By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 9/16/2026 | Send Email

This is everything I want in a weeknight wine: easygoing red fruit notes, a spicy layer underneath adding intrigue, refreshing acidity, and supple tannins that make it a great pairing with a wide array of foods – everything from a simple roast chicken to woodfired pizza. Those ripe red fruit notes of plum, currant and juicy strawberry are balanced perfectly with a slightly grippy texture on the palate. And at just $17.99 per bottle, this is an incredible value that really punches above its weight class. I’d suggest picking this one up by the case.

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 9/16/2026 | Send Email

We’ve been working with Te Whare Ra for well over a decade now, shipping the wines directly from the winery to our warehouse in California, making them one of K&L’s most longstanding relationships. There is one simple reason for this: they remain one of those rare producers that consistently overdelivers at every level possible. The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is another example in a long line of releases that demonstrates the incredible value TWR offers, year after year. Classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc notes of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, lime zest, tart passionfruit and tender green herbs are balanced by a remarkably mineral-driven, saline edge. There’s also an extra degree of texture and complexity that sets TWR far above apart from the sea of inexpensive New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Bright, focused acidity gives the wine plenty of energy, while a small portion of barrel fermentation adds a lovely roundness and palate weight without obscuring the vibrant fruit. The finish is long, mouthwatering and remarkably polished, with lingering minerality that is almost reminiscent of its Old World counterparts. This wine is bright, crisp and refreshing as you’d expect, yet substantial enough to pair with a wide variety of foods. And at $19.99, the value is almost impossible to beat. If you’re looking for one of the very best Sauvignon Blancs you can buy for around $20, this should be at the top of your list.

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/16/2026 | Send Email

The Anonymous Willow Creek bottling captures all of the best elements of Paso Robles without any of the pit falls. The wine is wonderfully balanced with an explosive brambly nose, tons of rich, expressive fruit, a silky suave texture on the palate, and balances all that power with great lift and freshness from the limestone soils. The wine shows ripe, brambly red and black berry fruits, baking spice, hints of cracked pepper, violets, rock dust, a subtle flourish of toasty oak. Medium to full bodied, lush and velvety on the palate with sublime purity and polish. I'm so stoked on how this Anonymous bottling came out, it's undeniably delicious and such a remarkable value given the quality of the wine.

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/16/2026 | Send Email

Is this one of the best buys in all of fine wine? It’s hard to argue otherwise. The 2022 La Gaffelière brings together an epic vintage, a singular limestone‑rich terroir, and a pair of legitimate 99‑point scores, all while landing under $90. That combination borders on surreal. This is elite, top‑tier St‑Émilion at a price that feels almost out of step with the quality in the bottle. La Gaffelière has long been a favorite of ours at K&L, a château we’ve championed for years, and one whose reputation has only grown as they’ve leaned more intentionally into their hillside, Ausone‑adjacent parcels for the Grand Vin. These slopes give the wine its unmistakable identity—brightness, lift, and that limestone‑driven minerality that separates the great from the merely very good. In 2022, they managed to capture all the luxurious depth and textural generosity of the vintage while still preserving the tension and definition that make the estate’s best wines so thrilling. Achieving that balance is a feat; achieving it at this price point is something else entirely. Layered, expressive, and genuinely unputdownable, the 2022 La Gaffelière is a triumph—one of the most compelling sweet‑spot collectible buys in modern Bordeaux.

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/16/2026 | Send Email

The Cognac category is in a strange place. Once the absolute top dog of the spirits business, today the major houses are playing defense. The big brands are hurting, and the sad truth is that their struggles also hurt the small estates that support those giant operations. But if you care about the little guy, K&L has always offered access to great independent producers who would otherwise remain off most people’s radar. While the romance of small producers is undeniable, the real reason we sell these Cognacs over those from the big houses is that the price-to-quality ratio is simply astounding. This famous estate near the Gironde is situated in a unique little section of the Fins Bois around the town of Mirambeau, an island of higher-quality soils carved out of the less-regarded Bons Bois. As we have noted many times over the years, soil quality has less to do with the potential to make delicious Cognac than with the likelihood of distilling exceptionally age-worthy eau-de-vie. For that reason, we have often preferred younger spirits from the Fins Bois and Bons Bois to similarly aged examples from the highly prized Grande and Petite Champagne crus. But this special estate does not merely possess exceptional soils. It seems to be doing everything right, yet almost no one stateside has heard of it. Its old-vine vineyards are among the most picturesque in all of Cognac, while the château and cellars are second to none. Nevertheless, here we are selling a seven-year-old VSOP, which would have qualified as XO before the regulations changed in 2018, distilled from old-vine Folle Blanche for just $65. It seems that few people are listening to the Cognacais, but if you open your mind to the extraordinary value these products provide, you may discover that Cognac is ready to become one of the world’s great spirits categories once again. Let’s taste this special treat. The color is a radiant auburn. The nose delivers an absurdly ripe bouquet that seems decades beyond its stated age. Perhaps the magicians at Beaulon are blending some significantly older stock into this beautiful Folle Blanche. Aromas of sweet caramel sauce, apricot jam, roasted oak, Seville orange peel, cubeb, ajwain, and saffron leap from the glass. The palate is exceptionally well balanced and rounded without becoming syrupy or excessively caramel-driven. Instead, a vivid burst of baking spice cuts through the opulence and dries the mid-palate. Medium-bodied and impressively persistent, though not interminable, it occupies a beautiful middle ground, offering some of the aromatic depth of very old, rare Cognac while retaining plenty of zesty verve on the palate. Perhaps it is the Folle Blanche that creates this thrilling dichotomy, but at this price, it is simply a steal.

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/15/2026 | Send Email

Calling this a "Rosso" is honestly a disservice. In the hands of a legendary estate like Cerbaiona, this is essentially a baby Brunello that just happens to be accessible a few years earlier. It completely shatters the ceiling of the category and offers a brilliant, high-definition snapshot of their terroir. The 2023 is all about vibrant, electric tension. The nose doesn't try to fake weight or hide behind oak; it explodes with pure, unmanipulated Sangiovese character. This is of the best deal in Sangiovese if not Italy, period.

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/15/2026 | Send Email

Let’s talk about Cerbaiona. This estate is the absolute high temple of traditional Sangiovese. When you combine this mythical terroir with a vibrating, classically structured vintage like 2021, the result is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you want to understand the soul of Montalcino, this is the bottle, and this is the vintage you absolutely must secure. The 2021 completely bypasses the heavy, baked notes that plague lesser estates in the region. The nose is a soaring, high-toned masterclass in precision. It delivers an intoxicating wave of crushed wild rose, sour cherry, and dried blood orange peel, all wrapped around a profound, cooling core of camphor and wet stone minerality. On the palate, it drives forward with a vertical, electric spine. It possesses that "crunchy," nervous energy that keeps the immense concentration of the 2021 vintage feeling completely weightless. The tannins are ultra-fine, chalky, and demanding. What a wine

By: Walden Pemantle | Review Date: 9/15/2026 | Send Email

I'm glad I gave this time to come out of its shell. It was a bit shy at first, but 3 hours later, it's showing a very pretty nose of red cherry, cassis, sandalwood, cedar, cigar ash, potpourri, and bay leaf. The tannins are fine and elegant, and crisp acidity lends it a bright, harmonious finish. Overall, quite delicate and perfumed, particularly among the 2019s. This is an absolutely killer value for lovers of Margaux's hallmark aromatics. Drink now with a decant and revisit over the next 15-20 years.

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/14/2026 | Send Email

This is the wine that made us pick up the phone. From a great, classically structured vintage, the 2021 Capalot has the depth and grip of serious La Morra Barolo, with layers of dark red fruit, leather, incense, and tobacco that unfold slowly in the glass. Galloni called it "ample and explosive," and he's right, but what stays with you is the length. It drinks well now with an hour in a decanter and will reward a decade in the cellar. At this price, single-vineyard Barolo from a named cru with a 94 from Vinous is close to unheard of.

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/14/2026 | Send Email

A blend from all four Santa Maria vineyards, this is La Morra in its most immediate, charming form: succulent red fruit, cinnamon, dried leaves, and a note of blood orange, carried on soft, rounded tannins. Galloni described it as a "plush, inviting Barolo," and that is exactly its appeal. It's the bottle to open on a Tuesday, the one that reminds you Barolo can be a pleasure rather than a project. Ready now, and it will hold comfortably for five to seven years.

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/14/2026 | Send Email

Made entirely in stainless steel and bottled young to preserve its snap. Blackberry, violet, and a gently bitter almond finish, with the bright acidity that makes Dolcetto the Langhe's everyday table wine. Serve it slightly cool with salumi, agnolotti, or pizza. This is the wine the Boffas drink at home, and it shows.

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/14/2026 | Send Email

Right now we have by far the best price in the country on this Napa Valley classic! In fact we're $15 a bottle lower than the next best competitor. Thanks to some exceptionally sharp pricing, you can stock up on benchmark Napa Cabernet for literally half the regular price. Yep, $25 for legitimate Napa Valley Cabernet from the team at Louis Martini. As one of the most historic producers in the valley, Louis Martini has long been a stalwart of classically styled, structured Napa Cabernet. I’ve been lucky enough to taste Martini Cabernets going all the way back to the 1960s, and these wines helped define the very character of Napa Valley Cabernet as we know it today. The winery is state of the art, and the team is committed to the legacy of this incredible property and their role in resuscitating the domestic wine industry after prohibition. The 2022 is drinking beautifully, with the warmth of the vintage giving the fruit profile a little more generosity and immediate appeal. There’s a gorgeous mix of crushed redcurrant, ripe plum, blackberry, loamy earth, charred spice, and subtle leather. The ample fruit is nicely framed by grainy, structured tannins (perhaps from a component of mountain-grown fruit) that carry the wine through a long, satisfying finish. This has the substance and structure to drink beautifully over the next 5–6 years and likely beyond. Louis Martini's Napa Cab is already a very solid buy at its $50 SRP. At 50% off, this is one of those no-brainer Napa Cab deals you simply don’t want to miss. Buy a few for now and a few for the cellar. Cheers!

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/12/2026 | Send Email

This is a fairly singular expression that feels like very intensely concentrated Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. While there's a lot of gooseberry, grapefruit zest, and citrus, there's also this tomato leaf meets pyrazine note that is seemingly everywhere through the nose kind of like having a really nice fruit salad that you also cut up some green peppers into. As you get deeper and deeper into the wine, the green notes start to fall off and more of the bright and pretty fruit starts to come through - this bottle might be worth decanting just to give it a little head start. The palate itself is crisp and so refreshingly dry, pretty citrus with a nice lemony finish that's broken up slightly with some remnant pyrazines. I could see this being an amazing pairing with risotto or a creamy pasta, or even a ratatouille or an herby fish dish.

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/12/2026 | Send Email

You know, more and more lately, I've been thinking to myself that I really kinda like Albariño. It's easy, it's friendly, it's got really pretty fruit on it when it's a little fruitier, and when it's not it's got this beautiful citrus profile. It's one of those, even when it's not what you're looking for it's pretty darn good kind of wines. This is nice, very much up my alley, there's a mix of peach and lemon on the nose, ripe enough to make me lean in but citrus enough to make my mouth start to water. The palate is like just underripe peaches, an apricot in the background, and lemon curd. It's really good, super delicious, and exactly what I need as Summer fights the descent into Fall. This is porch wine all the way through, something that I want to have a bite of food with but could easily also just drink the whole bottle sitting on the porch looking at the world slowly changing around me.

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/12/2026 | Send Email

There's always something intriguing in the nose of the Ata Rangi wines, something a little more interesting than I expected for some reason. Which, I really should have figured out if it's always, but anyhow - the nose just draws me in. There's this kind of vague dark cloud around this really lovely core of fruit both crunchy and ripe. Cranberry skin, tart cherry juice, little bits of flowers, and a little bit of vanilla and spice give this a really lovingly complex bouquet. It feels like a wine someone cared 110% about. The palate has this beautiful fruit up front that slowly gives way to barrel spice and earth before a little flash of bright red fruit comes back in at the end. This is maybe the best release of the Ata Rangi Pinot Noir that I've had during my time here, it's definitely one of the first I'm going to buy into and get a couplefew bottles, especially some to lay down.

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/12/2026 | Send Email

The cute little note on the side of this bottle ends with "... abstinence from immediate consumption will reward." It's a great little note that I think often follows true for a lot of wine, but at the same time here we are doing a review and it must be immediately consumed. A conundrum. The nose is really pretty, with some crunchy fruit in the background but a little bit of sweeter fruit on the nose, like a juicy cherry and a craisin (for those who didn't enjoy their brief cultural relevance, it's a cranberry that has been sweetened and raisined, kinda exactly what it sounds like). I would say that the nose is really pure fruited, it really smells great. The palate is delightful, with some good balance of fruit and savory, with some dense and crunchy fruit on the palate that gives way to spice and tannin and then comes back to a darker fruit. This is really compelling at this price point and would be great with a VERY slight chill on it to make the fruit pop bit a more.

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 9/12/2026 | Send Email

I think I've enjoyed all the releases of the Crimson that I've tried, it's just such an approachable and easy lighter style of Pinot Noir typically, let's find out if that holds true for this release. The nose is really pretty with some crunchy reds, cranberry, tart cherry, pomegranate seeds, and this really pretty floral cushion it's all sitting on. The palate is light and very savory, there's pretty fruit on the sides but in the middle there's this savory slightly herbal note that holds on, this is going to be a massive food wine, just super easy to pair with. Another good one from them, something easy and approachable but sophisticated enough to hold interest.

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/11/2026 | Send Email

I really enjoyed a bottle of this savvy last night! Absolutely classic Marlborough Sauv Blanc done really well. Not really surprising when you have a winemaker with several decades of experience at the helm, and fruit from a mature vineyard in one of the best subregions of Marlborough. Wines from the Dillon's Point area like this one often have a wonderfully lifted aromatic profile and even a little salinity from the proximity to the ocean. The Ahi Ka has good texture and length on the palate especially at this remarkably affordable price point! If this late summer heat keeps going I can see several more bottes if this in my future!

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 9/11/2026 | Send Email

This elegant, savory Pinot Noir impressed me a lot, but after I saw the price, I really got excited. This tastes like the very expensive stuff from the most sought after producers; it has that great beetroot and black cherry that you can only get from a very cold site, and a long classy finish that you would be surprised to find even in a Pinot that cost twice as much. Don't miss this one!

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

This is the wine that really sealed the deal for me with Two Mountain. It’s a total showstopper. Wildly aromatic and packed with blackcurrant, elderberry, unsmoked cigar, briar patch, crushed rock, leather, toasted spices, and subtle lavender. Fuller-bodied than the Merlot or Cabernet Franc, but still very much in the mid-weight class, it prioritizes varietal expression and balance over sheer power and ripeness. The wine aged for 19 months in a judicious 25% new French oak, just enough to gently polish the edges. Something like Bordeaux meets Mount Veeder? It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what this wine reminds me of. Maybe it’s simply pure Washington goodness at a ludicrously accessible price point.

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

Once again, this wine doesn’t shy away from the true character of the variety. This is a Cabernet Franc lover’s Cab Franc. Soaring aromas of dried flowers, tobacco leaf, camphor, redcurrant, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Medium-bodied with a silky mid-palate and lots of energy and drive on the finish, loaded with dusty red fruits and leafy tones. This one evolves beautifully in the glass, so give it a 20–30 minute decant and watch the layers emerge. Again, what a value!

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

One of my favorite wines in the Two Mountain lineup. This bottle makes a great argument for a Merlot resurgence. Juicy, fresh black fruits, huckleberry, cocoa nib, and hints of cigar box lead into a suave texture and lovely balance. Bright acidity keeps the plush fruit nicely linear and energetic. Excellent Merlot for a song!

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

A really fun, crisp, dry rosé made from estate-grown Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Wonderfully tart red berry fruits, hints of freshly picked herbs, and spiced citrus peel. Super refreshing and seriously easy drinking.

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

A bright, fresh style loaded with citrus and tropical fruit. Fermented entirely in stainless steel to preserve all that zesty fruit character, with a dash of Sémillon for good measure. An amazing value!

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

Elisabeth and Jean-Marie Egrot have made one of the most elegant, textural and complete non-vintage champagnes that we carry- and it is still at an affordable price! It is composed of 80% Pinot Noir from the grand cru of Ay and 20% Chardonnay from the 1er cru of Louvois and dosed at a little under 8 grams per liter. This wine has the silky texture and tiny streamers that only patience brings and I think you will be surprised at the finesse of this bottle. That being said, the power is still there, and I love this Champagne with full flavored, hot smoked salmon!

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

This is no ordinary brut sans année. I tasted this with Damien at the maison this May, and three times this week, and I was impressed by the generous, creamy, white fruit character of the wine. This wine is entirely fermented in large oak barrels, and comes from vineyards tended to like a vanity garden. It is composed of 70% Chouilly Grand Cru and 30% Cramant Grand Cru, with 30% reserves from his solera-style foudre of older vintages. The back end not only has the chalk that one would expect but also a very nice chestnut flavor. This is top-class blanc de blancs, and no one that enjoys this style should miss it given the extraordinary price.

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

Composed of 100% Gamay, the 2025 Fabien Collonge Beaujolais Rosé is a lot of fun. It’s chock full of strawberry preserves, cherries, rose petals, and zero pretense. Pair with meals that could use a sip of levity or enjoy during relaxed afternoons in the sun with friends or a good book. This would also make a perfect base for a lively rosé wine spritzer—pour over ice, add a handful of raspberries or sliced strawberries, float with sparkling mineral water, and garnish with a citrus sliver of choice. Not sweet enough? Add a ½ oz. shot of Italicus or St. Germain liqueur. Cheers!

By: Simon Li | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

If you want something with real age and complexity, this is the one. A single-vineyard Champagne aged over 15 years on the lees and made with a good amount of Chardonnay, it pours deep gold and smells like baked pear, dried flowers, toasted nuts, and even a bit of spice. It’s rich and layered, with caramelized apple and nutty, earthy tones coming through. But what makes it special is that it’s still fresh—there’s acidity, tension, and a kind of quiet power to it.

By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/10/2026 | Send Email

A great example of why Albarino has become the most important white varietal from Iberia. It has the classic flavors of stone fruits laced with seashore salinity. The palate is medium bodied, it has crisp, mouth-watering acidity, and there is concentration and persistence to the flavors. This can be enjoyed by itself, but the combination of acidity and minerality makes it so versatile at the dinner table.

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/9/2026 | Send Email

Like all great examples of Albariño, this tastes like optimism in a glass. Vivid pear and white peach notes followed by fragrant white blossoms, grapefruit, and at risk of sounding pretentious, Lyle’s Golden Syrup—a sumptuous, golden sugar flavor but without the sweetness. Lyle’s is basically evaporated sugar cane juice. I could simply say sugar cane syrup, but the first sip triggered such a distinct memory, I can’t let the impression go. This delightful but dry sugar cane note is tempered by a refreshing, sunny Meyer lemon finish. Pair this with fried chicken, light seafood dishes, or your good friends on the back patio at sundown.

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 9/9/2026 | Send Email

Without a doubt, Albariño is one of the most consistently delicious white wines available from Spain — and really, from the entire wine world. There’s a lot to like about the variety: juicy stone fruit aromas, stony minerality, brisk acidity, and a telltale sea spray note that speaks to the wine’s Atlantic origins. The 2024 Valmiñor Albariño is another fantastic example of this flourishing region, balancing serious palate weight with lively, fresh acidity. White nectarine, apricot, orange blossom and Meyer lemon peel burst from the glass, followed quickly by a stony mouthfeel and classic salinity that drives the wine into a long finish. Fermentation and aging in stainless steel enhance the crisp, refreshing feel of the wine. Snappy, brisk and so drinkable, this is the type of wine that is hard to put down. Easy enough to drink on its own, it’s also incredibly food-friendly and would be fantastic paired with crab, shrimp, ceviche, soft cheeses like fresh chèvre, or even just an assortment of salty snacks. For anyone looking for a serious step up from their everyday white, this is an absolute no-brainer at an incredible price.

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 9/9/2026 | Send Email

We just received the last 200 bottles of our longest aged current release. This is profound, majestic single vineyard champagne, which just arrived direct from the estate where it was grown and made! This wine blew my mind with extraordinary brioche and white flower notes on the nose, subtle elegance in the mouth and a nearly all night finish. I am convinced that this is not only one of the best bottles at K&L, but also an incredible piece of affordable luxury at the price. One of my top releases of the year... But it will not last!

By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 9/9/2026 | Send Email

Baltic Porters are hard to come by, and this one really showcases how wonderful this obscure porter style can be. Rich, full bodied, and complex with notes of tobacco, leather, stewed plums, dried figs, and treacle on the nose. Dark stone fruit, espresso, and molasses are the more prominent notes on the palate. Pohjala makes some killer beers, and this one does not disappoint!

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/9/2026 | Send Email

For some reason, I feel like 2016 is a vintage of Palmer that people are sleeping on. Perhaps the attention‑getter is the rare 2018, or the success across Margaux in 2015 outshines its successor. In time, I might put my money on the 2016 to win the day—no surprise considering the quality of the vintage, and a sentiment echoed by one 100‑point score after another from the major critics. Neal Martin even gives it a passing comparison to the 1983, one of the château’s iconic releases. A wine of remarkable depth and composure, 2016 Palmer is extraordinarily youthful at ten years on, delivering undeniable Margaux character in its luxurious style. For me, it hits all the notes that make this estate treasured by so many dedicated collectors—the reason people light up when that black‑and‑gold label finds its way into any tasting or dinner. It’s not unusual to call a given vintage of Palmer one for the ages, but the concentration, refinement, and typicité here are next level, and it’s going to be thrilling to follow for years to come. This parcel is part of their “10 Years On” release, offered with perfect provenance a decade after the vintage. For those looking for a quintessential Palmer for the cellar, this is Margaux brilliance personified.

By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 9/9/2026 | Send Email

This is an Ata Rangi to seek out. The 2021-2022 was a very good growing season, potentially too good. How can a vintage be too good? When the vineyards that they usually separate out for their reserve bottlings didn’t differentiate themselves enough from each other. So all of that great fruit went into this bottling. This has that classic red fruit profile that I loved from previous bottlings. It has that subtle savory tone that I associate with this wine and the entire region. This is more concentrated than the previous vintage; it carries that extra-ness easily, and it does not feel overstuffed. The winemaking here is incredible: great mouthfeel, driving acidic backbone, a long, lingering finish. This does what next-level Pinot should do: it balances elegance and intensity. Delicious now; I cannot wait to see how this wine evolves. This is serious Pinot Noir.

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/8/2026 | Send Email

Don't broadcast this one too much...but we have a very special hidden price on this stunning Eyrie Estate Pinot Noir. Our price today is $26 per bottle below the national average and $10 per bottle lower than our nearest competitor! K&L has a 30+ year history working with the wonderful wines of Eyrie in the Dundee Hills. This iconic estate did as much as anyone to put Oregon wines in the map. Originally planted in the mid-1960s this incredible estate in the heart of the Willamette Valley is renowned for world-class, incredibly age worthy wines and a steadfast dedication to organic and regenerative farming. Second generation vigneron Jason Lett carries on his father's work keeping Eyrie at the very pinnacle of what Oregon can do. However, even the great producers aren't immune to market fluctuations and so here's a great chance to snap up this 97-point Pinot at a killer price and stock up your cellar for years to come.

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 9/7/2026 | Send Email

I have a soft spot for Le Volte. It was one of the wines I loved when I first started getting into wine, and I am not going to pretend otherwise now that I spend considerably more time thinking about soil, acidity, and the precise character of a tannin. Becoming serious about wine should not require disowning the bottles that helped get you there. That affection is not a free pass, though. Nostalgia is a perfectly good reason to revisit a wine. It is not a reason to overrate it. The 2024 puts fresh red fruit at the center of the conversation. Cherry and wild strawberry lead the aromatics, with a cooling menthol note that gives the nose lift and definition. The emphasis is on brightness here. The fruit is juicy, the overall impression balanced, and the wine maintains that useful distinction between being easy to drink and having nothing to say. There is substance here. The winemaking follows that same logic. The varieties are fermented separately in small stainless-steel tanks, with malolactic fermentation also taking place in steel. Ten months of aging follow, partly in barrels previously used for Ornellaia and partly in tank, with the stated aim of balancing tannic structure and fruit expression. This is not a recipe built entirely around the barrel. At this price this is a must buy, a supe Tuscan for everyone and every occasion, you won’t be disappointed here.

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 9/6/2026 | Send Email

The 2019 Clendenen Family Vineyards “The Pip” Santa Maria Valley Nebbiolo (Winery Direct Library Release) is absolutely lovely to sip. As I write this, it’s late at night, and I’m having it with crackers and some cold leftover steak after receiving it as a reward from an esteemed K&L colleague for catching (and later releasing in the wooded area of my backyard) a massive wolf spider in her bathroom. I wasn’t planning on drinking wine or even eating dinner, but I couldn’t resist opening this bottle as soon as I got home. After the first sip, I felt more than fairly compensated for my efforts. Black plum, juicy berries, dried rose petals, lemon balm, rooibos tea, and a subtle tarry note unfold across the palate, with a stony mineral quality adding another layer of complexity. It’s light on its feet, with food-friendly acidity and the kind of easygoing character that makes it just as enjoyable with a few casual snacks as it is at the dinner table. At full price, it’s an excellent value. At more than 45% off right now, it’s a screaming deal. Buy this for dinner with friends who know and love wine, particularly fans of the late, great Jim Clendenen and Au Bon Climat. As a library release from such a storied producer, it’s the kind of bottle your host or fellow guests will appreciate without ever knowing how little you paid for it. True to Italian tradition, “The Pip” spent three years aging in large 500-liter Hungarian oak puncheons, followed by another year in bottle before its original release. It has now had an additional seven years to rest and is still going strong, a thoughtful and elegantly rendered expression of Nebbiolo. Dog lovers may also get a kick out of the fact that the Pip series is named for Jim’s beloved late Border Collie, Pip. I can’t help smiling at the thought of the two of them being together again. I like to think that all dogs and great winemakers go to heaven.

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/6/2026 | Send Email

There was once a time when we could have nearly anything we wanted in the wonderful Willett warehouses. Back in the day, our friends the Kulsveens didn't have every liquor store in America breaking down their doors to get a barrel of their special bourbon. Until 2012, they had sourced every drop, yet something about those special ricks on the hill behind Bardstown seemed to uniformly create exceptional whisky. Honestly, they were extremely ahead of their time in almost every aspect of their business, but when the distillery opened, the doors to those rickhouses closed. Now we're extremely lucky to get our one barrel a year. It's funny because those stocks are actually controlled by the distributor, and so while we definitely feel like we should be getting the lion's share of the barrels for K&L - after all, we were some of the first to jump on the single barrel bus long ago - it's hard to fault them for only giving us one, considering they have to split their allocations between five states and thousands of stores. But, as I am wont to do, I must push every button when there's something I love and believe my customers will benefit from owning. So the choice to pick a 15-year-old barrel as our only Willett seems easy on paper - an incredibly delicious and rare barrel from the pre-distillation sourced stock - but it was actually incredibly difficult. That's mostly because of this special barrel. This is easily the best own distillate I've yet to taste, and while I'm sure there are many other, perhaps superior, barrels distilled since they opened in 2012, this one was so perfectly balanced and delicious that it absolutely sang to me. So while I ultimately picked the 15-year, I asked Ethan - the single barrel guru at Willett - to hide this sample for a few days while I worked my magic. I began to prod and pester our distributor for an additional barrel allocation, but their hands were tied. They'd already committed every barrel, and I was one of the few in California to get access to a 15-year, so my political capital seemed to be spent. Our final option was to get to the New York market, where our newly opened store had not qualified for an allocation because we were so new to the local distributor there. I begged and pleaded, but the rules in New York are extremely strict. You simply can't be allocated a barrel if there are other accounts that qualify ahead of you. So I simply left it up to fate and begged Ethan to continue guarding that sample. In an amazing stroke of luck, not a few weeks later, I got a call from our supplier in New York saying one of our competitors had backed out of their pick and the allocation had opened up. Without hesitation, I mentioned this incredible barrel, and the rest is history. K&L's first Willett barrel in New York and one of the greatest modern Willetts I've ever tasted. Sometimes the stars align and the gods of bourbon allow you to step through the gates. I'm very lucky to have people in every aspect of this business who care about what we do. They know how much I care for them. They are the bourbon angels who made this possible. I won't go into tasting notes or anything like that here today. I've already been effusive enough, but rest assured, no one who understands the potential greatness that modern Willett can deliver will open this bottle and be disappointed. The barrel is named for the song that came on as we drove up that special drive to the legendary spot, "This Must Be the Place" by Talking Heads. It's true of Willett and that special spot at 270 Madison Ave in the great state of New York. We have arrived.

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/5/2026 | Send Email

Long a fan of both the Ata Rangi Pinot Noir's and Rose wines, this newly arrived 2022 fits neatly into my admiration of their past releases. I first noticed the floral rose petal and baking spice infused nose that melds with the scents of tart strawberry compote. On the palate, the first thing I get is some white pepper and ripe strawberry flavors with a touch of dried orange peel. The mouthfeel turns rather plush before the minerals and fine acidity balance the finish. What a very elegant Pinot Noir this is!

By: Michael Benoit | Review Date: 9/4/2026 | Send Email

Another great everyday value from our Anonymous Wine project, this blend of 55% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 15% Mourvedre is packed with ripe blackberry fruit flavors. The nose is expressive, with plenty of brambly berries alongside a gentle whiff of vanilla. For a wine this powerful and brooding, there is surprising freshness and lift here, concluding with a stoney minerality. A great Paso GSM blend priced to enjoy whenever!

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 9/4/2026 | Send Email

Fitou is one of those regions that has always stuck with me. Many years ago, while visiting some of the cru appellations of the Languedoc, I was able to spend some time with a couple of producers there. It’s the only time I’ve had a chance to visit Fitou, but that landscape left a lasting impression. I was particularly taken with the soils—and those of you who know me know that I needed to add a few samples for my rock collection. Driving through the region, I actually pulled the car over a few times just to look at the incredible stratification of schist exposed along the roadside. And maybe grab a few rocks along the way... That schist is an important part of the character of the inland vineyards of Fitou. Carignan is the signature grape here, and it does really well in schist. It is generally joined by Grenache and Syrah, and together they produce wines with plenty of dark fruit, spice and a distinctly Mediterranean savory personality. Fitou is a rugged, somewhat remote part of the Languedoc and it very much feels well off the beaten path. Château de Ségure has an especially interesting history. Perched above the village of Tuchan, the château dates back to the 11th century and was once connected to the Cistercian Abbey of Fontfroide, with wine produced for the monastery. Today their vineyards encompass schist, limestone and clay soils, with the Fitou centered around Carignan, Grenache and Syrah. It’s exactly the kind of property that makes this region so compelling—distinctive terroir, plenty of history and wines that can still offer tremendous value. This vintage is a blend of 40% Carignan, 40% Grenache and 20% Syrah. The wine opens with notes of blackberry, toasted herbs, roasted fig and grilled meat. That savory edge gives the wine plenty of personality and firmly plants you in the Mediterranean. The fruit is ripe but never sweet, with layers of spice and supple tannins carrying through the finish. This is another great addition to my weeknight rotation and should appeal to fans of Spanish reds, Côtes du Rhône and the rustic, savory reds of southern Italy.

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/3/2026 | Send Email

This lovely little barrel was selected in the winter of 2025 and bottled in late spring of 2026, just before its 8th birthday. This beautiful style from Heaven Hill is totally distinct from the others we see, offering another window into the massive operation that represents the second-largest stocks of bourbon in the world. Within the structure of this massive operation, the Heaven Hill single barrel seems to be the most elusive. We've technically selected another almost a year prior to the release of this barrel, but it seems to have never been bottled, so this is the first and maybe the last we'll ever see. Heaven Hill's barrel program is in flux and always changing. It's one of the best out there, but we sometimes lose opportunities that we love, like the recently retired Rittenhouse barrel program. Every year is a new surprise with our wonderful friends at Heaven Hill, and we'll keep showing up to see what they do next. Let's have a taste! The color is a classical burnished hue (1.1). The nose is zesty and inviting with sweet peach skins, honey-covered oats, tangerine peel, light-roast Arabica, and complex sweet herbs, woodruff & hyssop. The palate is extremely open and drinkable with a beautiful medium body and a rich roasted pecan backbone. The sweet herbs and stone fruit compete on the palate, but ultimately it's extremely well balanced and opulent without being overwrought. This is some of the most elegant bourbon we've ever had grace our glasses and a welcome departure from the big, oaky, intense style that we're often getting these days. Maybe it leans slightly into the aperitif styles, but isn't at all lacking in character. A wonderful pick I'm proud to get behind.

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/3/2026 | Send Email

There are very few dry white wines in Bordeaux with the pedigree—or sheer individuality—of Y d’Yquem. Produced from the same extraordinary vineyard as Château d’Yquem, it turns the estate’s traditional formula on its head, with Sauvignon Blanc leading Sémillon and the fruit harvested earlier to capture freshness, energy, and precision. That makes 2024 an especially intriguing vintage for Y. In a challenging year overall, Bordeaux’s dry whites were a clear highlight, with the cooler conditions preserving vivid aromatics, bright acidity, and impressive tension. The 2024 Y captures that beautifully, combining freshness and focus with the depth and texture that make this wine unmistakably Yquem. Production is minuscule—fewer than 2,000 cases for the entire world—making this one of Bordeaux’s rarest and most distinctive dry whites.

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/3/2026 | Send Email

There are very few dry white wines in Bordeaux with the pedigree—or sheer individuality—of Y d’Yquem. Produced from the same extraordinary vineyard as Château d’Yquem, it turns the estate’s traditional formula on its head, with Sauvignon Blanc leading Sémillon and the fruit harvested earlier to capture freshness, energy, and precision. That makes 2024 an especially intriguing vintage for Y. In a challenging year overall, Bordeaux’s dry whites were a clear highlight, with the cooler conditions preserving vivid aromatics, bright acidity, and impressive tension. The 2024 Y captures that beautifully, combining freshness and focus with the depth and texture that make this wine unmistakably Yquem. Production is minuscule—fewer than 2,000 cases for the entire world—making this one of Bordeaux’s rarest and most distinctive dry whites.

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 9/3/2026 | Send Email

I’ve been watching Brane-Cantenac closely over the past decade as they’ve steadily raised their game, delivering some of the most refined and rewarding releases in Margaux during that time. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re among the kindest and most welcoming people in Bordeaux. But while their wines have been on the rise, the 2022 is on an entirely different level. Neal Martin even called it out in his recent Southwold tasting as "a wine for the ages," where it ranked fifth in the entire vintage, outscoring a few First Growths. The 2022 Brane-Cantenac leads with tons of typicité, showing unmistakable Margaux notes of florals, blackcurrant, and spice. The palate has a Cab-forward character, oscillating between black and red fruits, plum, cedar, graphite, and more. But the true mastery lies in its incredible freshness, textural refinement, and precision—the tannins are so pure, and the wine endlessly refreshing and long. To find this kind of ethereal expression in such a powerful vintage is a real tribute to the work being done at Brane-Cantenac. This deserves to be in the conversation for the top wine of Margaux—and one of the greats of the Left Bank in 2022. Considering that, the asking price is also very impressive.

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 9/2/2026 | Send Email

The younger sibling to Ata Rangi’s estate Pinot Noir, the Crimson Pinot Noir is made from younger vines on the property and offers a more youthful, zesty style. Packed with crunchy red fruit notes – cranberry, rhubarb, red currant – this wine also has surprising grip and tension on the palate, framed by elevated acidity. Bright, focused and anchored by definitive New Zeland purity of fruit, this is another fantastic and very classic release from Ata Rangi. This wine would be delicious served with a slight chill, alongside a charcuterie plate or even wood-fired pizza. Uncomplicated and very pretty on the palate, with an almost lacey mouthfeel, this wine is a wonderful entry point to the benchmark wines of Ata Rangi.

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 9/2/2026 | Send Email

I can’t think of many wines that capture the essence of New Zealand quite like Ata Rangi does. Quintessentially New World Pinot Noir, bursting with youthful red fruit notes of pomegranate, cherry and wild strawberry, there is also a vibrancy and clarity to this wine thar speaks to its New Zealand roots. It’s just so pure, so crystalline and almost electric in feel on the palate. There is also a quiet tension and underlying current of savoriness that adds complexity. Medium-bodied but remarkably persistent, this is a wine that favors finesse and transparency over sheer power, ending with a long, lingering finish. Easily one of the top examples of Pinot Noir in the Southern Hemisphere, this is a wine that should be in every collector’s cellar. It’s delicious now, but has the fine-boned structure, bright acidity and ample concentration that will allow it to age for years to come.

By: Thomas Zacharia | Review Date: 9/2/2026 | Send Email

A zesty, lemony cream pie of a nose waves an enthusiastic hello, followed by perfectly tart apple and bits of almond butter around the edges. On the palate, this rips with a push pull between freshness and texture that leaves you wanting (re: needing) another glass. Fortunately, you can have one, because this bombshell is only $34.99. A great reminder that great Burgundy doesn’t have to cost great sums of money.

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/1/2026 | Send Email

There's something so interesting about what Rare Character does with each of these special lots. The first thing is that the product is basically the same price whether it's 8 or 12 years old. The value comes from their incredible ability to source excellent small lots. The second is that every lot has some specific trait or attribute that distinguishes it from the last. We've done several Indiana bourbons with Rare Character, but not one has been similar to the next. Meanwhile, we still have brands coming to us trying to sell 9- and 10-year-old Indiana bourbon for $150+ a bottle. It's crazy! The distillery itself has seen the writing on the wall and released a 10-year-old, small-batch, high-proof product for under $100 this year. And of course Rare Character lets its customers choose the barrels, so any pick is only as good as the person selecting. Luckily, I've got the edge here. We tend to get first crack at any set of samples that hits the California market. It's rare that I find a sample in an RC set that I think is outright bad. Maybe it's never happened. But getting first crack at those samples definitely has its advantages, and this killer barrel is proof of that. On paper, what we've got here is an unusually high-quality barrel filled with nicely aged bourbon at a lower-than-standard entry proof. That lower entry proof is a super unique factor here. Combined with the heavy-char Canton barrel, it creates an extremely unusual set of characteristics that is simply not the norm in bourbon production, a category that can sometimes feel remarkably uniform. Let's have a go at it! The color is a shimmering chestnut (1.2). The nose bursts forth with beautiful aromas of honey, jasmine tea, honeysuckle, and dried apricots, punctuated by dense savory herbal aromatics of evergreen, mint, charred oak, baking spice, and dill. The palate is bold and spicy, with the barrel and rye spices duking it out up front: peppery, clove-y, and pointed. That tense front palate is juxtaposed perfectly against an almost tropical finish, moving quickly from hearty woody spice into overripe pineapple, sweet wildflower honey, candied peaches, and sweet vanilla bean. I can't tell if it's the barrel, the low entry proof, or just the dope lot, but this is one of the most enjoyable MGPs we've bottled in many years. It falls way outside the norm in the best possible way.