LivermoreValleyDec2025 – Cristaldi & Co

2021

Del Valle Winery

RJM Red Wine

The 2021 RJM is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Sangiovese, and 5% Primitivo, aged for 20 months in 20% new European oak. This commemorative bottling honors founder Robert Joseph Molinaro, who passed away in 2023. Ripe currant and cassis lead the aromatics, joined by violets, rose petals, fig jam, and a subtle meatiness that builds across the medium-bodied palate. The wine is framed by granular tannins and finishes with lengthy notes of black licorice and olive tapenade. The Dell Valle wines are made at Garré by winemaker Aaron Luna.

Red

2022

Concannon Vineyard

Estate Red Blend

Aged for 19 months in European and French oak (50% new) and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit from Concannon’s Blocks 7, 17, 10, and 15. This is a generous, inviting red wine, offering spiced plum fruit and mulberry nuances layered with rich fig character and fig paste. Subtle notes of toasted marshmallow, mocha, and espresso bean add depth. It’s honestly reminiscent of biting into a Fig Newton—rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying—with a long, textured, lingering finish.

Red

2022

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

East Hill Caberent Sauvignon

Aged for 20 months in French oak and made entirely from estate-grown fruit, with only 224 cases produced. East Hill receives less sunlight and experiences cooler temperatures compared to its West Hill sibling, and years of significant erosion have caused these vines to struggle since planting. For me, East Hill versus West Hill is like tasting midnight versus midday—one brooding and shadowed, the other warm and expressive. Here, East Hill delivers a deeply dark profile: black cherry, elegant cedarwood, black currants, and cigar box accents. The finish lifts with powerful, soaring tannins and deeper notes of mulberry and violets.

Red

2022

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

West Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Aged for 20 months in French oak and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit; just 229 cases produced. East Hill receives less sunlight and experiences cooler temperatures than its West Hill sibling, and years of significant erosion have challenged the vines since planting. For me, East Hill versus West Hill is like tasting midnight versus midday—one brooding and shadowed, the other warm and expressive. Here, West Hill benefits from afternoon sun, ensuring ample ripeness. The profile leans toward currant-driven fruit, with raspberry and cherry nuances, warm Asian and Indian spices, and a long, penetrating tannic finish that resolves beautifully with fig and dried red floral notes.

Red

2022

Del Valle Winery

Petite Sirah

The 2022 Petite Sirah is 100% Petite Sirah, aged for 21 months in 29% new Eastern European oak. The Dell Valle wines have been made at Garré by winemaker Aaron Luna since 2020. This is a fashionable, stylish wine with vibrant blue and black fruit flair, violets, crème de cassis, and sweet Asian spices. Burly, robust, and bold tannins frame the palate, building across the full-bodied finish. Opulent and crowd-pleasing.

Red

2022

Garre Vineyard and Winery

Cabernet Franc

This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from the winery’s Estate Vineyard and was aged for 18 months in 40% new French and Eastern European oak. Winemaker Aaron Luna, who joined the winery in 2016, crafts this bottling. The estate was established in the late 1990s and is owned today by Gina Cardenas. Lifted aromas of red currant and cassis mingle with fragrant baking spice, tobacco leaf, and a smoky minerality. The palate is laced with white pepper and a savory meatiness, framed by black tea tannins, hints of Earl Grey, and subtle vanilla. Red licorice accents carry through the resolute, juicy finish.

Red

2022

Garre Vineyard and Winery

Profound Secret Red Wine

Profound Secret is a blend of 36% Malbec, 36% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Petite Sirah, sourced from the winery’s Estate Vineyard and aged for 20 months in 50% new French and Eastern European oak. Winemaker Aaron Luna, who joined the winery in 2016, crafts this bottling. The estate itself was founded in the late 1990s and is owned today by Gina Cardenas. The wine is opulent, delivering mulberry fruit layered with toffee, espresso-bean nuances, and cedarwood, with blue-fruit undertones and fig jam on the palate. A pop of soy and tobacco leaf adds depth to the fairly juicy, long finish.

Red

2022

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

A Jó Élet "The Good Life" Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon A Jó Élet comes entirely from the Estate Vineyard. It’s bold and spicy, with a molasses-like richness, dark baking spice, clove, blue fruit, and violets all coming together on the palate, delivering a hard-to-beat “yummy factor.” The tannins are soaring and expressive—firm at first, then resolving into juicy, dark, brooding fruit. The wine was aged for 30 months in brand-new Hungarian oak barrels. Winemaker Mark Clarin cherry-picks his favorite barrels for this blend, producing about 400 cases.

Red

2022

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

Clone 30, Lucky 8 Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine is made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 30 (the Silverado “Disney” clone) sourced from the Lucky 8 Vineyard, a 12-acre site planted in 2016. Located just off Tesla Road, the vineyard sits on a gentle slope. The wine was aged for 30 months in French and American oak barrels (50% new). It’s driven by cassis and currant fruit, with accents of currant leaf and red tobacco. The tannins are rich, robust, and chocolaty, with dried violets and charcuterie notes that carry through the medium-bodied, spicy finish.

Red

2022

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

James Vincent Cabernet Sauvignon

Named in honor of the late James Vincent, who founded the winery with his wife, Ginger, this Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard. It was fermented in stainless steel with a cold soak to amplify color and fruit intensity, then kept on the skins for up to 20 days post-fermentation before being pressed, settled, and racked to barrel. The wine was aged for 30 months in 100% new French oak. It’s a blend of two Cabernet clones: Clone 15, which tends to be fruitier, and Clone 8, which leans more savory. Together, they express dark berry fruit layered with sagebrush, tobacco, and a pop of juniper, followed by ripe, juicy mulberry on the full-bodied palate. The tannins are chewy, bold, and palate-arresting, with a gravelly mineral edge. Long, spicy, and resonant.

Red

2022

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

Patriot Cabernet, McGrail Vineyards

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Patriot comes from the Estate Vineyard and was aged for 30 months in 100% new American oak barrels. This is a bold, ripe, richly fruited wine, bursting with blueberry and blackberry, cola nut, sweet Asian spices, and luscious, supple tannins that carry a meaty quality. Fig paste and charcuterie notes mingle with loamy earth, leading into big, chewy tannins on the resounding finish. The moniker is a tribute to the winery’s support of the Fallen Heroes Fund and also honors founder James Vincent, a former Alameda County Sheriff. Tasted with Mark Clarin in December of 2025, this has the same power and intensity of the 2021, but much more fruit-driven.

Red

2022

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Mark Clarin says Cabernet Sauvignon should be “big, bold, and badass”—and this wine delivers. Sourced from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard, the grapes were cold-soaked in stainless steel to amplify color and fruit intensity, followed by fermentation and up to 20 days of extended maceration on the skins. After pressing and settling, the wine was racked to barrel and aged for 30 months in approximately 65% new oak—a mix of French, Hungarian, and American. Like the previous vintage, this bottling bursts out of the glass with mixed berry fruit—raspberry, black cherry, mulberry—and warm baking spice notes. Sweet mulling spices join cocoa-powder tannins that bring real intensity, finishing with brighter blue-fruit aromas, loamy earth, and a pop of toffee spice.

Red

2022

Sakura Winery

Sakura Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon

Sourced from two small lots on the property, with Tempranillo vines planted in between, both parcels were fermented together and aged in French oak for around 24 months. On the nose, the wine offers crunchy cranberry fruit, tobacco-leaf character, and perfumed rose-petal and cherry-blossom notes. Full-bodied, with ripe, fine-grained tannins and a clean wet-stone minerality, it finishes with tangy, citrusy acidity that is pleasantly refreshing.

Red

2022

Sakura Winery

Sakura Vineyard, Tempranillo

Lifted and enticing notes of black-cherry fruit, white truffle, charcuterie and bacon fat, with hints of vanillin and violets. All come together on the palate, where the fruit is bright and richer in tone, with dark-cherry and spiced-plum notes, pomegranate-seed character and violet and lavender nuances throughout. Super perfumed, juicy and delicious. Grapes are aged in American oak for 24 months, mostly neutral.

Red

2023

Concannon Vineyard

Estate Cabernet Franc

Aged for 20 months in French oak and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit in Block 15 of the Concannon Vineyard and Lemmons Vineyard. The wine shows brighter fruit tones and warm baking spice, wrapped in elegant cedarwood notes that encompass the palate. Nuances of rose petal and rose stem emerge, along with a subtle hint of grilled red pepper—like a light pepper char—on the firm, satisfying finish. This is a structured Cabernet Franc with the depth and balance to cellar comfortably for a decade; keep enough on hand to enjoy its evolution over time.

Red

2023

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Cabernet Franc

The grapes are sourced entirely from Lemmons Vineyard, planted to French Clone 331, also known as Clone 5 at UC Davis. This clone is naturally dark-fruited and delivers classic Cabernet Franc character, with broad shoulders and excellent phenolic structure. Dark berry fruit lifts out of the glass, accented by juniper bush spice, wild bright sage, and smoked paprika. The tannins are supple yet firm and elliptical, carrying the dark berry profile through the palate and building toward a fresh, inviting finish marked by unsweetened cocoa powder richness.

Red

2023

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Captain Joe's Petite Sirah

The old casks in the Concannon winery—large-format barrels from Demptos and Seguin Moreau dating back to the early 1970s—were originally intended for ageing Petite Sirah. This wine was aged for 16 months in French and Hungarian oak and comes entirely from Concannon’s estate: Block 11 and the head-trained vines of Block 1. It’s a power-packed wine with a real freshness factor. All that classic Petite Sirah character is here—earthy, rich, and plummy fruit layered with mocha and warm Indian spice. The tannins are big, rich, and hearty, with a granular, brambly quality that builds across the mineral-driven finish. Notes of violets, graphite, and pressed florals burst through, giving the wine lift and dimension.

Red

2023

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Mother Vine Cabernet Sauvignon

Aged for 20 months in French and American oak, this wine is sourced entirely from estate fruit in Block 7, Clone 7, drawn from the Mother Vine blocks that include both iconic old vines and some younger plantings. The Mother Vine itself is now in its fifth decade. Originally brought to California from Château Margaux in 1893, it was re-propagated across the region in the 1970s and later became the foundational material used to replant much of Napa Valley in the latter half of the 1990s. The 2023 growing season in Livermore was notably cool, with no significant heat spikes, and the wine reflects the precision of the vintage. It’s bold and robust, beautifully constructed, with mixed berry fruit—raspberry, black cherry, spiced plum, and blackberry—wrapped in a velvety texture. Rich tannins frame a ripe, plush center, while dark-fruited depth mingles with espresso-bean spice, mocha richness, and graphite nuances on the finish. Profoundly layered in this vintage—one of the best examples I’ve tasted from Concannon.

Red

2023

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Stampmaker's GSM

Named in honor of James Concannon, a first-generation family member and former stampmaker, the 2023 Stampmaker was aged for 16 months in 26% French oak and sourced from Carter Vineyard, Blocks 3 and 17. The wine is wonderfully ripe and vibrant, offering white pepper spice and beautifully candied red berry fruit. A layered mix of mixed berry fruit, espresso bean, and clove unfolds across the palate, lifted by blood orange–tinged acidity. Rich, velvety tannins are caressing and seamless, carrying the wine to a long, generously fruited finish.

Red

2023

Cuda Ridge Wines

Cabernet Franc

A blend of 93% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in French oak (43% new). The Cabernet Franc is sourced from White Cat Vineyard in the Crane Ridge area on the eastern edge of Livermore Valley. Exceptionally bright and vivid, the wine shows crunchy red fruit alongside savory sage and tobacco notes, with Asian spices and white pepper shining on the palate. Medium-bodied with a creamy mid-palate, ripe currant fruit, and warming spice, it carries through to a savory, spiced, and floral finish. The frame is slightly lighter than the 2022, yet just as elegant and complex in flavor, with excellent length.

Red

2023

Cuda Ridge Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon (Black Label)

A New World–style Cabernet Sauvignon, this 100% Cab is sourced from 53% White Cat Vineyard and 47% Casa de Vinas Clone 30 Vineyard, and aged in a mix of French and American oak. It’s a fabulous wine, opening in the glass with red and black cherry fruit layered with toasty cedarwood and subtle sweet spice. The medium-bodied palate is juicy and expressive, supported by fine tannins with a black tea quality. For all its boldness, the wine remains remarkably approachable and refreshing, with a firm spine of juicy acidity that keeps it lively and buoyant.

Red

2023

Cuda Ridge Wines

Merlot

Fermented in open-top half-ton bins with daily punchdowns, this Merlot-based blend was aged for 19 months in 55% new French oak. The Merlot comes from Thatcher Bay, the Carménère from the cooler-climate Insel Vineyard in Pleasanton, and the Malbec and Cabernet Franc from White Cat. The wine rises out of the glass with plum fruit, fresh herbs, and tobacco notes, supported by hints of leather and a white-truffle, charcuterie-like intensity. A firm baseline of ripe, bold tannins anchors the palate. Juicy and a bit spicy on the lasting finish.

Red

2023

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Crown Block Merlot

Aged for 20 months in French oak and made entirely from estate-grown fruit; 235 cases produced. Crown Block is the original estate vineyard on Crane Ridge, planted on rocky clay bench soils with north–south–oriented vines and natural drainage on all four sides. Hungarian-born winemaker Julian Halasz notes that this is Clone 5 Merlot, which he prefers because it’s “more tannic and has great color and has a kind of Cabernet structure.” The team performs extensive sorting to ensure stems are almost entirely excluded. On the nose, it shows a distinctly Cabernet-like profile—dark fruit, rich spice, and cedarwood. Yet the palate reveals beautifully velvety Merlot tannins supporting bold, generous fruit, all carried by a racy spine of acidity.

Red

2023

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Crown Block Petit Verdot

Aged for 20 months in French oak and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit; just 210 cases produced. Crown Block is the original estate vineyard block on Crane Ridge, planted north–south, with drainage on all four sides and rocky clay bench soils. The wine opens with a ripe, lifted cassis and black currant nose, layered with spiced plum fruit and subtle cola nut notes, interwoven with violets. Soaring, ripe tannins frame the palate, carrying savory wild herb, spice, and tobacco nuances, all grounded by rich, loamy earth tones.

Red

2023

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Stone Patch Cabernet Franc

Aged for 19 months in 50% new French oak and entirely estate grown from the Stone Patch block in the Crane Ridge area—an upland site that sits along a fault line and is known for the quartz-rich boulders that push up through the soil. Just 178 cases were produced. The wine is elegant, with red berry fruit, dusty mineral tones, sage, juniper, rose stem, and a touch of fennel. The tannins are precise and refined. Medium-bodied with excellent fruit concentration, yet carried by real energy and pristine clarity of fruit.

Red

2023

Pruett Farms Estate Winery

Sachau Vineyard Cabernet Franc

Fruit comes from the highly acclaimed Sachau Vineyard, a Wente property. Crafted in an Old World style with a light touch on oak, the wine was aged for 20 months in once-used French barrels; just 55 cases were produced. On the nose, it’s bright and lifted, with crunchy red fruit—cranberry and cherry—alongside sagebrush and smoky mineral notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with vibrant, lithe tannins that are polished and well-integrated, finishing with juicy blue fruit and elegant orange-peel aromatics. Just spectacular.

Red

2023

Steven Kent Winery

Ghielmetti Vineyard, Cabernet Franc

The Ghielmetti Vineyard is located in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, planted to the ENTAV clone UCD-4. This wine is elegant and finesse-driven, with lovely white pepper and redcurrant and cranberry fruit, along with gorgeous sagebrush and juniper-bush garrigue. Supple, mineral-laced tannins frame the palate, carrying cocoa-powder freshness and rich brown spices on the lengthy, juicy and acid-driven finish.

Red

2023

Steven Kent Winery

L'Autre Côte

The 2023 L’Autre Côte is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc from the Ghielmetti Vineyard in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Lux Block of Bates Ranch, and 5% Merlot from the Zayante Vineyard — the latter two situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is a bright, vivid and expressive wine, bursting with blue and red fruit notes laced with lovely espresso-bean and clove nuances, a refined tobacco character and spiced-plum fruit. Cocoa-powder tannins build on the mineral-rich, wild-herb finish. Superbly classy, with a firm spine of acidity, it is one of the most balanced, complex and approachable wines from the area, and should age gracefully for at least two decades or more.

Red

2024

Concannon Vineyard

Chardonnay

Aged for seven months in neutral oak with a small portion in stainless steel, this wine is 100% estate grown from Triska Vineyard and Arroyo Mocho Creek Vineyard. The 2024 vintage brought a warmer end to the season, but for the white varieties it was a fairly average, steady growing year. The wine is wonderfully tropical, with white peach and pineapple notes, along with a touch of lemon curd. Fragrant French pastry tones and a hint of quince add lift and complexity. The finish is crisp and satisfying, laced with gentle warming baking spice.

White

2024

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Assemblage Blanc

The wine was aged for seven months in stainless steel and is made from 100% estate-grown fruit sourced from Lemmons Vineyard, a 15-acre site across from Darcie Kent Winery, and from Arroyo Mocho Creek Vineyard, just across the street from Concannon Vineyard. Concannon has been producing this wine since the 1980s. The Sémillon adds a softer textural component to the racy Sauvignon Blanc in this blend. It’s delicious, loaded with tropical fruit notes and a pop of lychee, with a lovely, lusciously sweet mid-palate—even though the wine finishes dry. Nuances of honeysuckle and white flowers bring bright, captivating detail.

Cristaldi Scores

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Del Valle Winery

RJM Red Wine

Concannon Vineyard

Estate Red Blend

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

East Hill Caberent Sauvignon

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

West Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Del Valle Winery

Petite Sirah

Garre Vineyard and Winery

Cabernet Franc

Garre Vineyard and Winery

Profound Secret Red Wine

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

A Jó Élet "The Good Life" Cabernet Sauvignon

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

Clone 30, Lucky 8 Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

James Vincent Cabernet Sauvignon

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

Patriot Cabernet, McGrail Vineyards

McGrail Vineyards and Winery

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Sakura Winery

Sakura Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon

Sakura Winery

Sakura Vineyard, Tempranillo

Concannon Vineyard

Estate Cabernet Franc

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Cabernet Franc

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Captain Joe's Petite Sirah

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Mother Vine Cabernet Sauvignon

Concannon Vineyard

Reserve Stampmaker's GSM

Cuda Ridge Wines

Cabernet Franc

Cuda Ridge Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon (Black Label)

Cuda Ridge Wines

Merlot

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Crown Block Merlot

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Crown Block Petit Verdot

Darcie Kent Estate Winery

Stone Patch Cabernet Franc

Pruett Farms Estate Winery

Sachau Vineyard Cabernet Franc

Steven Kent Winery

Ghielmetti Vineyard, Cabernet Franc

Steven Kent Winery

L'Autre Côte