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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
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé
By: Eric Story | Review Date: 12/2/2015 | Send Email
By: Eric Story | Review Date: 12/2/2015 | Send Email
This bubbly is just too good and too cheap to say no to. Bright, lively and refreshing. This is a perfect sparkling to be had at anytime of the day and for any occasion. You may want to take two...
Price:
$14.99
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 11/30/2015 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 11/30/2015 | Send Email
A holiday pairing that sparkles, this favorite is back in stock just in time for celebrating - and works surprisingly well with the main event. Softly herbal with notes of strawberry plus delicate, teeny but exuberant bubbles, this Cabernet Franc Crémant is festive, and delicious with turkey: Deligeroy is glamour that the pilgrims only dreamed of, and still drinks beautifully year round.
Price:
$14.99
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 11/29/2015 | Send Email
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 11/29/2015 | Send Email
Here's a top holiday pick for the sheer quality to value! Providing a light, elegant entry marked with a streak of refreshing acidity and hint of stone fruit, this is a perfect go-to party bubble. Recommended for any occasion big or small!
Price:
$14.99
Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne
By: Dave Genevro | Review Date: 11/21/2015 | Send Email
By: Dave Genevro | Review Date: 11/21/2015 | Send Email
A great wine from Champagne under $40?! I was shocked not only at the price, but the wine inside the bottle is really great stuff. It is a perfect sparkling wine for entertaining or at your dinner table. The apples/pear fruits on the nose and palate and the expressive nature of this wine makes it appeal to palates almost all the way across the board.
Price:
$44.99
Billecart-Salmon "Le Reserve" Champagne (1.5L)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/19/2015 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/19/2015 | Send Email
Champagne is always best out of magnum! Of all the grand marques, no one offers a cleaner, purer example of Champagne fruit and refreshment than Billecart-Salmon. The Billecart family pick earlier than most, and run the coldest, longest fermentations in all of Champagne to deliver their inimitable, graceful house style. If you are looking for the ultimate in balance aperitif Champagne, you have found it!
San Venanzio Fortunato Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 11/10/2015 | Send Email
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 11/10/2015 | Send Email
While the classic Italian Prosecco is "Extra Dry", with just a touch of sweetness on the finish, this charming sparkling wine from San Venanzio is made in a "Brut" style more familiar to American palates. At a mere 11.5% alcohol and at the very attractive, direct import price of $12.99, it's easy on both your palate and your wallet. Crisp, bone dry, refreshing. Low in alchohol. Low in price. An ideal aperitif you can enjoy every day.
Price:
$15.99
A.D. Coutelas Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/5/2015 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/5/2015 | Send Email
If you like dark, nearly red, full powered roses, you have to try the Amaury Coutelas "Elixr" Brut Rosé Champagne. This is composed of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay but assembled in a completely unique way. Half of the Pinot Noir, sourced from very old vines is macerated into red wine, giving this Champagne strong vinous power and a tremendous amount of savory black cherry fruit. This is a great choice for game birds or turkey. A real powerhouse!
Price:
$49.99
Caves Messias Santola "Crab Wine" Vinho Verde
By: Randy Hagerman | Review Date: 11/1/2015 | Send Email
By: Randy Hagerman | Review Date: 11/1/2015 | Send Email
Hold on to summer with this crisp Vinho Verde! This is a very, very easy-drinking white. Grab some crab legs or grill up some white fish and enjoy the extended warm weather with THE crab wine. Cheers!
Price:
$9.99
Jack Daniel's "Barrel Proof" Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 10/28/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 10/28/2015 | Send Email
Ok, so we famously have to tell several people every week that we do not stock Jack Daniel's No 7. It's just never fit into our selection, although I will admit to personally going through a little phase in college back when I thought Rolling Rock was cool. I have Deer Hunter and an unhealthy obsession with Christopher Walkin to thank for that. 33 and a shot of Jack was the go to call at the bar for a while. To be honest that's what No. 7 is good for, shots. Sweet and easy with just enough of the sour bite at the end to remind you you're still alive. In my many years of buying spirits, I've been lucky enough to try some older bottlings of the world's most popular whiskey. Even the slightly different 86 proof offerings from the 1990s seemed extremely special compared to what's regularly available. Legends like the 90 proof from the 70s and earlier are hard to gauge as capacity has increased so much since then. Now most of the cynics will probably think I'm just jumping on the Jack train cause they paid us off or something. To be honest, we have absolutely no connection to Jack whatsoever. We have a great relationship with their parent company Brown Forman, but since we haven't sold Jack in a decade we just don't have a connection there. That all might change now that we've ordered everything that the distributor could get us, but for now we're going at it alone. Despite a lack of communication, they've finally listened to our (and many enthusiasts') grumblings and we're excited to announce the release Lynchburg's finest bottled at full cask strength. When you open the bottle you know instantly it's Jack. Big powerful fruit and sweet oak. Slightly hot on the nose, but ultra smooth on the palate even at 66.5% alcohol. Now here is the thing, add a tiny drop of cool spring water, give it some air maybe 10-15 minutes. You'll return to an utterly transcendent whiskey of extreme complexity and wild drinkability. Let's say this is now maybe 100 proofish and drinks like a dream. These are the flavors I remember from those old bottlings. We don't know how old it is, but goddang it's as delicious as anything coming out of Kentucky at this price point and easily bests bottles that are much much more expensive. If you like big bold flavors of cask strength whiskey, but don't want the bitter bite of some of the other stuff on the market than this stuff is for you. Of course, these are single casks and I've seen some reviews going absolutely wild for other barrels, but the one I tasted was No. 15-4973 at 66.5% and it works for me.
2005 Ducru-Beaucaillou, St-Julien
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 10/17/2015 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 10/17/2015 | Send Email
67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot. Very spicy, with Asian spices and currant on the nose. Very expressive. Very pure and vibrant. Boysenberry aromas and flavors. This is a big wine, but with good balance. Not a massive wine. We like this one very much. R: Fine and floral aromas of perfectly ripe grapes on the nose continue all the way thru this incredibly elegant wine. Sweet, grapey, lush finish. Great wine!
El Tesoro de Don Felipe Reposado Tequila
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 10/16/2015 | Send Email
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 10/16/2015 | Send Email
Wow, this is easily one of the best tequilas I've ever tried and no wonder: Tesoro Tequila is hand-fermented and distilled with agave pulp and fibers, which allows for maximum flavor retention from the agave's essential oils. It is then bottled 48 hours after distillation to further preserve flavor and aroma. Aged for 11! months in 4+ fill ex-bourbon barrels, the subtle oak influence delicately intermixes with the agave-forward flavors. Highlands-grown agave is also known for its sweetness. The result of all of this? A rich, creamy, elegant reposado, very light in color, with butterscotch, chili, sea salt, and lovely floral aromatics. This truly is a phenomenal bottle of reposado.
El Tesoro de Don Felipe Blanco Tequila (750ml)
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 10/16/2015 | Send Email
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 10/16/2015 | Send Email
As soon as you taste Tesoro's platinum, you'll understand why it's the only tequila to have been awarded "Best White Spirit" in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Tesoro also won "Distiller of the Year" award - having learned how much care and precision goes into crafting their tequilas, I get it. Tesoro hand-ferments and distills with agave pulp and fibers, which allows for maximum flavor retention from the agave's essential oils. It is then bottled 48 hours after distillation to further preserve flavors and aroma. The Platinum boasts a gorgeous full and creamy texture with an especially floral and fruity bouquet. Hints of pepper lend intrigue and freshness. This is an incredibly "feminine" and complex tequila - like a Botticelli painting in a bottle. An exaggeration, you say? Taste it. You'll join the cult.
A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée Louis Victor" Brut Champagne
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 10/7/2015 | Send Email
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 10/7/2015 | Send Email
A blend of Chard, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, what makes this Champagne unique is that the wine comes from a single 6,000 liter foudre, which is fractionally blended so that in includes more vintages than your typical NV Champagne. Interestingly earthy on the nose, the palate is rich, with flavors of apples and, maybe this is just the power of suggestion given the fractional blending (which is sort of like a one barrel version of a solera) but it has some very gentle oxidative and Manzanilla like notes. A great value Champagne for those looking for great quality and originality.
Price:
$39.99
Capurro Estate Grown Single Vintage Quebranta Premium Pisco (700ml)
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 10/5/2015 | Send Email
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 10/5/2015 | Send Email
Taste the terroir of Peru with this single varietal Quebranta, one of the strongest yet non-aromatic of the 8 designated varietals that can be used to make pisco. What quebranta lacks in aroma more than makes up for with rich, texture and complex flavors of sweet fried plantains, almonds and pepper. The full body of this spirit makes it a great emulsifier and perfect for making Pisco Sours, or it would work just fine alone as a soothing, slow tropical sipper.
Price:
$34.99
Capurro Estate Grown Single Vintage Acholado Premium Pisco (700ml)
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 10/5/2015 | Send Email
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez | Review Date: 10/5/2015 | Send Email
Tropical and unique, Capurro's family blend of grapes called Acholado is a clear, colorless and delicious spirit exploring complex notes of dried grass, flora, pepper and light stone fruit flavors. This is an excellent choice to play with your standard tiki recipes and mix something truly exotic. Have some fun!
Price:
$34.99
Gosset "Grand" Blanc des Blancs Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 10/4/2015 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 10/4/2015 | Send Email
The dry focus of this Gosset made it a perfect partner for the sushi that I ordered from my friends at Akasaka in Menlo Park. The wine is very light and elegant, but even with rich salmon nigiri has plenty of flavor... It is a classy beverage, and I found it to be understated, subtle, and intriguing. I love Champagne that is hard to describe but easy to drink, and the Gosset Blanc des Blancs is a great example of wine that is easier to enjoy than to describe. The texture and bead are perfection, with plenty of tiny streamers to delight. I loved the subtle apricot aroma and flavor that contrasted the baguette-like toast in this wine, but the best feature was the finish--long, detailed and chalky. If you have a special occasion coming, this is a treat that you will love. It is a great bottle of Champagne.
Jean-Louis Denois "Tradition" Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 9/29/2015 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 9/29/2015 | Send Email
The “Tradition” is almost technically a Cremant de Limoux, but since Jean-Louis does his own thing, he blends 50% Chardonnay with 50% Pinot Noir, which doesn’t conform to appellation rules. Always one of our best crowd-pleasers, it spends about three years on the lees, giving it a wonderful mousse with toasty
biscuity notes.
Singani "63" Bolivian Muscat Brandy (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/25/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/25/2015 | Send Email
Few products are so near and dear to our heart. I fell in love the product not only because of its soft and easy-to-use character, but because of the wonderful story that goes along with it. When our friend and long time customer came to town to show us his new product we couldn't believe his absolute devotion and true love for this product. Luckily for us, it actually tastes magnificent and is easily one of the most versatile products on the shelf. Definitely a must have for the bar.
Price:
$29.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 9/25/2015 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 9/25/2015 | Send Email
"Value Champagne" doesn't begin to do this bottle of bubbly justice. Baron Fuente brings all of the class and elegance of the Grand Marque Champagne brands to your table for such a reasonable price (and with more flavor and finesse!). The aroma wafts out of the glass like freshly rising bread finished in a lemon and tangerine zest. The wine strolls gracefully balanced down your palate and finishes with a clean and friendly flourish that brings you right back to the glass wanting more. This is a remarkable bottle of Champagne, especially when you consider it's only 24 bucks.
Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/21/2015 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 9/21/2015 | Send Email
It seems so crazy that we can even keep this bourbon in stock given its quality and 10 year age statement. It tastes great, checks all the boxes, good richness, texture, lots of toasty spice, caramel, charred oak tones. So what's up...? Too inexpensive...not "cool" enough yet...? Fine by me, this is a steal for people who care more about what's in the bottle and enjoying a good drink rather than those seeking only collectibles. Cheers to you!
Caves Messias Santola "Crab Wine" Vinho Verde
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 9/20/2015 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 9/20/2015 | Send Email
Easy-drinking crowd favorite “the crab wine” is back! Effervescent and refreshing, this Portuguese classic shows the slightly sweeter side of Vinho Verde but maintains that crisp, beautifully dry vibrancy. A warm weather winner.
Price:
$9.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 9/18/2015 | Send Email
By: Andrew Stevens | Review Date: 9/18/2015 | Send Email
The best priced Champagne in our store and an amazing offer especially with the upcoming holidays. This beautiful Grande Reserve has an amazing mid-pallet that is toasty and full with a hint of almond and dried fruit. This makes it ideal as a Champagne to serve with dinner, it has enough weight to enjoy before and with food. Fantastic finish and flavor make for a truly beautiful Champagne and with the price you can afford to pick up several.
Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 9/17/2015 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 9/17/2015 | Send Email
McKenna is one of those under-appreciated gems of the booze industry. A throwback Bourbon made by Heaven Hill (the home of Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Rittenhouse Rye, and many other great brands) that's all from a single barrel, bottled-in-bond at 100 proof, and well-priced to boot. There's not much of a reputation for it out west, so it tends to go rather unnoticed, but the quality is highly-regarded by those in the know. Our inventory on McKenna is inconsistent and spotty so we tend to load up when it becomes available again. I taste inferior Bourbons every week that sell for $40, $50, and $60 per bottle based on hype and perceived rarity. But this guy just keeps truckin' along. What a deal. What a whiskey.
Taittinger "Prestige" Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/11/2015 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/11/2015 | Send Email
A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier. A large (15%) blend of still Pinot Noir in the mix. The nose has cherries, red boysenberries and fresh cream. Soft and lush on the palate with orange marmalade undertones. A great choice for people who like a slightly richer, more opulent style of brut rosé.
Drappier Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/10/2015 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 9/10/2015 | Send Email
This absolutely 100% tasty Brut Rose is 100% pinot noir. It is dosed at a low 7 grams per liter dosage with 2-3 years on the lees. It has ripe strawberry fruit with hints of tart cranberries and red fruits. Lush, yet dry and extremely delicious!
St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur (750ml)
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 9/8/2015 | Send Email
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 9/8/2015 | Send Email
Named for the New Orleans-style coffee that inspired it, St. George’s Nola is one of the best coffee liqueurs that I’ve had. It’s not overly sweet and the flavors of chicory and vanilla are very gracefully interwoven with the coffee. If you’re into White Russians, I’d highly recommend St. George’s Vodka too - it has a really luscious mouthfeel and tastes a little bit like toasted marshmallows.
Ventura Spirits "Wilder" Gin (750ml)
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 9/4/2015 | Send Email
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 9/4/2015 | Send Email
A true livin' off the land project, Ventura's gin is made with foraged wild herbs and roots growing near the distillery. A few of the herbs I actually had to look up. Chuchupate? Known as "Wild Bear Root" because bears eat it after hibernation or if they're wounded. Yerba Santa? "Holy Weed" to Spanish Missionaries who used it for medicinal purposes. Some of the more familiar additions like juniper and orange peel pop up in there too. The result? A savory, citrusy, refreshing (and possibly curative?) expression of Cali chaparral terroir.
Price:
$29.99
Marie Duffau Napoleon Bas Armagnac (750ml)
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 9/4/2015 | Send Email
By: Nicole Osmanski | Review Date: 9/4/2015 | Send Email
The Marie Duffau was my introduction to Armagnac. I'd been drinking a lot of bourbon at the time and was thrilled to discover that Armagnac is made very similarly, just with grapes! The Marie Duffau has been a staple on my bar ever since because it is FANTASTIC in cocktails. Try it in a Sidecar with some fresh pineapple and basil - the Duffeau's notes of caramelized pineapple, barrel spice, and vanilla will really pop!
Potocki Polish Rye Vodka (700ml)
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 9/2/2015 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 9/2/2015 | Send Email
The best vodka in the world. Period. Next!
Drappier "Carte d'Or" Brut Champagne
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/1/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 9/1/2015 | Send Email
Here's an incredibly well developed NV from Drappier. Slightly nutty signs of older champagne, with yeast brioche and heady dark fruit. Rich and full in the palate, with the dark cherry coming forward and a taught lifted finish. Superb.
Mas Codina Brut Reserva Cava Penedès
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/31/2015 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/31/2015 | Send Email
This is one of our greatest "value" sparkling wines in the company. It is very well balanced and has a lingering finish. The overall character of golden apple fruit, with a hint of nuttiness and tart cherries, is balanced by a very clean finish that contains citrus notes and minerals. It has 10 grams per liter dosage, enough to keep it dry but, to add some light fruitiness, as well. Something here to please nearly everyone!
Price:
$13.99
Springbank 10 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/25/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 8/25/2015 | Send Email
If you want the real Scottish experience, there is no better bottle to cut your teeth on. The Springbank 10 year pulls no punches. Bottled in small batches, you're quickly transported to the fields of Kintyre, and the damp, inviting warehouse and the wonderful malt floors that make this one of the most special spirits in Scotland. This is real whisky made the real way, and once you taste it, you'll understand why it's different from every other 10 year out there.
Amara Sicilian Amaro d'Arancia Rossa (750ml)
By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 8/19/2015 | Send Email
By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 8/19/2015 | Send Email
WOW! is the first thing that comes to mind when I taste this. Amara is a more feminine approach to an Amaro that is the philosophy of the producer of this unique concoction. From the slopes of Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, there is acres of citrus groves, pride of the ancient tradition. Only in this area because of the nature of the terrain and the strong temperature grow the famous Red Oranges of Sicily. This is made with those blood oranges and herbs and has nice viscosity and incredible aftertaste. This just came in & I have been anticipating its arrival for quite some time and I will be enjoying straight over ice or as a Spritz with orange rind, as well as in various combinations in modern cocktails. TWO thumbs up from Guido ( Mike Parres)
Price:
$49.99
A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée Louis Victor" Brut Champagne
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 8/12/2015 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 8/12/2015 | Send Email
This multivintage blend which includes harvests from 2007 through 2012 is a must try for those who like their bubbly on the rich side but without giving up any complexity. This is chock-full of red fruit and berry flavors and there is an additional layer of maturity provided by the inclusion of the older stocks. This is produced using the solera system (as in sherry) and there is nothing else quite like it.
Price:
$39.99
Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 8/4/2015 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 8/4/2015 | Send Email
The famous yellow label- now offered in pink.
Planteray "Stiggins' Fancy" Pineapple Dark Rum (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/28/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/28/2015 | Send Email
BOOOOOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE! Without question the finest flavored rum in the world. Start with awesome funky rum, add a centuries-old recipe exactingly recreated by the good people of Plantation, and you've got a product that will rule your bar for the foreseeable future. Heady and intense, yet subtle and overtly pleasurable, not for your typical flavored rum fans, but a must own for all bar/cocktail people. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE!
Price:
$29.99
Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond 100 Proof Kentucky Rye Whiskey (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/28/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/28/2015 | Send Email
Despite some grumblings regarding a distillery change (yes Rittenhouse was made under contract by Brown-Forman for years after Heaven Hill's Bardstown plant burned down in the late 90s) Rittenhouse remains the ultimate value for all bartending needs. It might not kick like a Willett Single Barrel Rye, but there's still very little in the price range that will make a better Manhattan, in fact I can't think of one thing.
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut
By: Olivia Ragni | Review Date: 7/17/2015 | Send Email
By: Olivia Ragni | Review Date: 7/17/2015 | Send Email
Yes, it back!!! Light and refreshing, hints of brioche and laser sharp acid! The perfect sparkling wine for mimosas, celebrations and any morning that ends in day!
Price:
$14.99
Mas Codina Brut Reserva Cava Penedès
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 7/17/2015 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 7/17/2015 | Send Email
Clean and bright with a soft, elegant mouthfeel, this gorgeous Cava evokes stonefruit without being cloyingly aromatic - more crisp nectarine than peach - and finishes dry. A bottle of this quality goes down so easily, you'll be amazed (and your wallet grateful) that it's less than $14. Time to celebrate!
Price:
$13.99
Charles Heidsieck "Rosé Reserve" Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/16/2015 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/16/2015 | Send Email
The Charles rosé has the honest toast that comes from extended lees contact and very high quality, subtle dark cherry fruit from the still red wine added to the blend. The best thing about the wine is that this rich toasty character is balanced perfectly with top class chalky drive on the back end. Pairing it with ginger garlic chicken, the Champagne had the vinous power to match the assertive flavors of the dish, and the cut to refresh the palate after each rich bite. I love rosé Champagne that can provide both richness, dark fruit flavor and top class refreshment--this Rosé Reserve from Charles Heidsieck delivers it all!
Bollinger "Special Cuvée" Brut Champagne
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 7/15/2015 | Send Email
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 7/15/2015 | Send Email
Do I really have to encourage you to buy this? Wow... one of the few barrel fermented Champagnes left. So good, focus, texture, etc., etc. Damn, that's good.
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 7/15/2015 | Send Email
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 7/15/2015 | Send Email
A broad, creamy, texturally rich Champagne, lots of leesy complexity, yet remarkably well balanced, and for a song of a price. Only because we import this directly can you get prices like this with quality as well!
Aperol Aperitivo Liqueur (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/14/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/14/2015 | Send Email
The Italian classic has been making a comeback recently and deservedly so. Bottled at a laughable 11%, Aperol backs all the punch of its big brother Campari without the headache in the morning (i.e. less alcohol and less sugar). That said you can also drink it for 6 hours straight without realizing you've just had 25 drinks so please be careful. Traditionally served in a Spritz, add 2-3 oz of Aperol to a glass full of ice. Top with Prosecco and an orange slice. Enjoy over and over!
Fernet Branca (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/11/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/11/2015 | Send Email
Beware the Branca. The single most habit forming substance in our store. Plan on either hating this or never looking back. After that, expect to need a bottle in the house at all times. In spite of those truths, it is wildly utilitarian should you choose to use it that way. Very few more powerful digestives are available. Maybe you should just buy a case and get it over with.
Price:
$25.99
Kilchoman "Machir Bay" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/11/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/11/2015 | Send Email
Many are aware of our affection for this wonderful new distillery on Islay. This, being their entry level product, deserves to be a benchmark. If nothing else it should provide a wonderful education for any Islay lover. What happens when you put Ardbeg spec barley into steel fermenters and Kilchoman's tall little still? Add an ultra fine heart cut and a thoughtful wood management program and you've got truly soulful whisky that's still Islay in every way. Proof positive that great whisky need not be old. Zesty and full of oceany brine, the peat at this age stands up and smacks you right across the face. Sweet malt and mild rancio notes whisper in, but one does not forget the rugged shoreline just below the farm where this whisky was distilled. A pleasure, to say the least.
Price:
$64.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Kyle Kurani | Review Date: 7/10/2015 | Send Email
By: Kyle Kurani | Review Date: 7/10/2015 | Send Email
This bottle of Champagne does so many things for me. It offers the ability to use Champagne in many more settings--from parties to toasts--and it brings quality bubbles into the budget of many more customers. At $23 dollars a bottle, there is so much in this bottle. fresh and vibrant citrus notes, hints of navel orange and white peach greet you, with a light and effortless bead. It finishes with a touch of bread dough and Gala apple, rounding out the palate and leaving you wanting just one more glass. In the end this offers us the chance to drink Real Champagne at a price that so many more people can afford--including us here at the K&L!
St. George Dry Rye Reposado Gin (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/10/2015 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/10/2015 | Send Email
Stupendous and affordable barrel aged gin. This what the Dry Rye was dreaming of being. The malted rye and juniper flavors marry perfectly with the sweet spice and tannic structure of the oak. The magnificent texture of the Dry Rye, its most striking attribute, is only heightened by the additional time in oak. A truly unique gin that will scratch that whiskey itch as well.
2003 Joël Taluau St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Vieilles Vignes
By: Eric Story | Review Date: 7/8/2015 | Send Email
By: Eric Story | Review Date: 7/8/2015 | Send Email
Such a great example of old vine power with matched elegance elegance. This is really just now starting to drink well. But, can be cellared for many years to come. Fresh yet hearty style of wine which should definitely be had with a nice home cooked meal.
Price:
$39.99
Deutz "Classic" Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/7/2015 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 7/7/2015 | Send Email
This great house, located in Ay, is owned by the Roederer group but has a style all of its own. If you love the big, broad Pinot Noir wines of Champagne, this is for you. The wine has a good amount of toast, plenty of richness and finishes dry
Mas Codina Brut Reserva Cava Penedès
By: Randy Hagerman | Review Date: 7/1/2015 | Send Email
By: Randy Hagerman | Review Date: 7/1/2015 | Send Email
A sparkling wine this well constructed for under $15 could only be from Spain. This Cava would not be out of place side-by-side with wines almost double the price. I keep a bottle in my refrigerator at all times.
Price:
$13.99