Celebrating Clyde’s Birthday with Château Palmer

Château Palmer is easily on many wine consumers Top 5 all-time Bordeaux properties list—including mine—and for good reason! It’s technically a Third Growth, but one that ranks with some of the most well-regarded châteaux in the whole region. Recently, on not exactly just a random Monday night—but as Monday nights go this was not bad—I was lucky enough to experience a deep Palmer lineup and an exquisite food pairing menu. The occasion? It happened to be the only day that is a command (March 4th)—and my father, Clyde Beffa’s, birthday.

The New Cellars at Château Figeac

With the release of Figeac’s 2020 this week, I’m reminded that much of the conversation around Bordeaux often has to do with prices and critics scores, rather than the people at the heart of the wineries. Figeac certainly has the scores—all the critical ratings I’ve seen hover in the 95-99 range—but they also have a family devoted to the property, working to make better wines every year.

A Smorgasbord of Jura

Our Jura buyer, Keith Mabry, also happens to be a masterful cook & host. Lucky me, I got an invite to his Jura dinner—an absolute feast of Jura wine and cuisine. Much deliciousness and merriment ensued!

A Tasting and Dinner with Very Special Guests from Château Haut-Bailly

This weekend in Northern California, we were honored to host guests from one of our very favorite Bordeaux producers, Château Haut-Bailly. The wines were excellent, the pairing dinner knocked it out of the park, and the company, throughout all, was superb.

The Quintessence of 2008

Every year, my father and I celebrate our birthday together by having a wine dinner. This year, we started with the 2008 Pierre Paillard Grand Cru "La Grand Récolte" Extra Brut Champagne, paired with my mother-in-law’s excellent salmon pate starter. Everyone was taken aback by the incredible youth of this 11-year-old bottle, and by the stupendous breed and length. It was a fantastic way to start the party.

The Bossman Cometh: Clyde in LA!

It was a special treat for the LA team to get to do a Bordeaux tasting yesterday with K&L’s owner/founder/Bordeaux evangelist, Clyde Beffa.

bordeaux, hollywood, historyKate SotoAugust 15, 2019wine, wine dinner, papilles restaurant, bordeaux, wine tasting, clyde beffa, bossman

Bringing the Farm to LA: Our Farm-to-Table Dinner with Brian Talley

An icon in California wine, Talley is a family-run farming operation who’ve been growing and bottling classic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines from the Central Coast since the 80s. This is their 33rd harvest since they began, back in the day when they were the first growers of Pinot and Chardonnay in the region. I talked to Brian about cooking, food, wine, and the holistic approach that is the backbone of his family business.

Roussillon Meets Hollywood: A Visit from Jean Marc Lafage

There is so much to understand about a glass of wine but learning about the person and story behind it appeals to me as much as what’s in the glass. And winemakers are a passionate, interesting bunch. Their stories are usually full of twists and turns, and, at the very least, a whole lot of heart. Jean Marc Lafage certainly is a winemaker full of heart, though he’s smart and thorough and works as precisely as possible in both the vineyard and the cellar. This week, I had the pleasure of getting to know him.

K&L Wine Merchants

www.klwines.com