Tom Casagrande

9.1

Prior notes from 6 months ago still seem accurate. Thanks to my brother for this delicious lighter red. It’s almost as though making a lighter, food-friendly, warm-weather friendly red is becoming a lost art. They won’t get the high critic points, but there are so many circumstances where this is what works, but so few choices in this category. — 2 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Many CCC old vine wines I’ve had tend to be open and friendly right out of the gate, but this guy is serious and a bit more reserved. Nose is a bit shy but shows dark, sultry berry fruit, some fragrant loamy earthiness, and moist underbrush. In the mouth it’s surprisingly structured, with a steely core of tightly-wound fruit lurking behind a bit of tight tannin and some nice acids. This needs a couple more years but your patience will be rewarded. 9.1 for now with significant upside potential. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This is Garagiste’s private label but the cork gives away that this is from Davide Carlone, a really good Novarese producer. And it’s drinking superbly. So fragrant and complex, earth, tar, rich plummy and dried cherry fruit, a bit of spice. Even better in the mouth. Soft and so resolved, all manner of secondary and tertiary notes completing the remaining, still-deep, dark dried cherry fruit. Very concentrated flavors, contrasting with the somewhat lightish color. Forcefully long finish, with still a fair amount of soft tannin reminding. Nice acids. Superb. — 10 days ago

with Rebecca

Tom Casagrande

9.4

A bit young but oh so good. Wonderfully complex nose has bright black raspberry fruit, fragrant stony gravel, high-toned backing spice, mid-purple florals. A little youthfully angular in the mouth, but with brightness and fruit and concentration and length. The purity of fruit is ridiculous. In 3 or 4 more years this will be even more amazing. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

From one of the smaller, lesser known sectors that comprise the Chianti Classico area (Barberino Tavarnelle), this is a rather rustic version, but with nice character. The color is a bit evolved, showing a fair amount of amber at the rim. Nose has lots of ripe/sour cherry, and quite a bit of gravelly loamy earth. Some leathery notes already present. Full-flavored in the mouth, with a big whack of fruit initially, freighted on some rustic, slightly coarse tannin. The finish dries out a bit, but it’s no doubt a nice weeknight dinner companion. Not confident about aging this one much longer, so enjoy soon. — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.6

I used to get this 25 years ago but haven’t had it since. I remembered it being a little more compact than this loosey-goosey, super-ripe version (15%!). Nose is identifiably ripe Garnacha, with deep raspberry ooze fruit, a little spice, and some warm, crushed stoney gravel. Ripe and low-acid in the mouth, it’s rich and full-flavored, but a bit one-dimensional. Not bad. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This is surprisingly excellent. So fragrant, with rich orchard fruits, light honey, sweet butter, and stones plucked from a brook. Terrific balance of Pinot Gris richness but nice acids and mineral freshness in the mouth. Luxembourg for the win! — 10 days ago

with Rebecca

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This is really good. Pairing it with Polpettone alla Toscana. Color is surprisingly youthful for a 10-year old. Very complex nose has rich dark cherry, loads of iodine-rich dark minerality, a little clove, old leather, “rich mahogany” a la Ron Burgundy. In other words, primary, secondary, and tertiary all in play. Tight, almost austere in the mouth, still tannic. Evolving quite slowly. Wonderful concentration and length. It needs the rich food. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Sort of an old school Willamette style, bridging the gap between old-timey Cali Chardonnay and white burgundy. Fair amount of toasty oak on the nose, but it’s kind of elegant nonetheless. Butter, lactic creamy notes. And lemony fruit. Tart acids, but not too tart zing along the big flavors on the palate. As with lots of new world Chardonnay, I get the feeling that this winery really really wants this wine to be Meursault or Puligny or Chassagne, and so the winery works super hard to put on the right amount of makeup, fussing over the wine in the mirror for hours till it’s just right. But white burgundy just feels like it pulls it off without trying. And I feel that difference in a lot of new world Chardonnay. All that said, it’s a tasty and fun wine. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This hs mellowed considerably since my last bottle two years ago. I wasn’t impressed then with its tannic and scorchy character, but the scorchiness is gone and tannins are receding. Gorgeous , iron-ey, smoky mineral scents accent deep red fruit. Still tannic in the mouth, but they’re softer and quite integrated. Deep, smoky, minerally flavors. Very nice. — 10 days ago

with Rebecca