K&L Top Ten Picks: January 2023

Hand-Picked, Over-Delivering Selections from Across the Globe... Monday Jan 16th, 2023 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( K&L's Top Ten Selections: January 2023 --------------------------------------------------------------- [Our monthly Top Ten]( represents our 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. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Koehler's old vines]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Koehler Estate "Rebel" Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Syrah (Previously $55) $19.95 [View]( 2019 Peake Ranch Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (Elsewhere $40) 95 $29.95 [View]( 2019 Mount Edward Pinot Noir Central Otago 95 $29.99 [View]( 2020 Moulin de la Gardette "Tradition" Gigondas 93 $34.99 [View]( 2018 Grand Napa "Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $100) 94 $39.95 [View]( NV Pierre Paillard "Les Terres Roses" Grand Cru Extra Brut Rosé Champagne 92 $64.99 [View]( 2017 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino (Elsewhere $100) 96 $74.99 [View]( 2020 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 97 $89.99 [View]( 1999 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien 92 $109.99 [View]( 2013 Ben Nevis 8 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $139.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [2019 Koehler Estate "Rebel" Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Syrah (Previously $55)]( Koehler Estate "Rebel" Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Syrah (Previously $55)]( ($19.95) K&L Notes: Koehler Estate is one of the oldest plantings in the region. This historic estate of 50-year-old, own-rooted vines is situtated in the highly regarded Foxen Canyon sub-region of Santa Ynez. Koehler's "Rebel" is a special selection of the estate's richest and most powerful barrels of Cabernet and Syrah that are hand-selected for their bold, expressive fruit and luxurious texture. Woodhouse]( | K&L Domestic Buyer | Review Date: December 19, 2022 If you're looking for a last-minute deal, this is it! Talk about leaving it late for a potential deal of the year! But, when an opportunity like this presents itself, you don't hesitate! Over the last few years, I've been super impressed with the few Koehler wines I've tasted. I say few because wines from this small, boutique estate in Santa Barbara's Foxen Canyon are rare to see in the open market. Koehler Estate is a historic property planted 50 years ago as one of the founding vineyards of the region. Now owned and farmed by the same family since 1997, these vines have considerable pedigree, and it shows in the bottle. The Rebel cuvée is based on a best-barrel selection of the richest, most exuberant barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from the estate. The blending components are specifically selected as the most fruit forward and powerful lots from a given vintage and are hand-selected for this bottling. It's a real mouthful for sure—tons of rich, dark fruit, blackcurrant, mulberry, black raspberry, scorched earth, leather, toasted spices, camphor, subtle wood smoke, and dried flowers. Big, dense, and powerful, but not without detail and definition, and the fruit is pure and expressive, but it's not an over-the-top fruit bomb. It retains plenty class and balance throughout. Apparently, the winery is about to undergo a "re-branding," so we were offered a price on this wine that was almost too good to be true. This wine can easily stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its peers at $55, so at our price of under $20, it's just flat-out ridiculous. I don't expect this to last once people taste how delicious it is, and I bought as much as I could, so enjoy it while it you can, folks! --------------------------------------------------------------- [2019 Peake Ranch Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (Elsewhere $40)]( [2019 Peake Ranch Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (Elsewhere $40)]( ($29.95) 95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The appellation 2019 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County comes from the Sierra Madre and Peake Ranch vineyards. Light golden, with a rocking nose of buttered citrus, tangerine, honeysuckle, flower oil, and spice, it's medium-bodied and has a bright, vibrant spine of acidity, terrific balance, and a great finish. It's one stunning entry-level wine!" (08/2021) 95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2019 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County, made with 39% new French oak, has a bright, fresh style with scents of preserved lemon, Greek yogurt, almonds, beeswax and petrichor. The palate offers a dynamic of satiny texture, tangy acidity and ultra perfumed fruits, finishing with tremendous length and a singular textural presence. (EB)" (03/2022) Woodhouse]( | K&L Domestic Buyer | Review Date: December 20, 2022 Wow! We just scored an incredible end-of-year, smoking deal on this double 95-point Chardonnay from Peake Ranch! This wine was already impressive at $40, but as the year draws to a close sometimes there are deals to be made, even on the most highly rated wines, and so we have a limited-time, limited-quantity, blow-out offer on this for under $30! Peake Ranch is widely considered one of the premier wineries in Santa Barbara County. For years the wines were made by winemaking luminary Paul Lato. They gained huge scores and a big mailing list following. A few years back Wynne Solomon joined the team at Peake Ranch after stints at Stephen Ross and Melville. She worked a couple vintages hand-in-hand with Lato until 2019 when she took over 100%. Evidently she nailed her first solo vintage with massive scores for totally delicious wines! This appellation wine combines fruit from two top-notch sources—old-vine fruit from Sierra Madre in Santa Maria Valley and home-block fruit from Peake Ranch Vineyard itself in the Sta. Rita Hills. I love this wine's combination of richness and restraint. Lots of ripe, flavorful Chardonnay character—spiced apple pie, yellow stone fruit, tangy citrus zest, buttered toast, and oyster shell hints. It takes all the wonderful generosity you can get from Chardonnay but doesn't over do it with too much oak, and it has a lovely, vibrant acidity to keep everything focused and bright. Really long and flavorful on the mouth-watering finish, with great concentration. This is a rocking bottle of Chardonnay for a stunningly good price. It doesn't get any better at this price. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2019 Mount Edward Pinot Noir Central Otago]( Mount Edward Pinot Noir Central Otago]( ($29.99) 95 points James Suckling: "Lovely purity of fruit here with wild raspberries, strawberries, hibiscus and watermelons. Crushed stones, too. Sleek and transparent with a medium body and firm, fine tannins. Taut and mineral at the end." (09/2022) 95 points Sam Kim: "Gorgeously styled and refined, the wine shows ripe cherry, smoked game, mushroom and toasted nut characters on the nose. The palate delivers terrific weight and flow, wonderfully complemented by silky texture and fine polished tannins. Beautifully supple and plush with excellent structure and length." (08/2022) Smith]( | K&L New Zealand Buyer | Review Date: January 03, 2023 Is there a better flagship Pinot Noir from Central Otago than Mount Edward? I doubt it. Consistently one of Central Otago's best producers across nearly every wine that they make, Mount Edward has nailed the last five vintages, crafting beautifully executed Pinot Noir that is unmistakably Central Otago in character and stunning in its value. Sourced from six exceptional vineyard sites, all farmed organically and biodynamically, there's no better example of Central Otago Pinot at its price—not by a long shot. The 2019 comes out dark and spicy, with black fruit on full display. Black cherry, wild blackberry, crushed stone, and hints of strawberry are all showcased here with toasty clove and spice. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and polished with a more substantial weight than would be expected from Pinot. The fruit is all up front here with a big crescendo of acid that kicks toward the finish where just a whisper of tannin lingers. Easily one of the best values in the store that I'd put toe-to-toe with any Oregon Pinot at its price. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2020 Moulin de la Gardette "Tradition" Gigondas]( Moulin de la Gardette "Tradition" Gigondas]( ($34.99) 93 points Decanter: "Very concentrated, deep kirsch and blackberry fruit. Deeper than most in 2020, with driving acidity and dense tannins, then a touch of fig on the finish. Fluid but concentrated, fresh, with a well-defined tannic structure. 50-year-old Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre. Grown on clay limestone and marl, handpicked, part destemmed, aged in old barriques and foudres. (MW)" (09/2021) 91-93+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "What should be a brilliant classical Gigondas readers will love, the 2020 Gigondas Tradition offers a great nose of red and black fruits as well as Provençal herbs, leather, and lavender. It cant get much more Southern Rhône, and this medium to full-bodied beauty is balanced, has ripe, round tannins, and a great mouthfeel." (01/2022) Mabry]( | K&L Rhône Buyer | Review Date: November 29, 2022 I have been tasting and drinking the wines of Gardette since I began at K&L some 15 years ago. We've been working with winemaker Jean-Baptiste Meunier even longer, some two decades. Along with Château de Montfaucon, this producer is the backbone of our Direct Import Rhône program. And when you taste the Gardette "Tradition" you will see exactly what we have been saying all these years—Jean-Baptiste Meunier is one of the best winemakers in the small cru of Gigondas, and his wines are some of the best in his region. His contemporaries include Louis Barruol of St-Cosme and Julien Brechet of Domaine des Bosquets, two of my other favorite producers in Gigondas. But JB's wines vary slightly. I find them more evocative of Gigondas and the surrounding terroir. Red fruit aromas of macerated strawberries and cherries are complemented by notes of white pepper, anise, and lavender. It's like you're wandering through the hills and forests of Gigondas while sipping his wines. The 2020 is another success story in a long string of successes. Every year I grab several bottles of this, because they always offer incredible drinking for many years to come. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Grand Napa "Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $100+)]( Grand Napa "Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $100+)]( ($39.95) 94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Another terrific wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers lots of blackcurrants, spice box, tobacco leaf, and chocolatey nuances to go with a full-bodied style on the palate. It has the 2018 vintage's fresher, more elegant style yet brings ample fruit and has an expansive, layered mouthfeel as well as a great finish. It's another wine to enjoy any time over the coming 15-20 years." (01/2021) Woodhouse]( | K&L Domestic Buyer | Review Date: April 30, 2021 Until a couple years ago I wasn't familiar with Grand Napa, but since then they've become a go-to producer for me when it comes to overachieving Napa Cabernet at very reasonable price points. Our ongoing winery-direct relationship means we can streamline these wines to you at significant discounts off the original SRPs. The 2018 Reserve Cabernet illustrates what I love about this vintage—understated power, subtle length, lovely purity of fruit, and precise varietal expression. Compared to previous vintages, there are finer tannins and more freshness on the palate in 2018. There's plenty of dark fruit here: cassis, huckleberry, interwoven with loamy earth, cedar, new leather, and dark floral tones. The oak is very nicely judged, adding some luxurious nuance but without masking the quality of the fruit. Because the oak is nicely integrated and the tannins are so well refined, this wine is totally approachable now but will continue to develop steadily over the next 10 years or more. As with all the Grand Napa wines before this one, they have become best-selling staff favorites and quickly sold out! Who doesn't like a bargain in highly rated Napa Cab? --------------------------------------------------------------- [Pierre Paillard "Les Terres Roses" Grand Cru Extra Brut Rosé Champagne]( Paillard "Les Terres Roses" Grand Cru Extra Brut Rosé Champagne]( ($64.99) 92 points Decanter: "A serious, elegant rosé Champagne with a creamy, toasty nose. It's full and voluptuous in the mouth, with rich buttery brioche characters. As the palate evolves, the wine's freshness comes through, sweeping in with lemon and grapefruit and underpinning that cherry and almond frangipane richness with tense power. A light hint of Battenberg cake emerges on the finish. With 11 hectares in the Bouzy terroir, well-known for exceptional Pinot Noir, brothers Antoine and Quentin actually have a high proportion of Chardonnay vines for this area, and this wine unusually is majority Chardonnay (65%), with the remaining Pinot Noir, 5% of which is red wine. They put a lot of focus into the health of their soils, and they farm organically. (NE)" (03/2022) Westby]( | K&L Champagne Buyer | Review Date: November 18, 2015 This is one of the most refreshing and elegant rosé Champagnes in our inventory. A combination of 65% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir (vinified white), and 7% Bouzy Rouge Pinot Noir, it's dosed at 4.5 grams per liter and is quite dry. I find this wine subtle and almost haunting. Coming exclusively from grand cru, estate vineyards in Ambonnay, it is surprising to see such a high proportion of Chardonnay here, and it shows in the vibrancy of this top-notch bottling. Naturally, the old vine Pinot Noir gives it not only color, but also fantastic black cherry depth and intriguing savor. What a great dry rosé! --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino (Elsewhere $100)]( Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino (Elsewhere $100)]( ($74.99) 96 points James Suckling: "Plenty of complexity to this, with cherry, plum, blackberry and hints of cedar and stone. Full-bodied with layered, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Punctuated and defined for the 2017 vintage." (10/2021) 95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The Fuligni 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is a beautiful wine, and it shines a much-deserved spotlight on one of the most consistent estates in Montalcino. It is bright and luminous with a dark ruby shine. The bouquet reveals deeply layered tones of red cherry, wild berry, rose, earth and candied violets. Give the wine an extra twirl or two, and you get some rosemary and lavender. Soft dusty mineral and limestone also appear. I'd definitely put this bottle on a short list of the most recommended bottles from the 2017 vintage. (ML)" (02/2022) St. Clair]( | K&L Italy Buyer | Review Date: December 21, 2022 The nose of this wine is stunning, so open, so full of wispy aromatics highlighted by wild cherry, plum, and an umami intrigue. On the palate the wine is supple, elegant, and at the same time bright and fresh with lots of lift on the back end. The wild cherry and plum components are joined by fresh leather, porcini mushrooms, and Tuscan brush. The finish is vivid and long, making you want to taste it again and again. It has 15-20 years aging potential, yet is drinkable now. You might have heard from some reviewers about the weather conditions of this year, it was hot and dry, but it's like they forgot to taste the wine and were more interested in giving a weather report. This wine is beautiful and shows no overripe character—it is fabulous! Moses]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 21, 2022 To check in on the heights of what a Brunello vintage can accomplish, the conversation usually starts with Fuligni these days. A masterclass in refinement and texture, the 2017 shows deft balance all the way through. Aromas of leather, deep red cherry, and cedar lead way to flavors of blood orange, ripe red cherry, and a slight herbal/minty note. The finish is full of juicy red fruits, lifted by impressive acidity, and lingers on the palate with a touch of salinity. What is so striking about the wine is its flawless texture, bright acid, and mouth-watering, fine tannins. This is a fine Sangiovese in every sense of the word, and a riveting wine that speaks beautifully to what a deft touch looks like in Montalcino in 2017. This will find many, many fans over the years. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2020 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape]( Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape]( ($89.99) 97 points James Suckling: "Very dense black-fruit aromas, but also licorice, an entire microcosm of spice and a whiff of smoked bacon. Very dense and meaty with an incredible tannin structure that enables this to be simultaneously very big and elegant. Super-long finish with enormous mineral freshness." (02/2022) 95-97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Beaucastel's 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape is shaping up as a blend of 30% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 10% each Counoise and Syrah, plus 20% other permitted varieties, including a healthy proportion of white grapes. Complex and red-fruited, with hints of flowers and garrigue, it's expansive and richly textured on the palate, finishing long and silky. (JC)" (05/2022) 96 points Decanter: "Fresh and bright nose, then a palate with exceptionally smooth and fine tannins, lovely acidity and notes of blackberry and raspberry juice. Particularly fine, elegant and balanced this year. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre. (MW)" (09/2021) 94-96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape was scheduled to be bottled the week after this tasting, and it's the usual blend of 35% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, and the rest Syrah, Counoise, and other permitted varieties. While the estate compares this to their 2016, it reminds me slightly of their 1990 and has a wonderful perfume of red, blue, and black fruits, as well as sappy garrigue, saddle leather, and ground pepper. It's beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, has a good sense of freshness, and fine tannins, as well as a tight, focused style on the palate that bodes well for longevity. It deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and should be long-lived." (11/2022) --------------------------------------------------------------- [1999 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien]( Léoville-Barton, St-Julien]( ($109.99) 91 points Wine Spectator: "A powerful nose, with sweet tobacco and sultana, follows through to a full body, featuring ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish, as well as lovely texture. This needs more time. Still tight and structured." (05/2010) 91 points Vinous: "The 1999 Léoville Barton has a delightful bouquet that has held up much better than the 1999 Langoa Barton, brimming over with vivacious black fruit, wild strawberry and cedar; hints of tobacco emerge with time in the glass. This is classic Saint-Julien. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit laced with black olive, tar and pencil lead. Classic gentleman's claret and drinking perfectly now, though it will give another 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. (NM)" (09/2019) K&L Notes: One of the big sleepers of the vintage and the region, our current stock is coming direct from the Barton cellars, giving it perfect provenance at over two decades past the vintage. Our own Clyde Beffa says it reminds him of the 1959. It represents a remarkable, cellar-direct opportunity on one of the world's most treasured producers at a remarkable in-stock price. Beffa, Jr.]( | K&L Bordeaux Buyer | Review Date: December 1, 2022 Certainly among our favorites for the entire vintage. It’s a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.Quite a bit of Merlot and Cab Franc for the property. Dark purple color. Traces of licorice and raspberry, but mainly the wine tastes like delicious, ripe grapes. Just as powerful as 1996 and 1998, but the tannins are a touch softer. Anthony Barton’s wine shows beautiful balance, and though there’s a lot of tannin, it is extremely well masked by the massive fruit. This is clearly one of the top wines of the vintage. After 20 plus years in the bottle, it should be great right now—maybe even better by decanting an hour. Prime rib roast and this beauty would be a match made in heaven. Old-school style—no over-oaked garage wine here. Pires]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 12, 2023 A wonderful wine! 1999 was a fruity vintage for Left Bank Bordeaux, and the black fruit character is still showing nicely here. Sweet tobacco, leather, and earthier notes of truffle are showing in the finish. Smooth tannins and balanced. Great to drink now or hold a little longer. Jenkins]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 11, 2023 A beautiful vintage is offered at a considerable value. The structure of the '99 is shining beautifully now, with firm yet soft tannins and a wonderful, medium-bodied palate. Some subtle savory quality but the gorgeous fruit associated with St-Julien, and Léoville-Barton isn't lost with age. Various red and blue fruit flavors offer themselves at the front of the palate while it finishes with notes of cedar and olive. Absolutely beautiful. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2013 Ben Nevis 8 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]( Ben Nevis 8 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]( ($139.99) Othenin-Girard]( | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: October 21, 2022 There's no question that this whisky will go down as one of the most exciting casks we've bottled. This feels like Scotland giving a big middle finger to the young, sherried whiskies coming out of tropical climates like Taiwan. You don't need to age whiskies in Scotland for two-plus decades to be exceptional. Indeed, all you need is extremely high-quality sherry and a spirit with character like Ben Nevis. In some ways, this is the quintessential sherry bomb, but with a depth that few modern distillers can match and almost none at this age. The color is an intense old oak. The nose is pure Christmas pudding, sweet raisins and cherry compote, dried figs, dark chocolate, and old antique mahogany. On the palate, it's rich and sweet with dark cooked fruit, maple syrup, coffee cake, and caramel cookies. With a drop of water, more savory character envelopes the sweet, rich sherry. Adding nutty oloroso oxidative character and old, worn leather. On the palate, the sweetness is completely overwhelming and the heat is almost non-existent. It feels like they just dumped the highest quality sherry into this whisky, and I absolutely love it. There's no question that skeptics will be timid at the price for such a young whisky, but no one bats an eye when spending the same or much more for a similarly aged Kavalan, and I'd argue that this whisky matches the Kavalan for power and beats any Kavalan on nuance, depth and complexity. Blakely]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 21, 2022 Decadent and dense, this will be an instant hit with sherry lovers everywhere. It smells like someone drenched fruit and nuts in sticky, dark syrup. Raisins, figs, blackberries, orange marmalade, roasted almonds, and dark cocoa, all soaking in molasses. Even after a dollop of water, it retains that oily, voluptuous texture. Though it needs no adulteration, the water lengthened the profile, allowing a touch more nuance to show through the fudgy flavor bomb it was at the start. That said, it still feels intense and hedonistic, and would pair beautifully with cigars. Jones]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 21, 2022 This bottle should please lovers of sherry-aged single malts. The sherry influence is very strong and tasty. The color is deep and dark. In the mouth, it is rich and round with strong sherry notes. With the addition of a little water, it is still rich and round, but has a wonderful mouthfeel that is soft and creamy. --------------------------------------------------------------- [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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