Tom Casagrande

9.2

Fragrant and structured. Densely colored with no bricking. Lovely nose shows rich cassis fruit, a bit of scorched earth, a little clovey oak (not too much), ashy cigars, and a note that reminds me of collard greens simmering with a smoked ham hock. Very youthful in the mouth, with vigorous tannin giving lots of structure. Clingy but somewhat austere in the mouth. This plainly needs more time than I thought it would. It’s still nice on its own before dinner, but should be better with rich food.

UPDATE: Now, after two hours open, this has become soft and friendlier than it was. Still nicely structured, but the fruit is more welcoming. — a day ago

Tom Casagrande

8.8

A lot of character in a rustic format. Tons of inky graphite on the nose, with roasted pork and dark berry skins. Rich but tannic in the mouth. Lots of dark, savory flavors. The tannin isn’t exactly soft, but it’s not out of whack either. Without any bright berry fruit concentration in the mid-palate and with lowish acids, I’d venture that this will never come fully into an elegant balance. So I’d drink this up in the shorter term for its rustic bullishness.

UPDATE: On night 2, a bit more fruit is showing in the mid-palate. Upping score from 8.7 to 8.8. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Nose is a bit shy out of the gate, but shows a bit of ripe cassis and a slight herbal note. On the palate it’s nicely concentrated, with dark berry/cassis fruit and a subtle garrigue-like earthiness. A fair amount of tannin is present, but it’s soft and doesn’t intrude. Very nice balance. Reminds me a bit of my memory of the 1981 version of Chateau Vignelaure I used to sell back in the day. It’s mostly some old vine Cabernet, with a bit of Syrah and Cinsault. — 11 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

This is right up my Grenache-happy alley. First off, what a vibrant purply color! Very pure kirsch and dark raspberry fruit on the nose, complicated by a teensy bretty/farmyard note. On the palate, it’s very youthful and vigorous, maybe even a little rustically angular. The minerality is textural here. Like there are nano-particles of rock dust in the wine. Very good flavor intensity. The acids are lowish, but the rocky minerality compensates. Only 13% stated alcohol! Superb value, and very food flexible (like many Grenaches). — 3 days ago

Tom Casagrande

Corked. Ugh. Down the drain. — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

@Delectable Wine - This is the 2021 Dominique & Romain Collet Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre. The nose combines classic Chablis scents of lemon-drenched dried oyster shells and limestone, with perhaps just a tad too much clovey new oak. On the palate, the initial attack is great, with zingy acidity and lemony fruit. The mid-palate is a little disappointing for lack of concentration, though the flavors are quite nice. Finishes a tad short for a wine with this pedigree (i.e., good producer and great climat). I like it a lot but am a prisoner to my higher expectations. — 9 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Last of three bottles of this. It’s never been the fruitiest or friendliest Brunello. And it’s still quite tannic, but it’s resolving well and, in my view, at its peak. To wait longer for the remaining tannins to fully drop would be at the expense of the remaining fruit. Color is going brown at the rim. Nice intensity and decent balance right now. Mostly tertiary notes, but there is a core of morphing fruit underneath. Should go well with the Tuscan beef stew (Peposo) I’m making. — 5 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Drinking wonderfully now but could easily sit several more years in a cool cellar and improve even more. Nose takes a little time to open up but develops beautiful scents, with an initial whiff of camphor, followed by very pure macerated wild cherry, classic rose petals, a little rich mahogany furniture. Nicely linear and concentrated in the mouth, still quite a bit of soft tannin present, surprisingly nice acids. Great balance. I’m sipping it by itself while braising a pork loin Neapolitan style, and can’t wait to drink this with the meal. — 6 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Really well done in a lighter-styled red burg. Rather delicate and pure cherry scents, not too tart, not too oozy, accompanied by damp gravelly earth scents. In the mouth it’s very well balanced, fairly soft for such a young wine. Loads of high-toned crushed rock minerality in the savory but bright palate. The cherries are there but hanging back. Nice acidity! This is not for long cellaring but there’s no rush. A very nice roast chicken wine! (PS-one of the things I like about this domaine is that they put a lot of info about the wine on the side label, unusual for Burgundy producers.) — 7 days ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

This is the 2021 Ziegler (Cave de Beblenheim) Mambourg Gewurztraminer Grand Cru. The “Ziegler” brand is one of the brand names used by this well-regarded co-op. I love the balance on this wine. This nose is classic Gewurz, but in a restrained fashion. Lychee, pear, deep floral notes, river stones. Off-dry on the palate, it’s got nice fruit initially, accompanied by some nice stony minerality. A nice bitter note enlivens the finish. Decent acids for a Gewurz! Superb value (I got it for $22 from WTSO) — 12 days ago