A sneak peek at some of the top wines and spirits just released at K&L from new releases to allocations to Old and Rare finds... Wednesday Jan 25th, 2017 [View in Browser]
Whether it is a new allocation or old favorite, below you will find our most recent additions to the diverse selection at K&L Wine Merchants. We receive new opportunities weekly from direct imports to local distributors to carefully inspected back-vintage collections - you'll find the best of our new discoveries below.
For a look at our full list of [New Arrivals, click here.]
For a look at our full list of items that are [Back in Stock, click here.]
To browse [all selections on the website, click here.]
TOP PICKS FROM OUR MOST RECENT ACQUISITIONS
Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link
2013 Edgebaston Pinot Noir Western Cape (Elsewhere $20) 93 $13.99 [View]
2012 Marqués de Murrieta Reserva Rioja 95 $19.99 [View]
2015 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival) $26.99 [View]
2015 Domaine du Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette Moulin-a-Vent "Les Trois Roches" 92 $27.99 [View]
2015 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 92 $39.99 [View]
2012 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival) 96 $39.99 [View]
2012 Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival) 95 $57.99 [View]
2015 Domaine Courbis "La Sabarotte" Cornas (Pre-Arrival) 97 $69.99 [View]
2015 Domaine Courbis "Les Eygats" Cornas (Pre-Arrival) 97 $69.99 [View]
2015 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 96 $79.99 [View]
2015 E. Guigal "La Doriane" Condrieu (Pre-Arrival) 99 $79.99 [View]
2014 Domaine Dagueneau "Silex" Pouilly-Fumé $114.99 [View]
Krug "Grande Cuvée" 163 Ème Édition Brut Champagne $149.99 [View]
1986 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial Rioja (Elsewhere $700) 100 $499.99 [View]
[2013 Edgebaston Pinot Noir Western Cape (Elsewhere $20)] [2013 Edgebaston Pinot Noir Western Cape (Elsewhere $20)] ($13.99)
93 points James Suckling: "**No. 9 on the "Top 50 Value Wines Of 2016"** A serious pinot noir with muscle and tension. Full body, spice, cedar and berry character. Long and flavorful. Layers of character. Lots of vibrant cherry, strawberry and chocolate undertones. Subtle. Drink or hold. Only 450 cases made."
K&L Notes: I was really pleased to see this wine drop in at No. 9 on James Suckling's Top 50 Value Wines of 2016! I have long believed that South Africa's Pinot Noirs deserve more recognition and to see this wine breaking into Suckling's Top Ten was a revelation. The wine showcases the typically earthy, savory style of these cool climate Pinots from South Africa's rugged coastal region. The often emphasized fruitiness of the varietal plays second fiddle here to the more umami flavors more typically found in red Burgundy. Earthy spices, sage, musk, iron and briary notes are underpinned by dark, dusty berry fruits and French oak nuances. The wine is medium-bodied with an elegant mouth feel and quite a linear presentation, no excess fat or residual sugar here; a very "old world" pleasantly dry, savory expression of the grape. This is a great food wine and an exceptional value. (Ryan Woodhouse - K&L South African Wine Buyer)
[Stefanie Juelsgaard] | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 20, 2017
This is such an amazing value for a Pinot Noir of this quality. South Africa is releasing some hidden gems and this wine definitely falls into that category. The cool climate of the region lends itself to a bright, earthier, maritime wine with soft, expressive fruit. This Pinot is energetic and lively while being balanced by subtle French oak. If you love coastal Pinot Noir, this one falls right into your wheelhouse and comes at an unbelievable price.
[2012 Marqués de Murrieta Reserva Rioja] ($19.99)
95 points James Suckling: "Terrific aromas of currants, berries, cinnamon and perfume. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a dense palate. Superb length and refinement. Compact. Super length. Superb quality considering the price. More delicate and refined than the 2010. Precise." (12/2016)
K&L Notes: One of the two oldest Rioja bodegas, with a history dating back to the mid-19th century, Marques de Murrieta is not resting on its laurels. Rather, they continue to produce excellent wines, big hits with their customers and critics alike. They are fully self sufficient in grapes, taking advantage their large, contiguous vineyard just outside of Logrono, which boasts plenty of old vines, a variety of terroir from chalky clay to very stony parcels, and a climate that particularly favors not only Tempranillo but some of the region's finest Mazuelo. Marqués de Murrieta's 2012 Reserva is an overachiever, surpassing the overall quality of the vintage and perhaps even beating out the fantastic 2010.
[Joe Manekin] | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 18, 2017
While we certainly have come to expect increasingly great wines from the venerable Marqués de Murrieta (their 2010 Reserva was one of our best selling wines of 2016) this 2012 maybe even tops that great wine. On the nose, rich cherry compote, red fruits, saddle leather, sweet spices and hints of new oak and cedar, combine for a classic Murrieta profile. Flavors of fresh and firm, bright fruits are more poised and bright than even the beautiful nose suggests - this must be the Mazuelo and Garnacha talking! Fantastic Rioja to buy/hold, buy and drink, or ideally, to buy/drink/hold! I would load up on this one. Despite the production volume this one never lasts us nearly as long as we would like.
[2015 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival)] ($26.99)
Vinous: "Crushed flowers, tobacco, worn-in leather and dried flowers are all nicely delineated in the 2014 Rosso di Montalcino. This is an unusually soft, forward Rosso from Uccelliera. (AG)" (02/2016)
K&L Notes: Uccelleria's Rosso di Montalcino is a great early drinking red picked from the youngest Brunello vineyards--perfect for those who love Brunello but don't want to wait for it to mature (or fork over the clams for it). The Sangiovese grapes were grown at vineyards in Castelnuovo dell'Abate at elevations up to 1200 feet. Velvety, fruity and balanced, it is a great companion to tomato-sauced pastas and prosciutto-focused hors d'oeuvres.
[2015 Domaine du Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette Moulin-a-Vent "Les Trois Roches"] [2015 Domaine du Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette Moulin-a-Vent "Les Trois Roches"] ($27.99)
92 points Wine Enthusiast: "This is a rich complex wine. It has layers of tannins and juicy black fruits that are integrated beautifully. The acidity gives the wine a crisper edge although never taking away from the ripe fruit and structured character. Drink this Chermette family cru wine from 2018." (02/2017)
K&L Notes: 96 points John Gilman, View from the Cellar: "The 2015 Moulin-à-Vent 'Les Trois Roches' from Domaine du Vissoux is another absolutely stellar example of the vintage from Pierre-Marie Chermette, coming in at 13.5 percent octane and offering up all of the depth and intensity of the vintage, without sacrificing any of the customary Vissoux precision and purity. The stunning nose is youthful, but oh, so promising, as it delivers scents of sweet cassis, black cherries, espresso, violets, dark soil tones, a touch of licorice, gamebird, woodsmoke and lead pencil. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and seamlessly balanced, with ripe tannins, laser-like focus, a superb core and a very, very long, soildriven and still quite youthful finish. If one wanted a prime example of a 2015 that might replicate the longevity of the finest 1947s, this would be it, as it has stunning concentration, tied to impeccable balance and plenty of structural integrity. 2022-2075." (10/2016)
[2015 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival)] ($39.99)
90-92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2015 reds from these two brothers are some of the gems in the vintage. The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape offers tons of black cherries, dried herbs, graphite and licorice to go with sweet tannin, medium to full-bodied richness and no hard edges. The two Maurel brothers, along with the ever-present Philippe Cambie, have brought this large estate up to the pinnacle of the Châteauneuf du Pape hierarchy, and theyve produced so many monumental bottles over the past decade or so its not even funny. (JD)" (10/2016)
[2012 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival)] ($39.99)
96 points James Suckling: "Incredible purity of fruit to this red with plums, cherries and berries. Full body, ripe and silky tannins and a fantastically long finish. Love the bitter-orange undertone to this. Drink in 2020." (11/2016)
[2012 Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival)] ($57.99)
95 points James Suckling: "Aromas of walnuts and ripe fruit such as mature plums in combination with undertones of cedar. Full body, chewy tannins and spicy finish. Intense dried lemons. Burning spices. So much going on here. Such a complete and complex wine." (11/2016)
[2015 Domaine Courbis "La Sabarotte" Cornas (Pre-Arrival)] ($69.99)
95-97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The utterly profound 2015 Cornas La Sabarotte comes from a terrific lieu-dit located in the heart of the appellation and is brought up all in new French oak. Its deep purple/blue color is followed by incredible notes of black raspberries, blueberries, spring flowers, caramelized meats and licorice. Deep, full-bodied, utterly seamless and profound on the palate, with building, sweet tannin, it's a tour de force that will have two decades or more of longevity! (JD)" (12/2016)
[2015 Domaine Courbis "Les Eygats" Cornas (Pre-Arrival)] ($69.99)
95-97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Even inkier-colored than the Sabarotte, the 2015 Cornas les Eygats is another single vineyard release that comes from a site located on the northern edge of the appellation. Aged in 50% new French oak (the balance is in once-used barrels), it offers sensational notes of plums, blueberries, crushed violets, pen ink and barbecue smoke in an utterly profound, decadent, layered, heavenly profile. There's ample tannin here, but they're sweet and polished, and it has an awesome finish. Don't miss it! (JD)" (12/2016)
[2015 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival)] ($79.99)
94-96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of a slightly improved 2005 and has a fresh, classic style with beautiful concentration, notable freshness, first-rate tannin quality, and the classic spice and sweet red and black fruits this cuvee is known for. I suspect this beauty will close down relatively quickly after bottling and take 5-6 years to show at its best, but it will drink well for 15+ years. (JD)" (10/2016)
[2015 E. Guigal "La Doriane" Condrieu (Pre-Arrival)] ($79.99)
99 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Easily one of the greatest Condrieu Ive ever tasted is the 2015 Condrieu La Doriane. A wine that needs to be tasted to be believed, it possesses a huge nose of toasted brioche, liquid rocks, apricot, flower oil and salty minerality. Unctuous, full-bodied, massively rich, yet also elegant and graceful, with beautiful freshness, enjoy this tour de force over the coming 5-6 years." (12/2016)
K&L Notes: Guigal's "La Doriane" Viognier from Condrieu is on a roll, gaining Wine Advocate scores of 96-98 points from the 2009 through 2014 vintages. Aged in new French oak, this bottling tends toward a more opulent style. Praise for the vintners from WA's Jeb Dunnuck: "The father/son team of Marcel and Philippe Guigal continue to keep their estate at the top of the hierarchy in the Rhône Valley. All the way from their inexpensive Côtes du Rhône to their top-end Côte-Rôties and Hermtiage, the attention to detail and focus on quality is unmatched....I'll say it again here, this estate is producing some of the most incredible and singular wines in the world." (12/2014)
[2014 Domaine Dagueneau "Silex" Pouilly-Fumé] ($114.99)
Vines ranging in age from 15-50 years old planted high on the slopes of St-Andelain (the highest village in the Pouilly-Fume appellation) and only from vineyard plots that have an extremely high content of silex. The vines are cropped to produce much lower yields than most. The juice is then barrel fermented and aged in the famous Dagueneau cigar barrels. Since there is a much lower clay content in the soils this wine is typically much more austere in its youth and needs a fair amount of time to come into itself. This is often considered the domaine's top wine and referred to as their "grand cru."
[Krug "Grande Cuvée" 163 Ème Édition Brut Champagne] ($149.99)
This 163rd batch of Krug Grand Cuvee is based on 2007. Going forward, each new batch of Krug will feature not only the ID on the back, but also the edition on the front, counting up in years from the foundation of the house in 1843. 94 points, wine journalist Jamie Goode: "Current release, edition 163, ID 414067, disgorged fourth-quarter 2014, 183 different wines ranging from 1990 to the base wine of 2007. Toast, pears, citrus and a bit of peachy richness. Very refined, but not terribly fizzy (this was shared with all the bottles sampled tonight). Thereâs a lovely balance of freshness and richness, with nice fruit and acidity alongside the richer notes. 94/100." (wineanorak, 1/2016)
[1986 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial Rioja (Elsewhere $700)] [1986 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial Rioja (Elsewhere $700)] ($499.99)
100 points James Suckling: "This is a triumph. An amazing white showing roasted pineapple, dried apple, flowers and hints of lemon curd on the nose. Hints of almonds, too. Full-body, closed and tight with amazing depth and beauty. Waxy, salty, and creamy. Goes on for minutes. 21 years in wood, seven in concrete and then about three years in bottle. First year since 1978. Viura with a hint of malvasia. I have the same mind-tingling sensation tasting this as tasting the 1963 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco. Another perfect wine." (12/2016)
100 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "I have been terribly excited about this wine since I first learned that (part of) it was still in cement waiting to be bottled in September 2013. I consider the rare white Castillo Ygay one of the greatest white wines ever produced in Spain, and the 1986 Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial is a great addition to the portfolio of the winery--an historic wine that is coming back to life. I did a vertical tasting of many of the old, historic vintages of this wine, and they are included in a separate article in this very same issue. This 1986 had seen the light as a limited early release bottled in 1992 and sold around 1995, and some bottles might still be found in the market. But most of it remained unbottled and was kept at the winery, where it stayed in oak for 21 years, followed by some six years in cement vats until it was bottled. It has 13.5% alcohol, an extremely low pH of 2.98 and 6.75 grams of acidity (tartaric). It has a very subtle nose and it's a bit shy, a little closed at first. It was only bottled one and a half years ago, and it's not crazy to say that the wine is showing extremely young. The wine shows more open the day after, when it has developed some nuances of mushrooms and verbena tea. This is mostly Viura with perhaps a pinch of MalvasÃa Riojana (aka Alarije). The palate is both powerful and elegant, with superb acidity and great length, with volume and sharpness, with a mineral, umami-driven finish. (LG)" (08/2016)
K&L Notes: Depending on whom you ask, Marques de Murrieta is either the oldest, or second oldest continually operating bodega in Rioja. Their wines are fantastic across the board, from the Reserva bottling on up, but this Gran Reserva white is by far their most rare. Incredibly it is a current release wine at 30 years of age! The first 100 point review, a first for a Spanish white, caused quite a stir in Rioja this year. While we applaud the efforts of critics who must put pen to paper to describe this inimitable, long aged white, we will simply say that the wine is a true original, an experience all unto itself. Further notes from Wine Advocate: "It fills your mouth, tickles your taste buds and makes you salivate. There is nothing negative about the wine; there is no excess oak, nothing blurry, nothing to improve... perhaps the bottle used! I think this is a perfect wine. It seems to be getting younger and younger with time in the glass; it seems to be getting more focused and sharper, and I have no doubt the wine will evolve and last for a very, very, very long time in bottle. I kept the opened bottle for almost one week and the wine didn't move one inch--no oxidation or any signs of fatigue. Having tasted many other vintages, including the also perfect 1919 (which is still going strong at age 97), I have no doubt we're talking about a white for the next 50 years. Looking at the older vintages, I might even be underestimating its life span." (LG, 08/2016)
---------------------------------------------------------------
[K&L]
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
Email: [wine@klwines.com]
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
Missed an offer? Check out recent opportunities at our [Email Archive] page.
Follow us on [Twitter][Facebook] [Instagram] and read more [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]
"Best wine Web site in the US" - Wall Street Journal
"Great for rare and hard-to-find wines." - Time
"The cellar to search first." - Smart Money
"Best Wine Web Site" - Publishers of The Wine Spectator
This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Click here to manage your e-mail settings] with K&L Wine Merchants
or alternatively, [click here to unsubscribe from all mailings]