Happy first day of Spring! With longer days and warmer weather around the corner, this is a great time to dig into wines that celebrate this coming season of growth and exploration.
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Today's Newsletter is Loire Buyer Keith Mabry's travel diary, so to speak. Having just returned from the region, he's full of fresh insight and enthuisasm for an incredibly broad and diverse range of expressions, starting with a trio of standouts from Keith's many visits while he was on the road. Our direct-import Loire producers are firing on all cylinders, showcasing the reference-point class of Loire Sauvignon Blanc. Hidden-gem regions provide unbeatable value (and longevity) for jaw-dropping bargains, and Keith pays a long-awaited visit to an all-time favorite visionary in an up-and-coming appellation.
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Today’s Loire Valley Newsletter starts with a few personal favorites of our intrepid Loire Buyer Keith Mabry, followed by an introduction to one of the great unsung heroes of the Chenin Blanc varietal—Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups. Next we dig a little deeper into the Loire's most famous region, Sancerre, by highlighting three under-the-radar stunners that provide everything Sancerre fans love about the appellation. The Loire's red wines get their due praise as Keith takes us through Cabernet Franc stunners that offer world-class appeal for simply unbeatable prices, and we round out the journey with thrilling examples of what the Loire arguably does better than anywhere else—provide exceptional wine drinking experiences for a mere song.
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Today, 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.
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Loire Buyer Keith Mabry introduces viewers to the excellent 2019 vintage in Sancerre, one that started with the threat of frost, but ultimately ended dry and warm, producing good quality and balance in the wines.
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Assistant Manager Illya Haase is known around K&L Hollywood as the go-to man for finding excellent wines under $15. He’s compiled a list of some of his favorite wines that’ll have you celebrating Wine Wednesday any night of the week.
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Happy Lunar New Year! Today kicks off the year of the Metal Rat, and we’re celebrating with… what else?… wine!
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Recently, our Buyer Keith Mabry introduced us to the wines of Patrice Colin, a new Direct Import producer who specializes in Pineau d’Aunis, and the grape came into laser focus for me. Seriously, they’re intensely delicious and interesting wines. If you’re craving a rich Cab, they might not be your thing, but if you’d like to try something a little off the beaten path that still delivers immense drinking pleasure at the table, pick up a few of these bottles—they’re a great value, all around the $15 mark.
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In a few days, Cinnamon and I are going to the Loire Valley for the first time, spending the whole trip relaxing in one place: Sancerre. I have been so excited about this trip that I couldn’t wait to get a little taste in advance, and started searching around online for recipes to go with the iconic Sauvignon Blanc from the region. I settled on the salade au crottin de Chavignol as inspiration, and read a number of recipes online. Naturally, I picked the wine first—and went with the 2017 Domaine La Clef du Recit, a recommendation from our Loire Valley buyer Keith Mabry.
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One thing I’ve learned about K&L Buyer trips is that they are not for the faint of heart! Buyers pack a lot of visits into a short amount of time so that they can see as many producers as possible. Luckily there’s ample cheese and wine for fortification.
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Recently, our French Regional Buyer Keith Mabry was given the enviable task of traveling through France, meeting winemakers, tasting their wares, and eating cheese—all in order to bring back the very best for us in our Direct Import program. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it! In honor of this Saturday’s Loire Valley tasting in all three stores, Keith and I put together a travelogue of sorts to introduce you to some of our amazing producers.
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The foodie/wine-lover smorgasbord that is Thanksgiving, where the stuff we love is front and center: cooking, eating, drinking, and merriment with those dear to you. But let’s face it, it’s a lot of work. So, we’re here to help. French-Regional-&-Miscellany Buyer Extraordinaire, Keith Mabry, and I put together a Thanksgiving game plan, complete with accompanying wines, that is sure to knock your turkey day out of the park.
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