Tom Casagrande

9.2

Just a perfect accompaniment to simply roasted chicken. Soft nose has bright cherry/red berry fruitiness, and a soft, beet-like earthiness, along with subtle cracked stones. In the mouth it’s soft and nearing maturity, with soft but adequate acids and a decent amount of soft tannin. The flavors have nicely-concentrated soft cherry fruit, and some nice stony minerality. Nice length for a basic Alsace AOC wine. I like this a lot. — 2 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Now that everything’s cut and chopped (and the knife put away), a little Alsace Riesling to help the cooking along. I have had only limited experience with Kubler’s wines, but they’ve been on the lean, bone dry, and chiseled style, and this is too. Stones, petrol, and a little crisp apple skin fruit on the nose. Crisp and minerally in the mouth. Foods acids and intensity. — 11 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Third and last bottle of this. I don’t want to like it as much as I do because it’s 15% alcohol. But it’s a big, boisterous glassful, with lots of ripe macerated cherry, leather, and gravel on the nose, with a whiff of camphor. Mouthfilling and soft on the palate, this acids are relatively low but it’s still got nice balance for current drinking. A fair amount of tannin is buried under the cascade of fruit. Not super complex, but a satisfying accompaniment to pork cutlets Parmigiana, and a good value.

UPDATE: Night 2, a pruney, overripe character takes over. My recommendation is to drink soon and with minimal air time. — 14 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Rewarding myself for successfully getting the meatballs prepped for cooking! HMV’s Howell Mtn Zins are so unique and are more a reflection of the terroir than the Zinfandel grape. Almost Bandol-like in the earthy aromas reminiscent of black peppercorn shells and tree bark, with very focused fruit playing a secondary role. Deep and bone dry in the mouth, with mouthwatering acids (yes, nice acid structure in a Zin). Still a little tannic, but drinking beautifully right now. Ends on a distinctive note seemingly an amalgam of graphite and tar.

UPDATE: On night 3 a tremendous purity of fruit emerges on the palate. What a terrific wine. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

While my daughter’s dog Valtellina (or “Lena” for short) licks a plate after dinner, we’re enjoying this balanced and fragrant Southern Rhone. Lovely nose showing garrigue and iodine/olivey notes and very spicy dark berry-skin fruit. Soft and deeply fruity in the mouth, the deep flavors are low-toned and sultry. Acids are fairly low, as expected for this low-latitude warm terroir, but the balance is still quite nice, with a substantial whack of very soft tannin providing some scaffolding. Very satisfying and a good value at $27. One of the nicest Liracs I’ve had in quite a while. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.4

Purchased at the winery in 2024. Damn this is deep. From the 1869 Grandpere Vineyard in Amador County. 1869. The Civil War was still fresh in people’s minds and the grass hadn’t even grown over Abe Lincoln’s body yet. Hard to comprehend in 2025.

Deep and pure black cherry fruit and minerality on the nose. silky and mouthfilling on entry, the mid-palate is large-framed and pulls in savory elements. Long finish. Such a special vineyard and such a special wine. Intensity of flavor without any jamminess or residual sugar or loss of balance. — 12 days ago

Tom Casagrande

Ugh. Completely corked. — 17 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

8% alcohol, slightly sweet sparkling Gamay/Poulsard. Refreshing and fun for a light lunch. Loads of cherry and strawberry. — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.5

About to go outside and grill some Christmas lamb chops. I cannot tell you how many times bottles of various vintages of this special wine purchased on secondary markets—which is the only way worker bees like me can score Fonsalette—have disappointed. But, in a Christmas Miracle, this one’s pristine and sooooo good. Cork intact, very little saturation. High fill. A little amber at the rim, but no more than to be expected for its age. Lovely nose is opening with air (I double decanted) and is showing sultry, inviting scents of wet loamy gravel, pink grapefruit flesh, rich, oozy red berries, and well cared-for leather. So packed with flavor but in a frame that seemingly floats, it’s still got some tannin to shed but it’s quite soft textured. What balance! Quite long.

This is the wine I chose (the ‘83 iteration) in March 1987 when I invited a then-new friend over for grilled (on my fire escape ) lamb chops and Italian green beans (like my Nonna made them). That night became a first date with my wife of over 36 years. So we try to replicate that dinner at least once a year, and this is the first time in quite a while that the Fonsalette delivered and was not the victim of careless storage!!!! I’m a happy boy! — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

Way more nattie funk than the bottle I had a year ago. But tons of bright funk-fruit and nice zingy acids. Very soft textured. A singular wine for rustic food. — 17 days ago