Every wine buyer has a handful of producers that are more than just names in a portfolio. They are benchmarks, inspirations, and personal favorites. For me, one of those producers has always been Fattoria San Lorenzo. To put it simply, these are some of the most soulful and alive wines being made in Italy today, and they come from the heart and hands of a true force of nature: Natalino Crognaletti.
Read MoreThere is a lot to say about this small producer. It is the definition of eclectic and out of the ordinary; the wines are usually hard to find, and, in fact, they are regularly kind of smuggled into the U.S. The winery doesn’t have a ordinary distribution network like the rest of the producers that you see on the shelves in the U.S. Rather, Flavio Roddolo avoids trends and stays isolated in his dedication to vine cultivation in his homeland of Monforte D’Alba. He farms, he ferments, he bottles—he does everything himself. The production is tiny, tiny—they are even hard to find if you ever go in the Langhe. No marketing, no consultants, no shortcuts. His approach involves time along with traditional methods—that is it.
Read MoreToday's Newsletter takes us to Italy, with a focus of the northern half of the Boot. Top Tuscan reds lead the way, all in stock with glowing critical acclaim and exceptional pricing, and we introduce you to the stunning Alto Adige reds (yes, reds!) of the brilliant Elisabetta Foradori. A carefully curated selection of top buys puts the spotlight on Piedmont's recent vintages, and a trio of staff picks from our Italian team should be on everyone's radar.
Read MoreThough Italy’s red wines often snag all the glory, the country’s white wines can be phenomenal—with dozens of native grapes and styles, there’s truly something for every type of white wine lover. And, yes, there’s much more than Pinot Grigio out there! K&L’s Italian Afficionados, John Downing and Greg St. Clair, explain what makes the Le Battistelle wines of Soave Classico some of our faves.
Read MoreLuca’s family has been there through the last 40 years of evolution in Montalcino, but are very rooted in Pierluigi’s original vision. His grandfather understood the importance of Sangiovese, and was an early ambassador for it. He prized the idea that the wine is born outside of the cellar, and that the Sangiovese Grosso grape is what makes Montalcino special. Luca says it’s “a wonderful grape, and we have the best expression of it in Montalcino.”
Read More
