October’s Italian Treasures: Brunello, Barolo & Beyond

Italy never stops inspiring us. From mountain-grown Nebbiolo to the volcanic slopes of Sicily and the storied hills of Montalcino, each bottle tells a story of land, family, and tradition carried forward with passion. This month’s newsletter brings you everything from the unbeatable value of our new K&L Discovery Series arrivals to the unforgettable personality of Natalino Crognaletti and the reborn legacy of Giovinco. We're also featuring the soulful community of San Polino and a rare lineup of world-class collectibles like Masseto, Valdicava, and Castello di Ama.

Save the date for our upcoming Italian wine events! We're delighted to welcome the owner of Tenuta Roveglia to Northern California—join us on October 21st in San Francisco and October 22nd in Redwood City. Plus, stay tuned for more details on our Italian Grand Tasting coming up on Saturday, December 6th.

• K&L Discovery Series: New Italian Arrivals
• The Unforgettable Wines of Natalino Crognaletti
• Critically Acclaimed Chianti Classico Trio from Fèlsina
• Giovinco: A Century-Old Legacy Reborn in Sicily
• San Polino Tells A Story of People and Nature in Montalcino
• World-Class Italian Collectibles
• Club Italiano: Become a Member Today!

The thing I love most about being a buyer is finding wines that drink far above their price point. I’m not just hunting for a good wine; I’m looking for a bottle that speaks so clearly of its origins that it transports you with a single sip. My mission is to uncover these gems and bring them to you at prices that are virtually unheard of.

I am thrilled to announce that both the Piedmont Discovery Series and Tuscan Discovery Series have arrived in stores! Representing the very best value we offer in Italian fine wine, don’t miss your opportunity to experience quintessential Italian expressions at a fraction of the price.

-Orazio Campoli, K&L Italian Wine Buyer

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.

Natalino is the wild, brilliant, and deeply intuitive farmer behind San Lorenzo. Based in the rolling clay-and-limestone hills of the Castelli di Jesi in the Marche, he is a man who seems to belong more to the earth than to the modern world. He is a biodynamic farmer, but not by certification or trend; he works this way because it’s the only way that makes sense. He’s guided by the rhythms of the moon and a profound connection to his land.

His wines are a direct reflection of his philosophy. They are not sterile or overly polished. They are unfiltered, fermented with native yeasts, and aged for long periods on their lees in concrete tanks. They can be wild in their youth, but they possess a textural depth, a saline energy, and an incredible capacity to age that sets them apart. These are not just beverages; they are living things, and they are unforgettable. Keep reading On the Trail.

Few names in Tuscany embody the soul of Sangiovese like Fèlsina. From their benchmark Chianti Classico to the profound Riserva and the legendary Rancia vineyard, this estate produces wines that deliver authenticity, elegance, and longevity in every vintage. “These are wines that speak more of the soil than of the cellar,” says K&L Italian Wine Buyer Orazio Campoli. “True classics.”

Here at K&L, we are constantly searching for producers who offer a true sense of place, whose wines tell the story of a family and a specific piece of earth. Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to Giovinco—a name that embodies both a deep respect for tradition and a dynamic vision for the future of Sicilian wine. This is a story that stretches from the historic, sun-drenched vineyards of Sambuca di Sicilia to the electric, volcanic slopes of Mount Etna.

The Giovinco family’s story is not one of newcomers, but of deep, generational roots. They have been grape growers—vignaioli—in the Sambuca di Sicilia region since their grandfather first purchased vineyards in 1920. For over a century, they cultivated their land, understanding its rhythms and potential.

Their home is the Sambuca di Sicilia DOC, a small and often overlooked jewel in western Sicily's viticultural crown. Officially established in the 1970s, the appellation is home to a winemaking tradition that goes back centuries, yet it has remained off the radar for many wine lovers. Giovinco is at the very forefront of a quality renaissance, rediscovering the incredible potential of this unique terroir. Keep reading here.

The San Polino estate exists as a living community that weaves together vines with forests as well as people and animals with unseen life connections. The terroir at this place represents both harvest seasons and the family bond that connects them to their ancestral land. During the early 1990s Luigi “Gigi” Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum discovered the forgotten 600-year-old olive trees which clung to sunbaked rocky slopes in the abandoned homestead of San Polino. No water. No electricity. But also: no chemicals, no scars, no interruptions. Just pure, untouched nature. And that is exactly what they were looking for.

The abandoned farm caught Gigi's attention because he recognized a unique opportunity to establish a vineyard in a way that would respect the natural environment. Katia recognized immediately that this would not become a typical wine estate. It would be a community. A shared dream. A living organism.

Today, San Polino is just that. The Fabbro family members Gigi and Katia together with their children Daniel and Giulio have joined forces with the Gjilaska brothers Avni, Mariano, and Altin to create the vineyard and farm. The joint effort resulted in creating a special winery and farm which treats vines and trees and human beings as equally important entities. Keep reading On the Trail.

Italy’s most revered estates continue to set the global standard for collectibility, and this lineup brings together some of the country’s greatest names and rarest wines. From perfect-score Brunello to the legendary Masseto, these bottlings embody the pinnacle of Tuscan and Montalcino winemaking—profound, age-worthy treasures that define world-class Italian wine.

Italian wine lovers should not miss the Italian Wine Club! Each month, our Italian Buyer Orazio Campoli hand selects two hidden gems at a steep discount from across Italy for our Members. Wine Club Members also enjoy a special monthly tasting in our stores and a discounted price on all the Club wines we offer. Club membership makes a fantastic gift for anyone on your list--including yourself! The Italian Club is $39.95 a month, but we offer six Club options, starting at $19.95 Check out our six different Clubs and our Personal Somm service here.