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The 2022 Eden Hill Vineyard Tannat from the Texas High Plains is a fashionable and elegant red that offers vibrant black cherry fruit, tarweed, graphite, and a hint of molasses. Full-bodied, it is framed by crisp, assertive tannins that provide structure and balance. The finish reveals a potpourri of dried rose petal and violet notes, accented by white pepper, thyme, and sage. A very complete and complex Tannat.

2022

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Eden Hill’s Texas High Plains Tempranillo offers crunchy red currant fruit, dusty minerals, and sweet clove, with a touch of coconut shavings. Medium-bodied, it is framed by sappy, firm tannins, with the same aromatic profile making appearances on the palate. This Tempranillo is a fine expression of the variety, offering consumers an easy-drinking, low-alcohol red that should pair wonderfully with brisket, pork, or roast chicken dishes.

Red

2022

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The El Ray Vineyard sits on the western edge of Santa Barbara County, perched on a hillside overlooking the historic La Purisima Mission lands. From this site comes a beautifully balanced Pinot Noir that delivers a quintessential expression of the region. Bright cherry fruit is infused with warm brown baking spices, supported by fine-grained yet robust tannins. Juicy, crunchy acidity with a saline edge underscores the wine’s structure, giving it lift, precision, and a mouthwatering finish.

Red

2022

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This 2022 Mourvèdre was sourced from the Buena Suerte Vineyards in the Texas HIgh Plains. Sniffing this welcoming red evokes a basket of ripe, farmer’s market strawberries dropped on top of rich panna cotta cream. On the palate, the wine becomse more focused, and layered with firm, taut tannins and an iron-like minerality that fuels its bone-dry finish.

Red

2022

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The Il Segno Red blends 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and opens with bright, candied red berry fruit, interlaced with sweet spices, agave nectar, and a touch of orange zest. Medium-bodied, the wine carries these same elements onto the palate, framed by firm tannins that add structure. The finish is dry and marked by a chalky mineral quality, contrasting nicely with its fruit-forward profile. Elisa Christopher Wines is a project between married couple Elisa and Christopher Jones. The couple owns a 43-acre property in the Texas Hill Country AVA. They make wine from 100% Texas-grown grapes and are making some fantastic sparkling wine in addition to their still wine offerings. Visit them at their tasting room just west of Johnson City, Texas.

Red

2022

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Elisa Christopher Wines’ Letkeman Family Vineyard Sangiovese from the Texas High Plains opens with distinctive aromas of green tobacco, cedarwood, and spices. Medium-bodied, it features mineral-laced tannins that are intensely grippy, providing a solid structure. The wine finishes with a bright, herbaceous character.

Red

2022

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This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from the Lucky 8 and historic Ravenswood vineyards, and was aged for 18 months in 20% new French oak. Pretty rose petal and black currant notes lift from the glass, layered with river stone and tobacco leaf nuances. Juicy and medium-bodied on entry, with graphite-laced red-toned fruit carried by zesty blood orange acidity. A dusty tannin backbone supports the long finish, which lingers with hints of Earl Grey tea and vanilla bean.

Red

2022

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Part of the winery’s single vineyard and small lot program, this estate site—planted in 1989 and named in memory of Fess Parker’s late son-in-law—is primarily dedicated to Rhône varieties. The Syrah here is particularly expressive, leaping from the glass with vivid aromas of black cherry, spiced charcuterie, violets, and cracked black pepper. On the palate, the wine is bold and dense, with elliptical, muscular tannins that support the aromatic profile as flavors, delivering remarkable concentration and grip. The finish is bone dry and tense, with lasting complexity and structure.

Red

2022

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This is the inaugural release from Spencer Gatlin—son of Dan Gatlin—who has launched his own project with a clear vision. “What he has done, and will do, is create his own concepts,” Dan says proudly. One of those concepts centers on Merlot 181, a clone Spencer calls “a grape that blows my mind.” Inspired by a 2018 trip to France—specifically a day spent tasting in Saint-Émilion—Spencer set out to craft a Right Bank–style wine rooted in Pomerol sensibilities. Sourced from Narra Vineyards in the Texas High Plains, along with a few additional nearby sites, this blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc is grown at about 10 clusters per vine, averaging 1 ton per acre. Fermented in open-top bins with cooling plates and hand punchdowns over 7–10 days, then aged 12 months in 20% new French oak followed by 12 months in neutral barrels. The wine opens with elegant red fruit tones, baking spice, high-toned red florals, and a touch of cedarwood. Medium-bodied on the palate, it offers a plush mix of cranberry and plum with supple tannins and a saline-mineral finish that begs for a well-salted cut of steak.

Red

2022

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From Seneca Lake’s first winery, this 2022 Cabernet Franc offers ripe cherry fruit laced with cedarwood and vanilla accents builds intrigue, while savory notes of tobacco and earth are framed by robust, mineral-laced tannins. Pomegranate seed-like acidity adds a crunchy, juicy brightness that carries through the tangy, refreshing finish.

Red

2022

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This is a crowd-pleaser in the Super Tuscan style, offering ripe currant and cassis fruit with hints of blackberry and subtle blue fruit aromatics. Firm, taut, mineral-laced tannins frame the palate, accented by earthy and tobacco spice notes and wet stone minerality on the lengthy finish. A fine medium-bodied wine that builds to full-bodied intensity as it finishes. Winemaker Jason Englert oversees an 80,000 case production across all Heath Family Brands (Grape Creek Vineyards, Heath Sparkling Wines, Jenblossom Cellars and Invention Vineyards).

Red

2022

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The Cab Trois comes from a hot, dry year, and it shows in the vivid dry herb aromatics that mingle with dried rose petal notes, creating a spicy, herbal character that’s quite intriguing. Purple violet florals carry through on the palate alongside spiced plum fruit and chalky minerality, leading to a lengthy, mineral-driven finish. Winemaker Jason Englert oversees an 80,000 case production across all Heath Family Brands (Grape Creek Vineyards, Heath Sparkling Wines, Jenblossom Cellars and Invention Vineyards).

Red

2022

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The 2022 Petite Sirah is a full-bodied, bold, and richly textured wine with inky black fruit and blue fruit nuances layered with notes of underbrush, dark forest floor, red tobacco, and espresso bean. It shows impressive density and weight throughout the palate. Winemaker Jason Englert oversees an 80,000 case production across all Heath Family Brands (Grape Creek Vineyards, Heath Sparkling Wines, Jenblossom Cellars and Invention Vineyards).

Red

2022

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A heady mix of red and black fruit unfolds with rich cedarwood spice, building through cocoa powder tannins and crunchy red fruit accented by warm Indian spices on the mid-palate, carrying through to the full-bodied finish. Winemaker Jason Englert oversees an 80,000 case production across all Heath Family Brands (Grape Creek Vineyards, Heath Sparkling Wines, Jenblossom Cellars and Invention Vineyards).

Red

2022

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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.

Red

2022

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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.

Cristaldi Scores

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Uplift Vineyard

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