One of our real evolving stars in Montalcino this tiny winery is making great wines. The Poggiarellino Rosso di Montalcino is full of complex dark cherry fruit, with nicely evolved notes of tobacco leaf and has layers of what the Italians call sotto bosco (the flavor of the forest floor). On the palate the aromas are interwoven and fleshed out by an unctuous but not fat body and backed up with a core of mineral, stone, earth and truffle in the finish, does that sound complex? 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Montalcino's most famous single vineyard is the Montosoli hill, Altesino made this name famous when they designated their best Brunello with their northeastern facing vineyard's name, Montosoli. Nello Baricci and his family have lived and farmed sangiovese on their southeastern facing slope of the Montosoli hill since the 1930's. Their wines are pure, supple, lithe and complex; they are full of tobacco, sweet earth, licorice, violets, rosemary and have long and persistent finishes, as evidenced in this fantastic Rosso, meant to drink now and over the nex... Read More » 

Rosso di Montalcino too often sits in the shadow of its much bigger brother, Brunello. But some estates put nearly the care and expense into their Rosso as their big guns, and La Fortuna is clearly an example of this sort of winemaking. Intense in terms of fruit, but showing off admirable acidity, this is spicy, full bodied, dry and rich with a softness hiding amid all that tannic structure. A wine to drink while your Brunello ages, yes, but a quality wine nonetheless. From vines 15-25 years of age, aged for one year in barrique, 6 months of this in Fren... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

2007 is a superb vintage that yielded wines full of dense, ripe fruit that have made the critics jump out of their chairs! This wine is simply delicious, the vibrant focused sangiovese softened and tamed with a dab of fresh and fruity merlot = Fortunello!. Bursting with aromas of raspberries and cherries, it is chocolaty with a depth and lingering finish. Made from 90% sangiovese and 10% merlot power and drinkability. Greg St.Clair K&L's Italian Wine Buyer 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

91 points Steve Tanzer "Bright, medium deep red. Pomegranate, redcurrant, cherry pit, sandalwood and a delicate smokiness on the nose; not unlike a high-quality Savigny-les-Beaune. Enters light and easygoing, but the building flavors of raspberry, pomegranate, minerals and underbrush show sneaky concentration and impressive length. This refined wine offers plenty of stuffing yet seems almost weightless, with lively but harmonious acidity nicely lifting the fruit flavors. A beautiful, pure sangiovese in which there's no presence of smoky bitter chocolate,... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

90 points Wine & Spirits and named one of that magazine's "Year's Best" and "Top 100 Values": "There's a spicy, peppery edge to freshen the ripe black cherry fruit in this primitivo. The texture is broad and rich, with lasting flavors of blackberry and wild flower honey." (06/09) And, according to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Readers looking for a tasty, value priced red will want to consider the 2007 Primitivo from Vinosia. A juicy, mouth filling red, the wine is loaded with fragrant dark red fruit in a soft, seamless style showing no hard edges. Th... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

90 points Wine Spectator "A full-bodied, well-structured version, with crushed black fruit, flowers and oak on the nose and palate, coating the firm tannins and giving a long, controlled finish. Tempting now, but will improve. Best after 2009." According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Chianti Classico offers up floral red fruit in a ripe, soft style that is typical of the vintage. Drink this generous, engaging Chianti Classico over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012." (08/09) And finally, from Wine Enthusiast: "Castello di... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Villa Pillo is a traditional Tuscan Farm, founded in medieval times, mentioned in many historical documents. It is located in the heart of the Chianti area, equidistant from the cities of Pisa, Florence and Siena. The estate of 500 hectares was purchased in 1989 by John and Kathe Dyson (of Williams Selyem) , whose love of Tuscany led them to embark on a restoration of the estate which included the palladian villa and park built by the original owner, the Marchese Incontri in the 1700s. New vineyards and olive orchards were planted and the winery re-furbi... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The just-bottled 2007 Passopisciaro is a weightless yet powerful wine redolent of sweet candied cherries, flowers, herbs and minerals. The wine reveals lovely density and purity, even if a few days of rain towards the end of the growing season in November robbed it of the intensity that informs the very finest vintages. Still, there is gorgeous purity to the fruit that insures this will be fascinating wine to follow over the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2021. Andrea Franchetti wasn’t content to just m... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

There is nothing musty or old fashioned about this straight forward red, with fresh "modern" styling in its rich dark fruit and sweet tannins. Made entirely of the Montepulciano grape from the region of Abruzzo, this will work well with pizza/pasta or just as an all-around excellent Tuesday night quaffer! 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The world's most famous pinot grigio strikes again. Crisp and refreshing. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

2 Glasses Gambero Rosso. This is Ermacora's flagship wine; it has tremendous focus and exhibits the classic, elegant balance that is the hallmark of the 2007 vintage. The wine lacks nothing in concentration, creamy custard-like flavors, with spice, hints of apples and bergamot. It is stately on the palate, with balance, complexity and character. Age this wine for 2-3 years and you won't believe the incredible wine it will evolve into! According to Wine Enthusiast: "Ermacora's luscious Pinot Bianco offers a decisive mineral backbone that is enhanced by s... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Gaglioppo is the most important Calabrian grape variety, and if you are as yet uninitiated into the world of Calabrian wines, this is a great place to start exploring. This Gaglioppo-based red is a traditional, strapping, rustic wine with an intense and persistent bouquet of exotic spice and deep, dark fruit. Dry, warm and firmly tannic, it is well-balanced and made for large-scale cuisine like lamb chops with green olives and spicy red pepper. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Bold and forward on the nose with rich impressions of fruit, particularly dark cherry, dried plum and concluding with crisp, sweet almond notes. The attack is clean and fresh, and the palate shows supple tannins and a lengthy progression. Crazy that you get all this for right around ten bucks. According to the Wine Spectator: "Light and fruity, with fresh raspberry and blackberry character. Clean and fresh. Drink now." (10/08) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

From an outstanding vintage in Chianti, this is classic Sangiovese offered now at a ridiculously low price. Deep cherry fruit, integrated tannins and bright acidity call for meat-based red sauces and your favorite Tuesday night pasta! 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Rosso di Montalcino is one of the more massive Rossos in this vintage. In fact, it is one of the few wines that may actually require a year or two in bottle for the tannins to soften! Super-ripe red cherries lead to kirsch, earthiness, leather and spices as this full-bodied, tannic Rosso struts its stuff. The wine possesses exceptional depth, purity and class. Proprietor Vincenzo Abbruzzese elevates Rosso to another level with this effort, but readers will need to be patient. The Valdicava Rosso is made ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City

The dense, bold Dolcetto fruit, smoky, meaty with a fascinating mineral quality mixed with a fresh essence of berries has underlying tannic structure that is subtle, soft, but adds density and balances the wine perfectly with a lively finish! The wine is very versatile, big enough for red meats and delicate enough for pasta, polenta and grilled sausage or Risotto with Porcini and is an ideal match for Osso Buco. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

93 points and a Best Buy, Wine & Spirits: "Ravello is a blend of Falanghina (60 percent) and Biancolella (40 percent) from vineyards terraced into the steep cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. The proximity of the ocean and the region's volcanic soils are apparent in the wine's salty minerality and firm structure. Subtle flavors of kiwi and melon grow profound and savory with air, their length propelled by elegant acidity. Grilled sardines would make a compelling pairing." (06/09) Marisa Cuomo's Ravello Bianco comes from a tiny village on the Amalfi Coast, wher... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

89 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Chianti Classico is a sweet, super-ripe wine with an enticing core of fruit. The heat of the vintage has filled out the wine nicely. Although the acidity is still relatively high, this doesn't look to be an especially long-lived wine. That should hardly matter, though, as readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. In 2007 the Chianti Classico is a selection of fruit from eleven different vineyards harvested between the end of September and early October. The wine was mostly aged... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City San Francisco

Tenuta di Sesta is a new producer for K&L, and they are making some of the best value wines to come out of Tuscany. The Sesta estate is located in the southern part of the municipality of Montalcino between Sant'Angelo in Colle and Caselnuovo dell'Abate near the well known Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The soil here has clay and is rich in marl and limestone. This is a blend of Sangiovese, Colorino and Canaiolo, with nice sweet fruit (blackberries and cassis), a little dustiness, a lovely tobacco note and a really nice long finish. And yes, it's just ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

95 points Wine Spectator: "Complex and dark, with blueberry, licorice and mahogany. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a fabulous core of fruit. Builds on you. Goes on for minutes. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Best after 2013." (10/09). 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The estate's 2007 Sancta Catharina is a blend of Prugnolo Gentile, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot that was aged in French oak. In this vintage the wine is remarkably harmonious and well-balanced with no hard edges and terrific balance. The... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

This is the self same grape that goes into Gavi. If you are unfamiliar with the Cortese variety, this is a great place to start. Rich and mouth-filling, with tropical subtle pineapple notes balanced by mineral elements and nice citric acidity. Really, it's got something for everyone and works equally well with food or without. 

Inventory: Redwood City San Francisco

I Perazzi was created to be unlike most other Morellino's which see little or no time in oak. The blend of I Perazzi is more expressive and better demonstrates the potential of the terroir. It also hints towards what the top wine from the estate called Aragone. I Perazzi is named after the fruit trees that grow on the estate and bear a pear like fruit, which is depicted on the label. 

Inventory: Hollywood

2007 is just an outstanding vintage in Chianti and, for that matter, most of Italy. La Massa's owner/winemaker Giampaolo Motta's spectacular position in Panzano's legendary Conca d'Oro vineyard slope allows him to get the highest quality grapes on a regular basis, but for this year it was a embarrassment of riches. His 2007 La Massa is 60% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it spent 14 months in small French oak barrels (20% new) with bâtonnage and micro-oxygenation, emulating Giampaolo's favorite Bordeaux. The 2006 La Massa IGT was a... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City

Diego Bolognani is a brilliant and energetic winemaker from Trentino, not far from the Austrian border. His Moscato Giallo (known as gold muskateller in Austria) is hugely aromatic, with ripe peach, white flowers and honeydew melon. This is an outstanding dry example of the varietal, and makes wonderful aperitifs, and is also very good with cured or smoked meats such as the local 'Speck' ham. 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Proprietor Peppe Mancini co-founded the Vestini Campagnano winery, but left in 2003 to pursue his own project, Terra del Principe. Mancini is largely responsible for the resurgence of interest in three of Campania's indigenous varieties; Pallagrello Bianco, Pallagrello Nero and Casavecchia, ancient grapes that were once prized by prior generations but were allowed to lapse into obscurity. Mancini's first career was the law, but he and his wife Manuela Piancastelli, a respected local journalist, seem to have fo... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood San Francisco

This winery, newly imported by K&L, is located in the far northern portion of Puglia (the heel of Italy’s boot) near the town of Foggia, which runs a bit cooler than the lower-altitude zones of this sun-baked land. The 2007 Posta Arignano San Severo Rosso is 80% Montepulciano and 20% Sangiovese, and in a word, it is luscious. Such balance and vibrancy, this one is exciting, animated and very friendly to drink. Loads of fruit, richness (always balanced) and gusto that is just wonderful to enjoy now. Spaghetti Bolognese, grilled meats and lasagne would be ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City

According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico is simply lovely as it opens up in the glass, showing layers of mineral-infused fruit, lemon zest, flowers and light honey tones. 2007 is an especially generous, inviting vintage for this wine. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012." ((04/09) 

Inventory: Hollywood

According to the Wine Spectator: "Clean and fruity, with apple, melon and banana aromas. Medium-bodied, with good fruit and a clean, focused aftertaste of light pineapple and cream. Drink now." (08/08) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Agostino Pavia and his sons Giuseppe ('Pino') and Mauro make two styles of Barbera from two different single vineyards, less than five thousand cases in all. Barbera d'Asti used to have a reputation for having acidity like that of a car battery, apparently due to high yields and an occasional lack of malolactic fermentation. These wines are different, zesty but balanced, with luscious fruit to match the acidity. 'Bricco Blina' is the name of the vineyard. This wine is a direct, straightforward rendition of the Barbera grape. Fresh acidity and berry flavo... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Elio Grasso is one of the best producers of Barolo. His estate, a beautiful house and cellar surrounded by improbably steep vineyards, is outside the town of Monforte, on the eastern side of the Barolo appellation. Elio works mostly in the vineyards, increasingly leaving the cellar work to his son Gianluca, who recently graduated from the enology school in Alba. The Gavarini vineyard is wholly owned by the Grasso's. It produces this elegant, value-priced red. A dead ringer for a fine Barolo, and offered at a fraction of the price! 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Frappato is a mid-weight offering with a pretty core of perfumed, candied red berries. The ethereal qualities of the wine make it a good match for lighter foods. This quirky, soft red is best enjoyed over the near-term. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2010. I was very impressed with the wines I tasted from Valle dell’Acate. A number of these wines are priced below or around $25 and are terrific values." (04/09) The Valle Dell'Acate estate covers over 100 hectares in Eastern Sicily, producing IGT and DOC w... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The famous Montepulciano and Sangiovese are at the heart of this full-bodied and wonderfully tannic red from Italy's Marche region. Think of Rosso Conero as an insider's Chianti Classico. Our Direct Import makes this an even greater value! 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

According to Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jul/Aug 08: "Bright, medium golden yellow. Bracing bitter citrus and stone fruit aromas heavily accented by mineral, sage, basil and thyme. Offers a pleasing blend of richness and energy, with concentrated, tightly wound flavors of citrus and pit fruits and a strong herbal component. Finishes long and herbal, with plenty of mineral grip and no excess fat." 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

A superb Piedmontese bubbly dessert wine, Birbet is much in demand, although output is extremely limited. According to popular tradition, the wine was greatly appreciated by, and was the preferred beverage of, one of the most famous characters of the Commedia dell’Arte, Gianduja da Gioan d'laduja or Giovanni of the Jug. The figure drew inspiration for his bubbly high spirits from this fizzy ruby red with a fragrant foam. The character had the reputation of being a heavy drinker. And he regarded Brachetto as the wine most suited to filling the jug he alwa... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

In the local dialect the 'norie' are the grindstones used in the old mills to produce oil. It has given its name to one of the farm’s vineyards. This is full, warm, velvety, with a pleasantly mild bitter after-taste, and it is pretty much the BOMB when served with pasta in meat sauce. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The brooding presence of Mt. Etna makes for some interesting pictures in this part of Sicily, it also makes for the ideal growing conditions for the local nerello mascalese grape (near-ello masca-lazay). This is Greg St. Clair's (K&L's Italian buyer) personal favorite Sicilian red variety. It resembles nebbiolo a bit in structure but without heavy tannins. It's complex with a good mix of fruit and earth, plus it's a steal! 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Umbria has always rivaled Tuscany in terms of natural beauty, the preponderance of picturesque hill towns and delicious local foodstuff. Nowadays, Umbria is also giving Tuscan wines a run for their money, producing reds from Sangiovese to excellent effect, and for considerably less money than its well-heeled neighbor. Predara is the name of the area in San Clemente of Montefalco where this forward-thinking winery is located. Sangiovese makes up the bulk of this red, with 12% Sagrantino and 8% Merlot, all harvested by hand, meticulously vinified and aged ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Soave Montegrande (80% Garganega, 20% Trebbiano) was fermented and aged on its lees in 30-hectoliter casks. This richly-textured, generous white expresses the essence of Soave in its fruit, flowers and mint. The an expansive style of Soave that achieves notable ripeness and volume without sacrificing the personality of this terroir and its indigenous varieties. This is a beautiful effort from Pra. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2012." (10/08) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse San Francisco

According to the Wine Spectator: "This shows lots of sliced green apple and honey on the nose. Full-bodied, with tangy acidity and a vibrant finish. Drink now." (08/08) A "Best Buy" from Wine & Spirits: "Beyond the flavors of white peach and hay, there's a subtle red fruit character adding dimension to this lean, bright white. Ideal served with a plate of salumi and cheese." (07/09) 

Inventory: Hollywood

According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Etna Bianco di Caselle (Carricante) offers up an attractive core of peaches and apricots on a medium-bodied frame, with pretty notes of minerals and ash that add complexity on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011." (04/09) This apple-scented wine is 100% carricante, a local grape grown as alberello (free standing bush) throughout the Mt. Etna zone, and found nowhere else in the entire wine-making world! Little wonder it has caught on here, as it creates a wine of richness but also delicacy, wi... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City

The quality of Dolcetto from the village of Dogliani has been skyrocketing in the last few years, and Anna Maria's work is a good example of this. Her oldest vines were planted by her grandfather in the thirties, and the vineyards are steep and perfectly exposed. More recently she has become a convert to the doctrine of low yields, and she has joined the elite of Dogliani. If you want proof that Dolcetto is not 'the Beaujolais of Italy,' pour yourself a glass of Anna Maria's Maioli, which is 100% Dolcetto. The wine is violet-tinged deep purple, a very in... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

Its vivid ruby color, its floral bouquet with its hints of cherries and almonds and its attractively dry, savory and well-balanced flavor: all these characteristics make Corte Rugolin's Valpolicella Classico a quintessentially modern, youthful wine. This red is a perfect partner for pasta with meat sauce, white and red meat dishes, and for lighter cuisine in general. Serve at cellar temperature. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2008 Roero Arneis Luet is made in a fairly rich style, with attractive suggestions of apricots, flowers, smoke and minerals all of which come together in a round, polished expression of this indigenous white grape. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011." (10/09) Arneis is the historical grape from the Roero district. It is typically pleasing on the palate with slightly low acidity. This wine from the Luèt (small wolf in the Piedmontese dialect) vineyard is fermented 40% in French oak and 60% in stainless steel. It... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Barbera d’Alba Serra flows with layers of dark fruit in a style that shows notable concentration while retaining elements of florality and freshness. Though simpler than the top of the line Campolive, in 2007 the Serra isn’t too far off in terms of quality. This is gorgeous juice! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2015." (10/09) Ruby red color, intense aromas of fresh, ripe blackberries and cherries, spicy note, vanilla. The taste is dry, soft, quite fresh, with good intensity and persistence. 100% barbera. 

Inventory: Hollywood

92 points Wine Spectator: "This has a lovely golden color, with exquisite aromas of baked apple studded with clove, meadow flowers, salted butter and burnt piecrust. Full-bodied, with a surprisingly linear palate, turning crisp on the finish. Thick, tight and layered. Needs time. Best after 2010." (08/09) 

Inventory: Redwood City San Francisco

92 points Steve Tanzer "Medium-deep ruby. Knockout ripe nose offers intense spicy plum, black cherry and incense aromas. Very rich and almost jammy on entry, then sweet and velvety in the middle, with balanced, lively acids giving definition to the ripe red cherry, flinty red plum and raspberry jam flavors. This started off almost chunky but really developed with air, gaining in complexity and depth while turning almost weightless. Finishes very long, with a hint of residual sugar from what must have been very ripe grapes in the warm '07 vintage. One of ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Dolcetto d'Alba Munfrina is a vibrant, pure wine. It offers notable complexity in its dark fruit, spices and menthol, with tons of complexity. A long, resonating finish caps off this incredibly delicious Dolcetto. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011. Giorgio Pelissero is based in Treiso, in the heart of the Barbaresco zone. While I have long admired his wines, it often seemed as though Pelissero wasn't getting the most of his vineyards. That seems to have changed with this set of releases. I was simply blown... Read More » 

Inventory: Redwood City San Francisco

K&L's notes - OK, so you think this is a white wine and it is made with 55% trebbiano, 15% verdicchio, 20% malvasia and 10% grechetto, well yes you'd be partially correct but this wine is fermented for 15 days on the skins and takes on an onion skin color. This wine is made by the famous Umbrian producer Paolo Bea for a bunch of Cistercian Nuns whose convent is in Lazio (the state that includes Rome). Wow, this is like nothing you've ever had before, if you tasted it without seeing it you'd think it was a red wine, it has sooooooo much flavor, sturcture ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

90 points Wine Spectator: "Sweet berry and raspberry aromas follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Harmonious, with pretty fruit. Drink now." (10/09) 

Inventory: Hollywood San Francisco