Tom Casagrande

8.9

Loads of unusual character here. Nose has pungent violets and cracked stone, and even an oceanic iodine element. Intensely zingy and minerally, light-bodied (12%) but rapier-like focus. A great value choice to cut through rich, rustic food. — a day ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

This took an hour to open up, but then got very fragrant. Ripe cherry juice, some clean loamy earth, a hint of toasted maple syrup. Zingy acids in the mouth, with intense cherry/mineral flavors and a a long finish. Really nice, but maybe a couple years more in the cellar will bring the complexity that takes it up a notch. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.5

Ridiculous. Intense nose of the richest macerated cherry, warm gravel, and bit of baking spice/incense. Intensely flavored and full, but with nice acid balance and still quite a bit of soft tannin. Great concentration and a lengthy finish that you don’t want to end. Exceptional. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

A darn good value, if not quite at the extraordinary quality level of the ‘13. Nose has straw-laced Chardonnay fruit accented with melted butter-drizzled Burgundian gravel. Soft and mouthfilling. Pretty good concentration but is a little looser than the 13 version as the acids are there but are softer than many 14s. Hard to complain however at a mid-$20s price point (if I am remembering correctly). — 2 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This was our favorite Gewurz on our recent Finger Lakes trip. The nose is amazing. A gorgeous floral component, ripe peach, a little lychee. In the mouth, it’s just barely off-dry, with a restrained minerally earthiness taking charge over a bit of ripe fruit. Decent acids and an ever-so-slight bitter note conclude. Really nicely done. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

A little White Burg to help the cooking along. If you like your Chardonnay with a lot of fruit, this is not your type. Lean and minerally. A bit of barely ripe peach and apple on the nose, but decidedly taking a back seat to lemon-drenched stones. Great acids and loads of lean, juicy stoniness in the mouth. A character. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

A relatively delicate take on Walla Walla Syrah. Nose has herb-tinged sweet, tangy red fruit, clean river stones, and a sweet cured meat note. So soft-textured in the mouth. Initially very cracked-stone minerally but then, on the extended finish, the fruit comes through. Very distinctive. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Yup, got some barnyard action, but it’s still very good. Barnyardy funk nudges out sappy red berry fruit on the nose. The palate is crisp and intense, with way less funk than the nose. Electric cherry fruit, crushed high-toned rock, and an intense savory component. Long, mouthwatering finish. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

My favorite Valtellina producer. Consistently exemplary wine. Medium intensity nose of great purity: dark cherry, alpine rocks, brambly underbrush. Lean but with intense dark cherry fruit in the front half of the palate, transitioning to intensely refreshing cracked rock minerality. Very nice acidity and lots of fine-grained chalky tannin. Will only get better over the next 5 years. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This looks incredibly youthful. The nose is quite pungent with lemon pith and gasoline and a note that reminds me of being a kid and rummaging through my grandmother’s attic. The palate is better than the nose, with slate-tinged lemon oil fruit. Seems surprisingly dry for a Spat. Great acids on the lemon drop finish. A treat! — 11 days ago