Tom Casagrande

9.2

This is a terrific Valpo. It doesn’t seem as weighty as those made from partially dried or super-ripe grapes, but neither is it as light as the old-school traditional Valpos were back in the 70s and 80s. It’s got a boisterous nose with lively, zingy ripe cherry, and nice hints of almond and twiggy underbrush. Rather electric in the mouth, with forceful but crackling, slightly bitter-tinged cherry fruit. Savory and stony on the long finish. Big acid drive. Some very fine-grained chalky tannin gives a teensy bit of scaffolding. Really fine, and a terrific value. — 12 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

I think this is peaking. From a marginal year but really nice. Lots of cedar and a little roasted peanut note augmenting some nice, mellow cassis fruit on the nose. A big whack of intense flavors on initial entry, with tannins still there but softening. A teensy bit drying on the finish, but damn this is nice with grilled butterflied leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Last bottle of this. Drinking so well right now. Great Cote-de-Nuits character in a user-friendly, drink-me-now style. Developing more savory notes since my last bottle. Such nice balance — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

Really flavorful weeknight red from this top-flight Zin specialist. And there’s no Zin it it! Ripe, juicy, earthy nose has deep, dark, oozy berry fruit, a wet tobacco-y vegetal note, sweet spices, a whiff of smoky sandalwood, and maple syrup. It’s zingy and has a little peppery alcohol character, but there’s lots of ripe fruit and nice gravelly notes on the palate as well. Not the most elegant and composed, but plenty of character. — a day ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Pretty intense pink color. Takes a little time for the nose to hit its stride, but then is redolent of cherry Pinot fruit (in a brighter iteration than for a red). Vigorous in the mouth. Lot of bright fruit, with strawberry and cherry, and some nice stony minerality underneath. This could age a few years and improve, actually, but really nice now. — 4 days ago

with Rebecca

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Nice, perky wine for a ‘20. Crisp, minerally. Nice lemon-tinged apple fruit. Pretty decent value as white burgs go. — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This is so complex and resolved. I love the campfirey, smokey notes in the nose. There’s also still some mature berry fruit note and musky florals. In the mouth, the acids are quite nice and the flavors are gravitating towards the savory. This is a really nice mature style. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This is really good for a basic ruby port. Dried plum, richly fruited and hint of dried fruit as well. Nice intensity and length and balance. This is easily the best ruby I’ve had. My niece and her husband just brought this back from Portugal. — 4 days ago

with Rebecca

Tom Casagrande

8.8

A little disappointed this Carinena weighs in at 15%. I wish Garagiste would give some basic info when they offered wines. Still, it’s pretty good, if a little ripe for my taste. Lots of rich raspberry and kirsch fruit on the nose. Some crushed slate type minerality. On the palate, loads of deep fruit. Decent acids. Not the most complex but solid. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This is a terrific buy in a juicy deep, balanced CDRV. 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Counoise. Very juicy and pure on the nose, nice vibrancy. On the palate, fruit and lots of crushed stone are the primary players. Nice acids, and a little bitterish note livens up the finish. Not complex, but a very satisfying week night dinner pull.

UPDATE: 48 hours later, still fresh and a little more smoky complexity. — 8 days ago