Whether you are collecting for investment or for decades of enjoyment ahead, there are certain tried-and-true benchmark producers that are always the wisest of bets for your wine cellar. I’m pleased to share a few thoughts on some of my personal favorite producers, all of whom I hold in the highest regard. These are among the finest in their regions and provide exceptional value at their level. If you are looking to start a wine collection, you absolutely cannot go wrong if you start with wines from any of these estates.
K&L is thrilled to welcome the distinguished wine legend, Jancis Robinson, MW OBE, for a once-in-a-lifetime event series in San Francisco in March 2024.
I know I have been like a broken record recommending the 2014 vintage, but some things are worth repeating. After drinking a bottle of this great 2014 Louis Roederer Brut Champagne $89.99 95WA with some homemade sashimi bowls earlier this month, I feel compelled to repeat myself. No Champagne lover will ever say “I bought too many of the 2014s.” I understand that these wines lack the flash of the 2012s and the power of the 2015s, but in the medium-to-long term I promise that they will evolve into something very, very special—and I think better than those two other vintages. I caught a glimpse of that with this great Champagne on the fifth of this month.
It's easily the wine world's most famous red grape, and while most wine lovers have a general conception of what constitutes a "typical" Cabernet, a deep dive into the history and diversity of this incredible varietal quickly reveals that there's no such thing as typical Cab. From Bordeaux to Napa to the farthest reaches of the Southern Hemisphere, Cab thrives and offers wine enthusiasts nearly unlimited opportunities for exploration, so we invite you to join us a trip around the wide world of Cabernet Sauvignon.
In July of 2022 I moved with my family to Napa Valley. Despite the Bay Bridge commute testing me at times, the move has been incredible for getting to know the U.S.’s most iconic wine region much more intimately. Observing from afar, it’s easy to lump all of Napa Valley together as an adult “Disneyland” of homogenous, over-priced, over-hyped wines with little sense of place. However, when you get to spend lots of time here—the more you explore, the more back roads you turn down, the more vineyards you walk—it becomes increasingly clear that despite the commercial success and sometimes inflated price points, Napa Valley is undeniably a phenomenal, distinctive, and radically diverse place to grow grapes.
Cabernet Sauvignon’s origins are believed to stretch back to France’s Aquitaine region in the 1600s. But it wasn’t until the late 1990s that U.C. Davis researchers determined through genetic testing that this beloved grape is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Sequencing the genome in 2007 unlocked even more valuable insights into the origin, breeding, and characteristics of one of the most beloved cultivars on the planet.
We recognize the incredible dedication and enthusiasm of our spirits collectors, a group whose passion for tracking down collectibles has significantly shaped our department. Under the leadership of our buying team, we have traversed the globe for years, to secure exclusive bottles and barrels. We’re also trying to improve how we distribute the ultra-rare bottlings. A portion of those bottles previously went out through a once-a-year lottery system.
Cabernet Sauvignon has a long history in Australia dating back to the 1830s when it was introduced by Scottish immigrant and wine pioneer James Busby. Though a hardy and disease-resistant cultivar, early experimental plantings failed due to poor vineyard locations and lack of knowledge. It didn’t take long to get it right—the oldest surviving Cabernet Sauvignon vines are believed to be Penfold’s Kalimna Block 42, planted in the Barossa Valley in 1888. Today it is the second most-planted wine grape in Oz at 25,000 ha. Here are a few world-class renditions of one of Australia’s flagship varieties:
If Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of red wine, and Bordeaux is the king of wine, doesn’t it follow that Bordeaux is the king of Cabernet Sauvignon? Of course, I am prejudiced as I have been collecting Bordeaux since 1971. Yes, I also have some California Cabernets, but 95% of my cellar is red Bordeaux—vintages ranging from 1918 to 2019.
This week on the blog, we are celebrating the inimitable Cabernet Sauvignon grape, and we are excited to kick it off by featuring the wines of an impeccable collection of super-rare Napa Cult Cab at our auction. Not only do these have perfect provenance—the collector is the original owner; the wines were purchased directly from the winery and stored in a professionally managed cellar—these are mostly 100 point wines that we just don’t get access to very often.
Our Valentine’s Day Buying Guide is here! Whether you want to gift a special bottle, or open a memorable wine for a dinner with your loved one, we have ideas galore.
How a bottle (or case, or pallet) of wine is stored directly impacts how it will age, evolve, and—most importantly—taste once the bottle is opened. It’s why we’ve built out our own storage facilities in San Francisco, Redwood City, and San Carlos and have recently partnered with RareStorage, an industry-leading wine storage company here in California, to increase our storage offerings. We know it’s always worth it to protect the integrity of great wine, whether it’s a crisp rosé for this weekend’s dinner party or a pristine Vosne-Romanée to be uncorked in a century. Read on to discover how to ensure your wines are mesmerizing rather than vinegar when it’s time to (finally) pop the cork.
