I started my day by making the drive up from Troyes and back to the Marne, and my first stop was the little town of Monthelon to visit Alexandre Le Brun. He is in the middle of a big project, expanding his winery with a new crush pad with two presses, many new tanks, and a beautiful new foudre.
Read MoreDelphine Brulez is one of the most engaging and intelligent growers in Champagne, and it was a great pleasure to visit her yesterday at Champagne Louise Brison. We tasted a number of her vin clairs from barrel together, as well as her new releases.
Read MoreThis year, I started my trip to Champagne at the region’s southern edge—the village of Les Riceys in the Aube department. It is only three miles from here to Burgundy, and the soil is the same kimmeridgian clay that is found in Chablis. My very first stop was to see Vivien Lamoureux. Here I was greeted by Vivien, along with his dog Noughat, at the entrance of his 18th century cellar. We tasted the entire range from his twelve-hectare estate and caught up with one another.
Read MoreOnce a month, in our Redwood City store, one of our buyers will host an after-hours tasting for the staff. This special, late night tasting allows us to sit down together, enjoy a little food, and dive deeper into a region or selection of wines. This week, with our Rhone tasting coming up tomorrow, our buyer Keith Mabry took us on a tour of the Rhone, sharing stories and details (and even soil samples!) from the regions of Côtes du Rhône, Châteuneuf-du-Pape, Côte Rôtie, Cornas and Hermitage.
Read MoreNothing more fun than picking the brain of a tried-and-true wine geek. For part 3, we talk wine with Clyde!
Read MorePrices on Burgundy wines are outrageous and it’s scaring even the most intrepid (and wealthy) of enthusiasts away from this beautiful region. Unfortunately, this go-big-or-go-home attitude has monopolized our attention, but in fact there are still plenty of ways to stick your toe into the world of Burgundy without sacrificing your retirement. You just have to know where to look. A great place to start is by finding a reliable producer you can trust and with a style you like. One of our favorites in this area is Château de la Charrière
Read MoreLast night, Cinnamon and I enjoyed a fantastic bottle of 1996 Lynch-Moussas with a very nice piece of New York steak and I was moved to share a little bit about this Pauillac. I found this wine to be fantastically elegant, well balanced and restrained. It was a true gentleman of a claret, and seems in its prime at 23 years old.
Read MoreGrower/producer Pascal Lallement’s delectable Premier Cru Champagne from Chamery in the Montagne de Reims is textured and rich with incandescent energy. And for $34.99, it is an insane value for the price.
Read MoreIf you received our February wine club shipment, or if you went to our Loire tasting a few weeks ago, you might have had the opportunity to try the wines from Aurore Dezat. This small producer from Sancerre makes three wines, two Sancerre blanc and one Sancerre rouge, and is a relatively new sensation with our staff. We just started working with her a few years back and each year, her wines get better and better.
Read MoreThis past weekend, Cinnamon and I took a little mini-break up to Tomales Bay. We stayed at Nick’s Cove and made a trip out to the Hog Island Oyster beds, and we brought along a range of wine from star direct import producer Bruno Michel to have with our meals. It was a great success, and I thought I would take a moment to tell you all about them, as some of them are exceedingly rare and won’t last long.
Read MoreThere are perks to working with the good folks at K&L Hollywood. Namely: they feed me. On Sunday, in honor of Valentine’s Day, Keith had us over for a fondue soirée fit for kings, and Clarissa brought not one but three desserts, including a cake made from aged Moët & Chandon. The others came bearing phenomenal libations. It was a decadent lovefest of the very best kind: one celebrating our long-term romance with cheese and wine.
Read MoreWe’re thrilled to welcome our Bordeaux guru Ralph Sands to the blog, where he revisits vintages past and looks with excitement toward the future.
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