The 2016 vintage wine was already in bottle by my visit and had been resting at least a year. It was deep, rich, filled with fruit yet maintaining an elegance that really spoke to me. That was the moment that I decided we had to have these wines for our customers. And, several hundred cases later, this wine has become one of K&L’s most successful Châteauneuf-du-Papes to date.
Read MoreToday, the last selection from the epic Edgewood Cellar goes live on our action site, and we want to make sure you don’t miss it. For Bordeaux lovers, this is a remarkable opportunity to go deep on the 1982 vintage—the vintage that made Robert Parker famous for his ability to predict runaway successes, in a time when there were far fewer critics and far less information in the field.
Read MoreEndlessly refreshing, complex, and singular, the wines of Germany, Austria, and Alsace are ones that you just want to spend time with. While some fly under the radar, those who follow them almost always become passionate admirers, and the rewarding prices make it all that much easier to find the next gem. Today we're highlighting the dynamic Rieslings of Austria, celebrating two decades of working with Charles Baur, checking in on our favorite Grüners, revisiting the wonderul wines of Max Ferdinand Richer, and even have a few rarities from FX Pichler.
Read MoreK&L has been working with Charles Baur winery directly for over 20 years, and, as impossible as it seems, the wines get better every year. At the helm of Charles Baur winery is Arnaud Baur Jr., who has been in charge for 10+ years. With a history that dates back almost 100 years to 1930, Charles Baur winery is an icon in Alsace. What really separates Charles Bur from other Alsatian wineries is the value of their wines—at a fraction of the price that many other domaines charge, their wines stand toe-to-toe in terms of quality.
Read MoreMy role at K&L is broad and varied, and while Rhône is my main focus, I'm also your guide along the back roads and byways of France's hidden-gem regions. Today's newsletter features four producers that I've been thrilled to bring into our Direct Import program and introduce to our clientele. Jura, Limoux, and the Roussillon take center stage in a four-stage roadtrip to some of France's most intriguing discoveries.
Read MoreThis past week we had the pleasure of welcoming Séverine Bourrier from Château de l’Ou to all of K&L’s store locations. Château de L’Ou is based in the Roussillon, the French Catalan region that borders Spain on the Mediterranean side of France. Séverine’s wines are singular expressions of Syrah and Grenache that are reference points for this region.
Read MoreWhen I visited Caroline Bonville of Mas Karolina this spring, it had been several years since we’d seen each other. Hers were some of the first wines I brought in when I took over the French Regional category for K&L. They were brought to our attention originally by Olivier Bonville, her cousin and a legendary winemaker in our Direct Import Champagne program. You might know him by his winery’s name—Franck Bonville—one of our longest-running relationships in Champagne. Olivier threw a mixed case of samples on a Champagne pallet headed our way, and, as soon as I tasted them, I reached out to Caroline. It is hard to believe that it has been nearly a decade since I tasted those first wines.
Read MoreDomaine Begude was created by James and Catherine Kinglake in 2004. Tired of working in finance in London, they fled to the south of France and bought an old estate where they put down roots. They went through the growing pains of learning the wine industry and navigating local government, all while starting their family. After 20 years, they have weathered the financial hardships of running a small winery, suffering through Brexit (they are still British citizens), and the expenses of their daughter starting college. It’s been a wild ride for sure, but James, along with his winemaking team, continues to make some of the finest bang-for-the-buck wines to grace our shelves year after year.
Read MoreHenri Le Roy began his career as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, but he’d never felt that the corporate life suited him. Rather, his passion always lay with wine. In the early 2000s he decided to follow his dream and look for land where he could work with his favorite grape varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Buying land in Burgundy was outside his reach, so he looked eastward to the Jura. The Jura offered ancient soils, an abundance of his favorite grapes, and nearby skiing locations (he’s an avid cross-country skier)—plus the price for land was right… Henri named his estate Domaine de l'Aigle à Deux Têtes, which means the “Two-Headed Eagle,” as a nod to the Habsburg dynasty which ruled the Franche-Comté region from 1477–1678.
Read MoreYou could make the case that any season is rosé season, especially in California, but there's no denying that the dog days of summer are when these pink gems really shine. Today's newsletter explores the category in depth, starting with Gary Westby's top picks in rosé Champagne. Keith Mabry offers up his favorite Provence performers, plus a pair of stellar artisan beauties from Greece and Lebanon. Finally, we'll take a look at how the category has gone from pedestrian to profound with a sampling of the world's finest collectible renditions.
Read MoreRosé has always been fun, but for long time it was pretty easily dismissed in most wine circles. Hardly ever made with quality grapes, it wasn’t taken very seriously in the U.S.; until a decade or so ago, you’d hardly ever find it on restaurant wine lists. But somewhere along the way, we got the memo! More serious domestic winemakers began making it; more importers began bringing in high-quality examples from abroad; celebrities even starting dipping their toes in the rosé game. It can be a stunningly complex wine in its own right when made with quality fruit and winemaking techniques. Rosé has long been the reigning queen of cheap and cheerful, but some versions are so well made and special that they merit a space in your cellar. Some rosé can develop in the bottle and develop additional depth and character with age. From rosé Champagne to cult-caliber Lebanese bottlings, rosé is—finally—getting its moment in the sun.
Read MoreIt’s hard to think of a better way to spend a hot holiday weekend than with some fresh and vibrant rosés! The 2023 vintage in Provence is outstanding and many of our favorites have landed. This list represents some of the best QPR drinking when it comes to classic southern French pink wines, and all of these punch well above their price point. Because we work aggressively with our suppliers, we have classic wines from Provence for a fraction of what you would find elsewhere. Thankfully it’s a long weekend, so plenty of time to try a smattering of any of these gems. Santé!
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