On January 27, K&L hosted the Union des Grands Crus of Bordeaux tasting in San Francisco at City View Metreon, whereover 80 châteaux send winemakers, owners, and representatives to pour their current releases and discuss the vintage. We’ve had the honor of being the Bay Area host since the 2005 vintage, and our 15th event brought us the 2020s.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter rings in 2023 with our first and best love—Bordeaux. As our team gears up for their annual trip this spring, we're highlighting some of our top performers and personal favorites that came our way in 2022 and looking ahead to what the coming year will bring from the world's most famous wine region.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter is the final installment of 2022, and we're ringing out the year with a bang. Our buyers have all pitched in to compile a wide-ranging selection of holiday winners for every palate, price tier, and festive occasion. Without further ado, we'd like to wish you Happy Holidays and all the best over the next few weeks and into the New Year.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter gets us in the holiday mood with a truly all-encompassing look at our absolute favorite picks for pairing with a large and diverse holiday feast. Our best-in-the-business team of buyers has you covered with hand-picked selections that will shine in any holiday occasion, from the most casual, warm-hearted get-togethers to the most intricate and luxurious affairs.
Read MoreWe have such a wonderful abundance of Bordeaux on our shelves, as our fearless Bordeaux Buyer Clyde Beffa explains in this week’s newsletter. Just in time for the weather to turn toward fall (in California, we’re still waiting…), we have favorite collectibles, everyday values, and perfectly aged gems for every palate. Bordeaux may be known for its regal Classified Growths, and we do adore those—but Clyde’s keen eye and long history in the region mean that we also can bring you amazing value wines, many of which are perfectly aged. Whether you like a mature claret, a bright and modern burger wine, or a longterm cellar-worthy classic, our Bordeaux shelves are the place to look!
Read MoreThis Friday, Cinnamon and I enjoyed our traditional steak and claret dinner with a bottle of the 2000 Château Camensac Haut Médoc—on Clyde’s recommendation. As usual, his advice was golden, and the wine was magnificent with the food. For the first time, we had a Denver Steak from Five Mary’s Farms, a cut from under the front shoulder blade of the cow, which Cinnamon cooked on our charcoal hibachi. This flat cut cooks up like a skirt steak but is tender like a New York and very flavorful. It was a good night!
Read MoreLast week, we were honored to host the Union des Grands Crus tasting of the 2019 Bordeaux vintage at the Metreon in San Francisco. We have been hosting this event since 2005, when our co-owner and Bordeaux evangelist Clyde Beffa Jr helped lobby to have two tastings in California, with K&L covering SF and Wally’s covering LA. Last Wednesday, after a two-year pause for the pandemic—as well as a reschedule this year for same—Bordeaux producers and enthusiasts alike came together, finally, to revel in the 2019 vintage.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter spans the length and breadth of the world's greatest wine region (and the foundation of K&L's business) with a stellar run of hand-picked favorites from our intrepid Bordeaux team, followed by recaps of the back-to-back outstanding 2019 and 2020 vintages.
Read MoreA few years back, I mused about the lingering question that Clyde would often ask of châteaux representatives, sometimes up front, sometimes after a sip—“so…what’s the price?” It is a good question, something that is perhaps more apropos than ever. But it feels more poignant now for a much different reason. My last trip with Clyde would have been back in 2019, when it looked like “up” was the only direction for a 2018 vintage that provided a lot of upside, but existed in a world that seems so far away from today. Now inflation, a pandemic, and supply chain issues put an immense amount of pressure on every part of the equation, and no one knows where prices will go.
Read MoreThis Friday, Cinnamon and I had our traditional steak and claret night with some lovely shaved and roasted Brussels sprouts and jacket potatoes to pair with a new wine arrival to K&L: the 2007 Château Potensac. I must say that K&L’s Bordeaux Buyer Clyde has done it again—this is a spectacular drink for under $30, and showing both lovely clean fruit and resolved tannin at 15 years of age. Before publishing this blog piece, I will buy a case for our cellar!
Read MoreLast night, Cinnamon and I enjoyed the perfectly aged 2004 Brillette, Moulis with a big cowboy steak, diced potatoes, and a steakhouse salad. Now that my case is safely in my cellar, I can tell you about this wine: it’s the best deal in aged Bordeaux to come along in some time here at K&L.
Read MoreLast week, the wine world lost one of its giants: Anthony Barton had shepherded the estates of Léoville-Barton and Langoa-Barton into legendary status, and was often called the “gentleman of Bordeaux” for his charm and humor. He was well known for being an entertaining racontuer and was a dear friend to K&L. In today’s blog, some of our Bordeaux staff pay tribute to this great man.
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