Domestic Wine Buyer Ryan Woodhouse has a fantastic job. Because he’s located in Napa, he has access to small, independent winemakers and the most prestigious cult winemakers in the business alike. You’ll often find him out and about in vineyards and cellars all around California with some of the brightest lights making wine today. Because of those personal connections, he brings us remarkable deals in Domestic wine that would be impossible otherwise. The other thing to know about Ryan: his palate is impressively elegant. When he picks out a wine, you can bet it’ll have gorgeous acid structure and depth of character. His California wines are not jammy; they’re not hyper-experimental or trendy. They are well-made testaments to this new era of winemaking in the U.S.—one that is in its sweet spot of sophistication and artistry. Below are his picks for the holidays.
Ryan Moses is one of the quiet forces behind the scenes that makes the wheels turn at K&L… For this year’s Holiday Buying Guide, we got his insight into collectible holiday wine gifts, big and small.
When it comes to gifts under $100, it is hard to do better than the Champagnes from Launois in Mesnil. These wines have an accessibility that makes them the hit of every party; they are a gift that is always appreciated. The value for money will be your secret!
With Thanksgiving behind us, it's time to gear up for the holiday season. This calls for celebrations, and what's a celebration without wine? At K&L, we've curated a selection of top-notch wines that will impress your guests and help you celebrate the holidays in style. The best part? Quality doesn't have to break the bank. We've discovered a series of remarkable deals from the Southern Hemisphere that will delight your guests and keep your budget intact.
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.
In Italy’s northwest corner, in the region of Piedmont, one of the world’s great wines is produced. In 2019 the weather gods have shined once again on the Langhe Hills and the Nebbiolo grapes that grow there. For Barolo lovers, 2019 is nothing less than dynamite.
My life's mission is to persuade people that Champagne is as much a food-pairing wine and digestif as it is an aperitif and celebratory accessory. The holiday season presents the perfect opportunity to further this mission. Over the next six weeks, my secondary mission is to guide you in selecting wines for holiday events that will impress your loved ones, even those well-versed in viticulture.
It's that time of year when our Champagne program shines, and this year we have more direct-import standouts than ever to make your holidays sparkle. Recent reloads from a trio of DI favorites will have long-time fans stocking up, while the iconic Billecart-Salmon's current releases offer holiday luxury at nearly any price point. Finally, Champagne buyer Gary Westby's "boots on the ground" approach pays off once again with a pair of new direct-import additions that are sure to garner legions of fans once the wines make it to your table.
I don’t think that there are two producers in the U.S. market that can compete with Baron-Fuenté and Gilbert Jacquesson for value. While we have seen big, and sometimes downright gross, price increases from so many of the big names, the prices of these two producers have remained stable at K&L for many years. We celebrate that regularly at home by drinking a little bit more of both of them, and I hope this holiday season you will join me and the staff of K&L in enjoying an extra bottle every now and then. Why not!?
Even though I have been travelling to Champagne two to three times every year for 23 years, there is still so much to discover. This May, one of the biggest discoveries I have had in a long time came in the sleepy Marne River town of Port-a-Binson at Champagne Cordoin Didierlaurent. There I met Pierre-Emanuel Cordoin, vine grower and winemaker for this 21-acre estate and tasted his fantastic wines.
We have a new direct-import producer in stock, from the famous perle blanche de la Montagne de Reims—the white pearl of the mountain of Reims—the 1er Cru of Trépail... Up until now, most of their sales have been at the cellar door in France, and this is the first time the wines have been available in the U.S. Since we buy direct from Lorène Petiau, the prices are amazing for our K&L Champagne fans.
Established in 1818 with the marriage of Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, Champagne Billecart-Salmon is perched at the pinnacle of Champagne’s Grand Marques. Located along the Marne River in the renowned village of Marieul-sur-Aÿ, it is still family-owned and operated 205 years later. Seventh-generation vigneron Mathieu Roland-Billecart is now at the helm alongside sixth-generation mentors Antoine Roland-Billecart, Deputy General Manager, and Jean and François Roland-Billecart.
