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We began the Discovery Series as a way to introduce our clients to outstanding producers from well-defined regions, pairing great wines with the history and backstory that bring them to life. We were truly astounded by the success and reception of these wines, and deeply encouraged by the trust you placed in us to deliver what we consider best-in-class wines at best-in-class prices under a label we will continue to develop. During the search for Discovery wines, however, I encountered a number of bottles that didn’t quite fit that specific mold, yet still offered incredible quality and value. That realization led to the creation of the Rendez-Vous label — a place to showcase wines we believe will become staples in your weeknight rotation. This project was born during a visit with our friends at Dauvergne et Ranvier in the Southern Rhône. Together, we conducted a series of blind tasting trials, working through dozens of samples and experimenting with different lots to build what I hoped would become the perfect Rhône-style blend. I began by tasting individual parcels — some already blended, others single varietal expressions. Several Côtes du Rhône lots produced charming and approachable wines, but once we moved into the Côtes du Rhône Villages selections, the depth of fruit and overall expansiveness increased dramatically. After settling on my preferred blend, we presented it to our winery partners. Watching everyone’s reactions as we arrived at the final composition was incredibly rewarding — we were unanimous in our enthusiasm. Just like that, our first Côtes du Rhône Villages blend was born. The final wine leans toward Syrah (approximately 70%), supported by a generous 30% Grenache. It shows a beautiful core of raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, backed by impressive concentration and layered notes of tobacco, black pepper, and savory spice. Now that the wine has rested in bottle after its journey from France to our warehouse, it has fully settled into its character. At recent staff trainings, I shared this wine with our teams and felt that same sense of satisfaction seeing their reactions. It has quickly become a staff favorite. There is tremendous personality here and, as I like to say, it truly overdelivers for the price. Join us for a little Rendez-Vous with this exciting new release — I think you’ll find as much pleasure in drinking it as we did creating it.

The killer 2023 Condrieu La Doriane boasts gorgeous orange blossom, honeyed flowers, toasted spice, and grilled peach aromatics that build incrementally with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, focused, and pure, this brilliant effort spent 9 months in 100% new French oak and represents the crème de la crème of the vintage.

Infectious dark purple florals, spiced damsons and smoky minerals overlay the meaty, juicy texture and fine shapely tannins and purr contentedly towards the finish line. (DWWA 2024)

A fabulous purity of plummy fruit, currants and classic garrigue herbs which nourish the nose and embrace the fleshy palate. Weighty with a long liquorice ending. (DWWA 2025)

When I was in the Rhône this past March and April, I visited dozens of producers and spent several days at a traveling wine fair, tasting with dozens more. But it would have been criminal of me not to carve out time for Jean-Baptiste Meunier of Moulin de la Gardette, one of my favorite producers in one of my favorite crus—Gigondas. We’ve worked with JB for decades now, and I consider his wines among the truest, most terroir-driven expressions in the region. Part of this buying trip was reconnecting with our longtime partners, scouting new talent, and hunting for opportunities for our Discovery Series label. Naturally, JB was my first stop in Gigondas. His wines have always felt like pure Gigondas—capturing the essence of the marl and limestone soils and layered with the perfume of the surrounding garrigue. That coastal scrub, rich with natural oils from thyme, bay, and lavender, subtly inflects the wines with the unmistakable character of the place. During our visit, I noticed a tank off to one side and asked about its contents. This was the wine JB uses to top off barrels, round out his cuvées, and eventually sell the remainder to a négociant for blending. The vessel was simply marked Tank 11. Out of curiosity, I asked to taste it—and was immediately surprised. The wine was vibrant and fruit-filled, bursting with black raspberry, lavender, strawberries, and that classic hint of bay leaf. It was fleshy yet lifted, expressive yet effortlessly drinkable. JB’s Tradition and Ventabren bottlings tend to be deeper, more savory, and more structured—beautiful wines that reward time in bottle. What struck me about Tank 11 was its accessibility: supple, open-knit, and welcoming, yet still unmistakably Gardette and unmistakably Gigondas. It captured the region’s personality with a truly user-friendly attitude—exactly what we look for in a Discovery wine. As an aside, the wine has just landed in our warehouse, and I opened my first bottles upon arrival. There’s always a moment of suspense—tank samples can shift as they settle into bottle. But tasting it again, I was transported right back to the cellar several months ago. All of its generosity, brightness, and openness are intact. This is one of the most delightful Gigondas I’ve tasted in years and exactly what the Discovery Series is meant to highlight: wines of place, character, and value. I think you’ll agree—this is one of the best-drinking Rhône wines on our shelves right now.

Dense licorice and forest berry aromas mask the deep tannin structure of this Chateauneuf-du-Pape masterpiece. Full-bodied but with a lightness of touch. Then the power and stony intensity pour over you in a giant wave. The freshness is extraordinary for this hot and dry vintage. Serious tannins in the very long, compact and refined finish. From organically grown grapes. (SP)

Bid on this magnum of 1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1.5L) (98JS, 97JD, 96RP, 95DC, 92WS). James Suckling: "This offers a super rich, earth, leather, spice and sweet-tobacco nose with a very similar texture to the 2017. It has a rich, dark, nutty core with very intense, long black fruit and seamless tannins with flavors of leather, tobacco and deep and ripe plums and blueberries." (10/2019)

In spite of its extreme youth, this great Châteuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible length! Can't wait to taste this masterpiece as a bottled wine! (SP)

Dark in colour. Soft, juicy, velvety tannins. An approachable and well-balanced vintage of Coudoulet that should age well thanks to its tannic finesse, acidity and freshness. Though it is quite a tannic vintage, so give it some time. (MW)

The 2024 Condrieu La Doriane, vinified and matured entirely in barrel, is sourced from parcels in Côteau de Chéry, Côteau de Vernon, Colombier, Côte Chatillon and Château de Volan. It reveals a refined, slightly toasted bouquet marked by attractive reduction, combining the exuberance typical of Condrieu with a degree of restraint rarely encountered in the appellation. Full-bodied, dense and round, it marries power with precision, remaining racy, ethereal and saline through the finish. It's a superb rendition that should rival the excellent 2023 with time in the cellar. (YC)

A driven, balanced , flavorful, textural and lively Crozes-Hermitage, showing aromas of dark cherries, spiced plums, wild herbs and warm spices. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins. Superb texture and balance here with a long, succulent and vivid finish. Drink or hold.

This is everything I want in a weeknight wine: easygoing red fruit notes, a spicy layer underneath adding intrigue, refreshing acidity, and supple tannins that make it a great pairing with a wide array of foods – everything from a simple roast chicken to woodfired pizza. Those ripe red fruit notes of plum, currant and juicy strawberry are balanced perfectly with a slightly grippy texture on the palate. And at just $17.99 per bottle, this is an incredible value that really punches above its weight class. I’d suggest picking this one up by the case.

Red berry perfume with liquorice, cherries and sweet spice. An open-hearted style with chewy tannins, clean lines and lively finish. (DWWA 2025)

Lirac lies on the Rhône’s western bank, across the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and has held appellation status since 1947. Roger Sabon, a producer based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, offers a perspective from the opposite bank with the 2021 “Lirac by Roger Sabon,” a red blend from this southern Rhône appellation.

Harmonious and lively, the 2023 Crozes-Hermitage Le Rouvre wafts from the glass with aromas of dark cherries, spices, mulberries, blueberries and flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and textured, it’s well balanced, built around a deep core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, ethereal finish. It's a Crozes-Hermitage that transcends its appellation. (YC)

Fresh and complex aromas of black fruits, olives, iris, violet and oak spice make for an inviting nose. The palate boasts a generous and balanced delivery of ripe blueberry, black cherry, mushroom and wild thyme. The finish is delightful with pure fruit that stays long through its clean finish. A beautiful bottling that can be enjoyed in its youth. (ACC)

One of my favorite Rhône discoveries in recent years has been Mas de Libian. This Demeter-certified biodynamic estate sits in a remote corner of the southern Rhône, with soils that feel more akin to Châteauneuf-du-Pape than many nearby Côtes du Rhône villages. The family’s roots here stretch back to the 1600s, when the property functioned as a polycultural farm. It wasn’t until the 1970s that they built a cellar and began producing their own wines. Today, with three generations working together, the estate is crafting some truly compelling Côtes du Rhône. Bout d’Zan—a blend driven by Grenache with a touch of Syrah—is aged in a mix of large oak casks and tank. It was the wine that first caught my attention and remains, for me, the clearest expression of the domaine’s style. Raspberry and red cherry fruit are layered with classic spice notes of pepper and allspice, while hints of garrigue and tobacco bring that unmistakable southern Rhône character. The fruit is generous yet precise, with seamless tannins and a natural sense of balance. This is a wine of pure charm—an honest reflection of place and a compelling example of what thoughtful, regenerative farming can achieve in the right hands.

Citrussy aromatics this year – satsuma and pink grapefruit with a touch of pickled ginger. Powerful but very tense, showing lovely intensity and salinity. Vibrant, not overly fat or alcoholic and the oak is well judged. You could drink this now, but it will age very well. Matured in 50% new and 50% one-year-old barrels. (MW)

My apologies to all of you who have been waiting for this wine to be replenished. But I am here to tell you, as always, it is worth the wait. The 2021 "La Côte" is everything I want in an old-school Côtes-du-Rhône. Plenty of raspberry, toasted tobacco and a touch of peppery spice, with that savory quality that keeps you coming back to the glass. This wine is not about flashy fruit—it's a classic Rhône that delivers exactly what you want it to. For those in the know, you know what you've been waiting for. For those who don't, La Côte is one of our all-time best sellers, and with good reason. Vigneron Rudi de Pins' wines have been staples here at K&L for years because they consistently deliver character, quality and tremendous value. The 2021 is another reminder of why we keep going back to them.

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 1994 Domaine de la Charbonnière "Mourre des Perdrix" Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape (98JS, 97JD, 96RP, 95DC, 93VN). James Suckling: "This offers a super rich, earth, leather, spice and sweet-tobacco nose with a very similar texture to the 2017. It has a rich, dark, nutty core with very intense, long black fruit and seamless tannins with flavors of leather, tobacco and deep and ripe plums and blueberries. " (10/2019)

Bid on this bottle of 2015 E. Guigal "Ex-Voto" Ermitage Blanc (100JD, 96WS, 95RP, 95VN, 94DC, 94W&S). Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is certainly in the same league as the 2009 and 2010, and it’s going to be interesting to compare these vintages over the coming 2-3+ decades. The 2015 has all the hallmarks of a great vintage with its huge bouquet of quince, toasted almonds, brioche, liquid rocks, and honeysuckle as well as touch of licorice. Sensationally concentrated, opulent, and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has bright acidity and an awesome sense of minerality that keep the wine chiseled and focused on the palate. It has the structure of a red wine and will keep for 4-5 decades. Bravo!" (12/2018)

The most balanced and transparent wine in the range, the 2023 Les Jardinières is showing superbly this year. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of blood orange, elderflower, violets, peonies and dark cherries, it’s medium- to full-bodied, deep and seamless, with a fleshy yet vibrant core of fruit and beautifully integrated tannins. Concluding with a long, perfumed and ethereal finish, this is one of the vintage’s most complete and characterful renditions of Gigondas. (YC) 96+

So beautifully generous on the palate, so rich but so fresh, with great salinity – really mouthwatering. That's what makes this vintage so special: generosity and freshness plus acidity and salinity makes for great vibrancy and impact. Hugely impressive. (MW)

Darker and more inward, cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and liquid violets define the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Turque, and it picks up more gamey, smoky, black olive notes with air. Made from 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier and aged 42 months in new oak, it shows a more structured, focused profile than La Mouline, with full-bodied richness, impressive concentration, and a great finish.

A well-rounded, lively and almost floral Gigondas with small red berries, wildflowers and baking spices on the nose, following through to a full body with polished tannins. Seductive texture with supple fruit character to the long, fine finish.

From a 60 year old parcel. Complex nose with a savoury, spicy, slightly smoky edge to the fruit. Beautiful intensity in the mouth with masses of concentration and structure, with sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit kept honest by some crushed rock and gravel minerality and then some grippy tannins. Finishes with some sour cherry. This is an immense wine with real potential for ageing.

Deep purple-hued, the 2023 Vacqueyras L'In(É)Dit offers up a rich, powerful, medium to full-bodied style as well as tons of black raspberry and uber-ripe cherry fruit, some licorice and peppery garrigue nuances, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It shows lots of Syrah character but stays lively, balanced, and light on its feet. A blend of equal parts Grenache and Syrah, it was vinified with a long maceration of over 25 days and aged with one-third in new 400-liter barrels, the rest in stainless steel tanks.

Reminding me of the 2020, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape is based on 60% Grenache, 16% each Mourvèdre and Cinsault, and the rest Syrah. Its medium ruby hue is followed by a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, white pepper, Provençal garrigue, and crushed stone-like minerality. With medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and ripe, polished, yet building tannins, it's an absolute gem in the vintage that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise over the following decade or more. 96+

The Féraud family, known for Domaine du Pégau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, produces Château Pégau wines from its holdings in the southern Rhône. The 2023 Cuvée Maclura is a red Rhône blend bottled under the broader Côtes-du-Rhône appellation.

A structured, layered and well-composed Crozes-Hermitage with aromas of spiced berries, warm herbs, baking spices and hints of undergrowth and bark. It's medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Dense and textured with a solid frame shaping the palate. Flavorful, peppery and long. Drink from 2027.

One of our favorite wines from Alain Corcia, this nearly 100% Syrah used to go by the name Cuvée Patricia but was rechristened Raphael several years ago. One of the best dollar-for-dollar Syrahs you'll find anywhere!

Brought up in foudre and concrete, the 2023 Ventoux Domaine is deep ruby/purple-hued and has a brilliant perfume of peppery red and blackberries, pepper, creamy flowers, and smoked meats. Based on 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, it's medium-bodied and has a pure, layered, focused mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. It has incredibly well-integrated oak and is going to evolve gracefully over the coming 10-15 years. There are roughly 3,300 cases produced.

Utterly classic Clos de Papes in every way, the 2010 Châteauneuf du Pape is still youthful and in its early adolescent phase, offering a beautiful mix of still pure, clean fruit and more peppery, spicy, leather, and complex Southern Rhône-like street market goodness. Rich and powerful on the palate, it's flawlessly balanced, has ripe, polished tannins, and a monster of a finish. It's just a beautiful, quintessential example of this First Growth-like estate in the South of France.

The 2024 Font de Courtedune Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc Vieilles Vignes is tight and serious in a tweed sports coat with leather elbow patches. Sans ascot, though. This blanc is no dandy. It’s muscular. It hunts, and its aim is true. Composed of 45% Grenache Blanc, 45% Roussanne, and 10% Viognier, this wine was fermented with native yeast and aged in concrete tank. It needs food. The romantic in me yearns for it with game like wild boar, duck, or pheasant. The realist in me will settle for a thick-cut, bone-in pork chop or a roasted Cornish game hen. The pessimist in me can imagine that pork rinds or lukewarm, deep-fried chicken tenders from the grocery store would shine with this wine. It’s old-vine alright. It keeps its cards close to its neatly tailored waistcoat. Crunchy pear, faint notions of caramelized sugar with negative-one-level sweetness, fresh fennel fronds, wet stones, and a sensation of licking the gnarled trunk of an old vine. Think dry, fine dust and delicate bark impressions. One sip will place you in the vineyard where it grew. The absence of oak preserves freshness and a sense of place. Winemaker Caroline Charrier let the vines do the talking. I like that.

Directly next-door to the famed Château Rayas, the wines of Font de Courtedune are hidden gems. Vigneron Caroline Charrier sees herself as a steward of the land, eschewing harsh farming practices in the vineyard and crafting her wines exclusively with whole-cluster fermentation and native yeasts. The Vaucluse is about 25 acres under production and is a blend of Merlot and Grenache. Made in a "glou glou" or quaffable style, this is a juicy ripe red that makes for excellent daily drinking.

Sleek, ripe, rich and broad with strawberry, cherry and raspberry fruit, showing nice texture and depth with fine-grained tannins.

Poised, velvety and fruit-driven, showing red berries, red cherries and tar. Medium-bodied, this has round tannins and refined texture with juicy fruit and a flavorful, pulpy finish.

A great masterpiece of elegance and finesse, with a cornucopia of wild herb, dried flower and red berry aromas. Huge concentration and power, but it still moves very gracefully on the full-bodied palate. A stunningly long, pure and refined finish that doesn’t want to let go. (SP)

Based on 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre and aged 12 months in 50-hectoliter foudre, the 2023 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes offers darker berries, pepper, sappy garrigue, and smoked meat-like aromatics. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, fine, polished tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. It's a gorgeous, clean, complex, layered Gigondas that should drink well over the coming 10-15 years.

From a 2 hectare lieu dit called Les Pierres in Tournon. Echalas training, 30 year old vines. Destemmed. 18 months ageing in 600 litre barrels and wine globes. Spicy, meaty, peppery nose with some grip. Very stylish and expressive with a bit of grip here.

The 2024 Crozes-Hermitage first wafts notes of white pepper, blackberry, red plum and a touch of graphite. Medium-bodied and concentrated, the 2024 is a delicious follow-up to the equally enticing 2023 I tasted last year. Clocks out with gentle persistence on the spice-tinged finish. (NG)

The 2023 Gigondas checks in as 80% Grenache and 10% each Syrah and Mourvèdre brought up in a mix of barrels and foudre. Complex red and black fruits, peppery garrigue, and leather notes all define the nose, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a pure, graceful mouthfeel, and ripe tannins. It's a beautiful, classic Gigondas from this estate to drink over the coming decade or so.

Another level of complexity emerges from the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, offering blackberries, currants, wood smoke, cured meats, and leather-like nuances This powerful, concentrated, straight-up massive Côte Rôtie (100% Syrah) was aged 42 months in new oak and shows classic La Landonne character, with beautiful depth and richness, as well as building tannins. There's some of the accessibility of the vintage here, yet this is nevertheless going to require a solid decade of cellaring.

Montfaucon always holds this white back for a few years before release, and it is a wine built around nuance rather than sheer intensity. Made from nearly 100% Clairette, it comes from a parcel of centenarian vines that look almost like alien creatures trying to escape the confines of the earth. A handful of old heirloom varieties are co-planted among them, keeping the wine from being entirely Clairette. But what you are really tasting here is a very old parcel, handled with little intrusion. Aged primarily in large neutral barrels, the wine continues to develop in the glass. It starts with dried nectarine before moving toward persimmon, with a touch of spice and a creamy texture that gives the wine remarkable presence. This is not a wine you rush through. It commands your attention and would be right at home with a potato and leek soup or some creamy, funky cheeses. I've had bottles with even more age on them, and they only become more intriguing. I think of this wine as a poem. It may not make perfect sense upon first glance, but the more time you spend with it, the more compelling it becomes.

Cool and crisp the Comtesse Madelaine shows off that lovely subtle stone fruit character I love from these wines. A touch of apple, white flowers and a hint of salinity round out the character. Just enough acid tension to keep the wine balanced and worthy of seeking another sip. Delightful!

Finding inspiration in Burgundy—where Daphné Chave spent time studying winemaking—this is a lovely expression of Marsanne and Roussanne. Oily and mineral-driven, it unfolds with layered notes of nectarine, wet stone and marzipan. There is a wonderful subtlety and nuance here that becomes even more expressive at the table, particularly alongside richer white meats and fish dishes.

The 2025 Rosé combines hints of petrol with mint and wet stones, forming a slightly savory bouquet. It's spicy within, with crisp orchard fruits elevated by an air of mint toward the close. A bump of juicy acidity enlivens the finish, as the 2025 tapers off fresh, leaving a crunchy mineral inflection. (EG)