Our Italian Inspiration

Few 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!

Arrivederci to One of the Best in the Biz

Greg 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.

What Would Greg Drink: The Whites

Before 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.

What I Have Learned, and I Hope You Can Learn From It

The 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.

Goodbye from One of the Italian Wine Legends

This 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.

Dynamic Wines In Stock from Chianti Classico’s Le Cinciole

From the heart of Chianti Classico in Panzano, one of Chianti Classico’s best growing areas, Le Cinciole produces wines of incredible concentration and depth of flavor, while still being so decidedly elegant—nothing clumsy about the power here.

Fèlsina's Soulful Chianti Classico

I think it took me at least two years to figure out the proper pronunciation for this winery, it’s [FEL-zina], so don’t feel bad if you didn’t have it correct. I was with Giuseppe Mazzocolin, the then manager of the winery and son-in-law of the owner. Giuseppe had a background in classics—not winemaking or anything to do with it—but he nonetheless jumped in to help resurrect the winery. The Poggiali Family purchased the property in 1966 and began renovating it. In the late 1970s Giuseppe arrived and changed the game.

Focused, Lively Wines from Piedmont's Castello di Perno

Call me silly but I always find staying in castles a bit exciting—not that I’m into hanging out over the ramparts, but there’s just something about it. It’s no different at the Castello di Perno except this small castle is poised on a ridge above the village of Monforte d’Alba, one of my favorites in Barolo. It’s an old castle, but the thing that is really interesting is that Giulio Einaudi, one of Italy’s most famous publishers, owned this up until 2012 when Giorgio Gitti purchased it and the estate. They still have Einaudi’s library, and it gave me goosebumps when I visited and walked over the creaking wooden floor and smelled the dusty old manuscripts—it made me feel like I was in a castle!

From Friuli to Sicily: A Celebration of Italian Wine

Today's Newsletter shines the spotlight on arguably the most diverse and complex wine-producing country in the world. By volume and variety, nowhere tops Italy, which can make this ancient wine landscape somewhat difficult to navigate for the average consumer. Thankfully, K&L's Greg St. Clair is here to distill all these incredible styles and traditions into his absolute favorite picks, starting with three under-the-radar, off-the-beaten-path value gems from some lesser-known regions. Our direct-import portfolio continues to grow with a stable of must-have Montalcinos that will appeal to collectors and casual consumers alike. Finally, we survey Italy's white wine scene with hand-selected stunners that run the gamut from everyday, go-to performers to superb boutique gems that can stand with the finest collectible examples anywhere.

Italy: Super Tuscan to Südtirol

From 100-point Brunellos to superb Pinot Grigio under $15, our summer Italian newsletter covers it all. With all the fresh produce in season right now (are your tomato gardens popping yet?), it’s a great time to dine al fresco with a glass (or two) of Italian wine.

K&L Wine Merchants

www.klwines.com