Allyson’s Current Selections
by Allyson Noman
Allyson Noman
Allyson Noman
Allyson’s Current Selections
by Allyson Noman
Before joining the team at KLWM, I spent over a decade running restaurants and bars across the country, from New York City to Miami Beach, then returning to my roots in the Bay Area. I’m a Berkeley native and finding my way back to working in wine, one of my first loves, has been a homecoming.
I’m a firm believer that wine should be fun and that it goes hand in hand with a meal, any and all of which can transform into an occasion. As a writer and reader, outside of work I’m usually buried in words of some kind or divining the universe via astrology and tarot. Intuition is the key to life and, more often than not, wine! I love the obscure, the unexpected, the cultish, and the classics. Let’s find your next favorite bottle.
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Wines In The Collection
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
Mostly Grenache with a bit of native Niellucciu, the bottle is loaded with fresh red berry fruit, finishing with wild, herbaceous maquis.
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace
This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and pear and a palate that ripples with fresh acidity.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Harvested early and fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain a vibrant quality, balanced by lush notes of flowers, spice, and citrus that will pair well with any number of foods.
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
Textured, lush, full of aromatic gooseberry and passionfruit—all supported by spiny minerality.
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
If you’re like me, a glass of Corsican Muscatellu sparks visions of evening cheese plates laden with Marcona almonds and gemlike fruits.
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
If you’re a fan of Jura’s vin jaune or fino and manzanilla sherry, find yourself a new friend in this rare bottling from Ludovic Engelvin.
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli
A sublime late harvest of Malvasia that is sumptuously delightful with a perfectly tart bite.
Domaine Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The fruit recalls savory plums and baked cherries. It almost feels like a cheat: getting to drink a wine with the desirable qualities of long cellaring, but in its immediate, current release.
François Rousset-Martin France | Jura
Golden-hued and aromatically complex, notes of chamomile and green apple, lime zest and honey, will tickle your senses.
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Tasting the bottle, one quickly sees winemaker Cyriaque Rozier’s statement that Malvasia has “acclimated perfectly to the land of La Roque” is not an overstatement.
France | Corsica
Mostly Grenache with a bit of native Niellucciu, the bottle is loaded with fresh red berry fruit, finishing with wild, herbaceous maquis.
France | Alsace
This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and pear and a palate that ripples with fresh acidity.
France | Corsica
Harvested early and fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain a vibrant quality, balanced by lush notes of flowers, spice, and citrus that will pair well with any number of foods.
France | Loire
Textured, lush, full of aromatic gooseberry and passionfruit—all supported by spiny minerality.
France | Corsica
If you’re like me, a glass of Corsican Muscatellu sparks visions of evening cheese plates laden with Marcona almonds and gemlike fruits.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
If you’re a fan of Jura’s vin jaune or fino and manzanilla sherry, find yourself a new friend in this rare bottling from Ludovic Engelvin.
Italy | Friuli
A sublime late harvest of Malvasia that is sumptuously delightful with a perfectly tart bite.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The fruit recalls savory plums and baked cherries. It almost feels like a cheat: getting to drink a wine with the desirable qualities of long cellaring, but in its immediate, current release.
France | Jura
Golden-hued and aromatically complex, notes of chamomile and green apple, lime zest and honey, will tickle your senses.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Tasting the bottle, one quickly sees winemaker Cyriaque Rozier’s statement that Malvasia has “acclimated perfectly to the land of La Roque” is not an overstatement.
More Collections
This Season’s Staples
It might seem counterintuitive to put the words understated and Sancerre in the same sentence, but the description is befitting of Domaine Roger Neveu, where simply beautiful standards are produced from a family whose agricultural roots date back to the 1600s…
Carlotto’s Alto Adige Specialties
Michela Carlotto and her father, Ferruccio, farm a tiny estate of several hectares in the Alto Adige town of Ora, south of Bolzano. The specialty of this village is Lagrein, a red grape native to the region, and these folks have it down. They produce a single Lagrein Riserva bottling, aged in large oak casks, and you will be hard-pressed to find a Lagrein with this much finess…
Four Bottles That Have Blown Me Away Lately
Getting to taste our imports all the time is a little like how I imagine it feels to have season courtside tickets to the Warriors. You are unbelievably privileged to routinely behold world-class talent, and yet, no matter how impressive these NBA stars are, after thirty games, you probably take their level for granted a little bit. After half a season, it might take a transcendent Steph Curry performance to get you out of your seat and remind you how extraordinary this spectacle is…
A Classic, Vibrant Vintage from Famille Savary
Certain wine estates are all about the story: centuries of family production, obscure heirloom grape varieties, perilous vertical vineyards, radical production methods... With Domaine Savary, forget the fluff and romantic backstory. Focus instead on what’s in your glass: delicious, vibrant, classic wines that place this among the most consistent, reliable Chablis to be found…
Arretxea in Irouléguy
Oh, how far Irouléguy, the hidden gem of French Basque country, has come! Once upon a time, not so long ago, a local joke went something like this: “How do you say vinegar in Basque? Irouléguy!” Vines covered hardly any ground, and you could count the growers on a single hand. Enter the Riouspeyrous family…
New Arrivals
Here is a collection of recent arrivals. Every week, we’ll be adding a dozen or more new arrivals, so check back often for your favorite classics or new discoveries!
The Carpe Vinum Collection
An ever-changing offering of wines that are just about to sell out; one last opportunity to seize a range of selections before they disappear from our shelves forever.
50th Anniversary Merchandise
When the esteemed French wine artist Michel Tolmer created beautiful artwork for our 50th anniversary, we knew right away that we had to feature it on a few select items of merch. After spending maybe a little too much time researching the options, we landed on a classy, leather-strap cap, a comfortable t-shirt made from 100% cotton, and a tote made with incredibly sturdy, fair-trade, and organic cotton by a certified B corp that invests in the livelihoods of women and farmers of India, featuring three wine sleeves and two other compartments for all of your other needs!
Recent Wine Club Selections
Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.