David’s Top Spirits Picks for Father’s Day

Let’s be honest—Dad’s going to tell you he doesn’t want anything. What he really means is: “Don’t make me decide.” Forget grill gadgets, novelty socks, or golf lessons. What he actually wants is something that belongs on the top shelf of his bar.

That’s where we come in.

We’ve pulled together a list of the most exciting bottles in the world—many of which are exclusive to us. Whether he’s a bourbon nerd, a mezcal-sipping surfer, or the dad who already has everything, we’ve got the perfect bottle for him at a price that can’t be beat.

The First Annual Italian Wine Tasting Tent Event

We’re bringing together some of the best wines from across Italy to showcase the diversity, the craftsmanship, and the pure joy of today’s Italian wine scene.

Kate SotoJune 7, 2025K&L Wine Merchants

Billecart-Salmon's Stunning, Overachieving 2015 Rosé Champagne

Sometimes a Champagne can be just too delicious. It seems crazy, but the 2015 Billecart-Salmon Rosé Champagne $119.99, at first destined to become a Cuvée Elisabeth, the pinnacle of rosé mastery at Champagne Billecart-Salmon, was declassified for just this reason. Mathieu Roland-Billecart, the seventh-generation CEO of this great house, explained that this 2015 will not last two more generations, so he made the difficult decision to sell it as Le Rosé after blending it and bottling it with the original intention of making it an Elisabeth, their top-of-the-line rosé. If you are looking for a profoundly great wine to drink tonight or over the next 10 years, look no further, this is the kind of deal that comes along rarely in the realm of truly top-end luxury cuvées.

June 1st 2025 – June 14th 2025: Second Spirit Auction Highlights

We have such an incredibly diverse set of offerings in this auction, but as we were putting it together there were some bottles that stood out–sometimes because of what was in the bottle, and sometimes because what was outside the bottle! Here is our top 10 list, in no particular order (and apologies to the other 300+ bottles that didn’t make this list).

Flavio Roddolo – The Hermit of Monforte

There is a lot to say about this small producer. It is the definition of eclectic and out of the ordinary; the wines are usually hard to find, and, in fact, they are regularly kind of smuggled into the U.S. The winery doesn’t have a ordinary distribution network like the rest of the producers that you see on the shelves in the U.S. Rather, Flavio Roddolo avoids trends and stays isolated in his dedication to vine cultivation in his homeland of Monforte D’Alba. He farms, he ferments, he bottles—he does everything himself. The production is tiny, tiny—they are even hard to find if you ever go in the Langhe. No marketing, no consultants, no shortcuts. His approach involves time along with traditional methods—that is it.

Giuseppe Quintarelli – A Legacy Bottled in Time

During the last hundred years the Quintarelli family has established its reputation through their estate located on the eastern slope of the Negrar Valley in the middle of Valpolicella. Silvio Quintarelli established the winery in 1924. It was his son, Giuseppe, also known as Bepi, however, who helped the winery achieve worldwide recognition. The winery has maintained its dedication to traditional methods and patient winemaking since Silvio’s era, but Bepi’s influence is incalculable. His manual label writing became an unmistakable signature for the brand, showing what a labor of love each and every bottle is. Combined with his use of ten-year Slavonian-oak barrel aging, Bepi developed a signature Amarone style that established itself as the reference point for many Italian winemakers.

Malescot St-Exupéry: Genuine Wines That Over-Deliver

Malescot has been wowing clients and critics alike for decades, and for good reason. To me, it strikes the ideal balance between accessibility and seriousness: it’s all too easy to pull the cork now, but patience is richly rewarded. And while the style leans a bit more flamboyant than some of its Margaux peers, the wines are always integrated, thoughtful, and beautifully made.

The Power of Terroir: Alsatian, German, & Austrian Whites You Need to Try

Alsace, Germany, and Austria continue to be some of the most dynamic and rewarding regions in the world of wine—regions that offer not just pedigree and history, but thrilling new releases year after year. What ties them together is a relentless pursuit of precision and purity, whether it’s the mineral drive of Dönnhoff’s 2023 Grosses Gewächs, the sculpted power of FX Pichler’s latest Wachau bottlings, or the quiet excellence of back-vintage Alsatian whites from Trimbach, Hugel, and Charles Baur. These are wines that don’t just deliver in the glass today—they age gracefully, deepen with time, and offer a glimpse into the soul of each region. This collection reflects the kind of craftsmanship that keeps me coming back vintage after vintage, and I’m excited to share it with you.

Charles Baur: The Maestro of Alsatian Wine Values

To me, Alsatian wines feel like a great novel that has been forgotten on a dusty bookshelf for far too long. The novel itself is timeless and perfectly written, yet it has gone overlooked for no particularly good reason, in favor of newer, trendier books. That in a nutshell is a perfect metaphor for the wines from Alsace. These wines are seriously good—and the current releases are easily the best that have ever been made from this region, especially since most of the producers are farming at least organically if not biodynamically. There are so many great producers fashioning world-class wines. Even better: their prices tend to be a mere fraction of what top producers from other wines regions charge. That fact may lead you to think these are not substantial wines, but this would be a mistake. Many of the world’s greatest Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Sylvaner come from Alsace.

2023 FX Pichler-Reference Point Wines of Austria

Austria is known as one of the old-world wine producers with an impressive stable of world-class Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings. FX Pichler is easily one of the greatest winemakers in Austria. His wines are stunning examples of what Grüner Veltliner and Riesling can achieve from the best vineyard sites in his capable hands.

Krug’s Exquisite Craftsmanship Shines in Current Releases

This month, the K&L staff was treated to a first-of-its-kind Krug tasting seminar conducted by Krug’s Director of Education, Julie Boilleau, and Director of Business Development for the Americas, Louis Henrion, whom we Zoomed in direct from Reims, along with Moët-Hennessey’s Director of Northern California, Omar Martin, and Associate Brand Manager for Krug & Ruinart, Allison Stackhouse.

Ar.Pe.Pe. – Nebbiolo’s Mountain Soul

From the core of Valtellina’s cliff-like landscape in the Italian Alps emerges Nebbiolo master Ar.Pe.Pe. They grow their Nebbiolo on vineyards higher than the clouds—both physically and spiritually. Each bottle carries the harmonious blend of stone, time, wind, and willpower that results in ethereal Nebbiolo wines that will descend deep into your memory. You will never forget about this producer once you try their wines.

www.klwines.com