K&L Top Ten - November 2022

Hand-Picked, Over-Delivering Selections from Across the Globe... Monday Nov 21st, 2022 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( K&L Top 10 Selections: November 2022 --------------------------------------------------------------- [Our monthly Top Ten]( represents the cream of the crop in our inventory. Each month, we determine which items have found the most favor among our clients and staff, and from that list we curate the finest offerings that we believe deliver the absolute best character and style for their prices. No matter your tastes, preferences, or budget, you'll find something to capture your interest and take your wine and spirits experience to a new level. From exceptional value champions to cellar contenders, from reference-point names to hidden-gem, direct-import stunners, they're all gathered below for an unmatched, one-stop shopping experience. [[Dominus Estate] ---------------------------------------------------------------]( • [2018 Tolaini "Al Passo" Toscana]( ($21.99 - JS95, V93, WS92) — Tolaini’s “Al Passo” Super Tuscan blend has become an all-time best seller over the past few vintages, thanks in large part to its unabashedly upfront personality and its easy case-buy price. This trend of QPR stardom continues with the spectacular 2018 vintage, a 95-point beauty that James Suckling calls "a fantastic red ... Really excellent for the vintage." More rock-solid praise from Vinous' Antonio Galloni and Wine Spectator bolsters its already considerable appeal. It's always one of the top values in our inventory, and anyone who stocked up on previous vintages will certainly want to go big on this opportunity. It’s made to shine for virtually any occasion, so you’ll always want to have some on hand. • [2020 Xanadu "Estate" Chardonnay Margaret River Western Australia]( ($24.99 - WA96, JH94) — The 2020 Xanadu Estate Chardonnay is a showstopper that should have everyone paying attention to what's going on Down Under. Among K&L's devoted Aussie fans, Xanadu's wines have led the pack in terms of jaw-dropping value for several vintages now. Delivering outsized style and polish for its sub-$25 price, the 2020 boasts some serious press and pedigree, including a whopping 96-point review from Wine Advocate. Expertly judged winemaking results in both power-packed, luxurious ripeness and tightrope tension. Needless to say, Chardonnay fans of all stripes will flock to line their cellars with this unbeatable buy, and sell-out runs on previous offers once again call for quick action on this latest surefire, case-buy winner. • [2021 Santo Assyrtiko Santorini Greece]( ($26.99) — Assyrtiko is arguably the most popular Greek varietal in the U.S. market these days, and what used to be a category with a plethora of stellar value buys is now seeing prices creep steadily upward thanks to this rise in demand. While many benchmark renditions can easily go for upwards of $40, the 2021 vintage from Santorini's largest producer is still a remarkable, sub-$30 expression of this rising-star region. Buyer Keith Mabry notes, "the Santo has become one of our favorite wines and it still lands at a competitive price for this region ... Each year it delivers on its promise." If you've been looking to explore this quintessential Greek wine style but don't know where to start, look no further than this impeccably crafted expression for a sub-$30 steal. • [2015 Joseph Swan "Solas Vineyard" Russian River Valley Pinot Noir]( ($29.95) — Our domestic team has worked out another absolutely jaw-dropping deal on an ultra-classic Pinot Noir from a reference-point estate with a lengthy track record of standard-setting excellence. This winery-direct beauty picks up right where we left off with our previous library offerings from this iconic producer. Domestic buyer Ryan Woodhouse declares, "A few years in bottle has allowed everything to knit together perfectly—the wine is just entering its prime drinking window and has a decade of good drinking ahead of it." The best feature of all, however, is an unbeatable, sub-$30 price that puts a cellar-worthy stunner in the realm of everyday options, and just in time for the holidays. • [2018 Stags' Leap Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50)]( ($39.95 - JS95) — In the current market for Napa Cabs, rarely do we find an estate bottling with such historic pedigree and a consistent reputation for excellence for under $40. As James Suckling notes in his 95-point review, the 2018 Stags’ Leap Winery Napa Cabernet shows “real character” in a “top vintage," resulting in a quintessential expression of one of Napa’s most beloved AVAs, showing all the suave and polished sophistication that’s expected of top-class Stags’ Leap Cabernet. The 2018 vintage itself is already moving into the pantheon of the all-time greats, and it’s wines like this that make the case. “This is such a great bottle of Cabernet for the money that is truly shining in this top-quality vintage,” declares domestic buyer Ryan Woodhouse. • [2015 Michel Arnould "Memoire de Vignes" Brut Champagne]( ($69.99) — Our latest Champagne container brought many treasures, chief among them an array of can’t-miss wines from Michel Arnould, a fifth-generation Champagne house from the northerly Grand Cru of Verzenay. The ultra-rare 2015 Memoire de Vignes (240 bottles imported!), a 100% old-vine Pinot Noir that Champagne buyer Gary Westby likens to the sublime Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises, is a more than worthy follow-up to its epic predecessor from 2014. As Gary declares, "Even the fullest cellar should be rearranged for a little of this." We can't stress enough the extremely allocated quantities of this wine, making swift action an absolute must for anyone who wants to make this stunning collectible a part of their cellar. • [2017 La Gaffelière, St-Émilion (Elsewhere $90)]( ($74.99 - WA97, V97, WE96) — We've always been big proponents of the virtues of buying and collecting the so-called "off vintages" in Bordeaux. The fact remains that many top estates made thrilling wines in 2017, which often stand as some of the best collectible buys in the Bordeaux market, and a great starting point is the 2017 La Gaffelière St-Émilion. A double 97-point stunner per Wine Advocate and Vinous' Antonio Galloni, with the latter extolling its "off-the-charts aromatic intensity in a mid-weight style that is hugely appealing." With comparable press to the luxury blue-chip 2017 Ausone yet at a sub-$75, market-best price, this is a surefire proposition for the most astute Bordeaux collectors. As Galloni declares, "Don't miss it." • [2019 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne "Les Trois Sources" Châteauneuf-du-Pape]( ($79.99 - JD96+, DC94) — Domaine de la Vieille Julienne is unquestionably one of Chateauneuf’s modern-day icons and should be on every Rhône collector’s short list, and in a vintage of benchmark excellence like 2019, the Les Trois Sources is a must-have collectible. The 2019 Les Trois Sources “has perfect balance, building tannins, and a great finish,” according to Jeb Dunnuck, while Decanter praises its "great freshness and beautiful vibrancy." One of the most acclaimed estates in the Southern Rhône, Vieille Julienne is a perennial go-to for serious collectors looking to add quintessential, benchmark bottlings to their cellars. • [2019 Dominus "Napanook" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend]( ($89.95 - JS96, WA93) — It’s not a secret these days, but it is worth remembering: Napanook comes from the same vineyard and same vines as the cult icon grand vin from Dominus. When our team went to taste at the estate recently, it was all too clear—this tremendous 2019 Napanook was not out of place against the competition, which included four vintages of Dominus itself. Crafted with the same care and attention, it is little surprise that many folks consider it one of the best buys in all of Napa, year in and year out. The 2019 is a balanced, layered, and uncompromised expression that is already engaging but will be fascinating to follow for a decade or more. Returning from our visit, we quickly ordered all that was left for us, and it is now in stock. Whether you’re buying for the first time or adding to your collection, we cannot recommend 2019 Napanook enough. • [2012 Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]( ($149.99) — The 2012 Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old is yet another spectacular treasure from one of K&L's most beloved Islay distilleries. Spirits buyer Andrew Whiteley explains, "In a short 10 years, this has become a bomb of flavor from an epic distillery in an equally epic sherry butt," and his colleague David Othenin-Girard adds, "I just can't believe this thing is only ten years old. So much going on here—this bottle will keep giving and giving for ages." While the demand, and consequently the prices, for Islay have jumped considerably in recent years, these impeccable casks still come in at a relative bargain that no hardcore Scotch connoisseur will want to miss. --------------------------------------------------------------- [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? Check out recent opportunities at our [Email Archive]( page. 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