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Cristaldi Scores

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Rating

Vintage

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Color

Rating

2010

The Red Hook Winery

Cabernet Franc Legacy Series Lot #305

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting from Abe Schoener. At 15 years of age, it’s remarkably enjoyable—downright enviable. The wine has developed an almost sherry-like character, with ripe cassis evolving into dark, sweet currants layered with baking spices and maple-honey tannins. Rich tones of dark loamy earth and black tea deepen the complexity, while the long, lingering finish echoes with salted crushed almonds, dried dates, and apricot.

2017

The Red Hook Winery

Cabernet Franc Reserve

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve bottling, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting by Napa Valley legend Robert Foley. A standout in the lineup I tasted on a Sunday in early June, this wine is rich, satiny, velvety, and plush. I first met Snyder years ago on the bottling line at Foley’s Howell Mountain winery. The wine shows real skill in coaxing supple fruit energy and layered charm from Seneca Lake-grown grapes. There’s plenty of power and length here, with firm tannins to support further aging. Black pepper, tobacco, loamy earth, and emerging black tea notes add nuance to the dark fruit core. It’s drinking beautifully now, but its structure promises even greater complexity with time.

2019

Fox Run Vineyards

Blanc de Blancs

Focused and linear, this estate-grown sparkling wine leads with bright apple and lime zest notes, followed by subtler hints of French pastry. The gentle mousse gives way to a brisk, acid-driven finish. Hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed from certified sustainable estate vineyards, the wine was partially barrel fermented to build texture.

2019

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Cuvee Brut

Aged 53 months en tirage, this estate-grown méthode traditionnelle blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir hails from the Standing Stone Timeline and Magdalena vineyards. It opens with aromas of just-picked orchard fruit warmed in the sun, underpinned by subtle French pastry notes. The palate is driven by crystalline acidity and bracing tension, finishing with a vivid streak of wet slate minerality.

2019

Lamoreaux Landing

Methode Champenoise Blanc De Blanc

The fruit for this traditional method sparkling wine was sourced from Clone 4 vines in our Terra West Vineyard, a 5-acre sustainably certified estate in the Seneca Lake AVA. Hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed, the base cuvée underwent primary fermentation in stainless steel before aging on the lees for 12 months. The wine was then aged en tirage for 4.5 years prior to disgorgement. It offers a fantastic mouthfeel with a rich, airy, frothy mousse and layers of tangerine peel, lime pith, and zesty lemon, with subtle baking spice notes on the bright, clean finish.

2019

Lamoreaux Landing

Methode Champenoise Brut

A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, this méthode champenoise sparkler is sourced from sustainably certified estate vineyards in the Seneca Lake AVA—Chardonnay Clone #4 from Terra West Vineyard and Pinot Noir from Round Rock Vineyard. Hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed, each variety was fermented separately and aged for 12 months in stainless steel before blending and spending 4.5 years en tirage. Steely mineral aromatics frame crunchy apple and pear notes, underpinned by saline-acid tension and an assertive yet focused mousse that resolves in a bone-dry, precise finish.

2019

Lamoreaux Landing

Methode Champenoise Sparkling Riesling

Dynamic and full of classic Riesling character, this traditional method sparkling wine delivers bright lemon-lime fruit, crunchy pear, and green apple carried by one of the frothiest, most lifted mousses that I encountered—ethereal and airy. Sourced from Clone 198 vines at the sustainably certified, two-acre Yellow Dog Vineyard in the Seneca Lake AVA, the wine was hand-harvested, whole cluster pressed, and left en tirage for four years before disgorgement. It finishes dry, with just a whisper of fruit sweetness, leaving a lasting, lovely impression.

2020

Anthony Road Wine Company

MBS (Martini-Becraft Selection) Vignoles Berry Selection

100% Dry Berry Selection TBA from handpicked fruit at Martini Family Vineyards. Intensely aromatic with lifted apricot, prickly pear, golden raisins, and lush dates, unfolding into layers of candied orange peel and dried apricot. The palate is rich yet remarkably bright, carried by a fine thread of acidity that balances the sweetness beautifully. A long, slightly salty finish underscores the wine’s tension and elegance.

2020

Chateau LaFayette Reneau

Chateau LaFayette Reneau Cabernet Franc

Harvested from 40-year-old vines grown on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, this wine was fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. Dark-fruited and structured, it delivers robust tannins and juicy acid tension that drive a spicy, medium-bodied finish.

2020

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Blanc de Blanc - Standing Stone Vineyards

A méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay, riddled and disgorged by hand after 41 months en tirage with zero dosage. It opens with tart green apple and builds a vinous character on the mid-palate, lifted by a creamy mousse and finishing with bright mineral tension.

2020

Ryan William Vineyard

Ryan William Vineyard Cabernet Franc Reserve

As is often the case with Reserve bottlings of Cabernet Franc from New York State, this wine delivers greater volume and a satiny texture. It offers a layered mix of red and black fruit nuances, with notes of tobacco, cedarwood, and crushed cacao nibs emerging on the juicy, earth-driven finish. Sourced from 20-year-old vines at Ryan William Vineyard on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, the fruit was fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a combination of new, used, and neutral French oak barrels.

2021

Ryan William Vineyard

Ryan William Vineyard Cabernet Franc

Harvested from 20-year-old vines grown on the Ryan William Vineyard, located on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes. Fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a mix of new, used, and neutral French oak barrels. This is a lovely, well-built, red-fruited expression of Cabernet Franc with juicy pomegranate-seed tannins and lingering baking spice notes that perfume the medium-length finish. It opens with great fruit intensity and energy, though it tapers slightly toward the end—but remains thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

2022

Anthony Road Wine Company

Cabernet Franc

Sourced from Martini Family Vineyard and Nutt Road Vineyard, this Cabernet Franc was aged for approximately 12 months in neutral French and American oak barrels. Dark, crunchy red fruit interlaces with cedarwood spice and the classic herbal character of the variety, lending a woodsy, aromatic quality. Firm, structured tannins frame the palate, with notes of tobacco on a saline-mineral finish.

2022

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Cabernet Franc

This wine offers terrific texture, framed by apple skin tannins and pomegranate seed notes alongside vibrant cherry and apricot fruit. There’s excellent mid-palate depth, with a savory edge of olive tapenade adding complexity. Aged in a 50/50 split of stainless steel and neutral oak, it delivers both freshness and presence.

2022

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

HJW Bio Riesling

A lean, mean Riesling machine, bristling with vivid, savoury saline-acid tension that frames delicate orchard fruit and floral aromatics. Fermented and aged in Austrian oak foudres, it’s utterly delicious—every flavour and aroma in perfect harmony, elevated by remarkable texture and depth that begs further exploration. This purity and precision is a direct reflection of the shale soils and Biodynamic farming at this Demeter-certified estate.

2022

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Julia Field Study Red

From the experimental Julia Vineyard—a nursery site cultivating an eclectic mix of European varieties—this red blend (Cabernet Franc 35%, Blaufränkisch 33%, Zweigelt 13%, Affentaler 8%, Lagrein 4%, Schioppettino 2%, Merlot 2%, Cabernet Sauvignon 2%) is hand-picked, hand-sorted, and aged in 500L neutral Hungarian oak. It’s a hearty, meaty wine with Old World gravitas and unmistakable Finger Lakes character. Notes of leather, cured meat, black olive, and tobacco wrap around a core of dark blue-toned fruit and wet stone minerality, with lithe, dusty tannins and a finish that evokes cold river rock and brooding earth.

2022

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Magdalena Vineyard Riesling

This single-vineyard Riesling from the Magdalena site benefits from the moderating effect of Seneca Lake, allowing for extended hang time and greater ripeness. Multiple selective harvest passes through the same blocks build aromatic intensity and palate weight while preserving balance. It shows generous orchard fruit and citrus zest, underpinned by a deep vein of saline minerality and smoky, stony tension. There’s a sense of drive and energy here, with remarkable length and purity that carries on for minutes. A stunning wine.

2022

Lamoreaux Landing

T23 Unoaked Cabernet Franc

Brambly red berry fruit mingles with cedarwood, brown baking spices, vanilla-coriander cream, and espresso bean aromatics. The palate echoes these notes, with juicy red fruit layered against a frame of elongated, beam-like tannins that lend structure and focus. A firm streak of racy acidity provides lift and tension through the long finish. Sourced from Clone #1 vines in the MJW Vineyard—a 23-acre sustainably certified estate site in the Seneca Lake AVA—utilizing whole-berry, semi-carbonic fermentation.

2023

Anthony Road Wine Company

Barrel Ferment Gewürztraminer

Native yeast fermented in large 500-liter puncheons and aged on the lees for up to seven months. Enticing aromas of honeycomb, wildflower honey, and honeysuckle lift from the glass, drawing you into a light to medium-bodied palate layered with vivid orchard fruit and subtle tropical underpinnings. Nuances of rose stem add complexity, while a touch of residual sugar provides richness that balances the bracing acid tension.

2023

Anthony Road Wine Company

Pinot Gris

This Pinot Gris is sourced primarily from the winery’s Nutt Road Vineyard, where silty loam soils are threaded with limestone and shale. Fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic conversion, the wine remains on the lees in tank for up to seven months prior to bottling. The nose is bright and zesty with a sea spray minerality, while the light to medium-bodied palate gains subtle richness from 4 grams of residual sugar to balance the bracing acidity. Pear and apple fruit become more expressive through the long finish.

2023

Boundary Breaks

Cabernet Franc

A full-bodied Cabernet Franc blend (87% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot) sourced from sustainably certified vineyards on the east side of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes AVA, this opens with vivid red berry fruit layered with vanilla and cedarwood. But it’s the structure that takes center stage—soaring, firm tannins that initially grip the palate before gradually yielding to more delicate notes of dusty rose, earth, and spice. A wine with impressive mouthfeel and power, it clearly needs time in bottle to unwind and show its full potential. Aged for 10 months in natural French oak before bottling.

2023

Boundary Breaks

Riesling Bubbly Dry #356

The Riesling Bubbly Dry #356 2023 from Boundary Breaks in the Finger Lakes AVA is a bright, focused sparkler made from sustainably certified, estate-grown Riesling clone #356. Fermented in stainless steel and finished with forced carbonation, it delivers a crisp, linear profile marked by vivid, mouthwatering acidity. Just-ripe orchard fruits—green apple and pear—are framed by a saline-mineral tension, with the faintest whisper of petrol and wet slate adding complexity to the dry, refreshing finish.

2023

Boundary Breaks

Vignette Bubbly

The Vignette Bubbly 2023 is a vibrant sparkling wine composed of 80% Traminette and 20% Vidal Blanc, sourced from New York State Sustainably Certified vines planted in 1998. Fermented in stainless steel and finished with forced carbonation, this hybrid blend opens with vivid aromatics of green apple, apricot, white peach, and a flourish of white flowers and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate carries a perfectly frothy, creamy mousse, balanced by bone-dry precision and a crisp, crunchy acid tension on a refreshing finish.

2023

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Cabernet Franc Magdalena

This is a striking example of Cabernet Franc, offering chalky minerality and tart red berry fruit layered with violets, rose petals, and a subtle hint of rose stem. Delicate nuances of well-integrated used oak add quiet complexity without overshadowing the purity of fruit. Bright, vivid, and finely layered, it showcases expressive acidity and minerality. Sourced from a 2.5-acre block at Magdalena Vineyard—considered the ripest site in their portfolio—it was aged entirely in a mix of neutral French (225L) and Hungarian (500L) oak barrels. One of the top Cabernet Francs tasted during my time in New York.

2023

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

HJW Vineyard Riesling

The first wine from the estate to bear the Demeter Certified seal (sourced from just two blocks), this Riesling channels pure orchard fruit layered with delicate notes of pink Himalayan sea salt. Expressive apple-skin tannins and deeply etched salinity build alongside bracing acid tension, delivering both exuberance and energy. The finish is racy, crystalline, and deeply mineral.

2023

osmote

Cabernet Franc

This medium-bodied Cabernet Franc is a juicy, red-fruited wine driven by saline-laced acidity and supported by intense, grippy apple-skin tannins. There’s a dark muscularity here—deep tones layered with cured meat richness and a savory black olive edge, alongside dried rose petals and wild herbs. Sourced from Sawmill Creek Vineyard, a hillside site on the east side of Seneca Lake with slopes as steep as 20% and elevations ranging from 490 to 820 feet above sea level, and planted in the 1990s to Clone 214 (a Loire Valley selection). Just 250 cases were produced.

2024

Anthony Road Wine Company

Grey Series Vignoles

Vignoles is a tightly bunched variety with thick skins, and though its origins remain uncertain, it has become something of a star in the Finger Lakes. This bottling opens with apricot and white peach aromatics that deepen on the palate into richer tones of pineapple drizzled with wildflower honey. A vivid backbone of zesty grapefruit acidity provides lift and structure, finishing with impressive length and tension. You’d never guess the residual sugar if the winemaker told you—this is fully balanced and strikingly expressive.

2024

Fox Run Vineyards

Cabernet Franc

This is a bit of a chameleon—beginning with ripe red and black-toned fruit, elegant cedarwood spice, and rose petal nuances. The medium-bodied palate quickly shifts toward the savory spectrum, revealing layers of strawberry-rhubarb, baked cherry, leather, tobacco, and crunchy wild herbs. The finish is bright and lifted by crunchy acidity. Sourced from estate-certified sustainable vineyards and aged in neutral oak for 12 months.

2024

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Flower Day Riesling

100% Riesling from HJW Blocks 1 and 4 from the Demeter-certified HJW Vineyard on the western slopes of Seneca Lake, this was hand-picked, hand-sorted, and whole-cluster pressed, then fermented in stainless steel. It’s a wonderfully energetic and exuberant wine, with subtle tropical fruit and apricot notes, lifted by honeysuckle aromatics and a long, fruit- and flower-driven finish marked by terrific acidity.

2024

Heron Hill

Reserve Pinot Blanc

Sourced from the Morris Vineyard. Floral, with hints of just ripe tropical fruit, slate, and melon. The palate has nice, rounded edges with a floral, lime and stone fruit finish that won’t quit. – J.R.

1 2

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2010

Producer

Name

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting from Abe Schoener. At 15 years of age, it’s remarkably enjoyable—downright enviable. The wine has developed an almost sherry-like character, with ripe cassis evolving into dark, sweet currants layered with baking spices and maple-honey tannins. Rich tones of dark loamy earth and black tea deepen the complexity, while the long, lingering finish echoes with salted crushed almonds, dried dates, and apricot.

2017

Producer

Name

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve bottling, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting by Napa Valley legend Robert Foley. A standout in the lineup I tasted on a Sunday in early June, this wine is rich, satiny, velvety, and plush. I first met Snyder years ago on the bottling line at Foley’s Howell Mountain winery. The wine shows real skill in coaxing supple fruit energy and layered charm from Seneca Lake-grown grapes. There’s plenty of power and length here, with firm tannins to support further aging. Black pepper, tobacco, loamy earth, and emerging black tea notes add nuance to the dark fruit core. It’s drinking beautifully now, but its structure promises even greater complexity with time.

2019

Producer

Name

Focused and linear, this estate-grown sparkling wine leads with bright apple and lime zest notes, followed by subtler hints of French pastry. The gentle mousse gives way to a brisk, acid-driven finish. Hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed from certified sustainable estate vineyards, the wine was partially barrel fermented to build texture.

2019

Producer

Name

Aged 53 months en tirage, this estate-grown méthode traditionnelle blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir hails from the Standing Stone Timeline and Magdalena vineyards. It opens with aromas of just-picked orchard fruit warmed in the sun, underpinned by subtle French pastry notes. The palate is driven by crystalline acidity and bracing tension, finishing with a vivid streak of wet slate minerality.

2019

Producer

Name

The fruit for this traditional method sparkling wine was sourced from Clone 4 vines in our Terra West Vineyard, a 5-acre sustainably certified estate in the Seneca Lake AVA. Hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed, the base cuvée underwent primary fermentation in stainless steel before aging on the lees for 12 months. The wine was then aged en tirage for 4.5 years prior to disgorgement. It offers a fantastic mouthfeel with a rich, airy, frothy mousse and layers of tangerine peel, lime pith, and zesty lemon, with subtle baking spice notes on the bright, clean finish.

2019

Producer

Name

A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, this méthode champenoise sparkler is sourced from sustainably certified estate vineyards in the Seneca Lake AVA—Chardonnay Clone #4 from Terra West Vineyard and Pinot Noir from Round Rock Vineyard. Hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed, each variety was fermented separately and aged for 12 months in stainless steel before blending and spending 4.5 years en tirage. Steely mineral aromatics frame crunchy apple and pear notes, underpinned by saline-acid tension and an assertive yet focused mousse that resolves in a bone-dry, precise finish.

2019

Producer

Name

Dynamic and full of classic Riesling character, this traditional method sparkling wine delivers bright lemon-lime fruit, crunchy pear, and green apple carried by one of the frothiest, most lifted mousses that I encountered—ethereal and airy. Sourced from Clone 198 vines at the sustainably certified, two-acre Yellow Dog Vineyard in the Seneca Lake AVA, the wine was hand-harvested, whole cluster pressed, and left en tirage for four years before disgorgement. It finishes dry, with just a whisper of fruit sweetness, leaving a lasting, lovely impression.

2020

Producer

Name

100% Dry Berry Selection TBA from handpicked fruit at Martini Family Vineyards. Intensely aromatic with lifted apricot, prickly pear, golden raisins, and lush dates, unfolding into layers of candied orange peel and dried apricot. The palate is rich yet remarkably bright, carried by a fine thread of acidity that balances the sweetness beautifully. A long, slightly salty finish underscores the wine’s tension and elegance.

2020

Producer

Name

Harvested from 40-year-old vines grown on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, this wine was fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. Dark-fruited and structured, it delivers robust tannins and juicy acid tension that drive a spicy, medium-bodied finish.

2020

Producer

Name

A méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay, riddled and disgorged by hand after 41 months en tirage with zero dosage. It opens with tart green apple and builds a vinous character on the mid-palate, lifted by a creamy mousse and finishing with bright mineral tension.

2020

Producer

Name

As is often the case with Reserve bottlings of Cabernet Franc from New York State, this wine delivers greater volume and a satiny texture. It offers a layered mix of red and black fruit nuances, with notes of tobacco, cedarwood, and crushed cacao nibs emerging on the juicy, earth-driven finish. Sourced from 20-year-old vines at Ryan William Vineyard on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, the fruit was fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a combination of new, used, and neutral French oak barrels.

2021

Producer

Name

Harvested from 20-year-old vines grown on the Ryan William Vineyard, located on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes. Fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a mix of new, used, and neutral French oak barrels. This is a lovely, well-built, red-fruited expression of Cabernet Franc with juicy pomegranate-seed tannins and lingering baking spice notes that perfume the medium-length finish. It opens with great fruit intensity and energy, though it tapers slightly toward the end—but remains thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

2022

Producer

Name

Sourced from Martini Family Vineyard and Nutt Road Vineyard, this Cabernet Franc was aged for approximately 12 months in neutral French and American oak barrels. Dark, crunchy red fruit interlaces with cedarwood spice and the classic herbal character of the variety, lending a woodsy, aromatic quality. Firm, structured tannins frame the palate, with notes of tobacco on a saline-mineral finish.

2022

Producer

Name

This wine offers terrific texture, framed by apple skin tannins and pomegranate seed notes alongside vibrant cherry and apricot fruit. There’s excellent mid-palate depth, with a savory edge of olive tapenade adding complexity. Aged in a 50/50 split of stainless steel and neutral oak, it delivers both freshness and presence.

2022

Producer

Name

A lean, mean Riesling machine, bristling with vivid, savoury saline-acid tension that frames delicate orchard fruit and floral aromatics. Fermented and aged in Austrian oak foudres, it’s utterly delicious—every flavour and aroma in perfect harmony, elevated by remarkable texture and depth that begs further exploration. This purity and precision is a direct reflection of the shale soils and Biodynamic farming at this Demeter-certified estate.

2022

Producer

Name

From the experimental Julia Vineyard—a nursery site cultivating an eclectic mix of European varieties—this red blend (Cabernet Franc 35%, Blaufränkisch 33%, Zweigelt 13%, Affentaler 8%, Lagrein 4%, Schioppettino 2%, Merlot 2%, Cabernet Sauvignon 2%) is hand-picked, hand-sorted, and aged in 500L neutral Hungarian oak. It’s a hearty, meaty wine with Old World gravitas and unmistakable Finger Lakes character. Notes of leather, cured meat, black olive, and tobacco wrap around a core of dark blue-toned fruit and wet stone minerality, with lithe, dusty tannins and a finish that evokes cold river rock and brooding earth.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2010

2010 The Red Hook Winery Cabernet Franc Legacy Series Lot #305

Still Wine

$

2017

2017 The Red Hook Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve

Still Wine

$

2019

2019 Fox Run Vineyards Blanc de Blancs

Sparkling Wine

$

2019

2019 Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard Cuvee Brut

Sparkling Wine

$

2019

2019 Lamoreaux Landing Methode Champenoise Blanc De Blanc

Sparkling Wine

$

2019

2019 Lamoreaux Landing Methode Champenoise Brut

Sparkling Wine

$

2019

2019 Lamoreaux Landing Methode Champenoise Sparkling Riesling

Sparkling Wine

$

2020

2020 Anthony Road Wine Company MBS (Martini-Becraft Selection) Vignoles Berry Selection

Still Wine

$$

2020

2020 Chateau LaFayette Reneau Chateau LaFayette Reneau Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2020

2020 Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard Blanc de Blanc – Standing Stone Vineyards

Sparkling Wine

$

2020

2020 Ryan William Vineyard Ryan William Vineyard Cabernet Franc Reserve

Still Wine

$

2021

2021 Ryan William Vineyard Ryan William Vineyard Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2022

2022 Anthony Road Wine Company Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2022

2022 Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2022

2022 Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard HJW Bio Riesling

Still Wine

$

2022

2022 Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard Julia Field Study Red

Still Wine

$

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