There’s no doubt that the wines coming out of California, Oregon, and Washington State these days are better than ever. With an influx of new talent and well-honed skills from the veterans, the wines are not just a departure from the “go big or go home” model, they are in fact some of the most pure expressions of the specific and varied terroir that the West Coast has to offer.
Read MoreThe wines of Silver Oak are nothing short of iconic, Third-generation vintner Matt Duncan gives us a peak into one of the reasons why: their American oak barrels, painstakingly prepared to create the perfect symbiosis with their favorite grape: Cabernet!
Read MoreThis year marks Nicolas-Jay’s seventh vintage of making beautiful Pinots and Chardonnay in Willamette Valley. Despite fires and pandemics, these two longtime friends—Jay Boberg and Jean-Nicolas Meo—have managed to open a brand-spanking new winery this year, just in time for harvest. It may be weird times all around, but the future is looking bright for this winery, and for Oregon wine as a whole.
Read MoreAs California finds itself in the midst of another brutal fire season, we release our newsletter devoted to its wines. The timing is coincidence, but the sentiment is sincere: we are passionate about our state and want to support our fellow Californians in this difficult time in any way we know how. The way we know is wine. We’ve enclosed in this newsletter some of our Buyers’ current favorites. And we are publishing it with the hopes that our beloved places and people under siege by fire will soon get the reprieve they so desperately need.
Read MoreWe are so lucky in California to be a stone’s throw from great wine regions, no matter which part of the state we live in—and it seems a particularly good moment to celebrate this unique part of the world while it suffers under smoke and fire right now. Hollywood staffer Illya Haase recently took his family on a short jaunt from LA to Ballard Canyon, home to Stolpman Vineyards and their great lineup of wines. He was impressed by their thoughtful winemaking and farming, but mostly by the deep connection to their people and their land.
Read MoreBehind every great wine is a great story. Napa’s Accendo Cellars indeed makes great wine, and the story behind it is particularly special to us at K&L. Bart Araujo, former owner of Eisele Vineyards and Araujo Estate Winery, is the man behind the magic at Accendo Cellars. He also happens to be good friends with K&L’s Clyde Beffa, and their story stretches back to the baseball diamond at Serra High. Luckily they both held their own on the ol’ sand lot, though you might hear a bit of friendly rivalry now and again! Since those years, they’ve built some amazing businesses, and a remarkable multi-generational friendship.
Read MoreSummertime, and the livin’ is…well, decidedly different than we all had expected. But the wines are excellent, and there’s no shortage of options, both tried-and-true and off-the-beaten path. In this week’s newsletter, our Buyers have joined forces to bring you a guide to beating the heat with the coolest of the cool summer wines on our shelves.
Read MoreJust in time for the 4th: our Domestic Newsletter! Domestic Buyers Ryan Woodhouse and Kaj Stromer talk old vines, new wines, and the bounty of good juice that lies in between.
Read MoreWith winemaker bona fides and access to some of the best fruit in the Willamette Valley, Hundred Suns’ limited-edition cuvées showcase the amazing juice coming out of Oregon these days—and they’re racking up critic scores to prove it. Made in micro-quantities with lots of love by Grant Coulter and Renée Saint-Amour, they’re wines to snatch up while we have them in stock. Our Magic 8-Ball says they won’t be around long!
Read MoreChalone Vineyard in Monterey County is a truly special place. We have a fantastic price on their 2016 Pinot, and it's worth stocking up by the case!
Read MoreWe’re tried and true West Coasters, here to celebrate the wines from the wonderful states that skirt the Great Pacific Ocean. Our Domestic Newsletter is chock full of amazing finds, and stories about the personalities behind them. There’s a whole lot of deliciousness inside.
Read MoreRecently, I had the opportunity to visit Beauregard Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winemaker and Owner Ryan Beauregard pointed out that the best way to understand his wines is to see the place. And to his point, there is so much more to these wines than just aromas and flavors. Instead, they tell a story of time and place, history and character, woven together by the hands of a talented winemaker.
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