Tom Casagrande

9.2

This is the back-up white after the starter (the 2016 Chateau Olivier Blanc) was benched for oxidation. And it’s as good as the bottle I had a couple of months ago. Very minerally, with wet gravelly limestone notes abounding, some apple and pear fruit underneath. Crisp and with solid flavor density. If you favor minerally and lean white burgs over the more fruit-centric style, you’ll dig this, and at a good price too. — 4 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Just gushing with smoky, roasted dark-herb-inflected, gushy berry fruit on the nose. Quite the rich nose. Intense on the palate as well. Big whack of savory, iodiney flavors competing with dark berry-skin fruit. It’s a bit tannic and bitterish on the finish, which makes it a little less-than-friendly by itself, but should pair nicely in a hour or so with my pasta with broccoli rabe and homemade salciccia. — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Youthfully delicious! Pop ‘n poured. 55% Carignane, 26% Zin, 19% Mataro. 100% really old vines. Zingy nose features all manner of crisp, ripe berries, as well as a whiff of American oak and iodiney minerals. Deep fruit but focused and balanced (really nice acidity) in the mouth. Drinking great now, this will certainly last and possibly improve for the next five years. (Bandol the dog is glad I’m enjoying it but remains skeptical of new world wines.)

UPDATE: Even better on night 2. Deeper and showing amplified saline stoniness. — 12 days ago

Tom Casagrande

6.5

Almost completely oxidized. Decanted because of a significant amount of sediment. Cork in great shape. No fill-line issue. Undrinkable to me. Those who apparently like wines in an “oxidative style” may find something salvageable about this. For me, down the drain. — 5 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Nose is old school, with cooling clay earthiness in the fore, and some gorgeously pure and deep cassis and dark cherry fruit peeking out from underneath. In the mouth it’s still a bit tightly wound (I popped and quickly double decanted, so it hasn’t gotten much air yet). The flavors are deep, still a hefty tannic load. But not so backward I can’t enjoy it now. Clearly will benefit from several more years in a cool cellar. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Back label says Trocken. Terrific wine, terrific value. Classic musky florals and lychee on the nose, but buoyed up by nice stony minerality. Big Gewurz flavors on entry, but quickly turns minerally and zesty. Bone dry! Nice bitter note cleanses in the finish. To accompany turkey meatballs in a coq au vin blanc-type sauce. — 14 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

Bought on a whim because it was cheap, had a decent legit review, and was only 14.5%. I have never heard of this label but a little sleuthing indicates it’s a secondary label of Maison Lavau. I like the nose. Kirsch and tomato leaf in the fore. A bit of warm gravel. In the mouth it’s nicely balanced. Alcohol in check, a tad bit of tannin, pretty good flavor concentration. Not complex or super deep, but a damn nice southern Rhone for a weeknight dinner. More mature than I would expect for a 2-year old Rhone. Definitely made for current drinking. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This scratches that white burgundy itch at a relative bargain price (for white burgundy). Love the just-ripe peachy fruit on the nose. Reminds me of Puligny to the south. Floral notes and wet, bright limestone. In the mouth it’s balanced but with nice weight. Lots of crisp orchard fruit/apple, nice acids, and a slight bitterish note in the fairly long finish. Again, nice value here. — 11 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

I don’t drink much South African wine. Based on this, maybe I should drink more. This mimics a nicely-aged, high-level Crozes. Very earthy nose has lots of fragrant gravelly sandstoney notes. Underneath there is subtle wild mountain purple berry fruit and a subtle feral/animal hint. In the mouth, it’s rich and low-toned, again with loads of gravelly, dry earthy notes. Lots of soft, cheek-coating tannin initially, the finish tightens up a bit at the end. Nice! — 15 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

- 38% Viognier 32% Grenache Blanc 22% Marsanne 8% Roussanne. Nose has wet hay, marzipan, fresh and fermented pear, wet limestone. Fairly intense but lovely and balanced in the mouth. A bit of unripe pear fruit, grapefruit zest, loads of stony minerality taking over as the finish progresses, with a nice bitter prickle at the end. Very nice acids. I like this a lot. — 16 days ago