Tom Casagrande

9.1

Before airing, nose was weird and furniture-like. But things normalized quickly. This is one of the more complex non-Ripasso Valpos out there (yes, I know it’s not officially DOC). Nose has bitter cherry, almond, tilled soil (almost like the smell of just-pulled carrots). Great balance, fruit and acid in abundance, soft mouthfeel, lighter weight. Tannins resolved. Bone dry. Finish is minerally and savory. Would work with a wide range of Italian food. I should note that the back label states that this was made in accordance with a 19th century traditional technique, including aging in chestnut and cherrywood barrels. — 5 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

8.7

This is AOC Pinolerese. Basically Barbera with potentially a bunch of other grapes in it. Floral, purple berry nose, with a little crushed rock and sweat notes. Stony and brambly in the mouth, with lots of acidity and crunchy berry fruit. Short, cleansing finish. Decent weeknight dinner wine. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Delicious and complex. Not yet fully mature. Striking, youthful color. Nose has tons of gravel, iodine, chokecherry liqueur. Concentrated and medium-bodied in the mouth. Great acids. Youthfully assertive but reasonably soft tannins. Flavors on the savory side and linger. Can’t wait until the Brasato is done to pair this. — 12 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.7

I wanted to like this more. I really did. It’s got some nice, weedy cassis fruit. But it’s hidden under a blanket of wood-shoppy, coffee grounds scents. It’s got an old-school palate feel, with a certain leanness and fairly high acidity, which I appreciate. But the fruit is pretty thin and the flavors feature more of a dried fall leaves profile. So, meh. — a day ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

As usual, this is a very good rendition. Nose has crisp apple and lemon-lime fruit, high-toned powdered stone, and a meadow flower note. So lively. Intense and vibrant in the mouth. There is a ton of crisp, ripe fruit, zingy acids, limestoney minerality. Floods the mouth with flavors and aromas. Round-textured at the same time. Long finish. Really fine. In 375. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

A crisp, dry, refreshing style. The ‘18 vintage in the Finger Lakes was pretty wet, so lots of growers picked early to avoid rot. I think this falls into that category. The fruit is decidedly on the green Apple side, with lots of cracked stone minerality. Very similar to a good entry-level German Trocken. In the mouth, it’s a bit more intense than the nose suggests, with lots of mouth-watering, crisp green apple fruit and a surprisingly lengthy finish. Straightforward and a good value. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Last bottle of this incredible private label value from Garagiste. Apparently made by Icardi (see cork), this is still not quite at its apogee, but it’s getting close. Classic Barolo nose features clean gravel, ripe macerated cherries, fragrant leather, rose petal, and spice. Mouthfilling flavors of dark cherry, old barrel, and the finish goes savory/minerally as it progresses. Tannin is still abundant and a little puckery at the close, but food will tamp that down. — 14 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This is well-done in a Burgundian style. Nose has bright, sappy cherry fruit, a little stemmy in a good way, some very Burgundian wet earth. In the mouth it’s bone dry, with just-ripe cherry and earth flavors initially and then crushed rocks and savory tones carrying it through to the finish, which has a very slight bitter note (it works). Nice acids. Medium body. Tannins are there if you wait and look for them, but they’re close to resolved. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

@Delectable Wine - this is a weird blend of 33% Merlot, 25% Zin, 24% Petite Sirah, 14% Malbec, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was acquired in a drunken family Christmas present swap game several years ago and I’ve been staring at it periodically in the cellar with some trepidation for quite a while. It’s actually pretty good. The nose is open and ripe, with weedy dark berry fruit and a some dark chocolate (some people prize the chocolate notes more than I do). In the mouth I like the iodine notes, and there is also a fair bit of cassis syrup fruit (the wine’s dry, so don’t worry that I said “syrup”). It finishes on a note of graphite. It’s a little hot (in the finish particularly), but overall is a good wine. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I do, for some reason. Anyway, this is excellent. Very fragrant (with air), showing intense sweet hay, meadow flowers, ginger ale notes, crisp pear, and crushed stone. Intense in the mouth too, but with a weightlessness that is very appealing. Long, minerally, bone dry finish with an almost Muscadet-like quinine thing at the end. — 14 days ago