March 15: Hollywood is proud to inaugurate their Thursday Night Tasting Series with the fine wines from T.G.I.C. Importers. T.G.I.C. has always been at the forefront of South American boutique producers, and were among the first to bring quality Argentine and Chilean wines to the United States. A lot of people have jumped on the bandwagon since, but T.G.I.C. still leads the pack in price and quality. Please join us this Thursday night, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to taste 5 wonderful wines from their portfolio.
Vina Montes Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Vineyard $11.99
Montes Alpha Chardonnay $14.99
Montes Cherub Rose $13.99
Bodega Norton Malbec Lujan de Cuyo Reserva $12.99
Achaval – Ferrer Malbec $18.99
Our Thursday Tasting is designed to introduce our customers to serious wines at a serious value. That’s why it’s only $10.00!
See you there!

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last month K&L had the pleasure of hosting several of its favorite Rhone-area producers for a packed tasting of their delicious wines at the San Francisco store. For me it was particularly special since I spent two glorious days tasting and touring with two of these vintners last summer in France. The tasting marked the first time I'd seen them in almost a year and was just a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

My two pals - Jean Baptise Meunier (pictured second with an American friend) of Moulin de la Gardette in Gigondas and Rodolphe de Pins of Chateau de Montfaucon outside Chateauneuf du Pape (pictured third avec moi) - spent much of the tasting meeting new friends there to taste their wares and catching up with old acquaintances from the times they'd spent stateside learning about wine. It was a totally jovial gathering and more than a little packed in K&L's tasting room!

"JB" and "Rudi" were joined at the event by a third vintner, the charming Cecile Chassagne, who produces a wonderfully approachable and fantastically priced Cotes du Rhone red under her own name along with a tasty Chateauneuf du Pape that at $20 a bottle is a great deal! Cecile is pictured above with me showing off one of her dynamite reds.

Among my favorite wines of the day was JB's absolutely delicious 2004 Moulin de la Gardette "Cuvee Ventabren," which packs tons of the goodies we love so much in Rhone reds: provencal herbs, lavender, baking spices and lovely concentrated fruit. Yum!

And Rudi's 2000 Chateau de Montfaucon "Baron Louis" - available in limited quantities in magnum - is a total delight: notes of caramelized oak, smoke, herbs and roses harmonize alongside terrifically suave tannins, making the Louis the perfect match for your herbed lamb roast this weekend.

To Cecile, JB & Rudi: we hope you'll be back soon, and in the mean time keep sending us your wonderful wines!

--- Courtney Cochran, aka Your Personal Sommelier, provides personalized wine services to adventurous wine collectors, purveyors and enthusiasts, making wine accessible and fun for those who think outside the mainstream wine box. Visit her site at www.CourtneyCochran.com

Posted by Courtney Cochran at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arriving for the first time in San Francisco, ViniPortugal, the Portuguese Trade and Tourism Office and the Port and Douro Wines Institute are pleased to introduce more than 48 Portuguese wine producers and more than 400 wines to the Bay Area on Thursday, April 12. Taking place around the country for both industry professionals and the general public, ViniPortugal's wine tasting event will return to Miami, April 15, Chicago, April 17 and New York City on April 19.

The event will be held at the Palace Hotel (2 Montgomery Street) from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Come take part in a spirited wine and food tasting open to the public to benefit Share Our Strength ®'s Taste of the Nation ®. For those eager to sharpen their knowledge of Portuguese wines, the "Keys to Understanding Portugal's Major Grape Varietals" seminar will again take place from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. A $25 donation is suggested at the door, 100 percent of whose proceeds will benefit the charity.

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)