The First Edition of Our Electronic Newsletter has been Released!

K&L Wine News: May 2013: Rhone Valley. Click to read!

K&L Wine News

Electronic Newsletter First Edition!

May 2013: Rhone Valley 

This edition features the Rhone Valley. Our buyers and experts give you a quick update on three gorgeous vintages from this wonderful region that you can't afford to overlook anymore.

Wine of the Week: 2009 Domaine Anne & Arnaud Goisot Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre Pinot Noir ($12.99)

The Goisot Burgogne is back! I love the Goisot wines for their purity, and at such a great price their Côte d’Auxerre Pinot is a wine you should buy by the case. It opens up as soon as the cork is pulled. The nose is fragrant with cherry and strawberry aromas, and the palate is filled with beautiful cherry fruit. It has an elegant mouthfeel and finishes with some soft tannins. This is a lovely Pinot Noir for only $13! - Steve Greer, K&L Staff Member | 9-16-2011

Côtes d'Auxerre is the northerly region in Burgundy adjacent to Chablis where the cool climate and Jurassic limestone terroir combine forces to produce light-bodied, perfumed, low-alcohol (and thus very food-friendly) wines. Light, bright, and fresh, the 2009 Goisot Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre Pinot Noir ($12.99) -- a K&L Direct Import -- is an exceptional example of the quality and value that can be found there.

Made from 30+ year old vines, this unoaked Pinot Noir presents textbook Côtes d'Auxerre red berry and earth spice aromatics. The palate is lively and fresh but not austere, showing just-ripe fruit flavors with spicy licorice accents, thanks to the excellence of the 2009 vintage. While sometimes the red wines from this region can be quite high in tannin and lacking in fruit (after all, Auxerre is one of the most northerly sites for red wine production in the world!) there was enough sunshine in 2009 to produce the body to balance the tannins and acidity. Enjoy this charming light-bodied wine young with a variety of foods (coq au vin or bœuf bourguignon are recommended) or hold for up to 10 years and savor it with gamier dishes -- pheasant, wild duck, rabbit -- or with a creamy brie cheese.

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Step It Up!  K&L's Steve Greer  has come a long way since his days of drinking Blue Nun in the '80s.  Based in Hollywood, Steve specializes in Bordeaux, but has a soft spot for fun, food-friendly wines of all shades, especially when the price is right. Could your own collection or wine buying strategy use some improvements?  Join the K&L Personal Sommelier Service for customized monthly wine selections and service with Steve as chosen sommelier (did we mention it's free to join?) or visit the K&L Staff Review Page to browse recent wine reviews by Steve and the K&L staff.

Wine of the Week: 2010 Adegas Cooperativos de Monção "Muralhas" Rosé Vinho Verde ($9.99)

2010 Adegas Cooperativos de Moncao "Muralhas" Rosé Vinho Verde ($9.99)

When a Personal Sommelier customer emails me a picture of one of her recent personalized selections with the subject "AMAZING WINE!" and places an order for more, I get that warm and fuzzy feeling of a job well done.  

Of course, she's not the only one who has gone gaga over the 2010 Adegas Coopertivos de Monção "Muralhas" Vinho Verde Rosé ($9.99).  In our last rosé-themed staff tasting in Redwood City, this unabashadly pink, slightly fizzy rose from the Monção subregion of the Vinho Verde DOC in Northern Portugal, emerged as a clear favorite, eliciting comments from otherwise professional K&L staffers like "I wouldn't mind taking a bottle of this to the dome," "not too much wrong with that for $10!" and "this just makes me happy."

Made from a blend of traditional Portuguese grape varietals including Alvarelhao, Pedral and Vinhao, this rosé has a lovely vibrant pink color and enticing bouquet of sun-kissed raspberries and ripe melon. Racy acidity and a bit of spritz makes this slightly off-dry, fizzy wine finish clean and with the perception of dryness.

Pick up a bottle.  Served chilled, this lower alcohol (only 11% abv) and incredibly food-friendly rosé just might amaze you, too.