2023 Bordeaux: A Classic Vintage at Sharp Pricing

Despite such a fast and furious start to the campaign, we've so far seen very impressive engagement from futures buyers, with sales coming in much more volume than 2022. The main reason, apart from a large crop of high-quality wines? Pricing. With many châteaux releasing at 25% to 40% below their 2022 prices, the 2023 vintage is set to put the Bordeaux market right, and our avid collectors are the biggest beneficiaries. In our annual Bordeaux Vintage Guide, you'll find summaries of all the top appellations that we tasted, along with comprehensive lists of currently available selections. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to stay tuned in the coming weeks as marquee names like Montrose, Canon, the Pichons, and many others release their 2023s to market. Check out the notes for these, and all of the wines below on our 2023 Bordeaux Vintage Report.

Celebrate National Wine Day!

The official date for National Wine Day is always the 25th of May. Luckily, this year, that date is on a Saturday! So, we can celebrate today without having to worry about the consequences of a work weekday! The Pisoni family fits in perfectly with the idea of National Wine Day, so I felt like to day was a perfect day to celebrate them, too.

Portugal in the Spotlight and Rioja's New Wave

Today's newsletter gives Portugal a long-overdue stint in the spotlight. With some of the greatest stylistic and varietal diversity in the world, it's a wine explorer's paradise… For all our Spanish aficionados, I'm also providing a fresh look at some of the most intriguing producers redefining the landscape of the country's most important region, Rioja.

Meet the Winemakers of the New Rioja

Anza is a perfect introduction to the “New Rioja.” Diego Magana is a second-generation wine maverick… I think that the curious collector will surprise not only themselves but their friends with these wines, especially if they allow them a little more time in the bottle.

Beautiful Atlantic Islands Produce the Ultimate Volcanic Wines

The gorgeous Atlantic islands have been on top of mind for many people in the wine industry lately, as the wines being produced in places like the Canary and Azores islands are exciting and tremendously good. I have seen many great articles recently focusing on their many attributes. The vineyards are stunning… check out the above pictures of Pico and Lanzarote vineyards (l to r). Take a moment, take that in, have you ever seen vineyards that look like that? They are incredible. What’s even better, the wines from those vineyards are incredible. Volcanic wines are having a moment right now, but there are volcanic wines, and then there are Volcanic Wines! I have the images of these vineyards so interwoven in my mind that I see them in my mind's eye while tasting these wines. I go on a vacation with every glass of wine. And once you try these, I hope they will transport you, too.

Portuguese Wine 101: Douro Valley

In addition to being one of the most eclectic wine regions, the Douro Valley is one of the most scenic in the world. It is amazing. There is the Douro River and its tributaries that have carved these valleys into granite and schist. This is a region that speaks to time in a way that mountains speak to time. There are winding terraced slopes that, in some bends and turns, the forests have reclaimed. This is a place where the expression “a photo is worth a thousand words” fails—no images truly capture the magic of this place.

Portuguese Wine 101: Alentejo

One of the most surprising features of almost all the wines from Alentejo—red, white, and rosé—is the freshness. This can be a sundrenched region, and the wines have generous fruit, the body, and sometimes alcohol to show for it. However, they can also have a vibrancy that would suggest a cooler climate. It is this combination, not to mention all the layers of flavor complexity that can be interwoven with the mixture of Portuguese and international varietals. Here are a few wonderful wineries to try as you begin to dive into this region.

Let Kirk Be Your Guide to the Exciting World of Portuguese Wine

So many exciting things are happening in the Portuguese wine world. Over the last 30 years the wine industry has changed so much… in the span of just one generation, Portuguese wine is ready for international success. Winemakers and viticulturalists have so much knowledge now, it is no surprise how good these wines are now. And the best part about it is that we are along for the ride to watch and taste what is happening.

Champagne Buying Guide

Today's buying guide gets us (re)acquainted with the people and places that make our Champagne portfolio the best in the business. Fresh off a visit to the region, I've come back with a renewed appreciation for these treasured estates, a few of which I've worked with for going on two decades. Recent containers have just dropped a treasure trove of unbeatable direct-import buys on our shelves, so I invite you to explore below and take a deep dive into these beloved wines and producers.

Champagne Baron-Fuenté’s Esprit Is Now Quinconce!

No visit to Champagne would be complete without a drive out to Charly-sur-Marne in the westernmost part of the region to visit Sophie and Ignace Baron at Champagne Baron Fuenté. This year, they have gone through a big label change, with the entire Esprit range now renamed Quinconce. Don’t worry—the great quality and the prices have not changed, just the name.

Fan-Favorite Champagne Launois Back In Stock

Our ship of Launois recently arrived, just before I shipped out to Mesnil to visit the property. I just tasted all of these wine with Séverine Launois and as usual, their range of estate-grown, Grand Cru Chardonnay–centered wines were amazing. There is a reason that these are the best-selling Champagnes at K&L; they refuse to use anything other than their own vineyards, and those vineyards are exclusively planted to massal selections from their own mother vines—they do not have any cloned plants at all here. The heart of the vineyard, the place where they have the most land, is none other than the legendary Mesnil Grand Cru—the most expensive and most sought-after in all of the Champagne region.

The Top Champagne Release of 2024?

I don’t know if I am ready for a better Champagne to be released in 2024 than the 2012 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Louis" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne $199.99. I have been lucky enough to have tasted it three times since its release this April, and to drink it once at home as well. This is a Champagne that epitomizes the elegance of this great house, and of Grand Cru Chardonnay from the region.

K&L Wine Merchants

www.klwines.com