To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris, we’d like to pay tribute to one of our very favorite California wineries, one whose 1971 Monte Bello came in fifth place in 1976, and whose 1971 Monte Bello came in first place 30 years later at the rematch—Ridge Vineyards. Our Domestic Buyer, Kaj Stromer, recently attended a Zoom tasting of Ridge’s spring releases, and he left thoroughly impressed. Click for his recap.
Read MoreWe’re here today, on National Chardonnay Day, to celebrate this iconic, global grape, and specifically to celebrate what’s happening with it in Oregon. Pinot Noir definitely put Oregon wine on the map, but Chardonnay is no doubt becoming a major contender, and, if the bottles we have on our shelves are any indicator, the future looks incredibly bright for Oregon Chard.
Read MoreOn Monday night, browsing through my Instagram feed, I was shocked to read about the sudden passing of Jim Clendenen. I have seen many outpourings of heartfelt sorrow for Jim's untimely death and several anecdotal stores highlighting just what a colorful guy he was. So, I figured I'd share a quick story about the first time I met Jim back in 2009.
Read MoreA couple years back I was lucky enough to get the full tour of Eisele Vineyard with General Manager, Antoine Donnedieu. After walking the vineyard and spending a few hours tasting with Antoine, I was able to fully understand how Eisele’s Altagracia Cabernet is differentiated from the Eisele Vineyard Cabernet "proper…"
Read MoreToday, the staff and buyers at K&L are opening up Sauvignon Blanc from around the world to pay homage to the Sauvignon Blanc grape and the wonderful wine it produces.
Read MoreI can't think of a more appropriate Wine of the Week for Earth Day than the 2018 Hirsch Vineyards "San Andreas Fault" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The wine comes from an iconic vineyard that sits quite literally at the edge of the Earth, 1,500 to 2000 feet above the Pacific Ocean in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA… The entire estate, including the orchards and gardens, are farmed according to biodynamic principles. The wines themselves are made in a very natural way that respects the quality of the fruit and a powerful sense of place.
Read MoreWhen COVID-19 shut the world down 12 months ago, just about everything changed. Though it will never replace walking the vineyards or tasting barrels in the cellar with an amped-up winemaker excited to share their creations, I'm hugely grateful to the folks who have sent their wines during this time, and I have had more than a few "discoveries" that have left me stunned.
Read MoreIn the thousands of wines we taste at K&L each year, it is often the most strange, wildly different wines that are the most talked about... Regardless of whether you think the wine tastes good or not, they are so radically different that they always tend to inspire heated discussions and end up stealing the spotlight. So I reached out to our buying staff to compile a list of wines that will shake up your palate. If you find yourself in need of a bottle to change up your wine routine, argue over, or just explore somewhere new, check out this list.
Read MoreAs we look to the state of Domestic wines for today’s newsletter, grace is the word on the tips of our tongues. From the vibrant, focused Cabernets coming out of Napa’s excellent 2018 vintage to the seductively aromatic Pinots from Oregon’s Arterberry Maresh, these pages showcase wines that achieve a seamless blend of elegance and self-possession that can only be encapsulated by the word grace. Take a stroll through the wine country of our own backyard and see what these amazing folks have been up to!
Read MoreGreg Brewer has been making gorgeous wines in the Sta. Rita Hills since 1996, first with his eponymous winery Brewer-Clifton, opened with Steve Clifton, then at Melville and Diatom wineries. Though the style is different at each winery, the message is the same: Sta. Rita Hills is world-class terroir, and it’s here to stay. If you want to understand Pinot and Chardonnay from the Sta. Rita Hills, Brewer’s wines should be where you start.
Read MoreWhether you’ll be spinning a dreidel, rockin’ around the Christmas tree, lighting the Kwanzaa candles, or simply enjoying Winter Solstice, we have something that can make your celebration special, and, though the times were strange in 2020, the wines were superb.
Read MoreJoin Buyer Keith Mabry and Importer Tom Bracamontes for a chat about where Baja wine has been and where it’s going, plus profiles on a few of their favorite producers.
Read More
