Helen Stickney

9.9

Purchased from Cambridge Wine Merchants. Absolutely delicious — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2012 is living up to its reviews. It’s good & well priced. The dark fruits are ripe, juicy, cola notes, menthol, dark, moist, turned earth. Drinking nicely now but, still a hold for another 5 years plus.

Served with Coq au Vin. Baby Carrots, Mushrooms, Pearl Onions & Red Wine Sauce. Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing & dinner guests. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The fruits are ripe, ruby. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, raspberries & strawberries. Dark rich soils, dark spice, crushed dry rocks, black licorice, tobacco, soft leather, graphite, Great balance fruit and earth. The body is velvety and statin. The structure, length, tension and balance are just coming around. The texture is gorgeous. The acidity is round and excellent. The finish delicious and persists nicely.

Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Connor Smith

9.2

Sanlúcar de Barrameda was the port that Christopher Columbus set off from in 1492. Just 1 year earlier, duties on wine exports from Sanlúcar had been abolished to take advantage of English merchants desperate for new supply after the loss of Bordeaux.

It began a centuries-long romance between Sherry and English wine lovers, as immortalized in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 2, when Falstaff glorifies sturdy Spanish 'sack' over thin Bordeaux 'claret' and Rhine 'hock'.

But the honeymoon, quite literally, was not to last. Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon drove a wedge between England and Catholic Europe, and left English wine lovers in need of a new source once again. But Sherry fanatics wouldn't have to go entirely without. When Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cádiz and burned the Spanish fleet in 1587, he carried away 2,900 butts of Sherry - enough to supply London for years - as his most famous prize.

(This is adapted from notes for Le Dû’s Wines ‘History of Wine 1453AD-Present’ seminar, where this wine was poured) — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Continuing to kick off the un-labor weekend early in the D&S Lounge.

For those of you who haven’t seen me post Kalinda, it’s a private label from K&L Wine Merchants. They buy a quality producers juice or have them make a wine for them. I don’t know who made this wine but, they are a quality Oakville producer. This bottle cost me $18.99 about eight years ago and it tastes better than some Napa Cabernets at $75 plus that I’ve had. You just have to wait on them 5-10 years. This is somewhere near its peak.

It’s a slice of blue fruit heaven. On the nose, blueberries, mulberries, olallieberries, plum, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, vanilla, sweet mixed berry cola, light cinnamon, soft dark spice, limestone minerals, dry crushed rock powder, dry top soil, black cherry licorice, a waft of dry herbs with bright dark red florals and violets.

The palate is round and full. Tannins are 80% resolved. The texture is sexy. The structure, length, tension and balance are in perfect harmony, (Seals & Croft/America on the album “Horse With No Name” style). Lush, ripe; blueberries, mulberries, olallieberries, plum, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries & strawberries. Vanilla, sweet mixed berry cola, light cinnamon, clove, touch of nutmeg, soft dark spice that penetrates the palate with some heat, tarry notes, dry stems, soft leather, tobacco with ash, graphite, limestone minerals, dry crushed rock powder, dry top soil, black cherry licorice, a waft of dry herbs with bright dark red florals and violets. The acidity is like a waterfall. The long finishes (minutes) is, round, lush, balanced, elegant harmony. It’s beautifully delicious.

Photos of; the D&S lounge lit up by candle power only and always. — 7 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.4

8 November 2017. Thirst Wine Merchants, Brooklyn, NY. — 8 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.0

Nariz: cerezas, ciruelas aun muy presentes, algo de cuero nuevo

Boca: Taninos M+ todavia un poco astringente pero tomable ahora, Acidez M, Alcohol M+. Lo dejaria en botella varios anos. Buen vino.

(Comprado en Italian Wine Merchants NYC) — 8 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.1

Nariz: manzanas verdes, limon amarillo, pera, mineral (tiza)

Boca: Acidez M+, Alcohol M, buen cuerpo, complejo y largo en boca.

(Comprado en Italian Wine Merchants en NYC) — 8 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.4

31 December 2016. Nolita Wine Merchants, New York, NY. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Kalinda is K&L Wine Merchants private label. If you give it 5+ years in bottle, it’s one of the best, if not thee best value in Napa Cabernet. I think I paid $18.99 or $21.99 for this 09. I’d like to tell you who made it but, that’s the mystery of Kalinda, you just don’t know. They either buy juice from a quality producer or have them make a wine specifically for them. They’ve made a lot of great producer relationships over the 40 plus years they’ve been in business. Either way, dollar for dollar, it’s a steal. Name a quality Napa producer you can buy for $20. It’s a very short list. I buy six of more of these every year without even thinking about it. It’s simply that consistently good and always an exceptional value.

On the nose, it’s sweet, ripe, ruby nectar. There are some hints of fruit liqueur. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum with hint of strawberries. Mocha powder, dark chocolate, light dark spice, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, whiff of nutmeg, crushed rocks, loamy dry top soil, some dark moist earth, dark fresh & withering floral bouquet.

The body is medium edging to full. It’s fresh, fruity, silky and elegant. The length, structure, balance and tension are in a perfect spot. There is nothing on the palate that bites back. The fruits are ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, huckleberries, blue fruit with hint of strawberries. Mocha powder, dark chocolate, light darker spice than the nose, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, whiff of nutmeg, dry crushed rocks, soft, round volcanic minerals, loamy dry top soil, some dark moist earth, dark fresh & withering floral bouquet. The round acidity is nicely executed. The long, well balanced finish is really nice and lasts minutes. This bottle just missed 9.2.

Photos of, the K&L tasting bar in SF, floor shot of racked wines and beautiful shots from the Napa Valley.
— 7 years ago

Wendee Augustiro

10

Bought from K&L wine merchants — 8 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.2

Nariz: mermelada de ciruela y cerezas, cuero nuevo, regaliz.

Boca: Taninos M+, Acidez M/M+, Alcohol Alto (16%). Seco pero untuoso, redondo, buen balance.

(Italian Wine Merchants NYC) — 8 years ago

Charles Antin

Senior Wine Specialist/Auctioneer Zachys

9.1

This stuff really punches above its weight class. Has that gorgeous honey mouthfeel while being completely dry with a very long finish. Can't recommend it enough. Pick some up from my friends at Vanderbilt Wine Merchants. — 9 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.3

31 December 2016. Nolita Wine Merchants, New York, NY. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It is only for variety that I drink any other N/V Blanc de Blanc Grand Gru Champange. For just under $45, this is extremely hard to beat.

This is my style, primarily reductive with just the right amount of oxidative characteristics.

The nose is fresh & ripe with green & golden apple, very, ripe pineapple, mango, ripe green melon, lemon & lime zest, excellent white spice, cream brulee w/ burnt top, light, salted caramel, touch of fresh herbs, pronounced chalkiness, grey volcanics, sea fossils, saline, bread dough, baguette crust, limestone with spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine.

The palate is ripe, lush, lively & dazzling fresh. Shows gentle, beautiful mousse & micro oxygenation. Ripe with green & golden apple, very, ripe pineapple, mango, ripe green melon, lemon & lime zest, kiwi, grapefruit w/ a hint of sugar, white peach, honeycomb, excellent white spice with just the right even medium heat, cream brulee w/ burnt top, bruised Bosc pear, lemon meringue, vanilla bean, light, salted caramel, nougat, silvered almonds, touch of fresh herbs, pronounced chalkiness, grippy grey volcanics, sea fossils, saline, bread dough, baguette crust, limestone with spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine. The acidity is lively & simply perfect. The long, rich, well polished & balanced, finishes gently & persistently on the palate with soft spice in the long set.

If you can receive wine shipments from K&L Wine Merchants in SF, you owe it to yourself to order some bottles of this cuvée. They are the only retailer in the US Launois allows to rep their cuvées. Guarantee you won’t regret it.

Wine that bridges the palate from the end of white cheeses to vinaigrette salad.

Photos of, one of their Grand Cru Vineyards, House of Launois, two pics of their extensive Champagne tool & artifacts museum. — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

K&L Wine Merchants annual Fete du Bordeaux dinner with:
1) Jean Charles Cazes (Lynch Bages)
2) Damien Barton (Leoville/Langoa)
3) Mariello Cazuax(winemaker La Conseillante)..sat next to her for dinner.

Dinner wines:
2018 Blanc de Lynch Bages
2015 La Conseillante
2006 Lynch Bages
2009 Langoa Barton
2009 Lynch Bages
2005 Leoville Barton
2010 La Conseillante

Pre-dinner tasting:
2017 La Conseillante
2017 Ormes de Pez.
2017 Langoa Barton
2017 Lynch Bages
2017 Leoville Barton
2016 Mauvesin-Barton — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Michael Piaker

9.1

6 October 2018. Thirst Wine Merchants, Brooklyn, NY. — 7 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.2

6 October 2018. Thirst Wine Merchants, Brooklyn, NY. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 8 years ago