Tom Casagrande

9.2

Day 3 notes this time (after closure under a vacuum seal). This is arguably better than it was on night 1. Made from a certain percentage of partially dried grapes, as I understand it. The dried cherry notes sing through. Also Alpine dried twigs and flowers. Elegant and persistent in the mouth. Excellent acids. Since the Patriots aren’t doing well, I’ve turned off the Super Bowl and have put on what I think may be my favorite piece of music: Shostakovich’s Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87, for piano. Listening to Sofia Sacco’s 2025 recording. Wonderful, but I’m not sure it hits me quite like Keith Jarrett’s 1992 rendition, which transports me somewhere else. — 11 days ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

I taste earthiness, and cherries. Good mouth feel and light tannins. I would definitely recommend this wine. — 3 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Year in, year out, this private label (which, the last several years, bottles wine made by Casa Emma), is a terrific value in a high-performing weekday wine. This new iteration is dark-colored, and sports a nose of raspberry coulis, dark florals, a bit of gravel, and vanilla. In the mouth, it’s dry and has pretty good flavor concentration, with good acids and still some youthfully vigorous tannin to shed. Medium-length finish. Probably better in a year or so, but nice now too. — 3 years ago

Mark Rosse

9.4

Fantastic! — 3 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.6

Nose: so elegantly floral. So nebbiolo. Deep.

Palate: so silky. Elegant. Supple early season cherry. Still fresh but has integrates perfectly.

Fass selections — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; no formal notes. Served alongside our dinner of a simple pasta dish: spaghetti all’arrabbiata. The 2013 CC Riserva from Casa Emma is redolent of gorgeous black cherry, raspberries, bergamot, dried green herbs, espresso, a touch of leather and subtle spices. Stout structure with tannin still firm and acid ideal for food. Long, dry and sublime finish. Every time I drink these wines from Casa Emma, I fall deeper in love. Drink now through 2033+. — 3 years ago

Anuja Agnihotri

10

Casa Emma Chardonnay — 4 years ago

JK Robinson

9.9

This is an under $10 bottle at Trader Joe’s. And it shows up like it should be $40. Next time I’m at Trader Joe’s and they have this. I’m buying a case. It is way too good. (2024) — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. In a year of low yields, a 2017 “Riserva” was not made however, we were fortunate enough to get this “Gran Selezione” and, spoiler alert: it’s not a mere consolation prize. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is intense and developing, with complex aromatics consisting of Montmorency cherry, orange pith, fresh sage, eraser head, cedar box, Pu’er tea, gravelly earth, and some subtle spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with its tart, funky cherry character. A head turner and really, at this point, no-one should really be at all that surprised; it’s Casa Emma we’re talking about. Drinking generously now but has the stuffing to deliver the goods for another 10+ with ease. — 2 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This Chianti Classico doesn’t say it’s from a particular commune. Just a straight Chianti Classico. The modest nose features dark cherry, warm moist gravel, savory dark minerality. A fairly low-toned palate displays some dark cherry, but it’s mostly earthy (stony gravel) and savory flavors that prevail. Vibrant acids and some youthful but soft tannin seem to indicate that this will get better in a year or two, but it’s nice with dinner, if a bit vigorous, right now. Neither the cork nor the bottle say the winery that provided the wine for this Garagiste private label, but if you look up the winery number on the back and Google it, you come up with an Italian government document that says Casa Emma (a very good estate). — 4 years ago