With lyrical prose and an ability to write convincingly about inspiration, Theise takes readers on a journey through his life in wine. He doesn’t try to teach about terroir (though he contemplates the topic) or about how to find meaning—he just lets us accompany him as he finds his own passion in a glass.
Read MoreThe French 75 cocktail dates back, at least, to Harry’s Bar in Paris in the 1900s, but it didn’t appear in print until the Roarin’ 20s, when they knew how to make drinks that packed a punch (apparently this is the only classic cocktail officially born in America during Prohibition). Her’e’s Will’s take, adding festive elements such as pink lemonade, raspberries, and rosé Champagne. It’s downright delicious and is the perfect way to bid adieu to 2018.
Read MoreEarlier this year, Gary Westby and I met champagne producer Thierry Thibault at his countryside home in Champagne during the annual K&L Champagne buy trip. I was excited to finally taste the famous Thibault cuvées— there had been quite a buzz surrounding them since we completely sold out of them the same day we sent the e-mail on the last go around.
Read MoreOur Spirits Samurai, David OG, has created a Champagne cocktail that is elegant enough for a contemporary feast, but harkens back to the sensibilities of those early voyaging Pilgrims. It’s bright and tangy and apple-infused, with a complex layering of flavors—but it’s easy as pie.
Read MoreLast night, Cinnamon and I checked in on the 2008 Dom Pérignon, now that it is available for sale. This has been a highly anticipated release, as the winemaking team decided to release the 2009 ahead of it, giving the 2008 an extra year on the lees. This vintage marks the first that Vincent Chaperon shared a leading roll along with Richard Geoffroy, the chef de cave for Dom Pérignon of 28 years. As usual, this is roughly half and half Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, almost all Grand Cru, with the addition of the historic vineyard sites in the premier cru of Hautvillers.
Read MoreAt our Champagne Tent event, I had the chance to catch up with Alexandre Le Brun. He is one of the smallest producers that we import at K&L, with a total production around 700 cases. He has a small winery in the basement of his ancestral home in Monthelon, which is surrounded by old vines that date back to 1950 and 1902. In total, he farms seven acres over 22 different plots. Although he sells a majority of his grapes to the big houses (Bollinger, Moet, Laurent Perrier, etc.), he keeps a small amount for himself, which he lovingly crafts into five stunning Champagnes.
Read MoreOver the past week, I previewed two of my favorite Champagne and food pairings for the holidays. The first is old vintage Champagne and foie gras. My other favorite pairing is crab cakes and extra brut blanc de blancs.
Read MoreOur 12th Champagne Tent Event is in the books, and it was truly one to remember. There were 26 producers at the event, many coming to California all the way from Champagne for our back-to-back events in LA and SF. Had we been revelers at Versailles, I don’t know if we could have enjoyed ourselves more.
Read MoreWe’re all super excited for this weekend’s Champagne Tent Events in Hollywood and San Francisco, so we’ve been talking about bubbles all week. I had a chance to chat with Valerie McDaniel, who represents both Bollinger and Ayala, and I learned a ton about these fascinating, historic houses. Ayala and Bollinger are two of the most notable producers in the village of Aÿ, in the heart of the Valle de Marne, and since 2005 they’ve been inextricably linked under the same ownership. But their friendship goes back even further. Ayala’s tale is one of riots and war and golden times, and it’s a great foray into Champenoise history.
Read MoreLast Friday was International Champagne Day and we hosted Enguerrand Baijot, owner of Champagne Lanson, in our Redwood City store for a special tasting. Baijot poured six of his wines and shared interesting insights with our crowd of guests.
Read MoreThis past Thursday I flew out to Hollywood for a very special vertical dinner of Louis Roederer’s Cristal. K&L’s own Sharon Kelly organized the event, and 25 happy customers joined us. Dirk Smits from Champagne Louis Roederer lead us through the wines, which were paired expertly by Chef Walter Manzke and his staff at République.
Read MoreGary Westby, our Champagne Buyer, invited me to join them for their annual Champagne Summit, a daylong tasting that happens every fall. Each year, in order to get ready for the busy holiday season, the buyers invite some of the biggest houses in France to pour their Champagnes.
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