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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
Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 8/12/2017 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 8/12/2017 | Send Email
This Bourbon has inviting and pretty aromas. In the mouth it is soft and juicy with rich caramel and dark dried fruit like flavors. There is a nice finish with a touch of vanilla. The only problem with this Bourbon is that it might be too easy to drink.
Price:
$24.99
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 8/11/2017 | Send Email
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 8/11/2017 | Send Email
Nice subtle sweetness, and overall a fun bottle of Champagne.
Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut Champagne
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 8/10/2017 | Send Email
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 8/10/2017 | Send Email
Quite possibly the driest of the dry, I've had when it comes to champagne. The Ultra Brut from Laurent Perrier is unique in it's own right and worthy of a try to the Champagne lover.
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 8/10/2017 | Send Email
By: Blake Conklin | Review Date: 8/10/2017 | Send Email
You probably won't find a good quality champagne at this price anywhere else, and on top of that, this champagne is actually fantastic! You want to bring champagne to a party, celebration, or dinner party, but don't wanna spend more than 25 bucks? Then this is the champagne for you!
Leopold Bros. "Summer" Limited Edition Gin (750ml)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 8/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 8/7/2017 | Send Email
This is my favorite Leopold Brothers Gin so far. It is lively and delicious and worth taking a look at. There is a nice combination of juniper and citrus that works out well. It is the citrus , especially the orange flavors that stand out. A long orange influenced finish finishes the package.
Price:
$34.99
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 8/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 8/6/2017 | Send Email
Sometimes change it difficult, sometimes it is good, very good. The change we see from Laurent Perrier as their Brut label moves into their La Cuvee comes from the addition of Cote de Blanc vineyard sites to their already impressive holdings. The Cote de Blanc, located in the Marne, is known for growing almost exclusively Chardonnay and doing it well (as seen by the 6 Grand Cru villages!) With many options at their fingertips, LP decided to create the La Cuvee as their new entry level label with more, higher quality Chardonnay than the Brut and an extra six months on the lees to keep the texture we know and love. Elegant aromas of yellow apple and baking spice mirror that of the Brut while notes of sweet meyer lemon and hints of anise show this new label's complex nature. The grace and softness of palate from both the lees aging and blend of Pinot Noir and Muenier is not lost from the additional Chardonnay but a soft acidity lifts it slightly while carrying the wine to a long, delicate finish. And as always, Laurent Perrier is bringing all this at an incredible price!
Leopold Bros. "Summer" Limited Edition Gin (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 8/2/2017 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 8/2/2017 | Send Email
This is seasonal drinking at its finest. And what finer season for a G&T or Negroni than Summer! It's a fabulous combination of style. It has rich fruit on the nose: the blood orange really pops and screams of hot summer nights. Floral aromatics accompany the oranges and invite you outside for a stroll through the garden. The savory juniper finish leaves you feeling like you're drinking a classic London Dry. Perfectly refined. I'll be making my first of many G&T's with it tonight!
Price:
$34.99
Leopold Bros. "Summer" Limited Edition Gin (750ml)
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 8/2/2017 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 8/2/2017 | Send Email
This is the perfect gin to finish the dog days of summer with. Juniper, blood orange, coriander and lemon myrtle compose the flavor profile, lending this Colorado libation a great balance between refreshing fruitiness and plenty of intriguing spice.
Price:
$34.99
Mulholland New World Gin (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/2/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/2/2017 | Send Email
Mulholland Spirits is LA's newest brand. These guys are all about having fun and giving people spirits that they love to drink. This gin definitely falls into the gin for non-gin drinkers category, although I've seen plenty of London Dry drinkers come back for a second bottle. Tons of citrus, cucumber, and a distinct lavender note, this is perfect for someone who LOVES Hendricks.
Price:
$27.99
A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée Louis Victor" Brut Champagne
By: Anthony Russo | Review Date: 7/30/2017 | Send Email
By: Anthony Russo | Review Date: 7/30/2017 | Send Email
Rich, flavorful, and extraordinarily unique! Tons of warming toast on the palate that combines perfectly with the lifted fruit aromas and tastes of bruised pear and baked apples. The finish is long and energetic, providing a smooth swell of slight nuttiness. A memorable go-to for the serious wine drinker looking for richness.
Price:
$39.99
2014 Poujeaux, Moulis
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 7/22/2017 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 7/22/2017 | Send Email
I love Poujeaux in almost any vintage. One of the better values in all of Bordeaux. This 2014 has plenty of cassis aromas and flavors. Quite sweet on the palate and a lingering finish. At under $30 it is a steal.
Domaine Hubert "K&L Exclusive" Pays d'Auge Vieux Calvados (750ml)
By: Anthony Russo | Review Date: 7/19/2017 | Send Email
By: Anthony Russo | Review Date: 7/19/2017 | Send Email
This was my first time drinking Calvados and instantly fell in love. Apple cider for adults. Distilled in old school, alembic copper stills, I couldn't believe how intense the flavors of cider, brown sugar, and warm apple pie can be found in a spirit at this price.
Price:
$34.99
Paranubes Oaxacan Aguardiente de Caña Agricole Rum (1L)
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 7/18/2017 | Send Email
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 7/18/2017 | Send Email
Wow, I mean seriously wow. This is one of those spirits that just makes me sit up and take notice. The nose immediately hits you with a fairly big grassy and slightly woody note. However, as powerful as the aromatics here are the body is light and balanced. Beautiful oxidized fruit, a touch of earthiness, much less aggressive than many agricole. Although David has just been sipping it this is the kind of spirit I cannot wait to start making cocktails with. I love when I get to play with something new and this is going to be a very good summer with this spirit I feel.
Price:
$39.99
Paranubes Oaxacan Aguardiente de Caña Agricole Rum (1L)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/14/2017 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/14/2017 | Send Email
Interesting and delicious, this rum is a real surprise for me because I never thought that I would be tasting a rum agricole from Oaxaca. The nose is intense and expressive with grass and herb smells. This leads to soft fruity flavors with a hint of sweetness but over all this rum is on the dry side. Tasty alone ( if you like the agricole flavor profile) it should make great cocktails.
Price:
$39.99
Paranubes Oaxacan Aguardiente de Caña Agricole Rum (1L)
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/14/2017 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/14/2017 | Send Email
The Paranubes Oaxacan aguardiente de caña is one of, if not the, best agricole rhums I've ever tasted and it beautifully balances a smooth and fruity character with the grassiness and the intense cane flavor of something like Neisson. What it removes is the funk, the earth, and the sometimes bitter notes that send some people running for the hills. The aromatics are absolutely stunning—there is a pure and unflinching note of raw cane that absolutely explodes from the bottle. At 54%, the rum is no slouch. But it's clearly distilled with a master hand because it's incredibly polished despite all that intensity. I could drink this straight out of the bottle, neat in a glass, on the rocks, in a cocktail, or simply with soda. I can't get enough of it—it's that good.
Price:
$39.99
Black Cow Vodka (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
What is this sorcery? Made from 100% West Dorset milk? Nothing else. How can it be? It's just impossible. But nonetheless here we are. Pure Milk vodka. And it's delicious! Soft, supple, slightly sweet and creamy. This stuff is textured and nuanced in the perfect way. Understated yet still distinctive somehow. Distiller and dairy farmer Jason Barber came up with the plan to utilize leftover whey from his cheese making operation. This is fermented into a wheat beer and distilled before being blended (with what I can only assume is more milk) and filtered to create the utterly (sorry) unique spirit. Keep an eye out for the Black Cow Deluxe Cheddar which is also made by Mr. Barber. Should pair perfectly!
Tequila Fortaleza Reposado Tequila
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
I go on and on about how much I like Fortaleza. They're the most authentic. No one else comes close. Most of the rest of the agave in Mexico is wasted on crap industrial production. blah blah blah...While all these things are true that's not what matters most. What matters about Fortaleza is that it's absolutely delicious. The Reposado is often the one I find myself reaching for. Their repo is the perfect balance between the gorgeous and complex agave spirit that they produce and the oxidative complexity of barrel aging in the hot Jalisco climate. The perfect showcase for this juxtaposition. But regardless of any intellectual exercise, it just tastes utterly delicious. Soft barrel influence envelopes the gorgeous peppery fruit and floral components of the spirits. Nuanced spice and touches of smoky barrel. Very few come close indeed.
Price:
$79.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
Tequila Fortaleza Añejo Tequila
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
I often catch myself waxing poetic about Fortaleza. How it's the most authentic and old school. How they went back when everyone else was moving forward. How their tequila represents the true soul of Jalisco and makes their competitors look kind of stupid. Of course there are other great distilleries in Jalisco, but none is more committed to producing exclusively old school single estate real deal tequila. There base spirit is so good in fact that some aficionados look down on their exquisite anejo because it doesn't taste enough like the blanco. That said, taking this product out of that context reminds us how exceptional it really is. The quality of agave is matched perfectly by the quality of the oak and the confluence of those two flavors reminds us that great tequila doesn't have to be blanco! This delectable treat is all tropical fruit (coconuts, pineapple and passionfruit), butterscotch and subtle earthy pepper. A legend deserving of every accolade it's already received.
Price:
$109.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
Arette Artesanal Gran Clase Extra Añejo Tequila (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
The Arette Artesanal is the first Extra Anejo I really fell in love with. The Gran Clase Suave is one of the easiest to drink spirits in the store. Crème caramel, sweet tropical fruit and a smidge of peppery agave fruit found out this exceptional offering from one of Tequilas great distillers. I love the classic looking bottle, but very few extras match the balance and complexity without overpowering with sweet oak. There's no questions that El Llano distilleries commitment to quality remains second to none.
Mezcal Vago Ensamble En Barro by Tio Rey (Red Label) Ancestral Mezcal (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 6/28/2017 | Send Email
This is the real deal clay pot distilled mescal. Tio Rey does it again with this stupendous oily unctuous funky style. Sweet agave fruit dense mesquite smoke and tons of vegetal earthiness. An absolute pleasure to drink although it can kind of take over you night/life if you're not careful.
Price:
$99.99
2016 Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/24/2017 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/24/2017 | Send Email
This is almost ethereal in texture and despite the power and richness present, grace and balance are the hallmarks. The mid-palate is deep but clean and the dark fruit, Asian spice and touch of clay that poke through are finely tuned and perfectly integrated. The long, saline finish hides plenty of ripe tannin but glides smoothly and effortlessly. This was very easy to taste.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 6/13/2017 | Send Email
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 6/13/2017 | Send Email
As my colleagues have said- this wine is all about the lees. 7 years give this wine an elegance of weight down the mid palate while the Pinot Noir dominance gives a tart fruit character. That small addition of high quality chardonnay brings bright meyer lemon flavor and enough acidity to keep the wine long lived on the palate. I can see this wine being extremely food friendly- a grilled swordfish or a baked chicken would be perfect pairings!
Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Sharon Kelly | Review Date: 6/12/2017 | Send Email
By: Sharon Kelly | Review Date: 6/12/2017 | Send Email
A pleasing, plush style with plenty of red fruits, subtle herbal notes due to the percentage of Pinot Meunier, and a very favorable toasty quality. I enjoyed this with friends after a long work week and it certainly did not disappoint.
Price:
$39.99
Fallet-Dart "Cuvée de Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 6/10/2017 | Send Email
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 6/10/2017 | Send Email
Most often Pinot Meunier is the backup dancer to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Champagne, but Fallet-Dart has taken the chance to bring it center stage in their Grand Reserve! I fell for PM-heavy Champagnes last year when I had one from Michel Loriot, and they continue to stun me with their suppleness, bold aromatics and concentration while still being fresh, long lived, and elegant. The Grand Reserve checks off all those desired characters and is extremely food-friendly. My fiance and I enjoyed this with a rotisserie chicken, fresh bread and cheese—absolutely delicious! It is weighted enough to stand up to the rich meal while the unanticipated acidity refreshes the palate. With that said, I think the wine is extremely versatile and could be paired with lighter dishes such as sautéed white fish with a white bean and tomato salad or even a grilled chicken salad. Either way, I will be drinking it again soon!
Price:
$34.99
2016 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan
By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 6/10/2017 | Send Email
By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 6/10/2017 | Send Email
2016 Haut Bailly represents 55% of the crop and is 53% CS 40 M 4PV and 3CF “A deep attack of dark raspberry fruit, very, very strong and concentrated, full of structure and drive, serious wine. Firm tannins and loaded with minerals. Reminds me a lot of the great 2010, 3 stars” Ralph Sands
2016 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 6/10/2017 | Send Email
By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 6/10/2017 | Send Email
“Huge ripeness on the nose. Perfect, sweet deep purple fruit of blueberry and blackberry, silky and plush. Impossible not to love as it is fantastic tasting wine with a long, dry finish full of fruit and minerals." Delicious and 3 Stars! Ralph Sands
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Christina Stanley | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
By: Christina Stanley | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
A more subtly rounded Champagne than the Grand Reserve, the Grand Selection from Fallet Dart is blended with mostly red fruit, like the Grand Reserve, but the small about of high quality Chardonnay in the blend makes an impression, and an important distinction. There is also an extra two years on the lees, with a total of six years aging, which creates a slightly funky nose with a clean, bright palate with a hint of toast, and an earthy, chalky quality.
Mas Codina Brut Rosé Reserva Cava Penedès
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
By: Rachel Alcarraz | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
How many hand picked, hand riddled sparkling wines can you find for $12.99? Not many I think! We have all been lucky enough to enjoy the Mas Codina brut for the past few seasons and now we can enjoy the rose! Being from the hot, dry region of Penedes, the Pinot Noir grapes are picked in early August to keep the sugar levels down and the acidity up to create a dry, fresh rose. The wine is filled with the classic Pinot Noir notes of fresh berries and ripe cherry with a dry, chalky backbone that makes the wine non-stop!
Price:
$14.99
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Christina Stanley | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
By: Christina Stanley | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
The Bollinger Special Cuvee is a Champagne for the connoisseur, as it is created painstakingly from up to forty percent reserve wines, which are stored in Magnums, under half pressure, and hand disgorged before bottling! This is a Champagne of exceptional quality and small production, created from grapes grown on Chalky, south facing soil. Aromas of lightly toasted nuts lead to a broad, very dry palate, with a dominant, chalky minerality and a slightly creamy roundness.
2016 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/9/2017 | Send Email
We all love this property and its managing director Veronique Sanders. Ever since she started managing the estate in the very late 90s, Haut Bailly has been one of K&L’s best selling Bordeaux wines. 53% CS here and 13.6 alcohol. My notes—Pure silk!! And at the property-Iron fist in a velvet glove! Refined, seamless, Balanced. You name it. But the quantities they release will not be much for us.
2016 Gloria, St-Julien
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/8/2017 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/8/2017 | Send Email
Gloria is filled with possibility and should blossom into a beautiful super value for the appellation. Right now the wine is round, juicy and very fresh but solidly tannic on the finish.
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 6/8/2017 | Send Email
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 6/8/2017 | Send Email
Bollinger is one of my immediate go to houses for people looking for a known name that delivers stunning wine for the price. The special cuvee from them is the perfect place to start with this all family owned estate. Lovely fruit notes of early plum, red fruit, and green apple with a little wood and spice are all firmly in balance here. The level of complexity is impressive and the finish is soft but does not fall flat in any way. There is also a beautiful tartness to the wine from the acid that serves to enhance the overall experience.
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
Oh man, is this good, soooo good! We have to be careful around here about picking favorites in the Champagne category, because the fact is that we all love Champagne and our current favorite may be bested by yet another delicious bottling before long. That said, for many of us, Bollinger is a long-time favorite amongst the grande marques, a true original and - without going into detail - a process that is ridiculously labor intensive, manual and expensive even for their Special Cuvee. With aromas of loquat, and a slightly savory, Beurre Blanc like note, the current bottling immediately drew me in in. It may be the 1/3 barrel fermented aspect of the base wine, the presence of 10-20 year old reserve wine, or my experience with the other great chalky soil based wine region of Europe, but I detected just a passing resemblance to Manzanilla here! A bright, delicious, complete and complex palate seals the deal and Bollinger continues to be one of my absolute faves.
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
Laurent Perrier will soon be releasing a new bottling of their NV Brut, which will go by the name of "La Cuvee." It is not simply a re-launch with a neat new package (well it's that too, of course), but a wine that sees 5% more chardonnay - reflecting their recent purchase of another house with prime Chardonnay holding - as well as an additional 6 months ageing on the lees for a total of 3.5 years lees ageing. And how is the wine? Well, tasted side by side with a bottle of LP's former cuvee, there is a notable difference. Yellow and white fruits on the nose lead to a nicely rich palate, with great presence and autolytic, yeasty qualities. It's saline, intense, and dry, seemingly with a lower dosage than in the past. I like them both, though for my money this new release is definitely a step up!
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
I find this to be one of the most interesting Champagnes we have on the shelves right now because of how many different notes and tastes it possesses. While Bollinger is one of the larger houses in Champagne, they are absolutely one of the best. The amount of care and work they put into their Champagne is unreal and the dedication to quality is beyond almost all others. The average age of the wine in this bottle is ten years old and one third of it is barrel fermented, which is far less common in Champagne. Topping wine in this house is kept in magnum bottles, separated by cru and vintage, which means they have to pop every single one when it comes time to add dosage to the bottles. This painstaking work results in an unbelievable wine and one I would be happy to have anytime.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
The mere fact that this cuvee from Fallet Dart has a whopping seven years on the lees should immediately grab your attention. That said, it's not all about the lees, you need to start with great base wine. This is absolutely the case for this delicious bottle of Pinot Noir based bubbles made an hour west of Epernay. A bright nose loaded with citric fruits leads to a focused, lively, fresh and engaging palate. Compared to their also tasty Grande Reserve, this wine comes across as drier and slightly lower dosage. Fantastic value for money, and a likely selection for house Champagne at our place. If you are inclined to do the same, it will be super affordable at under $35!
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
The "La Cuvee" is one phenomenal release from well-known and highly regarded Champagne producer Laurent Perrier. Aged three and a half years on the lees, this wine exhibits the dedication LP shows to the quality of their Champagne. They have chosen to hold this wine back until it is perfected, rather than release it before it has had time to fully develop, even if that means potential years of lost income. The bottling exhibits a juiciness and fuller body than their "Brut" sparkler, but is still bright and lively from the acid-driven Chardonnay. While many Champagne houses believe great wine is made in the cellar, not the vineyard, LP shows a dedicated respect to the fruit in their bottlings, with the Chardonnay in "La Cuvee" being of exceptional quality. This is a special bottle that is still incredibly affordable and available for everyone to enjoy.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 6/7/2017 | Send Email
This Champagne hits all of the elements for me that I expect in a great sparkling and is one of the most well balanced I have ever come across, which is incredibly rare at this price. Fallet-Dart is situated in the far western, slightly lesser-known village of Drachy and this wine benefits from being made from only fruit grown on the estate. With up to seven years aging on the lees, this Champagne exhibits fantastic body and depth and the Pinot Noir heavy blend really showcases that varietal. The Chardonnay brings brightness and acidity and rounds of the palate fantastically. Definitely my favorite Fallet-Dart and at this price can be one approachable for any Champagne lover.
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
This Champagne is crazy good! Crazy because its primary fermentation is 1/2 done in barrel and crazy because the 1/2 of the wine is aged in magnum at 1/2 pressure (3 fathoms) and then disgorged and blended in. Two hundred and fifty-thousand magnums hand-disgorged and tested for cork taint as the mags are aged on the cork, not crown cap. Who does this?! The Special Cuvée is bright and lively on the initial taste but, fleshes out and the trademark Bollinger golden fruits and caramel come into play. Super, super long finish! Still a family-owned Champagne house!
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Christina Stanley | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Christina Stanley | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
Laurent Perrier's "La Cuvee" is a more powerful, richer and more focused iteration of their Brut Champagne, with extended aging in the bottle for six months, for a total of three and a half years on the lees. There is a similar clean and citrusy herbaceous quality in the initial aromatics, which speaks to the quality of the Chardonnay that drives the blend. The palate is broader and richer than that of the original Brut, with subtle flavors of white peach and frozen cherry, but a similar, yet more pronounced, chalky minerality comes to the forefront. "La Cuvee" is a beautiful Champagne which will delight lovers of their Brut and new fans alike.
2016 Brane-Cantenac, Margaux
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
It’s hard for me to be completely objective about the wines of Brane-Cantenac. It’s one of my favorite properties from the appellation and my “go to” wine when I really want to drink Margaux. I have quite a few vintages in my cellar starting with 2000 and it seems to me that the wines just keep getting better and better with each passing year. The 2016 Brane-Cantenac may be one of the best I have ever tasted. Classically floral with generous ripe, sweet fruit. There is good depth here. Layered, complex, with firm, fine tannins. Still a relative bargain for a Deuxième Cru as the improvement in quality continues to outpace any increase in price.
2016 Margaux, Margaux
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
Commenting on the extreme weather conditions of 2016 – from the heavy spring rains to the late summer drought – the good folks at First Growth Chateau Margaux characterized the year in typically understated fashion as “a singular vintage”. If it was a vintage to test the mettle of vineyard manager and cellar master alike, then Margaux passed with flying colors. This 2016 Margaux, Margaux is very much a wine of the vintage. Notable acidity, very fresh and lively, with a mere 13% alc. Hugely tannic but so very fine it was easy to taste even out of barrel. At 94% of the blend this is a vintage for Cabernet lovers. While yields were slightly up here in 2016, the selection for the Grand Vin was quite strict, a mere 28% of total production, down from 35% the year before. Where 2015 was opulent, the 2016 is precise. This is a sleek greyhound of a wine, a marvel of focused intensity and restrained power, a wine of great finesse and elegance.
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
If you are a Champagne House that carries the name recognition and appeal of Laurent Perrier how do you change your signature offering? Easy, you introduce a wine like the new La Cuvee. Taking on new vineyards and changing the basic cepage Laurent Perrier also decided that a longer lees time was also just what this new cuvee needed. The result being a continuation of what they are capable of and I believe a treat for all of their customers. This new champagne features a slightly creamier nose than the Brut and is filled with delectable stone fruit, cream, and plenty of balancing acid. I am fairly confident that those who are already familiar with this house will be delighted with this change and the handful of people who haven't tried them yet here is exactly where you should start.
2016 Margaux, Margaux
By: Jason Marwedel | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Jason Marwedel | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
Chateaux Margaux is the absolute definition of poise and grace. The 2016 offering is ethereal and complex, even a bit introverted at this early stage. As with all world-class wines, greatness lies below the surface. A bouquet of black fruit, rose, lavender and violet grace the nose, which is accompanied by a palate of uncompromising precision and purity. Faint hints of leather, cedar box, and minerals lend to the intrigue. The 2016 is lower in alcohol than previous vintages, which adds tremendous vibrancy. The 2016 Chateaux Margaux is a collectors dream - nothing but a long and happy life lies ahead.
2016 Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
The most opulent of the First Growths in 2016 has an almost flamboyant fruit profile but stays firm, dry, powerful and super fresh on the finish. This has a strong middle of blackberry and raspberry cream, lots of mineral and a long, sweet finish of finely integrated tannin. This was easy to taste and already delicious.
2016 Margaux, Margaux
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/6/2017 | Send Email
Paul Pontallier is gone, but Margaux continues to make great wines. 94% CS and only 13% Alcohol. Red roses and violets on the nose and red currant flavors. Very lush and very good.
2016 Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/1/2017 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/1/2017 | Send Email
The Cathiards have brought Smith from underperforming to Bordeaux superstar in 25 years. They have learned from their earlier vintages and now make surely a second growth quality wine-maybe super second at a good price. The 2015 sold very well, and this is as good. 65% CS for this sexy, somewhat exotic mouthful of pleasure. Full-bodied and quite rich on the palate. Some red roses and cassis shining through on this modern rendition.
2016 Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 6/1/2017 | Send Email
By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 6/1/2017 | Send Email
Mouton Rothschild reveals an incredible nose that screams greatness! Sweet, pure and persistent old vine fruit with strong structure, a lovely touch of middle fruit richness but still very bold and long finishing. A great tasting wine and a Mouton for the ages! 3 Stars! Ralph Sands
2016 Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/1/2017 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 6/1/2017 | Send Email
This is the best first growth I tasted from 2016--very much in the vein of the great 86 Mouton with softer fruit, so almost like a combination of 82 and 86. The wine is utter perfection, in my my top three for 2016 overall. Only Lafite and Petrus are as good, in my opinion.
Angeleno Amaro (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/31/2017 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 5/31/2017 | Send Email
Angeleno is the hotness right now. It's not your grandma's amaro though so don't expect the sweet easy richness of Averna or the mellow bitter qualities of Nonino. Instead, the boys at Angeleno have created something distinctly Californian, not in the mold of any Italian Amaro, but with a great respect for those venerable products. The secret recipe includes locally sourced fresh and dried botanicals, many hand picked at a local farm. The base spirit is distilled from Pinot Grigio and a multi-step maceration and blending process before filtration and resting. The unusual concoction has a huge orange element, pointed with powerful herbal aromas, in particular chamomile and gentian. On the palate it starts a bit vinous and zippy sweet before the bitter orange peel and gentian peel pull it back. As you sip the bitterness builds. Very effective as a digestive, but works wonders in aperitif, as Spritz or even can sub-out orange liqueur or Lillet when you want to dry up or spice up a classic recipe. This is a modern classic in every sense of the word and will likely be everywhere before you know it.
Price:
$32.99