Post-Tent-Event Bliss and Other Champagne News

Another Champagne Tent Event is in the books, and we’re still riding the wave of excitement that follows an afternoon spent with so many remarkable producers. This month’s Champagne Newsletter celebrates that same spirit—spotlighting the unforgettable wines of Launois, sharing stories from Champagne Buyer Gary Westby, and inviting you to keep exploring through our Champagne Club and exclusive grower selections. As the holidays approach, we’ve also gathered a lineup of exceptional Champagne values to have on hand for every toast, dinner, and celebration to come. Raise a glass with us to another season of discovery, connection, and great bubbles.

France, Wine Newsletter, ChampagneKate SotoOctober 20, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, champagne, champagne tent event, champagne tasting

Krug’s Exquisite Craftsmanship Shines in Current Releases

This month, the K&L staff was treated to a first-of-its-kind Krug tasting seminar conducted by Krug’s Director of Education, Julie Boilleau, and Director of Business Development for the Americas, Louis Henrion, whom we Zoomed in direct from Reims, along with Moët-Hennessey’s Director of Northern California, Omar Martin, and Associate Brand Manager for Krug & Ruinart, Allison Stackhouse.

France, ChampagneOn the TrailMay 22, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, krug grand cuvee 172, philip roufail, julie boilleau, louis henrion, moet hennessey, champagne, lvmh, allison stackhouse, le clos du mesnil, le clos d;ambonnay, krug collection, champagne tasting, champagne review

Misunderstood Meunier

Even though the grape variety Meunier covers about one-third of the Champagne region, it is still little understood by most wine lovers. Follow Gary Westby on the trail through Champagne to explore the wonder of this dynamic and not-to-be-missed varietal that great Champagne could not do without.

France, ChampagneGary WestbyFebruary 6, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, meunier, champagne, gary westby, krug, champagne review, derot delugny, alexandre le brun, thierry thibault, laherte freres, billecart salmon, vintage champagne, champagne tasting

Champagne Dreams Made Possible with Friends

I have the great fortune of belonging to a Champagne tasting group that meets quarterly. Since August 2019, we have been having our get-togethers. Everyone in this group is an absolute Champagne fiend. Luckily, we have never had to suffer through an even slightly mediocre tasting. Yes, a couple of bottles have been corked here and there, but, amazingly it’s only been very, very, few—especially considering that we taste 15-plus bottles per meeting. This last one, a week ago, was another stunner.

champagneScott BeckerleyJuly 12, 2023K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, champagne club, scott beckerley, billecart salmon, laherte freres, laurent-perrier, loriot, goutorbe, pol roger, winston churchill cuvee, on the trail, champagne blog, champagne tasting

Two Hours in Louis Roederer Heaven!

On Friday, the 23rd of June, we had the extreme pleasure of hosting a wine tasting with the Champagnes of Louis Roederer in all three of our K&L locations. I am reporting on the San Francisco tasting, which was hosted by Roederer representative Andrea Miranda. We will start with what everyone was the most excited about, the 2015 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne.

France, ChampagneScott BeckerleyJune 28, 2023K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, champagne, wine tasting, cristal, champagne tasting, louis roederer, louis roederer collection 243, louis roederer collection 242, louis roederer rose, louis roederer starck, san francisco k&L, san francisco wine tasting, scott beckerley

A visit with Mathieu Roland Billecart

On the morning of May 12, 2023, our San Francisco staff had the extreme pleasure of attending a seminar and tasting with Mathieu Roland Billecart of Champagne Billecart-Salmon. We learned about the history of Billecart-Salmon, including its founding in 1818 occasioned by the marriage between Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. Billecart fans will likely be familiar with these names as they appear on the current 2008 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" NFB Brut Champagne and on bottles of the famous Cuvée Elisabeth Brut Rosé that we regularly have in stock.

France, ChampagneScott BeckerleyJune 1, 2023K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, wine, champagne, billecart salmon, scott beckerley, mathieu roland Billecart, champagne tasting, san francisco, staff tasting

A Great 2008 from Billecart

At the end of May, I was lucky enough to be hosted at Champagne Billecart-Salmon in Mareuil by none other than cellarmaster Florent Nys. We have known each other for many years, but I hadn’t had the chance to sit down with him since before the pandemic. He invited me into the new reception area at Billecart, and poured quite the tasting.

ChampagneGary WestbyJune 14, 2022K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, billecart-salmon, champagne, champagne tasting, vintage champagne

Grand Siècle Iteration #25: Champagne Doesn’t Get Better

I have been waiting for the release of the 25th iteration of Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siècle for years, and, now that it is here, I am happy to say it has delivered on all my expectations.

ChampagneGary WestbyMarch 16, 2022K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, champagne, laurent perrier, grand siecle, gary westby, champagne tasting, on the trail, champagne review, grand cru champagne, wine review

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