This past May I had the chance to drive all the way up to the very top of Champagne to the village of Cormicy. I was there to visit Christophe Boulard at Champagne Boulard-Baquaire, and it had been too long since I had seen him and visited the winery. Now, his wines have just come back in stock, and I would like to share their story with you.
Read MoreThis Wednesday I was invited to dinner at Selby’s by Louise Bryden, head of research and development and part of the winemaking team at Champagne Ruinart. She is touring the West Coast for the release of the Ruinart Blanc Singulier Brut Nature, the first new cuvée to be released by Ruinart since the non-vintage blanc de blancs over 20 years ago. It was a fantastic evening, and we were even served by the Ruinart Challenge winner—Lindsey Young from Selby’s—who had taken the prize that very morning in San Francisco!
Read MoreI have the great fortune of belonging to a Champagne tasting group that meets quarterly. Since August 2019, we have been having our get-togethers. Everyone in this group is an absolute Champagne fiend. Luckily, we have never had to suffer through an even slightly mediocre tasting. Yes, a couple of bottles have been corked here and there, but, amazingly it’s only been very, very, few—especially considering that we taste 15-plus bottles per meeting. This last one, a week ago, was another stunner.
Read MoreWe’re pleased to welcome a new Key Accounts Specialist, Chelsea Herholdt, to our team. Chelsea, located in San Francisco, comes to us with years of experience in the biz, and can help guide you through the process of building your collection. If you’re curious about where to start with a collection, drop her a line.
Read MoreVigneron Sophie Guiraudon established Clos de l’Anhel in the appellation of Corbières just over two decades ago. She proudly states that she is a first-generation winemaker. Beginning her career at another winery in the region, she felt like she could do the same thing they were doing but better and organic—so why not strike out on her own?
Read MoreJura has always been one of my passion projects. Early on in my tenure as the French Regional Buyer for K&L, I quickly became engaged by the unique flavor profiles of the wines from the region. The reds are light and crunchy with more structure than you might expect, which contributes to a myriad of food-pairing possibilities. The whites are, of course, epic, and the reason why most people are drawn to this category.
Read MoreWell over a decade ago, we were introduced to an outlier producer in Limoux called Domaine Bégude whose focus was on pure varietal still wines, all farmed organically. Vigneron James Kinglake was and his wife Catherine established this small estate in 2003 when they fled London’s financial industry and decided to take on the “low-key” world of winemaking in the south of France. Of course, the dream never starts easily, but, now on their 20th vintage, they have grown the winery, received organic certification, raised a daughter, and created one of our favorite brands from the south of France!
Read MoreThe beauty of Picpoul: these are bright, fresh, and vibrant wines that should command summer drinking obsession!
Read MoreCorsica is known as the Isle of Beauty (Ile de Beauté) in France, and deservedly so—the topography is wondrous. The island, which is the fourth largest in the Mediterranean, has beautiful mountains and is surrounded by over 600 miles of coastline and 200+ beaches. There seems to be no bad view anywhere.
Read MoreJean-Michel Cazes was a genuine, kind, and sincere individual whose infectious energy took over the room wherever he went. He blazed a trail that many of us dream about and did so with an integrity and quality that is rarely seen. The wine world has lost a titan, and K&L (like many others) has lost a great friend. It will be hard to pick the perfect bottle of Lynch-Bages as the right tribute, as there are so many meaningful vintages that are delicious, engaging, and dynamic. But that in itself speaks volumes to the unforgettable force of Jean-Michel Cazes.
Read MoreOn Friday, the 23rd of June, we had the extreme pleasure of hosting a wine tasting with the Champagnes of Louis Roederer in all three of our K&L locations. I am reporting on the San Francisco tasting, which was hosted by Roederer representative Andrea Miranda. We will start with what everyone was the most excited about, the 2015 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter is our long-awaited, comprehensive report on all things Bordeaux 2022 En Primeur. After a whirlwind trip to the region in April, our team returned full of enthusiasm and insight for what can only be described as an unprecedented modern vintage. While the growing season was not without its challenges, numerous properties crafted renditions that will rank with their very best, and while prices are undeniably up from 2021, there are still remarkable values to be had when you know where to look. As with any potentially great vintage, the hype and hyperbole must be put into proper context to help our customers make their very best buying decisions—this year's En Primeur newsletter does just that. Please note - these wines are all being offered on a pre-arrival / futures basis.
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