Well, dear readers, this was a slightly different staff tasting than we usually do. Normally our tastings focus on wines from a single buyer, and sometimes, like last week, a specific region from that buyer. This week it was a little bit more complicated since we had around three wines that each of the buyers submitted for us to try. The tasting here in RC was poured by Rachael Ryan, our buyer for Spain, Portugal & the Southern Hemisphere. While she enjoys all the regions in her category, she has a special passion for Australian wine, especially one featured here this week.
Summer is finally upon us and the 4th of July is right around the corner. BBQs, vacations, quality time with family and friends, and fireworks are all summer activities that many will be enjoying in the next few weeks. We have plenty of wonderful options here at K&L to make this time of year extra special. Here are a few beers I wanted to showcase this 4th of July that I think everyone would enjoy.
Ask a sommelier what they drink on their day off and more often than not, the answer is the Loire Valley. Why? Exceptional value, deep history, incredible diversity, and food-pairing perfection. From crisp Muscadet to age-worthy Chenin Blanc and soulful Cabernet Franc, the Loire delivers serious pedigree without the pretense—or the price tag. Below, you’ll find some of our most exciting discoveries, from under-the-radar gems to cellar-worthy icons.
Cinnamon and I wait impatiently every year for Krug to drop their ingredient—a program that has now been going on for 10 years now. While this is meant as a challenge to the Michelin-starred chefs and their sommeliers in the world of haute cuisine, we love to take it up as home cooks and inject a little simplicity into the mix. When we found out that this year it was carrot, we were fired up to try again. You can check out some of the past pairings that we have done here.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of the Loire Valley, west of the Gallic town of Vendôme, lie 27 communes dotted along the southern banks of the Loir River that comprise the AOC Coteaux du Vendômois, 120 hectares of flinty, sandy soils bursting with the region’s “rare and ancient native variety” Pineau d’Anuis, plus Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Chardonnay.
In the Loire, the conversation almost always starts with Sauvignon Blanc—Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon. They are popular, and they are great. But Chenin Blanc is just as noble, and honestly, it deserves a lot more attention than it gets. The range of styles, the variety of terroirs, the sheer versatility make it one of the most exciting white grapes out there, especially when grown in the Loire.
When people think of Cabernet Franc, they often default to Bordeaux or New World versions—ripe, plush, sometimes oaked... sometimes too much oak. But my favorite expressions come from the Loire Valley, where Cab Franc sheds the excess and takes on something more honest: earthy, floral, fresh-fruited, savory, and deeply connected to place.
Like what happened in Beaujolais with its crus, Muscadet began highlighting specific geological zones capable of producing wines with aging potential. The first three—Clisson, Le Pallet, and Gorges—set the tone, and now there are ten official crus. These wines are aged longer on the lees (usually 17–30 months, depending on the cru), and they offer a completely different experience from the classic sur lie style. The best of them are structured, mineral, and textured—serious wines hiding behind a humble name.
This week Keith Mabry, who probably has one of the most diverse buying portfolios at K&L, poured some amazing wines from the Loire Valley for us. We tasted 26 different wines this morning, done at the usual breakneck pace due to the 45 minutes we have to do the tasting. Now, while I say 45 minutes, we're definitely able to go back to the wines through the day and sometimes even the next day and retaste. This lets us see how they're evolving, so our time with the wine is not merely confined to that quick little jaunt in the morning.
One of the best, and sometimes most challenging, things about working at K&L is our weekly staff tastings. These aren't pleasure cruises that we calmly sail through, taking our time and leisurely enjoying each wine as we ponder possible pairings or accompaniments. These are gauntlets, tests of will and endurance that we charge through, tasting typically 20+ products in just 45 minutes each week. However, from these tastings I always gain amazing insight in that weekly category, and I always get super excited about some of the wines we tasted—and, gosh, I just wanted to share them with you.
Anthony Girard remains one of my favorite "characters" in Sancerre. Years ago, he struck out on his own, leaving the family domaine to create La Clef du Récit in the southern part of the appellation. The name, which translates to “the key to the story,” is intriguingly ambiguous—there’s no castle here, despite the imagery. But maybe it’s more about the keys to his own imaginative mind-palace… which brings us back to that "character" part.
St-Émilion is a magical place—one of the most stunning destinations in the Bordeaux region and a truly special place in the world to grow grapes. The limestone plateau surrounding the village is the birthplace of some of the world’s most compelling and age-worthy wines. While there’s an enduring image of early 2000s Right Bank winemaking that's all about extraction and power, today’s wines lean more toward a transparent expression of terroir. These are beautiful, finessed wines with a purity of texture, a thirst-quenching quality that begs for another glass, and a saline-tinged finish that speaks more to the vigor of the vines than to anything that happens in the cellar.
