French Regional Buyer Keith Mabry joined me on Instagram Live to discuss new releases from some of his favorite Direct Import producers from the Languedoc-Roussillon. The wines were singing, and, as always, represent exceptional value.
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Our French Regional Buyer Keith Mabry makes the case that southern France's Languedoc-Roussillon region is THE place to currently find the best deals for everyday drinking. He's chosen six of his favorites and provides some geology, some geography, some history, and a whole lotta fun tasting notes.
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Last night, Cinnamon and I were at a loss for words over the greatness of the 2019 Domaines Ott "Château de Selle" Côtes de Provence Rosé. This morning I woke up still thinking about it, wondering what it was that made it so special, and ran to my notebook to reflect and write…
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We are in the middle of summer, the mercury is rising, and you want to grab that perfect bottle of rosé, but which one? Our Rhône and French Regional liaison at the Redwood City, Lauren Seward, is here to offer five glorious suggestions that should fit the bill perfectly.
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We are excited to now have the inaugural release of reds from Domaine des Carlines, a Direct Import Jura producer whose whites we’ve loved since their first vintage in 2015. They’re a young domaine but the two at the helm, Patrick and Sophie, have been in the wine business their whole lives. The wines are very special, and we’re going to drink them all summer long.
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The 2019 vintage from one of our favorite Minervois producers has just hit the shelves. If you’re looking from sunshine from the South of France, look no further than the Chapelle en Rosé and the Petite Saint Jacques. Owner Graham Nutter took some time to show us the historic chapel on his property and his organic vineyards.
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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!
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If you’ve been following our social media, you might have noticed that one of our favorite women winemakers from France was out last week visiting California. Françoise Antech, the sixth-generation winemaker from her eponymous estate, was on a quick tour of California and managed to stop in all of our stores, holding three staff tastings and two public tastings. Her incredible energy and enthusiasm was absolutely infectious, and her knowledge and stories were a highlight of the week.
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The other day I tucked into a Syrah-dominated bottle of Minervois made by Chateau St-Jacques d’Albas, and was reminded exactly why I love Minervois. The bottle, from the 2015 vintage, was all juicy black fruits with structure and a sexy smokiness at an excellent price. And this is what good Minervois can do: knock your Tuesday night out of the park. I’m always on the hunt for an imminently drinkable companion to everyday life that will be more delicious than precious. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and place for precious wines, but I love a wine that punches way above its weight class. And Chateau St-Jacques delivers.
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Just 5 minutes from the beautiful French Riviera’s main drag, tucked between sea and mountains and summer tourists, lies this under-the-radar region that produces great Provençal wines you’ll hardly ever see Stateside. Luckily, we have Keith, who journeys far and wide to bring us such gems. In fact, you can’t find wines from Château de Bellet anywhere in the U.S. besides K&L, so we’re proud to have these special bottles on our shelves.
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Commanderie de Peyrassol takes their rosé very seriously. Located in rosé’s spiritual homeland, Provence, they craft not one, but four different rosé cuvées—and all four 2018 bottlings just hit our shelves. They vary by grape and by scope, but each is absolutely delicious, with winemaking backed by centuries of history.
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Recently, the Hollywood staff had the great pleasure of tasting with Jean-François Bourdy, the 15th generation of the Caves Jean Bourdy in Jura, who, alongside his brother, are the stewards of deeply traditional Juran wine. He told the staff, “Don’t call it Chardonnay. Call it Jura white wine.” This is not a domaine who’s trying to capitalize on current wine trends. They use onl old barrels (up to 80 years old), old techniques, and have a library of old wines dating back to 1865. This tradition, coupled with some of the best terroir in Jura, makes these wines truly exceptional.
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