K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

Billecart-Salmon "Le Rendez-Vous" Pinot Meunier Extra Brut #1 Champagne

By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 11/28/2020 | Send Email

Billecart's first rendition of 100% Pinot Meunier from 3 grand cru sites, Leuvrigny, Festigny and Venteuil in the Marne Valley is a show stopper. The florals alone is enough to draw in ones curiosity and intrigue. There is a familiar fragrance of proofing yeast, shaved ginger and Indian spices. The delicate flavors of citron, pomelo, D'Anjou pear, mineral salt and sweet/fruity olive oil leaves a fascinating finish in the mouthfeel. Fine bubbles dance on the palate and a low dosage of 4.5 g/l is my kind of Champagne. This can age for 5 years but I endorse to enjoy this now, there is not much out there.

Price: $139.99

VN: 93

DC: 92

Cruse Wine Co. "Tradition" California Sparkling Wine

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/10/2020 | Send Email

Those of you lucky few who have had Ultramarine sparkling wines are sure to enjoy this release. It has a lively, fresh and clean nose of lemon/lime with a hint of sea salt. It is also clean on the palate, like a zero dosage bottling should be. It is alive with lemons, oranges, Granny Smith apples and a beautiful hint of apricot. Stunning and delicious!

Price: $44.95

DC: 93

RP: 93

Cruse Wine Co. "Tradition" California Sparkling Wine

By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 11/6/2020 | Send Email

One of the most complex Domestic Sparklers I've tried lately and one of the most compelling. This is chock full of flavors and aromas of green apple, tangerine zest, ginger and citrus. The pinpoint mousse on the zesty body even has hints of green melon and kiwi. The clean and chalky finish seem to go on and on. Gorgeous stuff!

Price: $44.95

DC: 93

RP: 93

Pol Roger "Réserve" Brut Champagne

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/5/2020 | Send Email

This little beauty has a base wine that is at least three years old and vintage reserve stock that is generally 8-10 years old. It has a creamy nose of ripe, yellow fruits and lemon meringue. Initially, rich on the palate, with golden apple, honeycomb and nectarine flavors. A nice, lingering finish that is clean and oak free. It spends 48 months on the lees and is composed of 1/3 each of the three primary Champagne varietals. Just lovely! Currently, the quality has increased even further and the finish is even longer, with a very fine bead. Don't miss out!

Price: $64.99

Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne

By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 10/30/2020 | Send Email

To draw attention to the fact that they have greatly improved the already amazing quality of their standard Brut bottling Laurent Perrier has renamed it "La Cuvee". The bright "Wedding cake" aromas and flavors remain but the "La Cuvee" is toastier and has a much broader palate impression and a more layered texture. There is now a rich array of stone fruit flavors that add complexity which combined with the extra weight and length make this a more profound wine and one of the great values in Champagne. Delicious and priced for every day enjoyment.

Price: $59.99

Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne

By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 10/30/2020 | Send Email

This Champagne is lively, bright and fresh. It is dry but also a little juicy and has a nice balance of flavors. One glass is not enough.

Price: $44.99

Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 10/27/2020 | Send Email

Laurent Perrier has long been a favorite of mine due to its clean, lovely character and combination of quality and value. This new cuvee has a tad more chardonnay and an increased sur lie aging of six months. The result? Even BETTER quality than it previously had! Beautiful nose of saline, cream and lemon meringue. Increased weight on the mid-palate with stone fruits and peachy goodness. Long, lingering finish with key lime, chalk, minerals and nectarine. These is really not much more to ask from this champagne!

Price: $59.99

Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne

By: Shaun Green | Review Date: 10/27/2020 | Send Email

How do you make a classic pleasing Champagne even better? Bring in some new spectacular fruit sources including a lot of Grand Cru Chardonnay and add 'La Cuvee' to the name. The replacement for the LP Brut is just fantastic! It shows a more creamy nose next to the previous LP, and a finer more mineral driven palate impression. The round and fairly ripe apple and peach middle has an appealing steely core, and a chalky minerality underpinning it all. Even more refined than the Champagne it replaces, LP has an even better winner on their hands here. It will make socially distanced holidays much better!

Price: $59.99

Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne

By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 10/27/2020 | Send Email

Wow! This is everything I love about Laurent-Perrier's classic brut, just amplified. More chalky Chardonnay and an extra year on the lees give the La Cuvée boosted minerality and complexity. It still shows the easygoing apple fruit of the original, with a sophistication that belies its great price point.

Price: $59.99

Pierre Sparr Brut Rosé Crémant d'Alsace

By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 10/23/2020 | Send Email

This amazing value starts with high toned aromas and flavors of Bing Cherry and sweet cranberry that carry right through the full, creamy and frothy middle. There is a wonderful sweet/tart counterpoint on the bracing finish. A well made over-achiever.

Price: $19.99

WE: 93

Pierre Sparr "Réserve" Crémant d'Alsace Brut

By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 10/23/2020 | Send Email

This offers a full mousse filled with green apple, lilac and honeysuckle that is mouth filling and refreshing. There is a citric tug on the finish which hints at green tea, talc and limestone minerality. This is a great value and an overall delicious bottle of bubbly.

Price: $18.99

DC: 95

WE: 92

Pierre Sparr Brut Rosé Crémant d'Alsace

By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 10/16/2020 | Send Email

Another fantastic Alsatian sparkler of 100% Pinot Noir. Bright raspberry, red plums and cherry blossoms spring forward from the glass. An abundance of candied cherry and ripe watermelon with a touch of lychee encompass the palate finishing dry and lingering. This is a perfect paring for charcutier of the spicy kind and cremont cheese with dried figs.

Price: $19.99

WE: 93

Pierre Sparr "Réserve" Crémant d'Alsace Brut

By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 10/16/2020 | Send Email

This is an absolute superb Alsatian sparkling made up of 80% Pinot blanc and 20% Pinot Auxerrois. Lined with an abundance of spiced pear, baked apple and a sprinkling of cinnamon on the nose, then leaning into a more tropical taste on the palate of pineapple, agave and honey. Finishing dry, bright and yeasty. Great mouthfeel and a perfect aperitif if paired with light snacks or just mid day enjoyment.

Price: $18.99

DC: 95

WE: 92

Lini "Labrusca" Lambrusco Emilia Bianco

By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 9/26/2020 | Send Email

My first time tasting a white Lambrusco and this one is quite the yummy little charmant-method sparkler. Honey dew melon, brown pear, rainier cherry, pink lady apples. Overfilled with great acidity together with a light mineral essence, perfect to drink on its own and no vital need of food. Cheers!

Price: $15.99

2015 Malartic-Lagravière, Pessac-Léognan

By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 9/25/2020 | Send Email

2015 Bordeaux wines had the most success in the Margaux and Pessac-Leognan regions. This property was one of the stars of the vintage. In fact, this property has been on a roll for the last 10 years, making great and near great wines every year. Very fruity nose with some blackcherry aromas. On the palate, the wine is very minerally with bright forward fruit nuances. Some toasty oak adds to the complexity. This will cellar well for at least ten years. If you drink it now, please decant for an hour. A complete Bordeaux from the nose to the long finish.

Price: $64.99

Elijah Craig "Toasted Barrel" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

By: Greg Dudley | Review Date: 9/23/2020 | Send Email

I am a big fan of toasted barrel whiskies and this one is a great toasted expression. The nose has some marshmallow and chocolate, almost s'more-like, with a bit of honey and caramel. I find s'mores again on the palate along with baking spices and a bit of rye spice on the finish. Very tasty. I am very excited that Heaven Hill has decided to make this a regular release. Enjoy neat or over a big ice cube.

Price: Hidden

WE: 93

Angeleno Spritz (6 x 200ml Cans)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 9/23/2020 | Send Email

Absolutely the best canned spritz I've tasted to date. Most canned spritz try to be a decent approximation of an Aperol spritz and they fail miserably. In large part, because the maker of the can neither makes Aperol, or Prosecco (or even soda water). The Angeleno Spritz is a whole other story. They are showcasing how great the Amaro Angeleno is — a product they've made for a long time and that is decidedly NOT trying to approximate Aperol. They've highlighted the balance and finesse of the Amaro with a little bit of grapefruit and a quality soda water. It's terrific: all you have to do is pour it over ice and try not to drink the entire six pack yourself.

Price: $19.99

Angel's Envy 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

By: Jennifer Lee | Review Date: 9/14/2020 | Send Email

Butterscotch. Toasted Caramel. Brown sugar. But mainly, butterscotch. I love butterscotch, so naturally I gravitated towards this Angel's envy like a child in a candy store. In fact, you could even make the comparison that this is liquid butterscotch "candy" for adults. On the palate this rye whiskey is smooth and supple and goes down super easy. I love to drink it as digestif after dinner, but you could easily make this an anytime sipper. If you love sweet flavors and rye, you'll love this one. You won't regret it.

Price: $69.99

WE: 94

WA: 90

Angel's Envy 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 9/10/2020 | Send Email

Less cloying than the Angel's Envy Bourbon finished in Port barrels, this Angel's Envy Rye is definitely still a big sweetie! Butterscotch is the first characteristic that I notice coming from the Rum barrel finish and it does NOT let up throughout the dram. There are layers of gentle spice of cardamom, cinnamon bark, and red pepper. I pick up on a red fruit medley that eventually comes to rest as red licorice mixing with spice and pecan pralines. The core Rye elements poke through intermittently, but everything keeps coming back home to butterscotch. If you have a sweet tooth or are looking for a new after-dinner whiskey then check this out.

Price: $69.99

WE: 94

WA: 90

Angel's Envy 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 9/10/2020 | Send Email

This rye has been highly allocated for a very long time and the small quantities that we do get typically disappear in a day or two. We were finally able to secure a large enough parcel to shout out its availability. If you love the Angel's Envy Bourbon, do not miss this opportunity to stock up the rye at a sharp price. It's a perfect cocktailing rye with its elevated proof (100 proof) and sweeter profile thanks to the Caribbean Rum finishing. This added step transforms the classic 95% rye mashbill into something altogether different. While the underlying backbone of spice from the grain is there and carries through the palate and into the finish, the nose is all sweet caramel and confection with tropical fruits. Black strap molasses and fine Cognac eau de vie notes dominate. The brown sugar flavors mix into perfect balance with the pepper spice of the rye. It's a great whiskey for a Manhattan with just a dash of vermouth. If you seek a rich round style of whiskey for an after dinner drink neat or on the rocks, this is also a perfect candidate.

Price: $69.99

WE: 94

WA: 90

Old Forester "1920 Prohibition Style" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

By: Greg Dudley | Review Date: 9/8/2020 | Send Email

My favorite of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series lineup. The nose brings creme brulee, baking spices, stone fruits, and some rye spice. The palate is flavorful and intense, and at 115 proof, this bottle is not as hot on the palate as the proof might suggest. I get apple pie, more creme brulee, a bit of barrel/oak, and it finishes with baking spices and a hint of rye spice. Incredibly drinkable for its proof. I enjoy it neat or over one big cube.

Price: $54.99

WA: 91

Moussé Fils "Eugène" Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/4/2020 | Send Email

Blanc de Noir lovers rejoice! This new addition to our Champagne collection fills that void of Blanc de Noir in our selections. The minute you pour it into your glass, you know that the dominant grape is Pinot Meunier. Mushrooms, fino sherry and honeycomb. Light candied spices and golden apples. On the palate, initially, it is all about the richness and lush mouthfeel. Roasted nuts, poached pear, and a spicy finish with a nice bit of light citrus. I'm going to take both Dejah's and Gary's advice and have it with a nice pork tenderloin with dried apricots. A very nice addition to our growing collection!

Price: $64.99

Moussé Fils "Eugène" Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne

By: Dejah Overby | Review Date: 9/2/2020 | Send Email

Cedric Mousse Champagnes are one of my top favorites, mostly because of their use of Meunier, stainless steel and malolactic. This is a great value with a ton of work put behind the making of these Champagnes. This bottling is 80% Meunier, 20% Pinot with a blending of 50% 2015 vintage juice and 50% 2003-2014 juice somewhat of a solera style but fresher. There's tons of layers and texture, a light lemon curd along with a fresh fruit bowl complexity. Some ginger spiciness shows in the mid but this is a quaffable Champagne, so easy to drink on its own. If you had to have a snack, I'd recommend a simple pate with toasted almonds and dried apricots keep it short and simple with this one.

Price: $64.99

ArteNOM "Seleccion 1579" Blanco Tequila (750ml)

By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 8/24/2020 | Send Email

NOM 1579 is widely hailed as one of the best Tequila distilleries in Mexico. ArteNOM has been kind enough to source a special batch from them to share with the world and I for one, am thrilled they did! The nose is soft with hints of lime, fresh pineapple, black pepper and green herbs all wrapped up in a tangy cream. Oh man does the palate come through after with a huge savory herbaceous punch right up front that rounds into sweet vanilla cream notes. Minerality completely defines the finish with a nice wet stone pull that finishes clean and lean. The quality of the tequila that ArteNOM sources at this price range is amazing, this is definitely one of the best Blanco's on the shelf!

Price: $54.99

Moussé Fils "Eugène" Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 8/4/2020 | Send Email

I loved the expressive, open character of this wine on the nose and in the mouth. Cinnamon and I had it with pork rillettes as a little starter and it was fabulous. The wine has lovely honey bread toast, comes across full bodied and rich but snaps into focus on the back end, which is quite dry. It made a great match for the rillettes, and I think would also be great with any manner of pate or cheese based starters. It is the mix of bready breadth and mineral tension that had me coming back for more.

Price: $64.99

Inverroche "Classic" Gin (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 7/29/2020 | Send Email

Drawing on the fynbos that are endemic to the coastal limestone rich hills and cliffs on the Cape, Inverroche's classic gin sets an extremely high bar for the lineup. It drinks like a more exotic London Dry. It's decidedly junipery with a fresh grassy cut when tasted neat. This blends perfectly with any quinine heavy tonic. The fynbos provide a unique floral component that is painted with a set of colors no other artist or landscape can copy. Citrus and rose petal begin to describe the combination - but by no means capture it. There is too much spice and verve to leave it at that. While I've been to Cape many years ago, I must admit my experience with fynbos remains nil. They are so unique it's impossible to capture their essence in words. It is captured in this gin.

Price: $34.99

Nao Spirits Jin Jiji Darjeeling India Dry Gin (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 7/29/2020 | Send Email

From time to time a new gin blows you away in flavor. In our world of $40+/btl gins, it is rarer still for that same gin to then take your breath away in affordability. For just 25 bucks, Jin Jiji checks all the boxes. From the spiritual homeland of the G&T comes a gin that feels like a traditional London Dry but brings so much more to the table. The complexity of black tea marries perfectly with classic ingredients like juniper and coriander while at the same time highlighting a slight savory component of cashew nut and basil. It's refreshing on its own (read: perfect for a bone dry martini) and yet so easy to mix. Try it with the Fever Tree Citrus Tonic for an added blast of zip in your next G&T or pair with the myriad aperitivi and vermouth available in your next Negroni. I've already tried several combinations and I'd be shocked if you can find one that doesn't taste delicious.

Price: $27.99

Oka Kura "Japanese Bermutto" Japanese Sake Vermouth (720ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 7/29/2020 | Send Email

This is insane - while not technically a vermouth because it doesn’t use wine, it’s basically Japanese sake based vermouth. It drinks like a less sweet blanc vermouth, but not quite dry. It’s got all the lift and bright aromatics of sake taken to 11 by the addition of Japanese citrus’ like Yuzu and Kabosu and made even still more complex by peppercorns and mugwort along with a host of other bitters and spices local to Kumamoto. Try it in a martini or just on the rocks with a twist. It’s exceptional.

Price: $29.99

Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 7/25/2020 | Send Email

This Brut Rose has consistently been the darling of both staff and customers. It is composed of 100% Pinot Noir and retains a classic, clean, fresh raspberry and dark strawberry character. Dark raspberry and candied orange on the nose. These days, there are also more mineral notes and hints of orange marmalade and black raspberries. A somewhat richer style, at the forefront, but, balanced with tangy acidity on the finish. The primary fermentation is done with sugarcane while secondary fermentation is done with beet sugar. As is usual with this producer, quality has increased even more over the past few years without significant price increases. (Updated, 22 July, 2020).

Price: $89.99

Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 7/22/2020 | Send Email

It can be tricky to define pricey Rosé Champagne as a "bargain," but when one considers just how much care goes into each bottle of Laurent-Perrier, it suddenly seems underpriced. Made with extended maceration and using the more difficult saignée method, their Cuvée Rosé is special. Deep red berry fruit shines through the lifted palate, with both richness and minerality coming through to the clean finish. This is a substantial rosé – great with food – yet elegant with tiny bubbles and a citrusy freshness. The fact that the bottle is gorgeous and the house pedigree dates back to 1812 only adds to the glamour of this lovely, high quality Pinot Noir Champagne.

Price: $89.99

Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 7/21/2020 | Send Email

The Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose is one of my favorite rose Champagnes in the store! It comes from all Grand Cru vineyards mostly in the south and north of the Montagne de Reims and is entirely Pinot Noir. It has a gorgeous salmon-pink color in the glass, and is very expressive on the nose and palate. It's full of red fruit character and richness from 5 years aging on the less. Every time I go back to this wine it never disappoints!

Price: $89.99

Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 7/21/2020 | Send Email

Bright, fresh, rosé Champagne with lovely fruit and excellent purity. It shows some subtle notes of crushed mint and strawberry coulis. The quality of the all Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit sources really show through on this wine. The elegant pure red fruit flavors are balanced by a nice tart cranberry acidity on the finish. A true classic!

Price: $89.99

Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Shaun Green | Review Date: 7/21/2020 | Send Email

You don't become one of the world's best selling Rose Champagnes for no reason. The all Pinot Noir, all Grand Cru LP Rose is truly a gem - rich and plenty powerful, with a palate of lightly spiced raspberry and wild strawberry fruit and a creamy finish and framed by perfect acidity. Somehow LP manages to combine richness and elegance into one stunning Champagne

Price: $89.99

Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 7/21/2020 | Send Email

Everything about Laurent Perrier's Cuvée Rosé is rich and seductive: the deep pink hue, the lush Pinot Noir fruit flavor, the silky texture. The fruit, entirely Grand Cru Pinot Noir, is destemmed, crushed and left in contact with the skins for an unusually long 72 hours, before being vinified and aged on the lees for four years. The result is a wine rich in the pure flavors of strawberries, raspberries, black cherries and hazelnuts with a creamy texture, crisp bubbles, and incredible length. This is a very delicious — and unique—rosé Champagne.

Price: $89.99

Tentaka Kuni "Hawk in the Heavens" Junmai Sake (720ml)

By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 6/9/2020 | Send Email

Hawk In The Heavens is an incredibly food friendly, earth driven sake perfect for your summer barbecues. On the palate, this Junmai is dry yet rich with flavors of mushroom, walnut and grass. It can be served slightly chilled, or room temperature to accentuate the rounder body and umami character.

Price: $27.99

Palmer & Co. "La Réserve" Brut Champagne

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/14/2020 | Send Email

This one of the toastiest, richest Champagnes, and I love the brioche, beure d’Issigny and Meyer lemon curd in this Champagne. I find that the hazelnut-like fruit of Verzenay stands out in this bottle. I love this as an apéritif, and I think it would also do very well with an equally decadent meal such as lobster. A toast to you!

Price: $59.99

JS: 91

VN: 91

JD: 90

Montechiara Prosecco

By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 4/4/2020 | Send Email

We all need our go to every day bubbles. But instead of putting your hard earned dollars towards bubbles of lesser quality, dare I say Barefoot, why not focus your dough towards this absolutely stunning Prosecco from Montechiara. Having a graduation party and need some bubbles for a toast? We got you covered! Great for aperol spritz, and extra dry enough to be enjoyed on it's own, you will not be disappointed!

Price: $10.99

Montechiara Prosecco

By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 3/31/2020 | Send Email

This is it: the Prosecco your toast has been dreaming of. Subtly sweeter than Brut but not overwhelmingly so, the Extra Dry style of Montechiara is the perfect cocktail base - pair it with Aperol for spritzer magic! Once you experience the value and versatility of this bella little workhorse, you'll want to buy a case and celebrate.

Price: $10.99

Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Heather Vander Wall | Review Date: 2/15/2020 | Send Email

I recently revisited this wine, and fell in love all over again. I'm a big fan of all the Fallet Dart wines, but this rose Champagne knocks it out of the park. The palate is bursting with tangerine, clementine and a whole array of citrus fruits. On the back end you find the lovely red cherry notes and a pleasant, creamy weight. The whole is bolstered by fresh, vibrant acidity, making this stunning rose Champagne one of my absolute favorites.

Price: $39.99

Franck Bonville Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 2/12/2020 | Send Email

Since I've worked at K&L over the past several years, I've learned just how much I love a lot of the direct import champagnes we bring in, and just how much I love Franck Bonville, and how time and time again, they really know how to showcase Chardonnay in their champagnes. Even with their rose, which I was super excited to try, they still showcase chardonnay here with 90% of it making up the blend, and only 10% of some grand cru pinot to give it color and a bright cherry note. Grab a couple bottles for yourself before it runs out.

Price: $59.99

Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne

By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 2/11/2020 | Send Email

One of the K&L staff's all-time favorite producers earned its place for a reason, and the non-vintage Franck Bonville Grand Cru is another phenomenal example of classic blanc de blanc champagne. Floral, and bright, this wine fills the glass with Asian pear notes and subtle cream and chalk that, when matched with bracing acid, make for an awesome drink by itself or with many foods....Fried Chicken anyone?

Price: $53.99

JS: 92

RP: 92

Campari Bitter Liqueur (375ml)

By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 2/8/2020 | Send Email

This is a home bar essential. Campari is fantastic with just soda, in a Negroni, or in my favorite Champagne cocktail, the Negroni Sbagliato. If you are interested in seeing the recipe, search "Negroni Sbagliato" on the blog (blog.klwines.com) to find it, complete with video. If you don’t mind waiting, you can also send me an email with the button above, and I’ll send you the link.

Price: $17.99

WE: 95

Pierre Mineral Brut Rosé Champagne

By: Stephanie Vidales | Review Date: 2/5/2020 | Send Email

This is one of my favorite rose Champagnes that we direct import. It's made from almost all Grand Cru Mesnil Chardonnay with 10% Pinot Noir added to give it a gorgeous salmon-pink color. It's super dry with subtle strawberry fruit notes and prominent minerality. It's versatile enough to enjoy with all kinds of dishes, or enjoy it alone. A perfect pick for Valentine's Day!

Price: $49.99

Myrtle Bank 10 Year Single Cask Pot Still Jamaican Rum (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 2/5/2020 | Send Email

As the rum world continues to emerge from the shadows of the tiki bar and step into the spotlight, new brands are popping up left and right. The trick is making sure you're getting the good stuff. Myrtle Bank is a new brand that has begun by bottling a tremendous cask of 10 year old Jamaican pot distillate that has been aging in the UK. The ex-bourbon barrel has imparted some gentle vanilla and coconut which sands the harsher edges off of a robust and flavorful high ester Jamaican rum. I'ts got some funky Jamaican fruit, a bit of leather, tons of spices ranging from herbal to sweet, and a subtle chocolately aftertaste. It's the perfect thing to take back into the dark corner of the tiki bar and mix yourself a drink.

Price: Hidden

Lloyd Distillery Bixby Gin (750ml)

By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 1/30/2020 | Send Email

A splendid gin made as an homage to California's coastal mountains and to Lloyd, the distiller's grandfather. Distilled in Gonzales, CA this gin is true to its roots, both in its geographical sense, and a London Dry sense. It does not lack for a juniper backbone - a fault in so many contemporary gins. It also does not shy away from incorporating its natural surroundings and expressing what it means to walk amongst the trees in Big Sur - it's inspiration. In particular, the sage and California bay stand out, yet blend in perfectly. This gin is equally at home in a G&T or Martini and certainly feels right sitting on your bar.

Price: $39.99

Knob Creek 12 Year Old Small Batch 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 1/6/2020 | Send Email

Knob Creek has always been a great choice if you're at a bar with a moderate whiskey selection, spicy, nutty, easy-going, what's not to love? Never anything to blow you away, but a perfect little sipper...until this powerhouse was released. I picked up a bottle out of pure curiosity as it had a hefty age statement for bourbon at this price point and I think I finally understand Knob Creek. Dripping in rich spice and caramel, the mouth is round and luscious, there is a note of cherry wrapped up in the middle right between the spice and the nutty finish. I'm amazed that more people haven't jumped on this bottle!

Price: $59.99

WA: 95

Mas Codina Brut Rosé Reserva Cava Penedès

By: Tim Telli | Review Date: 1/3/2020 | Send Email

This Cava rose is just so easy to drink. You will be hard pressed to find a better rose bubbly in the store at this price of under $15. Crisp fruit and acid show that Pinot Noir grown on chalky soils in the hot climate of Spain can still make an outstanding bottle of wine that is just plain fun to drink and will be empty before you know it. Perfect party wine.

Price: $14.99

Orval Trappist Ale, Belgium (11.2 oz bottle)

By: Sean Reilly | Review Date: 12/29/2019 | Send Email

This is one of my favorite beers in the world. The fermentation process is rather unique. Wild yeast is introduced and fermentation takes place in the bottle. This beer is evolving with each passing day. It's full of spice notes with a tiny bit of funk. It will pickup sour nuances as it ages.

Price: $7.79

WE: 96

Brasserie Trappistes Rochefort "6" Strong Ale, Belgium (11.2oz)

By: Sean Reilly | Review Date: 12/29/2019 | Send Email

An absolute classic if you're a beer geek or just getting into beer. Brewed by monks, it will make you feel closer to your higher power with each sip. Rich and sultry with hints of molasses and caramel. This pairs just as well with your favorite savory dish as any glass of red wine.

Price: $6.99

Four Roses "Small Batch Select" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 11/27/2019 | Send Email

Four Roses combined six of their popular mash bills to create a whiskey that is greater than the sum of the parts, as indicated by its Whisky Advocate recognition as Third Best Whiskey in the World. Supremely sippable at 104 proof, but packing a punch of flavor nonetheless. A perfect combination of baking spice, creamy pear and apricot richness, rye spice, and a touch of mint. At this price, it's the perfect sipping/mixing/nosing bourbon to keep at the home bar, and it's a permanent fixture at the distillery, so supply should be no problem on this one.

Price: $54.99

WE: 95

WA: 93

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