Tom Casagrande

9.1

This up-front, fleshy Chianti is drinking really nicely right now. Pretty extroverted nose shows dark, macerated cherry, iodiney minerality, and a little loamy soil. In the mouth it’s pretty full, with a big whack of fruit initially, some tertiary notes developing and becoming apparent in the back half of the palate. Decent acids and still some soft tannin providing some scaffolding. I’d like a bit more linearity and persistence in the finish but for a ‘18 it’s darn nice. — a day ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Brouilly, to me, is the fruitiest of the crus, and this is fruit in spades. So tangy and fruity. A bit of barnyard funk on the nose adds complexity. Very zingy and fruity in the mouth. Downright tangy!

UPDATE: After a couple hours of air, this is getting funkier and funkier. Clearly a low- or no-sulfite wine. I Vacuvin-ed a bit to see whether it will even be drinkable on night 2. My guess is it won’t be. (Further update: it was still good but it became clear to me that the funkiness was I was getting on night one was actually brett, which was somehow easier for me to identify the next night.) — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

High stakes fall baseball and a Sancerre rouge. This is quite nice for the difficult ‘21 vintage. Color is super light. Nose is quite fragrant, with wafting sweet cherry juice, a mid-toned floral note, and flinty crushed stone. Enters gently on the palate, with cherry juice leading, but a bitterish note quickly appears and accelerates on the slightly short finish. Overall, a fine effort given conditions, and lovely with a simply roasted chicken. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

@Delectable Wine - This is the Schlossberg Riesling. Whoa this is not a beginner’s Riesling. Intensely minerally nose with a significant fresh green herbal component. There is also some green apple / citrus pith fruit. Bone dry in the mouth, with nice weight, pretty good acids, and loads of stony minerality. — 2 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This Menetou-Salon Rose is an unbelievable value. Gorgeous strawberry fruit with a dash of minerality. Dry, fruity, balanced, nice intensity. I should have bought a bunch of this. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

A solid Chianti Classico to go with a mess of broccoli rabe and homemade salchicia with pasta. Comfort! Not the most complex, but loads of dark, sour cherry fruit, a balsamic note, and a bit of crushed gravel. Good intensity and balance in the mouth. Not the lengthiest but satisfying!

UPDATED: After two nights under a vacuum closure, it’s much deeper and more complete. Upping initial 8.9 score to 9.1, on the condition that, if drunk before 2027, it needs to be opened for a while before it struts its stuff. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

This really straddles the Saint-Emilion/Napa divide well. Nose is rich, smoky, plummy, with some dark minerally notes. On the palate, it’s deep but not opulently fruity. Still a significant amount of tannin, a little bit of austerity. Zero jamminess or cloying fruitiness. Will work well with rich food. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This has filled out nicely since my last bottle. Earthy, deeply cherryish nose. In the mouth, it’s dense but lithe macerated cherry, getting savory on the long finish. Full, but with nice acids. Damn this was an amazing value. I’m sorry that this is my last one. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

@Delectable Wine, this is the Brut. Tastes and smells like the most intense apples off the random apple tree growing in my elementary school friend’s backyard in Western Massachusetts in 1970. (That’s a good thing.) 6% alcohol. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Making Arroz con Pollo, so this seems appropriate. I love seeking out Garnachas in Rioja, since I love the terroir but am not a huge Tempranillo fan. The very slight fizziness on pop’n pour and the hint of funk on the nose suggests natty or near-natty methods. Earth and a little barnyard accompany tart mountain red berries, cherries, and pomegranate. The slight barnyard carries through on the palate, with a leather note enveloping the cherry fruit. The tannins are young but not so dominant that they detract. Acidity is medium. Very distinctive wine. It will be interesting to how it develops over the next couple of hours (i.e., will it go deeper into the farm or shake it off and show more fruit character). — 14 days ago