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Cristaldi Scores

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Wine

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Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2022

Landmark Vineyards

Sangiacomo Chardonnay

Packs a punch of butterscotch and toffee, crème brûlée, and candied peach rings, with a palate-coating, toasty richness that carries through the long, oak-kissed finish. This is no shy Chardonnay—bold, creamy, and unapologetically hedonistic—yet beneath all the luxurious oak, the ripe orchard and tropical-leaning Sangiacomo fruit still shines through. It’s not a wine for the Chardonnay faint of heart or for anyone seeking Chablis; this is Chassagne-Montrachet on steroids. The 2022 Sangiacomo Chardonnay is sourced from grapes grown at the Kiser Vineyard off Arnold Drive in the cool, windy Sonoma Carneros AVA, just north of San Pablo Bay. Whole-cluster pressed and barrel-fermented with native yeast, the wine was aged in French oak (35% new).

2022

Saxon Brown

Green Acres Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

Sangiacomo’s Green Acres Hill Vineyard in Carneros, planted entirely to Wente clone, yields a highly aromatic Chardonnay with a lift of lemon-cream foam that expands across the palate. Subtle tropical fruit richness and a thread of apricot follow, joined by beautifully integrated cedarwood and a clean wet-slate minerality. The finish is laser-focused and long. A super expressive, multidimensional wine from winemaker Jeff Gaffner.

2023

Blue Farm

Anne Katherina Pinot Noir

Anne Moller-Racke planted this vineyard with the intention of making one wine — and she produces just over 300 cases of this estate bottling. Clone 115 brings lift and perfume, Swan Clone contributes texture, and Clone 667 layers in tannin and structure. The site itself is flat, and the wine’s dimension comes from the interplay of these clones. It sits on an old riverbed with abundant gravel, and that drainage, Moller-Racke says, gives the wine its added structure and tannic frame. The wine is dense and powerful, with ripe cherry and strawberry fruit that’s very pure and beautifully delineated. A mineral intensity runs straight through it, and the tannins are crisp and robust, building across the floral and earthy finish. Quite a wine.

2023

Blue Farm

Farmhouse Pinot Noir

The Farmhouse Estate Pinot lifts from the glass with a fragrant wet-slate character, followed by cherry and raspberry fruit. Firm tannins anchor a deep mineral core redolent of iron and salt, while dried thyme and rosemary add intrigue. A subtle sappy quality threads through the palate, making the wine quietly thought-provoking. The finish is spicy and insistent — the kind that makes you pause and wonder what’s going on in the glass, in the world, in your own life. And honestly? That’s a fine way to spend an evening, especially with a glass of this nearby.

2023

Blue Farm

Riverbed Pinot Noir

Meanwhile, the Riverbed Estate wine — also in Carneros, near the Farmhouse Estate — boasts a similar wet-slate freshness, mineral drive, and red-berry lift, only here the textures are more supple, the generosity greater, and the tannins noticeably gentler. The dried-herb nuances give way to forest-floor and pine-forest tones, creating a quieter, earthier complexity. The finish caresses the mid-palate with a softer core, yet still carries a bright, spicy snap that keeps the wine lively and engaging.

2023

Donum Estate

Hypersonic Pinot Noir

The Hypersonic Pinot Noir, sourced from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros, is a 100% Pinot Noir aged 16 months in 83% new French oak. In contrast to the White Barn bottling, this wine is hyper–fruit-forward yet deeply dark and savory, showing remarkable intensity. Aromas of black truffle, charcuterie, dried red cherry, and cherry wood mingle with subtle hints of sage and bay leaf. On the palate, firm cocoa-powder tannins frame the fruit, while a dazzling streak of wet-slate minerality carries through the long, powerful finish. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Donum Estate

TFV Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay from TFV Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 67% new French oak. Lean and laser-focused, it carves out a precise, stony mineral profile balanced on a razor’s edge. Brimming with tart lime and bright lemon-driven acidity, it’s a quintessential pairing for oysters or fresh seafood. The bouquet reveals subtle richness, with hints of candied ginger and chamomile adding nuance. Dazzling in its purity and focus, the wine finishes long and mineral, accented by notes of crushed almond and lingering salinity. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Donum Estate

TFV Pinot Noir

This 100% Pinot Noir from TFV Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 62% new French oak. Intensely structured and gripping, it opens with crunchy apple-skin tannins that command the palate before easing into layers of cherry fruit, delicate cherry wood, and a lingering smoky clove finish. As it unfolds, a burst of juicy blood orange emerges unexpectedly, adding vibrancy and lift. Quite an intriguing and structured Pinot. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Donum Estate

The Heron Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros was aged 12 months in concrete (80%), 4 months in stainless steel, and 16 months in 20% new French oak. It opens with elegant mineral notes reminiscent of wet slate and petrichor, joined by jasmine and lime blossom aromatics. The medium-bodied palate builds with richness, revealing layers of quince, candied ginger, and lemon zest framed by scintillating acidity and grippy pear-skin tannins. A wine of striking focus and depth, it combines bony acidity with layered flavour and textural precision. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Donum Estate

White Barn Pinot Noir

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 40% new French oak. It’s a striking, attention-commanding wine with heady aromas of white pepper, crushed eucalyptus, cassis, and a wild birch-bark nuance that sets it apart. On the palate, the tannins are firm and deeply structured—almost as if that birch-bark character has become part of the wine’s very foundation. Powerful and built for longevity, this is a Pinot Noir to cellar and revisit in the late 2020s, when its structure will have softened and its complexity fully unfurled. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2022

Producer

Name

Packs a punch of butterscotch and toffee, crème brûlée, and candied peach rings, with a palate-coating, toasty richness that carries through the long, oak-kissed finish. This is no shy Chardonnay—bold, creamy, and unapologetically hedonistic—yet beneath all the luxurious oak, the ripe orchard and tropical-leaning Sangiacomo fruit still shines through. It’s not a wine for the Chardonnay faint of heart or for anyone seeking Chablis; this is Chassagne-Montrachet on steroids. The 2022 Sangiacomo Chardonnay is sourced from grapes grown at the Kiser Vineyard off Arnold Drive in the cool, windy Sonoma Carneros AVA, just north of San Pablo Bay. Whole-cluster pressed and barrel-fermented with native yeast, the wine was aged in French oak (35% new).

2022

Producer

Name

Sangiacomo’s Green Acres Hill Vineyard in Carneros, planted entirely to Wente clone, yields a highly aromatic Chardonnay with a lift of lemon-cream foam that expands across the palate. Subtle tropical fruit richness and a thread of apricot follow, joined by beautifully integrated cedarwood and a clean wet-slate minerality. The finish is laser-focused and long. A super expressive, multidimensional wine from winemaker Jeff Gaffner.

2023

Producer

Name

Anne Moller-Racke planted this vineyard with the intention of making one wine — and she produces just over 300 cases of this estate bottling. Clone 115 brings lift and perfume, Swan Clone contributes texture, and Clone 667 layers in tannin and structure. The site itself is flat, and the wine’s dimension comes from the interplay of these clones. It sits on an old riverbed with abundant gravel, and that drainage, Moller-Racke says, gives the wine its added structure and tannic frame. The wine is dense and powerful, with ripe cherry and strawberry fruit that’s very pure and beautifully delineated. A mineral intensity runs straight through it, and the tannins are crisp and robust, building across the floral and earthy finish. Quite a wine.

2023

Producer

Name

The Farmhouse Estate Pinot lifts from the glass with a fragrant wet-slate character, followed by cherry and raspberry fruit. Firm tannins anchor a deep mineral core redolent of iron and salt, while dried thyme and rosemary add intrigue. A subtle sappy quality threads through the palate, making the wine quietly thought-provoking. The finish is spicy and insistent — the kind that makes you pause and wonder what’s going on in the glass, in the world, in your own life. And honestly? That’s a fine way to spend an evening, especially with a glass of this nearby.

2023

Producer

Name

Meanwhile, the Riverbed Estate wine — also in Carneros, near the Farmhouse Estate — boasts a similar wet-slate freshness, mineral drive, and red-berry lift, only here the textures are more supple, the generosity greater, and the tannins noticeably gentler. The dried-herb nuances give way to forest-floor and pine-forest tones, creating a quieter, earthier complexity. The finish caresses the mid-palate with a softer core, yet still carries a bright, spicy snap that keeps the wine lively and engaging.

2023

Producer

Name

The Hypersonic Pinot Noir, sourced from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros, is a 100% Pinot Noir aged 16 months in 83% new French oak. In contrast to the White Barn bottling, this wine is hyper–fruit-forward yet deeply dark and savory, showing remarkable intensity. Aromas of black truffle, charcuterie, dried red cherry, and cherry wood mingle with subtle hints of sage and bay leaf. On the palate, firm cocoa-powder tannins frame the fruit, while a dazzling streak of wet-slate minerality carries through the long, powerful finish. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Chardonnay from TFV Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 67% new French oak. Lean and laser-focused, it carves out a precise, stony mineral profile balanced on a razor’s edge. Brimming with tart lime and bright lemon-driven acidity, it’s a quintessential pairing for oysters or fresh seafood. The bouquet reveals subtle richness, with hints of candied ginger and chamomile adding nuance. Dazzling in its purity and focus, the wine finishes long and mineral, accented by notes of crushed almond and lingering salinity. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir from TFV Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 62% new French oak. Intensely structured and gripping, it opens with crunchy apple-skin tannins that command the palate before easing into layers of cherry fruit, delicate cherry wood, and a lingering smoky clove finish. As it unfolds, a burst of juicy blood orange emerges unexpectedly, adding vibrancy and lift. Quite an intriguing and structured Pinot. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Chardonnay from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros was aged 12 months in concrete (80%), 4 months in stainless steel, and 16 months in 20% new French oak. It opens with elegant mineral notes reminiscent of wet slate and petrichor, joined by jasmine and lime blossom aromatics. The medium-bodied palate builds with richness, revealing layers of quince, candied ginger, and lemon zest framed by scintillating acidity and grippy pear-skin tannins. A wine of striking focus and depth, it combines bony acidity with layered flavour and textural precision. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 40% new French oak. It’s a striking, attention-commanding wine with heady aromas of white pepper, crushed eucalyptus, cassis, and a wild birch-bark nuance that sets it apart. On the palate, the tannins are firm and deeply structured—almost as if that birch-bark character has become part of the wine’s very foundation. Powerful and built for longevity, this is a Pinot Noir to cellar and revisit in the late 2020s, when its structure will have softened and its complexity fully unfurled. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2022

2022 Landmark Vineyards Sangiacomo Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Saxon Brown Green Acres Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Blue Farm Anne Katherina Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Blue Farm Farmhouse Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Blue Farm Riverbed Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Donum Estate Hypersonic Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$$

2023

2023 Donum Estate TFV Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Donum Estate TFV Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Donum Estate The Heron Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$$

2023

2023 Donum Estate White Barn Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$$

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