K&L Wine Merchants

Our biggest event of the year is back! Tickets are live: On October 26 in Culver City and October 27 in San Francisco, it's our Champagne Tent Event! Taste wines, meet producers, snack on catered nosh... Wines from grower-producers: Aspasie, Coutelas, Alexandre Le Brun, Baron Fuente, Boulard Bauquaire, Damien Hugot, Franck Bonville, Petiau, Derot-Delugny... to big houses: Pol Roger, Laurent-Perrier, Billecart-Salmon, Moët & Chandon, Krug, Bollinger, Drappier, and more... this is a veritable Champagne smorgasbord—do not miss it. https://bit.ly/4e9daEf PLEASE NOTE: We *strongly* encourage using ride share and public transit options.

At the end of next week, we officially send our beloved Italian Buyer of 28 years, Greg St. Clair, off to retirement land, where he can live la dolce vita full time! But before we say our arrivedercis, we've asked Greg to leave us with a few parting words. In this week's Italian Wine Buying Guide, you'll find words of wisdom from the Maestro, as well as his recommendations for what to snag from our shelves while he is still stocking them. Follow the link to our blog for Greg's swan song. https://bit.ly/4dRFJG7

Culver City Tequila fans, we've got a special opportunity to meet the man behind Tequila General Gorostieta, Felipe Camarena! Join us from 4-6 for a special tasting and chat - TODAY, Thursday Aug 15. No tasting fee. https://bit.ly/3WKAKA9

Our Auction team is made up of some of the most experienced and knowledgeable folks in the biz; nearly all have been in the fine wine and rare collectible industry for 10 years or more. Andrew Nunes oversees operations, and is a certified specialist of wine with a decade-plus working in fine wine collecting, inspection, and service. Every bottle on our auction block goes through our rigorous inspection process, so you can be sure that these are bottles we believe in. You can learn more about our Auctions department on our blog: https://bit.ly/3X1zVVa

We're #hiring a new Spirits Buyer in San Francisco Bay Area. Apply today or share this post with your network.

*Meet our team!* You may know Keith Mabry as our Rhône, Loire, and French Regional Buyer, but he's also responsible for Greece, Eastern Europe, and Mexico! Why would one person have such an eclectic list of categories? Because he's a hardcore enthusiast for off-the-beaten-path wines. He's also a big soil geek... ask him about his favorite dirt! Keith has been with K&L for 17 years. He was one of the original crew to open the Hollywood store in 2007, and this year he was a big part of opening up in Culver City. He started as the sales floor manager in Hollywood, then took on the SoCal buying position, then became a buyer for the Rhône in 2014. He says, "I've become more and more of a Francophile the longer I have worked here. We do France better than almost any other retailer I can think of—the depth of independent producers we work with is unparalleled. We are very well curated, so definitely ask us about what you're looking for. Just like in a butcher shop—if you are willing to take the time to a butcher shop, then you definitely want to go with the butcher's recommendation on what’s freshest. We know our inventory inside and out. If you come to us you’ll get a lot of winners and a better return on your investment because we work with you to fit your tastes." Ask him about food pairings, too. He's a big-time gourmand, and generally behind the grill at any SoCal BBQ. Stop by Culver City and say hi to Keith!

Last week, our NorCal team was out among the vines—the very old vines. Led by passionate California old-vine advocate Chris Cottrell from Bedrock Wine Co. and Under the Wire wines, they walked among century-plus-old vineyards in Lodi and Contra Costa County. Key Accounts Specialist Chelsea Herholdt digs into California's old-vine heritage on today's blog, and explores why it's so important to preserve these important pieces of the state's history. https://bit.ly/4cm5GMS

*Meet our team!* John Downing is a decade-plus K&L veteran with about 30 years total in the wine biz. Currently based at our Culver City location, he's a passionate Italian wine expert, with encyclopedic knowledge about producers in Piedmont and Tuscany. John says, "I started in Hollywood in November of 2011 after 14 years as the Italian buyer at High Times. What’s been exciting for me is merging that wine knowledge with customer service and technology at K&L. I love helping customers get passionate about Italian wine. Having Tommy (SoCal GM) mentor me on customer interaction has been invaluable. I am the old dog who has learned the new tricks. The best part about working for this company is that we have a culture like nobody else—customer loyalty but also a community of colleagues across all the stores. We strive to make sure our customers feel welcome. We have some of the most educated people in the biz. That’s what drives me. I’ve never seen this kind of customer loyalty." Stop by and say hi to John at K&L Culver City, and bring your Italian wine questions!

James and Catherine Kinglake followed their dream to make wine in the South of France... 20 years later, we are so glad they did! Their organically farmed wines from the Roussillon are some of the best everyday drinkers on our shelves and we can't get enough! Follow the link to read more in today's French Regional Wine Buying Guide. https://bit.ly/3Lt3PLd

In this week's French Regional Wine Buying Guide, we're diving into the villages, hamlets, and lesser-known locales that make up the vibrant wine scene of everyday dining in France. First stop: the Jura, and one of our best Jura direct imports, Domaine de l'Aigle à Deux Têtes. https://bit.ly/3xYdiqV