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.”

Keith and Ted’s Excellent Greek Adventure

Is Greek wine all Greek to you? It doesn’t have to be! Join K&L Buyer Keith Mabry and importer Ted Diamantis for an Instagram Live conversation about Greek wine. So many exciting new things are coming out of this historic wine-growing region—whether you’re a grecophile or a neophyte, there’s much to discover!

Baja Wines with Keith Mabry and Tom Bracamontes

Join Buyer Keith Mabry and Importer Tom Bracamontes for a chat about where Baja wine has been and where it’s going, plus profiles on a few of their favorite producers.

Let's Do the Turkey/Tofurkey Tango

This may be an out-of-the-box Thanksgiving, so we’re thinking about out-of-the-box wine pairings. In today’s newsletter, we bring you the best and brightest of Pinot Noir, one of the classic characters you see at the turkey/tofurkey table. But we’ve thrown in some fun options from around the winemaking world to mix things up.

Sippin' with Staff: Saké to Me Edition

Though we can’t be with you in the store aisles right now geeking out about our latest finds, we are ever as excited and passionate about the products on our shelves. Each week, we bring you our virtual version of the wine aisle chat with Sippin’ with Staff—an Instagram Live session geared toward sharing what we love and hearing what’s currently floating your (boozy) boat. On Nov 4, the topic was sake, with Hollywood K&Lers Shelby Griffiths and Giovanni Bueno. Click on the video below to hear their picks, and scroll down for links to the bottles. Kanpai, friends!

Kate SotoNovember 5, 2020K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, k&l wine blog, sake, sippin with staff, shelby griffiths

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.

The Golden Age of West Coast Wines

There’s no doubt that the wines coming out of California, Oregon, and Washington State these days are better than ever. With an influx of new talent and well-honed skills from the veterans, the wines are not just a departure from the “go big or go home” model, they are in fact some of the most pure expressions of the specific and varied terroir that the West Coast has to offer.

Bordeaux Shines Brightly As the Holidays Approach

The barometer has dropped a few notches, and we’re inching toward the holiday season—it’s the perfect time of year to reach for the exquisite wines of our beloved Bordeaux! While we can’t be in the wine aisle with you chatting up our favorite wines of the year, our Bordeaux experts are very excited to share some of the treasures we have on our shelves. From new arrivals to perennial fan favorites, Clyde and crew have Bordeaux picks to get you through the rest of 2020.

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…

The Excellent 2019 Vintage in Sancerre

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.

Matt Duncan and Silver Oak's Unique Oak Barrels

The wines of Silver Oak are nothing short of iconic, Third-generation vintner Matt Duncan gives us a peak into one of the reasons why: their American oak barrels, painstakingly prepared to create the perfect symbiosis with their favorite grape: Cabernet!

Sippin’ with Staff: The Keith Takeover/Languedoc Edition

Our French Regional Buyer Keith Mabry makes the case that southern France's Languedoc-Roussillon region is THE place to currently find the best deals for everyday drinking. He's chosen six of his favorites and provides some geology, some geography, some history, and a whole lotta fun tasting notes.

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