Cristaldi Scores

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Brambly red berry fruit mingles with cedarwood, brown baking spices, vanilla-coriander cream, and espresso bean aromatics. The palate echoes these notes, with juicy red fruit layered against a frame of elongated, beam-like tannins that lend structure and focus. A firm streak of racy acidity provides lift and tension through the long finish. Sourced from Clone #1 vines in the MJW Vineyard—a 23-acre sustainably certified estate site in the Seneca Lake AVA—utilizing whole-berry, semi-carbonic fermentation.

This Marquette (a French-American hybrid) was sourced from Doyle Vineyards on the west side of Keuka Lake, where it tends to ripen early. Pressed off skins and fermented with native yeast, the wine was aged in neutral French oak for 20 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. There’s a wild, sauvage-like character here that sets it apart—tangy and tart red fruit layered with smoky mineral tones, dried flowers, and a distinct sweet herbal-tea quality. Made in a natural style, this wine asks for a curious, open-minded palate.

A blend of Bordelaise varieties crafted to reflect the estate’s top-performing vineyard blocks in exceptional vintages. Aged 15 to 22 months in French oak, 28% new. Brighter than the Bergen Road bottling, this shows vivid blackberry and black cherry fruit, with fine-grained yet robust cocoa powder tannins that build toward a powerful, expressive finish. Aromatic spice and soaring personality underscore the wine’s purity and polish. Clean, dark-fruited, and beautifully structured—this is among the finest red blends I’ve tasted from New York State.

A blend of Bordelaise varieties aged 15 to 22 months in 30% new French oak. This is another polished, expressive wine from this producer, with a core of red and black fruit, cassis-driven and laced with elegant cedarwood spice, coriander, and a dusty mineral edge. Medium- to full-bodied with plump, juicy fruit on the mid-palate and spiced plum tones, it finishes with pressed florals and a sinewy, dusty tannic backbone that builds and lingers

100% Cabernet Franc, destemmed with a 15-day maceration on the skins, then aged 15 months in neutral French oak. This is a powerful, black-fruited expression layered with red berry brightness, black olive, and a dusting of cocoa powder. Firm, taut, mineral-laced tannins provide structure, while the finish lingers with wild herbs and dusty, grippy nuances that underscore the wine’s depth and seriousness.

Rob Fischer tells me that he and the team at Marine Layer Wines have a deep admiration for grower Champagne. Having loved his time making sparkling wine at Domaine Carneros, he was eager to bring that sensibility back to Marine Layer. The wine blends Clone 115 from the Marine Layer Estate with Chardonnay from Gap’s Crown Vineyard. The base wine is barrel-fermented in neutral oak, then aged sur lie for 22 months with low dosage. The finished wine offers lovely baking spice and citrus notes alongside white flowers and subtle nutty undertones. A bright, creamy mousse carries flavours of cherry pit and white plum, underpinned by a saline-driven acid tension that lingers through the expressive, finely balanced finish.
Rich cassis and currant fruit are layered with earthy Hudson Valley forest tones and savory sage. The medium-bodied palate builds with notes of espresso bean and firm, burly tannins, all driven by coiled acidity that fuels a long, mouthwatering finish.

A blend of fruit from Long Island and the Hudson Valley, aged in 10% new French oak (confirm via tech sheet). This is a well-knit, expressive Cabernet Franc showing both red and black fruit, with cedarwood and graham cracker spice layered over sagebrush and tobacco leaf aromatics. The medium-bodied palate carries those same notes forward, supported by fine-grained, cohesive tannins and finishing with a lift of cocoa powder, blood orange, and raspberry fruit.

A very elegant Cabernet Franc with a muscular framework of robust, velvety tannins. Bright, pure red berry fruit leads the way, with crunchy cherry and apple-like nuance. Hints of dark salted chocolate thread from the nose through to the tannins, carrying into a mouthwatering, acid-driven finish.

Stylistically similar to the estate Vineyard Milea BDX Red Blend, this wine leans darker, with forest berry fruit, conifer, and cedarwood spice. Medium- to full-bodied, it delivers supple, juicy dark fruit layered with a touch of salty dark chocolate and lifted by blood orange acidity. The finish is long, expressive, and remarkably fresh.

Here’s a Cabernet Franc with a splash of Merlot, sourced from Long Island growers and aged 15 months in a mix of Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels. The nose opens with rich cherry and forest berries, layered with brown spices, leather, tobacco, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate features spiced plum and loamy earth, finishing with floral lift and mineral nuance

Sourced from both hillside blocks and rows along the road leading to the winery, this six-barrel selection was hand-picked, destemmed, and fermented in open tops with punchdowns and pumpovers. Aged for around 15 months, it’s slightly riper and more concentrated than the 2021, it offers mulberry fruit, brown spice, and a medium-bodied richness. The tannins are plumper yet still grippy, with just enough tension to support the juicy core.

Winemaker Phil Plummer explains that the Diamond variety can’t hang long enough on the vine to make a true dessert wine, so they pick it early, freeze the fruit, and barrel ferment it using a non-Saccharomyces yeast that naturally stalls around 10% alcohol. Half the wine went through malolactic fermentation, the other half did not. The result? Think Sauternes on an acid trip—mouth-puckering lime-bright acidity supports a luscious core of dried apricots and golden fruit, finishing long, tangy, and tart.
Fermented in stainless steel and barrique, then aged in neutral oak for up to 14 months. This full-bodied red shows dark red berry fruit layered with savory brown spices, walnut husk, dried rose petals, and a touch of dark chocolate. Cocoa powder tannins frame the juicy, dark berry finish, while a firm spine of acidity keeps it lifted and bright, in the vein of a great Morgon—try it with duck à l’orange.

This 2022 is a bold, robust Cabernet Franc with dark fruit intensity and firm, building tannins. Bright currant fruit weaves through layers of rich mahogany spice, black olive, and brown baking spices. The finish is long and structured, anchored by juicy, concentrated fruit and a compelling wet stone minerality.

Sourced from the vines just behind the winery—easily visible from the patio—this dessert Sauvignon Blanc was served at the 50th anniversary of the NATO alliance. It’s a wonderfully expressive, detail-driven wine, offering ripe apricot, orange oil, honeysuckle, and jasmine. Never cloying, it’s lush yet balanced, with incredible acid tension and remarkable length.
Winemaker Kareem Massoud says this took six weeks to finish fermentation—and he was thrilled with the vintage. And no wonder: this is something else. Deep black in color with blue highlights, it opens with inky dark berry fruit, blue fruit, and violet aromatics. A bold, ripe expression of Long Island Cabernet Sauvignon, it delivers a full-bodied palate with soaring tannins and a finish that layers cedarwood spice, tar, black olive, and pressed rose petals. Powerful, structured, and built to age—this is a red wine with serious longevity.

100% estate-grown, sustainably farmed Cabernet Franc from White Springs and 16 Falls Vineyards. Aged for one year in seasoned 2,000-liter Austrian and Hungarian oak casks. Bing cherry and cranberry fruit lift from the glass, accented by fine baking spices and a touch of vanilla. The palate is structured and intense, with robust, soaring tannins that deliver serious grip, matched by a firm spine of tangy, mouthwatering acidity.

Is it the label, or does this wine truly radiate gorgeous rose petal florals? Yes—it absolutely does. Those perfumed aromatics are joined by red berry fruit and French pastry notes, with a hint of pistachio cream and coriander unfolding on the long, enveloping finish. Native yeast fermented, it’s a beautifully balanced and complex wine.
A rich and frothy mousse lifts generous notes of red berry fruit and apricot, layered with warm baking spices and a lovely baked fruit character that carries through the lengthy, bright, and generous finish. Head winemaker Gilles Martin was born at the gates of the Champagne region and studied at Champagne Deutz. From 1990 to 1996, Gilles served as assistant winemaker at the acclaimed Roederer Estate in California.
100% Cabernet Franc from the winery’s home vineyard on the west side of Cayuga Lake, currently in conversion to biodynamics. Hand-harvested, fully de-stemmed, with a spontaneous fermentation and three-week maceration. Aged in neutral barrels for 10 months and bottled in August 2023, unfined and unfiltered. This wine delivers terrific dark berry fruit concentration—think mulberry and cherry compote—layered with fine cedarwood, star anise, and violet aromatics. Earthy undertones emerge as the wine builds, anchored by soaring tannins and bracing acid tension that lead to a firmly grippy finish.

Sourced from certified sustainable estate vineyards, this wine was aged for 12 months in a mix of American and French oak barrels. This is a delicate and finessed expression of the variety, showing real prettiness with air. Juicy red cherry fruit mingles with clove, espresso bean, grapefruit zest, and a touch of coriander cream. Firm, mineral-laced tannins provide structure to this precise and focused red.

The winery’s first single-vineyard bottling of Cabernet Franc, this wine is sourced from an estate plot just north of the winery along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. Aged for 12 months in a mix of American and French oak barrels, it shows real polish and elegance, with layered notes of cassis, black currant, and black cherry accented by cedarwood. Medium-bodied with dusty, firm tannins that possess a velvety appeal, the wine finishes long and clean, marked by wet slate minerality, white pepper, and subtle hints of coriander and cumin.

The winery’s Melody Vineyard was the first commercial planting of this cultivar in 1984, and they’ve produced a varietal Melody bottling ever since. Harvested in late September, the grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and aromatic lift. Kiwi fruit rises from the glass and settles into a light- to medium-bodied white with soft, silky texture and a bright acid backbone. Subtle notes of orchard fruit and wet river stone round out this elegant and easy-drinking wine—perfect for enjoying with a good book or while prepping ingredients for a slow-cooked meal.
Sourced from 100% certified sustainable estate vines, these grapes were harvested in late October, then frozen and pressed before being fermented in stainless steel tanks. Gorgeous layers of luscious apricot and ripe pear unfold with honeysuckle and white flower aromatics, all lifted by a zing of kumquat-like crunchy acidity. The wine finishes long and pure with notes of wildflower honey. Balanced and zesty, with just the right amount of sweetness offset by vibrant acid tension.
Peter sources most of his reds from vineyards along the middle to northern stretches of Seneca Lake. He prefers a cold soak to delay fermentation, typically inoculating after three to four days. In cooler years, picking happens as late as possible—just before the leaves fall. After 10 days of fermentation in open-top fermenters or stainless steel, the wine is aged for 24 months in barrel, including up to 15% new French oak. The result is an elegant wine with red berry fruit, fine brown spices, and a hint of espresso, with conifer notes emerging as it opens. Tannins show an apple-skin texture—ripe yet firm—leading to a finish of red cherry and cherry pit. The 2024 vintage, also tasted, is deeper and more expressive, with bold flavors, grippy tannins, and a strong sense of energy and tension.

Sourced from three acres of Cabernet Franc at Olana Vineyard, planted in 2015–2016 on steep, gravelly Knickerbocker soils along the Hudson River. Two clones (317 and 214) are fermented separately with partial stem inclusion in open-top fermenters, then aged for 16 months in Hungarian oak barrels and puncheons. The wine is polished and structured, delivering concentrated dark berry fruit, cedar-laced tannins, and tangy blood orange acidity. Medium- to full-bodied, it finishes with satiny richness, layered baking spices, and a wet slate minerality.

In 2020, winemaker Roman Roth believed the vintage was so exceptional, it warranted a single-vineyard Pinot Noir—and he’s repeated that decision again this year. This is a terrific, bracing, coiled-up wine with impressive depth of red and black fruit concentration, clove spice, savoury herbs, and unsmoked tobacco. Medium-bodied but muscular, the tannins bring power and drive, framing a deeply flavoured, juicy Pinot Noir that finishes with gorgeous saline-acid tension. That salty edge really pops on the long finish, scented with blood orange, cocoa powder, and pressed wildflowers.

Dazzling. Absolutely delicious, with pure apricot and tangerine fruit shining through—vivid, bright, and bursting with flavour, yet never cloying. There’s impressive depth and precision to this ice wine, with the promise of long ageing potential as it evolves into layers of truffled and honeyed complexity. A stunning pairing for roast chicken in white wine sauce. This wine exemplifies why Long Island belongs in the conversation about world-class wine. Crafted from three distinct handpicked lots, with just 312 cases produced.
This Cabernet Franc is a blend of multiple handpicked lots, matured in a mix of barrique barrels, upright oak tank, and stainless steel. Elegant red berry fruit mingles with rich spice and savoury complexity. On the palate, soaring tannins and medium-bodied intensity are lifted by a wet slate mineral edge and a hint of sweet cedarwood that balances the wine’s savoury core.

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The 1995 is a stunningly beautiful wine, offering layers of pressed violets, dried rose petals, loamy earth, currant, and cassis. Juicy acidity remains vibrant and fully in check, balanced by firm, mineral-rich tannins. With time in the glass, notes of leather, tar, black olive, liquorice, and charcuterie emerge, adding depth and savory complexity. Enjoy this wine with pizza at Fiocha Pizza in Mattituck, NY.

Absolutely stunning. This wine strikes a remarkable balance of richness and freshness, layered with savoury depth. Super-fine tannins carry notes of leather, tobacco, and black tea—think Earl Grey—wrapped around cassis and blackcurrant fruit. It’s long, fresh, and vibrant from the pull of the cork, evolving beautifully with air to reveal sumptuous waves of rich earth, spice, smoked paprika, and undeniable elegance.

This is absolutely spectacular. At 15 years of age, the wine is riveting—showing the kind of secondary complexity you might wait 25 years to see in Bordeaux or Napa. Here, Cabernet Franc has evolved into a deeply expressive, medium- to full-bodied wine with layered cassis and red currant fruit, loamy earth, and dried eucalyptus. Notes of bay laurel, orange zest, and a hint of vanilla lift the finish, which is long, earthy, and energized by zesty acidity.

The 2010, which winemaker Kareem Massoud opened, was seriously impressive—showing pure berry fruit, currants, and warm brown spices. Juicy acidity lifts the mid-palate, while pressed floral notes and firm, expressive tannins guide the wine toward a long, mineral-driven finish.

The 2010 shows some tension right out of the gate, but with air, it opens beautifully—offering cassis, currant, wet slate, and warm brown spices. The palate builds with integrated tannins that carry both grip and a velvety texture, framed by savory notes of sage and bay laurel. A firm saline-acid tension drives the finish.

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting from Abe Schoener. At 15 years of age, it’s remarkably enjoyable—downright enviable. The wine has developed an almost sherry-like character, with ripe cassis evolving into dark, sweet currants layered with baking spices and maple-honey tannins. Rich tones of dark loamy earth and black tea deepen the complexity, while the long, lingering finish echoes with salted crushed almonds, dried dates, and apricot.

Produced only in the best vintages, this wine offers impressive richness with creamy orchard fruit, fresh French pastry notes, and a beautifully layered nutty complexity. There’s a lengthy, toasty brioche character threaded with flinty minerality, leading to a savory, saline-acid finish. Eight years sur lie lends remarkable depth, yet the wine remains strikingly fresh and balanced on the long, inviting close. Disgorged 8.31.23 and 4.14.24. Dosage: 6 g/L.
Clean and expressive, this 2015 vintage-dated sparkling wine opens with lifted aromas of orchard and stone fruit, accented by hints of almond and white flowers. The mousse is assertive and creamy, building on the palate with toasty brioche notes. Excellent mid-palate concentration and a long, acid-driven finish underscore its remarkable freshness and vitality, even after extended time on the lees. The fruit was sourced from estate vineyards on the west side of Seneca Lake: 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay.
From Martini Family Vineyards, this wine is crushed and pressed into stainless steel and fermented with indigenous yeast. It offers expressive vinous aromatics layered with fresh apple and lemon verbena, supported by subtle honeycomb notes. A through line of lime-bright minerality carries the wine to a lifted finish.
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 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!

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.
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.
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.

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.
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.

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