K&L Tastings: February Wine Club, Domaine Jessiaum, Northern Rhône, and More!

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:

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.

K&L Wine Club Members—join us on the first Thursday of each month to taste a selection from all six of our wine clubs and pick up your current club shipment. This event is no cost for wine club members, plus one additional guest! $5 for non-member walk-ins.

Domaine Jessiaume began in 1850 in Santenay and today manages roughly 15 hectares spanning Santenay, Volnay, Beaune, Auxey-Duresses and Pommard, with organic farming and minimal-intervention winemaking at the core of how its wines are made and aged. Since 2014, winemaker and viticulturist William Waterkeyn has guided Jessiaume’s technical approach, emphasizing manual harvest, indigenous yeasts, careful sorting and thoughtful use of oak — a direction further reinforced after the estate’s acquisition in 2020 by French collector and Burgundy enthusiast, Dr. Jean-François Le Bigot. That focus on vineyard discipline and restrained cellar work comes through clearly in the 2023 wines, where individual cuvées articulate Domaine Jessiaume’s evolving identity and its commitment to clarity and depth in Burgundy.

Inspired by K&L wine buyer Keith Mabry’s longtime passion for the Rhône Valley, this tasting showcases his personally selected expressions of the region’s most compelling producers. The Northern Rhône’s identity was shaped through centuries of viticulture, beginning with Roman plantings and tested by phylloxera, vineyard abandonment, and the upheavals of the 20th century. In response, generations of growers rebuilt steep, unforgiving vineyards, establishing a culture defined by endurance, precision, and deep respect for tradition. These wines reflect that history through this focused lineup, offering a glimpse into how perseverance continues to shape the Northern Rhône today.