The three greatest Riesling producing regions in the world are Germany (obviously!), Alsace (duh!), and Austria (huh?!). Yes, Austria should be uttered in the same sentence when we discuss such great Riesling producing regions as Germany and Alsace. Sommeliers, wine writers, and industry professionals are constantly singing the praises of Austrian Riesling, and the more I taste the more I agree with this inescapable conclusion. What makes Austria such an exciting region for Riesling production is their ability to deliver outstanding value in the entry-level range while simultaneously delivering world-class quality in both the mid and high-tier price-points as well. If you love Riesling you’re guaranteed to find a great one in your price range.
Austria is dominated by old wineries with long lineages, yet they’re also at the forefront of both organic and biodynamic faming. Grüner Veltliner is the most recognizable grape variety grown in Austria, and it recently has gone through a revolution—almost all of the Grüner Veltliner producers we carry are at the very least growing organically and many are employing biodynamic growing practices…. We have tons of great values in Grüner Veltliner in stock to help you get better acquainted to this alternative to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.
My role at K&L is broad and varied, and while Rhône is my main focus, I'm also your guide along the back roads and byways of France's hidden-gem regions. Today's newsletter features four producers that I've been thrilled to bring into our Direct Import program and introduce to our clientele. Jura, Limoux, and the Roussillon take center stage in a four-stage roadtrip to some of France's most intriguing discoveries.
This past week we had the pleasure of welcoming Séverine Bourrier from Château de l’Ou to all of K&L’s store locations. Château de L’Ou is based in the Roussillon, the French Catalan region that borders Spain on the Mediterranean side of France. Séverine’s wines are singular expressions of Syrah and Grenache that are reference points for this region.
When I visited Caroline Bonville of Mas Karolina this spring, it had been several years since we’d seen each other. Hers were some of the first wines I brought in when I took over the French Regional category for K&L. They were brought to our attention originally by Olivier Bonville, her cousin and a legendary winemaker in our Direct Import Champagne program. You might know him by his winery’s name—Franck Bonville—one of our longest-running relationships in Champagne. Olivier threw a mixed case of samples on a Champagne pallet headed our way, and, as soon as I tasted them, I reached out to Caroline. It is hard to believe that it has been nearly a decade since I tasted those first wines.
Domaine Begude was created by James and Catherine Kinglake in 2004. Tired of working in finance in London, they fled to the south of France and bought an old estate where they put down roots. They went through the growing pains of learning the wine industry and navigating local government, all while starting their family. After 20 years, they have weathered the financial hardships of running a small winery, suffering through Brexit (they are still British citizens), and the expenses of their daughter starting college. It’s been a wild ride for sure, but James, along with his winemaking team, continues to make some of the finest bang-for-the-buck wines to grace our shelves year after year.
Henri Le Roy began his career as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, but he’d never felt that the corporate life suited him. Rather, his passion always lay with wine. In the early 2000s he decided to follow his dream and look for land where he could work with his favorite grape varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Buying land in Burgundy was outside his reach, so he looked eastward to the Jura. The Jura offered ancient soils, an abundance of his favorite grapes, and nearby skiing locations (he’s an avid cross-country skier)—plus the price for land was right… Henri named his estate Domaine de l'Aigle à Deux Têtes, which means the “Two-Headed Eagle,” as a nod to the Habsburg dynasty which ruled the Franche-Comté region from 1477–1678.
On June 29th, we celebrated what has been several years in the making… the grand opening of our fourth retail store! We really love what we do—we’ve been at it for nearly 50 years!—and we are thrilled to be able to share our passion for wines, beers, and spirits with L.A.’s Westside. We started as a small family-run liquor store in Milbrae in 1976, and the same two families are still at the helm of what is now four Northern and Southern California stores, along with bustling eCommerce, auctions, international imports, wine clubs, storage, tastings, and more! We are Californians through and through, and it’s incredibly exciting to bring local K&Ls to more corners of this beautiful state.
You could make the case that any season is rosé season, especially in California, but there's no denying that the dog days of summer are when these pink gems really shine. Today's newsletter explores the category in depth, starting with Gary Westby's top picks in rosé Champagne. Keith Mabry offers up his favorite Provence performers, plus a pair of stellar artisan beauties from Greece and Lebanon. Finally, we'll take a look at how the category has gone from pedestrian to profound with a sampling of the world's finest collectible renditions.
Rosé has always been fun, but for long time it was pretty easily dismissed in most wine circles. Hardly ever made with quality grapes, it wasn’t taken very seriously in the U.S.; until a decade or so ago, you’d hardly ever find it on restaurant wine lists. But somewhere along the way, we got the memo! More serious domestic winemakers began making it; more importers began bringing in high-quality examples from abroad; celebrities even starting dipping their toes in the rosé game. It can be a stunningly complex wine in its own right when made with quality fruit and winemaking techniques. Rosé has long been the reigning queen of cheap and cheerful, but some versions are so well made and special that they merit a space in your cellar. Some rosé can develop in the bottle and develop additional depth and character with age. From rosé Champagne to cult-caliber Lebanese bottlings, rosé is—finally—getting its moment in the sun.
I think the world has started to embrace the idea that not all rosé is from France and actually some of its most interesting and gastronomic examples come from other parts of the world. Two of my favorite outliers come from the Mediterranean—but maybe not from places that would be your first or even second guesses. I speak of two unique and utterly fascinating winemaking regions—the island of Crete in Greece and the high mountains of the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. The producers from both of these regions have near cult-like followings for those in the know. So if you don’t know, this is a great opportunity to find out!
It’s hard to think of a better way to spend a hot holiday weekend than with some fresh and vibrant rosés! The 2023 vintage in Provence is outstanding and many of our favorites have landed. This list represents some of the best QPR drinking when it comes to classic southern French pink wines, and all of these punch well above their price point. Because we work aggressively with our suppliers, we have classic wines from Provence for a fraction of what you would find elsewhere. Thankfully it’s a long weekend, so plenty of time to try a smattering of any of these gems. Santé!
