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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
2022 Ayles "Cuesta del Herrero" Tinto Vino de Pago Aragon
Review Date: 01-18-2025
Another Walker bargain for the beginning of 2025! This dark coloured beauty has scents of roasted cherries, light wood smoke and sandalwood. On the palate, it starts off quite mouth filling and it coats the tongue. On the upper palate, there is a nice play of lightish tannin and very light chalkiness. There is also a nice note of smokiness that is also quite light and dissipates quickly. This wine is very easy to drink and even easier to enjoy!
2022 Estevez "Versos de Valtuille" Bierzo
Review Date: 01-18-2025
Another one of Kirk Walker's marvelous buys for the beginning of the year. The nose is very pretty with fragrant cherry, violet, cream and soft baking spice scents. In the mouth, it is juicy with red fruits but, there are background flavors of minerals and nutmeg spice. It is very pure and very tasty. It will pair with so many foods that it is hard to list them all. Start with a nice plate of salumi and hard salty cheeses, crusty bread and melon.
2019 La Rioja Alta "Viña Alberdi" Reserva Rioja
Review Date: 01-18-2025
This beautiful Rioja has the most incredibly fragrant nose of light earth, mellow red fruits, rye bread, toasted oak and roasted nuts. On the palate, there is a nice mellow "bite" of tannin and clean wood, followed very quickly by expanding rich red fruits (berries), hazelnuts and soft exotic spices. Fills both the needs for fruit and tannin in equal parts. Simply put, t's really just delicious! The tannins will continue to mellow with time. It's a superb price for a real gem of a Rioja that also has the potential for cellaring.
2022 Patricia Green "Freedom Hill Vineyard" Mt. Pisgah Pinot Noir
Review Date: 01-03-2025
While the Chehalem Mountain version of Patricia Green Pinot Noir goes for the floral and pure raspberry/cherry style, this Freedom Hill Vineyard is more savory and earthy with dried flowers and herbs. The fruit also smells more geared towards black cherries. On the palate, it starts out much more herbal and spicier than the Chehalem and these is a back of the throat spiciness. There is also more mid-palate chalkiness and earth. Medium dark cherry fruit that still retains a crunchiness tangy sour cherry note. The finish lingers and dries with a nice spice and lingering herbs. Like the Chehalem Mountain, extremely interesting and memorable. It should age very, very well.
2022 Patricia Green Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir
Review Date: 01-03-2025
Though I'm a bit biased towards the Patricia Green Pinot Noir's, huge fan, I won't let me admiration get in the way of an honest review. The striking thing about the Chehalem Mountain version is the nose. It is soooo pretty! All crushed flowers (roses, violets and slight bit of geranium spice). Fresh raspberry and hard cherry candy scents. In the mouth, more of the hard cherry candy flavors with a back note of sweeter cherries and mineral purity. That purity and cleanliness is at the tip of the tongue. The finish is clean and lingering with a soft chalky aftertaste. very inviting and delicious!
2016 Legacy (Stonestreet) Alexander Valley Chardonnay
Review Date: 01-03-2025
This very Burgundian re-release from Legacy was quite the pleasant surprise from the holiday season. A great nose of honeycomb, savory herbs, baked pears and citrus. Starts out clean on the palate and quickly fleshes and fills out with yellow apple followed by Granny Smith apple. There is some noticeable oak that tends toward a cleaner style. There is some nice ginger spice on the lingering finish that is citrus dominant. An extremely interesting wine that is unique and complex.
2019 Château de Montfaucon "Baron Louis" Lirac
Review Date: 12-14-2024
As always, Baron de Montfaucon comes through with a winner for not a lot of $. This new release has a nose of deep and dark red and black fruits, particularly chocolate cherry and blackberry. This is offset by some very nice oak spice and lightly heady earthy scents. On the palate, relatively mouthcoating with some very nice baking spice and oak spice upfront. The fruit profile is, again, dominated by black cherries and deep boysenberry fruit. The tip of the tongue spice really captures my attention. Mouth-filling, viscous with a nice plushness to it. I hear roasted meats, root veggies, sharp cheeses and crusty bread crying out for this one. Perfect for a cold winter night by the fire!
2017 Neely "Hidden Block - Spring Ridge Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Review Date: 12-11-2024
The second of our new Neely Pinot Noir arrivals. This is one is completely contrary to its Upper Picnic Block sibling. The nose on this one is much darker with black cherries, lavender, and a light bit of black licorice. Like the Upper Picnic Block, it does have a dose of cloves on the nose. In the mouth, it coats but, is not "big" per se. More light to medium-bodied but, supple. Red and black cherries abound with the former at the initial forefront and it is then dominated by the latter. There are very nice baking spice flavors, clean tannins and the nicest hint, only a hint, of chalkiness. The finish lingers at the tip of the tongue. Quite superb!
2018 Neely "Upper Picnic Block - Spring Ridge Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Review Date: 12-11-2024
There are so many interesting new Pinot Noir's coming in at this time. This Neely is certainly one of them. A strikingly original nose of dark raspberry, cranberry, baking Spices and light clove. In the mouth, dark cranberry and cherry, blood orange, new and clean oak. It finishes very clean. Light on its feet with very nice fruit and spice. A winner.
2019 Neely "Bee Block - Spring Ridge Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay
Review Date: 12-11-2024
Another super release of our consistent line ups of our great value chardonnay's! Upon opening, the nose is fresh and clean and veers toward citrus scents of lemon with light verbena. Upon expanding, there are some green apple and green pear scents. On the palate, it is quite mouth coating and softer with creamy lemon, honey crisp apple and pine nuts. Straddles the line nicely between richness and cleanliness. This one should greatly appeal to most people.
2015 Maxville Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Review Date: 11-19-2024
Wait until you see the colour on this one! It's just like liquid crushed black cherries, if that were a thing. There is a nose of very dark currants, blueberry, cinnamon, freshly turned earth and sandalwood. In the mouth, the first flavors that I get are the cinnamon spice and dusty tannins. Particularly at the back of the tongue. After these initial flavors, there are opulent (more so) blackcurrant flavors with black cherry (less so) and a tip of the tongue tart (clean) oak and light exotic spices. The finish is quite long! This is a great value of a wine, and it should cellar well for a number of more years.
Price:
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Laurent-Perrier "Grand Siècle" Iteration #26 Brut Champagne
Review Date: 11-14-2024
This brand spanking new Iteration of the Grand Siecle is one of my very favorites. Even up there with my ultimate favorite Iteration No. 22 in the magnum size. The No. 26 is an extremely memorable release! A nose of honeysuckle, nectarine, hazelnut, peach, and light smoke. On the palate, even better, with mellow citrus flavors, apricot, white peach, saline and toasted almond. There is a lot going on here and this newest release is at the top of the heap!
2022 Domaine Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey Chambertin
Review Date: 11-09-2024
Very deep with dark red fruits baking spices, tart tannins, tart cheery and some cranberry. Bright, with just a hint of forest floor and (very light) tobacco. Quite a bit Gevrey for a moderate price!
2022 Domaine Geantet-Pansiot Coteaux Bourguignons Rouge
Review Date: 11-09-2024
What a wonderful surprise this was on Wednesday 6, November! Bright, crispy, and fun! Tart strawberry and bright cherry fruited, with just the right amount of minerals and faint sea salt. Refreshing and a great value.
Price:
$24.99
2022 Domaine Faiveley Ladoix Blanches "Les Marnes Blanches"
Review Date: 11-09-2024
This brand-new release from Faiveley has a nose of white fruits, white flowers and zippy lemon. These is some oak but, it is quite light, neutral and clean. On the palate, white pear fruit is dominant with a touch of nectarine and more bright, fresh, and mildly acidic lemon flavors. My overall notes say, "bright and tart and lingering".
2022 Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis Grand Cru "Les Clos"
Review Date: 11-09-2024
This Chablis is incredibly complex. With a nose if mellow citrus fruit, clean sea salt and leesy scents, it's super interesting. On the palate, quite mouth-filling with a bit of neutral evident oak and lively bright stone fruits and citrus. The finish lingers and leaves a nice nectarine and green apple aftertaste. It's also a really good candidate for the cellar.
2022 Mike & Molly Hendry "R.W. Moore Vineyard" Napa Valley Zinfandel
Review Date: 11-08-2024
To be honest, I have a hard time with a lot of zinfandels. I am not really into heavy or (especially!) extracted wines. This Mike & Molly Hendry Zinfandel is neither of these. Don't be fooled by the alcohol content, it is quite balanced and 100% delicious. There are generous black fruits, cassis, black cherry, blackberry. This is backed up by pretty outstanding acidity and depth of alternating (and graceful) smooth tannins. Super, duper solid!
2021 Eric Kent "Sangiacomo - Green Acres" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Review Date: 11-08-2024
Green acres is the place for me! From a nose of soft citrus fruits, matchstick and Granny Smith apple to a nicely substantive creamy white fruited palate that is neither too heavy nor too bracing. It finishes quite clean and crisp with a very nice lingering acidity.
Price:
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2022 Keeler Vineyards "Estate" Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay
Review Date: 11-08-2024
Certified Demeter/Biodynamic! Crisp and clean, with citrus and green apple scents. On the palate, also largely clean, with lemon cream, green pear and green apple fruit. There is a moderately lingering finish with the ever so slightest bit of clean oak. Pretty amazing stuff for under $15.00!
Price:
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2022 Keeler Vineyards "Estate - Teapot Block" Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir
Review Date: 11-08-2024
This very pretty scented Pinot Noir has scents of deep red cherries, roasted strawberries and background (subtle) baking spices. On the palate, overall, it is quite bright and clean even though it has dark red (and some black) cherry fruit. There is a long finish that has some upper palate chalkiness. Splendid!
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2023 Alain Corcia "Saint-Antoine" Chablis Vieilles Vignes
Review Date: 11-06-2024
This is the most affordable Chablis I have seen in a very long time. We have stocked the wines of Alain Corcia for many, many years and they never really fail to deliver. In this case, we have a solidly built Chablis that has the required minerality along with some nicely juicy stone fruits and citrus fruit flavors. The mid-palate falls to the fuller side, with very nice white peach and lemon cream flavors. The 2022 vintage of this wine was a huge success and sold out very quickly!
Price:
$24.99
2015 Lalande-Borie, St-Julien
Review Date: 10-26-2024
Dark and rich, with chocolate cherry fruit, light cassis and cedar. Rich mouthfeel with plush fruit and a nuanced earthy component. Very easy to drink! Too easy. Update: Six months later (10/25/24), the wine is even a bit rounder, with mid-palate richness and a light tannic bite of chalk. The finish is even a bit longer with clean oak.
2010 Haut-Bergey, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 10-26-2024
Red fruited nose with earth, minerals, and menthol. On the palate, quite dry with some chalky notes and fleshy red fruits, dark red cherry, red currant, and a touch of boysenberry. Quite mouth filling. Update: Over two years later, tobacco and spice at the forefront with red and black fruits. Dry, with lingering tannin.
2016 La Lagune, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 10-26-2024
Some very nice tobacco, earth, tannin, red fruits and orange peel. Nicely complex. The finish has more earth and dried cherry fruit.
2019 La Louvière Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 10-26-2024
A nicely clean style with balanced acidity. Pink grapefruit, juicy orange, light green apple. Most excellent! Beautiful acidity!
Fleur de Miraval Brut Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 10-25-2024
This pale beauty smells very fresh due to its high Chardonnay content. It is all juicy orange and raspberry scents with light pastry almond scents in the background. It has a very creamy mousse with mouthfeel that is plush and graceful, not heavy. There is a very fine bead with flavors of fresh oranges, peaches, cream and tart chalk and minerals. A pure pleasure to drink on its own or with some nicely spicy Thai or Szechuan food.
Konteki "Pearls of Simplicity" Junmai Daiginjo Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 10-19-2024
The nose starts out with light pine scents with an overlay of fragrant white flowers and pear tart. On the palate, moderate viscosity with flavors of melon, pear, anise and lemon peel. Quite long finish which highlights bright minerality and additional anise flavors.
Price:
$38.99
2022 Château Thivin Brouilly "Reverdon"
Review Date: 10-18-2024
Bright and crunchy, red-fruited nose with a bigger palate of dark strawberry and black raspberry. Softer style and very pleasant (and too easy!) to drink. Light earthy notes, as well. I like mine with a light chill on it. It's organic and partially biodynamic, too!
2022 Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge 1er Cru "Clos St-Jean"
Review Date: 10-18-2024
Red Chassagne-Montrachet is becoming more increasingly well-known despite the dominance of its white wine sibling. This effort has a nose with scents of deep red fruits, rye, fresh oak and clean earth. Medium to full-bodied with moderately deep red cherry and dark raspberry fruits. Fresh acidity and a long finish of light chalkiness, which is the signature of Maltroye style. Like its white wine counterparts, quite magnificent!
2022 Domaine Jean-Michel Giboulot Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru "Aux Serpentières"
Review Date: 10-18-2024
A bigger style than the "Aux Gravains", the "Seperentieres" is a more effusive style with dark black cherries and milk chocolate. There is back of the palate tannin and a lingering finish of minerals and acid. Super flavorful and a great balance of full fruit and acidity.
Price:
$44.99
2021 Domaine Renaud Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru "Aux Bouthières"
Review Date: 10-17-2024
Marvelous tropical tinged palate with lemon and pineapple fruit. Expansive mid-palate with pretty mouth-coating fresh pineapple flavors, moderate acidity and a long finish with mellow minerals.
Price:
$39.99
2022 Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly
Review Date: 10-17-2024
Deep and dark and almost perfect! Black raspberries, black cherries, with a nicely creamy texture. The finish lingers and has just the nicest touch of acidity and brightness. This is one of the most beautiful Beaujolais in the store! Do NOT miss out on it!
2022 Domaine Jean-Michel Giboulot Pommard "En Brescul"
Review Date: 10-17-2024
I am going to admit that I am a flat-out sucker for Pommard and Volnay. This super value Pommard from Giboulot was still a surprise. An extremely interesting nose with spice, herbs, deep red berries and what is that? Fresh Rosemary? In the mouth, surprisingly rich, after an initial mouthful of clean earth and light mineral bite. Nice upper palate spice and deep red fruits. Dark cranberry on the lingering finish. H E double hockey sticks! This stuff is tasty! Re-tasted on October 16th and this time out, there is light pencil lead and minerals. Some of the fruit is now trending toward darker fruits, almost black, with upper palate oak and tannin. Very balanced. This wine just keeps getting better and better!
Price:
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2022 Domaine Jessiaume Santenay "Clos du Clos Genet"
Review Date: 10-17-2024
This wine was quite the surprise! After a floral and bright nose, it is surprisingly full-bodied with plush ripe fruits, primarily ripe red cherries and strawberry compote. The finish is clean and lingering. Quite a bit of wine for its moderate price!
2022 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Puligny-Montrachet
Review Date: 10-17-2024
Nicely plush and quite round with juicy yellow apple flavors offset by green apples and Meyer lemon flavors. Upper palate clean oak, with some very nice minerality and cleanliness on the finish. This is a marvelous vintage for this wine, and it is just lovely, balanced and delicious. This Puligny Montrachet will make any meal very special.
2020 Remoissenet Pere & Fils Bourgogne Aligote
Review Date: 10-17-2024
This is probably the best Aligote that I have had in the last two years (or longer). It has a nose of mellow minerals, green apple and apricot pit. On the palate, crisp with lemon, additional Granny Smith apple flavors and minerals. There is generous sea salt on the finish, which lingers. Not too acidic! Balanced and clean, without peeling the enamel off of your teeth!
Price:
$22.99
2019 Château Gigognan "Clos du Roi" Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Review Date: 10-12-2024
This CNP starts off with a really inviting nose of black roasted cherries, mild white pepper and chocolate cream. On the palate, lush red fruits, some lightly drying tannins, crisp background minerals and savory spices. It is just traditional enough to please the purists but, it also has a nice plushness to it. Excellent!
2022 Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux "Cuvée Floureto" Vacqueyras
Review Date: 10-11-2024
So very nice and flavorful! Round, with semi-sweet dark red fruits, plush mouthfeel and just the right amount of peppery spice in the background. The oak is also there but, in the background as an enhancement to the overall character.
2023 Mas de Libian "Vin de Pétanque" Vin de France
Review Date: 10-11-2024
I love these little bargain wines from the Rhone! They always seem so unapparelled with the price to quality ratio. This one has nice red fruits with a clean raspberry core to brighten everything up. Clean and bright. as advertised, it is very nice with a 10–15-minute chill on it. Though that might make it a little too easy to drink.
Price:
$12.99
Domaine Achard-Vincent "Tradition" Clairette de Die Methode Ancestrale Doux
Review Date: 10-11-2024
This bottling is almost too much fun! It is also extremely delicious with pear tart (with cream!) and orange vanilla nougat flavors. Absolutely, unquestionably delicious!
Price:
$22.99
1998 Xavier Vignon "1998" Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Review Date: 10-11-2024
It is soooooo hard to choose between this bottling and the 2000 vintage bottles. So hard that I didn't. I put them on the same level, for different reasons. This one is nicely plump and plush with dark red berry fruit, (very) light herbs and an upper palate orange peel flavor. My choice would be to drink this delicious 1998 and though the 2000 is equally good, set it down for a little while longer and see where it goes. Though that one is also currently!
Price:
$109.99
2000 Xavier Vignon "2000" Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Review Date: 10-11-2024
This has to be one of my favorite CNP's in the last decade. Relatively ripe with classic tannins and (lighter) wood notes. Black cherry fruited with exotic spices and bitter chocolate. The tobacco and earth tones are somewhat muted and blanace, rather than overpower. The long, long finish lasts and lasts. This is a wonderful bottling to drink with 24 years under its belt but, it will also be able to age for decades longer.
Xavier Vignon "Arcane Le Fou" Vin de France
Review Date: 10-11-2024
This little delight is juicy and rich with bits of chalkiness and minerals. The fruit tends toward darker fruits, more black than red. There is a light overlay of anise and baking spice. The longish finish reflects the light chalk and minerals.
2020 Château Gigognan Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Signargues
Review Date: 10-11-2024
Traditionalists will love this little very impressively priced CDR. There's a nice bit of savoriness with the herb and earth scented nose. Bigger on the palate with dark red (a bit) and black (more so) fruits. The tannins are light to moderate and it is fleshy and a little plush. The herbs and earth flavors come at the beginning and then at the end with a fruit forward middle.
2022 Domaine Benedetti "Statera" Cinsault Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Review Date: 10-11-2024
This is one of my very favorite CNP's of the past several months. It stands out, for me, from its two sister wines by being the more herbal, bright, and floral of the bunch. There are dry tannins present offset by violets, roses, and deep red fruits that are relatively ripe. At once classic and unusual. It's really just plain great!
2020 Domaine Benedetti Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Review Date: 10-11-2024
A lovely (and lively!) CNP bargain! From its nose of rounded dark red fruits and blackberries to its mouthful of black cherries, cedar wood and light herbal goodness. A nice mouthfeel with mellow tannin and chocolate cream. Very, very tasty.
2022 Charles Père et Fille Volnay "La Cave"
Review Date: 09-21-2024
This has to be one of the most affordable Volnay's that I've ever had. At the start, it is a little closed up but, with some air, rose petal and violet scents come forward. Moderately dark, with ripe cherry, black raspberries and a bit of red boysenberries. All of this kept together by light and clean oak, light spice. Extremely pleasant and a great value for a wine of this type.
Price:
$39.99
2022 Maison Henri Boillot Meursault
Review Date: 09-21-2024
OMG! This was soooo good and Meursault is the only weak spot in Burgundy for my opinionated palate. What a nose! Poached pear, baked apples, pastry dough and minerals. On the palate (unbiased for this one!) beautiful richness with more yellow apple, Anjou pear, clean minerals and a little sea salt. How did Henri Boillot make me appreciate Meursault?
2022 Domaine Renaud Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru "Aux Chailloux"
Review Date: 09-21-2024
Rich but, balanced. Round golden apple fruit, mild oak, lush pear fruit. Like its sibling wines, it retains that bright minerality and lingering finish. The best Pouilly-Fuisse that I have had in many, many months. This one can stack against white Burgundies that are 20+ dollars more.
Price:
$39.99
2023 Domaine Pascal & Mireille Renaud St-Véran
Review Date: 09-21-2024
Relatively full with lush yellow and white fruits. There is more complexity on the upper palate with plush citrus and bright minerals. Another winner from Pascal Renaud.
Price:
$24.99