Tom Casagrande

8.8

Used to drink this regularly 25-30 years ago (with a different label and bottle shape), so I was interested to see it again. It’s still got that pure, raspberry ooze fruit on the nose. Very comforting. A little crushed stone. Straightforward and balanced in the mouth. Sneaky acids and a barely noticeable cargo of finely chalky tannin.

PS - If you’re on CellarTracker, please leave your handle in a comment so I can follow you there, as I’ve started an account because of this app’s constant issues. — 21 hours ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

From the Yakima region, this is not a particularly demonstrative wine. Shy nose has some whiffs of toast and peachy/apple fruit. Fairly full and low-toned in the mouth. The acids are lowish but this till seems pretty youthful. Got this for next to nothing so I’m pretty pleased with it. — 8 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Popped and double decanted to remove some sediment. Very earthy nose, with a pleasantly sweet barnyard note, goes along with some ripe, oozing cherry fruit. A little limestone minerality too. Tighter and more youthful in the mouth than I expected, with tight cherry fruit and lots of acid and stony minerality. Some not-quite-soft tannin too. A slight bitter note on the tail end of the finish. Probably should have waited a few years but it’ll be nice with the simmering coq au vin. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

Deep gold. Rich nose almost reminiscent of a 1970s-era Napa Chardonnay, with sweet cream, a little unsalted butter, deep pear fruit, almost verging into tropical fruit territory. Deep in the mouth as well, with deep pear and lots of mineral texture. Seems almost tannic. Although Garagiste didn’t disclose this when they offered it (at a very good price), it’s 15.5% alc! (If I’d known, I’d have passed.) Overall, it’s a good wine, though I doubt I’d have been able to call Viognier blind.

PS- If you’re on CellarTracker, please leave your handle in a comment so I can follow you there, as I’ve started an account because of this app’s constant issues. — 2 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Superb. This is comparable to a high quality premier cru. Biodynamically grown, the nose is so bright and engaging. Apple, citrus zest, some sort of pit fruit that comes close to peach. And the intense, clean, oceany limestone scents of course. I could sniff this all night. In the mouth it’s intensely mineral, and somewhat leaner than the nose suggests. Bone bone dry, with good flavor intensity and length. Very nice acids. 9.2, but with a tad more fruit on the palate it easily would have been a 9.3 — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.0

I am super-sensitive to oxidation and I’m detecting some premox here. The color is the first clue. An alarmingly dark brassy gold. Nose is not as premox-y as the color, but the fruit is on the way out. Surprising acids however, and, of course, intense Auxey minerality. It’s OK but I’m disappointed given the producer and the vineyard. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This is the Silex cuvée, not the regular Pouilly-Fume. @Delectable Wine

This is so good. Nose has surprisingly ripe orchard and gooseberry fruit, along with low-toned stony minerality and a yeasty note. In the mouth the depth of flavor is remarkable. Deep, intense minerality and enough ripe fruit to keep it from being too severe. Modest acids, just enough to balance. This is drinking beautifully right now. Drink and enjoy over the next couple of years. — 14 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

2023 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie. Delicious. A meatier-styled Bojo, the nose displays deep oozy dark berries and black cherries, and granite-packed loam earthiness. Fleshy-textured in the mouth, it’s not a crisp style but it’s still decently fresh. Concentrated and deep flavors of sandstoney minerality and dark berries. A bit of textural tannin provides some framing. Really nice. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.3

Me buying inexpensive Bordeaux that is said to represent great value is like Charlie Brown repeatedly thinking Lucy isn’t going to yank the football away THIS time. A decent Medoc, with classic sharp pungent clay earthiness, and not a hella ripe fruit. A bit austere and quite lean in the mouth. At least it’s not too tannic. Surprising amount of acidity. Overall, Meh. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

I just read my notes from 6 months ago and they seem to still apply. Terrific, mature Walla Walla Syrah obtained for a song. — 12 days ago