SBC – Page 6 – Cristaldi & Co

Cristaldi Scores

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2023

Producer

Name

Bright-toned and red-fruited, this wine offers expressive cedarwood notes mingling with dried Mediterranean herbs, all building on the medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. There’s good mid-palate density, but overall the wine remains light, bright, and juicy.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This is a bright, spicy, and aromatic bottling of Sauvignon Blanc, with complex and inviting notes of white flowers and crushed almonds. Crunchy acid tension and a chalky minerality carry through the palate into a lengthy finish.

White

2023

Producer

Name

A blend of 39% Grenache Blanc, 33% Roussanne, and 28% Marsanne, this wine is explosively aromatic with soaring notes of honeysuckle, agave nectar, and a hint of parmesan rind. The medium- to full-bodied palate is silky and satiny, layered with honeydew melon drizzled in wildflower honey. Chamomile and zesty citrus extend the finish.

White

2023

Producer

Name

A fragrant and juicy Grenache Blanc that radiates charm and refreshment. Tangy lime citrus acidity frames layers of white florals and ripe orchard fruit, creating a supple yet energetic palate. So lemon-lime bright, it practically insists on being paired with a dozen oysters—briny, cold, and freshly shucked.

White

2023

Producer

Name

A single-vineyard release, Ashley is named for Fess Parker’s daughter and sourced from a hillside site just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, where sandy, low-vigor soils yield fruit of exceptional purity and concentration. This Pinot Noir opens with rich black cherry aromas infused with clove, incense, and espresso bean. On the palate, ripe, sweet, and fleshy cherry fruit brings supple weight and satiny density to the mid-palate. Powdery tannins build gracefully into a medium- to full-bodied finish, where a panoply of brown spices, wild herbs, and pressed flowers adds depth and dimension.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

Everything you’ve come to expect in a well-made Merlot: plush, dark plum fruit layered with warm baking spices and fragrant cedarwood, with a deep, almost mahogany-like richness. Full-bodied and juicy on the palate, it’s underpinned by unusually firm, crisp tannins—adding unexpected structure and personality. The wine’s depth is matched by a lifted finish scented with violets and dried herbs

Red

2023

Producer

Name

From Grassini Family Vineyards, the ‘SAUVI B’ Sauvignon Blanc playfully bills itself as “Breakfast Wine”—not because it tastes like a breakfast sandwich (it doesn’t), but because its brisk 12.8% alcohol and lip-smacking acidity could rival your morning espresso. While not actually recommended for sipping at sunrise, it’s a perfect companion for oysters, crisp salads, and yes, even a side of fries at lunch. Zesty and lemon-bright, it layers in crushed almond nuances, white peach, and delicate white flowers, all carried through a long, refreshing finish.

White

2023

Producer

Name

From the Portico Hills Vineyard in Los Alamos, this vibrant Pinot Noir from Sunny Doench Stricker is both pretty and purposeful. Bright red berry fruit mingles with warm baking spices, while the palate is vivid and refreshingly acid-driven. A saline-scented tension runs through the core, lending focus and energy. Fine, apple-skin tannins build toward a dry, mineral-laced finish. This is unquestionably a wine to enjoy over a meal.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

From Amy Christine MW and Peter Hunken comes this downright thrilling Syrah—an utterly complete wine that captures the soul of the variety. High-toned violet aromatics evoke the spirit of the Northern Rhône, while savory elements of white pepper, black truffle, and charcuterie speak to Syrah’s wilder side. On the palate, it’s driven by zesty, saline-acid tension—imagine a squeeze of blood orange over herb-laced sea salt—balanced by sinewy tannins that bring a muscular architecture to the wine. Agave nectar and dried sage add nuance to the long, spicy finish.Super bright and zesty, complex and layered.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This wine is intensely expressive, with notes of new leather, white pepper, black cherry, and espresso bean. On the palate, crushed cocoa nib tannins frame a full-bodied richness, while espresso bean oil lingers through the long, layered finish. Nuances of black sage and black sea salt add complexity and depth to a finish that goes on and on.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This is a gorgeous expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Ballard Canyon but distinctly Jonata in its elegance, structure, and complexity, layered with savory tobacco leaf, sage powder, a touch of white pepper, and cassis—alongside the fresh, wild currant character of New England. On the palate, the wine is extraordinary, with firm, sinewy, chocolatey tannins that are muscular and broad-shouldered. These resolve into dark berry-driven tones, with more cassis and currant fruit layered over a deep, saline mineral tension. Expressive notes of dried rose petals unfurl through a finish that is long, long, long.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This is an incredibly dramatic wine, with pristine ripeness and beautifully delineated fruit—perfect plums, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. On the palate, these flavors unfold with gorgeous, plump, and supple tannins that carry a cocoa powder freshness and a streak of blood orange acidity. Crushed black sage adds lift and complexity. There’s a refreshing, focused quality throughout, like a beam of acid tension that frames and defines the entire wine.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This is the bright Flower of Ballard Canyon, with expressive notes of honeycomb, white flowers, crushed almonds, sea salt, and sea grass, all framed by bracing, chalky minerality and scintillating acid tension. The mid-palate shows exceptional weight and density, and the finish is everlasting with lingering citrus oil and zest.

White

2023

Producer

Name

This is the first release of this wine made entirely from own-rooted Syrah grown in pure beach sand. The complexity here is almost beyond comprehension—but you don’t need to understand it. You just need to drink it. The nose is bright and effusive, with black cherry and blackberry fruit, violet, honeysuckle, and jasmine. Bold, glorious tannins build across the full-bodied palate, delivering incredible density. It’s long, layered, and deeply expressive.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This is 100% Sangiovese—just five barrels, all aged in older oak. It carries a brightness and purity of fruit that firmly situates it in Santa Ynez, where high, golden sunlight and Pacific-scented breezes infuse the wine with clarity and lift. There’s no rusticity here—just vibrant raspberry preserves and sage, anchored by firm, taut, mineral-rich tannins. Subtle hints of tobacco thread through the wine’s coiled energy and textural tension. It’s crunchy and precise now, but that structure will soften and deepen with time. These wines evolve into something profoundly savory—layered with loamy earth, liquid leather, and an undeniable sense of soul. Drink it now for its youthful exuberance, or hold it to experience the full savory fireworks still to come.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This is a super expressive, hedonistic wine—full of joyful, buoyant black and red berry fruit. Lovely violet and candied pastille nuances float alongside ultra-fine, powdery tannins and a wet slate minerality. The finish is everlasting, floral, and utterly captivating.

Red

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2023

2023 Cambria Estate Winery Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir

Still Wine

Red

N/A

2023

2023 Crown Point Estate White Wine

Still Wine

White

$$

2023

2023 Demetria Estate Estate White Rhone Blend Cuvée Papou

Still Wine

White

N/A

2023

2023 Epiphany Cellars Rodney’s Grenache Blanc

Still Wine

White

N/A

2023

2023 Fess Parker Winery Ashley’s Pinot Noir

Still Wine

Red

N/A

2023

2023 Firestone Vineyard Estate Merlot

Still Wine

Red

N/A

2023

2023 Future Perfect Wine Grassini Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc SAUVI B “Breakfast Wine”

Still Wine

White

$

2023

2023 Future Perfect Wine Portico Hills Vineyard Grenache

Still Wine

Red

$

2023

2023 Holus Bolus Presqu’ile Vineyard Syrah

Still Wine

Red

N/A

2023

2023 JONATA El Alma de JONATA

Still Wine

Red

$$

2023

2023 JONATA El Desafio de JONATA

Still Wine

Red

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Fenix

Still Wine

Red

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Flor

Still Wine

White

$$

2023

2023 JONATA La Sangre de JONATA

Still Wine

Red

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Tierra

Still Wine

Red

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Todos

Still Wine

Red

$$