K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

Marie Duffau Napoleon Bas Armagnac (750ml)

By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 4/27/2022 | Send Email

For the money, I can't think of a better deal in Armagnac than the Marie Duffau 'Napoleon'. This is a delicious brandy that is smooth and textured with great flavor, rich fruit and a rounded finish that is very easy to like and drink. A minimum of 6 years old and is typically a blend of mostly Ugni blanc, some Baco, and a little Colombard and Folle Blanche. Try a bottle, it's great.

Price: $34.99

WE: 90

Arran 10 Year Old (New Label) Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 4/27/2022 | Send Email

Anyone looking for an easy drinking whiskey that is light and bright should take a look at the Arran 10 year old. Arran is a relatively new distillery, opened some 30 years ago off the coast of south-west Scotland on the picturesque island of Arran. The whisky has a very clean fruity profile that has some vanilla and citrus notes followed by a little spice and apple on the finish. This is a great whisky for someone who doesn't want a peaty or smoky style or is just starting to look at single malts. A very fine dram indeed.

Price: $59.99

Port Charlotte (Bruichladdich) 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/23/2022 | Send Email

If you are a peated whisky fan, you'll enjoy this single malt. There is a sharpness to this whisky that is not for the faint of heart. You get intense peat that hugs your tongue and it is delightful! Overall, it is a must try and a great deal for a 10 year!

Price: $59.99

WA: 91

Redwood Empire "Pipe Dream" Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Hope Cooc | Review Date: 4/6/2022 | Send Email

Hmm, where should I start with Redwood Empire? A fun little fact is that Redwood Empire promises to plant a tree with every bottle sold. So, from here we’re already off to an amazing start. Diving into their Pipe Dream Bourbon, you get enriching flavours of vanilla, baking spices, and toasted pecans. The mouthfeel of this whiskey is delicate with a hint of a black pepper spice at the finish. I personally enjoy drinking Pipe Dream by itself, but it is equally as delicious in a cocktail as well. If you’re looking for a new bourbon to try, I highly recommend grabbing a bottle on your next visit!

Price: $29.99

WE: 94

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (750ml)

By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 4/2/2022 | Send Email

This is by far my favorite Gin for martinis. The botanicals are well measured so that one does not overpower any of the others. Bright lemon, a touch of seaweed, and a whisper of moss. The finish is clean and perfect for enjoying stirred and garnished with a lemon twist.

Price: $34.99

St. George "Terroir" Mount Tamalpais Gin (750ml)

By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 4/2/2022 | Send Email

What an exciting idea. Distill a gin using some botanicals from a local area.The St. George Terrior Mt. Tam is more that a good project, it also tastes good and expands the bonderies of flavors for a gin. There are aromas of juniper and bay laurel that are followed by flavors of juniper, bay laural, sage and fir. A gin to think about and enjoy. Over the last ten years this has been on of our best selling gins because it is both delicious and unique.

Price: $29.99

Tsuji Zenbei Shoten Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama Genshu Omachi Sake (720ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/2/2022 | Send Email

A lush nose of cantaloupe, lychee and honeysuckle. On the palate, surprisingly nutty (Pine nut, Macadamia nut) with plush mouthfeel. Very creamy, with flavors of vanilla and honeydew. Delicious and perfectly enjoyable on its own!

Price: $49.99

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (750ml)

By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 4/2/2022 | Send Email

My single malt senses are tingling... Wait!... This isn't malt!... It's gin! Bruichladdich is an extraordinary gin out from the Isle of Islay, twenty two native botanicals are used in this gins conception. It's flavors are lush, real great juniper bite with a wonderful saltiness on the finish.

Price: $34.99

Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength London Dry Gin (750ml)

By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 4/2/2022 | Send Email

An interesting London dry, of course as the name states its produced in London and has a great classic botanical list; however, it's water is sourced from Iceland! Once the gin arrives in a village called Borgarnes it's blended with fresh water from the Selyri spring. The inclusion of fresh water offers the gin a softer body, and smoother liquid texture. An awesome London dry that'll be great over ice, or in a martini.

Price: $36.99

WE: 94

Beefeater London Dry Gin (750ml)

By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 4/2/2022 | Send Email

A wonderful London dry gin at a phenomenal value. Perfect for G&T's. Real crisp juniper on this one with great classic flavors, can't pass this up!

Price: $19.99

Rey Campero Espadin Candelaria Yegolé Oaxaca Mezcal (750ml)

By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 3/25/2022 | Send Email

This is a very will made and delicious Mezcal. The nose is very complex. Every moment seems to offer different aromas, with citrus and savory notes interacting. In the mouth it was soft with a nice roundness and a hint of minerals. There are very subtle hints of smoke.

Price: $39.99

1982 The Rare Armagnac Collection (Domaine de Pouchegu) 38 Year Old K&L Exclusive Vintage Armagnac (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 3/25/2022 | Send Email

Armagnac continues to offer some of the most compelling values in the world of spirits. It's insane that these ancient spirits are still available in 2022 at these kind of prices. While I've loved so many of the Pouchegu bottlings we've done in the past, the 1982 came as a surprise to me. The deep mahogany color fit right with my expectation as I associate this chateau with a very strong wood profile, but I most certainly wasn't expecting the intensity of fruit that this is showing. On the nose dark cherries, freeze dried stone fruits, and a touch of gummy peach ring are just bursting from the glass. It all sits on a beautiful tray of aromatic cedar covered in a thick varnish, staying true to my Pouchegu preconceptions. The palate is big, bold, and again, shockingly fruity. It's a testament to the power of the spirit that after nearly 40 years in oak the original fruit stands up strong both on the nose and palate. The mouthfeel is robust, leaning just a touch toward hot, but shockingly drinkable at the 54.1% ABV this clocks in at. If you're a fan of delicate fruit forward Armagnac this probably isn't the one for you. If you love big and bold wood flavors with a huge helping of fruit, do not skip the 1982.

Price: $179.99

1982 The Rare Armagnac Collection (Domaine de Pouchegu) 38 Year Old K&L Exclusive Vintage Armagnac (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 3/24/2022 | Send Email

Anyone who knows this producer and the excellent spirits that were distilled by M. Laporte some 30-40 years ago should not be surprised that I believe this to be one of the greatest domaines in Armagnac. The barrels themselves were purchased after Laporte's death by the Chateau Hontambere, but the quality has not been compromised what so ever. No, in fact it seems as though the current owners have managed to keep some of the finest barrels under wraps. Few spirits in the store will compare to this exceptional product, no other age spirit deliveries so much for so little though. If all armagnac was made in this style, we'd have drunk it all years ago. Let's have a taste. The color is deep tawny. The nose is pungent, intoxicating mix of wild red fruit compote, toasted vanilla bean, light roasted arabica, raw honey and charred oak. On the palate the fruit upfront is an absolute surprise. Pure dried apricot and peach, followed by tart cherry, exotic antique wood, slight lacquer box character. The big spice and slightly bitter oak is overpowered on the finish by the desiccated peach flavor, moving almost to the candied peach range. The balance and complexity is second to none and it's absolutely astonishing that nearly 40 years in new oak hasn't completely clobbered this spirits. That said, if you don't like a wood driven style of Armagnac this is not the product for you, for everyone else this will, I believe become a benchmark for which to measure brandies in this style.

Price: $179.99

Rihaku "Dreamy Clouds" Tokubetsu Junmai Nigori Sake (Unfiltered) (720ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/19/2022 | Send Email

This actually does look like dreamy clouds! Unfiltered and cloudy, like Karl the Fog! It has a plush nose of vanilla bean, melon and red licorice. On the palate, initially, there is a little weight but, it is quick to come forth with dry and clean flavors of sweet white rice, vanilla ice cream, and banana. It also has a nice tangy finish. Delicious!

Price: $30.99

Ariston Aspasie "Brut Prestige" Champagne

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 3/16/2022 | Send Email

Aspasie's Brut Prestige is made with some of the grower's oldest vines and is composed of 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, and 25% Pinot Meunier grapes. For me, this wine captures two distinct qualities that can be hard to pin together: richness and focus. For the levels of flavor here, the Brut Prestige knows exactly what it is, where it wants to take you, and never goes over the top with any of its characteristics. The nose presents buttery brioche and fresh apricot. The palate begins with creme brulee and nuttiness, again transitions to orchard fruit with flavors of peach compote, then finishes with refreshing fruit cocktail. Elegant and precise, this is a great Champagne.

Price: $49.99

Wine Club

$44.99

Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 3/16/2022 | Send Email

This is one of the lesser-known classics, though I've really loved this Champagne house for a while now. The Grande Reserve consists of 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, and Baron Fuente uses 40% reserve wines for this bottling ensuring a lot of complexity develops. It also spends three years on the lees to develop a level of yeasty, toasty flavors that's just right for me. The nose opens with light cream and musty yellow pears with additional orchard fruit notes of peach and apricot. There's nice lemon acidity and a whisper of smoke and flint. The palate is pleasantly tart with both apple and pear, and this Champagne has fantastic texture. This Champagne's profile hits most of those classic Champagne aromas and flavors making it very approachable and perfect for crowd-pleasing at any event you might be hosting.

Price: $29.99

JS: 90

Ariston Aspasie "Brut Prestige" Champagne

By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 3/13/2022 | Send Email

The entire Aspasie line represents incredible Champagne value, but for me, the "Brut Prestige" is unmatched in terms of quality for the money. The particularly old vines (60-years) produce a unique concentration of black cherry/green apple fruit, while the extended time on lees provides plenty of nutty, honey, cream and floral elements that make this a stunning bottle of Champagne.

Price: $49.99

Wine Club

$44.99

Condesa "Clasica" Extra Dry Mexico City Gin (750ml)

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 3/12/2022 | Send Email

What an incredible bottle of gin! We had this in a big lineup of stone cold London Dry classics, and it showed so spectacularly that I didn't wait five minutes after the tasting to buy one for home. This does the trick that only the best of all drinks can do- it is super refreshing and also complex and interesting. I love the cooling juniper and exotic high tones from this gin- it is all together too good for gin and tonics!

Price: $34.99

Condesa 'Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom' Mexico City Gin (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 3/12/2022 | Send Email

I'll admit I was skeptical going into my first tasting of this one. It's in a beautiful pink glass bottle (although it pours clear) and I was expecting just a massive floral and fruity mess. Boy was I wrong. There is plenty of juniper here to anchor the fruit and floral blossoms firmly in the world of gin. It's no slouch in any classic cocktails and in fact really shines beautifully in a simple G&T. The citrus is crystal clear, the prickly pear sweet yet bracing. The texture of both Condesa gins is otherworldly. That texture makes for a perfect dry martini. Just shake or stir over ice according to your pleasure and garnish with really any citrus peel you have on hand, strain, and enjoy. As a huge proponent of vermouth being a strong feature in any good martini, it's remarkable that I would make one without it, but here, the gin is so good, so complex, so bright, so lively, that you can get away without it. Of course, if you have some fresh, delicate dry vermouth to add, it's not going to hurt anything either. If you love gin, both Condesa bottles are simply must haves at all times.

Price: $34.99

Condesa "Clasica" Extra Dry Mexico City Gin (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 3/12/2022 | Send Email

This gin is insanely good. I cannot keep my hands off the bottle. If a few short days, it's gone. I've made every classic gin cocktail in my repertoire and it has performed to perfection in each one. It's texturally impressive, silky, yet robustly flavorful. There is a firm juniper backbone, but with no hard edges. It doesn't classify as a London dry per say, although it is bone dry. It's not a floral bomb gin either. It's just so spectacularly balanced and graceful. It stands as one of the best gins on our shelf, in my personal collection, and in the wide world of gin. Add to that the fun facts that it's a woman owned and operated distillery in the heart of one of the most exciting cities on earth and crafted by a practitioner of the Mexico's traditional healing arts and packaged in a stunning bottle AND it's reasonably priced to boot, and you've got a 10/10 here.

Price: $34.99

2010 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan

By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 3/9/2022 | Send Email

Ask any seasoned Bordeaux drinker about Pessac Leognan and the one thing that's sure to come up is the minerals. As mysterious and unbelievable as it is for the flavor of the gravelly soil and white quartz to travel through the roots and the veins into the grapes, I beseech you to smell this wine. Yes, it has the dark currants, the potent violets, licorice and smoke of great Cabernet Sauvignon, but it also has an unmistakable and unique stony earthy aroma that is totally complementary to every other flavor present. It has an incredible balance that seems to highlight every corner and nuance of the wine, with nothing overpowering anything else. This is a testament to the unmatchable terroir of this top Pessac Leognan property.

Price: $224.99

Condesa 'Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom' Mexico City Gin (750ml)

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 3/8/2022 | Send Email

Gin from Mexico City? You better believe it and believe that it's great stuff too! Condesa Gins are made in the heart of Mexico with Mexican sourced botanicals, helmed by Maestra Destiladora, Hillhamn Salome. Right away, it's apparent that this is a very different experience that the Condesa Clasica, but it's still got that juniper structure and is still so aromatically expressive. The prickly pear makes it playful. The addition of orange blossom really shoots the floral and citrus components of the gin to the stratosphere. If you're a fan of more flower-oriented gins like Hendrick's then you owe it to yourself to check this out. Forced to describe this gin with one word, I'd have to go with "bright". This gin shines through and keeps going with vivacity and freshness. It makes a great Gin & Tonic, but honestly I just want this over ice with two dashes of bitters and a thin wedge of lemon, lime, and mandarin orange all squeezed and dropped in the glass.

Price: $34.99

Condesa "Clasica" Extra Dry Mexico City Gin (750ml)

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 3/8/2022 | Send Email

Gin from Mexico City? You better believe it and believe that it's great stuff too! Condesa Gins are made in the heart of Mexico with Mexican sourced botanicals, helmed by Maestra Destiladora, Hillhamn Salome. As all great gin should, the Condesa Clasica hits first with a firm juniper note that forms the core of the spirit, but there's a lot at play here. Spicy and floral notes intertwine beautifully, raising the juniper higher. The sage and palo santo provide a nice herbal and earthy base, but then the jasmine and citrus keep bursting through to lighten everything up with a breath of summer that gets headier with each whiff. I prefer the Clasica in a Martini, but the cocktail potential here is vast with all the unique botanicals and complex flavors.

Price: $34.99

Ariston Aspasie "Cépages d'Antan" Brut Champagne

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 3/3/2022 | Send Email

With this bottle, Aspasie offers imbibers a beautiful glass of Champagne with one hand and a glimpse into the history of the Champagne region with the other. The Cepages d'Antan is made using grape varietals that have all but gone extinct in the area: 40% Arban, 40% Petit Melie, and 20% Pinot Blanc. If that sounds like an odd Champagne blend then you'd be correct, but rest assured that there's no mistaking this for anything but a great Champagne! Green apple kicks off the nose followed briskly by tropical fruits, clotted cream, a slight toasty edge, and fresh raspberries. On the palate I get bright cherry, passion fruit, and mandarin orange. The acidity is on point here helping to make a vivacious sparkler that tingles and tickles the tongue. If anyone tries to tell you that history is boring, give them a glass of this.

Price: $119.99

Tedorigawa Kinka "Gold Blossom" Daiginjo Nama Sake 720ml

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 3/3/2022 | Send Email

I'm a bit late writing up this selection for week three of "Sake Saturday". As opposed to our previous two selections, this one has a more muted nose with the majority of the scents focused upon cantaloupe. There are light hints of banana and macadamia nut. In the mouth, it starts out on the richer side but, suddenly turns very dry and crisp. For me, it is once again the cantaloupe fruit that comes to the forefront, underscored by green fruits and sugar snap pea. A very interesting choice for the week!

Price: $39.99

Tedorigawa Kinka "Gold Blossom" Daiginjo Nama Sake 720ml

By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 2/26/2022 | Send Email

Another successful Sake Saturday; watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew... All the melons! How wonderfully refreshing this sake was, a bit on the drier side those fruit notes are accompanied by none of the sugar, giving their truest, and rawest flavor! The nose was slightly floral, just faint enough to pick it up, but not present enough to be overwhelming. The finish was a wonderful umami, minor saline quality with some soft vegetation -- a real beautiful crisp piece of nori! The "Gold Blossom" Daiginjo Nama is absolutely delicious... Oh, I almost forgot to mention, nama translates to 'raw' this sake is unpasteurized, meaning those flavors its offering are coming in their freshest, and purest form - keep cold, and enjoy quickly!

Price: $39.99

Egrot Extra Brut Champagne

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 2/23/2022 | Send Email

I'm such a fan of this wine. My favorite aspect is the way that the citrus meets the vanilla notes head-on in a fantastic synthesis of flavors. There's biting lemon and pithiness, but these flavors go hand-in-hand with just-cut vanilla bean and deeper toffee notes. The palate is a little fresher with zippy acid, yummy pear notes, bright lemon, and a little cream. Vanilla peeks around the edges of the finish in a playful way so you don't forget it. It always stays fresh and crisp, so it's perfect for all manner of seafood dishes, particularly oysters and sushi.

Price: $39.99

Fukucho "Moon on the Water" Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ml)

By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 2/20/2022 | Send Email

Fragrant, expressive, and deceptively fruity; what a fine sake this is! Only in the past two or so months have I found myself gravitating to this category of beverage, and well.. I'm happy that I am! This Junmai Ginjo is beautifully balanced; fragrant cherry blossom and floral perfume, fresh melon and banana mash, and a minor saline quality that just ever so slightly lingers on the palate... Umami! Glorious Umami! With a Nihonshu-do level of +3 this Sake fringes on the border between dry, and sweet. A great compromise for anyone looking for a fruit bomb, or a more complex expression... If you're someone looking for both.. This is the perfect bottle!

Price: $36.99

Fukucho "Moon on the Water" Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 2/19/2022 | Send Email

Week two of sake Saturday! Another pretty one, just like last week. A nose of lychee and a hint of anise. Remember a cocktail called a Melon Ball? Well, the scents from this sake reminds me of that. On the palate, it is very clean and crisp with more melon, green banana, and the white Good & Plenty candies (vanilla and licorice). Yes, that's not a technical description but, that's what it reminds me of. Sake Saturday has now become my favorite day. Just as good as Champagne Friday!

Price: $36.99

Cascahuin "Tahona" Blanco Tequila (750ml)

By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 2/18/2022 | Send Email

Cascahuin has been one of my favorite producers in tequila since I first sipped tasted their entry level offerings years ago. Their traditional process creates spirits leaps and bounds ahead of most competitors in terms of quality and flavor. Effortlessly balanced and expressive, this entirely tahona-pressed bottling in particular exhibits everything that most blanco tequilas aspire to be. Rustic aromas of dusty herbs and dry earth instantly evoke the region from which this hails. The taste is unbelievably refined, with pure agave sweetness taking center stage, supported by fresh white pepper and chamomile. The finish shows darker fruit tones and a satisfying earthy counterpoint to the ethereal flavors up front. A lingering hint of roasted meat makes this endlessly satisfying to drink. Purists should always have this on the shelf, and those looking to take a step up in the category should look no further.

Price: $69.99

Wakatake Onikoroshi "Demon Slayer" Daiginjo Sake (720ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 2/12/2022 | Send Email

Happily, as of today, we are back to tasting sake and this is a grand place to start! It has a very pretty nose of banana, lychee and melon. A real pleasure just to smell. In the mouth, it has a rich mouthfeel, with additional banana, vanilla cream, and a (light) hint of apricot. There is a nice dryness to counteract the overall richness of the taste. I tasted this chilled but, not especially cold. I can't wait to see what we will taste next week!

Price: $49.99

Don Julio "1942" Añejo Tequila (750ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 2/8/2022 | Send Email

Tasting Don Julio 1942 is always a SHOCKING experience. It truly doesn't compute how they're able to create something so heady and sweet using just highland distilled agave and oak barrels in the quantities that they do. The nose is an explosive mix of sweet coconut, fresh vanilla bean, chocolate nibs, and tropical fruit. On the palate, the richness is jaw-dropping, I can't help but let out a guttural exclamation. Uhhhhhh ... what the hell did they do here? Yes, it's sweet, but it's so decadent you almost want to compare it to Sauternes or Quart de Chaumes. Baked tropical fruit, smooth silky texture, and a long, lingering finish. I tasted this next to slow-barbecued cacao crusted short ribs and couldn't imagine a better pairing. We've also got this at a killer price, so there's that too.

Price: $174.99

WE: 98

Ariston Aspasie "Cépages d'Antan" Brut Champagne

By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 2/5/2022 | Send Email

This is not just a wine for the wine nerd. Cepages d'Antan could very well be portal from the past into the future of Champagne, using once forgotten about grapes native to Champagne. Cloy and veiled initially, this wine really starts to open up with air, so if you're not one to decant Champagne, try it out with this special blend. You will be rewarded with a bouquet of different citrus from a touch of mandarin peel, to plucky lemon and even some buddha's hand? Then the butter cracker comes through and the extended lees pays off as swirls of heady savory herbs come into the finish. Who knows if climate change means we move back to some of these forgotten varietals, but at least you'll know what everyone had been missing when we get there.

Price: $119.99

Egrot Extra Brut Champagne

By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 2/5/2022 | Send Email

What's not to love about extra brut Champagne? Imagine a wine maker who knows that they have delicious fruit and they take that fruit and make a delicious wine, and then they have such confidence with that wine that they bottle it with just a whisper of lifting dosage. Egrot's Extra Brut has a beautiful minerality to it, and a hint of salinity as if it was plucked from the sea. The finish is brisk and almost stern, but more like the love of a Grandmother who knows what's best for you. Bruised cherry, fatty Marcona almonds and a doughy savory character speak to the mastery of lees contact that Elisabeth Goutourbe likely has written into her DNA.

Price: $39.99

2019 Far Mountain "Fission" Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 2/3/2022 | Send Email

Phenomenal mountain Cabernet, one of the finest I've tasted in many years. This is the real deal. Sourced from vines high on Moon Mountain planted in 1971! These gnarled old vines bring forth a genuine character of powerful, brooding, mountain grown Cabernet. Dense black / purple fruit - blackcurrant, mulberry, damson, briary tones, mountain chaparral, crushed rock, cigar box, leather. Wonderfully expressive fruit, quintessential of the varietal. Good structure and noble tannin provide an excellent frame for the wine to adhere to. Drinking great now as a young expression, but I'm sure this will be a stunning 10 year wine...and probably will see 20 years in good form too. A steal in terms of value for money vs its Napa neighbors.

Price: $44.95

WE: 94

JS: 93

VN: 93

W.B. Saffell Limited Edition Batch #1 107 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (375ml)

By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 2/1/2022 | Send Email

Andrew and David do a great job of delivering you the heady nuances of this whiskey--I'm just here to hype. This bourbon is everything you want in an American whiskey, leaping across the room from any glass it's poured into to smack you with deep caramel notes and fragrant earth and spice. Even taking small tasting sips like we do at work, this whiskey lingers on your senses, creating a cacophony of smells and flavors that will be sure to delight even the casual lover of whiskey. If you've already got a bottle of this, grab another, you never know when you might run out.

Price: $49.99

Sorelle Bronca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 1/15/2022 | Send Email

Normally, I have mixed feelings about Prosecco and have to be in the mood to drink it. Sometimes, it is a little too fruity for me. However, this Sorelle Bronca is nice and dry and tart! A pretty nose of orange blossoms, mandarin oranges and toasted nuts. Crisp acidity with citrus fruits and minerality on the palate. A great way to start a meal and a great alternative to Blanc de blancs Chamapgne. 1/14/2022-Update: It's been a long time since a revisit to this Prosecco and it is still just great! Still pretty with orchard and stone fruits, in addition to the crisp citrus. This is not a sticky sweet Prosecco. This is the real deal. Balanced, fresh and elegant.

Price: $23.99

VN: 90

W.B. Saffell Limited Edition Batch #1 107 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (375ml)

By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 1/5/2022 | Send Email

It's no secret that I'm a total Wild Turkey fan boy. I've been pining for this whisky for the better part of two years. While this batch was released in most markets in 2019, we didn't see it in California until two years later. While most other markets have sold out and the few stores that still have it are asking nearly double the original price, we've done everything in our power to purchase every single bottle we could find. There's simply nothing on the market as delicious and available as this incredible product. If you ever wanted to taste what pre-prohibition bourbon might have tasted like, this is about as close as you're going to get. The nose is never ending in its complexity. Every trip back is a different story. First it offers tons of sweet corn, rich caramel and brown sugar. When you return, now a powerful spice focused on cinnamon, but more complex and some added herbal savory character. Finally, zesty burnt orange peel and freshly toasted vanilla bean. On the palate, that fab WT earthiness, which I'm certain comes from the old 12 year element (of course distilled at the now demolished Old Ripy plant). Sweet oak, peppery spice, caramel syrup, it's full bodied but not obtrusively heavy, with a vibrant zesty-ness no doubt thanks to some excellent work by the blender. This is a whisky I'd like to be drinking all the time in perpetuity. It simply never gets old. After days with this bottle it continues to grow on me. There will be a the occasionally hater that quips about the price, but considering the junk that people throw money at these days, this is about the best bourbon we can sell to you dollar for dollar. This gets my highest recommendation!

Price: $49.99

2016 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion

By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 1/5/2022 | Send Email

Chateau Barde-Haut falls into the category of “All-Time K&L Favorite” for good reason. Many of you have met owners Helen Garcin and Patrice Leveque during one of the several wine dinners they have had with us. They are pure class. Their wines are quintessential St. Emilion, hailing from terroir just adjacent to Tour St. Christophe that is planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The 2016 has a perfume of dark cherries, currants, violets, potpourri, toast and and baking spice. On the palate, it displays great freshness, tannic structure and vivacity behind the rich fruit, with a long, acid-driven finish. This is Bordeaux at its best for a relatively great price.

Price: $39.99

W.B. Saffell Limited Edition Batch #1 107 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (375ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/31/2021 | Send Email

Tantalizingly close to perfection. Painstakingly recreated from the study of historical notes, careful tasting of pre-prohibition bottles, and the ingenuity of the Russell's - The recreation of W.B. Saffell's famous whiskey is finally here. Bottled at 107 proof it's seamless, powerful, and graceful all at once. The nose is a stunner: fresh gingerbread, candied corn, sweet succulent grassy notes like a burst of springtime, butterscotch, vanilla, creme brulee, dark cocoa, toasted oak and fresh saw dust, caramel, it's got the whole nine yards. And that's just the first nosing. The palate is down right glorious. The combination of sweet corn, spicy rye, and toasty barrel is on point. It drinks like the very oldest Russell's barrels we've ever sold but with a softer silkier palate. The proof is dialed in just right. The finish is long and sweet with a hint of heat on the back end that is the exact reminder you need that this was made at Wild Turkey. It's maybe the easiest drinking AND most fully flavored Bourbon I've tasted all year.

Price: $49.99

2018 Sansonnet, St-Emilion

By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 12/20/2021 | Send Email

Whenever I seek a St-Émilion, I envision a wine that is rich, generous, almost opulent. I also expect to open my wallet bit wider for it. Not here! For a very reasonable price, this wine delivers a luscious, generous palate of kirsch, blueberry liquor, chocolate, fresh tobacco. Rich but not excessive. A perfect steak wine.

Price: $47.99

2018 Sansonnet, St-Emilion

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 12/15/2021 | Send Email

What a wine. This shows the irresistible nature of the 2018s on the Right Bank and delivers a ton of character and refinement, all for a stunning price. The aromas are full of dark red fruit including cherries and plums, with hints of graphite, forest floor, and hints of vanilla. On the palate, it delivers black cherries, dark chocolate, and cassis. But the most amazing part of this is the flawless texture, precision of fruit and tannin, and the layered, mouthwatering acidity that lifts the whole thing and draws you back for another sip. In the scheme of Bordeaux, Sansonnet is a modern-leaning over-performer that delivers an incredible amount of refinement and is incredibly approachable at the same time. But it will also find many fans from those that love Napa classics and other hotbeds for the best in Bordeaux varietals. Hard to resist at this stage, 2018 Sansonnet will age effortlessly for a few decades for those who can resist pulling corks.

Price: $47.99

Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature Champagne

By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 12/8/2021 | Send Email

Now officially one of my favorite Blanc de Blancs! The richness of the Grand and Premier Cru Chardonnay shines through with no added dosage and the balance is impeccable. Citrus-y apple fruit, floral aromas, a touch of nuttiness, subtle smoke and toast from the lees contact and a bright, long finish with no cloying sweetness. One glass was not enough on this one.

Price: $89.99

WE: 93

WS: 93

New Riff Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)

By: John Flanigan | Review Date: 12/4/2021 | Send Email

This 100 proof rye whiskey is a must have. The spicy rye smell is complimented by a nose of fresh cut grass, fields of heather, and perhaps a shade of mint. The rye flavors are bold and clean with a nice bit of sweetness coming at the end of the palate. The finish is long and highlighted with some bright citrus. Overall this hits all the buttons of a great rye, driving hard down the center lane of what to expect in a nice bottle-in-bond.

Price: $39.99

WA: 92

Mars Shinshu "Iwai" Japanese Whisky (750ml)

By: John Flanigan | Review Date: 11/27/2021 | Send Email

This is a light and delicate whiskey, extremely pleasant to sip before an evening meal. The nose evokes a cup of black tea sweetened with honey. That warm honey note gets stronger on the palate changing to a honey/lemon hard candy and follows through all the way to the finish. "Nuanced" is the best word to describe this whiskey. There are no hard edges or heavy flavors, just a pleasant afternoon drinking experience before the sun the sun goes down.

Price: $26.99

Willett Family Estate 4 Year Old Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

By: John Flanigan | Review Date: 11/24/2021 | Send Email

A robust cask strength rye that warms with every sip. The nose pulls heavily from classic rye spices and citrus zests. The taste opens up to a host of sweat breads, dried fruits and roasted nuts, the finish lingers for a quite a while. At 4 years, this drinks like a much older whiskey, one of the finest in the Willett line.

Price: $64.99

Rowan's Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

By: John Flanigan | Review Date: 11/24/2021 | Send Email

A hearty mid-proofed bourbon with a spicy herbaceous nose. Strong woody notes on the palate and nice crisp oaky finish. This is a solid choice for nightcap or a bit of elevation for your cocktail.

Price: $49.99

Noah's Mill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

By: John Flanigan | Review Date: 11/24/2021 | Send Email

This is the type of bourbon that warms you up from the inside. The sweet honey tea aroma grabs you immediately and stays in your nose for a nice long time. On the palette you are treated to rich, round flavors of hot caramel, honey-drops, and candies cherries. Just like the nose, the finish goes on for days!

Price: $69.99

Redwood Empire "Grizzly Beast" Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: John Flanigan | Review Date: 11/22/2021 | Send Email

This is everything you want from a Bottle-In-Bond bourbon. It's strong, nuanced, layered, and has taste for days. A 5-year distillate of their own making (a true grain-forward expression), this bourbon has strong cherry and honeycomb notes with a long buttercream finish. Perfect as an everyday sipper or as an after meal treat, Redwood Empire's "Grizzly Beast" is a fantastic choice as a gift for a bourbon lover looking for something new. As an added bonus, Redwood Empire plants a tree for every bottle sold!

Price: $89.99

2009 Meyney, St-Estèphe

By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 11/21/2021 | Send Email

The 2009 vintage has entered a delightful and approachable phase in its life for immediate consumption after pouring. Upon opening, the nose boasts generous fruits and a hint of gravel. Cherry jubilee, baker's chocolate wash over the palate, followed by warm baking spice and subtle scrubland herbs. The spicy but well-integrated tannins would compliment a rich, hearty meal perfectly, though could be enjoyed just as easily sitting at home on a cold night curled up by a warm fire. Once opened, it continues to evolve, showcasing the refined rusticity that the St Estephe commune is best known for. It just might be the perfect bottle to enjoy during this holiday season. Cheers!

Price: $99.99

VN: 94

JS: 93

RP: 92

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