Tom Casagrande

9.2

Quick double decant. After 15 minutes, it’s already cookin’. Nose shows cassis, clay, a little underbrush, a slight menthol note, a little violet. Lots going on. Rich and a little macho in the mouth, like many ‘18s. There’s a fair whack of soft tannin, but it’s already drinking well. Intense and full. Not elegant, but gives you more than your money’s worth of flavor. Certainly will be better in 5 years or so. — a day ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Very fragrant nose shows very pure blackberry fruit with autumnal spices and smoky gravel note. Open yet with some nice structure on the palate. Dry, non-jammy, classic style. Finish is clingy and dry, with tannins on the tongue to the last. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Wanted to pop one of these because my Delectable friend @Austin Hohnke had a bottle that seemed a little oxidative, but no worries with this bottle! It seems a little youthful and tight, actually. Wonderful nose opens with air to show intense limestoney mineral dust and lemony fruit. Crisp and intense in the mouth. Loads of limestone tones. As usual for Mont Damnes Sancerre, it ain’t that fruity, but damn it’s fine. I think @Austin Hohnke’s bottle was, unfortunately, a flawed or damaged bottle. — 12 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

Lots of crushed granite on the nose. High-toned cherry fruit. Am I getting a slight whiff of VA? The palate is more settled. With very clear, deep fruit, and a good whack of chalky tannin. Nice now. Probably better in 2 years. — 2 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Pungently delicious. The nose jumps out of the glass with olive brine, asparagus, smoky cinders, wet cement, and some deep berry ooze underneath all that funk. In the mouth it’s soft and has good acids. The tannins are overt but relatively fine-grained. Very aromatic in the mouth too. The fruit is more present in the mouth than on the nose, but after the initial whack it gives way to more savory, mineral aspects. Only thing that detracts is that the finish is a little shorter than I expected. — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

Disclaimer: Barbera is not among my faves. Barbera fans may rate this higher than I would. That said, this is pretty nice. It’s got Barbera’s tangy berryness in spades on the nose. But there’s a nice gravelly component that keeps it from being overbearing. Fruity and tangy on the palate. Very Barbera. It’ll go well with leftover pasta with meatballs. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Drinking well now, this has pretty good structure and acids for an ‘18. Dark macerated cherry, spice, and low-toned earthy minerals on the nose. Vigorous in the mouth, with acids, alcohol, and tannin jockeying with each other for primacy. Clingy dark cherry and savory minerals on the palate. This will easily keep and improve over the next 5 years. — 13 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

Nose is very precise, with pure dark cherry and a little raspberry overtone. Some crushed rock there. In the mouth there nice intensity and fruit, but a bitterness takes over pretty quickly and persists into a somewhat astringent finish. Good with food. A little too demanding on its own. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Nose is reticent but what is there is on the weedy side. There’s also some pungent minerality, with some nice cassis fruit struggling to peek through. Deep and savory in the mouth, with very nice acids keeping things youthful-feeling. Still a fair amount of very fine tannin. This reminds me of a good Listrac. Still has years to go. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

A little aperitif before I venture outside into the cold to grill. This is quite nice. Deep peachy apple fruit on the nose, with smoky crushed rock minerality. Remarkable depth and such an elegant mouthfeel. It’s not very complex, but it has a nice interplay of ripe fruit and minerality in the mouth. Very nice balance. Fantastic value. — 8 days ago