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- Dejah Overby (147)
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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
2009 Meyney, St-Estèphe
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 11/21/2021 | Send Email
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 11/21/2021 | Send Email
Big, complex and richly oaked. If this wine could be described in action: You are eating chocolate covered cherries in a hilly, heavily wooded forest, and suddenly you see a fox dash across your path that pulls you like a magnet down the hill, but suddenly you are tumbling instead of chasing and your body kicks up mounds of wet earth and when you finally reach the bottom you are unharmed and the fox is licking at your hands inviting you to take another drink of this fantastic wine. Age this wine, drink this wine now, pair it with rich fatty foods and you'll be as happy as a fox.
Highland Park 15 Year Old "Viking Heart" Isle of Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 11/20/2021 | Send Email
By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 11/20/2021 | Send Email
This single malt is an absolute treat -- extremely mellow on the nose: this whisky invokes scents similar to fresh vanilla, hot honey, and soft touches of maple. The palate offers flavors reminiscent of a decadent angel's food cake. On the middle palate, there's the acidity and sweetness of fresh pineapple that's tied up by a soft cinnamon finish. Sweet and delicate - Highland Park has produced a whiskey at a great age statement, a must-buy for anyone looking to enjoy a subtle bottle by a well-seasoned producer.
Price:
Hidden
Leclerc Briant Reserve Brut Champagne
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/20/2021 | Send Email
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/20/2021 | Send Email
The Leclerc is a "sleeper" it is my first time trying this Champagne and I see a place for this in my collection. The flavor profile genuinely makes it a stand out among the rest. On the nose it reminds me of pear spice cake, candied ginger then on the backend there is a hint of guava. I noticed that it also drinks like a wine in the way of its small bubbles, it just floats on the tongue. A touch of salinity lingers but the finish is firm in its med plus acidity. I would say this is a cheese Champagne, its super complex in my opinion, the range could be from a Brillat-Savarin to a Mimolette, just keep herbs and rubs out of the picture.
Price:
$59.99
Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature Champagne
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/20/2021 | Send Email
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/20/2021 | Send Email
This Laurent Perrier bottling is of my favorites in the Blanc de Blanc realm. A crisp and clean Champagne that leads towards lemon, fresh ginger, honeycomb, white peach and fragrant white flowers on the nose and palate. The finish is full, present and lengthy. This is a perfect Champagne for a lover of bright lifted flavors with med plus acidity. Enjoy this with escolar nigiri.
Inverroche "Amber" Gin (750ml)
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 11/18/2021 | Send Email
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 11/18/2021 | Send Email
Whenever people ask for unique gins either to offer as gifts or expand their collections, my first instinct points immediately to Inverroche. The amber especially offers a complex and intriguing profile that you won't find elsewhere. Somewhere between an Old Tom style gin and a barrel aged dry (though there is no wood involved here), it offers all the juniper and floral character of the brand's Classic gin but with added weight, fruit and spice. Golden apples, teak wood, cinnamon, anise, and honey all meld together to create something indescribably satisfying and wonderfully distinct. Though the cocktail applications are nigh endless, I would love to have this in a modified cobbler where it replaces the amontillado.
Price:
$40.99
St. George "Baller" Single Malt California Whiskey
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 11/12/2021 | Send Email
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 11/12/2021 | Send Email
This whiskey marks a particular milestone for me in my spirits journey, as it was one of the first esoteric bottlings that challenged my preconceptions about the category. At once delicate and brash, this project showcases the creativity and innovation at work in St. George's oeuvre. Salty, sweet and tart all at once, it boasts nectarine and pluot tang appointing a body of golden cereal malt with a savory and satisfyingly smoky finish. The first sip takes you past the fruit, revealing its softer floral tones that compliment that rich malt, all the while warming the palate with pleasant spice. A cocktail enthusiast's dream, to be sure, this also makes a great gift for any fan of fun whiskey who is looking to branch out.
Price:
$49.99
Billecart-Salmon "Le Rendez-Vous #2" Pinot Noir Extra Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/2/2021 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/2/2021 | Send Email
What a powerhouse! This Champagne is a statement on Pinot Noir from the region, and combines the hazelnut elegance of Verzenay's north facing slopes with the black cherry savor of Ambonnay's south facing slopes. Not only does it have presence and structure, but it also has a dry, lifted and chalky finish. Sadly, we only have a precious few bottles, and this will not be made again. Maybe next year it will be Chardonnay?
Price:
$109.99
Inverroche "Amber" Gin (750ml)
By: Greg Dudley | Review Date: 11/1/2021 | Send Email
By: Greg Dudley | Review Date: 11/1/2021 | Send Email
A great cocktail gin. On the nose I find the usual juniper notes, a nice herbal bouquet and a hint of honey sweetness. On the palate I find more of that honey sweetness and a slight herbal bitterness that just begs for a dash of St. Germain and tonic. Be sure to reach for this next time you're enjoying an Aviation, French 75 or Tom Collins.
Price:
$40.99
St. George "Baller" Single Malt California Whiskey
By: Greg Dudley | Review Date: 11/1/2021 | Send Email
By: Greg Dudley | Review Date: 11/1/2021 | Send Email
The Baller shows impressive complexity for it's age. At only 3 yrs old this "California take on the Japanese spin on Scotch whiskey" is very nice and dangerously drinkable. The nose shows plum and floral notes with just a hint of smoke. On the palate these notes are joined by malty sweetness and a slight nuttiness. With a hint of plum and a light smokey note on the finish this is a very pleasant take on Scotch whiskey.
Price:
$49.99
St. George "Baller" Single Malt California Whiskey
By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 10/30/2021 | Send Email
By: Austin Jenkins | Review Date: 10/30/2021 | Send Email
A mildly complex single malt: St. George “Baller” Single Malt Whiskey is an array of floral flavors and scents, ranging from wildflowers to dried rose petals – this sweet, and decadent whiskey has a lighter body, velvety texture that delivers flavors like citrus zest, baking spices, and delicious chocolate malt chased subtly by a lingering plum finish. A perfect whiskey for drinking straight or making its name’s sake: The Highball.
Price:
$49.99
2016 Labégorce, Margaux
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 10/28/2021 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 10/28/2021 | Send Email
A wonderful Bordeaux that is showing well now. The nose is soft and inviting. It is robust and complex with a good balance between fruit flavors and classic dry finish. It will be best with food.
2016 Labégorce, Margaux
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 10/28/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 10/28/2021 | Send Email
This wine is incredibly good! Located right next to first growth Margaux, Margaux with freshly rebuilt winemaking facilities, Labegorce is one of the best deals in Margaux right now. The 2016 is full bodied with rich, pure dark cherry, blueberry and cassis fruit and great minerality. The ripe tannins are seamlessly integrated, and subtle toast from oak aging is right on point, not overdone. As good as this is now, it will surely age well for multiple decades.
San Venanzio Fortunato Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 10/23/2021 | Send Email
By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 10/23/2021 | Send Email
When enjoying this Prosecco recognize that is made with such familiarity and experience for this family as ties in the Valdobbiadene that go as far back to the sixth century AD. Their expectations when harvesting quality Glera combined with consistency in flavor from bottling to consumer is why K&L's relationship has lasted so long, they're just about part of our family. The suppleness of granny smith apples, ginger-pear sorbet, dried apricots in this version finishing with almond paste and the subtle brininess is lengthy and truly delightful on the finish. Feel free to apply your fruit puree of choice, this can be a great partner to passion fruit or prickly pear for bellini cocktails.
Price:
$15.99
Compass Box "Orchard House" Blended Scotch Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 10/21/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 10/21/2021 | Send Email
Compass Box strikes again. It was a devastating loss when Oak Cross went away from their core lineup, but the gaping hole that was left behind has finally been filled. Orchard House delivers the goods - a bushel full of them. The whisky has been purpose driven since being laid down in barrel to showcase the incredible fruit profile of the distillery components. It's a blended malt that highlights all of the beautiful ripe fruits in the pantheon of Scotch flavors. It's branches sit heavy with apples of every shade, stone fruit from succulent apricots and peaches to candied nectarines. Ripe pear abounds. It's truly incredible. All that fruit however - is still grounded by a full and complete whisky. This is where Compass Box really shines. Their mission is to build a whisky that is more than the sum of its parts. In a classic 1+1=3 magic trick they've paired all that fruit with ex-Oloroso sherry butts and their custom French oak barrels for a robust palate with more than a sprinkle of spice. Cinnamon and nutmeg, a touch of ground black pepper, rancio complexity in just enough force to be the perfect touch - like that extra pinch of salt from a chef. Vanilla and honey pair perfectly with the malty goodness that is of course the foundation for any Scotch. It's a masterpiece at a bargain price and fully deserving of a prominent spot in the core lineup of Compass Box.
Price:
$44.99
San Venanzio Fortunato Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 10/20/2021 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 10/20/2021 | Send Email
Absolutely delicious Prosecco! It has an amazing floral aroma and light delicate bubbles with soft flavor of Liberty apple and bright citrus notes. It's very easy to drink and it's a great sparkling wine to use in many cocktails.
Price:
$15.99
Tequila Tapatio "Excelencia" Extra Añejo Tequila
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 10/16/2021 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 10/16/2021 | Send Email
If you're looking for a high end Tequila then this is the one as the Tapatio Excelencia has everything you want in an extra anejo. I find a nice saltiness and good agave flavor despite its age. This is very easy to drink with flavors of agave, herbs and some mangoes and banana in the background with a very smooth finish. Another great thing about this Tequila is that it is not sweet which can be a bit too common in the extra anejo category. A wonderful Tequila that is also well priced when you look at its competitors. Highly recommended!
Price:
$199.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
Tequila Tapatio "Excelencia" Extra Añejo Tequila
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 10/15/2021 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 10/15/2021 | Send Email
The Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva is one of the greatest Tequilas ever produced. Dollar for dollar, there is nothing better available on the market today. We struggle to keep this Tequila in stock, but finally managed to grab a large parcel. The production of this spirit is insane and the extra time and care in making it shows with every nosing and every sip. This is decidedly NOT your big rich sweet style of extra añejo laden with additives - this is pure Agave flavor perfected meshed with quality oak for four years and then - like the world's finest eau de vie - allowed to rest for years before bottling. Nose: a complex mélange of fresh agave, blue fruit compote, freshly cut cherry wood, pencil shavings, and leafy herbs. On the palate the wood profile is rich and round, but not overpowering of the agave itself. Vanilla and caramel fill the mouth tempered by a spicy cracked pepper and fine tannin structure. Roasted and candied nuts, fresh saw dust, apple sauce, and raw sugar cane stalk all blend into a wonderful transition from mid-palate to finish. It's got length for days. If you're a lover of Tequila and are looking for extra añejo outside the cloying sweet style - you simply cannot do better than this bottle.
Price:
$199.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
Compass Box "Orchard House" Blended Scotch Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 10/6/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 10/6/2021 | Send Email
Such a beautiful and inviting Scotch! As soon as you pour a dram of this, you can tell that you're in the company of a friend. True to it's name, Compass Box's new blended malt, Orchard House, is redolent of multiple orchard fruit aromas. Apple, pear, peach, and cherry step to the front of the line. When nosing this, from time to time it almost smells like Calvados, though never fully giving up its base cereal notes. Whipped buttercream floats through, cut by just enough spice (one of the contributions of Clynelish in the blend, I'm guessing). The palate keeps playing with the fruit and ups the ante with a bright citrus pop, though they are certainly grounded by earthy and leathery flavors providing excellent balance. I hear that Orchard House will be replacing Oak Cross in Compass Box's core lineup, so while I was sad to see Oak Cross go, I'm pleased that it's being replaced by this absolute stunner of a blended malt.
Price:
$44.99
Billecart-Salmon "Sous Bois" Brut Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 10/6/2021 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 10/6/2021 | Send Email
Red apple skin and lemon notes are the most prominent flavors of this Champagne. It's full-bodied and powerful with firm structure and acidity. Serious wine that should be paired with richer seafood, like lobster, tuna or swordfish. It opens up a lot in the glass as you drink it and shows more sides of it. Definitely a unique Champagne.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 10/6/2021 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 10/6/2021 | Send Email
I never get tired of tasting and drinking this Champagne every time it comes back in stock. It's that good! Brilliant and tremendously complex, it's one of the best expressions of Blanc De Blancs . On the palate you get delicious combination of light lemon curd and some chalky minerality. On the nose - meadow flowers and citrus blossom. No wonder it's always gone so fast from our shelves!
Compass Box "Orchard House" Blended Scotch Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 10/2/2021 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 10/2/2021 | Send Email
I would have bought this whisky at double the price. This offering from Compass Box is one of my biggest surprises of 2021, so much gentle fruit, deftly balanced with concentrated, natural malt and subtle rancio complexity. This is so much better than most single malt at the price and my favorite new release in many years. This is seamless and involved stuff!
Price:
$44.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 10/1/2021 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 10/1/2021 | Send Email
This is a staff and customer favorite for very good reasons. It's just delicious Champagne that is very easy to drink. I find it really well balanced. It is rich yet has good acid and is very rounded overall. It's basically the house Champagne at K&L that we frequently drink for our celebrations. One key part of the cepage here is that the Ariston's include 30% Pinot Meunier, an unusally high amount and I think it comes through when you drink the wine. Buy a bottle, you won't be disappointed.
Price:
$37.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 10/1/2021 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 10/1/2021 | Send Email
Champagne for $25? Come on now, it's a no-brainer. The long list of reviews below mine tell you all you need to know about this wine. It's just a terrific deal for a Champagne of this quality. A crowd-pleasing style that hits all the right spots. It's a best seller for a reason and not just because of the price.
2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 9/30/2021 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 9/30/2021 | Send Email
This shows the warm, baked character of the 2009 vintage to a tee and the wine is filled with ripe Merlot fruit flavors along with plenty of blackberry. The middle is firm, dark and deep but with no hard edges or aggressive tannin to get in the way of the pure drinking pleasure. Over 10 years bottle age and from a great vintage for less than 25 bucks!
Billecart-Salmon "Sous Bois" Brut Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
It's Billecart, so you don't need me to tell you this wine is great - some assumptions are not foolhardy in the slightest. I was initially struck by the pretty florality of the nose that flows into aromas of light vanilla cream, soft breadiness, and citrus notes. The palate has amazing texture with weight lifted by elegant bubbles. Flavors of plum and apple mix with the citrus elements and baking spices. The oak aging really transforms this Champagne, adding complexity without applying a heavy hand.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
This delectable all-Chardonnay Champagne has a wonderful little secret: at least 50% of what's in the bottle is reserve wines. So even though it's non vintage, Bonville is utilizing a lot of its premium older wine for this Grand Cru. This Champagne comes at you with bracing minerality and acidity. There are notes of green apple, lemon tart, and enough chalk to get stuck in your teeth. That pucker factor along with a velvety soft mouthfeel makes this one of my favorite go-to Champagnes.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
The Aspasie Reserve has been one of my favorite go-to sparklers since I started working at K&L (back when it was called Carte Blanche). The name may have changed, but luckily the quality of the juice is exactly as high as it has always been. For me, Aspasie Reserve is all about freshness and balance, and it's amazing that it delivers so fully on those characteristics for under $35. That price is even more impressive when you know that this wine spends five years on the lees and contains 15-20% reserve wines. Yellow apple floats on top of fresh lemon for the nose. There's a great mineral base accented by a touch of toasted buttery brioche, golden raisins, and light honey. The palate has baked apple and pear notes that lean towards richness, but never crosses over that line. The fruit maintains its presence and the acid keeps just a little edge going. Wonderful!
Price:
$37.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
This is the best value I've ever seen from Champagne. This flagship from western Marne producer Baron Fuenté is aged for a full three years on the lees, giving it a richness unheard of under $25. It has expressive flavors of apricot, Gala apples, and honeysuckle with a touch of spice and herbs and a rich toasty creaminess on a finish that just keeps going and going. What a value for the quality!
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
A great amount of effort and care goes into Aspasie Reserve, and it is instantly clear when you taste it. Low temperature macerated in small volume, then lightly filtered and aged for an impressive five years on the lees, it is a true wonder that the cost is not much higher than it is. Bright, pure flavors of Anjou pear, granny smith apple, toasted pastry dough, and hisbiscus, with a light creamy texture and crisp acidity never fail to impress even the most discerning champagne drinkers.
Price:
$37.99
Billecart-Salmon "Sous Bois" Brut Champagne
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
For those who enjoy the added nuance and luxury a subtle addition of oak lends to champagne, the Sous Bois is a superbly executed example from an excellent champagne house. The base of bright Anjou pear and granny smith apples is enhanced by nuances of vanilla, baking spice and a touch of cocoa. The added frame of oak gives great weight and added luxury to an already excellent wine.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne (375ml)
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
A great amount of effort and care goes into Aspasie Reserve, and it is instantly clear when you taste it. Low temperature macerated in small volume, then lightly filtered and aged for an impressive five years on the lees, it is a true wonder that the cost is not much higher than it is. Bright, pure flavors of Anjou pear, granny smith apple, toasted pastry dough, and hisbiscus, with a light creamy texture and crisp acidity never fail to impress even the most discerning champagne drinkers.
Price:
$19.99
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
You'll be hard pressed to find a better deal in Blanc des Blancs Champagne than this offering from Franck Bonville. It is fresh and acidic with a fine chalk-filled core and a terrific texture that comes at a price that anybody can afford. Plus its all Grand Cru fruit from top quality terroir in the Côte des Blancs!
Billecart-Salmon "Sous Bois" Brut Champagne
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 9/29/2021 | Send Email
The 'Sous Bois' is a barrel-fermented offering from Billecart-Salmon that uses fruit from Premier and Grand Cru sites in the Cote des Blancs. The three main Champagne grapes are used in equal proportions and all fermentation and ageing is done under wood (sous bois), with 6-7 years on the lees to add complexity. The aroma is very captivating in the way that only barrel fermentation can produce. There is definitely some comparison here to Krug and for those that would like to see what oak does to Champagne then this is a wine that you should try. There is some rich toast and brioche notes yet the wine is well balanced with some good acid lift that keeps it from being heavy or ponderous. I think this is a very fine Champagne that could be versatile for any occasion.
Saint Benevolence Clairin Rum (750ml)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 9/27/2021 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 9/27/2021 | Send Email
This rum has a lot to offer for fans of rums made from fresh sugar cane juice. The nose has a nice grass and savory aromas. In the mouth it is a dry rum but there are nice fruity notes with savory undertones. It is easy to drink and enjoy.
Price:
Hidden
Lustau "East India Solera" Cream Sherry Jerez
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 9/22/2021 | Send Email
By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 9/22/2021 | Send Email
Lustau is an incredible producer of sherry. The East India Solera harkens back to the day when trading ships would sail around the world with casks of wine and sherry onboard, whose flavors would be influenced by the warm tropical weather on trips to places like the East Indies. Each wine (Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez) is matured separately in its own solera for 12 years. Once blended together, the resulting sherry is returned to barrel for another 3 years ageing. The resulting blend of sherries is just hugely complex. You get the sweetness of the px and the nuttiness and rancio of the oloroso that has so many flavors going on that every time you smell it you pick up different notes. I think this would appeal to lovers of Madeira as well as sherry lovers. The wine is perfect with nuts and aged cheese or just drinking on its own after a meal or an evening nightcap. I also find that it actually improves and gains more funky complexity after being open a few weeks. An excellent wine!
Frey Ranch Bottled In Bond Nevada Estate Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/15/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/15/2021 | Send Email
I like ryes that make spice the star (sorry, no softies for me please), and Frey Ranch's offering fits that bill. Great spice hits right off the bat featuring dill, fennel, cinnamon, dark vanilla, and clove. There's a little bit of funk that reminds me of Jamaican rums which is a curious - but welcomed - feature. Butterscotch and salted almonds round out the picture on the nose. This rye has exciting and fun spice without alcohol burn and tingles the tip of the tongue. On the palate, the spices have a brighter and fresher quality and get herbal, making this dram all the more exciting. The dill comes more to the foreground with other green flavors like eucalyptus. Cinnamon bark, polished leather, and bright lemon flavors emerge as well.
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.
Damien Hugot Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 8/14/2021 | Send Email
By: Giovanni Bueno | Review Date: 8/14/2021 | Send Email
What a fantastic wine! It’s an attractive, medium-intensity yellow color that bounces with life when you pour it into a glass. Loaded with ripe yellow pear, vibrant golden apples, and lemon confit on the nose, your mind will want to wrap itself up into a scarf and dream of autumn with red and yellow leaves dancing in a swirling breeze. Biscuit, buttered baguette, and fresh-from-the-oven brioche round out the lees characteristic of this wine made by a family whose savvy has been passed down by 25 generations. The acid, marled with limestone and finesse, is balanced and nuanced, creating a beautifully refreshing wine. You’ll want it by itself and for apéritif with some potted meats, mousses, and cheese. Or you’ll want to pop it open just after you’ve taken that roasted pork leg out of the oven, crispy skin snapping and crackling at the table.
Price:
$42.99
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.
Egrot Brut Champagne
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/26/2021 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/26/2021 | Send Email
A wonderful dry and elegant Champagne that is refreshing, lively and full bodied. It has nice balance and complexity with just the right amount of mineral flavors, fruit and acidity. It will be pleasurable alone or with lighter foods.
Price:
$37.99
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.
2015 Barde-Haut, St-Émilion
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 7/21/2021 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 7/21/2021 | Send Email
The wines of Barde-Haut have been on an upward trajectory since Hélène Garcin-Leveque took over years ago. The 2015 is a wonderful culmination of a great vintage, beautiful St. Emilion terroir and prime winemaking.
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc - plenty of heady ripe berry, tart cherry aromas, dusty leather and black pepper. The texture is so smooth and elegant, and the sweet fruit has a nice bright finish that begs for the next sip. This is great, top vintage St. Emilion.
Egrot Brut Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/15/2021 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/15/2021 | Send Email
The Egrot Brut is complex far beyond its price point. This pinot-dominant Champagne is flinty with a touch of smoke with great fruit aromas coming through such as peach, cherry, and dried apricot. Flavors of mixed berries and orchard fruits swim around each other with a little yeastiness to make things even more interesting. The finish goes on forever, further displaying the depth of this wine.
Price:
$37.99
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