The 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign has generated more questions than any vintage in recent memory—about quality, pricing, tariffs, and whether to buy now or wait. Here are the answers to the questions we're hearing most from collectors, with links to the full analysis where relevant.
I don't think Bordeaux 2025 compares to anything else, from the growing season to the En Primeur campaign. Harvests were as early as they've been since 1989 and yields were as low as they were in 1961. The solar vintage seemed to hint at 2022, but the result is something far more restrained. It's with these thoughts that I'd advise throwing all other vintage comparisons out the window and consider 2025 like this: there are a lot of remarkable wines that are very refreshing in style, complex in structure, and at prices that range from sharp to can't miss.
When speaking of Bordeaux, Graves and Pessac-Léognan are often left out of the conversation when discussing the Left Bank/Right Bank divide. This is a glaring omission. Some of the region's best wines and values can be found here—and in 2025, the appellation delivered at every level, from the grand crus to the everyday drinking wines, and from the reds to what may be the finest dry whites of the entire campaign.
2025 Bordeaux is one of the strongest vintages in recent memory, released at prices that may not last. The campaign is winding down, larger formats are going first, and the best allocations are already moving. Here is how to make sure you don't miss it.
Where the Left Bank impressed with structure and precision, the Right Bank was about texture. We spent the first half of our trip across the Médoc and Pessac-Léognan, and the wines were stunning. But the moment we crossed to the Right Bank, the whole character of the vintage shifted under our feet. Where the usual suspects of the Haut-Médoc and the Graves showed depth and promise, the Merlot- and Cabernet Franc-dominated wines of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol gave us something more generous—silky, expressive wines layered with minerality.
The 2025 Left Bank delivered across all four major appellations—but not uniformly, and not in the way recent vintages have prepared us for. Pauillac produced wines of extraordinary density off half the usual crop. Saint-Julien was the steadiest appellation of the entire campaign, top to bottom. Margaux, rescued by sixty millimeters of rain at exactly the right moment, was the appellation of the vintage. And Saint-Estèphe's clay gave the commune a tension the south had to chase. Here is what we found.
If you asked me to describe my perfect Bordeaux vintage, I'd say good concentration, purity, freshness, with moderate levels of alcohol. Balance and full ripeness, but with a sense of weightlessness and texture. That is very nearly exactly what 2025 delivered.
This is a fascinating time for Bordeaux. The wines are as good as they have ever been, and pricing for many releases has fallen to levels that remind us of campaigns from a decade ago. Few regions in the world can offer this combination of pedigree, quality, ageability, and value.
I recently returned from two weeks in the Rhône Valley, and I am still playing catch up. There were so many things to digest along the way – new vintage assessments, strengthening our producer relationships, and finding new partner producers.
Read MoreI have just returned from a nine-day trip to Burgundy where I was able to taste the 2023 vintage from bottle as well as many 2024 wines from barrel. I also spent a lot of time discussing economic global trends with our winery partners. Going over to taste is an annual trip, and I always appreciate re-tasting a vintage in bottle that I had previously tasted from barrel as well as tasting the next vintage we’ll be selling. 2023s are excellent: loaded with fruit and very fresh and energetic, though a tad less rich and complex than their 2022 counterparts. The whites excelled once again while the reds are delicious with wonderful aromas and pure red fruits cores across the board.
Read MoreWith some of the most northern vineyards in all of Burgundy, the appellation of Marsannay has been benefiting from the warmer vintages of late. Previously known for making tight, less-forgiving wines, the wines of Marsannay are now beautiful expressions of red fruit, spice, and mineral notes. There are many top prodcuers making wines in Marsannay, including Bruno Clair, Denis Mortet, Louis Jadot, Domaine Faiveley, Domaine Bart—and one of our longtime direct import producers, Charles Audoin. The wines of Charles Audoin deserve particular note because we have just received a terrific trio of 2022s.
Read MoreIf you’re in the market for impeccably well-made white Burgundy that is also affordable then the set of 2023s from Pernot-Belicard should definitely fit the bill. I have been lucky enough to visit this property multiple times and taste the 2023s from both barrel and from bottle and see the wines evolve from potential to reality in terms of how good they are. These are easily the best set of wines produced from Pernot-Belicard to date, and they represent stellar values from the entry-level Bourgogne Blanc all the way to the top 1er Cru Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault offerings.
Read MoreWe’re back on the trail, getting ready to taste the 2024s in Bordeaux, while catching up with our friends in the region. It is one of the great traditions in the world of fine wine—and quickly becoming an indispensable part of my year. The exhausting (trust me…) trek through the region will give us a wonderful perspective on the wines that will be released for sale as soon as next week—another chapter in the storied history of Bordeaux.
Read MoreWelcome to our latest newsletter, spotlighting our newly expanded private-label lineup, Anonymous Wine Collective, and launching Spirits Auctions on May 1st! We’re also celebrating the return of our buyers, who’ve uncovered hidden gems for our Direct Import program. Plus, we’ve got two inaugural Tent Events—a West Coast tasting in San Francisco and an Italian-themed event in Culver City—showcasing can’t-miss wines poured by the people who make them. Finally, check out our updated Open Cellar Program, now available in all locations.
Read MoreI always look forward to my annual visit to Domaine Parent and my sit-down tasting with Anne Parent. We tasted her 2022 wines from bottle, and they were absolutely singing! 2022 was an exceptional vintage for red Burgundy, and the set of wines from Domaine Parent showcase both the quality of the vintage as well as the signature style of Domaine Parent. With premier holdings scattered mostly across Pommard, Corton, and Beaune, Domaine Parent has created wines of incredible freshness with enviable fruit and impressive structure and depth. Domaine Parent exemplifies the perfect synergy of Burgundian classicism with the new world order in Burgundy.
Read MoreSpring has sprung and with it the official start of rosé season. As I’ve said before, personally I like to drink rosé all year, but here at K&L we definitely start to see an uptick in demand as the lighter evenings draw out and temperatures rise.
Read MoreWe have a phenomenal selection of Anthill Farms wines right now at incredible prices. Having worked very closely with the winery for many years, we were able to negotiate some excellent deals on the last few cases of the 2022 vintage before the new 2023 releases hit the market. And, we’re passing those savings on to you! It’s a fantastic chance to get your hands on these stunning single vineyard releases at a huge saving!
Read MoreIf I was forced to pick a favorite wine region in California, I think it would have to be the Santa Cruz Mountains. These rugged coastal mountains are a truly special place to produce wine. First of all, the diversity of micro-climates within the AVA allows for an almost endless range of possibilities for grape growing. The generally warmer interior (SF Bay side) of the mountains is perfect for growing Bordeaux varietals as illustrated by the iconic wines of Ridge Monte Bello and close neighbors such as Fellom Ranch and Mount Eden. On the coastal side of the mountains the Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay provide enormous tempering effects on temperature as well as persistent fog. This makes great conditions for growing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Read MoreFrom iconic names to emerging stars, Italy continues to offer some of the most thrilling wines in the world. This curated collection highlights everything from pedigreed Prosecco and Alpine gems to collectible Barolo and hidden treasures from Abruzzo. Whether you're looking to stock up on everyday favorites or add a few cellar-worthy bottles, these standout selections are not to be missed.
Read MoreEleonora and Gloria Barale are the fifth generation to hold the reins at Barale Fratelli, a winery whose history in Barolo runs 150+-years deep. The fact that they are not fratelli (brothers) at all, but sorelle (sisters), reflects the new generation in Barolo: women holding leadership roles in what was once a very male-dominated industry, who use modern technology and farming practices but traditional winemaking methods to create flat-out fantastic wines.
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