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Cristaldi Scores

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Wine

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Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2018

Damiani Wine Cellars

Blanc De Blanc

The 2018 Blanc de Blanc is 100% Chardonnay, sourced from select sites along the east side of Seneca Lake. Each lot was vinified separately in stainless steel and aged sur lie for four months before going en tirage for five years, then disgorged in 2024. The wine offers a vinous brightness that leaps from the glass, building into a frothy, textured palate. Chalky minerality provides structure, while nuanced layers of toasty brioche and roasted almonds—gifts of the extended lees aging—bring depth and complexity.

2018

Kalasi Cellars

Kanchi Red Wine

This Bordeaux blend features Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 685, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Carménère, aged for an impressive 48 months in neutral French oak. Named “Kanchi,” after a village in South India renowned for its wedding saris, the name evokes a sense of rich history and elegance—qualities reflected in the wine itself. The wine is both elegant and intense, offering high-toned red berry fruit and warm spices. Full-bodied, it boasts plump, velvety tannins with layers of mocha, brown spices like cardamom and coriander, and intriguing notes of grapefruit zest and orange peel. The finish is long and deeply satisfying, marking this wine as a standout.

2018

Meierstone Vineyards

Reserve Malbec

The Meierstone Vineyards Reserve Malbec, sourced from Newsom Vineyards in the Texas High Plains, is a wonderfully easy-drinking and mild-mannered wine.Crunchy red-toned fruit character, with salty-sweet savory spice notes, lead to a medium-bodied palate. The wine is framed by fine-grained, gentle tannins that are well integrated, with hints of allspice, clove, and dried lilacs. The finish lingers with those same delicate floral and spice notes.

2018

Omega Road Winery

Cabernet Sauvignon

Sourced from the Ziganti Vineyard and aged in neutral oak, this is a savory, plum-driven expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose offers dried herbs alongside juicy red and black currants, while the palate delivers lifted notes of red plum and loganberry. A toasty, well-integrated finish rounds out this vibrant and approachable wine. -JR

2018

Retzlaff Vineyards

Merlot

Structured and savory, this Merlot opens with aromas of black olive, dark plum, and a deep, brooding complexity. The broad, full-bodied palate begins with rich plum fruit and reveals impressive tannic grip. The finish is long, earthy. -JR

2018

Sparkling Pointe

Boisseau Blanc de Blancs

Beautifully crisp and rich, with baked orchard fruit and a frothy, airy mousse that remains bright and focused. A long, lingering saline-acid tension brings nutty undertones to the forefront, melding into a Sherry-like aromatic richness with perfectly balanced energy on the extended finish. Absolutely fantastic—and a must-have with oysters and mignonette. 100% Chardonnay, sourced exclusively from Boisseau Vineyard, a 2.2-acre site located just a few miles east of the winery and tasting house. The base wine spent four months in demi-muid French oak barrels before bottling, adding subtle texture and nuance. Aged five years sur lie and disgorged on 12.6.23, this wine reveals refined complexity and depth. Dosage: 6 g/L.

2018

Whitecliff

Cabernet Franc

This Pineau de Charentes–style wine is made from Cabernet Franc, originally fermented as a rosé before being fortified with grape brandy and aged in neutral American oak for seven years. The result is reminiscent of a Tawny Port, with bright hazelnut and red cherry notes, lifted by a vivid spine of acidity. Lush and complex, it also shows layers of bruised and baked apples, apricots, and honeycomb. Delcious—and rather exceiting.

2019

Anthony Road Wine Company

Sparkling Riesling

A classic méthode Champenoise Riesling sparkler sourced from the Martini Family Vineyard, aged on the lees for two years before disgorgement. The vintage produced bright, acid-driven wines, and this bottling is no exception—youthful and crisp with crunchy apple fruit and absolutely bracing acidity. A subtle vinous character lingers through the long, mineral-laced finish. Positively made for oysters.

2019

Becker Vineyards

Canada Family Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Grapes for this red are sourced from Canada Family Vineyard, located in the Texas High Plains, atop primarily limestone-based soils. Compared to the Wilmeth Vineyard, this wine exhibits a more structured profile with greater grip and intensity on the mid-palate. It bursts with red and blackberry fruit, cassis, and is supported by fashionable, polished tannins that build gracefully into a lengthy, mineral-driven finish. A truly complete and harmonious wine.

2019

Becker Vineyards

Lahey Vineyards, Semillon

This blend of 90% Sémillon, 7% Chardonnay, and 3% Viognier was aged for an impressive 48 months in French oak, representing a bold experiment for the winery. The result is a wine that surprises consumers with its smooth, glossy texture and remarkable food-friendliness. It offers a rich array of aromas, including fragrant toasted nuttiness, lemon-drop, and butterscotch. Full-bodied and spicy on the palate, it delivers a wealth of toasted nut flavors and a luxurious finish. While thoroughly enjoyable now, this wine promises to evolve beautifully over the next decade, gaining even more richness, toasty complexity, and caramel-like depth.

2019

Becker Vineyards

Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Becker Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, sourced from the Wilmeth Vineyard (also known as Diamante Doble) in the Texas High Plains, is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1.6% Petit Verdot, and 1.4% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 30 months in a combination of 70% American oak (35% new) and 30% French oak (20% new), this wine is juicy, approachable, and easy to drink. It features satiny, silky tannins and rich dark berry flavors, accented by ample brown baking spices. The palate carries a welcome lean elegance, leading to a long finish with fantastic slate and iron minerality and a touch of wild herbs. During the tasting, I also sampled a 2016 vintage, which showed remarkable evolution—fuller, richer, and with more intense tannins. Its truffle notes and loamy earth character were reminiscent of aged California Cabernet or Bordeaux Supérieur. Both vintages exemplify the vineyard’s exceptional potential and craftsmanship.

2019

Belle Fiore

Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a gorgeous Left Bank–inspired nose of blackberry, graphite, and expressive cedarwood, layered with rich tobacco nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it features fine, dusty tannins and vibrant black currant fruit, with notes of loamy earth, vanilla bean, and savory wild herbs framing the long, focused finish. A tremendously satisfying wine of elegance and mineral purity. Belle Fiore Winery is an estate in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, with 31 acres of planted vineyards.

2019

Belle Fiore

Caprettone

This is a Caprettone, a grape variety from Coda di Volpe in the Vesuvio DOC in Campania, typically blended. Grown on the Belle Fiore estate, there is a bout an acre and a half and winemaker Rob Folin fermentes ina m ix of ss, acaica and French oak all neutral. It’s a bracing, refreshing, lemon-lime-bright wine with nice nutty notes in the nose and loads of canided citrus fruit and vivid acidity. Great tension.

2019

Belle Fiore

Icon Pinot Noir

Winemaker Rob Folin says he loves the sweetness and toastiness imparted by the Icon barrels used to age this wine—“it’s not just salt and pepper,” he notes, “it’s the steak and butter sauce, too.” The 2019 was fermented in open-top bins and aged in 40% new French oak Icon barrels. The result is a terrifically spicy wine with good density and width, dark cherry fruit dusted with cardamom and coriander, hints of wood smoke, clove, and allspice, and super-fine, sweet tannins that carry through a long, elegant finish.

2019

Belle Fiore

Reserve Pinot Noir (Gray Label)

Winemaker Rob Folin’s second vintage at Belle Fiore. This is a robust and bold Pinot Noir with a rich, dark-fruited profile, black cherry, and cherry coulis, rose petals and sgaebrush. Has a MB palate feel with firm tannins and notes of black tea on the finish. Fermented in open top bins, and aged 18 months in 30% nfr.

2019

Belle Fiore

Signature Series Syrah

The Signature Series Syrah, was just two barrels, and fermented in open-tops and aged in 50% nfr for 22 months. Winemaker Rob Folin says this is the best barrel in the cellar in 2019 and the second barrel complements this Syrah. The aromastics are incredibly hedonistic with cinnamon and allspice, with asomeo f the meaty Syrah characterur shining through with red cherry, blackberry, and blue fruit with notes of dried violets

2019

Bending Branch Winery

Double Barrel Tannat

This Tannat from Bending Branch was finished in bourbon barrels, with flash detente and cryo-maceration, and fermented in half-ton open-top fermenters. Sourced from two vineyards, it offers intriguing aromas of brandied morello cherry fruit and leather spices, mingling with sappy tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Softer and fleshy in the mouth, the wine reveals nice baking spice character, with layers of toffee, espresso bean, and a hint of molasses on the finish.

2019

Bingham Family Vineyards

Merlot

This super savory, medium-bodied Merlot opens with crunchy cherry and dark berry fruits, complemented by underbrush and pastille notes. As the wine develops, it reveals layers of blue fruit jam and a touch of tobacco leaf. The finish is long and satisfying.

2019

Bingham Family Vineyards

Petit Verdot

Bingham Family Vineyards’ Texas High Plains 2019 Petit Verdot is a rich and meaty wine, offering vibrant red currant fruits, spicy charcuterie, and strawberry balsamic notes. These flavors build on the soft, medium-bodied palate, framed by velvety, fine tannins.

2019

Blackmon

County Line Red Blend

Ferments are done in barrel, followed by ageing for up to 15 months in 20% new French oak. Attractive red and black berry fruit leads, with nuances of graphite, tobacco, elegant cedarwood aromatics, and rose petal florals. Medium-bodied on the palate, with firm, structured tannins and notes of espresso bean, all lifted by blood orange acid tension. The lengthy finish carries a touch of mesquite smoke. Grapes are sourced entirely from the 7-acre Blackmon Ranch Vineyard in the Texas Hill Country AVA.

2019

Blackmon Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Blackmon Cabernet Sauvignon from the Texas Hill Country is a fantastic wine that beautifully showcases classic Cabernet character. It offers satiny, slightly sappy tannins that are beautifully integrated, complemented by a melange of dried herb notes and delectable black currant and spiced plum fruits. Rich and enticing, it delivers fantastic structure and length, highlighting the potential of the Texas Hill Country. Aged 15 months in roughly 30% new French oak, this dynamic Cabernet is a standout expression of the region. The winemaker is Anthony Offhill.

2019

Brennan Vineyards

Buffalo Roam Reserve

The Buffalo Roam Reserve is a savory red wine that combines 65% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, and 6% Cabernet Franc. It offers very attractive green olive tapenade notes that mingle with red currants, dried herbs, and spices. Medium-bodied, it is framed by black tea tannins and complemented by tobacco, sage, and a hint of dried spearmint on its complex finish.

2019

Brennan Vineyards

JPB Tribute Red Wine

The Brennan Vineyards Tribute Red, created in honor of late winery founder Dr. J. Patrick Brennan, is an elegant and savory wine that offers a rich profile of currant fruits, tobacco spices, cedarwood, and tanned leather. The wine is further enhanced by delicate notes of dried rose petals and violets. Medium-bodied with expressive tannins, it shows layers of fig jam and currant jelly, intertwined with sagebrush, thyme, and black truffle nuances. A beautifully complex wine, it has both depth and refinement, making it a memorable tribute to its namesake.

2019

Brennan Vineyards

Petite Sirah Reserve

This Reserve Petite Sirah from the Texas High Plains is a full-throttle, meaty red with ripe currant fruit, charcuterie, and dried strawberry, complemented by dried herb nuances of prairie grass and sage. Medium-bodied, it boasts black tea-scented tannins, along with layers of black truffle, loamy earth, and delicate pressed violets and hydrangea notes.

2019

Channing Daughters Winery

Mudd West Vineyard Petit Verdot

This is a wonderfully rich and meaty red with impressive depth of fruit, yet it never veers into cloying or overt sweetness. It doesn’t possess the sheer intensity of a Napa Petit Verdot, but instead offers brightness and vividness underscored by firm acidity. There’s real personality here, with wild, sauvage notes ranging from dried sage and bay leaf to rose stem. The finish is bold, dry, and tannic, chased by mouthwatering acidity.

2019

Cuda Ridge Wines

Malbec

After fermentation in open-top bins with daily punchdowns, this Malbec was aged for 19 months in American oak (21% new). Winemaker Larry Dino favors Pennsylvania oak for this wine, noting its signature bacon-like, meaty character—which is unmistakably present here. That savory quality mingles seamlessly with dark berry and blueberry fruit, supported by a streak of savory spice. The tannins are gritty and granular, adding texture and structure, yet the wine remains fresh and vibrant. A robust, distinctive Malbec that will soften with time in bottle.

2019

Damiani Wine Cellars

Brut

The 2019 Brut—a méthode champenoise sparkler made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier—is sourced from multiple vineyard sites along the east side of Seneca Lake. Each lot was vinified separately in stainless steel and aged sur lie for three months before tirage. Disgorged in 2025 after five years en tirage, this wine offers a complex and richly textured profile. Baked apple, pear, and apricot lead the aromatic charge, followed by confected notes of apple tart and apricot pastry, with buttery, nutty undertones adding depth on the mid-palate. An assertive mousse softens into a gentle froth, while the long, saline-acid finish brings lift, freshness, and tension to this more opulent style of sparkling. My kind of bubbly!

2019

Flat Creek Estate

Super Texan

Flat Creek Estate’s “Super Texan” is a fragrant, meaty red wine with a red-toned character. It offers a medium- to full-bodied palate, enriched with savory notes of truffle, underbrush, and green tobacco, finishing with a long, persistent limestone mineral thread.

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.

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2016

Producer

Name

The ‘B 16 00 RCV TOU’ is 100% Touriga Nacional, aged for 36 months in neutral barrels. The nose offers spicy currant fruit and herbaceous aromatics, leading into a palate of tart red berries, blood orange, and sappy tannins. The finish is marked by a spicy, saline-acid tension that adds lift and vibrancy.

2017

Producer

Name

Bending Branch’s 2017 Tannat, sourced from Newsom Vineyards in the Texas High Plains, is a medium- to full-bodied red that opens with vibrant cherry and strawberry fruit notes, complemented by white pepper spices. A powerful baseline of tannins provides structure, with nicely ripe and well-integrated tannins that add depth and smoothness. As the wine unfolds, nuances of tobacco and sage build complexity, leading to a mineral-rich finish.

2017

Producer

Name

Aged six years en tirage with a dosage of 3 g/L, this is a bright, vinous sparkling wine with notes of almond, white flowers, and abundant orchard fruit. The palate is fresh, clean, and marked by a steely mineral edge.

2017

Producer

Name

2017 marked the first year that partners Christopher P. Bates MS, and Robert W. Bates began farming this estate, managing to coax just under a ton per acre from the vineyard. Sourced from their Sunspot and Underdog blocks, the fruit was destemmed, spontaneously fermented with ambient yeasts, then basket-pressed and aged in old neutral French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine strikes a nice balance between fruit density and rustic earthiness, lending real complexity. Dark cherry fruit and cocoa powder tannins create a chewy, textured palate, lifted by tangy acid tension. The low yields undoubtedly contribute to the wine’s depth and concentration. Now, eight years on, this wine still has a promising future ahead!

2017

Producer

Name

Glenora Wine Cellars was the first winery established on Seneca Lake and remains a pioneer in New York’s Finger Lakes wine region. This 2017 Blanc de Blanc is sourced entirely from Glenora Farms on the lake’s west side. After six years en tirage, the result is an impeccably bright and creamy sparkling wine, layered with orchard fruit and confected lemon bar notes. The finish is balanced and expressive, framed by toasted almonds, apple skin tannins, and a touch of lemon oil.

2017

Producer

Name

Sourced from 2013 plantings in the Rustic Spur Vineyard (the oldest Tannat vineyard on the northwest side of the Pedernales River Valley in the Texas Hill Country), this 100% Tannat is an outstanding effort of the region. Aged for 24 months in neutral oak, it offers a captivating nose, with rich aromas of loamy earth, black and red currants, plums, fruit spices, tobacco, and molasses. These elements transition seamlessly to the palate, which is full-bodied and defined by firm, soaring tannins that resolve beautifully. Layers of brown Indian spices, charcuterie, black tea, pressed wildflowers, dried fennel, and sage add complexity to the long, lingering, and expressive finish. Balanced and deeply nuanced.

2017

Producer

Name

The Sparkling Brut from Ravines is a wonderfully complex, focused, and expressive wine made from 33-year-old Chardonnay vines and 32-year-old Pinot Noir vines grown at the Argetsinger Vineyard on the southeast side of Seneca Lake. The site’s Howard gravel soils over limestone bedrock lend a mineral edge to this traditional-method sparkler. The 2012 vintage was exceptionally warm for the region, with near-ideal conditions. Hand-riddled, and then disgorged in late 2019 with a dosage of under 5 g/L, it shows beautifully expressive notes of toasty brioche mingling with lemon and lime blossom. The mousse is frothy and creamy, resolving with notes of honey-drizzled almonds and saline-mineral tension on a long, bone-dry, mouthwatering finish.

2017

Producer

Name

This red blend, sourced from the 140-acre Narra Vineyard estate in the Texas High Plains near Brownfield, combines Malbec and Merlot aged for 36 months in all-neutral barrels, and showcases depth and refinement.The Malbec contributes a savory character, while the Merlot brings bright fruit and floral notes. Layers of sagebrush, Texas prairie grass, figs, and spiced plums define the aromatic profile, and with some air, intriguing black tea nuances emerge. The tannins, too, carry a black tea-like quality, seamlessly integrated and adding to the wine’s polished texture. A complex and balanced red.

2017

Producer

Name

The ‘B 17 00 RCV MER’ is 100% Merlot, all ENTAV 181 clone. Fermented in picking bins, then racked into stainless steel tanks to settle before being barreled down for 52 months. This wine smells and drinks like an aged Right Bank Bordeaux, with aromas of loamy earth, sooty minerals, spiced plums, and currant fruit layered over a subtle green tobacco leaf note. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, with firm, velvet-textured tannins, cigar box nuances, and underbrush emerging with time. Balanced tension and mouthwatering freshness carry the wine to a long, savory finish.

2017

Producer

Name

The ‘B 17 00 RCV RUB’ is the 2017 Ruby Cab, aged for an impressive 52 months in barrel. Winemaker Dan McLaughlin has consistently used 225L Radoux French oak for this wine. The nose still carries a touch of pyrazine character, but it’s mellowed, giving way to emerging notes of black currant, currant leaf, and espresso bean, layered with rich baking spices. The palate shows soft, velvety tannins that fuel the wine’s lengthy finish. To fully appreciate this wine, and the lengthy aging regimen, you really need to understand Dan’s winemaking philosophy and for that, you really need to meet him in person.

2017

Producer

Name

The ‘B 17 00 RCV TOU’ is 100% Touriga Nacional, aged for 52 months in neutral barrels. Compared to the 2016 release, which spent 36 months in barrel, this 2017 bottling offers lifted aromas of dried violets, rich nutty nuances, blue fruit tones, and a hint of grilled agave. Full-bodied on the palate, with rich loamy earth, black truffle notes, dark cassis, and tobacco. This is the kind of wine you’ll want to sip on all night—ideally after enjoying the 2016 with a well-salted steak.

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.

2018

Producer

Name

Sourced from the Martini Family Vineyard and aged on the lees for four years before disgorgement, this 2018 vintage sparkler hails from one of the most challenging vintages of the past decade. It opens with lovely baked orchard fruit, nuanced by delicate French pastry and toasted nut aromatics. The palate is rich and creamy, with a frothy mousse that finishes on a layered undercurrent of salty-saline and oyster shell minerality. Bright, and perfectly balanced.

2018

Producer

Name

The County Line Red Blend from Blackmon, sourced from the Texas Hill Country AVA, is a wine with a multifaceted nose, offering aromas of black currants and black tea. Well-balanced, its tannins are well-integrated and not over-extracted, allowing the fruit to shine. Framed by juicy, crunchy acidity, it features lovely undertones of underbrush and conifer, leading to a long, satisfying finish. The winemaker is Anthony Offhill.

2018

Producer

Name

The 2018 Blanc de Blanc is 100% Chardonnay, sourced from select sites along the east side of Seneca Lake. Each lot was vinified separately in stainless steel and aged sur lie for four months before going en tirage for five years, then disgorged in 2024. The wine offers a vinous brightness that leaps from the glass, building into a frothy, textured palate. Chalky minerality provides structure, while nuanced layers of toasty brioche and roasted almonds—gifts of the extended lees aging—bring depth and complexity.

2018

Producer

Name

This Bordeaux blend features Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 685, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Carménère, aged for an impressive 48 months in neutral French oak. Named “Kanchi,” after a village in South India renowned for its wedding saris, the name evokes a sense of rich history and elegance—qualities reflected in the wine itself. The wine is both elegant and intense, offering high-toned red berry fruit and warm spices. Full-bodied, it boasts plump, velvety tannins with layers of mocha, brown spices like cardamom and coriander, and intriguing notes of grapefruit zest and orange peel. The finish is long and deeply satisfying, marking this wine as a standout.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2016

2016 Robert Clay Vineyards B 16 00 RCV TOU

Still Wine

$$$$

2017

2017 Bending Branch Winery Newsom Vineyards, Tannat

Still

$

2017

2017 Buttonwood Grove Winery Antonia Marie Méthode Traditionelle

Sparkling Wine

$

2017

2017 Element Winery Equilibrium Wine Farm

Still Wine

$$

2017

2017 Glenora Wine Cellars Blanc de Blanc

Sparkling Wine

$

2017

2017 Kerrville Hills Winery Rustic Spur Vineyard, Tannat

Still Wine

$

2017

2017 Ravines Ravines Sparkling Brut

Sparkling Wine

$

2017

2017 Rivenburgh Wine Red Blend

Still Wine

$

2017

2017 Robert Clay Vineyards B 17 00 RCV MER

Still Wine

$$$$

2017

2017 Robert Clay Vineyards B 17 00 RCV RUB

Still Wine

$$$$

2017

2017 Robert Clay Vineyards B 17 00 RCV TOU

Still Wine

$

2017

2017 The Red Hook Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve

Still Wine

$

2018

2018 Anthony Road Wine Company Blanc de Noir

Sparkling Wine

$

2018

2018 Blackmon Wines County Line Red Blend

Still

$$$

2018

2018 Damiani Wine Cellars Blanc De Blanc

Sparkling Wine

$$

2018

2018 Kalasi Cellars Kanchi Red Wine

Still

N/A

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