On Monday, for Valentine’s Day, Cinnamon and I opened the best bottle of wine I have drunk in quite a while. It was the Krug Grande Cuvée 165ème edition, which had been in my cellar for just over four years. Just last week, Krug announced their ingredient of the year—rice—as part of their wonderful single-ingredient program. Each year they choose a “humble” ingredient to inspire everyone from top chefs to Krug-loving home cooks to come up with great pairings. Cinnamon and I had been talking about which rice dish to cook ever since. I settled on crab risotto, a dish we used to make every Dungeness crab season, but due to poor supply of the crustaceans over the last few years, have not made in quite a while.

The Holiday Buying Guide

The holidays are the merriest time of the year ... and perhaps the most exhausting. Let us help make things a bit simpler for you—this week’s newsletter is your one-stop shop for rewarding holiday picks. We’ve got bottles to give, bottles to share, plus a few for your own stockings.

Turkey (Or Tofurkey) Tipples of Every Stripe!

We at K&L are Thanksgiving die-hards. It’s the one time of year when our collective favorite hobby is front and center: eating and drinking! In this week’s newsletter, our buyers have put together a compendium of some of their favorite turkey (or tofurkey) tipples—and there’s even a mortadella pairing if you want to veer off the beaten path.

Meet the Staff Series: Gary Westby Edition

Next up in our staff spotlight series is Gary Westby, K&L’s longtime Champagne Buyer (20+ years!). He’s a big contributor here on our blog, and you’ll find his videos, tasting notes, and dinner pairings on our social media channels. Redwood City regulars likely know him for his helpful suggestions on the floor. Gary’s enthusiasm for his wines and winemakers is infectious!

An Anderson Valley Pioneer Nears 40: Roederer Estate

The winding Highway 128 that runs through Anderson Valley was known by sportscar enthusiasts before it was known by California wine seekers. As harvest wraps up throughout the Valley and the leaves just begin to change, Roederer Estate’s 2021 harvest is in tank as they push the throttle toward their 40th anniversary next year. Now firmly placed in California’s sparkling wine pantheon, the estate’s wines represent a remarkable and unmatched value in the marketplace.

Worth the Wait: the Champagne of Louis Brochet

The Brochet family has 32 acres of vines, almost all in the village of Écueil on the Mountain of Reims. They have been growers since 1882, at least, and have the distinction of possessing their own special selection of Pinot Noir, Pinot d’Écueil, which is an old massal selection passed down for generations in their family. Louis Brochet, the current winemaker, is qualified with a diploma of enology, a masters-level education in winemaking. With his learned skill, their special selection of Pinot, and the great terroir of the 1er cru of Écueil, the family is turning out fantastic wines. Since we have been buying direct from them for years, the prices are still super reasonable.

Duménil Special Club: Special Champagne, Special Price

We just received an allocation of 300 bottles of the 2013 Duménil “Special Club” 1er Cru Brut Champagne at a nearly unheard-of price for a wine in the club trésors, $49.99. This group of 28 growers, which includes super stars like Paul Bara, Gaston-Chiquet, and Pierre Gimonnet all agree to put their top wine in the Special Club bottle, but only after it passes a blind tasting jury of members and oenologists. For grower Champagne, I can think of few better guarantees of quality than the Special Club.

Roederer “Collection 242” Replaces Brut Premier

In the next few months, Champagne Louis Roederer will be replacing their Brut Premier, which has been pleasing palates since 1986, with the Collection 242, a numbered multi-vintage blend. This new cuvée is one of the most revolutionary moves—if not the most revolutionary move that I have seen from a grand marque producer in my 21-year career as Champagne Buyer here at K&L. I can’t wait for all my Champagne-loving customers and friends to try it when it arrives.

A Whole New World: Virtual Champagne Tasting

Thanks to technology, today we were able to convene and do a virtual tasting, led by our Champagne Guru, Gary Westby. I’m thrilled to be able to taste again as a staff, and Gary’s presentation reminded me how much I love his Champagne program. If you haven’t been down the Champagne aisle in awhile, it’s a great time to take a stroll there—no celebration needed! Any of these bottles would make a day special.

A Walk in the Vineyard with Chantal Gonet

In the middle of last month, I was on the second plane into France for vaccinated Americans with Kate Soto, Clyde and Trey Beffa. It was great to be back on the job in the cellars and tasting rooms of Champagne, but the highlight of the trip, under the June sun, was the time I got to spend in the vineyard. On the last day of the trip, Chantal Gonet of Champagne Philippe Gonet and Champagne Pierre Mineral took me for a visit to the crown jewel of their estate: Les Hauts Jardins.

Vintage Billecart and Sushi Night at the Westbys

Last night, Cinnamon and I treated ourselves to some sushi from the recently reopened Kanpai in Palo Alto and paired it with the magnificent 2007 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Louis" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne. I had opened it to make a little video presenting the wine (see below), and we enjoyed the rest paired with the great variety that a sushi dinner has to offer. This over-200-year-old house continues to push and strive for ever more quality, and this all-Chardonnay tête-de-cuvée is proof of that.

Champagne Dreams

We’ve made it to France! Our first few days were spent happily in Champagne, driving through the narrow towns that climb up and down hillsides. I was able to meet some of the people K&L has forged the deepest relationships with in the region—and some of the wines that I have on regular rotation at home. Aside from being lovely people, their wines are exquisitely made, with generations of experience in each family.

K&L Wine Merchants

www.klwines.com