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Cristaldi Scores

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Wine

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Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

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Champagne Victor Charlot

Instinct Premier 75/25 Brut

Intensely savory, with a briny richness balanced by honeydew melon. Expansive with a voluminous, creamy mousse. Intriguingly bright earthen notes, smoky minerals, and bracing acid tension

N/A

Champagne Victor Charlot

Les Terres de la Grève Brut

Leads with oyster shells, brine, apricot, and melon. A richness envelops the palate, layering briny salt crystals with cascading notes of pithy lime, cherry pit, and savory spices. Layered, long, and absolutely intriguing

N/A

McGrail Vineyards

Gracie Brut Sparkling Wine

This sparkling Chardonnay from Lucky 8 Vineyard was harvested in late August at approximately 17 Brix with a pH of 3.0. Fermented in stainless steel, it was then racked to neutral oak for about three months before returning to stainless for heat and cold stabilization. The wine was bottled, tirage-aged, riddled, and finished with a dosage of just 2 g/L. It boasts bright lemon citrus and apricot notes, accented by fragrant white flowers and hints of nougat. The mousse is rich and creamy yet assertive, framed by soaring acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish. Crisp, clean, and beautifully structured.

N/V

Damiani Wine Cellars

Bollicine

A dry Prosecco-style sparkler made from Cayuga White, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, sourced from vineyards on both Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Fermented in stainless steel and aged on the lees for eight months, it also spent an additional four months en tirage prior to disgorgement. The result is exactly what you’d hope for—light on its feet, frothy, and bursting with expressive, crunchy orchard and citrus fruit. It’s easy-drinking and refreshing, with a pleasantly bold, dry finish.

NV

Altus Sol

Pinot Grigio

Tropical fruit lifts out of the glass, redolent of pineapple and white peach and jasmine florals. Lush, medium-bodied, with juicy acidity underscored by a chalky mineral character and crushed Marcona almond finish. Pinot grigio with less than a percent spalsh of Muscat for some aromatic lift.

NV

Buttonwood Grove Winery

The Farm White

The Farm White is a blend of 70% Cayuga White, 16% Melody, and 14% Grüner Veltliner. Each variety is fermented separately in stainless steel from direct press juice, then blended in early February or March before bottling. The nose is citrus-driven with orchard fruit and a hint of jasmine, while the palate delivers a rowdy, mouth-puckering acidity and vinous energy that fuels the wine’s length.

NV

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Extra Brut

Non-vintage méthode traditionnelle sparkling made from 100% Riesling, riddled and disgorged by hand after 18 months en tirage. Dosage is 5 g/L. This is razor-sharp and brilliantly focused, driven by crystalline acidity and ripe, succulent orchard fruit. The rich, frothy mousse fills the palate, resolving into a stark, mineral finish brimming with energy and tension. Delicious.

NV

Hosmer Winery

Hosmer Winery Sparkling Wine

Made from 100% Cayuga White grapes sourced from the southwestern-most block of Patrician Verona Vineyard (a 70-acre, sustainably certified estate vineyard in the Cayuga Lake AVA, with plantings dating back to 1979), this spent four years en tirage. It is a vivid, saline-mineral-driven sparkler with a frothy, creamy mousse and loads of lemon, lime, grapefruit pith, and French pastry notes emerging on the long finish. The dosage is well-balanced, adding a subtle sweetness that resonates throughout.

NV

HV Vineyards

Right Bank Blanc De Blanc

Super expressive from the start, this 100% Chardonnay opens with a lifted nose of baking spice, oyster shell minerality, and lemon pastry. The palate builds in intensity with a focused, assertive mousse and fine beading, resolving into a stunning, saline-rich finish layered with salted lemon peel and French pastry notes. Bright, focused, and precise throughout. Aged 24 months on the lees with some time in neutral oak post-primary fermentation; no malolactic conversion. Dosage is 7 g/L. Crafted under the direction of General Manager Russell Moss.

NV

HV Vineyards

Right Bank Brut Cuvée

Bright, stony minerality and subtle oyster shell notes rise from the glass, layered with citrus and lime. The mousse is super frothy, carrying a salty-chalky core that builds with grippy apple skin texture and golden cherry fruit. The finish is long, floral, and mineral-rich. A sparkling wine of impressive quality.

NV

Kerrville Hills

White Wine

This non-vintage white shows impressive character and texture, with a grippy mid-palate and a long, nutty richness that carries through the medium-bodied finish. The palate offers generous fruit weight, featuring layers of apricot and white peach alongside toasted almonds and buttered croissant. There’s real depth and intensity here, complemented by notes of wild herbs and dried honeycomb on the nose.

NV

Knapp Winery

Brut

Sourced from Knapp Vineyards, this sparkling wine underwent primary fermentation in stainless steel, followed by bottle fermentation and 12 months on the lees before disgorging. A modest 1.5% residual sugar dosage rounds out the palate. Simple and enjoyable, it offers crisp green apple, green Jolly Rancher candy, and steely minerality, all wrapped in a vinous-like character. A supple, creamy mousse gives way to a bone-dry finish marked by mineral tension.

NV

Mazza Wines

The Perfect Bubbly

Sourced from several vineyards within the Lake Erie AVA, this blend of hybrid varieties saw cool stainless steel fermentation to help preserve vibrant aromatics and acidity. Expressive notes of apple and pear lead the way, joined by white flowers and honeysuckle. A rich, creamy, and frothy mousse lifts the palate, resolving with a subtly sweet finish.

NV

Sparkling Pointe

Brut Nature

Disgorged on 10.16.24 after more than three years aging sur lie, this is a multi-vintage Brut Nature made from 51% 2020 and 49% 2019 fruit. And let me say—it’s absolutely my kind of wine. Gorgeously rich, with spectacular nutty complexity and an ultra-fine, creamy mousse. Winemaker Andrew Rockwell explains that the oak aging adds just a bit of grip, which helps frame the wine’s generous mid-palate and lingering, toasty finish. It’s stunning—elegant yet powerful, and just plain gorgeous.

NV

Usonia

West! West!! West!!!

50% Chancellor (Plane’s Block, west side Cayuga Lake), 30% Verdelet (Arrowhead Vineyard, west side Seneca Lake), and 20% Cayuga White (Plane’s Block), all hand-harvested in 2023 and vinified separately. In 2024, fermenting non-vinifera Diamond—a native variety—was added to the still wine before it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Hand-disgorged over the winter, this sparkling wine is wild, rustic, and utterly compelling. It channels tar and roses with deep loamy earth—like a red from Chinon—before unfurling with intensely tarry minerality, frizzante energy, and a creamy, assertive mousse. Red berry fruit mingles with savory notes of star anise, black olive, and crushed walnuts drizzled with paprika-laced honey.

N/A

Valette

Valette Champagne Blanc de Noirs

Wonderfully rich baking-spice notes evoke walnut–cardamom pastry, French buttered croissant, and wet river stones, all wrapped around cherry and apple fruit. The mousse is incredibly frothy, building with beautiful lightness and textural lift, while hints of white truffle and a streak of saline acidity add a savory freshness that’s undeniably delicious.

NV

Whitecliff

Awosting White

A blend of Seyval Blanc and Vignoles, this semi-dry white is named after Lake Awosting in the Shawangunk Mountains. Medium-bodied, with floral lift and ripe orchard fruit, it shows a touch of sweetness balanced by incredibly bright, saline-laced acidity. The finish is marked by a wet stone minerality.

N/A

Whitecliff

North River Petillant (Traminette)

From Whitecliff Vineyard’s home estate-grown Traminette, this is pressed into stainless steel and fermented with native yeasts, then is allowed to ferment slowly until it hits the numbers winemaker Brad Martz is targeting—leaving enough residual sugar to complete fermentation in bottle. Disgorged to remove heavy lees, then recapped. It opens with bright apple and lifted baking spice, followed by a super frothy, assertive mousse that resolves through layers of white rose, orange oil, lychee, and a touch of grapefruit zest. Clean, zippy, and zingy.

N/A

Whitecliff

North River Petillant (Vidal Blanc)

Sourced from estate-grown Vidal Blanc from the Whitecliff Vineyard home estate. Pressed into stainless steel and fermented with native yeasts, the wine is allowed to ferment as long as needed to reach the numbers winemaker Brad Martz targets—leaving enough residual sugar to complete fermentation in bottle. It’s then disgorged to remove the heavy lees and recapped. The result is a clean, bright pét-nat with notes of chamomile, yellow apple, and white flowers. The mousse is rich, creamy, and finely textured, leading to a bone-dry, acid-driven finish. Easy-drinking and elegant—really lovely.

2024

Wines by Alisa Jacobson

Bait + Switch by AJ, Non Alcoholic Wine, Made with Organic Grapes, Sauvignon Blanc

Organically farmed Sauvignon Blanc, harvested early to retain acidity, then cool-fermented in barrel with an aromatic yeast strain. Lees stirring contributes added texture, while a small portion aged in new oak lends a subtle toasty edge. Alcohol is gently removed via vacuum distillation before the wine sees a short élevage in neutral oak. Golden in hue with flecks of emerald flashing at the rim. Opens with vivid aromas of lime blossom, gooseberry, and fresh-cut citrus, followed by hints of guava and green melon. The palate is mouthwatering and bright, layered with lemon-lime and white grapefruit — reminiscent of childhood sodas like Sprite or 7UP, but without the sweetness or carbonation. There’s a subtle textural roundness at the core and a whisper of toast and wet stone on the finish. Surprisingly complex for a non-alcoholic wine, with a nostalgic wink and an adult sense of restraint.

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2023

Producer

Name

This is a crunchy, bright and vivid Chardonnay, with elegant lemon and lime fruit, under-ripe white peach, apricot and green apple — a sort of fruit salad, yet wonderfully vivid and refreshing. The mid-palate is rounded with good depth of apricot flavor and richly integrated cedarwood notes. The oak is never obvious; it is more structural than overt. The 2023 Lucie Chardonnay comes from Sun Chase Vineyard, Block 7 — a steep, north-west-facing site. The fruit is night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots undergo native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage begins with more frequent stirring and tapers as the wines age for 15 months in roughly 40% new French oak. The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Producer

Name

Sourced from Wente clone Chardonnay, this small-production wine (just 125 cases) was fermented in stainless steel and aged for six months in neutral oak. Exotic aromas of mango, papaya, and white peach mingle with lemon zest and zesty ginger. Medium-bodied and supple, the palate is energized by racy acidity, allowing the vivid tropical and stone fruits to gain depth and complexity. The finish is long and textural, framed by chalky minerality and a flourish of pressed white flowers.

2023

Producer

Name

The fruit for this wine was destemmed and left on skins for six hours before a gentle press and long, cool fermentation finished in bottle. Bottled undisgorged on December 11, 2023. Wildly juicy and fruit-forward, this pét-nat bursts with red berries and grapefruit zest. The mousse is crisp and zippy, giving way to a bone-dry finish that delivers mouthwatering freshness and all the bright, vibrant fruit you could hope for.

2023

Producer

Name

No malolactic fermentation here—this wine is bright, juicy, and citrus-driven, with creamy apricot unfolding on the mid-palate. Subtle notes of Marcona almond add nuance to the steely finish.

2023

Producer

Name

Fermented and aged in stainless steel, concrete egg and neutral French oak, this wine was aged sur lees and did not undergo malolactic fermentation. As such, it is super bright and zesty, though you’d be hard-pressed to guess there’s no malo, as it shows real richness and depth — perhaps thanks to the Old Wente clones. Citrus fruit, white flowers, beeswax and vanilla unfold with great length and lovely wet-stone mineral tension. Really lovely.

2023

Producer

Name

From the Spear Vineyard, this Chardonnay is layered with signature traits of the site: rich honeycomb, overripe lemon, and crushed Marcona almonds. On the palate, it’s textured and expressive, with subtle apple skin tannins framing flavors of yellow apple, ripe pear, and warm baking spices. The wine carries through to a lengthy, beautifully bright finish.

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Chardonnay was made with native yeasts, whole-cluster pressed, and aged for 19 months in 20% new French oak. Sourced from Lorenzo Vineyard—a site planted in 1973 and renowned for its naturally rich fruit, minerality, and vibrant acidity—the wine is generous and toasty, with a creamy, buttery texture. Wet stone minerality provides restraint and lift on the palate before the wine builds again in intensity, finishing long and bold with lingering notes of butterscotch. 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

A friend in the tasting room remarked that this is the kind of wine you’d expect to see poured by the glass at a Michelin three-star like Single Thread. It has a liqueurous, wonderfully rich texture—extremely deep and penetrating on the mid-palate—with uber-ripe pear and apple fruit, almost like poached pear, accented by white florals, crushed almonds, sea salt, and chalky mineral tension. The length is extraordinary—stretching from the tasting room in Healdsburg clear down to the Golden Gate Bridge—and along the way you experience the landscape itself: rolling hills of orchard fruit, wind, fog, and sunshine, all encapsulated in the glass. Try as you might, you will finish this bottle. Sources include vineyards in the Green Valley and Petaluma Gap sub-AVAs, along with Marine Layer Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills. Native fermentation; 100% malolactic; gentle lees stirring once per month. Aged 11 months, unfined and lightly filtered.

2023

Producer

Name

100% barrel-fermented, with roughly 30% new French oak and some Hungarian oak in the mix. This wine is super bright, with layers of lemon oil, toasty brioche, buttered croissant, and candied ginger. Medium- to full-bodied, it delivers a fantastic mouthfeel—rich, weighty citrus fruit balanced by bright, intense acid tension. Winemaker Mark Clarin notes that he inhibits some of the malolactic fermentation, allowing only about 70% to complete, which helps preserve freshness and drive. Fragrant baking spice and vanilla notes weave through the palate, and the finish lingers with terrific mineral intensity. A dynamic, beautifully structured white with serious depth and length.

2023

Producer

Name

The 2023 Trebbiano from Meierstone Vineyards in the Texas High Plains showcases captivating spice aromatics, with hints of coriander and brown sugar adding intrigue. Lean and sharply focused on the palate, it reveals subtle notes of prairie grass that enhance its complexity. This wine is intensely savory, bursting with energy, and an absolute joy to drink. Its bright, acid-driven profile delivers a “ripping” freshness that’s as engaging as it is satisfying. For those seeking a lively and distinctive white.

2023

Producer

Name

The flagship estate Chardonnay is sourced from all four of Melville’s estate ranches. The fruit is harvested overnight and pressed before sunrise into tank, followed by a 24-hour cold settle before being racked to barrel. Fermentation occurs entirely in neutral oak, with the wine aged for eight months prior to bottling. This is a flinty, reductive Chardonnay on the nose, with a candied minerality that lifts its fragrant baking spice character. Layers of Meyer lemon, pear, white peach, and a hint of agave nectar unfold on the palate, all framed by scintillating acidity. The finish is long and complex, marked by crushed Marcona almonds, lime blossoms, and lime zest.

2023

Producer

Name

This Picpoul Blanc shows good weight and depth of fruit character, with honeydew melon and candied lime aromas. Medium-bodied and plush, it offers a satiny texture that makes it all too easy to enjoy. Bright enough for a hot summer day yet layered with warming spice notes that lend it appeal for sipping during the colder months.

2023

Producer

Name

From Michael Ros Vineyards in the Texas High Plains, this Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel and aged for seven months prior to release. Straightforward and uncomplicated, it delivers clean citrus and stone fruit flavors, accented by a subtle hint of baking spice on the finish. A refreshing and approachable wine, perfect for casual sipping.

2023

Producer

Name

Fermented in stainless steel with lees stirred every three months over a seven-month period before bottling. The wine offers lemon-lime brightness, white flowers, and crunchy acidity, with layers of citrus, citrus oil, and subtle almond notes. It finishes with a steely, slate-like minerality.

2023

Producer

Name

This wine comes from the original planting at Clinton Vineyards (from vines planted in the early 1970s), under the stewardship of Barry and Sang Milea since 2022. Fermented in stainless steel, the aromatics are utterly captivating—think white miso and Parmesan rind taking an unexpected turn toward kumquat and pineapple. The palate follows with an intense umami richness, evoking shaved white truffle and salty sea spray. It’s fascinating, confounding, and impossible to stop revisiting, both aromatically and on the finish. A brilliant pairing for Asian cuisine—or pepperoni pizza with hot honey.

2023

Producer

Name

This 50/50 blend of Cayuga and Seyval Blanc was tank fermented, with a portion aged in neutral French oak for a year before being racked, filtered, and bottled. It lifts from the glass with honeysuckle and wild rose, followed by a squeeze of lime zest and tangerine. A refreshing saline-acid tension drives the finish. Best enjoyed on a hot, humid summer day—ideally with a picnic lunch.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2023

2023 Lucie Sun Chase Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Lumen Goodchild Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

N/A

2023

2023 Macari Vineyards “HORSES” Petit Verdot

Sparkling Wine

$

2023

2023 Macari Vineyards Breakwater Chardonnay

Still Wine

N/A

2023

2023 Macauley Vineyard Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Marbeso Spear Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

N/A

2023

2023 Marchelle Wines Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Marine Layer Aries Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 McGrail Vineyards Family Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Meierstone Vineyards Trebbiano

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Melville Estate Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Michael Ros Picpoul Blanc

Still

N/A

2023

2023 Michael Ros Sauvignon Blanc

Still

N/A

2023

2023 Milea Estate Vineyard Estate Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay

Still Wine

N/A

2023

2023 Milea Estate Vineyard Hudson Heritage Clinton Vineyard Seyval Blanc

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Millbrook Winery Bedient Vineyard White

Still Wine

$

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