There and Back Again: The Far Reaches of the West Sonoma Coast

Last month we finally pulled off a staff trip that had been six years in the making! I had long wanted to take our sales team up to the far West Sonoma Coast and Fort Ross-Seaview AVAs. This beautiful part of the state produces some of the very best and most distinctive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the world. However, the wineries and vineyards are extremely remote and getting to them requires long miles on very tiny roads full of switchbacks, precipitous drop offs, and centurion Coastal Redwoods. Putting together my dream itinerary for this trip was no small feat. Winemakers’ schedules had to align. I had to get 15 staff members on a bus to navigate these roads, and rely on the willingness of our fearless designated driver, Jorge Valencia, to traverse these coastal mountains, often on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere! But we finally did it!

Wine NewsletterRyan WoodhouseJuly 19, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, domestic wine, west sonoma coast, sonoma coast wine, west sonoma coast wine, ryan woodhouse, flowers winery, hirsch winery, cobb winery, ross cobb, chardonnay, pinot noir

Holiday Buying Guide: Our Top Picks for the Season

The K&L Holiday Wine Buying Guide is your ultimate resource for selecting the perfect wines to elevate your holiday celebrations. Whether you're searching for the ideal bottle to pair with festive meals, a special gift for a wine lover, or simply a standout wine to enjoy with loved ones, our curated guide offers expert recommendations across all price points and styles. From rich reds and elegant whites to sparkling wines and rare finds, our team of experienced sommeliers and wine buyers has handpicked a selection that embodies the spirit of the season, ensuring your holiday table is stocked with exceptional wines. Let us help you make this holiday season even more memorable with the perfect bottle for every occasion!

California Wine, France, Oregon Wine, Wine Newsletter, Bordeaux, ChampagneKate SotoDecember 10, 2024K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, ryan moses, ryan woodhouse, kirk walker, thomas smith, orazio campoli, hundred suns, assiduous, meteor perseid, mt brave mount veeder, napa cabernet, complant uc davis south station vineyard, far niente, chimney rock, dyer winery, forman winery, andreola mas de fer, bruno giacosa, gaja, tommaso bussola, antinori, felsina, vin santo, tignanello, produttori del barbaresco, cobb estate, lynch bages, cobb winery, pauillac de latour, rauzan segla, leoville poyferre, montrose, vietti, a tribute to grace, cantemerle, sansonnet, cristom, egrot, roederer collection 242, duckhorn, labegorce, 2005 secret orkney (highland park), gary westby, alexandre le brun, ad coutelas, billecart-salmon, krug grand cuvee 172, wine clubs, k&l wine clubs, el escoces volante

Exploring the Latest Releases from the Napa and Sonoma A-List

To someone outside of California, saying “North of the San Francisco Bay” would indicate a large territory, including the lumping of Sonoma and Napa Counties together. Being just a quick 30-minute drive apart from each other means that many out-of-town visitors make plans to hit both areas in one go, especially for wine tasting expeditions. Yet, separated by the Mayacamas Mountain Range, these two wine-driven counties are, surprisingly, incredibly different from one another—in personality, in terroir, and ultimately in the wines that they produce. A few weeks ago, the Key Accounts team had an opportunity to spend a day in Sonoma and surrounding areas, and a day in Napa, side by side.

www.klwines.com