I love the wines from Léoville-Barton.They are a true delight to drink, and they offer fabulous values in today’s high-priced Bordeaux market. Very much Cabernet Sauvignon–based, Léoville-Barton makes full-flavored, old-school Bordeaux wines that are very fairly priced. We have many vintages in stock (back to 1995) and offer a fine selection of Bartons.
Read MoreFood-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 MoreK&L Auctions is one of the most user-friendly and dynamic places to sell, reshape, and add to your collection. We offer market-low fees, up-to-the-minute online inventory, motivated customers from around the world, and a team of passionate experts to assist you in achieving maximum success. While we have our teams at the ready to talk you through current trends ([email protected]), we also wanted to share a snapshot of where the auction market stands this summer.
Read MoreJean-Michel Cazes was a genuine, kind, and sincere individual whose infectious energy took over the room wherever he went. He blazed a trail that many of us dream about and did so with an integrity and quality that is rarely seen. The wine world has lost a titan, and K&L (like many others) has lost a great friend. It will be hard to pick the perfect bottle of Lynch-Bages as the right tribute, as there are so many meaningful vintages that are delicious, engaging, and dynamic. But that in itself speaks volumes to the unforgettable force of Jean-Michel Cazes.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter is our long-awaited, comprehensive report on all things Bordeaux 2022 En Primeur. After a whirlwind trip to the region in April, our team returned full of enthusiasm and insight for what can only be described as an unprecedented modern vintage. While the growing season was not without its challenges, numerous properties crafted renditions that will rank with their very best, and while prices are undeniably up from 2021, there are still remarkable values to be had when you know where to look. As with any potentially great vintage, the hype and hyperbole must be put into proper context to help our customers make their very best buying decisions—this year's En Primeur newsletter does just that. Please note - these wines are all being offered on a pre-arrival / futures basis.
Read MoreLast week, I had the pleasure of tasting the wines of Poesia (Argentina), Barde-Haut and Clos l'Eglise (St-Émilion and Pomerol) with Bordelais winemaker Hélene Garcin-Lévêque at our San Francisco location. Afterward, I joined her, Clyde, and K&L staff members for a Bordeaux-focused dinner on the patio of Mathilde French Bistro, which is walking distance from the store. Great little place! And I will say, the 2015 Poesia pairs beautifully with steak-frites.
Read MoreFreshly back from Bordeaux’s En Primeur tastings, Clyde and his team have assembled a roster of the best and brightest Bordeaux that we currently have in stock. You’ll find notes about the lauded 2022 vintage to chew on while we assemble our in-depth vintage report and wines to keep your thirst slaked while we watch the 2022 campaign. All that and more in today’s newsletter!
Read MoreYields are down. A common colloquialism among many in the supply side of the wine world. Since wine crops are so measurable, it is not just out there to garner sympathy—it is usually a meaningful component to quality of a vintage and the marketplace for the wine. But low yields are a symptom that can be ascribed to many different issues, good and bad. We take a look at what it means for the 2022 vintage.
Read MoreAs my colleague Ralph Sands says, right now, this is a vintage with good wines. Whether or not it is a great vintage is still very much up in the air, and tastings will continue to prove it out either way in the coming days. In our first main day of tasting, we visit St-Estephe, the powerhouses of Pauillac, and start into St-Julien.
Read MoreThis year, we started our visits with the infamous Bill Blatch, a fount of knowledge who tasted us on Sauternes, but is as well-versed in Bordeaux as anybody you’d meet. When asked about the vintage for sweet wines, his answer was very refreshing and grounding. Instead of reaching for superlatives and quotables, he produced a series of charts that showed the weather conditions in the region for every single day. We asked for conclusions. Instead, he gave us information, paired it perfectly with the wines, and set us down our own paths.
Read MoreWhen I heard that K&L Wine Merchant’s co-founder, Clyde Beffa Jr., was hosting a Bordeaux tasting for his birthday at our San Francisco store, I knew it was a can’t-miss opportunity.
Read MoreLast week in the James Barr Tasting Room at K&L in Redwood City, the staff was honored with a visit from Bordeaux, France, from Léa Zuger, fourth-generation owner of one of the top wineries in the Margaux region, Malescot-St-Exupéry. Between the riches of the cellars of Château Malescot and the vast stores of knowledge of K&L owner Clyde Beffa, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The staff tasted ten different vintages of the 3eme Grand Cru Classé château ranging from 2000 to 2019.
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