The 2025 Left Bank delivered across all four major appellations—but not uniformly, and not in the way recent vintages have prepared us for. Pauillac produced wines of extraordinary density off half the usual crop. Saint-Julien was the steadiest appellation of the entire campaign, top to bottom. Margaux, rescued by sixty millimeters of rain at exactly the right moment, was the appellation of the vintage. And Saint-Estèphe's clay gave the commune a tension the south had to chase. Here is what we found.
If you asked me to describe my perfect Bordeaux vintage, I'd say good concentration, purity, freshness, with moderate levels of alcohol. Balance and full ripeness, but with a sense of weightlessness and texture. That is very nearly exactly what 2025 delivered.
This is a fascinating time for Bordeaux. The wines are as good as they have ever been, and pricing for many releases has fallen to levels that remind us of campaigns from a decade ago. Few regions in the world can offer this combination of pedigree, quality, ageability, and value.
Most people know Spain for structured, age-worthy reds. Rachael Ryan makes the case for its other side — the vibrant Albariños of Galicia, the crisp sparkling wines of Penedès, the lively Txakolina of the Basque Country, and a new generation of chillable reds that beg to be served cold. Twenty bottles from $12.99 to $44.99, all built for summer.
A Champagne Made for America — and Only Available Here
The Billecart-Salmon 2018 250th Anniversary Cuvée celebrates 200 years of the house and 250 years of American independence. It's U.S.-exclusive, built from Grand Cru and Premier Cru fruit, and one of the most precisely balanced wines we've tasted from the record-hot 2018 vintage. Power and acidity in equal measure.
The 2023 Sassicaia earned 100 points from Wine Advocate. It is one of the finest vintages from this estate in years — and this is the final round of pre-orders. That would be enough. But this newsletter also has three 94-point Barolo at prices only K&L customers see, Fèlsina back in stock at market low after a long absence, and Vigneti Repetto — K&L's newest Direct Import from Piedmont's Colli Tortonesi, introducing the "White Barolo" to our portfolio for the first time. Orazio Campoli curates the complete Italy lineup below. Shop the Italy Newsletter →
This summer, our NYC store is pouring 50 days of free tastings at 270 Madison Avenue. Mouton-Rothschild. Cristal. Pingus. Dal Forno Amarone. No ticket. No sign-up. Just show up between 2 and 5 PM, May 26 through July 23. Meanwhile, our buyers are sharing what they're actually drinking this season. Aaron Hughes on the domestic rosés worth the fuss. Ryan Woodhouse on six Sauvignon Blancs built for summer. Jonathan Goldstein on the spirits worth stocking right now. Half a century of buying relationships. This is what it looks like.
Summer calls for a different kind of bottle. K&L NYC Spirits Buyer Jonathan Goldstein has five picks for the season — tequila, mezcal, rum, and Japanese whisky, all under $50, all chosen for one reason: they're genuinely delicious over ice on a hot day. Lost Explorer Blanco at $44.99. Hamilton Demerara Rum at $24.99. Iwai 45 Japanese Whisky at $32.99. Plus a South African pineapple rum that will surprise you. Read Jonathan's full notes and shop the complete summer lineup below. Shop Summer Spirits →
K&L Domestic Wine Buyer Ryan Woodhouse makes his case for Sauvignon Blanc as the ultimate summer grape—and backs it up with six picks spanning Dry Creek Valley, Coombsville, Rutherford, and Mendocino Ridge. From a $14.95 everyday crusher to a 50%-off Beckstoffer vineyard gem, these are the bottles passing through his refrigerator this season.
K&L Redwood City Tasting Bar Manager Aaron Hughes rounds up his favorite 2025 California and Oregon rosés, from a $14.95 Willamette Valley crusher to top-tier Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir rosé from Flowers and Marine Layer. All dry, all delicious, all worth your attention this season.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, K&L Wine Merchants' New York store is opening its cellar—free—for 50 consecutive days. Krug, Cristal, Sassicaia, Pingus, Mouton-Rothschild, Dal Forno, Bollinger La Grande Année, Dominus, Peter Michael and more, poured daily from 2–5 PM at 270 Madison Avenue (corner of 39th). No sign-up. No ticket. Just show up. Three 2 oz pours per visit, two visits per week per person. The full 50-day lineup is below.
K&L Burgundy Buyer Alex Pross calls 2024 one of the greatest White Burgundy vintages of the past quarter century—crystalline, precise, and built for the ages. Here's your complete guide to the best producers and pre-arrival offerings, from village Chablis to Grand Cru Montrachet.
