Tom Casagrande

8.9

Inexpensive old vine blend of 60% Grenache 40% Syrah. The Grenache character really shows. Juicy ripe berries on the nose, a little roasted green herb note, a little licorice. Soft and balanced in the mouth. A little soft tannin. Medium to medium-low acids. Dry, with fruity and savory notes on the palate. Medium length finish. Solid. — 19 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

This is Yakima Valley AVA (not the broader Columbia River AVA). 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah. Love the smoky, sultry nose, rich with dark, vaguely cigar box cured tobacco leaf and dark, oozing berries. A tad more clenched and tannic in the mouth than I’d expected. But there are deep, low-toned flavors underneath. A little scorchy in the finish, but this should pair well with grilled burgers. — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

Second bottle of this very inexpensive Cab, Syrah, Cinsault blend. Everything you want in a versatile, balanced weeknight red with some character. Surprisingly little tannin. Just nice fruit and some savory notes. Goes down very easily. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

The 2020 edition of this wine is excellent. Still on the young side, it’s got a classic Zin nose of pristine brambly blackberry, a lifted note that’s almost but not quite eucalyptus adjacent, and some loamy gravel. Gorgeous balance in the mouth, rich and intense but with an elegant texture, tannins abundant but buried under the concentrated flavors. Flavors balance fruit and savory notes. Long. Love this one. — 16 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

So good and drinkable for a young Barolo. Dark macerated cherries, licorice, and warm gravel on the nose. Loads of concentrated fruit on the palate. Tannin too, but it’s soft and the flavor density more than buries it. Superb balance. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

A nice fully mature Zin, though it certainly will last longer. Almost no sediment, so pooped and poured. The pungent tree bark and cracked Tellichery black pepper I associate with this property are there, but not as prominent as the younger bottles Ive drunk. Some mountain blackberry fruit too. On the palate, it’s rich but pretty zesty on the tongue. The acids and some still present tannins account for that. Lingering dark fruit, bone dry, savory notes in the back half of the palate. Really nice balance for such a big wine. Only 14.5% alcohol, low for an old vine Zin. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Terrific Riesling. Still bright and youthful but very approachable. Nose is zesty with appley fruit, cracked stone minerality, and the faintest bit of petrol. Fruity but bone dry on the palate, with great acids and a minerally finish. Delicious. — 18 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Very earthy nose. Lots of crushed rock but also, surprisingly, a lot of moist woodland underbrush. Also some dark cherry fruit. On the palate, it’s very soft. Hard cherry candy fruit comes through first, and then a drying minerality tries to muscle in, but there’s enough fruit to maintain balance. Lowish acids but mineral freshness. Drink these over the next year or two, preferably with food. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Perhaps my favorite of the big negociant houses in Chablis. Very consistently high quality. Classic nose on this one. Tons of dirty limestone minerality, a little chicken brothy note, ripe appley fruit. Flavors pretty classic too. Mineral, bitter-tinged apple skin. Zero oak. Soft and mouthfilling. Acids a bit on the low side, but the minerality and bitter edge keep it fresh. Nicely done. For drinking in the short term. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Had a bottle of this about 4 years ago and it seemed a little scorchy and astringent, though there was decent fruit. I thought, with a degree of caution, that it might improve with a few years of age, and it has. Nose is quite unique, with loads of very iron-y baked earth, some old furniture scent, but still some nice red fruit. Nice attack with fruit leading, but the bone dry palate then transitions to savory notes. Tannins have softened, but still a teensy bit drying in the finish. Will go nicely with a scottiglia (of sorts) that’s braising. — 14 days ago