97 points Robert Parker: "The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is a huge, dense wine that explodes from the glass with tar, smoke, earthiness black cherries and minerals. The wine possesses dazzling concentration and tons of richness, as waves of fruit coat the palate in stunning style. This big, dramatic Brunello needs time in bottle, but it is nothing short of magnificent today. The balance, and the integration of the French oak in particular, is brilliant. For those who are curious to try a bottle now, the wine should be opened a few hours in advance as th... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

97 points Wine Spectator: "Black in color, with superripe and intense aromas of crushed berries, espresso and blackberry. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a rich finish. Massive yet balanced. This has everything going for it. Merlot and Sangiovese. Best after 2012. 1,100 cases made." (10/08) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "The 2005 Barolo Pajana is off the charts. This deeply scented, layered Barolo possesses a striking bouquet of spices, tobacco, graphite, dark cherries and new leather that come together in a breathtaking display of elegance and power that is hard to fully capture in words. The tannins are, as usual, quite broad but they are also remarkably fine. In 2005 the Pajana shows breathtaking balance and harmony with a long, sensual finish. This is a superb effort from Domenico Clerico, and his team led by the mega-talented... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

97 points Wine Spectator: "Shows a very ripe nose, with rose, berry and hints of meat. Full-bodied and powerful, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Massive yet balanced. What a wine. The greatest Saffredi ever made. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante. Better than previously reviewed. Best after 2012." (10/07) 95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Le Pupille's 2004 Saffredi is a remarkable wine, in fact the aromatics alone are worth the price of admission. This French oak-aged blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante possesses s... Read More » 

Inventory: Redwood City

93 points Wine Spectator: "Intense aromas of ripe blackberry and flowers, with rosemary and coffee hints. Full-bodied, with chewy, polished tannins. Excellent fruit concentration and a flavorful aftertaste. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best after 2012." (10/09) 92 points Robert Parker: "The 2006 Tignanello is especially opulent in this vintage. Masses of dark red fruit, scorched earth and sweet oak emerge as this richly-textured Tignanello flows from the glass. The wine possesses superb density; all it needs is another few years to... Read More » 

Inventory: Redwood City

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "The 2004 Barolo Arborina is a surprisingly super-ripe, concentrated and soft-textured wine loaded with sweet fruit. It offers outstanding length and ripe tannins in a very seductive style of Barolo. Three bottles have shown some degree of variation, suggesting the wine is still acquiring its balance after its bottling this summer. Altare says the very low levels of SO2 in the Barolo Arborina probably contribute to the wine’s flatness. I didn’t pick up on a flat quality in the wine, but the Arborina is decidedly le... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "The 2005 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra emerges from the glass with endless layers of sweet spices, menthol, violets and dark fruit on a powerful, authoritative frame. This is a beautifully defined, sculpted wine of the very highest level. Tar, smoke and licorice linger on the finish. The tannins are massive at this stage, and the wine needs time, but the 2005 is undoubtedly one of the stars of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030. Wine Advocate # 182 (Wine is due December 2009) 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

95 points Wine Spectator: "Enticing aromas of meat and mushroom pie mingle with rich plum and spices. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins and intense fruit and mineral flavors. Well-crafted, finishing long. The flagship Brunello in 2003. The wine of the vintage. Best after 2010." 91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Valdicava’s 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is a fat, super-ripe offering that flows with masses of opulent fruit..." In an earlier review (same score): "Valdicava’s 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is a big, brooding effort loaded with b... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

95 points Robert Parker "The 2001 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico is stunning in the way it has acquired tons of complexity over the years while remaining fresh and perfumed. High-toned, balsamic aromatics meld into layers of cherries in liqueur, menthol, fresh mint, spices, sweet herbs and flowers as this remarkable wine opens up in the glass. Despite its size and opulence, the wine has maintained essential inner clarity and precision, qualities that are very hard to come by in this style of Vin Santo. Rocca di Montegrossi's Vin Santo is 95% Malvasia and... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Geppetti has produced another gem in her 2006 Saffredi, a French-oak aged blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante. This textured, explosive wine boasts considerable depth and richness in its dark fruit, flowers, minerals and graphite. The wine remains extremely primary and in need of considerable bottle age in order to offer its best drinking but it is unquestionably formidable. The style combines elements of power and elegance, achieving a level rarely seen in these parts. Simply put, this is stunning j... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2005 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is striking in its beauty. This firm, structured wine bursts from the glass with layers of dark red fruit, spices, flowers and menthol. Medium in body, the wine possesses notable inner beauty in a transparent, almost weightless style. There is superb pedigree here, not to mention tons of class. Once again the Santo Stefano bottling delivers the goods. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025." (10/08) 90 points Wine Spectator: "Perfumed and very beautiful, with strawberry and flowers. Su... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "100% montepulciano) Deep, almost impenetrable ruby-black. Exotically perfumed and decadently rich nose redolent of ripe plum, sweet espresso, chocolate-covered blueberry, moss and allspice. Mouthcoatingly sweet and rich, this offers huge volume and extract, with a fleshy mouth feel to the ripe blackberry, prune, milk chocolate and sandalwood flavors. Harmonious acids give this outsized wine a vibrant, lively feel and extend the creamy-smooth finish for what seems like minutes. I am not usually a fan ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

One of my favorite producers of Barolo. Elio Grasso is making monumental wines with great balance and classic varietal character. Split between the worlds of new wave and traditonal Piemontese winemaking Elio has been able to fuse the two incorporating the best of both. Micro-oxygenation and large oak barrels give the wine more suppleness, more depth, smoothness without giving up the fruit or terroir of Barolo. Simply stunning wine. 2 Bicchieri Gambero Rosso 

Inventory: Redwood City

92-95 points Stephen Tanzer: "Good deep red. Compellingly deep aromas of red fruits, dried rose and menthol. Highly concentrated and downright suave, with juicy acidity giving cut and lift to the strongly floral red fruit and mint flavors. Much more aromatic and elegant than the basic bottling, but also lush and sweet. Finishes with huge but thoroughly ripe tannins and lovely persistence. Offers superb potential." 91-94 points Robert Parker: "The 2004 Barolo Costa Grimaldi is a promising wine. This sweet, generous wine is endowed with an attractive plum... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Dark garnet with ruby highlights. Enticing nose of clove, white pepper and violet. Fresh and vibrant flavors of mint and anise give way to dark cherry fruit. Finishes with a hint of bitterness. Not as dense or concentrated as some previous vintages from this property, but this is a polished and persuasive wine nonetheless." (Jul/Aug '02) 

Inventory: Hollywood

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2004 Barolo Cannubi/Ravera is unusually dense and structured in this vintage. The telltale Cannubi bouquet is there, but the fruit reveals the darker side of this site, while the influence of Ravera is felt in the wine’s vibrant, firm tannins. With air, the wine grows, as layers of fruit flow from its rich, harmonious frame. This is another unqualified success from Giuseppe Rinaldi. As always this bottling presents a more feminine style than the Brunate/Le Coste. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024 " 93-95 poin... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

"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

2 Red Glasses Gambero Rosso. 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The estate's top Chianti bottling, the 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva San Marcellino is made from 100% Sangiovese and spent 18 months in French Allier oak barrels. It reveals a powerful, brooding expression of scorched earth, tobacco, dark fruit and toasted oak. The layers of fruit need bottle age to gain volume and depth while the building tannins require time to settle down even though the use of French oak is very refined. This wine of superb weight and density offers temendous pote... Read More » 

Inventory: Redwood City

5 stars is right! 100% Chiavennasca (the local name for Nebbiolo) Sfursat 5 Stelle is made from a selection of the best grapes from the most celebrated vineyards of the Valtellina Superiore. Produced only in top years, the bunches are subjected to a natural drying process. The wine that results from this is particularly robust and alcoholic. Production began with the 1983 vintage and is very limited. A consistent 3 Glass winner from the Gambero Rosso. 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

According to the Wine Spectator: "Bright violet and berry aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate with layers of silky tannins and a medium-soft finish..." (06/01) 

Inventory: Redwood City

93 points Wine Spectator: "Shows blackberry and black cherry aromas. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and lots of dense fruit. Builds on the palate. Juicy and rich. Has more concentration than the average Brunello. Best from 2010 through 2015." (Web only, 2009) Nardi's single vineyard Manachiara is a powerhouse, depth, structure in a classically styled Brunello. (Greg St.Clair, K&L's Italian buyer) Wine is due September 2009 

Inventory: Main Warehouse