Wine biz in NYC in 80s. Sucked at sales. Since 1990, a lawyer. But still love wine!
A very tasty, not-too-ambitious Napa Cabernet. Nose has open milk chocolate, sweet cassis and berry fruit, perfumey floral notes. Nicely concentrated bright fruit, a bit of old leather and earth on the palate. Acids and tannins to carry it 5 more years. Great value. — 6 days ago
Complex nose shows ash pit, orchid, a cigar-box/roasted asparagus amalgam, olive, and cured beef. There’s also some oozy berry fruit. So soft on the palate. A lighter style, with completely resolved tannins and really nice acids. Not a blockbuster but very elegant. Drink now. — 6 days ago
Delicious. Loads of crisp, round fruit. Very nice balance. — 7 days ago
Really good value B de B, which is my favorite type of Champagne. Toasty, leesy nose. A little autolytic character. Bone dry and crisp. Lovely. — a day ago
A classified growth Bordeaux is not normally my Thursday evening tipple but for some unknown reason I felt a little like celebrating. This is drinking quite well right now. Nose opens with just a little air to show cassis and blackberry, leather, moist gravel, and a subtle graphite note. In the mouth, it’s got medium concentration, with soft but abundant tannins in the background and surprisingly good acids. In the drier side. Not a blockbuster or long ager, but quite elegant. — 2 days ago
This benefited from 2 hours of air. After decanting, there’s loads of ripe and slightly sour cherry fruit, along with balsamic, savory tones and fragrant stony gravel. Very soft in the mouth, there’s very little tannin and what is there is super soft. Not super concentrated but very tasty. — 7 days ago
This is the Pompeiano Aglianico IGT. Yes the Vesuvius Pompei. And guess what? Yes there is a smoky mineral intensity to this. And a beautiful dark cherry fruitiness. In the mouth the Aglianico tannins are well managed and the balance is really nice. Astounding value. — a day ago
This is 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache, and 15% Mourvèdre. The nose has bright, ripe berry fruit and lots of clean, stony minerality. Balanced, lively, and deep in the mouth. It’s got deep fruit in a dry frame, tannins soft and in the background, and nice acids. Minerality lingers in the finish. Great value and very tasty. — 4 days ago
This is NOT the Steinporz. Wow, what a nose. Deep orchard fruit, tons of stone flecked gravel, straw, wildflowers. Deep palate impression, lots of depth, quite ripe but with intense mineral freshness. One of the best Pinot Blancs I’ve ever had. — 6 days ago
Tom Casagrande
PNP way too young I know. But holy cow what a funky nose right out of the gate. All sorts of green and brown vegetation, very weedy, but tons of dark fruit underneath. So soft in the mouth — which surprised me since I was expecting it to be way too tannic. Deep savory flavors. Great balance. So much character packed and stuffed into this one. Will update as it gains air.
UPDATE: As this gains air, the initial vegetative, weedy notes are being replaced with very pure blackberry liqueur scents and whiffs of smoky sandalwood.
Several wineries take fruit from the old, sandy vineyard in Contra Costa. Some make wines over 15% and the jammy fruit overshadows the other complex earthy notes. Others try to pick artificially early to get dry cranberry juice cocktail. This wine nails the sweet spot. Balance, complexity, and drinkability. — 6 hours ago