Finding Inspiration Across the Globe: K&L Buyers' Top Wine and Spirits Picks

Our Buying team truly comprises some of the most knowledgeable, passionate wine and spirits experts in the biz, and we’re happy to bring you a set of their favorites from across our aisles. From years of traveling and extensive experience in the industry, each buyer represents a wealth of knowledge broadly about wine and spirits, but very deeply about their own regions and categories. If you want to shoot the breeze about soils, talk about best vintages to buy, or just learn what’s new and exciting—they are unparalleled resources! Seek them out on our sales floor or shoot them an email via our Staff Profile page.

Thanksgiving Buying Guide: Find Your Perfect Pairing

This week, we’re officially kicking off our Thanksgiving planning. Halloween is in the rearview mirror; Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa are just far enough away that we don’t have to wrap our brains around gifting quite yet… No elves on the shelves, but our rally bird is out in Redwood City—it’s the perfect time to talk turkey.

Australia and New Zealand Put the Fun in Friendsgiving

While I enjoy splurging on a few fancy bottles for Thanksgiving itself, for Friendsgiving, I typically hunt for more affordable wines that punch well above their price point. We don’t want to break the bank, but we want everyone to enjoy the wine. That’s one reason I keep returning to the wines of New Zealand and Australia for Friendsgiving. They’re incredibly delicious, appeal to a wide range of tastes, and consistently offer extraordinary value for the price. Here are some of the wines we’ll be serving at our Friendsgiving this year:

NZ's Ata Rangi Wines Shine at a Dinner with Winemaker Helen Masters

On September 19th and 20th, K&L had the pleasure of welcoming the esteemed and affable winemaker Helen Masters from New Zealand’s Ata Rangi Winery for a memorable tasting series and unique dinner in San Francisco. For an in-depth discussion on Ata Rangi's background and ethos, check out the fantastic write-up by Emma Jenkins, MW for Decanter. Ata Rangi is undeniably one of the top Pinot Noir producers in New Zealand. They were not only recognized in 2010 with the inaugural Tipuranga Teitei o Aotearoa or "Grand Cru of New Zealand" award, but they've earned a reputation for producing wines that are delightfully approachable, expressively terroir-driven, and remarkably age-worthy. Plus, it's hard not to have a great time around Helen, a true champion of the wine industry and wonderful person!

An Aussie Renaissance: Refined, Ageworthy, and Unique Wines

This week, we’re excited to introduce several new and intriguing Australian producers, including Swinney wines from the remote Frankland River region, which are available in the U.S. for the first time. We’re also welcoming back Sons of Eden, a collaboration between master winemaker Corey Ryan and renowned viticulturist Simon Cowham, after a six-year hiatus. Additionally, we have a stellar lineup from Lienert in the Barossa, known for their exceptional Roussanne. And, of course, don't forget about the world-class values from Oakridge.

Born of Barossa: Lienert Wines Deliver on Delicious

It’s rare that these days for me to sit down at a winery and be totally blown away by a label I’ve never seen before. But that’s exactly what happened last June when I was at the Artisans of Barossa tasting room in South Australia. The winery, in this case, was Lienert. The Roussanne was the first wine that stopped me in my tracks. Gorgeous acid, sweet fruit, and beautiful notes of honeycomb immediately struck me. The same was true for the Grenache and the Mourvèdre, both stunningly delicious wines that blew me away. Moments later I was looking through my notes trying to figure out how to get in touch with these guys when a broad-shouldered gentlemen with a reddish beard plopped down in the the chair across from me and extended his hand for a shake, “Hi there, I’m James Lienert.”

Australia’s Sons of Eden Wines Return to Our Shelves

If the quality of grapes is a measure of a wine, then the measure of a winery is the quality of the people who make it. By that estimate, Sons of Eden is one of the best Australian producers out there.

Australia’s Newest Global Benchmark: Swinney Wine

In 2018, Swinney released their first wines to instant acclaim. They enlisted Western Australian winemaking legend Rob Mann from Cape Mentelle to lead the winemaking. The debut vintage garnered shock and admiration within the Australian wine scene. Since then, Swinney has continued to build its reputation. Australian wine critic James Halliday has awarded the winery a coveted five-star rating, his highest accolade. Their wines have received impressive 98+ scores from Decanter and the Wine Advocate.

A Wealth of Riches on Our Australian Wine Shelves

Last June, I had the extraordinary opportunity to explore the Australian wine country, searching for the next wave of exceptional wines that deserve a place on the shelves at K&L. I was not only impressed by the quality of the wines I tasted but also surprised by the sheer number of producers crafting exquisite artisanal wines that had never been imported to the United States.

Cabernet Down Under

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:

Tasting Appointments: Oakridge’s Henk Vineyard

I’ve spent years writing about the Henk Vineyard wines, so it was difficult not to get a little caught up when Georgina’s truck pulled onto the steep ridgeline that separates the north-facing Pinot and Chardonnay blocks. Henk vineyard is named for the former vineyard manager and property owner who leased the vineyard to Oakridge almost six years ago. As part of their local vineyard series, Oakridge has found a handful of sites throughout the Upper Yarra that produce fruit of exceptional quality–and Henk is my absolute favorite.

Holiday Buying Guide: Over-Performing Southern Hemisphere Wines for Your Next Party

With Thanksgiving behind us, it's time to gear up for the holiday season. This calls for celebrations, and what's a celebration without wine? At K&L, we've curated a selection of top-notch wines that will impress your guests and help you celebrate the holidays in style. The best part? Quality doesn't have to break the bank. We've discovered a series of remarkable deals from the Southern Hemisphere that will delight your guests and keep your budget intact.

K&L Wine Merchants

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