Few vineyards in the world hold the status of Vigna Francia, a vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba that has become synonymous with Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo and Barbera. Bought by the Conterno family in 1974, it represents one of the most essential and unique terroirs in Barolo, yielding wines of profound structure, beauty, and longevity. I mean, this is the vineyard of Monfortino after all, the most important Italian wine ever made.
Read MoreTuscany is a region with endless charm. It combines the beauty of nature with its historical heritage, and it has a deep-rooted connection to viticulture. It has complex hills that brings various micro-climates and a centuries-old winemaking tradition that makes this region one of Italy's most famous. Join us this Saturday, Feb 1st to taste, and join me On the Trail to explore these wines.
Read MoreFranciacorta is Italy’s premier sparkling wine from Lombardy. It draws upon centuries of history, culture, and winemaking tradition. Its name dates back to the 11th century when Cluniac and Cistercian monks reclaimed the lands, which became known as Francae Curtes—lands free of taxes. It then became "Franzakurta" in 1277. Franciacorta's legacy dates back even earlier than Dom Perignon, with a mention in the Libellus de vino mordaci, a groundbreaking book on bottle-fermented wines published in 1570.
Read MoreThis week, we’re officially kicking off our Thanksgiving planning. Halloween is in the rearview mirror; Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa are just far enough away that we don’t have to wrap our brains around gifting quite yet… No elves on the shelves, but our rally bird is out in Redwood City—it’s the perfect time to talk turkey.
Read MoreItalian may not be the traditional route for a Thanksgiving feast, but the food friendliness of these wines will make them an absolute knockout at your table. Whether you're looking for a crisp white, a luxurious red, or something bolder, look no further than K&L’s Italian aisle.
Read MoreFew people are as synonymous with Italian wine as Greg St. Clair, a luminary and veteran of the category, and a standard-bearer for our buying team at K&L. Today, we are taking a moment to congratulate Greg St. Clair on his incredible tenure, wish him the best in retirement, and acknowledge that although he won't be around every day, we look forward to continuing to pop bottles with Greg in the coming years. We will have some exciting news coming in the next few weeks about the new leader for the category, but for now, grazie e congratulazioni, Greg!
Read MoreGreg St. Clair has been at the heart and soul of our Italian wine program for 28 years. He has excelled at finding us wonderful wines from Italy at great prices, as well as being the greatest ambassador for everything Italy. He’d pour the staff a wine and accompany it with a story about eating nothing but wild boar for a week in Tuscany or climbing a precariously sloped vineyard in Soave, with such vivid details that we it was easy to feel transported to another world—his version of Italy is the best version, the one where your glass is never empty and your stomach always has room for the never-ending parade of mouthwatering food that your dear friends are cooking for you. He is passionate about Italy, and it was hard not to fall in love with it too when he was pouring wine. He embodied the dolce vita and was always there to remind us of the pleasures of the table.
Read MoreTuscany holds so many well-known wines and wineries that it is always more of a challenge to bring you something new; but if I cannot do that, then you can’t go wrong with the tried and true! The 2022 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Rosso di Montalcino $22.99 is the perfect introduction to Sangiovese for folks who have not had much of it before. Wines that are 100% Sangiovese can be a bit acidic, but this wine is full of richly textured, sweet, ripe fruit that still shows balance but has a super easy drinkability to it. Priced as a no brainer, grab a couple for the in-laws, they will love it.
Read MoreBefore I head out over the horizon, I would like to share with you my current favorite wines that are currently in stock. It is a rambling, shotgun approach to highlighting wines I really like that you should try. In part one, I dive into some of the wonderful whites of Italy.
Read MoreThe moment that nearly anyone tastes a wine, there is an immediate reaction—I like this or I do not like this—after that reaction there is rarely anymore learning. Instead of stopping at the point where you’ve deciphered whether you like the wine, one must look for the whys and hows of the wine; where is it going; what you are feeling from it… because if you stop your exploration at the first sip, you’re never going to learn the depths that are available from wine at any level.
Read MoreThis is the last Italian newsletter that I will write; I am retiring. This is my 28th year at K&L, and it is time for me to move on. I started working at K&L on February 1st, 1997. That seems like such a long time ago! While thinking of that, I remembered reading an article by Malcom Gladwell, quoting a couple of scientists who, after much study, wrote that it took 10,000 hours of detailed focus to master a subject or skill. Curious, I added up my days, and, on my last day—August 29th, 2024—I will have been employed at K&L for 10,071 days. I think I passed the 10,000 hour mark a while ago.
Read MoreHappy first day of Spring! With longer days and warmer weather around the corner, this is a great time to dig into wines that celebrate this coming season of growth and exploration.
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