The Best Escargot Pairing

My son came home one night talking about something his teacher had mentioned: it was called escargot, and he was interested in it. I immediately snatched up the opportunity to get my kid to try a new thing and called my French friend Julie to hatch a plan. Within two days, we were gathered in my kitchen, cooking escargot and popping the corks on the Damien Hugot Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc and the 2017 Auxey-Duresses “Les Clous” from Jacques Bavard—each stunning and perfectly suited to our meal.

A Fitting Homage: Damien Hugot

Anyone who has met Damien Hugot, either in Champagne or here at one of our tastings, knows that he is full of a good time, and full of lust for life. He saves his serious side for his vineyard, which he tends like a garden, and for his work in his immaculately clean winery. This year he released a brand new cuvée, the Damien Hugot "Hommage 1921" Extra Brut Champagne, which is an homage to his great grandfather, who started making his own wine south of Épernay back in 1921.

Champagne for Every Occasion, from Taco Tuesday to Thanksgiving

Champagne Buyer Gary Westby and his team have assembled a lineup of Champagnes that range from everyday values to the height of luxury. No matter the occasion, we have a Champagne to pair with it!

La Montre est Bonne

My new French phrase for my first week in Champagne is “la montre est bonne,” an expression that means “everything looks good right now” for a good vintage in 2022. After the disastrously low yields of 2021, the generous set on the vines now is a site for sore eyes. The vineyards in Champagne are far ahead of schedule, with flowering happening as I type in many places, and the flowers are already here in Sacy, where I took the picture below. A big harvest would do a lot to stabilize Champagne, because currently stocks are low due to a big increase in global demand, the horribly short 2021 harvest, and the self-inflicted wound of tight yield limits in 2020.

It’s a Wrap! Another Successful Champagne Tent Event

What a weekend! Our annual, two-city Champagne Tent Event was another amazing success in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. The events drew sold-out crowds with a total of 300 guests attending each tasting. This year, we had approximately 20 producers pouring their wines, many of whom flew out directly from Champagne. The lineup of over 80 Champagnes was impressive, but the real draw of this event was the opportunity to meet and talk with these producers.

K&L Wine Merchants

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