Wines from Chablis are currently seeing a surge in popularity. The problem with that is, like much of Burgundy, Chablis has seen a decrease in production thanks to hot vintages and then a disastrously cold, wet, and fraught vintage in 2021. We are always searching for new producers to import directly, but they have to pass our high standards at K&L to make the cut for our shelves. Fortunately for all of us Chablis lovers, Robert Goulley aced the exam.
Read MoreWow! How things have changed. Beaujolais was once considered the backwater appellation of Burgundy, where the banished Gamay grape was cultivated to make easy-drinking reds of little complexity and depth. But it is definitely not your father’s Beaujolais any longer! Today, there is an array of fantastic producers making cutting edge wines from Gamay—mostly via organic or biodynamic farming practices. The granite soil of Beaujolais is ideal for growing the Gamay grape, and the subtle hillsides and plateaus provide the perfect amount of sun and drainage for great Beaujolais. We have several fantastic wines in stock that are wonderful examples of the quality you can currently find in Beaujolais.
Read MoreThe Mâcon is just a quick 90-minute drive south from the town of Beaune, which essentially functions as the mid-point of Burgundy and divides the Côte de Nuits (north) from the Côte de Beaune (south). Once you arrive in the Mâcon you are greeted with rolling hillsides, quaint small villages, and a farmer-driven culture of winemaking. The Mâcon is home to approachable, ready-to-drink, and affordable wine values, which makes it incredibly important—and rare—in the Burgundian ecosystem. Domaine Renaud has been fashioning some of the best values to be found in Mâcon from an array of vineyards scattered throughout the many appellations located within the Mâconnais.
Read MoreOur spirits inventory has seen a tidal wave of new arrivals, and not just in the familiar categories. Of course, Scotch is on fire lately with a treasure trove of spectacular bottlings from Redacted Bros. (aka Thompson Bros.) and Dramfool, but we've also just taken in a jaw-dropping line-up of rare Armagnacs, and a long-anticipated trio of stunning craft gins from Sweden.
Read MoreGetting Hernö from Sweden’s rugged High Coast onto K&L’s shelves has been years in the making. Their story with K&L begins with our relationship with Four Pillars—the phenomenal Yarra Valley, Australia, gin producer who stole our hearts back in 2016. Four Pillars has been at the core of our gin lineup and a customer favorite since its first day on our shelves. We have even collaborated in the production of K&L’s most popular gin; Four Pillars - Faultline Gin. During our collaborations, we were able to sample some gins that otherwise had never made it to the United States. Enter Hernö.
Read MoreWe launched our AI-somm earlier this year and struck a nerve with the traditional wine world. While some purists raised their glasses in disdain, many others toasted to the future.
Read MoreSimply put, the Claverie family, who owns Domaine de Baraillon, is sitting on the absolute finest brandy-producing land in the world.
Read MoreDramfool has been bottling independent casks since 2015. Across scores of bottlings, they’ve earned a phenomenal reputation for quality and for their ability to bottle unique casks that simply cannot be had from any other source.
Read MoreThere’s something about the boys in Dornoch that just gets people to open doors for them. The Thompson brothers are the real deal. They’ve been the proprietors of one of Scotland’s finest whisky bars for many years now, and, in their spare time, they’ve built an incredible distillery in the back shed, which is pushing the limits of modern single malt back to its heyday.… They get access to quality stock where others have faltered. Whether that’s due to the good will they’ve garnered behind the bar at the Dornoch Hotel or simply because they’re pretty groovy guys, no one will ever know, but their cask selections have always over-delivered at extremely reasonable price points.
Read MoreOne of the truly great things we accomplished at K&L this year was bringing our wine, spirits, and beer delivery service in-house. Rather than relying on external vendors to deliver orders to our local customers, we hired a first-rate team of drivers to our staff and built a system that provides real-time tracking and SMS notifications. We are so pleased with the improved service we can offer—all at little to no cost—and hope you are too.
Read MoreThere's a never a shortage of new developments to share on the domestic wine front. Starting with our Key Accounts Team's Northern California Report, we dive into some of the benchmark properties in Napa and Sonoma to see what's on the horizon for collectors. Then Domestic Buyer Ryan Woodhouse shines the spotlight on three of his favorite boutique projects making waves among the most clued-in connoisseurs. Finally, a tantalizing sneak peek at Napa's upcoming 2021 releases has everyone in a festive mood for the upcoming holiday season.
Read MoreAll in all, 2021 is potentially an exceptional vintage; its only downside is limited availability due to low yields and the giant void left in the market from many wineries deciding not to produce any red wines in 2020. It's still fairly early days in the 2021 release cycle, but the wines that have already hit the market are showing this is potentially a vintage for the ages.
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