orchard fruit medley that builds in the finish.
Price:
$49.99
2022 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 5/9/2023 | Send Email
Deeply colored, Léoville-Barton is very compact and structured on the lead in. The palate is lined with black fruits, but leads to a pop of bright red fruit on the finish, as some of the tension releases with time in the glass. Fruit coated tanins show great balance, while the palate is textured and impressive. There's a ton of depth that leads you to imagine how it will unwind down the road. I can't wait to see where it leads. Certainly a touch on the riper side for Léoville-Barton, but still hits all the classic notes with ease.
San Venanzio Fortunato Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 5/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 5/5/2023 | Send Email
This very pretty, rich and creamy Prosecco has been a favorite here for a while now. It has a mouthwatering nose of peaches and nectarines with just a hint of Key lime. The palate follows the same pattern. UPDATE: Wow! It has been 8 years since I have re-tasted this lovely Prosecco. This is a Brut style, so it IS dry. It has a light, bright nose with tropical fruit (pineapple), stone fruits and minerals. On the palate, it is, at once, rich and clean with nice minerality and a citrus finish. If sweeter Prosecco's aren't your thing, this Prosecco will be. (5 may, 2023)
Price:
$15.99
Nordés Atlantic Galician Gin (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/2/2023 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/2/2023 | Send Email
The era of SALTY gin is upon us and I'm so grateful. It started with kelp and now sea beans. I'm in love with sea beans as an ingredient and I love their crunch salty character, but when I found out these crazy Spaniards were dumping them into the gin I was giddy. But this stuff isn't some weird esoteric thing that only the most adventurous will appreciate. This is literally Spain's number one super premium gin. Now if you don't know yet, Spain has absolutely lost its collective mind for gin. They make us look way behind the curve on the gin thing. Gin Tonics, vermouth, Tapas, Salt, Oil - it's all part of the ethos and this guy fits right in. Let's taste! The nose is pungent and floral with deep spice elements. I think maybe the grape spirit base is heightening the floral and fruity aromas and that balances the herbal character nicely (lots of tea character as well). It's got lots of sweetness on the nose and definitely a pungent perfume-y character, but doesn't get to bogged down in the florals thanks to the sweet fruit and subtle herbal notes -sage, eucalyptus, lemon verbena. Behind that twinges maritime character -seaside grasses and ocean spray. On the palate it's well balanced with the strong floral character giving way to more of the spice and hints of salty and pine. It's got a great mouth feel thanks to the base of Albarino eau-de-vie. This is by no means a traditional dry gin, but also doesn't stray too far off. I think it would suite well a Hendrick's drinker as well as a Monkey 47 lover, although it's not the one to reach for when you want a linear juniper driven London Dry. It does do absolute wonders with Tonic and can be really appealing to play with in classic cocktails when you want to mix things up a bit. I'm not at all surprised that the Spanish love this gin so much. I'm right there with them.
Wild Turkey 12 Year Old 101 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Japanese Export) (700ml)
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 4/28/2023 | Send Email
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 4/28/2023 | Send Email
I wish more bourbon tasted like this. Or perhaps more accurately, I want more bourbon to feel like this, because while the flavors are nothing new - toasted vanilla, savory oak, candied nuts and subtle spice - the concentration and integration of all these flavors remains unrivaled in bottlings at this proof. And the purity of it is similarly uncanny. I see a parallel between this and the Evan Williams 12, the Japanese export of which we also get from time to time. Where the EW shows herbs and pepper and at times feels a bit disjointed and hot, this Wild Turkey is seamless, immaculate and soft. Though it is by no means simple or boring. Poached pear, roast chestnut and pecan praline round out the range of flavors and aroma, while a distinctly honeyed and toasty finish makes every sip a soothing delight. Such a rare treat, this bottle should be a top priority for every whiskey drinker right now.
Price:
$200.00
2016 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 4/24/2023 | Send Email
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 4/24/2023 | Send Email
From our good friend Hélène Garcin-Lévêque. Barde-Haut always delivers, and the excellent 2016 is no different! Incredibly complex, with notes that go from lavender, kirsch, blueberries to graphite and spices, with an earthy minerality all throughout. It is opulent, it is beautiful, and a tremendous value for its quality. Check out also the other vintages of Barde-Haut we have available in our inventory. They are all singing!
Reissdorf Kölsch, Germany (500ml)
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 4/23/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 4/23/2023 | Send Email
The go-to example of world-class Kolsch. Reissdorf's Kolsch is clean, crisp, and refreshing with wonderful notes of brioche, orchard fruit, and yellow flowers. There are many American breweries producing good-quality Kolsch today, but I argue almost none of them are as elegant or high in quality as the Kolsch of Cologne.
Price:
$4.99
2016 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
A super solid St. Emilion with earth and cedar scents, pencil lead and dark red fruits. In the mouth, nice richness, with a bit more black fruited character (blackberry, boysenberry) and (surprise!) a dry, chalky finish.
Nordés Atlantic Galician Gin (700ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
I longed for this gin to be available in the United States for years after I first tasted it in Spain in 2017. It has finally arrived, albeit in relatively small quantities. Spain excels at elevating the humble G&T to magical heights. It is worth ordering one everywhere you go. It's no wonder they also make incredible gin. Nordes is very much a gin of place - the local grapes are used to make the base spirit, and a hearty array of local botanicals firmly places the flavor profile in Galicia. The nose is super bright and lifted - citrus-forward yet balanced by complex herbal notes from bay leaf and black tea. The whole thing is set off by just a touch of sea salt coming from beach-grown sea beans. While the flavors are all in a perfectly arranged bouquet, it is the supple texture from the grape spirit that really makes this gem shine. It's versatile for cocktailing and tastes phenomenal poured straight into a glass out of the freezer - a rare treat with just the right gin on a hot day.
Hakushu 12 Year Old Peated Japanese Single Malt Whisky
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
The Suntory Hakushu 12 generously shares sweet notes of grain with hints of peat, white flowers, and a soothing minty coolness in the finish. This is well made, quality whisky that is smooth and very enjoyable. A must try for any fan of Suntory!
Price:
$159.99
Hakushu 12 Year Old Peated Japanese Single Malt Whisky
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
This single malt is delicate, clean and very pretty. Exactly what one would expect from a quality Japanese single malt. It is very drinkable and should please many people. There is a long mouth coating finish.
Price:
$159.99
Shiokawa "Cowboy Yamahai" Junmai Ginjo Genshu Sake (720ml)
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
Cowboy Junmai Ginjo sake is bold and big for a sake. At 19% abv you definitely feel the intensity. You get umami, big lush fruits, and cooked rice on the palette, all the while being hit in the face with the alcohol, but ending in a smooth finish. It is great for serious sake lovers that want a bolder tasting sake and can be served room temperature or slightly chilled at 40 degrees centigrade or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It pairs best with richer dishes as well!
Price:
$34.99
Tedorigawa "Silver Mountain" Yamahai Junmai Sake 720ml
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
Tedorigawa brewery is featured in the documentary film, "Birth of Sake." The brewery is located in Ishikawa prefecture and has been around for over 114 years. The Silver Mountain Yamahai Junmai is a rich complex sake with high acidity. You get honey, maple, and I want to say yogurt on the palette. It is delightful to drink at room or even chilled!
Price:
$34.99
Nikka "Miyagikyo" Japanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
Miyagikyo is an incredible NAS (non aging statement) whisky that is reasonably priced. It is the youngest of the Miyagikyo whisky lines, but it is still well balanced in flavours. You get a smoky finish with hints of tobacco lingering on your palette. Like any Japanese whisky's, you get robust floral and smoky notes from the start that mellow out on the finish. This delicate whisky is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
Price:
$74.99
Heiwa Shuzou "Tsuru-Ume" Suppai Plum Wakayama Sake (720ml)
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
Lush aromas of ume fill the glass almost immediately. The texture of the sake has some viscosity and weight to it. Ume, citrus, and dark cherry notes are what I get on the palette. This sake is best served well chilled, or even on the rocks as an after dinner aperitif.
Price:
$36.99
2008 Krug Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/21/2023 | Send Email
My expectations were very high for this bottle, given that it was the most anticipated release in my 22 years of doing the Champagne buying at K&L. Those expectations were exceeded. It is a darn shame that so little of this great wine is available… Sadly, I do not know when we may get more. The 2008 vintage’s quality and ripe-yet-fresh style will be familiar to most reading these pages. It was a year that mirrored 1996 very closely, with a very sunny autumn cooled by unusual east winds. This led to very high levels of sugar in the grapes, yet preserved unusually high levels of acidity. Many producers have told me that they were not ready for such packed ingredients as they’d had in 1996, but after seeing them once, were prepared in 2008. One can hardly go wrong with Champagne from this vintage, but this Krug goes much further than other producers. This wine will be a legend like 1945 Mouton, 1978 Hermitage La Chapelle, or 1921 Salon. They nailed it.
