Tom Casagrande

9.0

One of my favorite wines to have with basic pasta with tomato sauces (with or without meat) is Argentine Bonarda. Unfortunately we’re overrun with effing Malbec and Bonarda remains hard to find in the states, even though it’s widely grown in Argentina. This has the classic dark, purply color. Tangy dark mountain berries, crushed rocks, and bitter herbs on the nose. A blast of flavor initially, fading quickly into lingering minerals and acids. (A flavor profile that just works with the aforementioned pasta.). Cheap and good. Glad I stumbled on this. (Not sure why @Delectable Wine published my notes a second time as a comment 🤷) — 16 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

I opened and double decanted this more out of curiosity than a desire to have it accompany our braised lamb shanks. I had a bottle of it back around 2013 or 2014 and it was about as impenetrably tannic as a wine could be. Undrinkable at that time. So I kept the other bottle in the cellar and forgot about it. At age 20, it’s actually pretty good, and I think it would appeal especially to those (looking at you @Doug Powers ) who appreciate aged wine. My brother Angelo’s notes from a bottle a few months ago nail it. Rich nose, full of interesting tertiary scents. There’s still some fruit though. Piercing acids. And the tannins still there but has softened considerably. It’s not my jam, pleasure-wise, but it’s quite interesting and I have to give this credit for aging quite nicely. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Just popped and poured. No sediment to speak of yet. Nose features intense mineral notes over fruit at present, almost verging on iodiney, with the dark pure cherry lurking underneath waiting for an opening. The palate is deep and nicely filled out, with the fruit showing up there. Terrific balance and intensity. Really nice. Will keep. 9.2 for now. Could go higher. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This dirt-cheap 80% Montepulciano 20%Sangiovese from my ancestral homeland is pretty good. Tons of earthy, leathery fruit on the nose. Bright, zingy and super-youthful palate feel. Lots of tangy fruit. Those who love zestiness will like this now; I think it’ll calm down and be even better in a year. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

This is the Stadtbrediimus Coteaux Auxerrois. And it’s yet and another value-priced winner from Luxembourg. Such pure orchard fruit on the nose, and some wet straw earthy scents. Crisp, pure and very fruity on the palate. Not complex but very fun. — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.4

From the Vielles Vignes Corcelette series that Bouland divides by soil type. I opened it too young but patience is not a strength of mine. Nose has dark cherry fruit, so ripe and pure, and loads of crushed stone. Tightly wound on the palate for a Bojo, but nevertheless showing ridiculous depth of flavor. It’s still a bit tannic and there’s a slight astringent note in the finish, but a few more years in the cellar would have tamed those things. In fact, as it’s opening up, the depth of fruit is smothering it. Just excellent — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

My last bottle of the 2020, one of the riper versions I’ve had of this consistently excellent cuvée. Such deeply ripe gooseberry fruit that it crosses over into tropical. But there’s loads of freshness in the form of limestoney mineral scents. Ripe and deep on entry, but then the sneaky acids and the minerality clamps down, making the finish mouthwatering. Terrific accompaniment to our simple broiled haddock weeknight dinner. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

The label also says “Le Mourre de la Caille,” but I’m not sure if that’s just a motto for the domaine or it’s a different cuvée. It’s a 70/20/10 GSM. Only 14% alcohol. The nose is invitingly fruity, with deep spicy dark berry fruit and a little of the old time Southern Rhone iodiney minerality. Mouthfilling, with deeply fruity, low-toned dark berry fruity and savory flavors. It’s ripe but not too ripe or jammy. And there’s quite a bit of soft tannin buried under the fruit-alanche. I really like this. — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Wow this is really good. I’m not sure why that’s surprising me since this is a good producer. I guess I just was thinking, white Fixin?

The nose has explosive fruit, very pure notes of peach/pear, loads of moist gravel scents, wet straw and a whiff of spice. Very nice intensity and balance. A wallop of deep fruit up front on the palate, but then it gets quite dry and minerally, finishing long with a prominent but pleasant bitterish thing. Really fine. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This is an infant, but I have a couple of bottles and gave in to curiosity. Wonderful nose. Deep pure dark berries, and tremendously deep and complex earthy tones of warmed loamy gravel, almost a resiny herbal garrigue thing, and smoky balsa wood. So sniffable. On the palate, it’s quite coiled at present but still very drinkable. Surprising acids. Some chalky tannin in the finish. The back label says there’s an astringent note in finish and that’s true. But it’s quite pleasant and balanced by fruit. I hope I have the patience to wait at least 5 years for the next bottle. But damn this is nice now. — 12 days ago