Reviewers
- Aaron Hughes (10)
- Adam Winkel (96)
- Alex Leonardini (8)
- Alex Schroeder (149)
- Alex Pross (594)
- Alexandre Tweedie (7)
- Amy Monroe (1)
- Andrew Nunes (1)
- Andrew Kitz (1)
- Andrew Whiteley (125)
- Cindy Westby (60)
- Clyde Beffa Jr. (809)
- David Othenin-Girard (335)
- Dejah Overby (147)
- Diana Turk (125)
- Dulcinea Gonzalez (115)
- Gary Lai (56)
- Gary Westby (540)
- Greg St. Clair (389)
- Illya Haase (147)
- Jacques Moreira (704)
- Jason Marwedel (73)
- Jeffrey Jones (372)
- Joel Nicholas (29)
- John Flanigan (1)
- John Downing (80)
- John Majeski (296)
- Julio Santos (1)
- Kate Soto (11)
- Keith Mabry (432)
- Kirk Walker (276)
- Lilia McIntosh (44)
- Mandana Tourani (12)
- Michael Benoit (7)
- Michael Pires (14)
- Miles Philippe (7)
- Neal Fischer (33)
- Ralph Sands (222)
- Ryan Kewin (4)
- Ryan Moses (388)
- Ryan Woodhouse (891)
- Sal Rodriguez (34)
- Scott Beckerley (307)
- Shaun Green (82)
- Thomas Smith (357)
- Tom Martinez (1)
- Trey Beffa (183)
- Will Blakely (26)
- Zaitouna Kusto (3)
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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
Subtle Spirits "STELLAR" Art by Kate Tova Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/7/2023 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 12/7/2023 | Send Email
This gorgeous little bourbon is a bit of a sea change for the wonderful little brand started by Spirits Guru Joshua Thinnes. A larger and more affordable than previous batches, it's still extremely small batch. What distinguishes from previous batches is that Thinnes has been able to utilize more tools to show off his blending prowess. Turns out he's prettay dern good at it. The wine barrel influences are so deftly integrated into the whole that you'd be hard pressed to pick them out without prior knowledge, but it certainly doesn't feel like any old MGP here. Let's taste it! The nose is a pungent basket of red fruit and freshly toasted spices. Not quite minty, but with a gorgeous cinnamon tone and a wild sweet cherry compote. Add brown sugar melting and toasted vanilla now! On the palate the red fruit is met nicely with a dollop of old wood, roasting herbs and sweet baking spice. Medium bodied with a long tingle on the spicy finish. It's a well composed whisky of excellent balance. Just the way I like them.
Price:
$79.99
2021 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes-du-Rhône
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 12/7/2023 | Send Email
By: Alex Pross | Review Date: 12/7/2023 | Send Email
Always a winner, the 2021 Coudoulet is a fantastic Rhone red that drinks like a fine Chateauneuf-du-Pape for the price of a Cotes-du-Rhone. The secret is the lineage, Beaucastel tends the vines with the same loving care they devote to their flagship blend and the Coudoulet is often made to be more approachable in its youth. Gorgeous red fruits, notes of red licorice and spice deftly flow into notes of earth and dried herbs. This is a great drinking red wine that will not only be wonderful on its own be also the prefect compliment to almost any meal.
Drink from 2023 to 2023
2018 Big Basin Vineyards "Gabilan Mountains" California Rhône Blend
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 12/7/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 12/7/2023 | Send Email
Wow, what a great bottle for a stunningly low price! We just landed an amazing winery-direct deal from Santa Cruz Mountain boutique producer Big Basin Vineyards. Proprietor/winemaker Bradley Brown has established a stellar reputation over the past few decades for crafting incredibly nuanced, terroir driven, authentic wines that have attracted huge critical acclaim and a strong local following. The 2018 Gabilan Mountains blend combines classic Rhône varietals Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre from two incredible, high elevation mountain vineyards. The Syrah and Grenache are from the renowned Coastview Vineyard that is perched 2,200ft above the Monterey Bay on decomposed granite soils. The Mourvèdre is from old vines at Rodnick Farm in Chalone, as the crow flies just a few miles south of Coastview but with much more limestone rich soils at 1,900ft elevation. In keeping with southern Rhône tradition, much of the fermentation is done in concrete fermenters and large format oak casks. The wine has a fantastic balance of quite lifted, floral aromatics, pure, succulent fruit, and gamey, savory, garrigue-like elements that is utterly compelling. Dried flowers and herbs combine with cured meat, black raspberry, dark cherry, smoldering embers, granite dust, dry chaparral. Medium bodied, enough structural presence to stand up to red meat, but also ideal for a stew or pot roast of some kind. A perfect winter warmer that is going to make a lot of folks very happy at this ludicrous price!
Top Value!
2011 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
Whenever I crave something extraordinary, and do not want to spend a fortune, Lopez' Tondonia Reserva is my go to. The 2011 vintage is no exception, and phenomenal as usual. Subtle, developed notes of red cherry, raspberry, dried cigar leaf, bay leaf, iodine, tajin, black tea, potting soil, leather, and a just a touch of coconut. Consistent, distinctive, and absolutely delicious. I brought this to my first Hollywood Bowl concert, and it was the perfect bottle!
2018 Big Basin Vineyards "Gabilan Mountains" California Rhône Blend
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
This delicious blend were sourced from two vineyards in Gabilan Mountains. Grenache was age in large concrete tank, while the rest aged in neutral barrels for 21 months, with 70% whole cluster fermentation. Showcasing a potpourri nose of kirsch, ripe strawberries, pomegranate, dried rose petals, dried hibiscus, sun dried tomato, dried thyme, and a touch of jasmine tea. On the palate, bright, lifted, refreshing, with a nice, long spicy finish. An exceptional blend, that can easily pair with a wide array of dishes!
2020 Leviathan California Red Blend
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
A predominant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Fruit sourced predominantly from Obsidian Ridge & Wild Diamond (Red Hills AVA), Faust (Coombsville AVA), and Rancho Salina (Moon Mountain AVA). The wine was then aged for 15 months in French Oak (25% New). Flavors of dark berries, blueberry, black plum, ripe figs, mocha dust, dark roasted coffee beans, a touch of dried savory herbs. A powerful wine, with ample acidity to maintain it's freshness.
2011 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 12/6/2023 | Send Email
This wine has everything that you want from Rioja; intensity, fruit, earth, spice, oak, and leather. It is all there, and it is all woven together seamlessly. Everything in its place, with no element competing for attention. This is an incredibly balanced wine. What takes it to the next level is the quality of the flavors and aromas, they are fine and nuanced. I love the range of flavors, but it is how they are integrated that gives so much dimension to this wine. This is classic, old-school Rioja. The tannins are polished, this wine glides across the palate. The acid gives the wine energy, but no edges and the finish persists with all the flavors lingering together. The flavors are totally different, but this wine resonates with me the same way that 2nd growth Bordeaux does, especially Pichon Baron and Pichon Lalande. My thoughts took me almost immediately to those wines. It is the poise, the effortless polish, and the retrained power. What better company can wine keep? This is an elevated wine from one of the very best producers of the region.
Ardbeg "Anamorphic - Committee Release" Islay Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
Tessellations of flavor abound in this exceptional release from Ardbeg. The heads of the barrels were deeply grooved and heavily toasted before being put back on the barrels for this batch. The end result is a more chocolatey profile that bolsters the sweet smoky, herbal and spicy components of Ardbeg. The nose is a sultry mix of succulent beef burnt ends, roasted apple skins, maple and brown sugar oatmeal, sea salt, bruised pears, and pure peat smoke. The palate is beautifully sweet. Tons of golden malt and waxy candy corns mixed with sea spray, kelp, and vanilla pod. Coffee pod and cocoa nib come through on the finish. It's a big hit from Ardbeg and surely a malt that will keep you coming back to it for new notes over and over again.
Price:
$229.99
| Limit of 3 per customer |
Booker's "Mighty Fine Batch" #2023-03 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
Surprisingly dark in color, this batch is Mighty Fine indeed. Booker's has delivered some of the best cask strength drinking for decades, and I while some batches are better than others, I don't think I've ever been disappointed with one. Mighty Fine weighs in at 63.3% ABV and has a minimum age of 7 years, 1 month and 10 days. The aromas are packed with turbinado sugar and soft caramel chews. Roasted corn, set off by a touch of salt and butter comes to mind. With time and/or a splash of water, a hint of very appealing red fruit comes forward as well. The palate is all encompassing. It will take over your mouth and reveals gobs of vanilla, sweet oak spice, and more caramels. Something to chew on for sure. The finish is lengthy and intense, but not overly hot despite the high ABV. Lots of superlative descriptors would suffice, but in Booker's elegant parlance "Might Fine" will be perfect.
Price:
$99.99
| Limit of 6 per customer |
2021 Torbreck "Woodcutter's" Shiraz Barossa Valley South Australia
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
The Woodcutter Shiraz has always been solid. The 2021, is on a completely different level. There is just more to this wine; more color, aromatics, complexity, body depth, and length. This is a killer bottle of Shiraz. The nose is dark, savory and intriguing. The palate is full, the tannins are plush and the finish lingers with fruit and spice. I had to ask Thomas what was different with this wine and he said that 2021 was an epic vintage. If this is any indication, keep your eyes peeled to this section. Enjoyable on its own, decadent enough that will stand up the richest holiday meals.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof "Magnum Thief" K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #6694812 Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
We pick tons of barrels from in market samples every year and they're fantastic, but there is always something extra special about picking in Kentucky. When the bottles arrive and you open the first one to see if it's as good as you remember, it's always a little nerve wracking. With the Magnum Thief - nothing to worry about. This barrel was slamming good when we tasted it in Kentucky, and it's still a stunner now that it is finally here. Nine years old and a very comfortable 117.8 proof it is beautifully spicy at first blush offering freshly ground cinnamon, shaved nutmeg, and pink peppercorn. With time in glass (I left mine for about an hour before coming back to write this) it morphs into so salted caramel, candied nuts, toffee brittle, and pie crust. The palate is big and oily, but never too hot. Sweet and sweetly spiced on the finish the Magnum Thief will steal your heart in a big way.
Price:
$84.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
2021 Torbreck "Woodcutter's" Shiraz Barossa Valley South Australia
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
Looking for a wine for some barbecue or roasted pork? Well, here it is! A big nose that has generous dark red cassis and framboise preserves (Bonne Maman!). On the palate, brighter with a nice bit of acidic "tang". Though it still has some denseness, it doesn't come off that way. Big red fruits to the forefront and darker black fruits in the background. Light tannins, elegant acidity and mouth-coating deep red preserve flavors. Yummy and oh so affordable.
2021 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Chardonnay Yarra Valley Victoria
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/5/2023 | Send Email
A very nice chardonnay that isn't over the top with the oak. A lightly floral and elegant nose with citrus, green apple, almond paste and subtle cream scents. In the mouth, quite zippy with stone fruits, orange, sour apple and rich melon flavors. It starts clean, fleshes out to become more viscous and finishes clean and bright. A superb chardonnay at this price!
2021 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Chardonnay Yarra Valley Victoria
By: Alexandre Tweedie | Review Date: 12/3/2023 | Send Email
By: Alexandre Tweedie | Review Date: 12/3/2023 | Send Email
An opening nose of grounding, flinty minerality leads to beautiful scents of white peach skins and gentle gardenia petals, following with a palate of subtle marine salinity and richly composed golden apples. The mouthfeel is pleasantly waxy and round, with small dashes of vanilla bean to fully flesh out the palate's oak timbres - the wine finishes quite long, with lingering apple and white plum leading out gracefully - Oakridge's "Henk Vineyard" is pure Yarra for an absolutely unbeatable cost!
Top Value!
2011 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
To be fair, I love Tondonia, in all of its forms. Red, white, rose. All of them please my taste buds! Here we have the 2011 Reserva with a pretty deep nose of dark red fruits, pipe tobacco, lavender and sage. Neat! On the palate, earthy, bright, mildly spicy with nutmeg and orange peel. There is top of the mouth fleshiness, with darker red fruits and the barest hint of chalk. The finish is very long and dry. Iit is all well-integrated and delicious. Great price for a Reserva, as well!
2015 La Rioja Alta "Viña Arana" Gran Reserva Rioja
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
Wow! This wine is not shy. Full-bodied with chalky tannins and that classic Rioja spice. Rich notes of black cherry and cedar that shift into anise and then finish with mocha and chocolate. Pork belly or Ribeye steak would be a fantastic pairing for this one. A great wine that should not be missed!
2011 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
A complex, full-bodied wine that is starting to show some age, but still quite youthful. Notes of plum, tobacco, raspberry, cedar, and eucalyptus. This will be one to pair with pork or steak. Another gem from López de Heredia!
2021 Hendry "Estate - Barrel Fermented" Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/1/2023 | Send Email
Rich and creamy Chardonnay with a wonderful balance of oak and fruit character. This will be enjoyed by fans of old school Napa Chardonnay.
2021 Hendry "Estate - Barrel Fermented" Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/30/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/30/2023 | Send Email
Hendry's Chardonnay is a stunning wine on every level that reminds me just how good Napa Chardonnay can be given he right site and vine material. With the meteoric rise to fame of Napa Valley Cabernet, acreage of Chardonnay in the valley has been steadily declining for decades. Many vineyards have been torn out to be replaced by more profitable Cabernet. However, there is still greatness to be found, and often times it comes from older parcels of Chardonnay vines that produce concentrated, flavorful fruit that warrants leaving them in the ground and nurturing them. This is one such wine. The core of Hendry's Barrel Fermented Chardonnay comes from one of the oldest blocks of Chardonnay in the region. Planted in 1974, next year these old Wente selection vines will celebrate their 50th birthday next year. These incredible vines are grown in super rocky soils on a bench that sits just west of the town of Napa at the base of Mt. Veeder. The very poor, rocky soils are a mix of ancient limestone seabed and volcanic boulders. The vines naturally yield less than 2-tons to per acre of intensely concentrated fruit. As stated on the label, the wine is barrel fermented (in 30% new Cadus cooperage French oak) but it does not go through malolactic fermentation. The result is a wine with wonderful power and flavor, with a fresh, verve and flinty minerality. This idea of barrel fermentation but no malo is also how Chateau Montelena have always made their iconic Chardonnay that actually comes from a vineyard in Oak Knoll just minutes from Hendry estate. The 2021 Hendry Barrel Fermented Chard has the perfect balance of richness and restraint. Orchard blossom on the nose gives way to golden apple, preserved citrus, dry hay, struck flint, salted nut brittle, saline sea spray notes, subtle oak spice. Weighty and textural but tense and vibrant at the same time. If you want to draw a Burgundian comparison, this is like Corton - breath and density but with intense minerality and savory, salinity. Such an awesome bottle of Chardonnay that puts a smile on my face every time.
Top Value!
2021 Martin Woods "Koosah Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay
By: Alex Leonardini | Review Date: 11/30/2023 | Send Email
By: Alex Leonardini | Review Date: 11/30/2023 | Send Email
The 2021 Martin Woods "Koosah Vineyard" Chardonnay is a distinctly unique and strikingly singular wine. Every aspect is in beautiful juxtaposition with another, creating a wine that is as harmonious as it is remarkable. White peach and meyer lemon fruits are pulled taut by smoky, salty, chalky minerality. Bright, energetic acidity is counterbalanced by textural depth. And the wine's crisp, zippy finish and deeply savory undertones stretch through a long, spiraling finish. Few wines are as complex and thought provoking as this, and fewer still can be had at this price point.
2018 Scattered Peaks "Morisoli Vineyard" Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/30/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/30/2023 | Send Email
A monumental wine in so many ways. Most importantly this tiny production wine comes from one of the most historic and significant vineyards in all of Rutherford. Morisoli Vineyard on the west Rutherford bench was first planted to gapes in 1880s. The Morisoli family have owned and farmed it for five generations since 1902. The vineyard sits right next-door to Inglenook and is also surrounded by renowned vineyards such as Bella Oaks and Staglin Estate. It sits in the perfect position on the bench with an alluvial fan of deep gravel combined with that famous red Rutherford Dust. This wine is also made entirely from Clone 7 of Cabernet Sauvignon. This heritage clone first brought to the USA from Bordeaux in 1893 was the original selection used by Georges de Latour when he founded Beaulieu Vineyards (just a stones throw from Morisoli) in 1903. This clone is an integral part of why Rutherford Cabernet has become so renowned world wide. Finally, tying all this together is Scattered Peaks' winemaker Joel Aiken. It's probably fair to say there are few people alive that know more about crafting Rutherford Cab than Joel. He served as Head Winemaker at BV for 25 years after working directly with the legendary André Tchelistcheff. He has worked with Morisoli fruit for many decades and now makes the Morisoli family's own estate produced wines that launched in 2018. So it's safe to say he has access to some of the very best blocks at this iconic site. The 2018 is statuesque, deep and brooding, packed with dusty cassis, plum, leather, cedar, cigar box and briar patch. There's plenty of deep, saturated fruit, but I also love the savory, dusty earth and tobacco leaf elements that this wine a embraces, too. It has a real sense of history and while the fruit intensity and ripeness are certainly a few notches above the monumental wines from this area made in the 1960s and 70s that helped cement Napa's reputation on the world stage, you can still feel that this is a wine rooted in a place, the soils and unique expression of this singular terroir are what inform its flavors and textures more so than any winemaking trickery. When the raw ingredients are of this quality the winemaker's job is simply to capture them in the bottle, something that Joel has done perfectly here. Drinking very nicely now, but will also improve for 8-10 more years and likely drink well for 20+ years.
Drink from 2023 to 2023
2019 Vignerons de Plaimont "Les Cépages Préservés" Saint-Mont Blanc
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
I'm always looking for wines from regions I've never heard of, so I was very excited to try this wine! A fascinating blend of Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu, and Arrufiac, varietals predominantly planted in South West France. Flavors of ripe apricots, bruised peach, nectarine, fresh ginger, fennel, chamomile tea, and chalk. Refreshing, light, with a delicious, spicy finish! A great wine to pair with salads, and light poultry dishes!
2019 Vignerons de Plaimont "Les Cépages Préservés" Saint-Mont Blanc
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
The region of Saint-Mont has not received much attention over the years. It sits next to Madiran which makes some of the biggest wines in the southwest of France. The red wines of Saint-Mont are similar and focus on the same grape varieties. But what has me intrigued are the whites of this area. Gros Manseng is the main grape here and it is often blended with several other workhorse grapes like Petit Courbu, Petit Manseng and Arrufiac. Some of my favorite whites in France come from the region of Jurancon just to the south of Saint-Mont and they also use the same grape varieties. So how has this region been so overlooked? Since none of these grapes has not broken out on the international stage, perhaps that is some of the problem. But now is the time for Saint-Mont to ascend as a region! And the Plaimont is the perfect wine to begin our journey. The profile of the blends here reminds me a bit of both Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc their flavor profile. The nose on the Cepages Preserves immediately yields aromas similar to Sauvignon Blanc with notes of orange peel, flamed grapefruit, mango and papaya. None of those grassy notes, though. And then the Chenin character kicks in with its mineral tones and richer body on the palate. It's like the raciest dry Vouvray you might taste but with pithy notes like the Sauvignon Blanc to give it texture. I love them and they are wonderful drinking with a variety of foods. Serve this beauty with sweet shellfish like shrimp in a garlic butter sauce or richer fowl dishes like duck or goose. The whites fruit and acid balance would even work nicely with some chicken thighs braised in a salsa verde. Get creative, this white has a lot going on and can open whole new possibilities for food pairings.
2021 Hendry "Estate - Barrel Fermented" Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
100% Estate fruit from this barrel fermented Chardonnay came from four blocks in vineyards right behind Hendry's winery. Aged on lees for 11 months in 1/3rd New French Oak with frequent bâtonnage (stirring by hand). Delicious flavors of Asian pear, yellow apples, quince, persimmon, fresh ginger, chamomile, peony tea, and almonds. On the palate, refreshing, delightfully textural, with a zesty finish. This is a perfect pairing with light poultry dishes, and salads!
2020 Ducru-Beaucaillou "Croix de Beaucaillou," St-Julien
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
Wow! Lovely aromatic nose with hints of menthol and violets, with a soft fruity palate and long finish. The legendary "cailloux" or pebbles, in the property's soil really come through in the glass. This is an elegant, classic St-Julien and, considering its provenance, a killer value.
2020 Famille Ravoire "Pierre de Fontval" Cairanne
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
Another value from Rhône AOC Cairanne! Mushroom and cinnamon come through on the nose, followed by plummy fruit and spice on the palate, with grippy tannins through the finish. This is a bombastic red, but food-friendly and well-priced, making it an easy choice for a weeknight.
2020 Famille Ravoire "Pierre de Fontval" Cairanne
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
The wines of Cairanne have been blowing up lately. I have been singing their praises, especially when we started working with Domaine Roche. Now these wines are finally getting their due. The Fontval ranked as one of Decanter's top Rhone wines in this year's wine competition. You may not need to read any further before putting a case (or two) in your shopping cart. But, a little more context... This small village was a humble Cotes du Rhone Village not too many years ago and in 2016 it was given Cru status alongside the more renowned villages of Gigondas, Vacqueyras and of course Chateauneuf-du-Pape. And I believe Cairanne is one of the most interesting Crus on the scene in the southern Rhone. The soils are filled with limestone pebbles, sand and clay. This distinct terroir gives natural finesse the tannins of the wines from this region. The Fontval is a true classic with its vibrant red fruit nose of strawberry jam and redcurrants. Flavors of violet pastilles, anise, tobacco and spices emerge on the palate. This is generous in the mouth but has silky tannins and a pop of acidity to keep it all in balance. I can think of no better value wine to have on my weeknight rotation right now!
2020 Famille Ravoire "Pierre de Fontval" Cairanne
By: John Downing | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
By: John Downing | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
This terrific new arrival offers tremendous value at a very modest price. It opens with vibrant aromas of red fruits with subtle notes of garrigue and spice along with a hint of smoke. A lush, medium-to-full palate of flavor-packed red and black fruits really make this wine irresistible and an additional touch of pleasant ripe tannins on the finish only adds to its depth and complexity.
2019 Torres "Pago del Cielo - Celeste" Tempranillo Crianza Ribera del Duero
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/28/2023 | Send Email
Vibrant, bold, spicy, and polished. That is what this wine is in a nutshell. This Crianza delivers a very elevated expression of Ribera del Duero. What do I mean by that? There is no rusticity here. Bold, yes. Rich, yes. Spicy, yes. Oaky, yes but. This has that Spanish oaky spice, you pull the cork, and you know that this wine comes from Spain. However, the spice is fine, a perfect mix of sweet and savory, spice that speaks more to the French oak that was used than the American. That oak has focused and polished this wine. It frames the aromatics. The layers of spice bring extra dimensions to the dark cherry and blackberry fruit. The high elevation of these vineyards helps maintain the freshness to this wine. The quality of the fruit is striking, it tastes like fruit that was picked at that almost perfect point of ripeness where it is not too sweet nor too tart. On the palate the oak has softened the tannins, they are polished and fine, they are present but not intrusive. That oak also imparts a subtle cacao note that lingers along with the soft tannins bringing a touch of decadence to the wine. For all my talk of oak, because it is used very deftly here, this is a wine that is about fruit. The dark, delicious Tempranillo that is sourced at the boundaries of the Ribera del Duero.
2021 Iaconis Napa Valley Chardonnay
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/26/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/26/2023 | Send Email
Such a fantastic value in Chardonnay. Coming entirely from Antica Estate on Atlas Peak in Napa (owned by the famed Antinori family). I simply can't think of another single vineyard Napa Chardonnay that gets even close to this price point! And...most importantly, it's delicious! A nicely balanced "middle of the road style" - not heavily oaked, or overtly buttery, but also not too light or lean. Lovely ripe apricot, yellow floral notes, baked golden delicious apple, pie crust, toasted almond, crushed rock mineral. Subtle oak to give it some depth and weight; juicy, fresh acidity to bring verve and energy. Just a lovely everyday drinker at an unbeatable value. Get a case, you won't regret it.
Top Value!
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2019 Richard Bruno Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/26/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/26/2023 | Send Email
An absolute steal in Napa Valley Cab! A $20 price point for legit Napa Cab is all but a distant memory these days, but every now and again we get a deal that takes us back to the good old days! You know, when you could drink great Napa Cab without spending half of the week's grocery budget on it! The 2019 Cab from winemaker Richard Bruno is a classic, rich, bold, full-bodied Napa Cab with tons of creme de cassis, blackberry, cacao nib, toasty oak spices, hints of lavender and wild mint. Ripe, lush tannins, a mouth filling wine with beautiful purity of fruit and texture. This drinks WAY WAY above its price point and can hold its own with plenty of $100+ Napa Cabs I taste on a weekly basis. A collaboration with our friends and Naked Wines means we can bring this to you and a crazy low price, direct from the winery. I was floored with the price of this wine after tasting it blind and took every case they had. A simply incredible deal.
Top Value!
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2018 Ram's Gate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/26/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/26/2023 | Send Email
A few years back we ran some big offers on wines from Ram's Gate winery and they quickly turned into some of our best selling wines of the year. Customers still ask for them frequently to this day. Ram's Gate is a picturesque property in Carneros that produces stunning wines from their own 28 acre estate and sources fruit from some of the most esteemed vineyards in the region including the iconic Gap's Crown, Durell, UV El Diablo, and Sangiacomo's Roberts Road. The quality of fruit going into these wines is impeccable to say the least. Unfortunately for the winery, their private events program, wedding venue and corporate retreat business was severely impacted by the COVID pandemic. This meant they were left with more cases of wine than anticipated. Fortunately for K&L customers that means an absolutely AMAZING deal on some beautiful wine! First up is this rocking expression of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir selected from the esteemed vineyards mentioned above for a ludicrous price under $20!!! Yep, top-notch, 93-point, delicious Pinot Noir that typically sells for just shy of $50 for under $20. Beautifully integrated and ready to drink, this 2018 wine is perfect for drinking anytime over the next 5-8 years. It's bursting at the seams with spiced cherry, bramble fruit, black raspberry, baking spice, bergamot, hints of dusty earth, and dried leaves. Silky soft mid-palate, lovely weight and ripeness to the fruit, rich but still vibrant and fresh. Lively red berry acidity and more mulling spice elements linger into the finish with a gentle caress of oak that's subtle but compelling. I challenge you to find a better deal in $20 Pinot Noir than this. We went for it on this one committing to every case the winery had left to get the best possible deal for you. This epic Cyber Monday deal might just break the internet! Load up!
Top Value!
Huchu Homare (JoTo) Watari Bune Ferry Boat "Liquid Gold" Ibakari Junmai Daiginjo Sake 720ml
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/25/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/25/2023 | Send Email
First of all, this sake is crystal clear in the glass. It looks like fresh Alpine water (though more viscous, of course!). On the nose, edamame, pineapple and pine nuts. On the palate, additional pineapple, white peaches and a crisp finish of citrus and vanilla bean. Truly outstanding! I see raw oysters in its future.
Price:
$119.99
| Limit of 3 per customer |
Huchu Homare (JoTo) Watari Bune Ferry Boat "Liquid Gold" Ibakari Junmai Daiginjo Sake 720ml
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/25/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/25/2023 | Send Email
A phenomenal Junmai Daiginjo from the Ibaraki prefecture. Rich with aromas of banana, pineapple, melon, orchard fruit, and anise. Pure and elegant! A world class sake to be remembered!
Price:
$119.99
| Limit of 3 per customer |
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/24/2023 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/24/2023 | Send Email
I have to stop being surprised by the excellent quality of this super well priced champagne. This fantastic bottle is aged for three years on the lees and has great honest toast from the aging process, as well as great refreshment from the high percentage of estate-grown vines used in the blend. I love this Champagne for its friendly, open-knit personality and its easygoing refreshment, but it has more than this for those who want to take the time to get to know it... It is a serious bottle of Champagne! Don't let the low price fool you!
Top Value!
2021 Stolo "Estate" SLO Coast Pinot Noir
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/22/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/22/2023 | Send Email
Pretty nose of wild strawberries, fresh pomegranate, hibiscus, dried rose petals, and an array of dried herbs. A delicious, light, spicy, and savory wine, the perfect pairing with your Thanksgiving/Holiday dinner!
2022 Laberinto "Arcillas de Laberinto" Riesling Maule Valley
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/20/2023 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/20/2023 | Send Email
98 points is a score that makes you pay attention. Best white wine of the year. That is not something to ignore either. Tim Atkin MW is not well known here in the states. He is a MW and a journalist that has focused on the regions where the broader wine journalism world was not. In this case Chile. He has a unique perspective on the regions that he covers because he travels there every year. Spending weeks in the country traveling to wine regions region tasting and talking with the producers. And he has been doing this for well over a decade. There is no other English language reviewer who so comprehensively covers the regions that he focuses on. I feel that a little extra bit of context on Tim Atkin MW was needed for this wine, it is Riesling. The wines from Laberinto are incredible. Their Sauvignon Blanc is dollar for dollar one of the best expressions of that varietal in the world, and it is a unique expression. The vineyards of Laberinto are uniquely located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains close to lake Colbun. The soil here is stony and volcanic. It is relatively cool and has large nighttime temperature swings. It also receives high UV in the Southern Hemisphere. It turns out that this is a special place for growing grapes. It also helps that Rafael Tirado is a very gifted winemaker. Riesling from the Andes, what is it like? It is aromatic. The nose is a complex mixture of stone fruit (both ripe and just underripe), citrus (flowers and zest), a delicate floral lift and pronounced mineral element. It is pronounced but composed, it smells amazing and It made my mouth water in anticipation. The wine makes a big impact on the palate, it almost hits like a full-bodied white, expansive, and filling, but it is only medium bodied. The flavors are more dynamic and complex than the nose. The minerality, which is present but not dominating, seems to pull all the fruit and floral tones towards the finish and spin them off into shifting eddies of flavor. There is a lot going on here, however this is not a contemplation wine. There is a hedonistic side to this, that first sip demands a second and then it is off to the races. I stop and slow down, because that is who I am, but it simply tastes good, and you want more. It is a special wine, especially when you think about how far it is from all the classic sources for Riesling.
Gosset "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 11/19/2023 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 11/19/2023 | Send Email
Gosset is the oldest Champagne house. It was established in 1584 in Ay, which is 145 years before Ruinart, the oldest all sparkling producer, opened its doors in 1729. When you make wine for 439 years you know a thing or two. The Gosset Grand Reserve Brut NV is drinking beautifully. It's 45% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 10% Meunier and it is aged three years on the lees (the minimum requirement for vintage champagne). This has great viscosity, a creamy full bodied texture, delicate pastry crust, and loads of tropical fruit. Easily one of the best NV champagnes from the big houses. At the immaculate price of $49.99 the Grand Reserve is a mind blowing steal.
2020 El Enemigo Chardonnay Mendoza
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/19/2023 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/19/2023 | Send Email
A K&L Favorite. This wine does the impossible. This is rich, full, textured, and has beautiful ripe fruit notes. It is also crisp, vibrant, balanced with minerality, and a savory note. AND it is reasonably priced. There are other wines out there that can do what this wine does, but at least 5X the price. And this is not a one off, this has been this way for years! This is a Unicorn of a wine that hides in a place where most people do not look for Chardonnay, the foothills of the Andes. This is a buy-a-case kind of wine. A perfect wine to open for when you have company, it is for those people who like big CA Chards and those terroir hounds that talk about rocks and minerality.
2021 Stolo "Estate" SLO Coast Pinot Noir
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
I love the SLO Coast. The scenery, the food, the wines, and all the vibes are superbly excellent. This cold climate estate Pinot from Stolo fits in perfectly. The nose is wonderfully aromatic, lifted, and light. I get tart cherries and fresh wild strawberries, with spice of fresh-cracked black pepper and clove, along with a slight earthiness. On the palate, the wine has a light body and playful fruit. First, mixed berries run across the tongue with a fresh line of acidity, then comes an earthy mineral pointedness, and then the Stolo finishes with a playful simmering spice that goes for days. Might need to take a drive down there soon...
2021 Stolo "Estate" SLO Coast Pinot Noir
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
Beautiful nose full of dried spice, maraschino cherries, cola berries and a touch of scorched earth. The wine is generous, warm and beautifully textured with soft tannin and an acidity that starts off subtle but comes out to match the spicy fruit on the lingering finish. This is a great wine to have in your glass for a lovely Thanksgiving meal with friends and family.
2018 Evidence "Immaculate Vineyard" Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
A powerful, concentrated Cab with notes of dark berries, tobacco, cedar, and mocha. Full bodied with fine grained, grippy tannins. A wonderful example of Coombsville Cabernet!
2020 Domaine Zafeirakis Limniona Tyrnavos Greece
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 11/18/2023 | Send Email
Everybody should be excited about Greek wines. The wines coming out of this most ancient of civilizations are true expressions of place. The Romans spread viticulture throughout its vast empire, but Athens introduced it to Rome. Limniona is as Greek as it gets. A 3,000 year old indigenous grape that was rescued from extinction by Christos Zafeirakis, Limniona has risen from the ashes like Greek mythology’s Phoenix and has taken flight around the world. The "Wines of Greece" describes this juicy “new” grape as, “rich, very expressive, with red fruit, herbs, minerality, and cooking spices,” and the 2020 Domaine Zafeirakis Limniona Tyrnovas lives up to that promise. As it opened up, every sip revealed a new depth of aromatics and flavor. Like Sangiovese, Limniona is a light high-acid grape that punches way above its weight class. You can chill it on a hot day and crush it poolside while its robust flavors are so food-friendly and versatile that everything from your Thanksgiving turkey to your holiday tenderloin will be elevated with a glass (or three). Domaine Zafeirakis is the top producer of Limniona and K&L currently has four in stock – the brand-new and delectable 2020 Tyrnavos that we’re talking about, the 2019 “Terracota” Tyrnavos ($39.99), the 2019 “New Age Young Vines” Tyrnavos (new low price under $20!), and the 2022 Limniona Rose Tyrnavos ($16.99).
2014 Bodegas Riojanas "Monte Real" Gran Reserva Rioja
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
Bold, dark fruited, spicy, and earthy. Polished. Polished is the best way to start describing this wine. This is a medium full bodied that does not have edges but lots of character. The nose is full of dark cherries, black berries, and plums. Then comes the spice, a good mix from the Tempranillo and the oak. The oak presents like cedar and balsam, fine, complex deep and intriguing. There is that earthy leather thing, Polished tannins. This is Tempranillo and it definitely has some tannic umph, but these tannins glide across the palate. It is as if they lubricate the wine! The flavors are like the aromas but with the spice toned down, the exotic wood notes get played up, with a clean, damp soil note, with a pinch of tobacco and leather. The fruit is more vibrant on the palate than the nose, with a little more cherry. This wine feels elevated, it might not be the most powerful Rioja, but the mouthfeel and complexity and the lack of rusticity brings this wine to the next level. This wants red meat, rack of lamb, prime rib, grilled steak, even stew. The only thing this wine requires is about 30 minutes to open up.
2018 Evidence "Immaculate Vineyard" Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
If you're curious why Coombsville has become one of Napa's most sought after and hyped AVAs in recent years this wine will illustrate exactly why! Jason Court brings all of his knowledge and experience making high-end cult Cabernet to bear here with a textbook, benchmark Coombsville Cab. This part of the valley, in the very south eastern corner, get lots of cold wind from San Pablo just a few miles south. This region is also consistently foggy until late morning that really elongates the growing season and amplifies the flavor intensity in the fruit. The soils here are volcanic gravels broken down from the Vaca Mountains to the east. These soils seem to lend a powerful minerality to the wines that is something of a signature of the terroir. Personally I love how the wines from Coombsville express lots of true varietal character, the "Cabernet-ness" isn't ripened out of the grapes, they embraces the cigar box, camphor, cedar elements that inform the wines of Bordeaux. At the same time there's the unmistakable power and opulence of Napa Valley. The 2021 Immaculate Vineyard Cab is redolent with smoky spices, mulbery, blackcurrant, briar patch, hot stone, and graphite. Elements of tobacco leaf and leather mingle with the torrent of muscular dark fruit. Exotic oak spices adds another dimension and structural definition. A very powerful wine that will no doubt age 20-30 years. Bold, concentrated and youthfully tense. A very serious wine that's up there with the best of the vintage including many that are significantly more expensive from the very same neighborhood. Enjoyable now with a good hour in the decanter and a standing rib roast or bone-in-ribeye, but will continue to improve for 5-10 years at least and will probably see 2050 in good shape.
Top Value!
2023 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
A classic Beaujolais Nouveau that is red fruit forward with purple flower notes interlaced. This Noveau has less herbaceous notes than most of the other Noveaus I have tasted this release, so this would be an ideal Noveau for those looking for a more fruit dominant expression.
Price:
$15.99
2020 El Enemigo Chardonnay Mendoza
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
A fantastic Chardonnay with notes of orchard fruit, pineapple, pie crust, honeysuckle, and lemon. This chardonnay is well balanced with bright acidity and a long finish. It will be hard to find a better Chardonnay for the price!
2014 Bodegas Riojanas "Monte Real" Gran Reserva Rioja
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
The wines of Spain were my first love when entering this industry. Particularly Rioja. This 2014 Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real is a great reminder as to why I love Rioja so. It is quite dark in the glass...no cherry red here. It is dark red and obviously unfiltered. So far, that's a win-win. It smells of mellow tobacco, freshly rained on (but not saturated) earth and plum pudding. In the mouth, it is more classically styled with tannin and wood at the forefront. Once these flavors fade into the background, red cooked plum flavors come forward, with dark blackberry, baking spice and mellow herbs. It really fleshes out at this point and becomes more plush and round and friendly. It ends with a lingering finish of cedar and light chalk. A full reminder of why I love this region so.
2020 El Enemigo Chardonnay Mendoza
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
A vibrant nose of golden apples, pie crust, vanilla bean and some citrus. In the mouth, it starts off very bright and bouncy, then fills out with apricot, ripe green apples, very light (and neutral) oak, pineapple and orange. This is a very delicious chardonnay that comes in at an exceptional price for the quality. It really fits the bill for me because I am not a fan of overly heavy chardonnay.
2021 Stolo "Estate" SLO Coast Pinot Noir
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2023 | Send Email
This brand new arrival has the most fragrant scents! A hard cherry candy scent with lightly floral notes and pleasantly subtle herbs. On the palate, very bright, with tart cranberry-cherry fruit, minerals, light chalk and strawberry pie. Back of the tongue herbs (again, light) and more chalk. Very clean, crisp, bright and easily drinkable!