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Staff Favorites - Scott Beckerley
Scott Beckerley
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I wear a number of “hats,” so to speak (covers my bald head well). I am an assistant manager at the SF store. I also manage the SF tasting bar and work sales as well. Working the sales floor allows me to explore different vineyards and regions. Luckily, there are opportunities at K&L to bounce around a lot. I’ve developed a preference for wines that are drier, more tart and more complex. Fruit bombs are not my thing like they were when I was, ahem, younger. I definitely prefer more terrior and wines that are “earthy,” particularly with some age on them. My advice? Trust yourself and try to keep track of what you have had that you like. Don’t let anyone tell you what you are supposed to like. Everyone has a different palate and that’s what makes this business interesting.
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Reviews
Huchu Homare (JoTo) Watari Bune Ferry Boat "Liquid Gold" Ibakari Junmai Daiginjo Sake 720ml
Review Date: 11-25-2023
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 |
2014 Bodegas Riojanas "Monte Real" Gran Reserva Rioja
Review Date: 11-17-2023
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
Review Date: 11-17-2023
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
Review Date: 11-17-2023
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!
1983 Maucaillou, Moulis
Review Date: 11-14-2023
A very interesting bottling with almost sweet red fruits, cherry, red plum, cedar spice and candied orange. A good match for game bird or savory pork.
Price:
$89.99
2006 Capbern-Gasqueton, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 11-14-2023
Surprisingly dark with flavors of blackberry, red cherry, light minerals and herbs, earth and pipe tobacco. Finishes clean with a light chalkiness.
Price:
$39.99
2010 Balestard La Tonnelle, St-Emilion
Review Date: 11-14-2023
A dry start point with light herbs and a dash of orange peel. Fleshes out quickly with bigger dark red fruits and finishes on the bright side. Lovely.
2019 Ballade de La Pointe, Pomerol
Review Date: 11-14-2023
A very solid bottling with dark red fruits, earthy spice, light herbs, soft tannin and a hint of chalk. Very solid!
Price:
$29.99
2018 Lamouroux Rouge, Graves
Review Date: 11-14-2023
A very nicely medium to full-bodied effort has black cherries, soft earth and light tobacco and spice. Very forward red and black fruits with supple tannin. Very nice and a great bargain!
Price:
$16.99
2019 Poggio Il Castellare Rosso di Montalcino
Review Date: 11-10-2023
A slightly more traditional style with tart cherry fruit, orange peel, light tobacco and seamless tannins. The oak is mild and well integrated for impeccable balance. An excellent wine to have with both light and heavier meat dishes as well as hearty vegetarian dishes.
Price:
$21.99
2019 Poggerino "Bugialla" Chianti Classico Riserva
Review Date: 11-10-2023
A drier offering than the other Poggerino Chianti's, this Riserva still retains black cherry fruit with a hint of milk chocolate. Spice and earth, along with some minerals and light chalk, make this a slightly more traditional effort while retaining the overall user friendly goodness of this entire line of wines.
2021 Alessandro di Camporeale Monreale "Vigna di Mandranova" Grillo
Review Date: 11-01-2023
Soft citrus flavors of key lime, pink grapefruit and fresh oranges. Bright and dry but, not overly bracing acidity. A great pick for those of you who love Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner or Albarino.
Price:
$39.99
2021 La Scolca "Black Label" Gavi di Gavi
Review Date: 11-01-2023
Probably the best Gavi that I have ever tasted. Clean, with bright citrus, mid-palate stone fruits, lemon cream, white peach and minerals. So tasty!
2020 Ca' del Baio "Autinbej" Barbaresco
Review Date: 11-01-2023
This is what Barbaresco is all about. Very dry with chalky cherry fruit, dry and savory herbs, orange rind. It softens as it sits in the glass to expand out with somewhat darker red fruits, clean earth and black licorice. Although drinking well now, this can also be a cellar candidate. This is all very nice for such an affordable price!
2016 Silla Il Piaggione Chianti Classico Riserva
Review Date: 11-01-2023
This lightly plush red cherry fruited Chianti Classico also has dried herb notes and ripe red cherries on the finish. A nice melding of the old and new world styles.
Price:
$19.99
2022 Tedeschi "Capitel Tenda" Soave Classico
Review Date: 11-01-2023
Forget what you think that you know about Soave! This gem is clean, crisp, bright and simply delicious. Tip of the tongue citrus with a background of fresh green and yellow fruits. Should be a great crowd pleaser.
Price:
$16.99
2022 Ercole Monferrato Bianco 1L
Review Date: 11-01-2023
Bright and fun with clean and crisp citrus, floral notes, lemon and stone fruits. The liter bottle also makes it even more attractive! A wonderful value.
Price:
$16.99
2010 Octomore (Bruichladdich) 12 Year Old "Dramfool's Jim McEwan Journey's End 3" First Fill Bourbon Barrel Cask#4525 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2023
This bottling is big and peaty without going over the top. There is a hint of sweetness and full, rich viscosity. Honeyed and smoky and elegant.
Price:
$499.99
2004 Port Charlotte 18 Year Old "Dramfool" Sherry Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2023
This is a very treat! Super dark! The colour of coffee. Dark and nutty with spice, sherry sweetness and nuttiness. Very long spice driven finish Lightly smoky to add additional nuance. An extremely special bottling.
Price:
$429.99
2009 Aultmore 14 Year Old "Redacted Bros." (Thompson/Dornoch) Single First Fill Red Wine Barrel Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2023
Quite dark in colour with a nose of chocolate, red fruits and oak. Nice oak, not overdone oak. On the palate, nice spicy with cinnamon Red Hots spice, light char, malt and maple sweetness in the background. So super solid. Don't miss it. The price is also great!
Price:
$69.99
1986 Domaine de Baraillon 37 Year Old K&L Exclusive Bas-Armagnac (750ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2023
Another release from Baraillon that is very underpriced. This is the best Armagnac that I have tasted in many months! Richer on the palate than the 1984 with caramel, cocoa, ripe pear, orange and milk chocolate flavors. The 1986 and the 1984 versions are like Yin and Yang and are just superb!
Price:
$129.99
1984 Domaine de Baraillon 39 Year Old K&L Exclusive Bas-Armagnac (750ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2023
This amazingly priced Armagnac has an oaky nose with scents of orange marmalade and vanilla. Flavors of oranges, baking spices, oak, earth, and light stone fruits. Beautifully balanced and delicious!
Price:
$139.99
Redacted (Thompson) Bros "Mediterranean" Organic Scottish Gin (700ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2023
This awesomely citrus dominated gin has lemon peel, orange rind, and very subtle juniper elements. It is very smooth and extremely refreshing. Delicious!
Price:
$44.99
2019 Brittan "Gestalt" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-20-2023
As with the "Cygnus" line, the 'Gestalt" for 2019 is similar but, very different from the 2018. It retains the cherry fruit, minerals and chalk of the 2018 but, there is an added plushness to the palate. There are mid-palate rich dark cherries, blackberry, and a lighter chalkiness than the 2018. There is an herbal accent on the finish with baking spices and clean wood. If I had to choose only favorite from the whole line of Brittan Pinot Noir's, this would be it. That is extremely difficult because the entire line is ridiculously good.
2019 Brittan "Cygnus" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-20-2023
A big welcome and thank you to Brittan Estate for this flavorful release. Like the 2018 bottling of this wine, it is dry and has chalky notes. However, the 2019 is definitely more plush and has such a fragrant nose of roses and violets. Brambly red fruits with Loudens cherry and boysenberry. It' reminds me of my favorite cherry pie that is done only with natural sugars. This one is going to appeal to a large cross section of customers because it has something for everyone.
2019 Brittan "Estate" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-20-2023
Nicely tart with black and red cherry fruit, chalk, (full) minerals, savory spice and dry tannins. Bits of forest and earth give away its place of origin. Brittan Estate is a very welcome vineyard to our portfolio. All of their wines are outstanding!
Wiston Estate Brut Rosé West Sussex England
Review Date: 10-20-2023
This unusual and delicious Brut Rose has a lot going on. Tart strawberries, a background of cranberry, rhubarb, cream and brioche. Very dry, with that Wiston Estate cleanliness. Top all of that off with a full bead and you have a very memorable (and delicious!) Brut Rose.
Wiston Estate Brut Blanc de Blancs West Sussex England
Review Date: 10-20-2023
Like the NV Brut from Wiston, the Blanc de Blanc leans toward a clean style with green and golden apple flavors. It differs in that the B de B's style is a tad softer and creamier. Lemon cream, white peach, ample chalk and a nice bit of minerality followed by a whiff of creme caramel. Lovely.
Wiston Estate Brut West Sussex England
Review Date: 10-20-2023
I have put this bottling into a blind sparkling wine tasting and nearly two dozen people claimed this bottling to be Champagne. There is a reason for this. This Wiston Brut is very clean with soft lemon flavors, minerals, sea salt and a touch of Granny Smith apple and key lime. Bracing, without being overly acidic and a real pleasure of a bubbly.
2009 Bodegas Riojanas "Monte Real" Gran Reserva Rioja
Review Date: 10-19-2023
A heady nose of fresh turned earth, orange rind, tobacco and roasted cherries. On the palate, very smooth with round and ripe red and black fruits. Cherries and plum, milk chocolate, a few notes of fresh minerals and earthy dust. Top of the palate abounds with clean oak and mellow spice. Please note that I did taste this a number of hours after it had been opened. It is a subtle and complex pleasure.
2022 Troupis "Ekato" Moschofilero Rosé Peloponnese Greece (Skin Contact)
Review Date: 10-12-2023
A light but interesting nose of raspberries, watermelon and bright cherries. On the palate, dry with tart cherry fruit dominating, followed by darker raspberry and soft mineral flavors. A Rose that has ample skin contact but does not overdue it by being too tannic.
Price:
$17.99
2021 Nicoluzo Estate Cacotrigi Corfu Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
A lot of yellow pear scents and flavors! After which the citrus flavors pop up and there are undertones of lemon cream and limestone. I was previously unaware of this varietal and if this is just an introduction, well, wow!
Price:
$34.99
2022 Hatzidakis "Familia" Assyrtiko Santorini Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
A richer style of Assyrtiko with lush mouthfeel. The palate is all lemon cream, lemon rind, key lime and light minerals. I would pair this pretty highly spiced chicken or fish. A very memorable release.
Price:
$39.99
2022 Santo Assyrtiko Santorini Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
This classically styled Assyrtiko has a nose of soft citrus. On the palate, very bright with a little bit of spice. This release, to me, has more lime than lemon with additional sea salt and lemon salt flavors on the finish.
Price:
$24.99
2021 Magoutes Vineyard Moschomavro Siatista Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
This absolutely delicious red is dominated by dark cherry fruit that is brightened by boysenberry flavors. Light herbal undertones add to the overall complexity. There is a finish of light minerals and light chalk. What's not to like? It has depth and brightness, all in one wine.
Price:
$22.99
2020 Domaine Tatsis Limnio Macedonia Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
A light and bright style with raspberry, tart cherry, minerals and a hint of white pepper. Very easy to drink and just as flat out pleasant as fresh plate of flaky Spanakopita. It's even biodynamic!
Price:
$17.99
2020 Hatzidakis "Nykteri" Santorini Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
This is one of my very favorite wines from Greece in the past couple of years. What a nose! Clean, with notes of creamy lemon mousse. On the palate. there is richness with stone and citrus fruits present. Quite creamy with a lingering finish of citrus, dominated by lemon cream. What a winner!
Price:
$54.99
2022 Akra Chryssos Santorini Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
A wonderfully lemony wine with sea salt and elegant minerals. A really nice mouthfeel that is balanced with more sea salt, lemon, lime and light spice. It is really just simply delicious!
Price:
$39.99
2022 Skouras "Salto - Wild Ferment" Moscofilero Péloponnèse Greece
Review Date: 10-12-2023
This super pretty scented Moscofilero has rose petal, white flowers, lime peel and minerals. On the palate, quite refreshing, with citrus and laid back tropical fruit flavors. Dry and pretty on tongue with a long, clean finish. A very nice drier style for this varietal.
2021 Outward "Massa Vineyard" Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Review Date: 10-05-2023
An extremely tasty Cabernet Sauvignon with round red plum, prune, and mid-palate tartness that keeps it from being over extracted. A fine balance of oak, acidity, and spice make this bottling a very pleasant remembrance of what classic Cabernet Sauvignon used to be and should be still.
2021 Outward Santa Ynez Syrah
Review Date: 10-05-2023
The ultimate CA Syrah! Fresh and lightly gamey at the same time with boysenberry, white pepper, game bird. Long and lingering finish of dark red and black fruits. The Northern Rhone comes to Southern California! So well deserving of the high scores that it gets.
2022 Outward "Shell Creek Vineyard" Paso Robles Highlands Valdigue
Review Date: 10-05-2023
This is like a party in a bottle! Watermelon, sour cherries, rose petals, pomegranate and light pepper. Pretty much everything but the kitchen sink wrapped up into a delightfully light and crushable wine. Miss the Spring and Summer? Pour a glass of this and be reminded of those fun days. A hillside picnic with salty cheeses, salumi, pickles, crisps and juicy peaches.
2019 Unti Dry Creek Valley Grenache
Review Date: 10-05-2023
The French are not the only ones to perfect Grenache. Mick Unti has also managed to do so in Sonoma County. His version has spicy red fruits that segue into flavors of red licorice, white pepper and black cherry. So perfect for those Autumn and Thanksgiving meals!
Price:
$34.95
2021 Unti "Segromigno" Dry Creek Valley Red Blend
Review Date: 10-05-2023
Red and black fruited with palate that starts out rather bright and fleshes out quickly with darker fruits, spice and cola. This wine is perfect with grilled meat dishes!
Price:
$34.95
2022 Unti "Bianco del Campo" Creek Valley White Blend
Review Date: 10-05-2023
Mick Unti is definitely one of my favorite winemakers. For his winemaking skills, his ability to look outside of the box and for his fantastic sense of humor. This floral and very pretty Bianco is alive with white peaches, lychee and orange flavors. No oak to muddy the waters. Just pure fruit and delicious fruit, at that. So completely yummy and perfect for spicy Thai food.
Price:
$24.95
2021 Marine Layer "Lyra" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-05-2023
A super fragrant nose of rose petals, cherries, minerals and baking spices. Lush red fruit goodness on the palate with light minerals, savory spices and mellow oak. All of these elements come together to create a lovely and memorable Pinot Noir.
2021 Marine Layer "Aries" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Review Date: 10-05-2023
a super cool nose of white fruits, flowers, and sea salt. Concentrated white and yellow fruits on the palate followed by bracing acidity and a lingering mineral laden finish with citrus fruits. Clean and wonderful!
2021 Alfaro "A" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-05-2023
Like the Trout Gulch Pinot Noir, this one also has bright and crunchy red fruits. In this case, it is cherry and strawberry fruit. Spicy on the palate with some light herbal notes. Bright cherry and dark raspberry also dominate the palate. Also like the Trout Gulch Pinot Noir, fantastically delicious!
2021 Alfaro "Trout Gulch Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-05-2023
This fantastically spicy Pinot Noir will exceed most people's expectations. Bright cherry fruit with white pepper, baking spices and clean oak. Brisk and lively with crunchy minerals. Absolutely delicious!
2021 Alfaro "Trout Gulch Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay
Review Date: 10-05-2023
Clean and crisp but, has a rich mouthfeel with round yellow apple fruit, elegant minerality and lemony citrus. A very long finish with clean earth. Very nice!