Favorite Discoveries from Our Recent Cali Road Trips

Remarkable depth of rewarding selections: discover your next favorite bottle... Tuesday Aug 23rd, 2022 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( [Spain & Portugal News]( [Today's Newsletter]( marks a return to the road for the K&L team, as cohorts from each of our locations ventured into the vines to get reacquainted in person with some of our old favorites and to discover fresh perspectives and new expressions of places we don't often explore in depth. Ryan Woodhouse and company take on the ancient vineyards of Contra Costa and Lodi to see where much of California wine got its start, Kaj Stromer leads the SoCal crew to Sta. Rita Hills in search of the pinnacle of Central Coast Pinot Noir, and the San Fransisco team pays a visit to the iconic Hanzell estate to take in the scenery, learn about their innovative viticulture, and taste some of the finest examples of Pinot and Chardonnay in Sonoma. It's been a long wait to get on the road again, but the experiences were more than worth it. [Sta. Rita Hills] --------------------------------------------------------------- Top In-Stock Picks from Kaj Stromer Leading off the Domestic Newsletter today are some top in-stock picks that offer serious appeal to any lover of California wine. For the avid value hunters, we've got the latest rendition of our private-label Kalinda Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, a "secret-source" bottling crafted by one of the appellation's most coveted names yet available at a small fraction of the price that the wine commands under its official market label. Long-time K&L customers know that Kalinda always delivers the goods. Next, we have a personal favorite from buyer Kaj Stromer. The 2021 Massican Sauvignon Blanc is made by the masterful hand of Dan Petroski and offers a thoroughly enchanting profile that can compete with the very best examples anywhere in the world. As Kaj notes, "This reminds me of the best bottlings of Quarz by Terlan and hints at the whites of Domaine Dagueneau." Fine company indeed for this sub-$30, artisanal beauty. Finally, we've taken in a rare resupply of the latest installment from Napa icon Dominus. The 2019 vintage recently captured 100 points from Lisa Perotti-Brown, and it's set to continue the run of stratospheric acclaim that has followed this wine for many vintages in a row. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2020 Kalinda Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $21.99 [View]( 2021 Massican Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $29.95 [View]( 2019 Dominus Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 100 $309.95 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Ancient Vines of Contra Costa and Lodi The glitz and glamor of Napa, the pastoral, bucolic beauty of Sonoma, the sun-dappled canyons of Santa Barbara—these are what most California wine road trips are made of. But if you really want to explore the roots of California wine, you absolutely must seek out the vineyards where it all began. Contra Costa County and Lodi may not have the jet-set caché of the more illustrious Golden State wine destinations, but these two regions boast many of the most impressive ancient-vine sites in the country. Domestic buyer Ryan Woodhouse recently led a K&L contingent into the wild and woolly hinterlands to see wine history up close and personal, and what they found was a deeper understanding and an invigorated appreciation for many of our long-time favorites that hail from these off-the-beaten-path yet crucially important places. Each of these sub-$30 gems offers an utterly unique California wine experience, and we're sure that once you start exploring the line-up below, you'll quickly begin drawing up new routes for your next wine road trip. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2021 Lorenza "True" Lodi Rosé $21.95 [View]( 2021 Birichino "Little Big Block Vineyard - Old Vine" Contra Costa Mourvèdre $24.95 [View]( 2019 Desire Lines "Winds of Change" California Red Blend 92 $24.95 [View]( 2018 Erggelet Brothers "Del Barba Vineyard" Contra Costa County Zinfandel $24.95 [View]( 2018 Once & Future "Oakley Road Vineyard" Contra Costa County Mataro (Mouvedre) (Previously $40) 93 $24.95 [View]( 2021 Birichino "Hic Svnt Dracones" California Old Vine Rosé of Cinsault - Mourvèdre $24.95 [View]( 2021 Birichino "Pétulant Naturel" Mokelumne River Pet Nat Sparkling Rosé of Carignane $24.95 [View]( 2021 Turley "Bechthold Vineyard" Lodi Cinsault $29.95 [View]( 2018 Precedent "Kirschenmann Vineyard" Mokelumne River Lodi Zinfandel $29.95 [View]( 2018 Precedent "Evangelho Vineyard" Contra Costa County Zinfandel $29.95 [View]( 2019 Fine Disregard "Pato Vineyard" Contra Costa County Mataro (Mourvèdre) 94 $29.95 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Epicenter of Central Coast Pinot Noir: Sta. Rita Hills When it comes to world-class Pinot Noir, California's Central Coast is awash with spectacular vineyards, talented winemakers, and thrilling examples. While it's difficult to pinpoint an unequivocal "best" AVA and no such ranking officially exists, Sta. Rita Hills is making the most compelling case for its place at the apex of the quality pyramid. Domestic buyer Kaj Stromer recently led K&L's SoCal staff on an eye-opening excursion to get more familiar with the region's finest vineyards, producers, and wines. The inimitable Chad Melville has turned out another stellar line-up in 2020, highlighted by his 93-point, sub-$40 estate wines that remain some of the best values in all of California. Greg Brewer is another world-class talent on a roll, as evidenced by back-to-back, critically acclaimed vintages of his Machado Vineyard Pinot Noir, while Matt Dees at The Hilt is quietly turning this superb boutique outfit into the most coveted cult producer in the region. The 97-point 2019s below showcase his exceptional skill with both Pinot and Chardonnay in addition to shining the spotlight on two of the Sta. Rita Hills' crown-jewel vineyard sites. Finally, Kaj turns us all on to one of his favorite hidden gems of jaw-dropping quality in three impeccable finds from Peake Ranch. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2020 Melville "Estate" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 93 $34.95 [View]( 2020 Melville "Estate" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 93 $38.95 [View]( 2020 Melville "Terraces" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir $69.99 [View]( 2020 Melville "Block M" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir $74.95 [View]( 2019 Melville "Donna's" Sta. Rita Hills Syrah 96 $59.99 [View]( 2020 Brewer-Clifton Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay $34.95 [View]( 2017 Brewer-Clifton "Machado" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 96 $79.95 [View]( 2018 Brewer-Clifton "Machado" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 97 $79.99 [View]( 2018 The Hilt "Estate" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 94 $44.95 [View]( 2019 The Hilt "Bentrock Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 97 $99.99 [View]( 2019 The Hilt "Radian Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 97 $99.99 [View]( 2019 Peake Ranch Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 95 $39.95 [View]( 2019 Peake Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 95 $39.95 [View]( 2019 Peake Ranch "Bellis Noir" Sta. Rita Hills Red Blend 96 $39.95 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Sonoma County Wine History at the Iconic Hanzell Estate The K&L San Francisco squad recently made a short trip up the road to one of our all-time favorite properties to see what makes Hanzell such a treasured and exemplary name in Sonoma County wine. The estate has made its name on its old-vine Pinot Noir plantings, reputed to be the oldest in the United States, and the 2016 vintage shows just what this prized plot can produce. "A powerful yet gracious wine that speaks with real distinction," it's also a classically styled gem that harkens back to the roots of Cali Pinot like few other wines do. The 2016 Estate Chardonnnay is a likewise fabulous varietal expression, especially at our unbeatable Insider's pricing of under $40. Finally, the little-known but truly spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon shows a side of this producer that we rarely see. A "bold, rich, and outrageously beautiful," 95-point stunner according to Vinous' Antonio Galloni, "the 2017 has it all." There's no better time and no better wines than these to get reacquainted with a true California pioneer. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Hanzell "Sebella" Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 94 $24.99 [View]( 2016 Hanzell "Estate" Sonoma Valley Chardonnay (Elsewhere $65+) 95 $39.95 [View]( 2016 Hanzell "Estate" Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir 94 $79.95 [View]( 2017 Hanzell Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 95 $129.95 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Hand-Picked Buyer Selections For the Cellar When you're left with gaps in the cellar racks, it's easy to get lost in the weeds trying to find that perfect candidate to take the "place of honor" as it were, especially if your collection is already well-stocked with the biggest and brightest names. Our buyers have made it easy, however, with a trio of stunning California Cabernets that offer something for collectors of all stripes. The 2019 Sinegal Details from Sonoma is a world-class overachiever, coming in at under $50 yet boasting a 96-point score from Vinous' Antonio Galloni, who contends that it "shows just how compelling Cabernet can be beyond Napa Valley." The epic 2018 Napa vintage is on full display in the Carte Blanche Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, a 97-point treasure "from a great site in Oakville that continues to fly slightly under the radar yet produces brilliant wines," according to Jeb Dunnuck. Finally, buyer Kaj Stromer once again raided the cellars of the revered Larkmead Estate to bring us a star-studded library gem from 2015. This JD99 rendition of the iconic Solari bottling is "monumental in its scale but with just enough opulence and evolution to allow the curious to pull the cork now," as noted in Kaj's recent review. Any or all of these brilliant Cab expressions will make handsome additions to any well-curated cellar, and at exceptional pricing across the board, there's no excuse to pass up the opportunity. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Sinegal "Details" Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 96 $49.95 [View]( 2018 Carte Blanche "Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard" Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 97 $134.99 [View]( 2015 Larkmead "Solari" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 99 $199.95 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Feed]( [Auction]( [Local]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [BORDEAUX]( | [NAPA]( | [BURGUNDY]( | [CHAMPAGNE]( | [ITALY]( | [RHÔNE]( | [SPIRITS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Delivery]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? 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