Domestic Wines to Know

DOMESTIC NEWSLETTER
February 2026

February offers a fresh look at the depth and range of American wine, and this month’s domestic lineup at K&L shows just how compelling and approachable the category has become. From sharply priced, high-scoring Napa Valley Cabernet to small-production Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a real sense of place, these bottles highlight the sweet spot where pedigree meets value. We’ve also taken on one of our favorite challenges: just how well can you drink for under $30? Very well, as it turns out. Alongside those everyday standouts, you’ll find a selection of luxurious 97–100-point whites and reds suited for collectors and special occasions alike. Whether you’re refilling the cellar, discovering new producers, or hunting for benchmark bottles without benchmark prices, this newsletter will guide the way. And don’t miss our upcoming in-store tastings and events, where many of these wines come to life in the glass.

Affordable, World-Class, 97-99-Point Napa Cabs
Holocene - Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for the Ages
How Well Can You Drink for Under $30?
Luxurious Whites & Reds: Savvy 97–100-Point Selections
Sommelier Services Spotlight: Cabernet Across America
Upcoming Events at Your Local K&L

Affordable, World-Class, 97-99-Point Napa Cabs
(Yeah, you read that right!)

Honestly, I deliberately avoid using AI for most work-related tasks. Sorry Chat GPT, Claude, Gemini etc., but I guess I’m just old-school and prefer my own thoughts to hit the page even if they’re grammatically incorrect and not as polished as they could be. Given that tasting wine and trying to communicate what you smell, taste, and feel to other people is one of the most complex, and subjective things you could ever try and do, I hope my job is safe at least for the time being! However, when starting to write this article I asked Google what I should expect to pay for high quality, top-scoring Napa Cabernet. The answer relayed was $200 to $4,000 per bottle. Well, I thought, we can do better than that. So I decided to write a list of what I consider to be some of the best of the best Napa Valley wines, that deliver exceptional quality, respected pedigree, cellaring potential, and massive critical acclaim. Then I gave myself a budget not to exceed $100 per bottle, and here’s what I came up with: Read More On the Trail.

2022 Patria "Monarch" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $100) 97 Price: Hidden View
2022 Matthiasson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 99 $79.95 View
2021 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 99 $69.95 View
2021 Paradigm Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 97 $99.95 View
2021 La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $180) 9 8Price: Hidden View

Holocene - Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for the Ages

The Holocene wines are some of the most exciting wines I’ve seen out of Oregon in the past few years. They’re very small production wines, typically only a few hundred cases of each bottling. The wines are made with precision and poise but without too much winemaking input. Native yeasts, minimal intervention, and modest use of oak. The purity of all the wines is compelling, as is their vibrancy and transparent sense of place. I was so impressed with the last set of wines I tasted from Holocene, we went directly to the winery to bring this entire range of wines into stock as each and every one deserve to be showcased. Wines of this quality, massive critical acclaim, and miniscule production are rarely inexpensive. That said, we managed to negotiate some very sharp pricing even on these highly rated new releases. These wines stand up to the very best in the country. In their youth they really benefit from a good splash in the decanter and serve in your finest Burgundy stemware for full effect. Read More On the Trail.

2024 Holocene "Aureolin" Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay (Elsewhere $80) 98 Price: Hidden View
2024 Holocene "Pyxis" Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay (Elsewhere $70) 97 Price: Hidden View
2023 Holocene "Codex" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $50) 96 Price: Hidden View
2023 Holocene "Sidereal" Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $80) 97 Price: Hidden View
2023 Holocene "Apocrypha" Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $80) 97 Price: Hidden View
2023 Holocene "Memorialis" Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $80) 98 Price: Hidden View

How Well Can You Drink for Under $30?

After the frequent excesses of the holiday season, the early months of the year often have folks (myself included) looking for great values in wine. That transition from pulling the best bottles from the cellar for celebrations, to grabbing everyday wines for daily drinking can be a process. But fear not. Here at K&L we consider finding great wines at modest prices one of the most important parts of our business. If you’re spending big dollars on expensive, high-end wines, they better be exceptional. However, as the Domestic Wine Buyer at K&L, the part of my job that takes up the vast majority of my time and effort is making sure we have a best-in-class selection of wines that over-deliver on value for money.

I taste hundreds of wines every week, travel to wine regions to seek out new talent, and work with dozens of suppliers to find you the very best deals in wine, and to do so without cutting corners on quality, while still focusing on small production, artisanal wines. My hope is to gain your trust and earn your ongoing business just as K&L has done for the past 50 years. Whether you’re just starting out on your wine journey exploring new regions and varietals, or if you know what you like and just looking to stock up the cellar I’m confident we have something for you. Read More On the Trail.

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay (Elsewhere $50) Price: Hidden View
2024 Brick & Mortar Anderson Valley Chardonnay (Elsewhere $30) 94 Price: Hidden View
2019 Barden "Sanford & Benedict Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay (Previously $80) 93 Price: Hidden View
2023 Stolpman Santa Barbara County Grenache (Elsewhere $36) 93P rice: Hidden View
2023 PROJECT M "Bednarik Vineyard" Tualatin Hills Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $50) 93 Price: Hidden View
2023 Lioco Mendocino County Pinot Noir 95 $24.95 View
2023 Bedrock "Old Vine" California Zinfandel 92 $24.95 View
2017 Copain "Brosseau Vineyard" Chalone Syrah (Winery Direct Library Release) (Elsewhere $70) 96 Price: Hidden View
2019 Twelfth Labour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 92 $29.95 View

Luxurious Whites & Reds: Savvy 97–100-Point Selections

Drawn from benchmark vineyards and top-tier producers, this curated lineup of 97–100-point whites and reds showcases the precision, pedigree, and cellar-worthy structure collectors crave. From electric, terroir-driven Sauvignon Blancs and layered single-vineyard Chardonnays to commanding Cabernets and finely etched Pinot Noir, each bottle represents the pinnacle of its category—wines of distinction that reward both immediate enjoyment and patient aging. In what’s sure to sell out swiftly, you may want to make haste to taste the 100-point 2021 Force Majeure "Estate" Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at any of our K&L locations through our Open Cellar Program.

2023 Frog's Leap "Concrete Aged - Estate" Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 97 $54.95 View
2023 Peter Michael "L'Apres-Midi" Knights Valley Sauvignon Blanc 97 $74.95 View
2022 Ramey "Hyde Vineyard" Carneros Chardonnay 98 $79.95 View
2022 Ramey "Rochioli Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay 98 $79.95 View
2022 Ramey "Woolsey Road Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay 98 $79.95 View

REDS

2007 Stonestreet "Black Cougar Ridge" Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release) 97 $74.95 View
2021 Cobb "Doc's Ranch Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $90) 97 Price: Hidden View
2021 Force Majeure "Estate" Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon 97 $79.95 View
2021 Mt. Brave Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $130) 99 Price: Hidden View
2021 Force Majeure "Estate" Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $150) 100 Price: HiddenView

Sommelier Services Spotlight: Cabernet Across America

What makes Cabernet Sauvignon taste powerful and structured in one place, yet elegant and aromatic in another? The answer lies in geography.

Our Sommelier Services team invites you to explore the diversity of American Cabernet Sauvignon through a guided comparative tasting designed for private groups, corporate gatherings, or hosted celebrations. This immersive experience examines how climate, elevation, and soil shape one of the world’s most iconic grape varieties.

Guests taste side-by-side examples highlighting distinct regional expressions, which may include:

Washington State – vibrant acidity, rugged minerality, and lifted aromatics
Alexander Valley – classic structure with balanced ripeness
Santa Cruz Mountains – freshness, restraint, and mineral tension
Napa Valley Floor – plush texture and generous fruit
Napa Mountain Vineyards – intensity, structure, and age-worthy depth
Paso Robles – bold richness with sun-driven character

Led by a K&L sommelier, the tasting blends education with discovery, helping guests understand how to recognize stylistic differences while gaining practical insight into selecting Cabernet with confidence.

Sommelier Services events can be hosted in your home for an elevated private gathering, at corporate offices for client entertainment or team experiences, or in dedicated tasting spaces at any of our California retail locations.

Each event is fully customizable, with curated wine selections sourced from K&L’s extensive domestic portfolio and tailored to your group’s experience level and goals.

Email us at [email protected] or visit somm.klwines.com for more information.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, February 19th – Isle of Harris: Island Spirits (San Francisco)
Thursday, February 19th – Public Trust Spirits: Montagave Tequila (Culver City)
Friday, February 20th – Greece Wine Tasting (All Stores)
Saturday, February 21st – Domestic (Napa) Wine Tasting (All Stores)
Saturday, February 21st – KIN A-Peel Banana Liqueur (Culver City)
Sunday, February 22nd – Ghia Non-Alcoholic Aperitifs & Cocktails (Culver City)
Wednesday, February 25th – Experimental Pilsners (San Francisco & Redwood City)
Thursday, February 26th – High West Whiskey (San Francisco)
Thursday, February 26th – Matíari Tequila: A Story of Firsts (Culver City)
Friday, February 27th – Italy: Wines of Tuscany Tasting (All Locations)
Saturday, February 28th – Ribera del Duero Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Saturday, February 28th – Saint Rhum: Drink Like a Sinner, Feel Like a Saint (Culver City)
Sunday, March 1st – Vermouth: LAIE Vermut Tasting (San Francisco)
Thursday, March 5th – Wine Club Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, March 6th – Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Tasting (San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood)
Friday, March 6th – Braida & Barbera: A Legacy That Changed Piedmont (Culver City)
Saturday, March 7th – The Collector's Cabinet: Unlocking Coveted Bottles (All Locations)
Saturday, March 7th – Craft Spirits Co-Op: Mezcal Made by Mujeres (Culver City)
Sunday, March 8th – Saint Rhum Spirits Tasting (Culver City)
Thursday, March 12th – Blind Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, March 13th – Grower Champagne Tasting (All Locations)
Saturday, March 14th – Bordeaux Tasting (All Locations)
Tuesday, March 17th – St. Patrick's Day Happy Hour Beer (San Francisco & Redwood City)
Thursday, March 19th – Tablas Creek Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, March 20th – Islands of Italy: Sicily & Sardinia (All Locations)
Saturday, March 21st – Loire Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Tuesday, March 24th – Leflaive, Moreau, Hugel, and Pol Roger Tasting (San Francisco)
Wednesday, March 25th – Beer Tasting (San Francisco & Redwood City)
Thursday, March 26th – Bird Snapper Non-Alcoholic RTDs (San Francisco)
Friday, March 27th – Highlighting Rioja's Best Vintages (All Locations)
Saturday, March 28th – Australia & New Zealand Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Thursday, April 2nd – Wine Club Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, April 3rd – Tête de Cuvée Champagnes (All Locations)
Saturday, April 4th – Domesting Tasting (All Locations)
Thursday, April 9th – Blind Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Saturday, April 11th – Riesling Tasting (All Locations)