Wines – Page 57 – Cristaldi & Co

2024

Xander Soren Wines

Habari, Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Winemaker Shalini Sekhar produced this Chardonnay from a single vineyard block of Dijon Clone 76 using a minimal-intervention approach, beginning with gentle whole-cluster pressing. Fermented in mostly neutral French oak with carefully selected yeasts and no malolactic fermentation. Aged 10 months in French oak and stainless steel and bottled with minimal sulfur. This is one serious Chardonnay, satiny through and through, balanced by crisp apple and pear notes, a firm spine of ultra-juicy acidity, and beautifully pure and vivid citrus and orchard fruits, leaning into stone from the bouquet through the slightly salty finish. Lush and supple mid-core, with excellent fruit weight.

White

2025

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Triska Sauvignon Blanc

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musqué clone) from Triska Vineyard, aged for three months in stainless steel. Amanda Kent explained that they decided to plant this more coastal-leaning Musqué clone—rather than Clone 1—because the region is, in fact, cooling. The clone was first planted in 2018 at Triska and has since been added to Lemmons Vineyard as well. At Triska, the block faces north at a ten-degree angle, tilted away from the sun, and the team grows the canopies tall to create additional shade. I tasted the 2025 in December 2025—the first wine I tried from the vintage. It was fermented in tank with a portion in acacia wood, not for flavour but to add mid-palate appeal. Harvested in mid-September, it was aged on the lees for about six weeks and bottled a few months later. Super aromatic, with bright white pepper, green apple, honeycomb, jasmine, and even a touch of fresh-sliced jalapeño. Light, bright, and zesty on the mid-palate, with crunchy acidity and a bone-dry, wet-slate mineral finish. Super inviting and enticing.

White

2025

Martin Family Wineries

Frontenac Gris Nouveau

Melon and white peach notes lead, with high-toned white florals. The palate is juicy and just a bit tannic, with watermelon and strawberry shining through on a finish that builds with lively, juicy tension.

Rosé

2025

Martin Family Wineries

Marquette Nouveau

Bold aromas lead into a red-berry-driven profile, building with creamy intensity on the medium-bodied palate, bolstered by milk chocolate notes, cranberry, and fruit leather, while zesty acidity brings a fizzy, exuberant finish.

Red

2025

Martin Family Wineries

Riesling Nouveau

Fairly reductive, flinty notes meet a host of cheesy, leesy nuances on the palate, like biting into a hunk of Manchego or Parmigiano. That savoriness supports juicy lemon and lime citrus fruit alongside apple and pear notes. Simple and quite quaffable.

White

2025

Steven Kent Winery

Franc Nouveau!

This is the 2025 Cabernet Franc from Gilmetti Vineyard, bottled in 12-ounce beer bottles — a playful decision by winemaker Steven Kent, who simply pulled it from tank and bottled it at 13.5% alcohol. It is super young, youthful, unfined and unfiltered, and it smells and tastes exactly as Cabernet Franc should, with crisp tannins, clean acidity and super-juicy dark-berry fruit. It is absolutely delicious, and if you find yourself at a beer-only party, you could bring this along, pretend, and get away with it.

Red

2025

Xander Soren Wines

Rosé of Pinot Noir

This rosé is crafted from grapes sourced from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Gently destemmed berries are macerated overnight before pressing, combined with a saignée portion, drawn from Pinot Noir fermentations after 12–24 hours. The juices ferment separately to dryness in stainless steel with carefully selected yeasts, with malolactic fermentation suppressed to preserve freshness and vibrancy. Bottled unfined with minimal sulfur. As such, there is a nice, dark color, almost the color of Aperol, and very lovely notes of blood orange, grapefruit, and tangerine, with white peach. A silky mid-palate is balanced by a firm spine of saline acidity through the bone-dry finish, nuanced by sagebrush and rose petal florals.

Rosé

N/A

Brennan Vineyards

Winemaker's Choice Volume 8

The Winemaker’s Choice is a non-vintage blend consisting of 22% Malbec, 10% Carmenère, 3% Cabernet Franc, 15% Syrah, 32% Graciano, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% 2019 Tempranillo (all from the 2019 vintage); along with 4% 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% 2018 Tempranillo. This well-built red offers savory red currant fruit, charcuterie, white pepper, and dried rose petal notes. Medium-bodied with firm, grippy tannins, it lingers with plenty of savory spices.

Red

N/A

Brennan Vineyards

Winemaker's Choice Volume 9

From Brennan Vineyards comes this dynamic non-vintage blend of 27% 2023 Syrah, 4% 2023 Ruby Cabernet, 27% 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% 2020 Tempranillo, and 21% 2020 Syrah. The wine teems with vibrant red cherry, espresso bean, leather, and tobacco notes. Full-bodied, it reveals emerging blue fruit flavors, cherry compote, and pressed violets, creating a rich and layered profile. Lively and energetic, it is framed by firm, well-integrated tannins that provide structure and balance. These non-vintage blends from Brennan Vineyards offer a unique approach to crafting wines, and it’s a style that I believe Texas producers should dig their spurs into more often.

Red

N/A

Champagne Fluteau

Coeur de Cuvée Extra Brut

Established in 1935, a pioneer of the Côte des Bars. Vivid and alluring. Brioche and lemon pastry aromas. A gentle mousse builds with expressive minerality, tart orchard fruit, and taut acid tension. From estate-grown Pinot Noir vines on slopes of the Seine River Valley.

White

N/A

Champagne Fluteau

Retrospective Extra Brut

70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, disgorged in June of 2023. At 4g/L, it’s a taut, racy, electric with oyster shell minerality and a touch of pastry cream, bruised yellow apples, underripe pears, and a bone-dry finish.

White

N/A

Champagne Goulin-Roulet

Cuvée d’Or Brut Premier Cru

Equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Round and rich with a creaminess balanced by bracing acidity. Baked apple and buttery brioche notes. Intense mineral underpinnings. Voluptuous, succulent, and beckoning.

White

N/A

Champagne Monmarthe

Blanc de Noirs Les Grimpants Brut Premier Cru

Bright nectarine, pithy lime, and orange blossoms. Frothy, with saline minerals, expressive orchard fruit, pastry crust, cherry pit, and fragrant wildflowers framed by laser-like acidity. 100% Pinot Noir.

White

N/A

Champagne Odyssée

Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru

100% Chardonnay from Avize Grand Cru. Flinty minerals, lime blossoms, and sea spray. Round, rich, and creamy with a persistent mousse. Kiwi, key lime, and candied ginger emerge with sous bois notes. Dried apricots laced with vanilla cream add intrigue.

White

N/A

Champagne Paul Déthune

Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Grand Cru

Fragrant oyster shell notes mingle with white strawberry and flinty minerals. Exuberant and creamy, with muddled red berry fruits wrapped in flaky French pastry. Energetic and racy.

White

N/A

Champagne Paul Déthune

Brut Grand Cru

Full-flavored, nuanced, complex, and deliciously expressive Ambonnay Grand Cru with terrific intensity balanced by fine-boned acidity. Lemon pastry, toasted almonds, and river stones meld together seamlessly.

White

N/A

Champagne Paul Launois

Blanc de Blancs Monochrome #5 Extra Brut Grand Cru

100% Chardonnay from a 16-acre parcel in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, adjacent to ‘Clos de Mesnil’ (a source for Krug and Salon). Zesty, energetic, leading with lemon and lime peel, dried apricots, and a beautiful earthy intensity. Voluminous with persistent bubbles, white florals, chalky minerality, and a spicy, candied ginger finish. Utterly irresistible

White

N/A

Champagne Paul Launois

Illustration #3 Brut Nature

100% Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Half 2019 harvest, half Launois reserves. Lively and elegant. Rich lemon-pastry notes, traces of vanilla and caramel, underpinnings of savory earth and spices. Fresh, forward, and inviting with remarkable depth and a bone-dry, zesty, mineral-rich finish.

White

N/A

Champagne Piaff

Blanc de Blanc NV

This fifth-generation producer from Épernay crafts Champagnes that undergo full malolactic fermentation. Grapes are sourced from Vitryat, and the wine spends 28 months en tirage with a dosage of 7 g/L. The nose reveals gorgeous chalky mineral notes alongside white truffle and French pastry aromas. The palate delivers a luscious, creamy mousse with rich earthy undertones, pure apricot, and white peach character, complemented by nougat and Marcona almonds. The long, satisfying finish is elevated by a pop of hazelnut. This Champagne’s style is captivating and sure to delight.

White

N/A

Champagne Piaff

Brut NV

This bottling is exclusively from the Vallée de la Marne, composed of 35% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier, and 35% Chardonnay. Aged 24 months en tirage with a dosage of 7 g/L, the wine is part of the Foley Family Wines & Spirits portfolio, distributed in the U.S. The dosage contributes to a rich, creamy mousse, while the wine itself is supremely elegant, offering delicate notes of white flowers, white truffle, and nougat. Medium- to full-bodied, it boasts a wet stone minerality and rich stone fruit flavors on the palate, complemented by fine baking spices and a hint of oyster shell minerality on the clean and bright finish. This fifth-generation producer from Épernay crafts Champagnes that undergo full malolactic fermentation. Grapes are sourced primarily from two regions: the Vallée de la Marne and the Vitryat.

White

N/A

Champagne Piaff

Brut Rosé NV

Grapes are sourced from the Vallée de la Marne, and the wine spends 24 months en tirage with a dosage of 7-8 g/L. The blend is composed of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay. This rosé Champagne is richly layered, offering a beautiful balance of acidity and fruit ripeness. Notes of sweet baking spices, candied melon, apricot, strawberry, and cherry fruit intertwine with cherry pit and wet slate minerality. The wine finishes with a subtle hint of nougat, adding depth and elegance. This fifth-generation producer from Épernay crafts Champagnes that undergo full malolactic fermentation.

Rosé

N/A

Champagne Rémy Massin

Blanc de Noirs Tradition Brut

Alluring flinty minerals, zesty lemon, vanilla bean, and pastry puff. A beautifully rich and creamy mousse leads to mouthwatering Red Delicious apple, plum, apricot cream, and brown baking spices. Persistent with a bracing mineral tension and cheese rind nuances on the long drawn-out finish.

White

N/A

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

White

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

White

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.

White

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.

White

Non-vintage

Living Roots Wine & Co

Session Gold

A blend of 60% Vidal, 23% Cayuga White fermented on Aromella skins, and 15% Vidal fermented on Traminette skins, with a splash (2%) of Gewürztraminer, this is the winery’s expressive take on an orange wine. Grapes were sourced from vineyards on the west sides of Keuka and Cayuga Lakes in the Finger Lakes. Fermented wild, aged for 20 months in neutral French oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine leads with lifted aromas of apricot, honeysuckle, kiwi, and green apple, accented by green olive savouriness. There’s racy acidity and steely tension on the finish, along with a subtle effervescence.

Rosé

NV

Altus Sol

Cabernet Sauvignon

A pleasant, medium-bodied, aromatic, fruit-forward red wine, offering up ripe cherry, cranberry, and blood orange fruit, warming graham cracker crust spices, and integrated cedarwood notes, all nicely expressive on the palate, with perfect sweetly ripe fruit framed by soft, supple tannins.

Red

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.

White

NV

Brennan Vineyards

Winemaker's Choice / Red Blend

This non-vintage blend has no set formula or constraints from year to year, allowing the winemaker complete creative freedom—a refreshing approach that yields something unique with each release. Issued roughly every 18 months, the current bottling combines Tempranillo, Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Ruby Cabernet. The nose is bold and expressive, showing black tea, maple, toffee, espresso, a touch of meatiness, and dried violets. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it delivers flavors of chocolate-covered almonds and fig paste, supported by gritty tannins and a long, spicy finish marked by smoked paprika.

Red

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2023

Producer

Name

Nightwing is super silky and luscious, built around a core of dark berry fruit and rich brown baking spices. The palate is wonderfully broad — velvety and silky at the same time — filling in all the gaps and finishing with a fabulous, laser-like line of complexity. It’s classic Venge style: hitting all the broad-palate markers yet finishing with lift, lightness, and brightness.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

From Hambrecht Vineyard at the top of Dry Creek Road, this Zinfandel was aged for 16 months in three-year-dried American oak barrels. It is robust and powerful — a fitting send-off, as it is the last Zinfandel B Cellars will make. Dark-fruited and savory-spiced, with ample tannins and rich brown baking spices, it shows fig paste, cherry fruit and gorgeous length.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

From the Sexton Valley Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills, this Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed, undergoes partial malolactic fermentation, and is aged entirely in stainless steel. The result is a bright, energetic wine that’s light on its feet yet full of character. Aromas of lemon oil, lemon zest, and white flowers lead to a palate brimming with tangerine peel, crunchy kumquat skin, and vibrant acidity. The finish lingers with stony, wet minerality and subtle notes of lemon curd.

White

2023

Producer

Name

The Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon comes from estate fruit across Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Mountain, and Knights Valley. At its suggested retail price of $30, this is a fantastic value. It delivers a generous punch of savory Sonoma character—sagebrush, wild thyme, and bay laurel—wrapped around beautifully pure cassis and blackberry fruit. Elegant cedarwood spice adds lift, while fine tannins and earthy tension shape the palate. Super-pristine fruit and balanced structure make this a killer wine for the price.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This Pinot is not 100% Pinot Noir—there’s a small portion of Sangiovese and Grenache Noir in the blend. It’s sourced mostly from the estate, with additional fruit coming from select Sonoma Coast sites. Fermentation takes place warm in stainless steel and moves relatively quickly before the wine is barreled down for 10 months in 15% new French oak. There’s a real forest-floor, underbrush, wild-berry character here, accented by a pop of minty freshness, violets, and blue-fruit notes. Pomegranate-seed tannins and velvety textures frame the palate, finishing with lengthy blood orange and zesty grapefruit. The wines in the Banshee portfolio are better than ever—bright, fresh, and full of tension.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

Becker’s Reserve Chardonnay is sourced from Canada Family Vineyards in Plains, near the New Mexico border, and Tallent Vineyards in Mason within the Texas Hill Country AVA. Fermented and aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak, it’s a lush, full-bodied, and supple Chardonnay built on a rich, toasty oak profile—more buttered croissant than dark toast. Layers of apricot cream, pineapple crème brûlée, and salted lemon unfold across the palate, leading to a lemon curd finish. Generous yet balanced throughout.

White

2023

Producer

Name

The “Jolie” Rosé from Becker Vineyards is a vibrant wine that feels like a fruit salad in the glass with notes of strawberry, watermelon, white peach, and a touch of spring flowers. Medium-bodied with lasting richness and tension, this rosé is both approachable and layered. The surprise comes on the finish, where subtle hints of white pepper and coriander cream await.

Rosé

2023

Producer

Name

This blend of 95% Montepulciano with about 1.5% each of Tempranillo, Dolcetto, and Barbera was aged for 16 months in neutral French and American oak barrels. The wine is meaty and medium-bodied, offering dark chocolate–covered cherry fruit, loamy earth, violets, and maple-cured bacon notes. Soft, supple tannins frame a sweet-fruited finish laced with brown spice.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This showcase red, sourced from Block 1B planted in 1999 to Clone 337, is meant only as a demonstration of the site’s potential and is not made available for general sale. It spends 17 months in 100% French oak, and it’s wonderful stuff. Cola, black cherry, pencil lead, dried and very savory herbs, sage, blackberry compote, and hints of mint all appear on the expressive and complex nose. On the palate, this EXPLODES with black cherry juiciness, later showing black plum, cassis, and notes of leather, licorice, and toast. Powerful and voluptuous in the mouth, it does a great job of balancing upfront fruit with its more structural elements, like its cherry skin tannins and ultra-bright acidity.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

A darker‑styled Pinot Noir from this producer, the 2023 Above the Clouds from Benmar opens with the juicy richness of black cherry and black raspberry, warmed by cedarwood spice and enlivened by tangerine peel and grapefruit zest. The nose deepens with crushed raspberry, wild cherry and pomegranate, offset by wild herbs, rose petal and forest‑floor. On the palate, sinewy, crisp tannins support a saline‑tinged core that pulses with redcurrant, cranberry and strawberry fruit. Intense minerality and a whisper of black tea anchor the mid‑palate, while the finish drifts into cocoa‑powder, conifer and lingering brine—a hauntingly savory, vibrant expression of high‑elevation Willamette Pinot.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

100% Albariño from Sawmill Creek Vineyards. Still a rarity in the Finger Lakes, this wine showcases lime-bright aromatics and a zesty spine of acidity. Light-bodied and energetic, it delivers a core of citrus fruit wrapped in chalky minerality, finishing with a persistent lime zest snap.

White

2023

Producer

Name

100% Vignoles from Hunt Country Vineyards in Branchport, NY. A lush, tropical white with ripe mango and papaya aromas, lifted by honeysuckle florals. The palate is generous and juicy, finishing with impressive length.

White

2023

Producer

Name

100% Cabernet Franc from Sawmill Creek Vineyards in Hector, NY. Aged for nine months in 4–5-year-old French oak barrels. This is an elegant, red-fruited expression of Cabernet Franc, layered with notes of espresso bean, brown spice, and a zesty infusion of tangerine and grapefruit. A stony minerality anchors the palate.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

65% Grüner Veltliner and 35% Cayuga White. Filtered and force-carbonated the week before bottling on May 2, 2024. Crisp, clean, and refreshing with crunchy green apple, citrusy lift, and a saline-acid tension that makes it an ideal match for charcuterie and cheese.

White

2023

Producer

Name

The 2023 Windmill from Bingham Family Vineyards is crafted entirely from Texas High Plains grapes and aged for six months in French oak. This intriguing wine begins with subtle stone and orchard fruit notes, accompanied by a delicate hint of nuttiness.On the palate, it evolves with a medium- to full-bodied presence, offering lush fruit character and a touch of sweetness. Its unique profile makes it a versatile choice, pairing beautifully with peach cobbler or enjoyed on its own with a good chill.

White

2023

Producer

Name

Anne Moller-Racke planted this vineyard with the intention of making one wine — and she produces just over 300 cases of this estate bottling. Clone 115 brings lift and perfume, Swan Clone contributes texture, and Clone 667 layers in tannin and structure. The site itself is flat, and the wine’s dimension comes from the interplay of these clones. It sits on an old riverbed with abundant gravel, and that drainage, Moller-Racke says, gives the wine its added structure and tannic frame. The wine is dense and powerful, with ripe cherry and strawberry fruit that’s very pure and beautifully delineated. A mineral intensity runs straight through it, and the tannins are crisp and robust, building across the floral and earthy finish. Quite a wine.

Cristaldi Scores

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Xander Soren Wines

Habari, Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Triska Sauvignon Blanc

Martin Family Wineries

Frontenac Gris Nouveau

Martin Family Wineries

Marquette Nouveau

Martin Family Wineries

Riesling Nouveau

Steven Kent Winery

Franc Nouveau!

Xander Soren Wines

Rosé of Pinot Noir

Brennan Vineyards

Winemaker's Choice Volume 8

Brennan Vineyards

Winemaker's Choice Volume 9

Champagne Fluteau

Coeur de Cuvée Extra Brut

Champagne Fluteau

Retrospective Extra Brut

Champagne Goulin-Roulet

Cuvée d’Or Brut Premier Cru

Champagne Monmarthe

Blanc de Noirs Les Grimpants Brut Premier Cru

Champagne Odyssée

Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru

Champagne Paul Déthune

Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Grand Cru

Champagne Paul Déthune

Brut Grand Cru

Champagne Paul Launois

Blanc de Blancs Monochrome #5 Extra Brut Grand Cru

Champagne Paul Launois

Illustration #3 Brut Nature

Champagne Piaff

Blanc de Blanc NV

Champagne Piaff

Brut NV

Champagne Piaff

Brut Rosé NV

Champagne Rémy Massin

Blanc de Noirs Tradition Brut

Champagne Victor Charlot

Instinct Premier 75/25 Brut

Champagne Victor Charlot

Les Terres de la Grève Brut

McGrail Vineyards

Gracie Brut Sparkling Wine

Damiani Wine Cellars

Bollicine

Living Roots Wine & Co

Session Gold

Altus Sol

Cabernet Sauvignon