Hot off the presses, our current newsletter, where French Regional Buyer Keith Mabry takes us on a Tour de France, covering some of the hottest Rhône, Loire, and Rousillon wines on our roster. Vintages have been good, and our producers are knocking it out of the park.
Read MoreWe are always happy to have a visit from our owner Clyde down in LA, and on Friday, Oct. 18th, we had the added bonus of a Clyde-hosted tasting–the first one ever in Hollywood! He poured a suite of Bordeaux wines from the 90s (which, to Clyde, includes 2000 but not 1990).
Read MoreGreg recently returned from a trip to Italy and he brought back some great finds that will be coming into the store over the next few weeks. First to arrive is De’Ricci, a new direct import from Montepulciano. This is an exciting new producer - not only for us, but for the region as a whole. With an interesting past, as well as a promising future, this winery offers some really fun and delicious wines.
Read MoreWhat a weekend! Our annual, two-city Champagne Tent Event was another amazing success in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. The events drew sold-out crowds with a total of 300 guests attending each tasting. This year, we had approximately 20 producers pouring their wines, many of whom flew out directly from Champagne. The lineup of over 80 Champagnes was impressive, but the real draw of this event was the opportunity to meet and talk with these producers.
Read MoreLucie Pereyre de Nonancourt and Naomi Smith recently honored our Redwood City staff with a visit from the Grand Siècle division of Laurent-Perrier. Lucie is the newest member of the family to enter the business and is focusing primarily on the Grand Siècle side.
Read MorePrices have steadily climbed throughout the Burgundy regions that were once stalwarts of everyday drinking like St. Aubin, and the more high-rent areas like Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet have priced themselves out of the daily drinker market. Burgundy-lovers have been left to find new villages that could offer that tell-tale Burgundian experience without emptying their wallets. The domaine of Jean et Gilles Lafouge is making some of the best values I have tasted in Burgundy from Auxey-Duresses, Pommard, and Meursault. Both William Kelley (Wine Advocate’s Burgundy Reviewer) and John Gillman have expressed their admiration for the immense quality of these wines. John Gillman went as far as to compare the wines to the style of Roulot’s whites.
Read MoreWe at K&L are pretty jazzed about our Direct Import Champagnes, which undeniably deliver the finest bubbles-to-price ratio we’ve ever seen. In this week’s newsletter, we’re thrilled to introduce a few new producers to our shelves and to celebrate some of the tried-and-true who have offered consistent quality and value for years. They’ll get you in the mood for our annual tent event this weekend! Let the Champagne jubilee begin!
Read MoreI have always held the opinion that there is nothing quite like visiting a place to gather a deeper understanding of the wines that come from there. The experience of walking the land; feeling how it moves; seeing the weather change throughout a day; and using the rest of the senses to take in the surroundings is one that cannot be completely recreated in any form. So the fact that, on a recent trip to Santa Barbara with the team, we had the chance to stay on site at a vineyard, offered an experience unlike any other, and left a lasting impact on my understanding of the wines that come from Bien Nacido vineyard.
Read MoreGermany, Austria, and Alsace might be three very separate places, but they share a fondness for hills, lederhosen, and, perhaps most importantly for our purposes, Riesling. They also, collectively, produce some of the most food-friendly wines on the planet.
Read MoreLast 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.
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