Illya's Wednesday Night Wines
For years, I have been telling customers about the great quality-to-price ratio that we have at K&L. So, why not get it out there on the web!! In my close-to-ten-year span at K&L, I’ve easily tasted 5000 wines. Here are a few of my go-tos—what I am calling my Wednesday Night Wines. These are great everyday wines that won't break the bank, and are perfect to pair with frozen pizza or binging on Netflix.
2018 Domaine du Vieil Orme Sauvignon Touraine Blanc $11.99
The family-owned domaine dates back to 1804, located in a tiny Loire village named St-Julien-de Chédon. Since 2009, Laurent Benoist has been at the helm, focusing his efforts on sustainable farming and pure, terroir-driven wines. Touraine is a great area to find value if you love the Sauvignon Blanc grape. All that crisp acidity and minerality without the Sancerre price!
2017 Domaine de Verquière Côtes-du-Rhône $10.99
The Verquière estate has been passed down from father to son for many generations and is now managed by Thibaut Chamfort. Following age-old traditions and sustainable practices, the estate was recently certified organic. The Côtes-du-Rhône is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. It’s light on its feet, with the right amount of spice and fruit that is sure to please anyones palate.
2016 Bodegas Casa Juan Señor de Lesmos Crianza Rioja $12.99
Talk about value! This little Direct Import has been a favorite of mine since I first started! Casa Juan is a family-owned and operated bodega in La Guardia, run by Angel Escudero and his family. While the family has been growing vines for years, it wasn’t until 1995 that Angel and his wife Anaceli decided to create a brand and sell it. The organic fruit comes from small parcels of Tempranillo all trained en vaso, averaging around 45 years old. This is ridiculous wine for what you are paying, and that is why it has been a K&L staple for years.
2016 Castel di Salve Armecolo $10.99
Castel di Salve is owned by Francesco Winspeare, whose family moved from England to southern Italy in the 18th century. Francesco has been making and bottling wine at the estate, which is in the little town of Depressa, in the very south of Apulia, since 1992. Made of 80% Negroamaro, with 20% Malvasia Nera di Lecce, a typical blend in southern Apulia, with the Malvasia adding black fruit and a hint of olive notes to the Negroamaro. Originally, the vineyards for this wine were surrounded by Armecolo or strawberry trees, which is how the wine earned its name. Leave to Greg, our Italian buyer, to find such a fantastic wine out of Apulia, where you can often find a good price, but not always this incredible quality.
2010 Bois-Malot, Bordeaux Supérieur $10.99
Because of our illustrious leader, Clyde, we get dynamite deals like this in Bordeaux!! And from the excellent 2010 vintage, to boot! The Meynards bought these vineyards in 1916. Château Bois-Malot is located in St-Loubes and situated on the shoreline of the Dordogne River. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Franc. It was aged for 18 months in large vats and then an additional six months in oak. We have sold a ton of this wine. Repeat buy is super impressive. Thank you Clyde for all you do!
- Illya Haase