Here's the math on summer: more bottles opened, more people showing up, same budget you had in June. So this week we kept things mostly under $20, added a few wines Keith Mabry can't stop drinking, plus the chillable reds on rotation at Chez Ryan Woodhouse. (There's also one splurge at the bottom, because rules are made to be broken...at least once.)
Read MoreFor fifty years, K&L has been in the business of finding the best wine and spirits for the best prices. We've built deep relationships across the industry, and that's been the secret ingredient in the K&L sauce. In the 80s, co-founder Clyde Beffa realized that some of his friends in California had made more wine than they could sell; he could buy the juice at a discount and pass along the savings to the customers—as long as he didn't reveal his sources. Thus Kalinda was born, and we started our foray into private labels. Since then, we've expanded to a family of them: Bordeaux and Italy bottled under our Discovery Series; French country wines blended as Rendez-Vous; a Grand Cru Champagne bottled for us as Maison 76; California wineries we can't name under the Anonymous Wine Collective; and casks we picked ourselves in Scotland and Kentucky. Every bottle below exists because a K&L buyer stood in a cellar and said yes.
Read MoreWhat do K&L customers actually drink? This is it. The twenty wines that outsold everything else in the first half of 2026 — from a $9.99 Vinho Verde to a 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains library Cabernet — ranked by bottles sold, with no scores and no spin. Alongside them: ten July staff picks including the second wine of Sassicaia and a $17.99 Crémant that drinks well above its price, plus eight summer whites and rosés every one under $35. Fifty years in, this is still the best list we publish.
Read MoreThere is no grape in Italy that demands more of you—or rewards you more deeply—than Nebbiolo. It's the reason I fell in love with Piedmont. It's the reason I keep going back. This week, we are exploring Nebbiolo in all its forms: from the graceful, approachable wines of the Langhe to the iron-fisted grandeur of Barolo, the alpine severity of Valtellina, and the haunting minerality of Alto Piemonte.
Read MoreThe 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 →
Read MoreTo 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.
Read MoreOur buyer Ryan Moses just returned from Bordeaux. His verdict: this is the vintage serious collectors have been waiting for. Low yields. Moderate alcohol. Classical structure. Pricing aligned with 2024—for a significantly better vintage. Pontet-Canet: 98–100 Wine Advocate—$89.99. Malescot-St-Exupéry: 97 points—$49.99. Laroque: 96 Decanter—$31.99 Critics call it "the concentration of 2022 with the freshness of 2016." Pre-arrival. Estimated delivery September 2028.
Read MoreItalian wine has been the focus of my work for many years, and it’s still the category that excites me most. No other country offers the same range of native grapes, regional nuance, and deep historical continuity—nor the same opportunity to find wines that feel truly meaningful to drink. This email brings together a collection of Italian releases I’m especially proud of, spanning cellar‑worthy icons and bottles I reach for on a weeknight, all sourced with the same philosophy: trust the grower, honor the place, and never lose sight of value.
Read MoreIf 2016 was the vintage of power and 2019 was the vintage of austerity, 2021 in Barolo is the vintage of complete nobility. As these wines finally start to reach our shelves, the verdict from the Langhe is unanimous: this is a “modern classic”year. The spine-tingling acidity of the past meets the polished winemaking and tannin management of the present.
Read MoreWelcome to our latest newsletter from K&L Wine Merchants’ flagship store in San Francisco. Nestled in the vibrant Yerba Buena district, our store is surrounded by galleries, museums, and theaters—so there’s always something inspiring happening nearby. At K&L, we love making wine approachable, thoughtful, and personal, helping you discover bottles you’ll enjoy and the stories behind them.
Read MoreItalian wine offers something few wine cultures can: an unmatched combination of history, place, and everyday pleasure. From the sunlit hills of Tuscany to the fog-shrouded vineyards of Barolo, Italy’s greatest wines are rooted in native grapes, centuries of tradition, and a deep connection to food and local life. At the same time, Italy remains one of the world’s best sources of value, producing honest, character-driven wines that deliver far more quality than their price suggests. In this issue, we explore the power and prestige of Tuscany, the depth and longevity of Barolo, and the joy of discovering Italian wines that prove you don’t need to spend a fortune to drink beautifully.
Read MoreBordeaux enters 2026 with rare momentum. Pricing has softened across the region, quality remains exceptional, and collectors are finding real opportunity at every level of the market. This month’s newsletter reflects that moment in full. We look back at a demanding but productive year at K&L, share the latest arrivals that set the tone for the new vintage cycle, highlight where Bordeaux still delivers some of the world’s best values, and revisit the wines and moments that defined 2025. You’ll also find a deep bench of pre-arrival standouts, in-stock classics ready to drink, and a full calendar of tastings that bring these wines to life in our stores. Whether you’re buying for the cellar, the table, or both, Bordeaux continues to reward attention right now.
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