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Cristaldi Scores

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Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2019

Bending Branch Winery

Camp Lucy Vineyard Malbec

If the 2020 Camp Lucy Malbec showed the delicate, lifted side of the variety, the 2019 reveals its deeper register. This vintage is more dark-fruited, with a richer, more concentrated core and noticeably greater mid-palate weight. You still get the signature cherry character, but it trends darker—black cherry and black plum—supported by firmer, more assertive tannins. The finish echoes the 2020 in its white-pepper lift and limestone-driven mineral notes, but here they play against a denser, more brooding fruit profile. A compelling, more structured counterpoint to the elegance of the 2020.

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

Wanderlust Vineyard

Malbec

The Malbec from this Oregon-based winery is quite alluring, offering mixed berry fruit, fragrant toasty oak spices and chocolatey aromatics. The mid-palate is satisfying, driven by tart mixed berries and warm baking spices. The tannins are a bit brash, but an enticing herbal pop brightens the full-bodied finish.

2020

Bending Branch Winery

Camp Lucy Vineyard Malbec

Whatever you think you know about Malbec, check it at the door with this Texas rendition from Camp Lucy Vineyard and the 2020 vintage. It’s a delicate, pretty wine—much like the world’s greatest Malbecs—driven by red cherry fruit and spice but softer in tannin, less muscular, and more elegant. White pepper and rose-stem nuances weave through the palate, carried by limestone mineral tension and a lift of tangerine oil on the finish.

2020

Terra Trails Winery

Doggone Vineyard, Malbec

The Doggone Vineyard Malbec from Terra Trails has notes of hazelnuts and dried rose petals, accompanied by red currant fruits. Medium-bodied and salty on entry, green tobacco notes emerge over the red currant fruits in the mouth, all building to a dry, medium-bodied finish.

2021

Peter Willliam

PWV Peter William Vineyard Malbec Reserve

Fruit from Peter William Vineyard, entirely destemmed, with 19 days of skin contact and daily punchdowns, then aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. A gorgeous wine with pristine red-berry and cassis fruit, touches of tobacco, well-integrated cedar from the new wood, warm baking spices, and dusty mineral notes. The wine holds a rich, velvety center and finishes with enticing rose-petal perfume, slate-stone minerality, and a refreshing lift that’s so welcoming.

2021

Siboney Cellars

Challis Vineyard, Malbec

Malbec from the Challis Vineyard, planted on brown-dirt soils and farmed and owned by Mike West. Clones 9 and 10 were fermented and aged separately before being blended together. 500 cases produced. 100% Malbec. Dark berry fruit leads, supported by cocoa powder and dried wild herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, with firm yet supple tannins and a dry, focused finish.

2022

Domaine Bousquet

Gaia Organic Malbec

Hand-harvested and French oak-aged, this red is a superb value pick. Bold red and black fruits combine with dried violets, baking spices, hints of graphite, and a welcome tension between perky minerality and grippy structure. Well done! – J.R.

2022

Portree Cellars

Lahey Vineyards, Malbec

Malbec sourced from the 1,040-acre Lahey Vineyard in Portree Cellar’s hands is high-toned, floral-driven, with mixed berry fruit, cedar spices, and dried sage. Medium-bodied with sinewy tannins, a hint of fig paste layers itself under that mixed berry fruit character, and high-toned acidity keeps everything light and fresh on the finish.

2023

Devil Proof

Devil Proof Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Block 5 

The Rockpile Ridge Vineyard is a rocky, gravelly bluff at 1,480 feet, overlooking Lake Sonoma in the hills above Dry Creek Valley in the Rockpile AVA — a seriously rugged site. This wine is stunning. Sagebrush, mulberry, black raspberry, cherry and spiced plums lead a profile that is positively rich, with violets, blue fruit, crème de cassis and dark cocoa nibs. The tannins are elongated and precise. Aged 22 months in 100% new French oak.

2023

Devil Proof

Farrow Ranch Vineyard Block 17

From Block 17 at Farrow Ranch — the original block Jesse Katz sourced from long before he acquired the ranch in 2021. Dry-farmed since 2011, the vines have since been retrained, and the wine is aged 22 months in 80% new French oak of various sizes. This is super perfumed and elegant, with lovely savory saddle leather, dried violets, black olives, sagebrush, and thyme. On the palate, there’s blue fruit and black fruit with juicy, building richness and plenty of full-bodied depth, all carried by incredible tension. This is quite remarkable — generous yet taut, crisp and crunchy, and impressively fresh. Fresh fresh fresh.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2019

Producer

Name

If the 2020 Camp Lucy Malbec showed the delicate, lifted side of the variety, the 2019 reveals its deeper register. This vintage is more dark-fruited, with a richer, more concentrated core and noticeably greater mid-palate weight. You still get the signature cherry character, but it trends darker—black cherry and black plum—supported by firmer, more assertive tannins. The finish echoes the 2020 in its white-pepper lift and limestone-driven mineral notes, but here they play against a denser, more brooding fruit profile. A compelling, more structured counterpoint to the elegance of the 2020.

2019

Producer

Name

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

Producer

Name

The Malbec from this Oregon-based winery is quite alluring, offering mixed berry fruit, fragrant toasty oak spices and chocolatey aromatics. The mid-palate is satisfying, driven by tart mixed berries and warm baking spices. The tannins are a bit brash, but an enticing herbal pop brightens the full-bodied finish.

2020

Producer

Name

Whatever you think you know about Malbec, check it at the door with this Texas rendition from Camp Lucy Vineyard and the 2020 vintage. It’s a delicate, pretty wine—much like the world’s greatest Malbecs—driven by red cherry fruit and spice but softer in tannin, less muscular, and more elegant. White pepper and rose-stem nuances weave through the palate, carried by limestone mineral tension and a lift of tangerine oil on the finish.

2020

Producer

Name

The Doggone Vineyard Malbec from Terra Trails has notes of hazelnuts and dried rose petals, accompanied by red currant fruits. Medium-bodied and salty on entry, green tobacco notes emerge over the red currant fruits in the mouth, all building to a dry, medium-bodied finish.

2021

Producer

Name

Fruit from Peter William Vineyard, entirely destemmed, with 19 days of skin contact and daily punchdowns, then aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. A gorgeous wine with pristine red-berry and cassis fruit, touches of tobacco, well-integrated cedar from the new wood, warm baking spices, and dusty mineral notes. The wine holds a rich, velvety center and finishes with enticing rose-petal perfume, slate-stone minerality, and a refreshing lift that’s so welcoming.

2021

Producer

Name

Malbec from the Challis Vineyard, planted on brown-dirt soils and farmed and owned by Mike West. Clones 9 and 10 were fermented and aged separately before being blended together. 500 cases produced. 100% Malbec. Dark berry fruit leads, supported by cocoa powder and dried wild herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, with firm yet supple tannins and a dry, focused finish.

2022

Producer

Name

Hand-harvested and French oak-aged, this red is a superb value pick. Bold red and black fruits combine with dried violets, baking spices, hints of graphite, and a welcome tension between perky minerality and grippy structure. Well done! – J.R.

2022

Producer

Name

Malbec sourced from the 1,040-acre Lahey Vineyard in Portree Cellar’s hands is high-toned, floral-driven, with mixed berry fruit, cedar spices, and dried sage. Medium-bodied with sinewy tannins, a hint of fig paste layers itself under that mixed berry fruit character, and high-toned acidity keeps everything light and fresh on the finish.

2023

Producer

Name

The Rockpile Ridge Vineyard is a rocky, gravelly bluff at 1,480 feet, overlooking Lake Sonoma in the hills above Dry Creek Valley in the Rockpile AVA — a seriously rugged site. This wine is stunning. Sagebrush, mulberry, black raspberry, cherry and spiced plums lead a profile that is positively rich, with violets, blue fruit, crème de cassis and dark cocoa nibs. The tannins are elongated and precise. Aged 22 months in 100% new French oak.

2023

Producer

Name

From Block 17 at Farrow Ranch — the original block Jesse Katz sourced from long before he acquired the ranch in 2021. Dry-farmed since 2011, the vines have since been retrained, and the wine is aged 22 months in 80% new French oak of various sizes. This is super perfumed and elegant, with lovely savory saddle leather, dried violets, black olives, sagebrush, and thyme. On the palate, there’s blue fruit and black fruit with juicy, building richness and plenty of full-bodied depth, all carried by incredible tension. This is quite remarkable — generous yet taut, crisp and crunchy, and impressively fresh. Fresh fresh fresh.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2019

2019 Bending Branch Winery Camp Lucy Vineyard Malbec

Still Wine

$

2019

2019 Cuda Ridge Wines Malbec

Still Wine

$

2019

2019 Wanderlust Vineyard Malbec

Still Wine

N/A

2020

2020 Bending Branch Winery Camp Lucy Vineyard Malbec

Still Wine

$

2020

2020 Terra Trails Winery Doggone Vineyard, Malbec

Still Wine

$

2021

2021 Peter Willliam PWV Peter William Vineyard Malbec Reserve

Still Wine

$

2021

2021 Siboney Cellars Challis Vineyard, Malbec

-

$

2022

2022 Domaine Bousquet Gaia Organic Malbec

Still Wine

$

2022

2022 Portree Cellars Lahey Vineyards, Malbec

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Devil Proof Devil Proof Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Block 5 

Still Wine

$$$$

2023

2023 Devil Proof Farrow Ranch Vineyard Block 17

Still Wine

$$$$

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