Food-and-wine pairing is more than a parlor trick; it’s a brain teaser than can bring out the real joy in eating. On Thanksgiving, when there are myriad flavors and textures on the same plate, wine lovers have their work cut out for them. This week, we’re doing a roundup of favorite in-stock choices from our wine buyers—each handpicked, each as unique as the buyers themselves.
Read MoreSometimes wines just fall into place at the right time. What is the right time? Well for this wine, the 2021 Falua "Conde Vimioso" Branco Tejo $14.99, the time is right now. It comes from Portugal, a country that is most definitely in the middle of a moment as one of the hottest tourist destinations in Europe. If you are reading this, you probably have been to Portugal in the last five years; if not, you definitely know people who have.
Read MoreThis week's newsletter is all about Burgundy value. If you thought the concept of bang for the buck in Burgundy was a thing of the past, think again. We've made it our mission to do the hard work of unearthing the region's hidden-gem regions and unsung domaines in order to make this category accessible to the widest possible audience.
Read MoreLast week, we held a Team Halloween candy and wine pairing contest for staffers in our San Francisco location. It was scary, it was fun, it was a little gross, but we all survived to tell the tale!
Read MoreMany of the lesser-known appellations in Burgundy have been making huge improvements in quality over the last 10+ years, and I’ve been travelling to these regions each year to find the hidden gems. Let’s take a deeper look at the Mâcon, Beaujolais, and the Côte Chalonnaise. These are all regions that are absolutely bursting with amazing values.
Read MoreWines 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.
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