Last week, for Bastille Day, a group of us from K&L Redwood City went to Left Bank restaurant in Menlo Park to celebrate the French national holiday. It was a great excuse to eat steak frites and drink some good, aged Bordeaux in the middle of the week. Whenever we have a group together (more than 2?) there are usually magnums involved, and this great evening was no exception.
Read MoreChâteau Haut-Bailly is near and dear to K&L’s heart. In addition to making stunningly elegant wines, CEO Veronique Sanders is a dear friend of our co-owner Clyde Beffa. To celebrate their long friendship and our first visit since the pandemic, Clyde brought a bottle of 1952 Haut-Bailly to dinner. It was particularly special to try the brand new baby wine from the 2020 vintage on the same evening as wines that have been in the cellar for decades.
Read MoreIn the middle of last month, I was on the second plane into France for vaccinated Americans with Kate Soto, Clyde and Trey Beffa. It was great to be back on the job in the cellars and tasting rooms of Champagne, but the highlight of the trip, under the June sun, was the time I got to spend in the vineyard. On the last day of the trip, Chantal Gonet of Champagne Philippe Gonet and Champagne Pierre Mineral took me for a visit to the crown jewel of their estate: Les Hauts Jardins.
Read MoreWith the release of Figeac’s 2020 this week, I’m reminded that much of the conversation around Bordeaux often has to do with prices and critics scores, rather than the people at the heart of the wineries. Figeac certainly has the scores—all the critical ratings I’ve seen hover in the 95-99 range—but they also have a family devoted to the property, working to make better wines every year.
Read MoreOf all the Grand Marque producers of Champagne, none are moving as fast at improving quality as Champagne Louis Roederer. This upward trajectory is even more impressive because of the high level that they have always maintained. Last week, tasting the newly released 2013 Louis Roederer “Cristal” Brut Champagne, I realized that Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once more found room to go upwards, even in a vintage less famous than the 2012 that proceeded it.
Read MoreOne of my favorite Champagne occasions of the year is la fête de mères, Mother’s Day. Who else in the world is more deserving of being celebrated than mom? Nothing matches this day of flowers better than rosé Champagne, and no rosé Champagne is as iconic as the Laurent-Perrier. I think it is the perfect wine for a perfect day.
Read MoreCinnamon and I try to make every Sunday special as it is our one day off together, and this week she treated us to a special Dungeness crab dip for our aperitif. To go with it, I opened perhaps the most “under the radar” of all the great houses’ tête de cuvée bottlings, the 2010 Drappier "Grande Sendrée" Brut Champagne. It was a great reminder of the incredible depth and pleasure that this single-vineyard Champagne has to offer and went fabulously with the crab dip.
Read MoreSo many of the wonderful bottles on our shelves are made by wonderful people, and our relationships are the cornerstone of our business. At this time each year, we normally send our Champagne crew out to visit the cellars and taste vin clair in Champagne, gathering intel and great deals to bring to our customers. Alas, times are different, and we are thinking fondly of those folks (whom we also missed seeing at our annual tent event last year). Next best thing: photos and tasting notes and stories about some of our fave Champagne producers.
Read MoreAfter 20 years of buying the Champagne here at K&L, I have to say that I have never seen a year like this one… The good news is, some very good deals have come out of this bizarre situation, and one of the best deals is the small lot of Canard-Duchêne "Charles VII - Grande Cuvée le Victorieux" Brut Champagne that just arrived. The last time we had this, many years ago, we sold it for $49.99, which was a good value. It is now selling for $60 elsewhere, but we were able to grab the last of it and offer it at $39.99.
Read MoreWe are thrilled to partner with blogger/author/bon vivant David Lebovitz to bring you the Drinking French pack, an ensemble that features his new guide to all libations French (signed), plus an assortment of bottles that will help you make some of his favorite tipples at home. You may not be able to while away the hours in a Parisian cafe, but you can at least drink like it!
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