The Bubble Lounge 2023
Table One: K&L Special Selections
Petiau Brut Grande Réserve Champagne What a value! This blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir spends five years on the lees before the release, and it comes from the 1er Crus of Trépail and Vaudemange as well as the Grand Cru of Ambonnay. This creamy, brioche-filled Champagne has a white gold color and extraordinary elegance for the price. This is a poised, elegant wine with perfect bubbles after its long aging and a clean, dry finish. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer) $34.99
Fallet-Dart "Cuvée de Réserve" Brut Champagne Although not labeled as such, this is a Blanc de Noir composed of 60% Meunier and 40% Pinot Noir. It is aged for over four years on the lees and dosed at about 10 grams per liter. It has a lovely combination of spiced pear, pie crust, and black cherry on the very generous, open nose. The wine is broad, rich, and textural in the mouth, and has a persistent black fruit finish. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer) $32.99
Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (1.5L) Ariston's vineyards are vastly different than the other Blanc de Blancs producers that we carry. The steeper slopes, less chalk, and more fossils in the soil of Brouillet make for a rich, creamy style Chardonnay Champagne that will appeal to just about anyone. This is one of my favorite toasting Champagnes, as all the flavors are up front, and it's open-knit and fun. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer) $84.99
Table Two: Laurent-Perrier
Laurent-Perrier "La Cuvée" Brut Champagne This replacement for the Laurent-Perrier Brut was created after the house acquired new vineyards and contracts in the Côtes de Blancs, allowing for a bump up in the composition favoring Chardonnay, and an extra year of aging on the lees. This is a big step up from the regular Brut! (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer) $54.99
Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated Grand Cru villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. $84.99
Table Three: Louis Roederer
Louis Roederer "Collection 243" Brut Champagne The new Louis Roederer Brut Collection is numbered as a series. The #243 is composed of 59% juice from 2018, with 31% coming from a solera-like perpetual reserve that contains the six previous vintages: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. The balance (10%) comes from large oak barrel reserves going back to 2009. The final blend is 42% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 18% Meunier. The result is a wine that is both more complex and expressive than the Brut Premier that it replaces, but surprisingly also much fresher. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer) $59.99
2014 Louis Roederer Brut Champagne 2014 Brut Vintage is beautiful, offering up aromas of pear, Mirabelle plum, red berries, warm biscuits and smoke. Full-bodied, layered and elegantly muscular, it's seamless and complete, with terrific mid-palate depth and amplitude. Framed by bright acids and enlivened by a pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a penetrating finish. (William Kelly, Wine Advocate) $89.99
Table Four: Billecart-Salmon
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs lends itself to a Champagne that is finely textured and impressively fruity and structured. The wine has a steely edge that suggests this bottling is young but that also has beautiful fruit and minerality. (Wine Enthusiast) $99.99
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne What could be more civilized than treating your special someone (or yourself) to an apéritif of rosé Champagne? For good reason, the Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé defines the entire rosé Champagne category. Composed of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 30% Meunier, it gets its color and rosé flavor from the addition of 8% red wine. The finished product is the most elegant, restrained, dry, and delicate wine that one could drink. The complexity is there if you search for it, but the pleasure is easy to find! $84.99
TABLE 1: Bordeaux and Burgundy
2021 de France Blanc, Pessac-Léognan Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc merge beautifully in this blend from Bordeaux. A fruity, juicy white with tropical pineapple, mango, and lemon notes. Medium-bodied, creamy, and pleasing. Great with a light fish dinner or by the pool. $26.99
2019 Jacques Bavard Bourgogne Blanc Allen Meadows of Burghound writes: "Jacques Bavard is a former Paris restauranteur and a fifth-generation Puligny winemaker. He lives in the old stone house of his grandfather on the Grand Rue. However, he is not farming his family vines but has become a micro-négoce working closely with several growers. Bavard prefers early picking since he believes Burgundy needs nervous energy to better display its terroir. He works with a mix of conventionally-sized barrels and with 350-liter barrels with the goal of obtaining more volume on the mid-palate but with less imprint from the wood. A delicious value Chardonnay from Burgundy. $23.99
2021 Domaine Jean-Michel Giboulot Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru "Aux Serpentières" Jean-Michel Giboulot took over the family business in 1982 and has put together one of the best bang-for-your-buck portfolios in all of Burgundy over the last three-plus decades. Giboulot's wines straddle the line between traditional and modern, with reds that have crunchier fruit and fine tannins, but plenty of ripeness and purity. Some cherries on the palate. $34.99
2019 Ballade de La Pointe, Pomerol The second wine of Château La Pointe. This Right Bank Bordeaux blend features 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. According to the producer, "The vinification reveals an aromatic vintage of intense color, a round and supple mouth offering a cocktail of ripe fruit, tension, and a preserved freshness that remains the hallmark of great vintages." Very sweet and supple—enjoy now with one hour decanting or cellar it for a few years. $29.99
2001 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion 95 points Jeb Dunnuck: The 2001 Château Barde-Haut (Bordeaux) offers a full-bodied, beautifully textured style on the palate as well as incredibly complex notes of blackcurrants, chocolate, tobacco, and Asian spices. With resolved tannins, a great mid-palate, and a concentrated, rich, powerful style, it's another 2001 that's drinking brilliantly today. (3/2020) A delicious 22-yr old Bordeaux. Rack of lamb anyone? $49.99
TABLE 2: Loire, Rhone, and Southern France
2022 Aurore Dezat Sancerre Blanc (Loire) The wines of Aurore Dezat are a regular feature in our wine club offerings, and her vibrant Sancerre is an easy favorite among K&L staff as well. Aurore makes wine on her family estate in Sury-en-Vaux, which was established by her grandfather. Fantastic wines are now being made here. This 2022 is a bit richer on the palate than the crisp 2021. A touch of melon on the nose and lemon/white flower on the palate. $21.99
2022 Château de Montfaucon Lirac Rosé (Rhone) Just across the Rhône river near the esteemed vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this 88-acre estate is owned and operated by Rodolphe de Pins, a UC Davis graduate and former member of the winemaking staff at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. Montfaucon crafts their Côtes du Rhône to express the intense fruit characteristics of the appellation, blending to achieve harmony and balance. The Lirac Rosé is an hommage to its neighbor Tavel, showing the same verve and richness that accompanies that hallowed rose producing region. $17.99
2021 Aurore Dezat Sancerre Rouge (Loire) The wines of Aurore Dezat are a regular feature in our wine club offerings, and her vibrant Sancerre is an easy favorite among K&L staff as well. Here is a delicious Pinot Noir. Loire Pinots are lighter than California Pinots or red Burgundies. Lots of cherry fruits and some earthiness. Try with a pork roast. $22.99
2019 Via Caritatis “Pax in Terra” Ventoux Rouge (Rhône) 90 points James Suckling: "A fruity and velvety blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Syrah. Cherries, licorice, and forest floor on the nose. Medium body with creamy tannins. Fruity and flavorful with a generous finish." (06/2023) K&L Notes: A Grenache-dominant blend from the picturesque village of Ventoux, the Via Caritatis bursts with ripe red fruit flavors accented by staccato bursts of garrigue and toasted oak. A collaboration between the monks and nuns of the Abbey le Barroux and the Caritatis winegrowers. $13.99
2021 Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Cigale means “singing cicada.” This red is made with 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault, with all native yeasts. It is matured in a mix of foudres, tanks, and a small amount of new and used barrels. Poised and well balanced, this wine already betrays its depth and complexity with a little decanting time. Pair this with lamb, smoked meats or dishes cooked with wild mushrooms. $34.99
TABLE 3: California Reds
2019 Bernardus Carmel Valley Merlot 90 points Wine Enthusiast: "Fruit-forward aromas of strawberry juice, light mint, and cola pop on the juicy nose of this bottling. The palate is also loaded with ripe and smashed red fruits, lifted by a touch of sarsaparilla, proving easy to quaff. (MK)" $14.99
2021 Kalinda Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir This wine comes from one of the more renowned Pinot Noir producers in Northern California. Really! But we offer this beauty at a price much lower than what you’d pay at the winery. For decades now, our Kalinda private label has been providing K&L customers with awesome wines at a fraction of what they'd normally pay under the producers' mainstay labels. Naturally, no producer wants their wines on the market for less than what they'd usually sell for, so the trade-off is anonymity. $21.99
2017 Ojai Alisal Vineyard, Ventura County Grenache 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah. Aged 18 months in neutral and medium-toast French oak barrels. From the winery: "All Ojai Alisal wines are made exclusively with grapes from vineyards farmed by hand in Upper Ojai, CA. A medium body ruby-colored red with flavors of cherry, red berries, and plums with hints of pepper, anise, and smoky herbs." $29.99
2021 Ridge Vineyards "East Bench" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Coming all from the Funsten Ranch in the Dry Creek Valley and 100% Zinfandel, the 2021 Zinfandel East Bench has a rich, more subtle style in its aromatics, with ripe plum, cigar, spice, and earthy nuances, and it certainly plays in the darker, red and black-fruited end of the spectrum. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium to full-bodied, has a deep, expansive, concentrated mouthfeel, velvety tannins, terrific mid-palate density, and a gorgeous finish. $29.99
2019 Precision Wine Company “Method” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 95 points James Suckling: "A structured and powerful wine with blackcurrant, dark chocolate, and hazelnut. Crunchy seeds. Flowers. It’s full and juicy. Plenty of fruit and a fresh finish. Clearly shows the excellence of the vintage with the pure fruit. Drink or hold." $27.99
TABLE 4: California Whites
2022 Kalinda Russian River Sauvignon Blanc A great value Sauvignon Blanc just in this September. This Russian River beauty shows a bit of melon on the nose with some grapefruit nuances. Delicious on the palate with citric notes. Wonderful balance and ready to drink now. Very clean and crisp and only $16.99. A must try. Enjoy at the end of your summer and into the winter. (Clyde Beffa, K&L) $16.99
2022 Pine Ridge California Chenin Blanc-Viognier 91 points James Suckling: "Attractive aromas of mangoes, papayas, baked apples, and custard. Deliciously tropical and fleshy, with a medium to full body and a juicy, fruity finish. 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier." $13.95
2022 Bedrock Wine Company "Ode to Lulu" California Rosé This is a fantastic dry rosé that is tasty and a joy to drink. The nose is bright and lively with inviting aromas. In the mouth, it is juicy and round but balanced with a wonderful elegance about it. The Bedrock Ode to Lulu is an easy-to-drink, high-quality rosé. It is great alone but will go well with many light foods. (Jeff Jones, K&L) $21.95
2022 Gundlach Bundschu "Estate" Sonoma Coast Gewürztraminer (Dry) Their estate Gewürztraminer comes from a mixture of old vines planted in 1959 and young vines planted in 2005. It remains one of the purest expressions of what this grape can accomplish in California. From the winery: "Aromatics jump from the glass in equal parts fruit and spice, with standout notes of lychee and white pepper.” $24.95
2019 Argot Wines Bennett Valley Chardonnay 95 points The Wine Independent: "The 2019 Chardonnay Bennett Valley waltzes out with alluring notes of fresh apricots, honeydew melon, and grapefruit, with hints of orange blossom and powdered ginger. The medium-bodied palate is tight-knit and elegant, with a seamless backbone and loads of savory nuances to accent the stone fruit layers, finishing long with a spicy kick." (Lisa Perrotti-Brown) $27.99
TABLE 5: Italian Wines
2020 La Monacesca Verdicchio di Matelica 92 points Vinous: "The 2020 Verdicchio di Matelica blossoms in the glass with a gorgeous bouquet, showing crushed apples and green melon laced with lime zest and sweet white smoke. Its textures are like pure silk matched by a decadent and weighty wave of ripe orchard fruits, while the expression remains remarkably fresh.” $21.99
2020 SIlvia Rivella Langhe Nebbiolo Guido Rivella's Nebbiolo d'Alba is grown partly in Montestefano and partly in Patricone (near Cole), and it is made from 90% Nebbiolo and 10% Barbera. The blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera is something that Guido did regularly at the Angelo Gaja property, using the Barbera to add lift and drive to the Nebbiolo. Perfect for pasta and roast meats. $29.99
2020 Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 92 pts James Suckling: “Plums, cherry stones, button mushrooms, white pepper and bark on the nose. Lemon and cardamom too. Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and fine, powdery tannins. Savory.” $21.99
2019 Poggiarellino Rosso di Montalcino Poggiarellino is a small property in the north of Montalcino and is not far from Altesino. They started making wine with the 1996 vintage and slowly grew their production. K&L started importing their wine with the 2000 vintage. Aged in stainless steel, the wine is fresh and fruity to be enjoyed young with some chicken or rabbit. Or enjoy with turkey this month. $19.99
2017 Ferrero Brunello di Montalcino A full-bodied, juicy red with black-cherry, walnut, and nutmeg aromas. There's a distinct roasted-beetroot and currant character to this, too. Very juicy on the palate with ripe tannins. Some bitter berries on the finish. Drink after 2024. $34.99
TABLE 6: Portugal and Spain
2021 Quinta da Aveleda Alvarinho Vinho Verde (Portugal) James Suckling: “Aromas of green apples, lemon peel, dried herbs, and crushed stones. Crunchy and refreshing with a medium body and mouthwatering acidity. Flavorful finish. Drink now.” $12.99
2021 Adegas Valtea "Finca Garabato" Albariño Rias Baixas (Spain) Finca Garabato is a parcel of Valtea's oldest wines. This wine spends a year in tank with extended lees contact. This gives the wine a lovely richness, which really ramps up the flavor and textural qualities of the wine. Still refreshing, but richer than the regular Valtea bottling and ready to take on a meal. $24.99
2021 Mary Taylor Wines "Filipe Ferreira" Douro (Portugal) Mary Taylor Wines is a boutique wine label that showcases the diversity and individuality of European wine regions. Collaborating with local winemakers, Mary Taylor curates a selection of wines that reflect the unique terroir and traditional winemaking practices of each region. This blend from Portugal's Douro Valley is bold and full-bodied, with the region's signature mix of bright red fruit flavors. $16.99
2017 Miguel Merino Reserva Rioja (Spain) Bodega Miguel Merino is in the Rioja Alta village of Briones. It is the combination of clay soils rich in limestone, the altitude, and relatively steep slopes that make this an incredible location to grow Tempranillo. The blend is mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Graciano. That style is evident here with ripe, fresh fruit character. The oak frames the fruit with a mix of savory and sweet spices; that classic Rioja leathery earthiness is present but subdued. $29.99
2009 Bodegas Riojanas "Monte Real" Gran Reserva Rioja (Spain) Bodegas Riojanas was founded in 1890 and was one of the early pioneers in the region. This wine is 100% Tempranillo with the average age of the vineyards being 40 years. This is a very traditional Rioja with layers of dark fruits, spice, chocolate, and oak. All the time in oak and bottle have giving the wine a mature richness but a polished and elegant feel. A Classic Gran Reserva Rioja. $29.99
Wines available for purchase at www.klwines.com