En Primeur: Memory Lane

As we wrap up the end of this year’s En Primeur week, we’ve got a look back at years past. These are photos from Clyde’s archives, with his captions below each. Enjoy!

2022 Bordeaux En Primeur: Some Very Good Wines, Not Yet a Great Vintage

As my colleague Ralph Sands says, right now, this is a vintage with good wines. Whether or not it is a great vintage is still very much up in the air, and tastings will continue to prove it out either way in the coming days. In our first main day of tasting, we visit St-Estephe, the powerhouses of Pauillac, and start into St-Julien.

2022 Bordeaux En Primeur: Rule #1 - Don't Start with Conclusions

This year, we started our visits with the infamous Bill Blatch, a fount of knowledge who tasted us on Sauternes, but is as well-versed in Bordeaux as anybody you’d meet. When asked about the vintage for sweet wines, his answer was very refreshing and grounding. Instead of reaching for superlatives and quotables, he produced a series of charts that showed the weather conditions in the region for every single day. We asked for conclusions. Instead, he gave us information, paired it perfectly with the wines, and set us down our own paths.

A Quick Pre-Primeur Look at the 2022 Bordeaux Vintage

The 2022 Bordeaux vintage has finally arrived, and the wine world is buzzing with anticipation. This is why we travel to En Primeur - to separate the hype from reality. We’ll report in over the coming weeks and see just how much this is a vintage that will reward the premium prices we expect to see.

Burgundy Can Be Your Go-To Weeknight Drink—If You Know Where to Look!

Today's Newsletter looks at one of the world's most revered and traditional wine regions through a fresh new lens. In recent years, the Burgundy category has seemingly charged out of reach of anyone but the most affluent collectors, but nothing could be further from the truth. New investment in winemaking and viticulture across the board have many of the region's lesser-known appellations and domaines turning out their best results ever, and K&L buyer Alex Pross is ready to give you the full rundown of some of our surefire winners off the beaten Burgundy path.

Interview with Chris Puppione of Puppione Family Wines

Every wine ever made is a result of a series of decisions. Each decision, especially early in the process, lays the wine’s foundation and structure. The wines Chris Puppione makes are exquisite examples of place and variety—such purity and honesty. The five that I tasted with Chris made me excited for the future. I felt like I escaped into great series on Netflix, and I eagerly await the coming seasons to see how this this story evolves.

Visiting Domaine Gérard Tremblay in Chablis

It is hard to come back from Chablis. After a week vacationing in this paradise-like northern corner of Burgundy, I think I have fallen in love for ever. Cinnamon and I had a great time there cooking with the local ingredients, dining at wonderful local restaurants, hiking in the vineyards, and of course, visiting a few producers. One of the catalysts for this trip was a bottle of 2014 Domaine Gérard Tremblay Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir that we drank on Christmas eve from the case that we bought several years ago. Paired with our local Dungeness crab, it beguiled us, and the empty ended up going on our wall of fame.

Spanish Newsletter: Rediscover This Dynamic Wine Region

Indigenous grapes, old-vine vineyards, organic farming, fresh new talent, and diverse terroir: this is the new Spain. If you haven’t revisited the Spanish wine aisle in awhile, you’ll be amazed at all the fresh energy pouring out of the country in vinous form. Let Spain Wine Buyer Kirk Walker take you on a tour of his favorite spots and producers in today’s newsletter.

Organic, Crushable, 97 Points, and Under $20: The 2020 Ayles Cuesta del Herrero

What if I told you that you can buy an absolutely crushable organic red blend—that earned 97 points and Best in Show for 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards—for under $20? Allow me to present the 2020 Ayles "Cuesta del Herrero" Tinto Vino de Pago Aragon.

The Best Bordeaux Vintages of the 21st Century with Clyde

When I heard that K&L Wine Merchant’s co-founder, Clyde Beffa Jr., was hosting a Bordeaux tasting for his birthday at our San Francisco store, I knew it was a can’t-miss opportunity.

Spotlight on Italy: Tuscan Standouts, Top Buys in Piedmont, & Much More

Today's Newsletter takes us to Italy, with a focus of the northern half of the Boot. Top Tuscan reds lead the way, all in stock with glowing critical acclaim and exceptional pricing, and we introduce you to the stunning Alto Adige reds (yes, reds!) of the brilliant Elisabetta Foradori. A carefully curated selection of top buys puts the spotlight on Piedmont's recent vintages, and a trio of staff picks from our Italian team should be on everyone's radar.