Italian Wine

90 points Wine Spectator and one of their Top 100 Wines of 2007: "Very plummy and grapey on the nose, with hints of chocolate. Full-bodied, soft and succulent, with lots of flavor and a long, long finish. Delicious. Drink now." (11/07) " Mike Parres and I visited Fontanafredda in 2005 and were just blown away by the quality jump the winery had made. Danilo Drocco (the new winemaker) started making changes in the vineyard practices and then the winery and WOW what a change! This wine is classic Barbera with bright, clean fruit but also has richness, textu... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse

La Mozza's owner's (Über-Chef Mario Batali and Restaurant Wündkerkind Joe Bastianich) have really scored with their 2006 La Mozza I Perazzi Morellino (sangiovese) di Scansano! This coastal Tuscan area is really making great wine at exceptional prices. Their 2006 Morellino has luscious fruit densities coupled with vibrantly focused aromatics and all wrapped up in a long, memorable finish. Great for grilled meats, pasta, roasted chickens or just good old drinking! Wow I love this wine! (Greg St.Clair K&L Wine Merchants) 90 points Robert Parker's Wine Adv... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City

One of our favorite wines in the store has returned for the 11th straight vintage, the 2007 Maritma Sangiovese or, as the K&L staff refers to it, "The Four Old Guys." This is an amazing wine at a dirt cheap price. Bright, fleshy, this gem offers tons of spicy, sangiovese fruit with good fullness and incredible drinkability. Enough said! Buy your cases now! This wine has increased in price exactly 50 cents over that last five years, and it represents an insanely good value! 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Lovely fruit on the nose and the palate, with red cherries and spice. Not a lot of tannin on this pleaser, so it appeals for those who appreciate drinability and softness above structure and longevity. Aged for 4-5 months in steel vats. Enjoy with roast chicken. 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City San Francisco

According to Wine Spectator: "Delicate aromas of flowers and plum, with a hint of strawberry. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a focused, clean finish. Very attractive Pinot Noir." (Web 08) 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Awarded a "Best Value" from the Wine Spectator: "Fresh apple and pear aromas follow through to a medium body with good fruit and a clean finish in this appealing Italian white. Drink now." (08/08) In the event that you have never tried a 100% grillo-based white, this is typically an elegant while thoroughly fruity wine. Arancio's newest edition of Grillo is both of these things, offering aromas of jasmine and other dainty white flowers along with flavors of tropical fruit, wrapped up with a very vibrant and fresh finish. Wonderful with pasta tossed in a ... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

2 Red Glasses Gambero Rosso. Five vintages ago we were the first to start importing wines from this small family winery. They were always much better known within Italy where they'd been awarded multiple Gambero Rosso awards. We began to slowly build the brand here, year after year our sales staff suggesting these wines until now Ermacora is one of K&L's most sought after brands. The Brothers Ermacora (Dario & Luciano) live amongst the vines at their small winery in the Colli Orientali del Friuli, just a few miles from the Slovenian border. Although they... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Aromas and flavors of black plum, black cherry, herbs, and black olives surround a wonderful meaty texture, with enough chewiness to make the wine stand up to food. This is the ideal 'spaghetti red,' at a price that will bring a smile to your face every time you open a bottle. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

91 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Apr 08 By Ian D'Agata "Pale, green-tinged color. Pretty floral nose redolent of fern, apple and plum, plus a complicating yeasty hint of freshly baked bread. Creamier and sweeter in the mid-palate than most pinot biancos, offering flavors of white peach and lemon, with ripe acids giving definition and focus. The finish boasts very good energy without coming across as too light or hard. This is almost always one of Italy's best pinot biancos." 2 Red Glasses Gambero Rosso. "The Brothers Ermacora (Dario... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

89 points Robert Parker: "A terrific bargain in dry red is the 2005 Vitiano Rosso, a blend of nearly equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in barrels for a short time, it exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, a rich bouquet of black cherry jam, licorice, tobacco leaf, and spice box, surprising density, and medium body. As I have written before, it’s almost too good to believe at this price. It should be drunk within 2-3 years of release. Kudos to Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella for continuing to deliver remarkable wines at these prices."... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

87 points Wine Spectator Best Values "Lemon aromas, with Brazilian lime on the nose. Full-bodied, with lots of fresh grapefruit character and a medium finish. Drink now J.S." Grapes -- Ansonica-Catarratto 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Bright medium ruby. Effusively fruity aromas of watermelon and pomegranate, with a delicate salty edge. Bright and fresh on the palate, offering enticing flavors of sour red cherry, smoke and minerals. Finishes tangy, pure and long. I'd consider lightly chilling this very tasty wine on a hot summer day." (Jul/Aug 08) When I visited Vito Catania's estate in Sicily in May of 2007 I was amazed by the effort being put into the new winery and vineyards. Vito is a Milanese industrialist but his hometown i... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

A fresh, crisp "stock-up-on-it" value from Sicily known for its clean citrus flavors, bigger body and subtle earthiness. 

Inventory: Redwood City

This is a newly imported wine from a value-conscious estate that is nonetheless a relentlessly quality-oriented supplier of fine, regional wines. Phew, that was a mouthful! And so is this white, a brisk, straightforward, unoaked quaffer designed to go with food, particularly linguini with clams, seasoned only with a little garlic and parsley. Delicious and thirst quenching, just the thing for outdoor entertaining in warmer months. 

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 Redwood City San Francisco

The Asti and Monferrato areas of Piedmont, east of the Barolo zone, are Barbera country. Barbera may be indigenous to this region, and (although grown elsewhere in Italy and increasingly here in California) finds its best expressions here, ranging from bright, raspberryish wines aged in stainless steel, to darker, more substantial examples aged in small French oak. Agliano is perhaps the best-known barbera village in the Asti zone. Agostino Pavia and his sons Giuseppe ('Pino') and Mauro make three styles of barbera. Bricco Blina is the most straightforwa... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

"What's so compelling about Moscato d'Asti? It's a slightly sweet, fizzy white wine with low alcohol (typically only 6 percent, which is less than half that of a regular table wine) and a captivating taste and scent. Made entirely from the moscato bianco grape variety, it comes from the Asti zone in Italy's Piedmont region. An artisanal wine originally made by small winegrowers for consumption by family and friends, Moscato d'Asti has since acquired a devoted following from lovers of Italian wines worldwide. It is the ideal summer sipper because its comp... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The K&L Italian team had a chance to visit with Massimo (Max) Pastura on our road trip last year, and he introduced us to this very rare Rosé. We all deicided that this was a must for K&L, and we are exclusive with this in California!!! This Barbera Rosé from the Monferrato hill range in Italy's Piedmont region offers complex aromas of tropical fruit and baking spices and on the palate there are hints of roses, fleshier raspberry, cherry flavors and citrus zest and lots of minerality. Medium-bodied, tremendously refreshing, this wine received 1 Bicchiere... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

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

From moderate-altitude hills, where the nature of the terroir exhalts the characteristics of the Greco grape. Since 1945, this family of winemakers has dedicated itself to the rediscovery and re-evaluation of this vine along the banks of the river Sabato in Irpinia. The variety was imported by the Hellenes before the founding of Rome. The 2006 offers fruity flavours of apricot, peach and pear fruit. Smooth and elegant, mineral and structured, with good acidity, it is delicious with pasta and seafood- or vegetable-based sauces. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

This one's a clean, crisp and ultimately refreshing sparkler that is one of our favorties. Just this year imported to the U.S. and now available for your holiday celebrations! 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City San Francisco

2 Red Glasses Gambero Rosso - Jesera means in Slovenian 'little lake' and it's the name of the major vineyard from where grapes are picked. This site is at the bottom of a cool valley; the water that flows from the hills guarantee a perfect support to the vines. This wine shows a rich character with reminiscent of pear Williams, banana, and acacia flowers wrapped in a slight scent of fresh apricot. Intriguing taste with pleasant flavors of pear syrup and quince peels. Good acid/alcohol balance with a long fruity finish. 

Inventory: Hollywood

2 Glasses Gambero Rosso. Tocai Friulano is Friuli's own indigenous variety, the Friulian national drink and its greatest source of pride. All meals or public encounters seem to start with a "Tajut" (tai -oot, Friulan for cut) of Tocai. The locals drink this with well they just drink it all the time, on the way to work, morning break, on the way home to lunch, well you get the picture it goes on all day. This classic wine is shy and slow to make friends at first, like Friuli's people. The wine's strength lies within its core, layers of mineral laden aro... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Vietti’s 2004 Barolo Castiglione is superb. This impressively rich, concentrated Barolo is fresh and perfumed, with plenty of sweet fruit supported by awesome structure and power. With air delicate notes of herbs and tobacco emerge, adding further complexity. With this effort, the Castiglione bottling takes an important step in Currado’s plan to make this wine much closer in quality to his single-vineyard offerings. No longer the accessible easy going wine it once was, the 2004 is a big, big wine. The Castiglione... Read More » 

Inventory: Redwood City San Francisco

Half dry and half blissfully sweet (but never cloying), this bubbly red is fragrant and fruity on the nose with black cherries and maraschinos. The bubbles are quite elegant and persistent on this number, ushering in a palate impression that is richly full bodied and harmonious. More full flavored and intense that other Ca Berti wines. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Situated below Velona's old farmhouse, these vineyards were planted just in the 1990s, in order to obtain greater quality of grapes. The effort shows in this berry-laden red. The 2001 got 91 points from the Wine Enthusiast and this review: "Dark, concentrated and brooding, this Brunello is lavish with the bold vanilla, cherry and cedar notes that are so typical of the genre. A nicely made, clean wine with cushiony, soft tannins and lemon twist on a persistent finish." It's a wonder this estate still flies under the proverbial radar. 

Inventory: Hollywood Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

Castello di Querceto is about 7 kilometres far from Greve in Chianti, at about 470 metres above sea level. Its land extends over 190 hectares: 60 are planted with vineyards, 5 with olive trees while the remaining are woods, mostly of oak and chestnut trees. In the bottom of the valley there is a little fishing lake. In short, this is the ideally pastoral locale for producing wonderful Chianti, far better, in fact, than the lowly price tag would suggest! This Chianti is made from a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Trebbiano, and it performs extremely wel... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood

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 Main Warehouse Redwood City San Francisco

The Cerasuolo di Vittoria is produced from the vinification of red frappato and nero d'avola grapes and was first presented in 1933 at the initial Exhibition-Market of Siena. It takes its name from the magnificent color that characterizes the wine. It is a superior table wine that can be aged at considerable length-up to 30 years. This blend of 60% nero d'avola 40% frappato shows an intense aromas of black licorice, cracked pepper and black cherry spring from the glass with supporting flavors of dark red fruits, tobacco and earth. Perfectly pairs with os... Read More » 

Inventory: Hollywood Redwood City San Francisco