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K&L Tastings: Tuscan Roots & Rebels, Ribera del Duero Tradition & Terroir, and More

Thu 10:57 PMklwines
K&L Wine Merchants
Sip, swirl, and explore at your local K&L...
Thursday Feb 26th, 2026 View in Browser
Dynamic Tastings at Your Local K&L Store

The rosters are set for this week's in-store tastings, so please mark your calendars for an afternoon (or two) of fascinating and fun exploration with fellow wine and spirit lovers and our K&L staff. Please read below for more details on our upcoming events.

Special Events & Dinners

San Francisco/Bay Area:
Friday 02/27: Cognac Dinner with Cellar Master Jean Montarsolo of Sazerac de Forge
Monday 03/02: An Evening with Veronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly
Wednesday 03/04: An Evening with Cesare Benvenuto of Pio Cesare
Thursday 03/11: A Shared Table with Laura Catena & Ernie Loosen

Los Angeles:
Thursday 03/12: Kanosuke: A Japanese Whisky Dinner at Jeong yuk Jeom * SOLD OUT, Waitlist Available *

In-Store Tastings

Thursday, February 26th
San Francisco: From Prohibition to Port Barrels: High West Whiskey (Spirits Tasting)
Culver City: Matíari Tequila: A Story of Firsts (Spirits Tasting)

Friday, February 27th
All Stores: Tuscan Roots & Rebel Wines (Wine Tasting)

Saturday, February 28th
All Stores: Ribera del Duero: Tradition and Terroir (Wine Tasting)
Culver City: Saint Rhum: Drink Like a Sinner, Feel Like a Saint (Spirits Tasting)

Sunday, March 1st
San Francisco: Vermouth is Life! A LAIE Aperitivo Tasting (Vermouth Tasting)

Upcoming Events


Cognac Dinner with Cellar Master Jean Montarsolo of
Sazerac de Forge at the Amador Club

Friday, February 27th
$150 per ticket
6:30PM — Amador Club, San Francisco


This intimate and indulgent evening will be made even more memorable with a take-home bottle of Sazerac de Forge XO included with each ticket. Join us for a special night in SF as we warmly welcome Jean Montarsolo — Cellar Master and Ambassador of Sazerac de Forge — for a guided exploration of a Cognac house whose roots trace back to 1782, paired with a light dinner at the Amador Club.

Sazerac de Forge Cognac revives the legacy of the original house founded by Bernard Sazerac de Forge in the 18th century. The brand’s name honors this heritage and reflects the return of Sazerac to the Cognac region through its acquisition of Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac. Today’s expressions look back to the style of cognac enjoyed during the house’s earliest years, using old and lesser-known native grape varieties and long-aged eaux-de-vie matured for decades in French oak.

Our setting for the evening is The Amador Club — a private member’s club perched atop the historic Bank of Italy building in downtown San Francisco. This space fuses the rich architectural legacy of its early 20th-century origins with modern purpose, offering panoramic views of the city and a refined backdrop for spirited conversation and celebration.

Our evening will begin with hor d'oeuvres + Cocktail Hour followed by a "Repas de Famille" or French family-style menu along with a guided tasting. Our meal will be paired with 3 of Sazerac's finest selections:

Sazerac de Forge XO

Sazerac de Forge Grand Champagne 2000

Sazerac de Forge 50-Year Cognac


Sazerac de Forge Cognac

Seats are extremely limited — we recommend reserving now, as tickets will go quickly. All alcoholic beverages will be served exclusively by The Amador Club in accordance with their licensing. Lineup and menu are subject to change.

6:30PM — Amador Club, San Francisco

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An Evening with Veronique Sanders
of Château Haut-Bailly at La Mar

Monday, March 2nd
$250 per ticket
6:30PM — La Mar, San Francisco


Join us at La Mar in San Francisco for an intimate dinner hosted by Véronique Sanders, President & CEO of Château Haut-Bailly, and one of Bordeaux’s most influential figures today. Under her leadership, Haut-Bailly has entered a new chapter while remaining closely tied to its storied past — a classified growth estate long associated with refinement, cultural relevance, and a sense of occasion that has drawn collectors, artists, and heads of state for generations. The wines reflect a house style shaped by thoughtful stewardship, where precision and expressive fruit have defined the estate across decades.

Tonight’s lineup spans two decades and offers an incredible opportunity to taste how these wines evolve over time. Set within La Mar’s vibrant, ocean-facing dining room overlooking the Embarcadero, this gathering brings classic Bordeaux into conversation with Peruvian cuisine in a way that’s unexpected and deeply compelling. The menu is paired with a lineup that includes both current releases and mature vintages from Château Haut-Bailly, offering a broader view of the estate’s history and evolution. Seats are limited for this special dinner with Véronique Sanders at the table, and we invite you to join us for a night designed to linger well beyond the last course.


La Mar

Seats are limited—reserve now as tickets will go quickly. All alcoholic beverages will be served exclusively by La Mar in accordance with their licensing. Lineup and menu are subject to change.

6:30PM — La Mar, San Francisco

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An Evening with Cesare Benvenuto of Pio Cesare
at Stella in Burlingame

Wednesday, March 4th
$245 per ticket
6:30PM — Stella, Burlingame


Join us for a special evening at Stella, hosted by Cesare Benvenuto of Pio Cesare, one of Piemonte’s most revered family wineries. Founded in Alba in 1881 by Cesare Pio — whose entrepreneurial vision led him to make and promote Barolo and Barbaresco beyond Italy’s borders — Pio Cesare has remained family-run for over 140 years, blending tradition with a commitment to wines that reflect the heritage and history of the Langhe. Today the estate is led by the 5th generation of the family, including Cesare Benvenuto, carrying forward a legacy of continuity and respect for time-honored winemaking practices.

For this dinner, we’ll explore wines that span a range of expressions from Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, and Chardonnay — including both celebrated single-vineyard bottlings and selections that speak plainly to the heart of Piemonte’s classic styles. Set against Stella’s warm, mountain-inspired restaurant with Northern Italian influences and hearty, soulful fare, the evening’s menu has been thoughtfully paired to bring out the character and versatility of these Piemontese wines.

This dinner offers a chance to experience a broad cross-section of Pio Cesare’s wines alongside a thoughtfully composed Italian menu, bringing together history, regional character, and food-friendly pairings in a relaxed, convivial setting


Stella

This dinner offers a chance to experience a broad cross-section of Pio Cesare’s wines alongside a thoughtfully composed Italian menu, bringing together history, regional character, and food-friendly pairings in a relaxed, convivial setting.

6:30PM — Stella, Burlingame

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A Shared Table with Laura Catena & Ernie Loosen
at Piccino, Presidio SF

Wednesday, March 11th
$335 per ticket
6:30PM — Piccino in the Presidio, San Francisco


Join K&L for an exclusive evening that brings together two names that have shaped the modern wine world: Laura Catena of Catena Zapata and Ernie Loosen of Weingut Dr. Loosen. Though their wines are worlds apart, both have helped redefine their regions by looking deeply at vineyards and insisting that time — not trend — tells the full story.

The wines hand-picked for this gathering reflect that shared philosophy. Each pairing places current releases alongside library vintages, offering a unique chance to taste how these wines evolve across decades. It’s a conversation between past and present, told by the winemakers themselves.

In the steep vineyards along Germany’s Mosel river, Ernie Loosen has led Weingut Dr. Loosen since 1988. Next, we'll jump to South America, where Laura Catena represents the fourth generation of her family at Catena Zapata, a winery central to the elevation of Argentine wine on the world stage.

Our setting is Piccino at the Presidio, where floor-to-ceiling windows open onto a quiet landscape of redwoods and ferns, creating a natural backdrop for a table shaped by shared history and seasonal farm-to-table ingredients, with award-winning wines paired to highlight some of San Francisco’s best Italian-inspired, California cuisine.


Piccino

Seats are limited for this one-of-a-kind evening — we recommend reserving now, as tickets will go quickly. All alcoholic beverages will be served exclusively by Piccino in accordance with their licensing. Lineup and menu are subject to change.

6:30PM — Piccino in the Presidio, San Francisco

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Kanosuke: A Japanese Whisky Dinner
at Jeong yuk Jeom in Los Angeles

Thursday, March 12th
$100 per ticket
7:00PM — Jeong yuk Jeom, Los Angeles * SOLD OUT, Waitlist Available *


Join us for a spirited evening exploring the distinctive character of Kanosuke, one of Japan’s rising stars in single malt whisky, hosted at Jeong Yuk Jeom in Koreatown. This exciting dinner will be hosted by Bay Area great Chris Lane of High Road Spirits and Roland Ng from Kanosuke, both Japanese whisky experts.

Located on the lush coast of Kagoshima, Kanosuke Distillery was founded in 2017. Drawing on the coastal climate, diverse barrel aging, and their signature use of a pot still inherited from the Hioki Distillery, Kanosuke whiskies have quickly earned a reputation for their smooth texture, elegant complexity, and gentle seaside character. Each expression in this lineup reflects the distillery’s evolving style.

Our host for the evening, Jeong Yuk Jeom, a Korean barbecue restaurant whose name translates to “butcher shop”, is known in LA for its vibrant dining experience focusing on high-quality dry-aged and prime cuts grilled tableside, offering an interactive and celebratory take on Korean barbecue rooted in both tradition and contemporary flavor exploration. With a menu designed to showcase what the restaurant describes as an interactive and dynamic approach to Korean barbecue, the setting is a compelling complement to Kanosuke’s nuanced whiskies.


Jeong Yuk Jeom

Seats are extremely limited—we recommend reserving now, as tickets will go quickly! All alcoholic beverages will be served exclusively by Jeong yuk Jeom in accordance with their licensing. Lineup is subject to change.

7:00PM — Jeong yuk Jeom, Los Angeles

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February Beer Tasting: Experimental Pilsners

Wednesday, February 25th
$5 per ticket
4:00PM-6:00PM — K&L San Francisco
4:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Redwood City


Experimental Pilsners

Join us on the last Wednesday of every month for a curated beer tasting! February's theme brings us "Experimental Pilsners".

Pilsner is often thought of as crisp and predictable, but this tasting shows how much room the style leaves for creativity. These beers lean into expressive hops, unconventional ingredients, and regional twists, producing flavors that move through citrus, fresh herbs, soft grain, and mineral snap without losing the clean-drinking core that defines Pilsner. Along the way, you’ll see how brewers in California, Germany, Italy, and beyond use the same basic framework to arrive at distinctly different results.

Item Name Retail Link
Russian River Brewing Co. "110" West Coast Pilsner, California (500ml) *NO SHIPPING/TRANSFERS OUTSIDE BAY AREA* $5.99 View
Hanabi Lager Co. "Marris Otter" Pilsner-Style Lager, California (500ml.) $17.99 View
Humble Sea Brewing "New Sealand" NZ style Pilsner, California (16 oz. can) $5.49 View
Birrificio Italiano "Tipopils" Hoppy Pilsner, Italy (330ml) $5.49 View
Schonramer "Grunhopfen Pils" Fresh-Hopped German Pilsner, Germany (330ml bottle) $4.99 View
Sante Adairius Rustic Ales "Surge Capacity" Rustic Pilsner, California (16oz can) $5.99 View

Lineup is subject to change. Walk-ins permitted as capacity allows.
K&L San Francisco
K&L Redwood City

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Tuscan Roots & Rebel Wines

Friday, February 27th
$35 per ticket
4:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Culver City
4:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Hollywood
4:00PM-6:00PM — K&L San Francisco
4:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Redwood City


Tuscany

Tuscany sits at the center of Italy’s wine story, where Sangiovese finds expression in sunlit hills of galestro and alberese soils and along a coastline shaped by steady Tyrrhenian breezes. Centuries of vineyard continuity inform the region’s long aging traditions in large casks, while late-20th-century experimentation with international varieties along the coast reshaped local regulations and expanded what “Tuscan wine” could legally represent. The result is a landscape where savory earth notes, vibrant acidity, and structured tannins converge in bottles that feel both grounded in history and distinctly attuned to the present moment.

Item Name Score Retail Link
2022 Tua Rita "Perlato del Bosco" Toscana Vermentino (Elsewhere $32) 92 $24.99 View
2022 Livio Sassetti "Pertimali" Rosso di Montalcino (Elsewhere $45) 92 $26.99 View
2020 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino (Elsewhere $70) 94 $44.99 View
2021 Castello di Ama "Bellavista" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 98 $299.99 View
2023 Tenuta San Guido "Guidalberto" Toscana (Elsewhere $90) 96 $59.99 View
2022 San Guido "Sassicaia" Bolgheri (Elsewhere $300) 98 $249.99 View

Lineup is subject to change. Walk-ins permitted as capacity allows.
K&L Culver City
K&L Hollywood
K&L San Francisco
K&L Redwood City

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Ribera del Duero: Tradition and Terroir

Saturday, February 28th
$25 per Ticket
3:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Culver City
3:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Hollywood
1:00PM-4:00PM — K&L San Francisco
1:00PM-4:00PM — K&L Redwood City


Ribera del Duero

Along the high plains of the Ribera del Duero, where limestone and clay soils meet a stark continental climate, Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) ripens under intense sun and cool nights, a dynamic that has shaped the region’s identity since its official recognition in 1982 and long before, when medieval monasteries cultivated vines along the Duero River. This lineup explores that landscape through distinct perspectives.

Item Name Retail Link
2023 Dominio de Pingus "PSI" Ribera del Duero $39.99 View
2019 Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez "Pesquera" Crianza Tinto Ribera del Duero $29.99 View
2022 Pago de los Capellanes Crianza Ribera del Duero $44.99 View
2022 Telmo Rodriguez "Matallana" Ribera del Duero $74.99 View
2022 Aalto Ribera del Duero $69.99 View
2021 Alión (Vega Sicilia) Ribera del Duero $124.99 View

Lineup is subject to change. Walk-ins permitted as capacity allows.
K&L Culver City
K&L Hollywood
K&L San Francisco
K&L Redwood City

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Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Events

Thursday, March 5th – Wine Club Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, March 6th – Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Tasting (San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood)
Friday, March 6th – Braida & Barbera: A Legacy That Changed Piedmont (Culver City)
Saturday, March 7th – The Collector's Cabinet: Unlocking Coveted Bottles (All Locations)
Saturday, March 7th – Craft Spirits Co-Op: Mezcal Made by Mujeres (Culver City)
Sunday, March 8th – Saint Rhum Spirits Tasting (Culver City)
Thursday, March 12th – Blind Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, March 13th – Grower Champagne Tasting (All Locations)
Saturday, March 14th – Bordeaux Tasting (All Locations)
Tuesday, March 17th – St. Patrick's Day Happy Hour Beer (San Francisco & Redwood City)
Thursday, March 19th – Tablas Creek Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, March 20th – Islands of Italy: Sicily & Sardinia (All Locations)
Saturday, March 21st – Loire Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Tuesday, March 24th – Leflaive, Moreau, Hugel, and Pol Roger Tasting (San Francisco)
Wednesday, March 25th – Beer Tasting (San Francisco & Redwood City)
Thursday, March 26th – Bird Snapper Non-Alcoholic RTDs (San Francisco)
Friday, March 27th – Highlighting Rioja's Best Vintages (All Locations)
Saturday, March 28th – Australia & New Zealand Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Thursday, April 2nd – Wine Club Tasting (All Locations)
Friday, April 3rd – Tête de Cuvée Champagnes (All Locations)
Saturday, April 4th – Domesting Tasting (All Locations)
Thursday, April 9th – Blind Wine Tasting (All Locations)
Saturday, April 11th – Riesling Tasting (All Locations)

Book future events through each location's Tock Page as they become available:
K&L Culver City
K&L Hollywood
K&L San Francisco
K&L Redwood City

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