Tom Casagrande

8.8

Truncated party notes. Loads of bright red fresh and dried fruit in the nose. A bit of spice and warm fragrant gravel too. Soft and easy-going on the palate. Kind of reminds me of a Valpo Ripasso. — 19 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

This bottle was corked, but Donald Trump was federally indicted, so today is a 10! — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

I suppose since this is Castello di Ama I shouldn’t be surprised it’s very good. Gobs of ripe fruit and freshness on the nose, with a nice crushed rock background. In the mouth, it’s dry, fresh as heck, and has good concentration and balance. Totally dry. Phenomenal with Chinese takeout on a warm evening. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

A fair amount of Chianti character and complexity in a gulpable package. Nose has pure macerated dark cherry fruit, plenty of iron-y and iodine-y savory notes, crushed gravel, and a dusky floral note. Soft and fluid-textured in the mouth, it’s medium bodied, has modest acids, and some very fine-grained tannin. Open and inviting right now, but the next couple of years will be kind. — 12 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.7

Truncated party notes. This is the Vermentino. Straw and some orchard fruit on the nose. Nice freshness on the palate with fruit and mineral notes. Nice summer cookout wine! — 19 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Very drinkable ‘17 — a vintage that kind of reminds me of some of the Bordeaux vintages I cut my teeth on, like ‘81 and ‘79. Not big, but with a cooling savoriness and restrained fruit. Cedar, gravel, dried twigs, iodine and some cassis fruit on the nose. Elegant, flowing palate with a relaxed feel and just enough very soft tannin to give some structure. Long finish. Surprisingly good! — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

Fair amount of Brett in this GSM. It’s not making it undrinkable but it’s definitely detracting. Underneath there is some nice, sultry berry ooze fruit on the nose, and some warm gravel. I like the physical parameters in the mouth: soft, medium-full body, good concentration, very nice acids. The fruit is nowhere near jammy, which I appreciate, and there are nice savory elements as well. I just wish the Brett weren’t there. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This is not the Reserva. The nose has some complexity, with deep-toned squished berries, some dry underbrush and spice, and a fair amount of high-toned cracked stone minerality. In the mouth it’s got loads of pulpy dark fruit and some deep savory elements. A clingy finish with just a bit of tannin and decent acids. The nose is more complex than the palate, but at this value pricepoint, I’m not complaining. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Shockingly light color. I was looking for a light red to go with a bright grilled chicken dish and this fits the bill. Fresh cherries and bright stony minerality. Fresh and crisp in the mouth. Zingy! — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.6

Ripe fruit, meadow clover, and chalk dust on the nose. The nose is a lot friendlier than the demanding palate. Minerals minerals minerals. Pretty good acids. A slightly bitter note in the finish. — 11 days ago