Reviewers
- All Staff Reviews
- - Operations Culver City (1)
- Aaron Hughes (10)
- Adam Winkel (97)
- Alex Leonardini (8)
- Alex Pross (643)
- Alexandre Tweedie (7)
- Andrew Nunes (1)
- Cindy Westby (60)
- David Othenin-Girard (335)
- Dejah Overby (147)
- Dulcinea Gonzalez (115)
- Gary Lai (56)
- Gary Westby (540)
- 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)
- Orazio Campoli (4)
- Ralph Sands (222)
- Ryan Moses (455)
- Ryan Woodhouse (891)
- Sal Rodriguez (34)
- Scott Beckerley (307)
- Shaun Green (81)
- Thomas Smith (359)
- Tom Martinez (1)
- Will Blakely (26)
K&L Email Alerts
Sign up to receive custom alerts, new arrivals and the latest happenings from K&L Wines
Staff Favorites - Ralph Sands
Ralph Sands
| Send Email
|
Subscribe to My Sommelier Service
Ralph is the senior Bordeaux specialist on the sales staff. In between trying to break into professional baseball, Ralph was picking up hours at a K&L store in Millbrae. Back then it was more about kegs and cheap booze, and both Ralph and K&L have evolved since that time. Since those long ago days in 1978, Ralph has visited his beloved Bordeaux 37 times, evaluated 19 straight vintages and has escorted over 200 customers to Bordeaux on his "Taste and Golf the Greats Tours of Bordeaux". Ralph has also conducted tasting seminars in 9 different states as well as in France, Spain and Hong Kong. Ralph's passion for wine reaches far beyond Bordeaux; to the fine wine regions of Burgundy, Loire, Rhone, Germany, Oregon and of course his home state of California.
|
Reviews
2018 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
Review Date: 05-02-2019
2018 Pontet Canet is composed of 70% CS 22% Merlot 5% CF and 3% PV. The big buzz in this vintage is the low yields from the organic vineyards here at Pontet and at Ch. Palmer; and that both estates made wonderful wines with great sweetness of fruit that is not in the style of most 2018's. Pontet lost 2/3 of the crop to mildew. 2018 has huge sweet,dark purple fruit with flavors of blueberry and blackberry. Silky and delicious, almost liquor-ish. Reminds me of the fantastic 2009. 2 Stars Ralph Sands
2018 Marquis d'Alesme, Margaux
Review Date: 04-25-2019
Winemaker Marjolaine de Coninck is making fantastic wine at this stunning newly renovated winery. 2018 Ch. Marquis d'Alesme is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot 5% PV and 2% Cab Franc. Loaded with brilliantly fresh, juicy blue fruits, zesty clean with a long elegant finish. A very tasty and exciting wine! 2 Stars! Ralph Sands
2016 Phélan-Ségur, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 05-31-2017
2016 Ch. Phelan Segur- Tasted twice and delicious both times. Phelan is a lovely early drinking 2016 which is always its forte. Beautifully fresh wine with elegant sweet fruit, perfectly balanced. Great value, 1 Star.
Ralph Sands
2016 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Review Date: 05-24-2017
2016 Lynch Bages 75 CS 19M 4CF “Sweet ripe red and black fruit, raspberry, cassis with glossy oak. Great freshness as well as concentration, a classic strong claret with great fruit. Jean Michel compares it to his legendary 1989; my first vintage in Bordeaux (killer wine says CB), a 3 Star wine and vintage! Ralph Sands
2015 Canon, St-Emilion
Review Date: 05-31-2016
Canon- 72%M 28CF You have to go all the way back to 1982 to find a Ch. Canon that rivals this wine. In 2015 Canon takes its place alongside VCC, and La Consiellante as the greatest wines of elegance in 2015. Beautiful red fruit with spice, rich middle fruit in perfect harmony and a super clean dry finish. This is a complete wine with great freshness, perfect extraction and by no means sweet. This is a great dry wine, without huge opulent fruit that is all the rage theses days, it is all about perfect balance; a mirror image of the legendary 1982. 3 Stars
2010 Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
Review Date: 02-11-2013
Excellent perfume. Exotic, ripe, glossy fruit. Good grip, power and taste. Vanillin oak. Impressive.
2010 Léoville-Las Cases, St-Julien
Review Date: 10-25-2012
Exotic, layers of sweet raspberry fruit, stern but with viscosity. A great wine, but you have to be young so you can enjoy this wine in 30 years.
2009 Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
Review Date: 03-05-2012
Spicy and lively black fruit with an elegant and very long finish.
2005 Verdignan, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 08-31-2011
A strong and complex wine with very deep, blood red fruit. Spicy wit hints of earth and heavily toasted oak. This is a masculine style of wine that could use a few more years to soften up.
2010 Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 05-16-2011
Sweet nose. Loaded with dark chocolate and sweet fruit. Very structured and powerful.
2010 Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac
Review Date: 05-16-2011
Deep. A very long, serious claret with a tight core. Lots of rich black fruit, spice and mineral.
2010 Angélus, St-Emilion (1.5L)
Review Date: 05-16-2011
Good structure to go with the big fruit. Not overdone in any way. Not as wildly exotic as in the past.