Tom Casagrande

9.0

Another big boi from this producer. Obviously uses at least a significant proportion of partially dried grapes. Fairly saturated color. Nose is rather subdued, reluctantly giving up scents of leather, underbrush, crushed rock, and dark cherry underneath all of that non-fruit stuff. In the mouth, it’s big, with initial slightly bitter, extracted notes. Tannic. Dissimilar from straight Valpos in its size and austerity. Dissimilar from Ripasso-style Valpos in that the fruit is not especially ripe or sweetish. It will go well with our stuffed shells in red sauce, but is a little challenging on its own. It occurs to me that this might fit in well in a tasting of 2017s from the left bank in Bordeaux. In other words, very atypical for a Valpo. Still, it’s pretty good, as long as you don’t harbor any expectations of typicity.

UPDATE: two nights later (using a vacuum closure), this has actually improved. Kind of amazing for a Valpo of this age. The fruit has moved closer to front-and-center, and it seem a bit more Calpo-like, though it’s still pretty large-framed. Upping score from 8.8 to 9.0. — 4 days ago

Melissa Rocco

10

Lake Como May 2022 Night 1. Smooth and super drinkable. Light flavor. Went well with pasta with mushrooms, artichokes, park — 3 years ago

Christo Barker

9.3

Very good drinkable food wine, but can also hold up with our food. Good cold or room temperature. One of the few Italian grapes grown well in Napa. — 3 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

Ultimate pizza wine. It’s not what you expect from the region, but it is so lovely. Tart fruit some of it kind of tropical but also tart. There’s herbs and maybe fresh cut hay, it is so juicy and yet savory. Excellent wine and price. Great example of a natural wine changing the norm of what you think for the region. — 4 days ago

Brandon Thiessen

9.1

Light, bright, juicy, delicious. Dustiness on the nose makes for a better fit with food. — 3 years ago

James Mitchell

8.9

Elevated yet simple go-to white wine. Bright, warm, graham cracker at the beginning. Sits easy on the back flavors. — 3 years ago

Rolf Bigler

9.0

Preis: CHF 9.95 — 3 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.2

Becoming my favorite Soave wine — 6 months ago

with Sarah

Jay Kline

9.3

Ginestra is arguably one of the most important MGA’s in Monforte d’Alba. It was called out by Renato Ratti back in the early days of Barolo vineyard classification and its home to Gavarini, Chiniera, Rüncot, Pajana and Grassi. As you might imagine, Cascina Chicco’s Ginestra Riserva is more than a Riserva from Ginestra. In fact, the fruit comes from the heart of the single-vineyard known as Grassi which enjoys the best exposure (straight south). However, instead of calling out “Grassi” on the label (which they are entitled to do), Cascina Chicco simply refers to “Ginestra”. Perhaps it’s tradition since Ginestra is so well known. Whatever the case may be, what really matters is that it’s delicious.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over a several hour period. The 2012 Ginestra Riserva pours a deep garnet with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of Morello cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, strawberry, compote, tar, roses, dried green herbs, limestone earth, and faint warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The body is fit and the texture is silky, refined. The finish is long and grippy. As one who doesn’t drink a lot of Riservas (they are expensive and sometimes a bit overdone, particularly when the Classico is just brilliant enough) this is a wonderful example that shows a lot of energy and guts for such a solar vintage. Drink now with patience and through 2042. — 9 months ago

Lani Murray

9.0

Twin Liqours - Hutto — 3 years ago