Last week was Organic Wine Week in New Zealand and to celebrate here in the States they hosted a tasting and seminar at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Although they are a relative newcomer in the wine world, New Zealand is setting standards and outpacing many other wine regions in sustainable and organic practices. Their holistic approach and future-facing goals are promising and inspiring.
Read MoreQuartz Reef has always had a cult following at K&L. Which is why I jumped at the chance to meet up with Rudi Bauer, founder and winemaker behind Quartz Reef this August. Rudi first moved to New Zealand from his native Austria in 1985 and after stints at Mission Vineyards, Giesen and Rippon, quickly became known as one of the pioneers of Central Otago, and one of the first adherents of Biodynamic farming in New Zealand. He founded Quartz Reef in 1998 and today, he’s considered a legend in the Central Otago winemaking scene.
Read MoreTerroir geeks: can we talk? Soil, bedrock, micronutrients—it’s downright complicated unless you have a degree in geology. Am I right? Luckily the wine world has Brandon Sparks-Gillis, geologist, winemaker, Master of Wine candidate, cofounder of Dragonette in Santa Barbara County, and all-around great resource on wines and soils. Brandon indulged me all my nerdy soil questions about the special place that is Sta. Rita Hills.
Read MoreOne of our oldest employees and Bordeaux specialists, Ralph Sands, has been here almost as long as the business itself. Over those past four decades, he’s amassed quite a few stories. Recently, he shared this one, taking us back to the beginning of K&L and the special wine that helped shape the company.
Read MoreAs tried-and-true Californians, we couldn’t be prouder of the beautiful wines being produced by the Golden State these days. Check out our weekly newsletter for a handful of the Domestic Buyer’s favorite picks, and learn about some of the producers who are defining the current Golden Era.
Read MoreThis past Tuesday, the K&L Champagne team, Scott Beckerley from San Francisco, Diana Turk from Hollywood, Elsa Baez from Redwood City and I sat down for a marathon Champagne tasting. We call it our staff summit, and this was the 9th year in a row that we have gotten together for it. We want to make sure that we are all well informed on the different styles of Champagne that we offer so we can make you, the Champagne lover, happy with your selection. This year we tasted 53 Champagnes from 16 different producers.
Read MoreOn a recent two-day jaunt through Santa Barbara wine country the team and I visited several producers who we believe are among the most exciting in Southern California. Our tastings confirmed that the wines from these producers are in fact drop-dead gorgeous.
Read MoreToday, it’s widely known that some of the best Syrah and Grenache on the planet come from Rhône, but do we really understand why? This line of inquiry led us, meaning Keith and I, to create Rhône School, your biweekly-ish dive into the Rhône, region by region, rock by rock, with a blog-toothed comb. First stop: St-Joseph.
Read MoreRecently, we kicked off our annual Champagne Team Staff Summit with a wonderful sushi dinner hosted by Billecart-Salmon and Mr. Clement Calleja. It was wonderful to spend an evening learning about these fabulous Champagnes and having the opportunity to try them all with food and over time. We checked in on most of the range.
Read MoreI never imagined that we would direct import a producer whose entire production comes from one of the blessed Clos of Champagne. This past March, on my spring trip to the region, I had the chance to go to the other side of the wall of the Clos Boursault to visit Charlotte Le Gallais and her father. After months of waiting, the wines have finally arrived at K&L.
Read MoreThis week, we’re hosting Hélène Garcin-Lévêque in Hollywood for a special in-store tasting and then three-course pairing dinner at Michelin-starred Kali. But word got around! I’d planned to let readers know about the event in this post, so you could run out and buy tickets, but they’ve already sold out! So, instead, I’ll introduce you a bit to her and to her wines, and encourage you to bring home a few bottles for yourself so you can get to know her style. If you would still like the chance to meet her, you can get on the waiting list.
Read MoreIt tickles me a little to write that Damien Hugot is our new producer from the Grand Crus of the Côtes de Blancs. His family has been growing grapes in Champagne since at least 1660, and probably before that. He has an incredible collection of vineyards, almost entirely in the Grand Crus of Chouilly and Cramant, the two northernmost villages of the Côtes de Blancs.
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