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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
Wild Turkey "Rare Breed" Small Batch Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/27/2021 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/27/2021 | Send Email
The fabulous Wild Turkey distillery has always made a killer rye, but this is the first time we've been able to get the stuff at barrel proof and it doesn't disappoint in the slightest. It's no secret that I'm a HUGE fan of the kickin' chicken and while it's not everyone's cup of tea, Wild Turkey has slowly become the sleeper bourbon of the people. They do one or two special release every year, which of course have become extremely difficult to get, but mostly they just make great stuff and sell it for a great price. This stuff is no exception. The color is amber. The nose is expansive and overtly appealing. Huge aromas of dried spice, fresh mint, exotic woods, leather, burnt orange oil and spruce nibs. Some hints of tobacco leaf and behind something sweet and baked. On the palate it's got a wild core of tangy oak framed with fresh pepper, dried herbs, candied citrus peel, roasted nuts and warming mint on the finish. A total gem that just over delivers on every level.
Wild Turkey "Rare Breed" Small Batch Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 8/25/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 8/25/2021 | Send Email
There are only a few rye whiskies on the market that could match or improve upon the near perfection that is the WT 101 bottling. The barrel proof Rare Breed bottling is one of those rarities. If the spice offered by the Kickin' Chicken's Bourbon is your jam, don't miss the barrel proof version of the rye - it's turned up to 11 in every sense. The nose stands a mile high above the glass and is a complex amalgam of wild fruit patch and cracked peppercorns. Berries - black, red, and blue - intermix with fresh cut grass, humus soil, and sweet but piquant smell of hot chili peppers. The palate is a take no prisoner's affair. It's big and beastly with a serious focus on spice both pepper and cinnamon bark. If you let it linger long enough you unlock sweeter notes, gentler spices, roasted nuts, bitter chocolate cocoa nibs, and a sweet caramel/vanilla wood profile in the background. Tame it with water and it gets a little sweeter still - you can dial it in pretty much however you like it giving it tremendous flexibility in any cocktail application. It's a terrific whiskey all around.
Lini "Labrusca" Lambrusco Emilia Bianco
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 8/7/2021 | Send Email
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 8/7/2021 | Send Email
Lambrusco is one of the most popular wines in Italy this time of year, but it’s a much-misunderstood category in the States. This is mostly due to the ocean of cheap, sweet versions that were popular here in the 1970s and 1980s, plus a perplexing diversity of grape varieties, styles, and colors. Lambrusco has half a dozen different appellations, half a dozen different grape varieties, and ranges from the extremely high yields in the flatlands to lesser yields in the rolling hills of Castelvetro. It takes a bit of work to figure it out, but wow—once you try a couple, you will be hooked.
Some of the more delicate versions have the Emilia appellation, where Lini is one of the top producers. These wines are lighter, crisper, and dry, while being perfect for salumi on a hot afternoon. Lower in alcohol, they are the perfect daytime wines and should be served refreshingly cold.
(Greg St. Clair, K&L Italian wine buyer)
Price:
$15.99
Louis Roederer "Collection 242" Brut Champagne
By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 8/3/2021 | Send Email
By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 8/3/2021 | Send Email
Just when we thought the Roederer Brut Premier is as good as it gets, here comes Collection 242 to prove us wrong. This new, fabulous cuvee from Roederer is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and dosaged at a lower rate. By blending the 2017 with reserves you get some major complexity all while keeping the freshness and minerality shining through. Coming from a major Champagne house, this comes at a great price, too.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 8/3/2021 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 8/3/2021 | Send Email
This is so fresh and vibrant at first but as it warms and gets air lemon Brule`, cream, apricot and wet stone all emerge in the mid-palate and finish. The aromas and flavors stay bright, clean and focused even as the texture turns creamy and rich. Just amazing for the money.
Price:
$37.99
Louis Roederer "Collection 242" Brut Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 8/1/2021 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 8/1/2021 | Send Email
What a significant and impressive upgrade for Roederer! This updated cuvee is powerful, mineral with deeper and broader texture and amazing long finish. Brioche, hints of honey and red apple along with mouthwatering acidity and rich citrus.
Louis Roederer "Collection 242" Brut Champagne
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 7/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 7/29/2021 | Send Email
What a thrill to taste "Collection," a revamping of Roederer's flagship non-vintage cuvée, and a commitment to top quality production standards and consumer transparency. With added reserve wines from a perpetual solera-style system, lower dosage and added Chardonnay contents overall, this is a substantial improvement over an already-great blend. It has added brightness, precision, integration without losing any of the signature leesy, smokey, toasty richness.
Louis Roederer "Collection 242" Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/29/2021 | Send Email
This is one of our best values in fine Champagne! This wine has a lovely fresh baked brioche nose framed by deep meyer lemon fruit with subtle hints of honey. In the mouth it has a precise bead and great texture- not just from the tiny bubbles- but also from the concentration of the wine underneath. It manages to have white fruit, citrus and bready complexity without becoming vinous or heavy. On the contrary, it is a fresh, finessed Champagne with a finish that had me coming back for more and more. What a treat.
Chartogne-Taillet "Sainte Anne" Champagne
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 7/21/2021 | Send Email
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 7/21/2021 | Send Email
You aren’t going to find many centuries-old-families that plow their ancestral fields by horse in Champagne; the Chartogne-Taillet family respects the ancient terroir of Merfy (7 km north of Reims) as religiously as the Benedictine monks did back in the 7th century when the old lieu dits were first sanctified into history. The Sainte Anne bottling captures all of the nuances and variety in the different vineyards that winemaker Alexandre Chartogne obsesses over. When you pour it into a glass, the bubbles burst forth in a flurry of metallic almond colored clouds. Notes of bruised orchard fruit and gentle macadamia nut leap out of the glass. The beautiful velvety mousse comes at you with bright raspberry and ripe strawberry and a clean and juicy finish. For balance and complexity, Alexandre mixes in some reserve wine to give this wine the round smooth taste that you can talk about for days and days. Who better to celebrate these days than a winemaker in Champagne that lives and breathes terroir.
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/15/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/15/2021 | Send Email
Launois is an eternal favorite at K&L, and this all-Chardonnay core of their lineup is always in my wine fridge. It's such a fun Champagne that comes across super fresh with notes of pear, lemon, and chalk. The acid is zippy on the tongue with flavors of lemon meringue pie. It's playful and casual, and it's great for any occasion.
Price:
$39.99
2020 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 7/8/2021 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 7/8/2021 | Send Email
Dark, inky color. Very spicy aromas with hints of lilac. Full mouthful of red berries and blackcurrants. Packed with ripe fruit which overpower and hide the tannins. Very elegant wine with a long, lingering finish. Must be one of the top wines for 2020 Bordeaux. 42% Merlot, 52% Cab Sauv and mix of PV and CF. Full-bodied wine when tasted at the property. Will age well for a long time. Close to 2009 in quality.
2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge, Pessac-Léognan
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 7/8/2021 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 7/8/2021 | Send Email
With a special label honoring the Cathiard’s Thirty years of winemaking.at Smith. This wine has huge scores from the writers with three or four possible 100 pts. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, plus PV and Cab Franc. This wine is like a lazer beam-very precise and focused. I think 2020 is their best wine in the thirty years of winemaking-Fabian is a great winemaker. Sexy and ripe-will age well.
Billecart-Salmon "Le Rosé" Champagne
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 7/7/2021 | Send Email
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 7/7/2021 | Send Email
Mathieu Billecart calls this their "Princess of Rosé," as it comes from their younger vineyards, and the young lively vines impart a nice freshness. 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 30% Pinot Meunier. An ethereal pink color, with a nose of fresh strawberries and white blossom. It shows juicy berry fruit on the palate. Delicious! It's one of our most popular rosé Champagnes for good reason: it's incredibly easy to drink.
Launois Brut Rosé "Valentine" Champagne
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 7/7/2021 | Send Email
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 7/7/2021 | Send Email
A Pinot Noir made in the signature creamy, elegant style that has made Launois beloved by customers and staff alike. A wine of great finesse, with floral and raspberry notes and delicate bubbles. It is perfection with a summer nectarine caprese salad.
Price:
$44.99
2020 Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 7/7/2021 | Send Email
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 7/7/2021 | Send Email
17.5% Cabernet Franc (up from the usual 8% but this year the Cab Franc was really great), 48.2% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon. My first note was “WOW!” with a heart beside it. It is a knockout. The palate unfolds in layers of rich dark chocolate, espresso, crushed rocks, sweet cassis fruit, and then a long long long finish that just doesn’t quit. This wine is absolutely brilliant.
Troupis Ritnitis Pitys Arcadia Greece (Retsina)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 6/27/2021 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 6/27/2021 | Send Email
This wine is delicious, interesting and different. The nose is very expressive and pronounced. It jumps out of the glass offering pleasure with savory undertones. In the mouth it is dry and savory, unique and tasty. It will go well with chicken and seafood.
Price:
$21.99
2020 Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
This wine is wonderful, one of my favorites of the vintage. Delicious waves of chocolate, mocha, cherry, and graphite careen on your palate. It has silky smooth tannins with a full mouthfeel and is so balanced. The fruit is integrated, it has power and freshness and complexity—the whole package. I didn’t want to stop tasting this.
Troupis Ritnitis Pitys Arcadia Greece (Retsina)
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
Greek orange wine tends to be in a league of it's own. I've had several bottlings in the past, and while they are fantastic and refreshing, there's a note in there that clearly gives it away to me that it's greek skin contact. This bottling is no exception/ Mellow acidity and a nice pine flavor profile makes this wine quenchable and delightful. If you want to try a truly unique orange wine and under the 20 dollar price point, the Troupis may be for you.
Price:
$21.99
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
This family owned and independent House still makes one of the best and most reliable oak aged Champagnes on the market. Three to four years aging on the lees has filled this with notes of caramel, toast, ripe apricot, and touches of oak in a bold and chalky style. This is big, full-bodied bubbly that is filled with richness and tension.
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
Beyond the fact that this is Agent 007's preferred glass of fizz, I must admit I love Bollinger. It is unashamedly a rich style, barrel fermented, round, toasty, packed full of Pinot Noir's red fruited richness. The wine contains 50% older reserve wines, and it shows in the wine's depth and persistence on the palate. Four years on the lees gives a lovely autolytic presence to the wine along with a lick of oak barrel spice that lingers long in the finish. I can see why Mr. Bond is partial to this...it's powerful and sophisticated.
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
This is magically rich champagne (about 30% spends time in barrel) made from 50% reserve wines that are actually painstakingly aged in magnum sized bottles. The result is a plush, complex profile of dried apricots, pears, peaches, and honeyed almonds that are balanced wonderfully by vibrant acidity. The long, arduous production method means that it requires the relatively low dosage of 9g to balance out the rich profile.
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 6/22/2021 | Send Email
Bollinger’s classic release, the "Special Cuvée", is one of my first choices when looking for a grande marque, since it offers both the prestige name and relative value—the quality feels higher than many fancy brands at a similar price point. On any given day, the wine has a quicksilver character about it: nimble and bright enough to cut through fried foods, yet lush when complementing more classic pairings such as seafood. Founded in 1829, Bollinger clearly cares about luxury and detail at every level. Yet the house itself is set among its own vineyards in the unassuming village of Aÿ. For the "Special Cuvée", 80,000 magnums are disgorged by hand! Wines are aged at least three but often five years (more than the appellation’s required fifteen months). Bollinger only seems expensive if you haven’t seen the care that goes in to making it.
2020 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 6/21/2021 | Send Email
By: Kate Soto | Review Date: 6/21/2021 | Send Email
This is the first year that the wines were made in their brand-new, state-of-the-art winery. It's a wine for the long haul. Tannins need time but the palate is already explosively delicious, and the wine is long and supple. Black fruit, coffee, spice, and graphite. Concentrated and rich. A sumptuous wine.
J. Lassalle "Cachet d'Or" 1er Cru Brut Champagne
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 6/10/2021 | Send Email
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 6/10/2021 | Send Email
Fans of Pinot Meunier or anyone looking for a zippy crowd-pleasing party Champagne is going to want to take heed. The nose is shy with subtle notes of cherry but surprisingly supported by a fresh jolt of bright acidity and the hallmark flavor of pomegranate. Super fun pick, and the price is right!
Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/5/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/5/2021 | Send Email
Glenfarclas is unmatched in many ways, but the dedication to quality and value is my favorite point to highlight. Price increases from this special distillery are nearly as rare as hen's teeth. Even as the Scotch world continues to boom and every multinational drinks company seems to raise their prices weekly and without reason or merit, Glenfarclas and the Grant family hold the line. Sure costs go up over time, but any time we've ever seen the prices increase on these special malts, it's been super reasonable, incremental increases. Housekeeping aside, let's taste the 25 - a banner for 'Farclas that flies high. This is some of Scotland's finest whisky. It's refined and genial. The nose is loaded with stone fruit but balanced with an equal measure of barley forward cereal notes. The barrel regime utilizes sherry casks heavily, but this is no sherry bomb. A combination of many types of casks allows a finesse and balance that is so rare in today's single cask, over the top, cask strength bottlings. The palate has a lot of chewiness and is never heavy. It's rounded out by a really pretty vanilla and cream note and brings in a fair amount of tropical fruit flavors like pineapple and coconut. The finish is long and clean. This is the type of Scotch that will make you fall in love with the category all over again. It's a stone cold classic. If you were introduced to Scotch recently, there's a good chance you've never tasted this and nothing will put it on your radar. It's not a trophy, it's not a bottle people scour the country looking for. It's just damn good Scotch at a great price from a family run distillery.
Price:
$274.99
Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 6/2/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 6/2/2021 | Send Email
This isn't quite the same as the Germain-Robin XO you might remember from 10 or 15 years ago, but it's some dang good brandy. Fig and damson plum come out of the glass--sticky but not cloying. The oak asserts itself, but then richer fruits come back to the foreground accented by cigar box, citrus zest, and burnt sugar. The palate reminds me of cherry-stuffed crepes I used to get at my favorite Colorado breakfast spot with an orange flambé flare. Assertive oak shows the brandy's boldness and age without undermining its grace.
Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/2/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/2/2021 | Send Email
It would be a singular feat to make brandy that has a legitimate claim to rivalling Cognac in quality. To be able to argue that your bigger contribution is providing an augmentation to (and perhaps an improvement upon) a centuries old tradition is another thing altogether. While Cognac will always hold a special place in my heart and my liquor cabinet, so too will Germain-Robin. Unbound by tradition and appellation law, the willingness to take Cognac techniques and tweak them to the finest wines California has to offer has resulted in a phenomenal brandy unlike anything available in any other region of the world. One nosing of the XO and it's hard to argue with the results. Deeply intense cherry and apple play perfectly with fresh Madagascar vanilla bean. A dusting of cocoa powder adds both savor and sweetness. Tobacco leaf and Moroccan mint provide an herbal complexity that entices me to taste the elixir but also could happily freeze me in the nosing stage for an hour. Once you actually taste it, you are trapped in an endless cycle of pouring, nosing, tasting, and savoring until you've reached your limit or the bottle is empty. Harmony comes to mind. It's powerful, mouth-coating, and assertive. But it's also delicate, lively, fresh, lithe, and zippy. It does not overpower. It's basically the perfect ending to an evening as it's robust enough to enjoy on its own but won't leave you feeling heavy and bogged down like some sweeter tipples. It's difficult to taste this and not realize you're consuming a part of California history, inextricably linked to a place and time when great creators and serendipity worked together in unprecedented ways.
Germain-Robin California Alambic Brandy (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/2/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 6/2/2021 | Send Email
A perfectly exquisite nose starts things off right. Pour me this blind and I'm definitely going to think it's high-end Cognac (I might be thrown by the lack of boise and caramel; all the better). It's extremely rich in fruit and jumps between peaches, nectarines, apples, even some red berries and a lovely, toasted oak and vanilla. Be sure to explore the nose for some time before taking your first sip—once you do, your senses will latch onto more wood notes in the nose for a time. Come back to the glass and things will have shifted again into flaky pastry, croissant, apple pie crust, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a complex touch of varnish, a very developed character that is a surprise if you're thinking about the 7-year age statement. Then again, most of the brandy in the bottle hovers around the 20-year mark, so this makes more sense. The palate itself is sweet yet very lively, never cloying. There is more to discover as you taste over time. Green apples morph into green and then roasted nuts, baking spices double down, refined tannin gives a persistent and silky mouthfeel. The finish lingers for a very long time, a pleasant reminder of what was in your glass when it was full. I'll admit, I was terrified when Gallo purchased this California classic. Not that they don't have a reputation for quality (they make a phenomenal number of great wines), it's just that they also have a reputation for big ol' bulk wine too (not to mention huge quantities of inexpensive brandy). To my immense relief, the impeccable quality on which Germain Robin built their reputation remains firmly intact now that we're 3-4 years into the Gallo ownership. It is my hope and belief that this will continue and the resources of Gallo will allow the Germain Robin brand to continue to flourish and forever push the boundaries of what is the very best California Brandy has to offer. Certainly, they have done that here in their flagship bottling. Bravo!
Ardbeg "Corryvreckan" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/28/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/28/2021 | Send Email
The Corryvreckan will take over a room. It's a massive powerhouse of a whisky. Scorched earth, sea spray, and roasted nuts mesh with fruit compote, dark roast coffee, lovely oak spice and sweet vanilla. It's one of the most distinct noses in all of Scotch and something that you likely love or hate. If you haven't had this staple in a long time, it's worth a revisit. If you've never had it before, caveat emptor, it is not for the faint of heart. If you don't love smoky whisky - this isn't your dram. If you do, nothing else will likely suffice when the craving strikes. Ardbeg is one of the few major Scotch distilleries that hasn't skyrocketed their prices in recent years and arguably with its ravenous cult following and exceptional quality it has one of the best excuses to if they wanted to. Fortunately for now it remains one of the best deals available in any core brand lineup.
High West "Campfire" American Whiskey
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/26/2021 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/26/2021 | Send Email
To say this is the end of an era is an understatement. Highwest Campfire has long stood as a symbol of the risks that the special Utah distiller was willing to take as well as their prowess as blenders. It is indeed their ability to acquire and expertly blend whiskies that made High West the exceptional property that it is today. But the shear boldness of mixing high quality American whisky with heavily peated Scotch to create a new category of whisky truly put these guys on the map. Many were skeptical at first, writing off their efforts as a gimmick or a novelty, but ultimately this product has been embraced by so many in the whisky community who appreciate it's balance and versatility. Now, with word that they'll be transitioning this product to a distillery only release, there's been a renewed sense of urgency from many of those who have come to rely on this bottle when they found themselves craving something shall we say "in between" categories. Still now, years after its initial release, the campfire offers something few else can. The nose is a luxurious amalgam of sweet new oak, tangy rye spice and deep sooty smoke. On the palate the wood does a lot of the talking and falling distinctly in the texture range of a good straight bourbon or rye. The sweetness is tempered perfectly by the top note of clean Islay peat, twinges of ash and iodine don't distract at all from the gorgeous caramel and spice. Altogether an idiosyncratic expression that won't necessarily make everyone happy all the time, but when you're in the mood there's nothing else that can quite scratch that itch and since you'll have to head to Utah to get this one in the future, it's probably a good move to grab one or two just in case.
High West "Campfire" American Whiskey
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/26/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/26/2021 | Send Email
Word on the street is that High West is transitioning Campfire to be a Utah only product. They're not going so far as to yank product from other markets, but to just naturally let it run dry and no longer replenish it after March 2021. This means unless you've got a post pandemic trip to Park City in the works you've gotta stock the bar now. It's what we did. There's no telling when it'll be sold out in CA for good, but the end is near. It's a tragedy for whisk(e)y lovers without ties to Utah as Campfire has been one of the more creative and interesting whiskies available for quite some time. It's a beautiful mélange of bourbon's classic highlights of sweet corn, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch mixed with an impossibly complex rye profile. Cracked pepper, sweet cinnamon and nutmeg, spicy black pepper and cut grass all work harmoniously with the bourbon. The kicker though - is the peated Scotch. This component really ties it all together in an unexpected way that just works. The slightly salty and robustly smoky elixir makes its presence known from nosing through to finish, but it never overwhelms. The Campfire name really is perfect. If you're dying to get outside and have a drink around the fire with friends, this is a great place to start.
2020 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/23/2021 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/23/2021 | Send Email
This wine was huge when tasted from 2 week old sample. Reserved in the nose, but opens with air. Red rose aromas and cassis flavors. Very well structured for the cellar.
2020 Bellefont-Belcier, St-Émilion
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/16/2021 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/16/2021 | Send Email
WOW ! What a treat here. Raspberry aromas abound. Very feminine and elegant on the palate. Rich, ripe, and sweet black fruit flavors. Round tnnins-elegant finish. Delicious wine.
Billecart-Salmon "Le Rosé" Champagne (375ml)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/12/2021 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/12/2021 | Send Email
These are more than just cute half bottles, this is the benchmark in rose Champagne, and it deserves every bit of its fame. I find it elegant and balanced every time that I have it, and the blushing pink color is always perfect. If you are looking for a famous producer that delivers the goods, the Billecart Salmon Brut Rose Champagne is a great choice. I like the wine best as an aperitif, the only thing it need to pair with is a good glass.
Billecart-Salmon "Le Rosé" Champagne (1.5L)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/12/2021 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/12/2021 | Send Email
Nothing is better than Champagne from magnum, and this is the benchmark in rose Champagne, and it deserves every bit of its fame. I find it elegant and balanced every time that I have it, and the blushing pink color is always perfect. If you are looking for a famous producer that delivers the goods, the Billecart Salmon Brut Rose Champagne is a great choice. I like the wine best as an aperitif, the only thing it need to pair with is a good glass.
Elijah Craig "Small Batch" Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/6/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/6/2021 | Send Email
I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Elijah Craig Rye since it was first released to limited markets in the U.S. in early 2020. Over a year and many prominent awards and critical reviews later, it feels like I've waited a lifetime. Fortunately, now that it is actually in my glass, it has actually lived up to my expectations and the hype. It has fully delivered on the value proposition that is the Elijah Craig brand, a move that makes Heaven Hill one of the greatest in the business. The whiskey is bursting with flavor; rye obviously takes center stage, but it is so well supported by the high corn and malted barley content that it never overshadows its co-conspirators. Sweet spice (i.e. not peppery spice) envelops the palate. Generous toasted oak leans towards coconut. The caramels and vanillas are also there; I want to say prominent, but it isn't the right word, because while it's robust, there are no hard edges. It's a rounded rye in style and texture. At 94 proof (the same as EC's small batch Bourbon) it has the easy drinkability I associate with the brand without missing the punch so many modern whiskey fans love and expect. A modern classic, no doubt, and one that has managed to stay true to everything I expect from Elijah Craig. No easy feat considering the very high bar I hold for the mark.
Edradour 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/5/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/5/2021 | Send Email
Perhaps the most underappreciated distillery in Scotland. It's tiny, beautiful, and makes an incredible whisky. It's also the spiritual home of Signatory - the famed independent bottler and owner of the distillery. I recently revisited the standard 10 year and realized just how much I personally also underappreciated the malt. It's darker than I remember, a rich amber hue. It's flavors are golden and peachy. There is a faint peat component, like those peaches have been grilled. The sherry influence is unmistakable, but not overpowering. It's a phenomenal every day drinker, especially for a sherry lover who misses the days when Mac 12 wasn't trying to be 100+ bucks.
Price:
$69.99
Dalmore 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/5/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/5/2021 | Send Email
Aroma pours forth from the glass. It's lifted and bright with sweet fruit, candied grain, and a hint of tropical flavor. It's hard to not enjoy this pour right from the get go. The palate is more robustly tropical and meshes citrus with chocolate and nougat. A complex baklava spice and honey keeps you guessing from start to finish. If you need a bottle will impress - it's tough to go wrong with Dalmore 25.
Price:
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Drappier "Carte d'Or" Brut Champagne
By: Heather Vander Wall | Review Date: 3/26/2021 | Send Email
By: Heather Vander Wall | Review Date: 3/26/2021 | Send Email
I recently got to revisit this lovely Champagne, and I'm sorry to say it had been a couple of years since I tasted it last. It is more stunning than I remember. A champagne on the richer side, with great depth of nutty, lees-y character, complementing the fresh red berry fruit and bright crisp acidity. If you are a fan of classic, balanced brut Champagne that tends towards the nuttier, richer style, this is the wine for you.
Drappier "Carte d'Or" Brut Champagne
By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 3/24/2021 | Send Email
By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 3/24/2021 | Send Email
Drappier's Carte d'Or is a Champagne for any occasion. Pinot Noir makes up a majority of the blend which lends a lovely red fruit character on the palate. Stone fruit and brioche notes are also expressed with minerality throughout. It's beautifully balanced and makes a great aperitif. It's a bargain for the quality and not to be missed!
Drappier "Carte d'Or" Brut Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 3/23/2021 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 3/23/2021 | Send Email
Dry, mineral driven Champagne with lovely fresh brioche aromas and flavors along with bright citrus notes and hint of meadow flowers. It lingers on the palate with crunchy acidity and touch of red apple flavor. Delicious Champagne that can be enjoyed every day at this price!
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Jennifer Lee | Review Date: 2/9/2021 | Send Email
By: Jennifer Lee | Review Date: 2/9/2021 | Send Email
This champagne is perfect for a New Year's Eve celebration bubbly as it's liveliness shines through and tantalizes your palate with crisp, juicy and refreshing notes. Aged 60 months on the lees, the Ariston Aspasie Reserve will not disappoint and this greal deal it's a steal. Chill, sip and enjoy.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Muriel Sarik | Review Date: 2/9/2021 | Send Email
By: Muriel Sarik | Review Date: 2/9/2021 | Send Email
This Champagne is TRUE value and TRUE pleasure! I am always in awe of how well made this champagne is. This time I found the aromas to be more floral with a subtle musky perfume.
The work and time spent on making this alone is worth more than $34.99. It shows aromas of sourdough yeast and crisp green apple on the palate. The price allows one to buy a case for all the celebrating to be done from now until next year.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Jordan Stone | Review Date: 2/8/2021 | Send Email
By: Jordan Stone | Review Date: 2/8/2021 | Send Email
The "Carte Blanche" Ariston Aspasie bottling allows you to buy well crafted Champagne that is made within the strict rules of the Champagne region at a very reasonable price. This Champagne has richness but is very light in feel. Nice green apple flavors, brioche and vanilla bean, chalky with a mousse texture. Just lovely.
Price:
$37.99
Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 12/30/2020 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 12/30/2020 | Send Email
A lovely Rose. Bright and yeasty with some toasted brioche. There are a good amount of bubbles with a nice sweetly fruited chalky finish. This wine is very well balanced and drinks extremely well. It is a classy refined Rose that I really enjoy. Perfect for any occasion.
Chartogne-Taillet "Sainte Anne" Champagne
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 12/27/2020 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 12/27/2020 | Send Email
50% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier from Merfy on the Montagne de Reims. Wonderful fruit-forward nose of gala apples and bing cherries with intermingling toastiness and minerals. The rich flavors are perfectly integrated and buoyed effortlessly by a creamy acidity and a crisp, fine bead.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 12/20/2020 | Send Email
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 12/20/2020 | Send Email
My wife and I drink a bottle of Champagne every Friday, we call it Champagne Friday. It’s been running strong for almost a year now and I am amazed that we haven’t gotten around to Ariston Aspasie Réserve. The price wrongly directed me to think that this wine would ride the middle of the road in terms of quality and taste and I’m always happy to admit I’m wrong when the reward is this good. In the bright and sultry nose it’s all lemon peel, pretty orange flowers, toasted almonds, flaky croissant and a hint of orchard fruit demonstrating the power of this 40/30/30 ratio of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. You can really taste the zippy, zingy and punchy flavor of the exceptionally well grown cool climate grapes and world class wine making facilities. We enjoyed our bottle with a succulent and fatty pork chop--not too intensely flavored but rich in flavor and the biting acid of this wine really helped to make the flavors sing---but aperitif and after dinner cheese would also make this sing.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Heather Vander Wall | Review Date: 12/18/2020 | Send Email
By: Heather Vander Wall | Review Date: 12/18/2020 | Send Email
If you ask any K&L staff member for a champagne recommendation, this is most likely the bottle they will instinctively reach for. Why? Because this is the wine that time and again has graced our own tables, marked our celebrations, and found its way, more often than not, into our weekly wine diet. This is undeniably one of the best values for true champagne that we offer. The wine is both approachable and layered, with distinctive toast and brioche notes complementing the orchard fruit on the palate. Whether you need some bubbles for your dinner tonight, you want to gift a friend with something special, or you're celebrating with your family, you really can't go wrong with this wine.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 12/18/2020 | Send Email
By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 12/18/2020 | Send Email
Warm candied oranges and fresh herbal notes make this an incredibly delicious wine that keeps you coming back for another taste. I've always loved how the greatest champagnes are process driven, and in the Aspasie Reserve you can taste the level of effort five years on the lees gets you. Yet another overachieving bottle of champagne we're directly importing; and while I love the high end bubbles of the world as much as the next person, it's so easy to forget how good these bottle can be when you look at their crazy low prices.
Price:
$37.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/17/2020 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/17/2020 | Send Email
A great mousse, clean apple, subtle cherry. Lovely freshness with a distinct bready top note. Rare to find a better value than this in Champagne, the Ariston's commitment to quality is second to none and thanks to our DI relationship, we're selling this at crement prices!
Price:
$37.99