November’s Must-Haves: From Everyday Greats to Blue-Chip Collectibles

As the holidays approach and cellars start to open up, November’s Roundup gathers the very best of what our buyers have been building toward all year. From our monthly Top Ten—sharp, high-character values across regions—to a rare profile of industry icon Ralph Sands at 70, this issue highlights the bottles and people that continue to shape K&L.

We’re also hosting one of our most exciting tasting-bar lineups of the year. Join us for Franciacorta Icons – A Ca’ del Bosco Celebration on Thursday, Pahlmeyer: Napa’s Pursuit of Greatness on Friday, and our Grand Burgundy Tasting on Saturday—an exceptional chance to explore some of the world’s benchmark wines. Reserve your spot here.

Inside, you’ll also find in-stock 100-point California collectibles from the stellar 2021 vintage, our featured K&L Liquors 7 Year “Every Drop” Bourbon, a fresh allocation of Foss Marai’s pedigreed Prosecco, and a curated selection of large formats for your biggest holiday celebrations. Whether you’re shopping for the table, the cellar, or the perfect gift, this Roundup will guide you into the season with confidence—and a few remarkable bottles in hand.

• November's Top Ten!
• Celebrating an Industry Icon at 70: Ralph Sands
• In Stock Cult Cali: 100 Point 2021 Collectibles
• Spirits Pick for the Holidays: K&L Liquors' 7 Year Bourbon
• Reload on Foss Marai: Pedigreed Prosecco from Valdobbiadene
• Go Big: Large Formats for Your Biggest Celebrations

Our monthly Top Ten represents our finest offerings that we believe deliver the absolute best character and style for their prices. No matter your tastes, preferences, or budget, you'll find something to capture your interest and take your wine and spirits experience to a new level.

Ralph likes to say to me, when we’re running ourselves into the ground during a long day of tasting off vintages En Primeur, that the difference between K&L and so many other retailers is that we always “do the work.” While I think that’s a testament to our do-it-all work ethic, it also speaks to how Ralph carries himself. So many people get caught up in the scores and the newest trends, but for Ralph, it’s always been about the wine and the people. Because he’s always doing the work, he can focus on his genuine enthusiasm for the world of fine wine—and let that hard work speak for itself. After being around Ralph for the last decade, I can tell you: it speaks volumes.

I remember meeting Ralph at my first UGC tasting at K&L. He took the time not only to say hello and make me feel welcome, but to really listen. He was indispensable on my first En Primeur trip—not only warning me to keep an eye on Clyde (who tended to leave without notice!) but showing me how to read not just the wines, but how they were being sold. And then, once more, at our grand tasting at the end of the week, where many just mail it in, he was on point for four solid hours of tasting—we do the work, and that makes the difference. Keep reading On the Trail.

— Ryan Moses, K&L Bordeaux Buyer

The 2021 vintage has already cemented its place as one of the great modern benchmark years in Napa and beyond—powerful, impeccably balanced, and built for decades of evolution. A remarkable number of wines from this vintage have achieved perfect scores, and we are fortunate to have an unprecedented selection in stock and available now. From cult Cabernet icons to limited-production single-vineyard bottlings, these are the bottles collectors chase: pedigree-rich, critically anointed, and increasingly scarce on the open market. If you’ve been waiting to secure the top releases of 2021, this is your moment.

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 tagline “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. Keep reading here.

— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

When we think about Prosecco few names carry as much pedigree as Foss Marai. Unlike the industrially produced bottles that have flooded the global marketplace, Foss Marai has built its reputation via a continuing pursuit of excellent terroir-driven wines that truly express their place of origin: Valdobbiadene DOCG, Italy’s most prestigious appellation for Prosecco.

Founded in 1986 by Carlo and Adriana Biasiotto, the winery is still run by the original family, which is rare nowadays in Prosecco. I found on their website their motto and I love it: “Leniter in itinere”—which means “slowly on the road”—a motto that reflects the vinification practice of this family, who are known to carbonate their wine slowly to create a mousse that really only few Prosecco out there can achieve.

Unlike many Prosecco producers that concentrate on large-scale distribution, Foss Marai has chosen exclusivity. This wine is generally only sold on-premise at bars and restaurants. In fact, you can find this wine in most of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy. We’re thrilled to be able to sell this to you directly. Keep reading On the Trail.

Whether for elevating your holiday celebrations, next special occasion, or enjoying the benefits of extended aging, large-format wines offer a distinctive and memorable experience. We’ve curated an outstanding selection of in-stock bottles ready for holiday enjoyment or for adding something exceptional to your cellar. Bordeaux collectors will find highlights from Lafite and Latour to the Right Bank benchmarks of Cheval Blanc and Angélus, including the famed 2005 vintage. Burgundy enthusiasts can explore magnums from Dujac, a 2005 Clos de Lambrays, and 3L selections from Hubert Lignier. Rounding out the list are Napa Cabernets from Eisele and Schrader, an impressive lineup of Barolo, and celebrated Super Tuscans such as Tignanello, Solaia, and Sassicaia. With quantities limited and too many intriguing bottles to name, we encourage you to confirm your selections while they remain available.