After 20 years of buying the Champagne here at K&L, I have to say that I have never seen a year like this one… The good news is, some very good deals have come out of this bizarre situation, and one of the best deals is the small lot of Canard-Duchêne "Charles VII - Grande Cuvée le Victorieux" Brut Champagne that just arrived. The last time we had this, many years ago, we sold it for $49.99, which was a good value. It is now selling for $60 elsewhere, but we were able to grab the last of it and offer it at $39.99.

Iconic Single-Vineyard Krug

Very few wines in the world are as rare, special, and profound as Krug's Clos du Mesnil. Any wine lover should count themselves lucky just to have tasted it once in their lifetime. I felt blessed indeed to drink a bottle of it in my front yard with Cinnamon during this year's endless California Indian summer. Given my previous experience with this wine and the high price, my expectations were very, very high. I was not disappointed.

Stuff Their Stockings with Booze: The 2020 Holiday Newsletter

Whether 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.

Ethereal 2008 From Henriot

Vintage Henriot and white truffles, oh my. Gary found a very special wine to go with his birthday truffle straight from Alba and handmade pasta. Though he’d intended to drink the 2008 Henriot as an aperitif, it paired so divinely with his meal that it became the star of the show.

All-Meunier One-Off from Billecart

I have received more calls for the Billecart-Salmon "Le Rendez-Vous" Pinot Meunier Extra Brut #1 Champagne than any other bottling this year. Yesterday, our small allocation of 180 bottles finally arrived. I didn’t waste time—I am just as excited as all of the customers who called and emailed—so I chilled one down and drank it last night. Cinnamon and I had the wine both as an aperitif, and with the excellent Taiwanese food of I-Dumpling here in Redwood City. It was a huge success both ways and “a small bottle”—our code at home for “we liked it so much that we drank it too fast.”

A Feast Fit for a King (Crab) with 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal

Last night, I was treated to an early birthday treat as my friend, Henry, who manages the Fish Market restaurant, called and said that he had fresh king crab for us. Once a year, he gets an allocation aired in from Alaska that has not been frozen, and it is an over-the-top delicacy. We paired it with the most elegant of tête de cuvée Champagnes, the 2012 Louis Roederer “Cristal” Brut Champagne, and I don’t know if my real birthday is going to be able to compete.

Mindblowing Champagne from Philippe Gonet

It is not every day that one has the chance to drink a Champagne from the most sought-after villages in Champagne, or from the best vintage of a generation, or from vines of nearly 100-years old. When all of that can be found in one wine, it ought to be a special occasion indeed to taste it. The 2008 Philippe Gonet "Cuvée Belemnita" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne made my Thursday a special occasion—it delivers on all its promise, and then some. It is in contention to be the best bottle of Champagne in stock at K&L—at any price…

A Regal Showing from Taittinger: 2008 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs

Last night, Cinnamon and I drank one of the most long-awaited prestige cuvée releases, the 2008 Taittinger "Comtes de Champagne" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne. I can’t remember fielding quite as many calls and emails for a Champagne since the 2002 Krug was released, and for good reason—this is a prestige cuvée that delivers on all of its promise. I had already been extremely impressed with another preview bottle on Saturday with the team at work, but, at home, with time and food, I was blown away.

Luxury Cuvées to Everyday Values: Our Champagne Newsletter

It’s no secret that we absolutely love Champagne at K&L. The reasons why are too many to count, but if we had to pick one, it could very well be the breathtaking diversity of this world-famous region. As such, our Champagne buyer, Gary Westby, makes the area’s impressive range of styles a central theme in this month’s newsletter. Gary and the team take us on a tour that winds its way to such locales as Tours-sur-Marne, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and Drachy—some of Champagne’s most revered and celebrated sites. Along the way they delve into many of the region’s biggest names, including Laurent-Perrier and Billecart-Salmon as well as lesser known producers such as Fallet-Dart. Represented in these pages is everything from luxury cuvées to outstanding values.

A Vintage Côte des Blancs Stunner at Half the Price

Love vintage Blanc de Blancs Champagne? Love an incredible value? Our Champagne Buyer, Gary Westby, has found both and there’s plenty to share. The 2013 Ayala Blanc de Blancs Brut is an incredible find no Champagne enthusiast will want to miss.

Something Extra: The Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs from Brochet

Last night, Cinnamon and I had the opportunity to compare two of the top cuvées from Louis Brochet, his Extra Noir and Extra Blanc. Both of these are made in small quantities from the oldest vines on the property, and given long aging on the lees, both over five years. It was fascinating to enjoy a pure Chardonnay and a pure Pinot Noir Champagne like these next to each other…

The 2014 Roederer Rosé Reveals the Charm of Its Vintage

The 2014 vintage in Champagne is one that all Champagne lovers should take note of. For me, it is only the second time since 1988 (the other harvest being 2004) that the region has produced wines of such streamlined and relaxed elegance…

K&L Wine Merchants

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