Thanksgiving is a marathon, not a sprint! The only other day that can hold a candle to Thanksgiving for sheer endurance eating is Christmas. But on Christmas Day there are presents and other distractions to draw your attention away from the food. On Thanksgiving the primary purpose of the day is to feast on as much delicious food and wine as possible while you hang out with your loved ones.
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.
Read MoreOne of the favorite things about my job is seeking out small producers making interesting wines. I love working with people who are really just beginning on their journey and climbing on board with them to see where it goes. I first met Cody and Emily Rasmussen of Desire Lines Wines back in May of 2019 at a very memorable “Shades of Shake Ridge” event in the Sierra Foothills. … There is something so authentic and genuine about them as people and that in turn is encapsulated in their wines. The wines embody a true passion and love for the craft of making wines with a palpable sense of place. They are soulful wines of minimal intervention, yet are also precise and refined. Every part of the process from the selection of vineyard sites, meticulous farming, astute subtle winemaking, hand-drawn label art… everything is done with the utmost care and deliberate attention to detail.
Read MoreI have long believed that the Santa Cruz Mountains are a truly special place to grow grapes. This rugged coastal range forced up by the collision of two tectonic plates has an incredible bounty of complex soils. It’s a geological kaleidoscope of ancient uplifted seabed, volcanic deposits, and metamorphic rock bent and twisted by the immense pressures below. All of this is churned up by the San Andreas fault and weathered down by several millennia of coastal storms.
Read MoreTo someone outside of California, saying “North of the San Francisco Bay” would indicate a large territory, including the lumping of Sonoma and Napa Counties together. Being just a quick 30-minute drive apart from each other means that many out-of-town visitors make plans to hit both areas in one go, especially for wine tasting expeditions. Yet, separated by the Mayacamas Mountain Range, these two wine-driven counties are, surprisingly, incredibly different from one another—in personality, in terroir, and ultimately in the wines that they produce. A few weeks ago, the Key Accounts team had an opportunity to spend a day in Sonoma and surrounding areas, and a day in Napa, side by side.
Read MoreAfter traveling around the world and talking to one producer after another, you can tell the difference between a vintage that needs to be explained, and one that speaks for itself. The 2021s in both Sonoma and Napa seem to be the latter.
Read MoreOnce again, the dynamic duo of Ryan Woodhouse and Jorge Valencia treated the San Francisco team to a fantastic wine van journey. This time we embarked to the Santa Cruz Mountains and the awe-inspiring beauty, terrain (We experienced some of the steepest vineyards ever, akin to the Mosel!!), and talented winemakers we met along the way. What a beauty of a day!
Read MoreOur fearless Domestic crew traveled to Napa to taste the finest the valley had to offer at this year’s Premiere Napa Valley. Staffers Hope Cooc and Carlo Delgado recap their impressions in today’s blog.
Read MoreEvery wine ever made is a result of a series of decisions. Each decision, especially early in the process, lays the wine’s foundation and structure. The wines Chris Puppione makes are exquisite examples of place and variety—such purity and honesty. The five that I tasted with Chris made me excited for the future. I felt like I escaped into great series on Netflix, and I eagerly await the coming seasons to see how this this story evolves.
Read MoreJust a few short weeks ago the K&L Redwood City sales team went on the trip of a lifetime. We traveled to the vineyards gently climbing the coastal mountain range that separates Salinas Valley from the coasts of Big Sur.
Read MoreValentine’s Day is around the corner, and our San Francisco team has got you covered. They’ve picked their favorite bottles for romancing yoru sweethearts! Whether you’re hitting the town in your finery or cozying up with Netflix, there’s a beverage for you in this list!
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