Italian Wine

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

90 points Wine Enthusiast "Tenuta di Sesta’s hearty Brunello exhibits sophisticated oak usage that translates into toast, mesquite, antique furniture wax, resin and spice. That said, you’d be surprised how fresh and lively the wine feels in the mouth. Beyond that brooding interior is a fruity Brunello with smooth tannins." 4 Stars Decanter 17.33pts ‘Very seductive yet restrained wine with a great, natural freshness and suppleness.Sweet and well extracted fruit. Has balance and longevity. From 2009.’ (FB)This year I finally made an appointment for us to ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

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 Redwood City

A real non-aged Super Tuscan for not much more than $10! Ample, multilayered, with a very unusual fruit component, and a wine that is generously inviting to taste. The palate is soft and enveloping, full of cherry fruit and an earthy-woodsy component with a long, intriguing aftertaste. Sangiovese (40%), Ciliegiolo (20%), Merlot (20%) and Cabernet (20%). 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

An Editors' Choice, Wine Enthusiast: " Very characteristic of the variety, with perfumes of white flower, citrus, lemon soda and drying mineral tones. The wine offers intensity and precision with focused attention on acidity and citric freshness. Try with fried wontons or eggrolls. (07/09) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The Dolcetto d'Alba, Arsigà, which in the Piedmontese dialect means to take a risk, is born from the blend of Dolcetto grapes from various vineyards of the Batasiolo estates. While each of these vineyards is marked by their individual characteristics, all have in common the same prerequisites: 25 to 30 year-old vines, low yields per hectare and a southern exposure at an altitude of 300 to 400 metres. Arsigà has a deep ruby-red color with violet reflections; an intense fruity nose, with particular notes of morello fruit and under-tones of vanilla. The pal... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

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

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is seriously dark, rich and intense. Dark cherries, tobacco, herbs and minerals come together in this brooding, weighty Vigna del Sorbo. Today the wine comes across as completely closed and folded in on itself, but with time it should emerge as a beauty. The elegance of the superb 2004 seems missing, and this looks to be an especially concentrated vintage for this wine. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026. My visit to Fontodi last year was fascinating, as I spent sever... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Corte Rugolin's Ripasso style of Valpolicella is produced by refermenting a small amount of Valpolicella Classico on the lee with the sweet wine of their Recioto and Amarone. The resulting red is of superior quality and is remarkably long-lived; it has more body and weight than most Valpolicellas as well as a particularly intense bouquet. Its powerful, assertive character makes it one of the Veneto's great wines, not to mention a considerable value. Ideal with all meat-based dishes, roast game and mature cheeses (try it with pasta tossed in a sauce flavo... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood 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

The wine is pale straw in color, with aromas of almond, citrus and a hint of herbs. It is bone dry and finishes with a very attractive hint of apple-skin. This is a knockout everyday bottle of white wine, flavorful enough to stand up to a range of dishes but bright enough to make a good dry aperitif. 

Inventory: 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

95 points Wine Spectator: "Delivers fabulous aromas of crushed raspberries, cherries and strawberries, with flowers and a hint of vanilla bean. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Dense and very long. A serious, powerful and complex red, but needs some bottle age. This is the producer's best wine ever. Best after 2012." (Web Only, 2009) 3.5 stars from K&L's Italian wine buyer, Greg St. Clair: "The nose is immediately full of plums and sweet vanilla. On the palate, it expands into a pool of cultured lushness that flows broadly acro... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

Riccardo Cotarella is one of Italy's most famous winemakers (actually consults for a Bordeaux producer!) and his own winery is named Falesco and it sits at the Lazio-Umbrian border. This wine is a blend of 1/3 each of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese and has been universally acclaimed by wine critics everywhere as a superb bargain. Cotarella is a master winemaker knowing just how much technique is needed for each varietal to add to the blend. The wine has a Cabernet-Merlot dominated nose but the addition of the Sangiovese gives it more balance, ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

90 points Robert Parker: "The 2005 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a relatively straightforward wine but I loved it for its superb balance and harmony. Sweet red cherries, herbs, leather, spices and earthiness are buffered by finessed tannins as this soft-textured wine opens in the glass. This is a great introduction to Amarone. Curiously, the 2005 comes across as more advanced than the 2004, and I would choose to drink it on the young side. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015." (10/08) According to Wine Spectator: "Displays aromas and flavors of rai... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse

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 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is a vibrant, focused wine that flows with the essence of dark fruit, minerals and flowers. The wine possesses gorgeous length and proportion, all of which is framed by powerful yet well-integrated tannins. Simply put, this is a superb Chianti that also happens to be one of the best relative values in fine, age worthy wine. The Rancia is made from vines planted on poor soils at 420 meters above sea level. In 2006, the Rancia spent 16 months in French oak, of which 60% was n... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

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

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the nebbiolo (the main grape of Barolo and Barbaresco), here is a way to experiment with the varietal at half the price or more. The wine is full of the classic nebbiolo aromas of dried roses, truffle, and smoke with hints of earth. Lots of richness, loads of fruit, and a long finish, tannin but very well integrated! Drink now or age for a few more years, try it with risotto with Porcini, smoked pheasant ravioli, or Stracotto del Barolo 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

According to the Wine Enthusiast: "This Prosecco-based sparkler (with fruit from outside the traditional Prosecco zone) offers creamy froth and sweet notes of peach, mint leaf and almond nut. It has medium intensity, nice crispness..." (12/15/2007) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

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: Hollywood Redwood City

Delicious, lively and very aromatic! Gallura is a peninsula on the northeast corner of the island of Sardinia that specializes in Vermentino (the grape is also grown on the coast of mainland Italy, on Corsica and in the south of France under the name Rolle). Mancini's version of the grape is very fresh and forward, with no oak or malolactic fermentation aromas, just grapejuice fermented at low temperature in stainless steel for the aromas. Drink either as an aperitif or with seafood (prawns with pasta?) Finishes with a delightful touch of tangerine. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse 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

The 'Toast of Venice' ! This superb sparkling wine has a richness you don't find in similarly priced California sparklers. Thick, creamy mousse and superb finish make this Prosecco an outstanding wine. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

This Rosso di Montalcino (100% Sangiovese) is similar in nature and character to Brunello, at a fraction of the price. It possesses a deep ruby red color, and a soft richness that balances its fresh bouquet. It spends its first year maturing in oak, lending it some complexity for further aging. Once bottled it will comfortably mature over the next three to five years, growing still finer and more elegant. Pair with dishes such as pasta al ragu, fowl, truffles, and all meat courses. 

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

This is called the one-night wine, and not just because you won't have any left at the end of the night to store in your fridge until tomorrow! Montepulciano grapes are left to macerate with the must for just a few hours, all the time needed to give this wine its classic cherry (cerasa) color and all the fragrances of red fresh fruits, rendered even more refined by flowery accents of rose petal. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

I first fell in love with Salice Salentino as a twenty-two-year old, living in San Francisco with way too many roommates and not near enough cash. I bought mine from a grocery store whenever I could find it. It was not from Rivera, I can't exactly remember the name (that's how old I am now), but like this 2004, it was negro-amaro it all its tannic and food friendly glory. It tasted great with pizza, pasta in red sauce, grilled veggie burgers, all those foods I ate when I was broke. The Rivera Salice Salentino is similarly endowed with acid and tannin, an... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse San Francisco

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Brigaldara's 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie is a very serious wine. It reveals a richer and riper personality than the Amarone, with superb volume in its dark blueberries, blackberries, spices and herbs. The full-bodied expression of fruit hides considerable structure that lurks beneath. Lingering notes of sweetness round out the long finish. Although the 2004 shows more clarity and precision than the 2003, I would have a hard time choosing between them. This is high-class Amarone all the way. Anticip... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

94 points Wine Spectator: "Shows blackberries and dried flowers on the nose. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe berry and cream character. Rich and flavorful. Long and beautiful. It's layered and velvety. Seductive. Drink now." (Web only, 2009) 92 points Wine Enthusiast: 'Thick, dark and beautifully concentrated, this is a dense, succulent wine with a soft, velvety feel that will appeal to those who like this style. The aromas are layered and penetrating and span the gamut of black fruit to smoky spice. Drink this Brunello now through 2015." (06/09) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

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

3 Glasses Gambero Rosso! According to the Wine Spectator: "There's ripe currant and a hint of vanilla on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with unobtrusive, fruit-coated tannins and a dense, balanced and lingering finish. Shows depth. Delicious. Drink now. 500 cases made." 89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2005 Nero d’Avola Deliella from Principi di Buttera is a plump, juicy wine packed with varietal red fruits, mint, sweet toasted oak and flowers. This plump, juicy wine reveals tons of length in a polished, contemporary style, with sweet n... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

95 points and #15 on the Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009: "Shows a complex nose of blackberry, tanned leather, sandalwood and cedar. Fascinating. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long, long finish. Concentrated yet balanced. Beautiful and complete. Best after 2011." (04/09) 90 points Wine Enthusiast: "Frescobaldi's Castelgiocondo estate was named in the on-going Brunello fraud scandal. Despite the legal troubles, this year's Brunello asserts itself with pride and determination. It seems very different than past vintages because, here, th... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse

According to the Wine Spectator: "Balanced and silky, with blackberry and raspberry character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Needs to soften a little. Give it time. Sangiovese, with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Best after 2008." (10/07) 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

One of Bon Appetit's Great Bargain Bottles! Marco Tintero is the proud owner of all 23 hectares in production from the Sori Gramella vineyard. (Apparently there is one other who owns one hectare but drinks all his production himself.) These are dramatically steep limestone cliffs facing southward. Moscato should be fresh and luxurious on the palate like this one, which shows ripe, juicy flavors of lime zest, apple skin, and pear. The finish is impeccably clean and refreshing. In fact, this is a perfectly balanced Moscato with a very light straw color, al... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Adovcate: "Antinori’s flagship Chianti, the 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchesi Antinori, reveals greater depth, vibrancy and freshness. Ripe black cherries, new leather, menthol, smoke and wild herbs flow from this sweet, layered Chianti. The wine is approachable today, but also has the tannic backbone and stuffing to insure another decade or so of very fine drinking. It spent 14 months in small French oak barrels prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019." (06/08) According to the Wine Spectator: "...Ful... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

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

According to the Wine Spectator: "...simple and light, but some attractive raisin, plum and cedar character. Medium body. Light finish. Drink now." (Web only, 2007) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2004 Geremia is equally commanding in its stature and potential. This blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon spent 18 months in Allier oak barrels. It reveals awesome richness and depth with a level of juiciness and mid-palate generosity that the San Marcellino doesn't quite have. The wine remains extremely fresh and primary in its expression of dark macerated cherries, minerals, spices and sweet toasted oak. Despite its lushness, the wine also possesses considerable structure that begs for extended b... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Ripe, extracted and full of warmth, this Barbera offers layers of red and black fruit notes such as currant, plum and raisins with spice and chocolate rounding out the mid palate. The finish is long and rich. Serve with lamb or pasta in a rich meat sauce. Aged in oak for one year. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The Giulietta is made from Pelaverga and has a nose full of strawberry, rose petals and white pepper. It's very delicate in a Pinot sort of way. Enjoy it now with aged cheeses and your favorite risotto. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

This one's a greatly structured wine with deep red ruby color with pomegranate at the edge. It has a bouquet of red ripe fruits, especially cherry and bitter cherry, with spicy notes. The taste is full and round with persistent flavors of marmalade, vanilla, coffee and licorice. Aged in 20-hectolitre bay oak barrels for more than 24 months. Excellent with roasted meat and game, grilled meat, seasoned cheese and salami. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

Ah, Piedmont! Home to Italy's most long-lived reds: Barolo and Barbaresco. Piedmont also lays claim to this frothy number, a semi-sweet sparkling wine that shares as much in common with Barolo as a turnip does with a root beer float. To begin with, there's the preponderance of wild strawberry fruit, and the effervescent goodness that is not totally dissimilar to Moscato, only this one is pink. Deep pink. Gulpable pink. And a nice note of acidity on the finish prevents tooth aches. After a certain age it is unseemly to drink cherry soda pop in public. Go ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Ornellaia flows from the glass in a profound expression of ripe, dark fruit. With time in the glass layers of minerals, cassis, tar, sweet herbs and French oak emerge, adding further complexity. This harmonious Ornellaia combines the richness of the vintage with superb freshness and awesome balance. Today the wine’s sheer density almost manages to hide the tannins, but they are there, and the wine will ultimately benefit from a few years in the cellar. The 2006 Ornellaia is one of the highlights of this ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse San Francisco

The Bronca sisters grow their own fruit in steep hillside vineyards, then make their own base wine and perform the secondary (sparkling) fermentation three or four times a year (to ensure freshness). Low yields and hillside-grown fruit ensures that the wine has good concentration and acidity, this last necessary to balance the traditional Extra-Dry level of sweetness. (Extra-Dry is slightly less dry than Brut, confusingly. Both terms are used to describe the amount of sweetness in sparkling wines. The Prosecco drunk in Italy is always Extra-Dry; the pear... Read More » 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City

90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "La Fortuna’s large-scaled 2003 Brunello di Montalcino opens with ripe, expressive aromatics. It is a dense, full-bodied wine packed with ripe dark fruit buffered by firm, but well-integrated tannins. The wine offers outstanding balance and enough stuffing to ensure at least seven to eight years of fine drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015." 89 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Good bright, medium red. Musky red fruits, leather and smoke on the expressive nose. Concentrated and sweet, vergi... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

While perhaps most famous for their elegant baroli, Vietti also makes phenomenal, fresh barbera like this 2006 Barbera d'Asti "Tre Vigne." From young vineyards in Agliano d'Asti, averaging about 10 years old, comes this mineral-kissed wine bursting with ripe red cherry notes on the nose and palate. The quintessential Piemontese food wine, the Barbera "Tre Vigne" shows refreshing acidity and well-integrated tannins that will make it an excellent accompaniment to antipasti, grilled vegetables, hearty soups and lighter meat dishes. 

Inventory: Hollywood San Francisco

90 points Wine Spectator: "Shows sliced apple aromas, turning to flowers. Full-bodied, with mineral and honey character, fresh acidity and a bright finish. Try this over Pinot Grigio. Drink now." (07/09) ETA: Wine is due in Sept 10, 2009 

Inventory: Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

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