The end of the year is often when some of the best bottles get opened, and January is when the cellar shows the impact. This selection of old and rare wines and spirits is designed to restock cellars with bottles chosen for how they age, not just how they impress on release, including mature classics, proven benchmarks, and younger wines with decades ahead of them. You will find fully mature icons alongside bottles selected for long-term aging. For collectors looking beyond current inventory, our wine auctions and spirits auctions remain two of the strongest sources for rare, older bottles and singular releases that rarely reappear once they are gone.

Bordeaux, burgundy, France, Wine NewsletterKate SotoJanuary 5, 2026K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, wine cellar, restock your cellar, champagne, bordeaux, burgundy, italian wine, italy, california cabernet, napa valley

Festive Sparkling Essentials—For You and Yours

Sparkling wine shines on jubilant occasions—whether you're pouring for a crowd or savoring something special with close company. Below is a focused selection of our essential bottles for welcoming 2026, drawing from Champagne, Spain, Italy, and standout domestic producers. These are the wines we trust completely, stock by the case, and reach for ourselves whenever celebration calls (often well before the clock strikes midnight).

France, Wine Newsletter, ChampagneKate SotoDecember 30, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, cava, champagne, corpinnat, sparkling wine, prosecco, franciacorta, california sparkling wine, sparkling wine review, spanish sparkling

Champagne for the New Year

No occasion is more synonymous with Champagne than New Year’s Eve, and I have some great recommendations to ring in 2026. I have often said, there are 364 great nights to go out, and one great night to stay in and drink Champagne—the 31st of December is a great night to stay off the streets!

France, Wine Newsletter, ChampagneGary WestbyDecember 26, 2025klwines, krug, nye, new years eve champagne, new years champagne, champagne, gary westby, krug champagne, ad coutelas, laurent perrier, billecart salmon

All Things Bordeaux

Bordeaux grapes have traveled farther, and adapted more brilliantly, than any varieties in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc have taken root in new landscapes, absorbing local character while retaining the structure and poise that define their origins. This month, we look at how these grapes express themselves from the Gironde to the Andes, from Napa Valley to the Tuscan coast, and beyond. Along the way, our buyers highlight the benchmark wines, the unexpected values, and the producers shaping the next generation of Bordeaux-inspired winemaking.

Bordeaux, France, Wine NewsletterKate SotoDecember 9, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, ryan moses, bordeaux, bordeaux grapes, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, merlot, ryan woodhouse, rachael ryan, ugcb, ugc, unions des grands crus bordeaux, orazio campoli

December Newsletter: Our Exclusive Private Labels

Our new private label programs represent some of the most exciting, high-value bottles on our shelves. Sourced directly by our buyers and crafted in partnership with top producers based on relationships spanning decades, they deliver serious quality at incredible prices. This week, we’re spotlighting giftable Discovery Series wines, in-stock Anonymous selections, K&L Scotch exclusives, a new Rhône wine, a preview of our new Maison 76 project, and where to taste these wines in-store with Somm Services.

California Wine, France, Wine NewsletterKate SotoDecember 1, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, private label, k&l private label, anonymous wine collective, anonymous wine, discovery series, k&l discovery series

Holiday Gift Guide

This year’s K&L Holiday Gift Guide showcases the bottles our buyers are most excited to give (and to receive). Below you’ll find Champagne benchmarks, hand-selected Domestic gems, top-flight Tuscan classics, and versatile Loire Valley wines, plus upcoming in-store events and our Thanksgiving Pairing Guide. Consider this your roadmap to the most compelling gifts of the season.

France, Wine Newsletter, Champagne, ItalyKate SotoNovember 25, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, holiday wines, holiday gift guide, holiday wine, champagne, loire valley wine, sancerre, tuscan wines, orazio campoli, ryan woodhouse, gary westby, holiday events

Champagne for All My Friends!

Pure class in a bottle, the Héritage is tête de cuvée quality that will go head-to-head with most anything double its price.

France, Wine Newsletter, ChampagneGary WestbyNovember 24, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, champagne, laurent perrier, ariston aspasie, billecart salmon, derot delugny, gary westby, holdiay wines, holiday champagne, holiday wine, christmas gift, hannukah gift

Rosé Champagne Is the Versatile Pairing for Turkey and All the Sides

I love Thanksgiving. I love it so much that we usually do it twice a year chez Westby. I love it so much that I own a turkey suit and wear it every year the day before Thanksgiving in the store. I love it so much that I have accumulated some weight from enjoying it to its fullest—mostly by stuffing myself with stuffing. Why do I love it? Because it is the best time to be thankful for all of life’s blessings, and to celebrate those blessings with food, friends, rosé Champagne and red Burgundy!

France, Open Cellar, Wine Newsletter, ChampagneGary WestbyNovember 10, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, gary westby, aspasie, ariston aspasie, ariston aspasie champage, rose champag, rose champagne, billecart salmon, la rose, thanksgiving champagne, thanksgiving wine pairimg, thanksgiving wine pairing

A Guide to the Rhône Valley

The Rhône Valley stands among France’s most exciting and diverse regions, producing wines that balance power, elegance, and a deep sense of place. From the granite slopes of the north to the sun-soaked vineyards of the south, this month’s feature—curated by our Rhône Buyer, Keith Mabry—highlights the full spectrum of the region’s greatness: from new direct-import exclusives and exceptional Gigondas values to cellar-worthy Châteauneuf-du-Pape collectibles. Whether you’re discovering the Rhône for the first time or expanding a seasoned collection, these wines capture the essence of this legendary valley.

France, rhone, Wine NewsletterKate SotoNovember 4, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, keith mabry, rhone valley, rhone valley wine, french wine, southern france

Get to Know Our Rhône Buyer Keith Mabry

You may know Keith Mabry as our Rhône, Loire, and French Regional Buyer, but he's also responsible for Greece, Eastern Europe, and Mexico! Why would one person have such an eclectic list of categories? Because he's a hardcore enthusiast for off-the-beaten-path wines. He's also a big soil geek... ask him about his favorite dirt!

France, Wine NewsletterKate SotoOctober 30, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, keith mabry, rhone valley, french wines, french regional, meet the staff

Domaine Courbis Brings Classic St-Joseph and Cornas to Our Shelves

My recent trip through the Rhône was one of the most productive I can remember. I tasted with dozens of vintners, reconnected with many of our long-standing direct-import partners, and discovered several exciting new producers along the way. One of my favorite “finds” from this trip was the exceptional range from Laurent and Dominique Courbis.

France, rhone, Wine NewsletterKeith MabryOctober 30, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, keith mabry, domaine corbis, st joseph, northern rhone, rhone valley, cornas, syrah, syrah wine, wine, french wine

Post-Tent-Event Bliss and Other Champagne News

Another Champagne Tent Event is in the books, and we’re still riding the wave of excitement that follows an afternoon spent with so many remarkable producers. This month’s Champagne Newsletter celebrates that same spirit—spotlighting the unforgettable wines of Launois, sharing stories from Champagne Buyer Gary Westby, and inviting you to keep exploring through our Champagne Club and exclusive grower selections. As the holidays approach, we’ve also gathered a lineup of exceptional Champagne values to have on hand for every toast, dinner, and celebration to come. Raise a glass with us to another season of discovery, connection, and great bubbles.

France, Wine Newsletter, ChampagneKate SotoOctober 20, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, champagne, champagne tent event, champagne tasting

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