Tom Casagrande

9.2

Welp. Delectable ate my contemporaneous notes. Post hoc memories are that this wine had lots of nice, spicy mineral-tinged fruit and really nice balance. A great value. — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

I’ve rarely had a Zin as Burgundian-styled as this is. Medium color saturation. Gorgeous nose of oozy ripe red and black berry fruit and a warm terra cotta tiles and sandstone earthiness. Alcohol (only 14.3%) and tannin all in balance. Long finish. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Wowza. Just double-decanted this to accompany osso buco Milanese. Right out of the gate, the nose is singing. Amazing tertiary scents of just-conditioned rich mahogany and deep earthy spice accompany bright mineral/flecked damp earth, and ripe cherry fruit with a berryish overtone. Earthy and linear on the palate. There’s still some fruit, but it’s quite savory and mineral. Very clingy and with bright acids in the long finish. Can’t wait for the braise to be ready to have with this. Superb. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

My last bottle of the 2020, one of the riper versions I’ve had of this consistently excellent cuvée. Such deeply ripe gooseberry fruit that it crosses over into tropical. But there’s loads of freshness in the form of limestoney mineral scents. Ripe and deep on entry, but then the sneaky acids and the minerality clamps down, making the finish mouthwatering. Terrific accompaniment to our simple broiled haddock weeknight dinner. — 13 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Saturated color. Inky. Nose is medium intensity, showing lots of smoky crushed low-toned stone notes and deep dark ripe berries. Some roasted meat notes. Deep and savory and clingy in the mouth. Still a lot of tannin to shed, but pleasant now anyway. Give this at least 5 years. 9.0 for now from a pleasure standpoint. Likely significantly higher later. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

A delicious, if young, Alsace Pinot Noir. Medium intensity, youthful color. Nose charges out of the batter’s box with musky, fragrant cherries, crushed stone and meadow soil, and a bit of exotic spice. Dry bit with delicious fruit on palate entry, turning lean and emphasizing chalky but soft tannins, good acids, and savory minerals as the palate progresses. A lot of fun to drink now but plainly will get even more interesting over the next few years. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This dirt-cheap 80% Montepulciano 20%Sangiovese from my ancestral homeland is pretty good. Tons of earthy, leathery fruit on the nose. Bright, zingy and super-youthful palate feel. Lots of tangy fruit. Those who love zestiness will like this now; I think it’ll calm down and be even better in a year. — 12 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Intensely mineral nose, with maybe a hint of bitter herb. Little fruit on offer today at this geology fair. A little green apple fruit hits the palate at first, but quickly transitions to mineral and pleasantly green pithy notes. Terrific acids. Amazingly refreshing. Bone bone dry. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

It’s got spice, lychee, pear, and some nice subtle stony minerality in the nose. On the palate it’s off-dry, but has fairly nice balancing acids (for a Gewurz). This is a Gewurz that avoids cloyingness, which can be an issue for some people, very well. For me, a Gewurz fan, this is outstanding. — 4 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

One of my favorite wines to have with basic pasta with tomato sauces (with or without meat) is Argentine Bonarda. Unfortunately we’re overrun with effing Malbec and Bonarda remains hard to find in the states, even though it’s widely grown in Argentina. This has the classic dark, purply color. Tangy dark mountain berries, crushed rocks, and bitter herbs on the nose. A blast of flavor initially, fading quickly into lingering minerals and acids. (A flavor profile that just works with the aforementioned pasta.). Cheap and good. Glad I stumbled on this. (Not sure why @Delectable Wine published my notes a second time as a comment 🤷) — 11 days ago