Our Best Values: What We’re Drinking to Close Out the Year

Some of the most exciting wines and spirits we offered in 2025 share a common thread: they simply should not exist at these prices. Across regions and categories, our buying team uncovered opportunities where quality and character far outpaced expectations. Our Discovery Series offers mature Bordeaux reds, vibrant Gigondas, and benchmark Italian wines, Anonymous Wine Collective showcases unbelievable value domestic standouts, Maison 76 recently launched with an exclusive Grand Cru Champagne, and K&L Liquors delivers quality in every drop through carefully selected Kentucky bourbon. As the year comes to a close, we are proud to share these exclusives with you.

2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion (Elsewhere $40) ($14.99)

K&L Notes: The result of nearly a year spent meticulously tasting through Bordeaux to uncover an exceptional deal at unbeatable pricing, we’re beyond excited to introduce the inaugural edition of what we’re calling the K&L Discovery Series. The aim of this new collection is to showcase wines that are both quintessential and exemplary representations of their region and/or vintage. This 2009 St-Emilion is an unparalleled value from one of the region's all-time great vintages, and one that you won't find anywhere else.

Ryan Moses | K&L Bordeaux Buyer | Review Date: August 27, 2025

Our Discovery Series has arrived! At the core of this program is a mission to showcase wines of impeccable quality, unmistakable regional typicité, and exceptional value. As I often say, we're not just placing a label on someone's latest release—we're curating standout selections from our deep, trusted network of sources. Each wine must rise above its peers, often outperforming bottles at multiples of the price. Only those that meet this high bar make it into the lineup.And speaking of high bars, we just set the standard for remarkable value in the Discovery Series, with a delicious St-Emilion with over fifteen years of bottle age for under $15. As Clyde likes to say, only a dollar a year, which is an incredibly high standard at any stage in the game. I adored this opportunity when we first tasted it, and through tough negotiations, and even after a round of tariffs, I'm still shocked that we're able to offer a wine this solid, with this kind of age, all for this price. It is a generous expression of St-Emilion, but the broad, delicious quality of the vintage also shines through. Approaching maturity with a long life ahead, it carries beautiful aromatics of red fruits, leather, and florals, with a palate that has a core of plum and cassis, wild berry, and a soft, easygoing finish. Everything is in place, and I'm certain there's not a better buy in today's market for a perfectly aged Bordeaux from a signature vintage.

2020 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Elsewhere $30) ($17.99)

K&L Notes: Long before its neighbors became famous, Vino Nobile was the toast of popes and presidents, the original "noble wine" of Tuscany. For our Discovery Series, we sought a bottle that lives up to that history—a wine of true Tuscan nobility. We looked for an expression that delivers the classic dusty red fruit and sandalwood notes that define this historic appellation. This is a wine of elegance, structure, and incredible value.

Orazio Campoli | K&L Italian Buyer | Review Date: September 10, 2025

This wine comes from one of the benchmark estates in Montepulciano, a pioneer of biodynamic farming with a reputation for producing elegant, pure, and age-worthy Sangiovese. For this bottling, we were able to secure a few barrels from the generous 2020 vintage. The nose is a stunning expression of Prugnolo Gentile: ripe red cherry, plum, and violet, with the sweet spice and vibrant energy that is a hallmark of this iconic producer. The palate is polished and seamless, with silky tannins and a long, mineral-driven finish. It's a sophisticated and deeply authentic Vino Nobile.

2023 K&L Discovery Series Rhône, Gigondas "Tank 11 by Moulin de la Gardette" ($19.99)

Keith Mabry | K&L Rhone Buyer | Review Date: December 02, 2025

When I was in the Rhône this past March and April, I visited dozens of producers and spent several days at a traveling wine fair, tasting with dozens more. But it would have been criminal of me not to carve out time for Jean-Baptiste Meunier of Moulin de la Gardette, one of my favorite producers in one of my favorite crus—Gigondas. We’ve worked with JB for decades now, and I consider his wines among the truest, most terroir-driven expressions in the region.

His wines have always felt like pure Gigondas—capturing the essence of the marl and limestone soils and layered with the perfume of the surrounding garrigue. That coastal scrub, rich with natural oils from thyme, bay, and lavender, subtly inflects the wines with the unmistakable character of the place. During our visit, I noticed a tank off to one side and asked about its contents. The vessel was simply marked Tank 11. Out of curiosity, I asked to taste it—and was immediately surprised. The wine was vibrant and fruit-filled, bursting with black raspberry, lavender, strawberries, and that classic hint of bay leaf. It was fleshy yet lifted, expressive yet effortlessly drinkable.

What struck me about Tank 11 was its accessibility: supple, open-knit, and welcoming, yet still unmistakably Gardette and unmistakably Gigondas. It captured the region’s personality with a truly user-friendly attitude—exactly what we look for in a Discovery wine. This is one of the most delightful Gigondas I’ve tasted in years and exactly what the Discovery Series is meant to highlight: wines of place, character, and value. I think you’ll agree—this is one of the best-drinking Rhône wines on our shelves right now.

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pomerol (Elsewhere $50) ($29.99)

K&L Notes: The result of nearly a year spent meticulously tasting through Bordeaux to uncover an exceptional deal at unbeatable pricing, we’re beyond excited to introduce the inaugural edition of what we’re calling the K&L Discovery Series. The aim of this new collection is to showcase wines that are both quintessential and exemplary representations of their region and/or vintage. From one of the most treasured terroirs in the world of fine wine, it’s nothing short of a coup to bottle an exclusive Pomerol of this caliber. For the remarkable complexity, richness, texture, luxury, and longevity that Pomerol is famous for, this is a not-to-be-missed value.

Ryan Moses | K&L Bordeaux Buyer | Review Date: August 27, 2025

From one of the most treasured terroirs in the world of fine wine, it's nothing short of a coup to bottle an exclusive Pomerol of this caliber and deliver it for under $25. This is land where bottles typically fetch $100 to $3,000, simply because production is so limited and quality so high. The plateau of Pomerol is defined by its unique gravel and iron-rich clay soils, which yield wines of remarkable complexity, richness, texture, luxury, and longevity. I was captivated by this particular selection for its quintessential Pomerol character: gorgeous red fruits, striking density, and a textured palate that reflects the famed mosaic of soils beneath the vines. It is a wine that could come from nowhere else. We'll count ourselves fortunate if we can continue to collaborate on future vintages. This is a delicious, complex, and thoroughly enjoyable Pomerol that easily merits double the price, and one that will be a standout on our shelves while it's in stock.

2019 K&L Discovery Series Italy, Brunello di Montalcino (Elsewhere $110) ($59.99)

K&L Notes: There are hundreds of Brunello di Montalcino wines. Our Italian buyer, Orazio Campoli, tastes them every year. He’s not just looking for quality—that’s a given. He’s hunting for something elusive: a wine that possesses the soul of the place it comes from. This is the bottle he found. It’s not the loudest or the most obvious. It’s the one that speaks with the clearest voice. This is our Discovery Series Brunello.

Orazio Campoli | K&L Italian Buyer | Review Date: September 10, 2025

The legendary 2019 vintage demanded a truly special Brunello for our series. I found it on the warmer, southern slopes of Montalcino, from a family estate renowned for its powerful, savory, and terroir-driven wines. This is a classic expression of the Castelnuovo dell'Abate subzone: deep aromas of black cherry, licorice, and balsamic herbs dominate the nose. The palate is structured and full-bodied, with firm, noble tannins and a long, savory finish that speaks to its warm terroir. This is a powerful, old-school Brunello built for the cellar, from a producer who truly captures the soul of southern Montalcino.

Maison 76 Cote des Blancs Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($39.99)

K&L Notes: Made by Olivier Bonville at Champagne Franck Bonville, this is flat out one of the greatest brut sans année offerings we have ever had at K&L. The Maison 76 is all Chardonnay, purely from the grand cru of Avize in the center of the Côte des Blancs. Here the pure Belmnita chalk gives us wines that combine richness with freshness and minerality with attractive baguette toast. This wine is a full 60% reserves and dosed very low at just 5.8 grams per liter. It has been aged for three years on the lees.

Gary Westby | K&L Champagne Buyer | Review Date: November 25, 2025

What a bottle! The lavish use of reserve wines in this bottling really set it apart from anything else that we have in stock; this wine has a texture, a drinkability, and a hidden complexity that is rare to find in any bottle, let alone one that is under $50. The value that our large volume buy has delivered is top notch. Grand Cru, especially Côte des Blancs Chardonnay Grand Cru is hardly ever spoken about as a bargain, but this is an exception. It has always been my dream to supply the Champagne drinker, the Champagne lover top-notch wines that can be purchased by the case and consumed, and for me, this is one of bottlings that has made my dream come true. All I wanted in it was everything—classy baguette toast, subtle white flowers, a creamy texture, and a fresh finish with chalky minerality for days. And, as usual, the Bonville family delivered!

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective "Pagani Ranch - Ancient Vine" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel (Elsewhere $50) ($19.95)

K&L Notes: A VERY exciting addition to our Anonymous family, our first Zinfdandel! And I couldn't be more excited about having a bottling sourced from the iconic and historic Pagani Ranch in Sonoma Valley! While we can't tell you who crafted this wine for us, the list of folks that can even get their hands on this revered, ancient vine fruit isn't very long, so you can probably take a pretty good guess. This stunning wine is 90% Zinfandel from the original 140-year-old block at Pagani Ranch planted in the 1880's. Then, completing the field blend are small amounts of 100-year-old Primitivo and Alicante Bouchet. The wine was aged for 20 months in a combination of French and American oak, 20% new, 80% seasoned. This wine is a perfect example of the ancient heritage vineyards found across California that are a truly unique and special part of our state's viticultural history. I'm so thrilled with this wine I can't wait to share it with you! (Ryan Woodhouse - K&L Domestic Wine Buyer)

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Domestic Buyer | Review Date: November 13, 2025

An absolute classic rendition of Zinfandel this legendary, historic site. There's tons of rich, brambly fruit from the old vine Zin, but also real substance and complexity from the inclusion of Alicante Bouchet and a Primitivo clone brought here by Italian immigrants over a century ago. The wine shows a real sense of place with a crushed rock and ferrous mineral tone from red iron-rich loam and volcanic cobblestones that define the soils of the site. The picture-perfect growing season in 2023 gave this wine lots of vibrancy and focus to balance all that old-vine concentration and potency. The subtle use of both French and American oak is a well-known signature when combined with this beautiful fruit. The value here, as with all the Anonymous wines is simply outstanding! Enjoy!

2023 Anonymous Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $60) ($19.95)

96 points Decanter: "Though we can't use the actual content of the review, we can reveal that the wine in the bottle was rated at 96-points by Decanter Magazine!"

K&L Notes: This latest bottling from our Anonymous Wine Collective line is our first from Oregon! It comes from a small, family-owned winery that sources fruit from some of the most incredible sites in the Willamette Valley. This bottling is largely from a renowned, organically farmed vineyard in the Dundee Hills, with some additional fruit from the Eola-Amity Hills to round out the blend. I worked with the winemaker to split off a portion of the cuvée for our own private label bottling. What's more, by protecting the source, we have amazing pricing at 1/3 of the price you'll find this wine selling for under its own label. That is the power of Anonymous! (Ryan Woodhouse - K&L Domestic Wine Buyer)

K&L Liquors' 7 Year Old Every Drop "Living Legend" Batch No. KY-03-25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($49.99)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: November 04, 2025

There are few professional moments more gratifying than the work I’ve done on the recent releases of our new K&L Every Drop brand. This historic label, which predates the founding of our store by many decades, fell into my lap thanks to a thoughtful customer who won a little mini from the 1940s at auction and passed it my way. So when the opportunity arose to create a new, store-exclusive brand, I knew this magnificent, long-forgotten IP had to be revived. We painstakingly reimagined every detail of the label, staying faithful to the original design. From its classic clean lines to the timeless tag line “Supreme Quality” stretching across each bottle’s shoulders, it perfectly reflects our ethos. The label’s revival was inspired by an exceptional batch of rare bourbon that we had acquired by a stroke of good fortune: a great old whiskey from Frankfort, followed shortly by a second release of the same.

But how could we continue producing whiskies that lived up to those extraordinary beginnings? My premise was never that Every Drop must be mythical in rarity, but that every bottle, yes every drop, should offer our customers an experience of unmistakable quality, unique character and unmatched value. That’s a tall order, especially given that I have no control over the aging or production of the barrels we source. With only tiny samples representing entire lots, I set out with a wing and a prayer to find our third batch.

That search led to a parcel of mature bourbons from a certain distillery near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. While I can’t name it on the label, nothing stops me from saying it outright: it’s that ol' Kickin' Chicken in Tyrone. The question then became, how could a seven (nearly eight) year old Turkey compete with the best in class? The answer lay in blending and proofing. I’ve always found immense joy in blending on the small scale that I've been afforded, and this project gave me the chance to shape the final character through careful selection and proof adjustment. It’s exuberant, balanced, and endlessly satisfying. It’s unquestionably the best value on the shelf today in this style, which is quite distinct from regular WT or Russell’s Reserve. It just so happens that it’s a style I love. Expect an elegant balance of sweet oak, fragrant fruit, zesty spice, and a rich caramel backbone. It shines in cocktails and stands beautifully on its own.