Comedian Rodney Dangerfield long claimed he got no respect; Clyde claims the same for white Bordeaux! These beautiful Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc blends have to cede the spotlight to their red brethren, but do not overlook them! You can start with Clyde’s list of current favorites in stock.
Read MoreFor the best collectible sweet-spot buys, Léoville-Barton, Rauzan-Segla, Domaine de Chevalier, and La Gaffelière are right at the top of my list.
Read MoreOne of the beautiful things about Bordeaux is its ability to change and evolve over quite a long bit of time. Collectors love it for its ageability—but we believe you don't have to have a deep cellar in order to appreciate the joys of aged Bordeaux. Our many connections in the region help us to source bottles with excellent provenance (meaning they've been perfectly aged) at excellent prices. Check out Bordeaux Buyer Clyde Beffa's roundup of aged in-stock beauties, ready to drink!
Read MoreThis has been a fascinating year for Bordeaux, one that could stand to reshape the market for a long time to come. At the heart of it was the 2022 En Primeur campaign, which not only offered a truly unique (and often “surprising”) expression of some of the region’s finest wines, but also served as a major inflection point for demand and supply.
Read MoreVintage Report for Bordeaux’s 2020s: A particularly early growing season was characterized by heatwaves and drought. Some mildew pressure June to mid-August in northern Médoc. Merlot was picked in ideal conditions in early September, but then the weather turned cool and particularly damp so some Cabernet Sauvignon had to be picked before perfect ripeness. Small grapes meant lots of tannin and a relatively small crop.
As I said in the report I published upon my return from the En Primeur campaign, some great wines were produced in 2020, and some good wines were produced. 2020 is a fine vintage in general even though it was anything but normal.
Read MoreThis year has marked my 23rd in my job as Champagne Buyer here at K&L, and I feel lucky to say that it was one of the best for memorable Champagnes. This list could have been much longer than just ten, as I have been treated to so many noteworthy wines over the last 12 months. I have noticed three themes for 2023: large bottles (magnums and jeroboams) account for about one-third of the list, as do pairings with tinned fish, and half the bottles were not vintage dated. The flexibility that blending across time gives the Champenois is not just for basics—a skilled chef de cave can make magic with multiple vintages.
Read MoreIs Burgundy too expensive? It’s a loaded question that I get a lot, and one that I sometimes don't know how to answer. At first glance it's easy to say yes.
Read MoreWhether you’re a seasoned Sangiovese collector, newly enraptured with Tuscany or just reaching for a warming red this season, finding the right bottle of Chianti Classico is getting a whole lot easier.
Read MoreOn Wednesday evening, K&L San Francisco welcomed a dynamic, female-led team for a celebration of one of the most revered pairings: caviar and Champagne. A group of 15 guests joined the K&L team to delve into the complexities of flavor, texture, and terroir inherent in both Champagne and caviar.
Read MoreI’ve spent years writing about the Henk Vineyard wines, so it was difficult not to get a little caught up when Georgina’s truck pulled onto the steep ridgeline that separates the north-facing Pinot and Chardonnay blocks. Henk vineyard is named for the former vineyard manager and property owner who leased the vineyard to Oakridge almost six years ago. As part of their local vineyard series, Oakridge has found a handful of sites throughout the Upper Yarra that produce fruit of exceptional quality–and Henk is my absolute favorite.
Read MoreClyde Beffa Jr. is a legend around these parts. Co-owner, co-founder, K&L visionary, and Bordeaux cheerleader. He and childhood friend Todd Zucker started K&L 48 years ago, and today we’re all living the K&L dream because of him. He’s been traveling to Bordeaux every year for 40+ years, and he knows everyone! He hosts numerous events to bring the winemakers to us in California. Clyde’s ethos is that Bordeaux can be an everyday wine; you just have to know where to look. He finds perfectly aged bottles from vintages overlooked by critics, and we get to reap the rewards—by which I mean drinking great aged Bordeaux at affordable prices.
Read MoreKirk Walker is our Spain, Portugal, and South America Buyer—if it has a Latin flair, Kirk likely brought it to our shelves. He loves research, and he’s a great person to talk to if you want to know how, for instance, the Andes’ rain shadow affects the vines in Chile. He’s also a good person to talk to in order to understand what’s going on with sparkling wine in Spain, the new wave of dry wines in Portugal, and for all your Rioja needs (I think it’s safe to say we all have Rioja needs). If you want to talk about the context of a wine region while drinking great wine, Kirk’s your man!
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