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Cristaldi Scores

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Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2021

Argot

Indigo Syrah

The Indigo Syrah from Sonoma Mountain is the most powerful expression in the lineup—akin to the Appellation Series, but dialed all the way up. Aged for 28 months in 100% new French oak, this bottling is the dark knight of the Syrahs: brooding, intense, yet lifted with precision. Supple blackberry fruit leads the charge, accented by violets, dark cherrywood, and deep brown baking spices. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, layered with dark cacao and salted, saline minerality that carries through an everlasting finish. Intense and muscular, yet refined by freshness and spice, this is a Syrah of commanding presence and exceptional tension.

2021

Argot

Rosetta Syrah

“When we’re assembling the blends for the vintage, we put together an über-blend,” says winemaker Justin Harmon. From that exercise come tiny-production bottlings—about 50 cases each—of Rosetta and Babel. These wines are set aside in neutral barrels, left to rest for an additional year in the quiet corners of the cellar before release. This wine leads with super high-toned dark berry fruit layered with cinnamon spice and floral lift. The palate has a cooler presence, with tremendous concentration of rich black fruit and finely knit, sinewy apple-skin tannins. Broad-shouldered yet focused, it’s held together by crunchy acidity that drives freshness and tension throughout. At this stage, it remains tightly coiled, with exceptional structure and energy. There’s no doubt this wine is still unwinding—but even now, it’s profoundly delicious and promises remarkable evolution with time.

2022

Argot

Le Rayon Vert Chardonnay

This Le Rayon Vert is a Barrel Select Cuvée that undergoes an extended élevage, spending six months in stainless steel following its time in oak prior to bottling. The nose is strikingly flinty and toasty, with layers of nectarine, kumquat, and orange peel with spicy ginger. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it offers intense grip and saline-acid tension that energizes the structure. The finish is long and warming, with a lingering note of apple pie spice that rounds out the wine’s vibrant core.

2022

Argot

Steiner Vineyard Syrah

From vines on Sonoma Mountain at 1,100 feet, rooted in gray, ashen soils. The nose absolutely screams with crunchy black cherry fruit, violet pastille, rose petals, white pepper, and tobacco spices. Full-bodied with a suave texture and supple tannins, it delivers layers of tobacco leaf and cigar box, black truffle, and charcuterie. Super juicy blood orange notes carry through the everlasting finish, lifted by grippy acidity. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak.

2022

Argot

Syrah

Absolutely explosive in its expression, this Syrah from Sonoma Mountain is both intensely perfumed and deliciously concentrated. Aged for 22 months in 25% new French oak, the wine reflects meticulous farming practices that are critical to taming Syrah’s natural vigor. As winemaker Justin notes, “Syrah should be farmed like Pinot—but it’s so vigorous you need a machete to the canopy, or the sun will never reach the fruit.” To ensure proper exposure, the vineyard is farmed down to one cluster per shoot, yielding around 2.5 tons per acre. The resulting wine bursts with aromas of violets, white pepper, blood orange, and cherry, framed by expressive pine forest notes. The palate is rich yet lifted, carrying all those vibrant elements through a lengthy, beautifully attractive finish.

2022

Laurel Glen

Counterpoint Laurel Glen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

“Counterpoint” combines 75% Laurel Glen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with 25% Pickberry Vineyard Merlot, aged for 20 months in 40% new French oak. It’s a ripe, mulberry-infused red layered with Asian spice and purple florals, delivering a luxurious, velvety, and suave palate feel. Fine apple-skin tannins build toward a dry, graceful finish. Originally planted with 2 acres of Cabernet in 1968, Laurel Glen Vineyard was has been owned by Bettina Sichel since 2011. Organic farming is handled by Phil Cottuiri, with winemaker Randall Watkins leading the cellar.

2022

Marchelle Wines

Van der Kamp Pinot Noir

Like a delicate glass sculpture you’d bring home from Italy, this is a beautifully refined and graceful wine, offering red berry fruit nuanced by cherry wood smoke and incense. Medium-bodied, it’s framed by fine black tea tannins and lifted by blood orange acidity, while notes of underbrush and earth carry through the enticing finish. Composed of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier sourced from Van der Kamp Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain, the Pinot Meunier was crafted using 100% whole-cluster and carbonic maceration. The wine was aged for 11 months in 25% new French oak barrels. Founded in 2021, Marchelle is a collaboration between winemaker Greg La Follette and co-founder Kevin Lee (a Silicon Valley brand builder turned vintner), named in honor of their wives (Mara and Michelle).

2023

Argot

Pinot Noir

This wine bangs hard — In a great way! Sourced from both hillside and valley floor vineyards within the Sonoma Mountain AVA, this wine showcases striking vitality and spice-driven aromatics. The nose is bold and expressive, with notes of blood orange, grapefruit zest, fragrant pine forest, and wild underbrush. Medium-bodied on the palate, it unfolds with vibrant citrus tones and firm yet elongated velvety tannins. Rose petal lifts the lengthy, perfumed finish. Grapes were destemmed, then cluster- and berry-sorted before undergoing a seven-day cold soak in stainless steel with inactive yeasts naturally propagating. Fermentation began spontaneously as the must warmed, driven entirely by native yeasts. Following fermentation, precise press cuts separated free-run and press juice before barreling. The wine was aged for 16 months in 87% new French oak, resulting in a complex, richly textured expression of Sonoma Mountain fruit.

2023

Croix Estate

Richard Dinner Vineyard Chardonnay

From 40-year-old vines on southeast-facing slopes in the Richard Dinner Vineyard, where the morning sun drives a slow, even ripening. This wine is richer and creamier than Starlings Roost or 12 Rows, so if you gravitate toward lower-acid, fuller-bodied Chardonnay with a broader, more luxurious mouthfeel, this is the one for you. It’s lemon-bright, with ginger spice, apricot, honeycomb, and white flowers, all supported by enough freshness to balance the richness. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age in roughly 30% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Hunnicutt

Richard Dinner Vineyard Chardonnay

From Richard Dinner Vineyard, a site long sourced by Paul Hobbs. The berries here are tiny, and they deliver a great deal of concentration and richness. The higher percentage of new French oak brings everything into balance, folding in sweet French-pastry and buttered-brioche notes that culminate in a full-bodied richness on the palate and a long, toasty finish. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age in roughly 60% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2021

Producer

Name

The Indigo Syrah from Sonoma Mountain is the most powerful expression in the lineup—akin to the Appellation Series, but dialed all the way up. Aged for 28 months in 100% new French oak, this bottling is the dark knight of the Syrahs: brooding, intense, yet lifted with precision. Supple blackberry fruit leads the charge, accented by violets, dark cherrywood, and deep brown baking spices. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, layered with dark cacao and salted, saline minerality that carries through an everlasting finish. Intense and muscular, yet refined by freshness and spice, this is a Syrah of commanding presence and exceptional tension.

2021

Producer

Name

“When we’re assembling the blends for the vintage, we put together an über-blend,” says winemaker Justin Harmon. From that exercise come tiny-production bottlings—about 50 cases each—of Rosetta and Babel. These wines are set aside in neutral barrels, left to rest for an additional year in the quiet corners of the cellar before release. This wine leads with super high-toned dark berry fruit layered with cinnamon spice and floral lift. The palate has a cooler presence, with tremendous concentration of rich black fruit and finely knit, sinewy apple-skin tannins. Broad-shouldered yet focused, it’s held together by crunchy acidity that drives freshness and tension throughout. At this stage, it remains tightly coiled, with exceptional structure and energy. There’s no doubt this wine is still unwinding—but even now, it’s profoundly delicious and promises remarkable evolution with time.

2022

Producer

Name

This Le Rayon Vert is a Barrel Select Cuvée that undergoes an extended élevage, spending six months in stainless steel following its time in oak prior to bottling. The nose is strikingly flinty and toasty, with layers of nectarine, kumquat, and orange peel with spicy ginger. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it offers intense grip and saline-acid tension that energizes the structure. The finish is long and warming, with a lingering note of apple pie spice that rounds out the wine’s vibrant core.

2022

Producer

Name

From vines on Sonoma Mountain at 1,100 feet, rooted in gray, ashen soils. The nose absolutely screams with crunchy black cherry fruit, violet pastille, rose petals, white pepper, and tobacco spices. Full-bodied with a suave texture and supple tannins, it delivers layers of tobacco leaf and cigar box, black truffle, and charcuterie. Super juicy blood orange notes carry through the everlasting finish, lifted by grippy acidity. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak.

2022

Producer

Name

Absolutely explosive in its expression, this Syrah from Sonoma Mountain is both intensely perfumed and deliciously concentrated. Aged for 22 months in 25% new French oak, the wine reflects meticulous farming practices that are critical to taming Syrah’s natural vigor. As winemaker Justin notes, “Syrah should be farmed like Pinot—but it’s so vigorous you need a machete to the canopy, or the sun will never reach the fruit.” To ensure proper exposure, the vineyard is farmed down to one cluster per shoot, yielding around 2.5 tons per acre. The resulting wine bursts with aromas of violets, white pepper, blood orange, and cherry, framed by expressive pine forest notes. The palate is rich yet lifted, carrying all those vibrant elements through a lengthy, beautifully attractive finish.

2022

Producer

Name

“Counterpoint” combines 75% Laurel Glen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with 25% Pickberry Vineyard Merlot, aged for 20 months in 40% new French oak. It’s a ripe, mulberry-infused red layered with Asian spice and purple florals, delivering a luxurious, velvety, and suave palate feel. Fine apple-skin tannins build toward a dry, graceful finish. Originally planted with 2 acres of Cabernet in 1968, Laurel Glen Vineyard was has been owned by Bettina Sichel since 2011. Organic farming is handled by Phil Cottuiri, with winemaker Randall Watkins leading the cellar.

2022

Producer

Name

Like a delicate glass sculpture you’d bring home from Italy, this is a beautifully refined and graceful wine, offering red berry fruit nuanced by cherry wood smoke and incense. Medium-bodied, it’s framed by fine black tea tannins and lifted by blood orange acidity, while notes of underbrush and earth carry through the enticing finish. Composed of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier sourced from Van der Kamp Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain, the Pinot Meunier was crafted using 100% whole-cluster and carbonic maceration. The wine was aged for 11 months in 25% new French oak barrels. Founded in 2021, Marchelle is a collaboration between winemaker Greg La Follette and co-founder Kevin Lee (a Silicon Valley brand builder turned vintner), named in honor of their wives (Mara and Michelle).

2023

Producer

Name

This wine bangs hard — In a great way! Sourced from both hillside and valley floor vineyards within the Sonoma Mountain AVA, this wine showcases striking vitality and spice-driven aromatics. The nose is bold and expressive, with notes of blood orange, grapefruit zest, fragrant pine forest, and wild underbrush. Medium-bodied on the palate, it unfolds with vibrant citrus tones and firm yet elongated velvety tannins. Rose petal lifts the lengthy, perfumed finish. Grapes were destemmed, then cluster- and berry-sorted before undergoing a seven-day cold soak in stainless steel with inactive yeasts naturally propagating. Fermentation began spontaneously as the must warmed, driven entirely by native yeasts. Following fermentation, precise press cuts separated free-run and press juice before barreling. The wine was aged for 16 months in 87% new French oak, resulting in a complex, richly textured expression of Sonoma Mountain fruit.

2023

Producer

Name

From 40-year-old vines on southeast-facing slopes in the Richard Dinner Vineyard, where the morning sun drives a slow, even ripening. This wine is richer and creamier than Starlings Roost or 12 Rows, so if you gravitate toward lower-acid, fuller-bodied Chardonnay with a broader, more luxurious mouthfeel, this is the one for you. It’s lemon-bright, with ginger spice, apricot, honeycomb, and white flowers, all supported by enough freshness to balance the richness. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age in roughly 30% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Producer

Name

From Richard Dinner Vineyard, a site long sourced by Paul Hobbs. The berries here are tiny, and they deliver a great deal of concentration and richness. The higher percentage of new French oak brings everything into balance, folding in sweet French-pastry and buttered-brioche notes that culminate in a full-bodied richness on the palate and a long, toasty finish. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age in roughly 60% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2021

2021 Argot Indigo Syrah

Still Wine

$$

2021

2021 Argot Rosetta Syrah

Still Wine

$$$

2022

2022 Argot Le Rayon Vert Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Argot Steiner Vineyard Syrah

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Argot Syrah

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Laurel Glen Counterpoint Laurel Glen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Marchelle Wines Van der Kamp Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Argot Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Croix Estate Richard Dinner Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Hunnicutt Richard Dinner Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

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