95 points and #13 on the Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009: "Chocolate, blackberry and black cherry aromas lead to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a deep concentration of fruit. Powerfully rich and polished. Big and structured. Best after 2012." (10/09) 94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Fontalloro is much more sweet and open than the firmer Rancia. Enticing, expressive aromatics lead to an expansive core of fruit. Round, finessed tannins give the wine an additional level of polish. Today the Fontalloro is fleshier an... Read More » 

Inventory: Special Order

A superb blend of hand harvested Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio from the northern slope of Mt.Etna. Elegant, bracing, supple and mineral laden this wine stretches the boundaries for rose'. A beautiful color and a truly complex wine, the perfect accompaniment for pasta, fish or grilled chicken. 

Inventory: Hollywood

92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2005 Barbaresco is a gorgeous, captivating Barbaresco that reveals superb depth in its sweet red cherries, menthol, pine, spices and minerals. The wine is vibrant and poised, with firm tannins that give it a somewhat austere personality. With some time in the glass its perfumed core of sweet fruit emerges, and a few years in bottle should help it come together even more. This is a very pretty Barbaresco from Cantina del Pino. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2023." (10/08) 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the 2003 Camartina is a drop-dead gorgeous effort. Fat, rich and opulent, it will reward consumers with its generous super-ripe fruit, great length and beautiful overall balance. While it doesn’t look to be one of the more long-lived Camartinas, with some air it is drinking beautifully today. It is a very refined effort in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018." (06/07) 92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Aug 07: "Deep ruby. Floral red cherry... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Along with its proverbial pleasantness, this year’s Anthìlia is also more complex. Thanks to the territory’s great potential, this was accomplished through research conducted on new plantings and definition of a new blend. In the Anthìlia 2008 besides the traditional Ansonica and Catarratto grapes (accounting for 80%) were added other varieties that have proven to go together best. The year’s fine weather enabled the grapes to ripen without a high degree of sugar content and to reach good acidity. The Anthìlia 2008 is fairly low on alcohol and rich in fr... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Ribolla Gialla with a small portion of Friulano and Riesling 

Inventory: Hollywood

Supple, aromatic and 100% Nero d'Avola in a really pure expression of Siciliy's most famous varietals. Greg St.Clair K&L's Italian Buyer 

Inventory: Hollywood

The Coenobium is a vino da tavola from the Lazio district (in the area of Vitorchiano about 60 kilometers north of Rome) produced from vineyards organically farmed by the sisters of the Cistercian order. The wine is composed of three grape types: Verdicchio, Grechetto, and Trebbiano Toscano. The vinification is rather straight forward and occurs in stainless steel tanks but, under the guidance of Giampiero Bea, the sisters have begun to leave the juice in contact with the skins for a more sustained period, and the results are most impressive indeed! 

Inventory: Hollywood

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: " have been looking forward to tasting the estate's 2004 Barbaresco Ovello for some time. It is an exceptional wine that expresses the pedigree of the vintage in its sweet, expansive personality. Ripe dark fruit, toasted oak and balsamic nuances are all woven together in a powerful, structured style. Ovello is one of the cooler micro-climates in Barbaresco and this wine remains quite powerful and tannic today. It should develop beautifully over the following years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024." (10/08) 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Once again, the Produttori have turned out a gem in their 2005 Barbaresco. A beautiful, perfumed Nebbiolo, the wine flows effortlessly from the glass with captivating notes of crushed flowers, raspberries, sweet herbs and spices. This classic, mid-weight Barbaresco possesses plenty of clean, bright fruit framed by elegant tannins, showing notable harmony. Simply put, this is a classic wine Piedmont lovers won’t want to miss. Ideally, the wine should be cellared for a few years, but readers will have a hard time e... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

95 points and #13 on the Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009: "Chocolate, blackberry and black cherry aromas lead to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a deep concentration of fruit. Powerfully rich and polished. Big and structured. Best after 2012." (10/09) 94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Fontalloro is much more sweet and open than the firmer Rancia. Enticing, expressive aromatics lead to an expansive core of fruit. Round, finessed tannins give the wine an additional level of polish. Today the Fontalloro is fleshier an... Read More » 

Inventory: Special Order

90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Smoke, tar, licorice and amarena cherries are some of the nuances that emerge from the 2007 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne. Clean, mineral notes frame the long, silky finish. This over-achieving, juicy Barbera is totally delicious and a great value as well, in fact, it is one of Italy’s finest wines for under $20. It is not to be missed. The Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne is made from four parcels in Agliano with vines ranging from 7 to 70+ years (the second selection from the La Crena vineyard). Anticipated maturity: 2009-2... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

85% Sangiovese, 5% Syrah, 4% Alicante, 3% Colorino, 3% Ciliegiolo
According to Robert Parker: "The 2005 Morellino di Scansano I Perazzi is a simple, vinous effort, with good juiciness to the fruit and excellent length. It will offer much pleasure over the next 3-4 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. This new estate is owned by New York restaurateurs Lidia Bastianich, Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali. 'We noticed that the international varieties that are more common in the zone such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon don't do especially well here as ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo reveals high-toned aromatics along with bright, clean red fruits in a focused style. Medium in body, the wine possesses excellent length and fine balance, although ideally it might offer a little more fleshiness to balance its structural components. That said, this is a very representative wine from this cool part of the Barbaresco zone. This bottle is closed with a glass stopper and my drinking window reflects some caution as to how the wine might age under this closure. Anticipated matu... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

93 points from the Wine Spectator (Sep 15, 1989). 

Inventory: Redwood City

The Drusian Family has been producing wine for three generations. It all started with Grandfather Giuseppino in the middle of 19th Century. His son Rino followed… all the way up until 1984, after which Francesco has carried on the duties. He is deeply enchanted by his land and its grapes, and it is thanks to him that certain technological innovations were made at this historic estate. Production at the moment is about 200 thousand bottles a year of Prosecco and Cartizze, thus it is limited in quantity and of an extremely high quality. No pesticides or in... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse San Francisco

90 points Wine Spectator: "Very fresh, with loads of apple pie, lemon and mineral character. Full and rich, with a slightly oily texture, but long and crisp. This is really delicious. Drink now." (08/08) According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Chardonnay is not especially varietal in character, but it does offer pretty notes of apricots, yellow peaches and minerals in a perfumed style of Chardonnay. The wine reveals good up-front intensity... Anticipated maturity: 2008-2010." (10/08) 

Inventory: Hollywood

This wine is produced every year by the Produttori del Barbaresco; it ranges from 10 to 30% of the total production depending on the quality of the vintage (the better the vintage the less Nebbiolo produced). It is a second label from the Barbaresco, and it is made with the grapes from young vines or those vineyards that produced a less intense and concentrated juice. It does have the quality standard to be a Barbaresco, but is declassified in order to sell it younger and fresher. Fantabulous value! 

Inventory: Hollywood

95 points Wine Spectator "Offers gorgeous grilled meat, ripe fruit and light toasty oak character, with hints of new oak and spices. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins, fresh acidity and a flavorful finish. Best after 2011. 1,000 cases made." Oct 31, 2009 94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "The 2006 Syrah is a big, massive effort loaded with dark fruit, tar, licorice, earthiness and game. This is a decidedly powerful, intense wine that needs some time in the glass for the varietal notes to fully emerge. Today the wine remains very young, and the oak ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The estate’s 2006 Barbera d’Alba is a pretty, firm red bursting with fragrant cherries, raspberries, flowers and minerals. Medium in body, the wine offers excellent length in an easygoing style. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012." (10/09) 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

This is classic Dogliani Dolcetto, fermented and aged in stainless steel. It shows great color, reddish purple and violet-tinged, aromas of blueberries and tealeaf, and some tea tannins to go with the abundant fruit on the palate. Dolcetto is a great table wine, so grill some lambchops, pour everyone a glass, and all will be right with the world. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse San Francisco

"It is rare that I get moved by dessert wine, but this wine is truly special, a stunning representation of what "real" Tuscan Vin Santo is supposed to taste like. Aged for 6 years in 56 liter caratelli (traditional tiny barrels), unfiltered and pure. The wine is a lustrous, deep chestnut colored wine, not quite molasses but thick, and while yes really thick it doesn't come across as cloying, heavy in fact it is seriously long, focused and has an aftertaste I think I'm still tasting. Not inexpensive but for the quality level this wine needs to be experie... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

It all began in 1897, when 23-year-old Luigi Einaudi (who was to become Italy’s first President in 1948) purchased the first of the Einaudi estates (poderi) at San Giacomo, near Dogliani, heart of Dolcetto country. Here, Professor Einaudi resided in-between his academic work and the numerous activities as a financial writer and journalist. In spite of the magnitude and multiplicity of his interests, Luigi Einaudi personally implemented the finest, most up-to-date cultivation methods and equipment. This is alive and kicking after nearly 40 years in the bo... Read More » 

Inventory: Redwood City

3 Glasses Gambero Rosso! 94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Golden yellow with a bright orange tinge. Explosive, highly perfumed aromas of ripe apricot, peach, citrus fruits, cinnamon and pepper. Pure and clean, with impressive depth to the ripe citrus and peach flavors; an undercurrent of tropical fruits contributes volume and flesh. The concentrated, very long finish throws off notes of lavender and acacia honey. Perhaps the best-ever Ben Rye, amazingly intense yet elegant and impeccably balanced. " (Jul/Aug 08) 90 points Robert Par... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

Birthday bottles are always a fun idea, but in most cases the idea is tastier than the actual wine! If you're in search of a birthday bottle from 1974, you could hardly do better than this perfectly stored Riserva Barbera from Le Colline. Mature notes of cedar and dried bed berries open to reveal fading flower and silky tannins. A wine of contemplation, best enjoyed with old cheeses and a birthday girl or boy who can appreciate the maturity that comes with a bit of age! 

Inventory: Redwood City

According to the Wine Spectator: "Aromas of plum and ripe citrus fruits follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with lots of citrus and cedar character, fine tannins and a medium finish. A tasty Rosso. Drink now." (Web only, 2008) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The Cantina del Pino Dolcetto has a splendidly intense aromatic profile of jammy fruit, black pepper and a background of crisp and bright mineral. Thirst quenching acidity and a full, round finish make this wine extremely handy at the table, to go with just about anything from robust fish dishes, to poultry, and of course, red meat! 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2005 Chianti Classico Castello di Ama is a terrific effort. It offers incredible purity and vibrancy in its core of sweet dark cherries and refined, elegant tannins. The wine shows nice density buffered by firm tannins that will need another year or two to soften. The wine clearly benefits from the addition of the fruit that normally goes into the estate’s top Chianti Classico bottings, which were not made in 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2017."(06/2008) 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

91+ points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Aragone is a dark, brooding offering endowed with masses of iron, minerals, black cherries, earthiness and smoke. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass, revealing tons of fruit and considerable structure. For the moment, the 2006 Aragone remains somewhat monolithic and in need of a year or two of bottle age. The wine should be splendid when it awakens. Aragone is Sangiovese, Alicante, Syrah and Carignan. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2018." (08/09) According to the Wine Spectator: "Bright plummy, j... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

Brooding and very elegant, this Rieserva Barbaresco from back in the day proves that Nebbiolo is the undisputed king of Italian reds, and a long-lived beauty, too. Le Colline is a well known producer making old school wine full of classic Barbaresco characters, most notably purple flowers, tar and blackberry. 30 years old and going strong! 

Inventory: Redwood City

90 points Wine Spectator: "Has plum and berry character, with a hint of strawberry. Full and silky, with a long finish. Refined. Needs some bottle age to come together, but balanced for the vintage. Best after 2010." (10/07) 

Inventory: Redwood City

If you ever wondered what to do with Panettone, those odd Italian cakes sold in huge colorful cardboard boxes around the holidays, here's a tip: Enjoy a slice of Panettone with a chilled glass of this excellent dessert wine from La Caudrina. At 5.5% alcohol, you could have the bottle without too much harm. A nice balance between sweetness and welcome acidity makes it dangerously easy to do just that! 

Inventory: Redwood City