Reviewers
- All Staff Reviews
- 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)
K&L Email Alerts
Sign up to receive custom alerts, new arrivals and the latest happenings from K&L Wines
Staff Favorites - Kate Soto
|
Reviews
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 07-07-2021
Mathieu Billecart calls this their "Princess of Rosé," as it comes from their younger vineyards, and the young lively vines impart a nice freshness. 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 30% Pinot Meunier. An ethereal pink color, with a nose of fresh strawberries and white blossom. It shows juicy berry fruit on the palate. Delicious! It's one of our most popular rosé Champagnes for good reason: it's incredibly easy to drink.
Launois Brut Rosé "Valentine" Champagne
Review Date: 07-07-2021
A Pinot Noir made in the signature creamy, elegant style that has made Launois beloved by customers and staff alike. A wine of great finesse, with floral and raspberry notes and delicate bubbles. It is perfection with a summer nectarine caprese salad.
Price:
$39.99
Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature Champagne
Review Date: 07-07-2021
A gorgeous wine whose breadth belies the "brut nature" designation. It's got driven acidity and a fullness on the palate with notes of baked apple, pastry, and spice. The base is from the 2015 vintage with a high percentage of reserve wines. They use a solera system, and the wines date from 2006 to 2014. 40% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir.
2020 La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 07-07-2021
48.6% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.2% Cabernet Franc. Sweet tannins, lots of body and power. It’s certainly big and the palate is rich, but the fruit is fresh and alive, so the overall effect is not of heaviness, but of exuberance. Black tea, black currants, graphite, violets.
2020 Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
Review Date: 06-22-2021
This wine is wonderful, one of my favorites of the vintage. Delicious waves of chocolate, mocha, cherry, and graphite careen on your palate. It has silky smooth tannins with a full mouthfeel and is so balanced. The fruit is integrated, it has power and freshness and complexity—the whole package. I didn’t want to stop tasting this.
2020 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
Review Date: 06-21-2021
Pontet Canet is such a special château. Proprietor Alfred Tesseron and his daughter Justine farm their vineyards biodynamically, growing and preparing all their tisanes on their property. They love caring for their vines as much as their wines, and that shows through in their exceptional bottles year after year. The 2020 is silky smooth, with deep brooding blackberry fruit and cassis. The fruit is fresh and the concentration intense. There's a unique touch of gaminess that provides depth and complexity. Lots of texture and aromatics. Would be great with cheese, lamb, or an herb-roasted duck. Despite the concentration, it is lifted, long, and elegant with fine, melted tannins.
2014 Rhys "Alpine Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Review Date: 05-18-2019
A beautiful, elegant wine. The nose is savory and perfumed with notes of olives and jasmine tea and violets. On the palate there is a graceful, seamless texture with an enormous sense of poise and balance. The finish is epic. In short, it's a wine that is drinking really well right now with everything falling into place. Gorgeous.
Tamagawa "Red Label" Heirloom Yamahai Genshu Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 08-17-2018
This earthy, intense sake is made by the first-ever non-Japanese brewmaster in Japan, Philip Harper. It is very expressive, packed full of umami and mushroom notes. It's full-bodied and gamey, and would be gangbusters with cheese.
Price:
$34.99
Miyasaka Shiro ( Masumi) "Sake Matinée" Junmai Sake 720ml
Review Date: 08-17-2018
This is from a 356-year-old brewery that is very well regarded among sake circles in Japan. The 24th-generation heir to the throne has been very innovative, collaborating with DJs, for instance, and rebranding a few of their sakes. It’s completely 2.0 for the sake business. The Miyasaki family has been making Masumi traditional sake, and he wanted to do something avant-garde, so he introduced the Sake Matinée, made in a session style (as in a session-style beer) with lower alcohol. It has a smooth, mild character and delicate flavors of citrus, wild plums, and vanilla. It's delicious and eminently, dangerously drinkable. Good thing for that low ABV!
Price:
$26.99