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
2016 Metzker Family Estate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
Well it looks like I just found my go-to Holiday gift for 2023! I've always really loved the Metzker Family wines, but this time we got a simply stunning deal on this absolutely gorgeous Pinot Noir. Metzker is a small winery focused on pure, refined, expressive, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast. This 2016 bottling combines fruit from two incredible vineyards that dovetail perfectly into this beautiful wine that is positively singing. Fruit from Terra de Promissio Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap forms the base of this wine. The cool winds that whip through the area combined with clay loam soils produce very perfumed, vibrant, structured Pinot Noir. The quality of the fruit from here is no secret - Terra de Promissio Vineyard has been a core vineyard for iconic wineries such as William-Selyem, Kosta Browne, Flowers, Gary Farrell, Senses, and others. Next Metzker carefully blends in some powerful, concentrated Pinot from Landmark's Hop Kiln Estate that sits right in the heart of the Russian River Valley on Westside Road. Hop Kiln shares a fence line with Rochioli Estate and is a stones throw from both Arista Estate and William-Selyem's winery. Bottomline - this is absolutely prime fruit however you look at it, and the wines compliment each other so well; the bright, lifted perfume and crunchy acid of Petaluma Gap, plus the mid-palate ripe, lush dark fruit form the Goldridge soils and little more warmth in Russian River. Pandemic pressures and supply chain issues meant we got a ridiculously good deal direct from the winey on this wine and we're passing the savings onto you (after we stock up ourselves of course)! :)
Top Value!
2018 Ram's Gate "Cellar Note" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
Rams Gate's "Cellar Note" Chardonnay is a true winemaker's barrel selection. The blend is made by conducting extensive tastings in the cellar choosing from the finest single vineyard lots to make a wine that represents the most stellar expression of the vintage. Ram's Gate sources grapes from an incredible list of many of the greatest vineyards on the Sonoma Coast including: Durell, Gap's Crown, UV El Diablo, Flax and their own estate in Carneros. With this incredible wealth of small-lot Chardonnays to choose from, the team can craft exactly the wine they think best exemplifies a given growing season. This 2018 wine has now had a few years integrating in bottle and the flavors are beautifully melded together into a seamless wine. Ripe,golden orchard fruits, nectarine, roasted peach cobbler, hazelnut cream, pie crust, then more tangy preserved citrus, even lemon curd gives some zip to the finish with river stone mineral quality. It's nice to taste a Chardonnay that has had a little time in bottle and it's showing very nicely. Concentrated and flavorful with lovely balance and toasty, nutty elements giving depth and complexity. A 95-point Chardonnay from some of the most esteemed vineyards on the Sonoma Coast...for this price!? What are you waiting for!
Top Value!
2021 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Chardonnay Yarra Valley Victoria
By: Thomas Smith | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
By: Thomas Smith | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
It's the end of an era. The Oakridge Henk Vineyard Chardonnay, offering exceptional value, has consistently amazed both consumers and K&L staff with its superior quality and elegant style. Over the years, it has become a staple selection at K&L, usually completely selling out within a month of its arrival. Personally, I adore this wine and think it is easily the best-value Chardonnay we sell. In fact, this past June, I traveled to Yarra Valley, Australia to specifically see and walk the vineyard that produces this wine–that’s how serious I am about this Chardonnay.
However, I recently learned that Oakridge will cease exporting the Henk Vineyard Chardonnay for the foreseeable future. I’m honestly a little heartbroken over it. But the good news is that we have just received our final shipment, and this is arguably one of the finest ever produced from Henk.
The wine's aromatic profile is characterized by delicate notes of lemon zest and tangerine, complemented by a subtle honeyed nose. This is beautifully contrasted by a flinty, Meursault-like edge and finishes with a hint of Jasmine. Medium-bodied, the palate is initially dominated by citrus, followed by undertones of white peach, culminating in a marzipan finish.
What truly sets this wine apart, however, are its dynamics- the building power and intensity along side a persistent razor’s edge of acidity. This is an outstanding, outstanding value that I’m sad to see leave our shelves. Don’t miss the opportunity to secure a few bottles of this final vintage of Henk. And be sure to check out K&L’s On the Trail Blog to read about my visit to Henk.
2022 Casa d'Ambra Ischia Biancolella
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
The aromatics of this wine are dried flowers and hints of a sea spray, coupled with more savory notes and bits of ginger. On the palate it is supple, balanced with zippy acidity coupled with a subtle richness. The flavors show more pear like flavors, some stone fruit coupled with lemon zest. An excellent choice as a first time for this winery.
2022 Casa d'Ambra "Frassitelli" Ischia Biancolella
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 12/11/2023 | Send Email
Full disclosure, I love this wine. The nose is full of wispy pear like aromas scented with a hint of the sea. On the palate the wine shows a body density and richness but with excellent acidity extending its length. The flavors are vibrant, full of spices, coupled with a tangy citrus zest and tinges of sea salt. Long balanced and lifted finish a truly outstanding wine.
Petiau Brut Grande Réserve Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/10/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/10/2023 | Send Email
This new (for us!) producer is producing some great quality champagnes. This Brut Grande Reserve, although chardonnay dominant, has a big biscuity nose with vanilla cream and butter cookie dough. In the mouth, it is very lush and soft with caramel apple, nougat and dried apricot flavors. It is also very easy to drink. Lush and very appealing.
Price:
$34.99
2019 Damilano "Lecinquevigne" Barolo
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
Who doesn't like a nice Barolo? Over the years, I have switched my allegiance from Tuscany to Piedmont and this release from Damilano makes me say "yes" more emphatically. A very fine nose of rose petals and dried flowers, celery root, black cherries. On the palate, very drinkable, without the tannin that can sometimes make you have to decant a Barolo for four hours. More black cherries, with tart cherries in the background. Fine cedary tannin that will mellow with a few years of cellaring, even though it is very approachable now. The finish is a lingering one with baking spices and a very light savory note.
2019 Torre Zambra Villamanga DOC
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
Such a cool ultra dark garnet colour in the glass. A nose of rich plummy goodness with some kirsch scents. On the palate, quite expansive with mouth-coating red currants, boysenberry, clean wood and supple tannin. Absolutely perfect for the foods of Fall and Winter. I see roast pork or roast beef with this.
Price:
$29.99
2022 Braida "Limonte" Grignolino d'Asti
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
Now, just how fun is this wine? A ton of fun! From the bright strawberry soda nose to the dark raspberry, strawberry preserve, orange peel and top of the palate tart minerals and chalk. Too much fun and a simple pleasure to drink. I see a plate of salumi and sharp salty cheeses headed its way!
Price:
$21.99
2021 La Cappuccina Soave Classico
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
A very solid value with generously ripe melon, cantaloupe, citrus and peach flavors. It is on the plush side but, the solid acidity keeps it from being heavy or cloying. The finish is long and clean, with pink grapefruit. There are so many food that this will be great with! This is one of the best Soave's that I've had in years.
2022 Bucci Verdicchio Classico Superiore dei Castelli di Jesi
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
A lively clean nose with Meyer lemon, lime, spearmint, tart pear scents. On the palate, also quite clean with citrus, lemon cream, juicy orange and lime. Very refreshing and very delicious!
Price:
$24.99
Kanbara "Ancient Treasure" Yamahai Junmai Genshu Koshu Sake (720ml)
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 12/9/2023 | Send Email
It was a treat trying this! Full-bodied and umami forward with notes of cacao nib, almond, toasted barley, honey, with an oxidative finish. This will be fun for fans of aged Sauternes to try. A wonderful aged sake that showcases the quality of this style!
Price:
$89.99
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!
2019 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Proprietary Red
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 11/29/2023 | Send Email
Beautiful nose of dark plum, boysenberry, fresh figs, menthol, graphite, nutmeg, black tea, a touch of cigar box. Similar flavors on the palate, impeccably balanced with vibrant dark fruits, pencil shavings, and a long spicy finish. This is a wine to take your time with, as it keeps evolving in the glass. With air, softer notes of violets, and fresh rosemary starts to show. This is drinking deliciously now, but it can definitely age in the cellar. Hendry has been growing grapes in the same property on the foot of Mount Veeder since 1939, and is now managed by George Hendry's nephew, Mike Hendry.
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!
2019 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Proprietary Red
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/21/2023 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/21/2023 | Send Email
Hendry Estate is probably the greatest "hidden gem" in the entire Napa Valley. While they've been getting some excellent critical acclaim for many years now, the wines remain some of the very best values (and quite frankly underpriced) wines you'll find in the region. The Hendry family has been farming this bucolic ranch that sits at the base of Mount Veeder since 1939. Just this past October I was in the vineyard early one morning during harvest watching 10-year-old Drew Hendry (the 4th generation to live here) driving the tractor up and down vine rows hauling grape bins behind him. The estate that sits on an elevated bench just west of the town of Napa has been planted to vines since the mid-1970s. Many original blocks of Cabernet, Zinfandel and Chardonnay are still producing lovingly tended by Hendry's fulltime vineyard team several of whom live on the ranch itself. The crew is led by Vicente and Pedro who have worked on the ranch since 1974 and 1980 respectively. Over many decades these vines have produced fruit sold to iconic producers such as Robert Mondavi and Opus One! What Hendry doesn't have in glitzy marketing or a huge advertising budget they more than make up for with quality, authenticity and historical pedigree. The 2019 Estate Proprietary Red is a traditional Bordeaux inspired blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, and roughly 10% each of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot all selected from specific blocks of the estate. It was aged for 20 months in 60% new French oak. It's a bold powerful wine with tons of deep, dark intense fruit - blackcurrant, elderberry, plum. Then there's pencil shavings, briary notes, subtle tobacco leaf and warm earth. It's nicely framed by the French oak, but not overpowered by it. The tannins are present a correct but beautifully wrapped up in the luxuriously textured mid-palate fruit. Crushed stone minerals from the estate's extremely rocky soils linger with mountain herbs and cedar on the finish. It walks a nice line between valley floor power and weight plus the more savory, structural aspects of the Mount Veeder AVA that starts just a few hundred feet up the road. If you haven't experienced Hendry's phenomenal wines yet, then this is the perfect way to acquaint yourself with what might well become your new favorite winery in Napa.
Top Value!