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Cristaldi Scores

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Vintage

Wine

Color

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2024

Three Brothers Wineries and Estates

Carbonted Rose

This is exactly the kind of wine you crave on a hot, humid summer day—equally perfect at the end of a meal, poolside, or lounging beachside. It’s a bright, cherry-scented and expressive sparkler, bursting with honeysuckle and jasmine florals, unmistakable notes of white peach and candied peach rings, and a creamy, sweet mousse that finishes off-dry. You can never be too much of a wine snob to enjoy this—and if you say you don’t, you’re just lying to yourself. Made from 90% Valvin Muscat and 10% Barbera, all estate-grown, the fruit was machine-picked, crushed, and destemmed directly to press. After a standard press cycle, the juice was cold settled before racking and inoculated with Epernay II yeast. Fermentation lasted 20 days at an average temperature of 55°F before it was arrested; the wine was then racked, blended, filtered, and sent to Lakewood Vineyards for force carbonation and bottling.

2024

Usonia

Good Spirit

No fining, no filtration, and spontaneous fermentation—this wine is a bit of savage creature. A heady mix of savory herbs, dried rose petals, and expressive black cherry and blackberry fruit leads the charge, accented by pomegranate seed crunch and a zippy, almost prickly acid tension. The finish is perfumed and exotic, with notes of blood orange, lavender, and rose water. Sourced from Ria’s Wines on the east side of Seneca Lake, the blend includes Baco Noir (fermented whole cluster) and a co-fermentation of Chelois and Traminette (also whole cluster), managed with a gentle hand during cap work and aged 60% in stainless steel and 40% in neutral oak.

2024

Usonia

Pompliano Pink

100% Steuben—a hybrid developed in the early 20th century—biodynamically farmed by Corey Christie on his family’s farm outside of Naples, NY. Hand-harvested, de-stemmed, and left on skins overnight before being pressed to stainless for spontaneous fermentation, then aged five months in neutral barrel before being bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with no added sulfur. This is exactly the sort of wine that deserves to be on every natural wine bar list in NYC: wildly original and refreshingly alive. It drinks like a cross between fresh-pressed juice and kombucha—brightly red-fruited, layered with herbal lift and a musky, mineral edge. Think muddled white peach, dried herbs, and a trace of incense on the finish. Medium-bodied, fascinating, and endlessly drinkable.

2024

Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery

Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc

This is one laser-focused, mineral-driven, tension-filled rosé of Cabernet Franc. Subtle red berry fruit mingles with spicy herbal notes—like biting into a gently spicy shishito or padron pepper. Beautifully expressive and precise, it finishes with electric acid brightness that can carry it effortlessly from aperitivo through to the end of a meal. Sourced from estate-grown, 100% certified sustainable vines, the Cabernet Franc grapes were harvested at midnight, followed by a 12-hour cold soak and fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

2024

Weis Vineyards

Dry Riesling

Weis prefers sourcing grapes from the southern portions of the lakes, where shale soils are more prevalent—reminding him of the vineyards near his hometown in the Mosel. The 2024 vintage was long and generous, what he calls a “dream vintage,” with the luxury of picking at ideal ripeness. This wine shows a plump, generous palate—especially when compared to the Estate 2023 Riesling, which I had just tasted. I highly recommend tasting them back-to-back. You’ll notice shared characteristics: orchard fruit, crunchy lime, and that bright, mouthwatering acidity that defines both wines, though this one delivers with a bit more roundness and breadth.

2024

Weis Vineyards

Dry Rosé

A blend of Merlot (45%), Cabernet Franc (30%), and Blaufränkisch (25%), with a brief six-hour maceration on the skins. The Merlot lends mid-palate richness and a decadent strawberry–watermelon core, while the Cabernet Franc provides linear acidity that lifts the aromatics—especially those floral and spicy notes brought in by the Blaufränkisch.

2024

Weis Vineyards

Grüner Veltliner

This Grüner Veltliner shows impressive mid-palate width—think of it like a frisbee, in contrast to the more pointed, football-shaped profile of Peter’s Rieslings. The aromatics are citrus-bright with notes of white flowers, almond skin, and a beautiful squeeze of lime over Melon de Bourgogne-like fruit. The finish is long, steely, and mineral-driven.

2024

Weis Vineyards

Heart of the Lake

This is Aravelle (Hybrid “NY 81.0315.17”), a cross between Riesling and Cayuga White. Bright and expressive, it opens with aromas of white flowers and lime blossom, building into a palate driven by zesty, crunchy acidity and apple skin notes. A subtle hint of melon and honeydew lingers on the finish. Light, bright, and clean throughout.

2024

Weis Vineyards

Riesling Ice Wine

Very pretty, with orchard fruit notes and a more linear palate expression. Think poached pear with a drizzle of honey. There’s a chalky minerality that gives it lift, and it almost drinks like a dry wine—especially when tasted after their ultra-rich Noble Select.

2024

Weis Vineyards

Seyval Blanc

Their first vintage of this hybrid variety, fermented in stainless steel after being crushed and directly pressed. The wine remained on gross lees for up to seven months before being racked and bottled. It’s a laser-focused, zesty white with lemon-lime brightness and white floral aromatics. Light- to medium-bodied, with a burst of orchard fruit on the mid-palate, it finishes vivid and intense, driven by saline-acid tension. Super bright and well layered.

2024

Whitecliff

Traminette

An extremely bold and aromatic semi-dry white wine, with residual sugar impressively balanced by vibrant acidity. It opens with poached pear and fleshy McIntosh apple, layered with hints of rose stem and lychee. A panoply of baking spice—coriander, cumin, and subtle warmth—adds depth and intrigue. A natural pairing for Indian or Asian cuisine.

2024

Whitecliff

Vidal Blanc

A blend of estate-grown fruit and grapes sourced from grower partner Fino Farms, where vineyards are interplanted with apples and other orchard crops. One of my favorite hybrid whites from this producer, it’s fermented in stainless steel and offers vibrant orchard fruit and apricot notes, with a subtle flinty minerality and a touch of baking spice. The medium-bodied palate has a hint of silkiness at the core, finishing with underripe pineapple and apricot, lifted by a spritz of lime-bright acidity. Balanced, clean, and zesty.

2024

Wölffer Estate Vineyards

Cellar Series Chenin Blanc

What a wine. Sourced from small, hand-picked blocks within the Harbes and Soloviev vineyards on Long Island’s North Fork, and aged on fine lees for two months, this is a fantastic and weighty expression of Chenin Blanc. Vibrant citrus and apricot notes lead the way, followed by a subtle honeyed richness that emerges at the core. A firm spine of lime-bright acidity drives the wine, finishing with vivid saline-mineral tension and a building, mouthwatering spice. Clean, crisp, energetic, and laser-focused.

2024

Wölffer Estate Vineyards

Cellar Series Trebbiano

This is a bright, zesty white driven by tropical fruit, with notes of papaya and mango building toward a fleshy mid-palate. But just as it settles into richness, laser-focused acidity kicks in—crisp, crunchy, and cleansing—making this the ideal food wine. It’s your go-to with oysters or roast chicken and potatoes, cutting through fat with razor-sharp tension. This is 100% Trebbiano, a variety well suited to the growing conditions of Long Island’s East End, aged on fine lees for three months, with malolactic fermentation entirely avoided. Just 442 cases produced.

2024

Wölffer Estate Vineyards

Summer in a Bottle Rosé

This is a bright, focused wine with sea spray aromatics and delicate red berry fruit. On the palate, it’s charged with salty, chalky minerality, notes of grapefruit zest and kumquat, and a gorgeous lift of florals that fuel a lengthy, energetic finish. There’s plenty of tension and vibrancy throughout. 2024 is regarded as a fantastic vintage in the region, and that’s on dissplay with this wine. Aged on fine lees for two months to build texture, and malolactic fermentation was avoided to preserve acidity.

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.

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.

NV

Buttonwood Grove Winery

The Farm White

The Farm White is a blend of 70% Cayuga White, 16% Melody, and 14% Grüner Veltliner. Each variety is fermented separately in stainless steel from direct press juice, then blended in early February or March before bottling. The nose is citrus-driven with orchard fruit and a hint of jasmine, while the palate delivers a rowdy, mouth-puckering acidity and vinous energy that fuels the wine’s length.

NV

Colloca Estate Winery

Colloca Estate Winery Mindy's Giggle Juice

The nose on this effervescent rosé is utterly beguiling—fragrant jasmine and honeysuckle waft alongside candied red berry fruit, leading into a creamy, frothy mousse that’s sweet but balanced. Flavours of dried peach rings and apricot carry through the finish, making this wine as joyful as it is quaffable. The only thing giggly about it is how happy you’ll feel after polishing off the bottle. Crafted using the saignée method for color extraction, this fresh and crisp sparkler blends Riesling from the estate’s Lake Effect Vineyard, Cabernet Franc and Traminette from Miles Vineyard (all in the Finger Lakes AVA), and Cayuga White sourced from nearby Burlee Farms in New York State.

NV

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Extra Brut

Non-vintage méthode traditionnelle sparkling made from 100% Riesling, riddled and disgorged by hand after 18 months en tirage. Dosage is 5 g/L. This is razor-sharp and brilliantly focused, driven by crystalline acidity and ripe, succulent orchard fruit. The rich, frothy mousse fills the palate, resolving into a stark, mineral finish brimming with energy and tension. Delicious.

NV

Hosmer Winery

Hosmer Winery Sparkling Wine

Made from 100% Cayuga White grapes sourced from the southwestern-most block of Patrician Verona Vineyard (a 70-acre, sustainably certified estate vineyard in the Cayuga Lake AVA, with plantings dating back to 1979), this spent four years en tirage. It is a vivid, saline-mineral-driven sparkler with a frothy, creamy mousse and loads of lemon, lime, grapefruit pith, and French pastry notes emerging on the long finish. The dosage is well-balanced, adding a subtle sweetness that resonates throughout.

NV

HV Vineyards

Right Bank Blanc De Blanc

Super expressive from the start, this 100% Chardonnay opens with a lifted nose of baking spice, oyster shell minerality, and lemon pastry. The palate builds in intensity with a focused, assertive mousse and fine beading, resolving into a stunning, saline-rich finish layered with salted lemon peel and French pastry notes. Bright, focused, and precise throughout. Aged 24 months on the lees with some time in neutral oak post-primary fermentation; no malolactic conversion. Dosage is 7 g/L. Crafted under the direction of General Manager Russell Moss.

NV

HV Vineyards

Right Bank Brut Cuvée

Bright, stony minerality and subtle oyster shell notes rise from the glass, layered with citrus and lime. The mousse is super frothy, carrying a salty-chalky core that builds with grippy apple skin texture and golden cherry fruit. The finish is long, floral, and mineral-rich. A sparkling wine of impressive quality.

NV

Knapp Winery

Brut

Sourced from Knapp Vineyards, this sparkling wine underwent primary fermentation in stainless steel, followed by bottle fermentation and 12 months on the lees before disgorging. A modest 1.5% residual sugar dosage rounds out the palate. Simple and enjoyable, it offers crisp green apple, green Jolly Rancher candy, and steely minerality, all wrapped in a vinous-like character. A supple, creamy mousse gives way to a bone-dry finish marked by mineral tension.

NV

Mazza Wines

The Perfect Bubbly

Sourced from several vineyards within the Lake Erie AVA, this blend of hybrid varieties saw cool stainless steel fermentation to help preserve vibrant aromatics and acidity. Expressive notes of apple and pear lead the way, joined by white flowers and honeysuckle. A rich, creamy, and frothy mousse lifts the palate, resolving with a subtly sweet finish.

NV

Sparkling Pointe

Brut Nature

Disgorged on 10.16.24 after more than three years aging sur lie, this is a multi-vintage Brut Nature made from 51% 2020 and 49% 2019 fruit. And let me say—it’s absolutely my kind of wine. Gorgeously rich, with spectacular nutty complexity and an ultra-fine, creamy mousse. Winemaker Andrew Rockwell explains that the oak aging adds just a bit of grip, which helps frame the wine’s generous mid-palate and lingering, toasty finish. It’s stunning—elegant yet powerful, and just plain gorgeous.

NV

Usonia

West! West!! West!!!

50% Chancellor (Plane’s Block, west side Cayuga Lake), 30% Verdelet (Arrowhead Vineyard, west side Seneca Lake), and 20% Cayuga White (Plane’s Block), all hand-harvested in 2023 and vinified separately. In 2024, fermenting non-vinifera Diamond—a native variety—was added to the still wine before it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Hand-disgorged over the winter, this sparkling wine is wild, rustic, and utterly compelling. It channels tar and roses with deep loamy earth—like a red from Chinon—before unfurling with intensely tarry minerality, frizzante energy, and a creamy, assertive mousse. Red berry fruit mingles with savory notes of star anise, black olive, and crushed walnuts drizzled with paprika-laced honey.

NV

Whitecliff

Awosting White

A blend of Seyval Blanc and Vignoles, this semi-dry white is named after Lake Awosting in the Shawangunk Mountains. Medium-bodied, with floral lift and ripe orchard fruit, it shows a touch of sweetness balanced by incredibly bright, saline-laced acidity. The finish is marked by a wet stone minerality.

NV

Whitecliff

North River Methode Champenoise Rose

Traditional method rosé. This is a vividly red-fruited sparkling wine with a bright, frothy mousse and crunchy red berry, plum, and white cherry notes. A subtle salinity and touch of baking spice carry through the lengthy finish. Composed mostly of free-run juice, the wine spends up to two years en tirage, with a dosage of approximately 4.5 g/L.

N/A

Whitecliff

North River Petillant (Traminette)

From Whitecliff Vineyard’s home estate-grown Traminette, this is pressed into stainless steel and fermented with native yeasts, then is allowed to ferment slowly until it hits the numbers winemaker Brad Martz is targeting—leaving enough residual sugar to complete fermentation in bottle. Disgorged to remove heavy lees, then recapped. It opens with bright apple and lifted baking spice, followed by a super frothy, assertive mousse that resolves through layers of white rose, orange oil, lychee, and a touch of grapefruit zest. Clean, zippy, and zingy.

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2024

Producer

Name

A super interesting Vidal Blanc, bursting with aromatic sweetness that evokes spiced cinnamon wood around the holidays and intensely perfumed notes of sweet woodruff flower. Inspired by Germany’s traditional Maiwein Bowle—a sparkling white wine infused with strawberries and bundles of sweet woodruff—this cuvée is made from estate-grown Vidal Blanc, planted over 35 years ago across four and a half acres. After cold fermentation with multiple yeast strains, the wine is infused with dried sweet woodruff, lightly sweetened, and spritzed with carbonation. The result is layered, bright, and delightfully eccentric, with just enough sweetness and energetic lift to carry its fascinating floral complexity across the palate.

2024

Producer

Name

This is a vivid, crunchy, and clean style of Pét-Nat, offering up orchard fruit, chalky minerality, and crisp apple skin tannins—all wrapped in a gentle, frothy mousse. Bright and refreshing, it’s effortlessly enjoyable and undeniably crushable on a hot, humid summer day. Made in limited production from a blend of Seyval Blanc, Cayuga White, Chardonel, and Melody grapes, and hand-bottled.

2024

Producer

Name

Destemmed and gently pressed, this Cabernet Franc underwent a slow, low-temperature fermentation throughout harvest before being racked and bottled on December 11, 2024, to complete fermentation in bottle. Left undisgorged, it shows off a fantastically creamy, frothy mousse that lifts ripe melon fruit and drives the wine’s energetic profile. Don’t ask how they pulled it off—but this is easily one of the cleanest, most expressive pét-nats I’ve tasted from New York State.

2024

Producer

Name

A blend of Sauvignon Blanc clones and vineyard blocks, fermented and aged in stainless steel with selective lees contact and partial malolactic fermentation. This is a bracing, crisp, and steely expression of the variety, with subtle notes of sea grass and a long, mouthwatering finish that channels sea spray and crushed minerals.

2024

Producer

Name

Sources include vineyards in Freestone-Occidental and the Petaluma Gap, along with the Marine Layer Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills and fruit from Green Valley. Fermentations are native, with partial malolactic fermentation, followed by gentle lees stirring once per month. The wine is aged for 11 months in 500-litre puncheons from Stockinger, Damy, and Atelier, bottled unfined and lightly filtered. The wine builds beautifully in the glass, opening with bright aromatics of apple and white flowers, accented by a pop of tarragon or fennel. On the palate, a lovely creamy core from Wente Clone and Calera clones is framed by subtle apple-skin tannin grip, with hints of brioche and beeswax adding depth. It finishes with a wet-stone mineral character and crunchy sea-salt salinity, bringing lift, precision, and a sense of controlled unctuousness through the close. The 2024 vintage was a little warmer than 2023 but this is right in the same pocket qualitatively as the 2023. Snap it up!

2024

Producer

Name

A classic expression of Grüner Veltliner, delivering crisp, crunchy acidity framed by citrus, melon, white flowers, wet slate, and a hint of sea grass. Focused and linear, with excellent mineral length and superb acid tension.

2024

Producer

Name

Though there’s no carbonic maceration, this wine carries a Gamay-like charm, with mulberry and candied berry fruit layered over rich earthy aromatics and a subtle jalapeño note. Supple and full-bodied on the palate, it delivers ripe red fruit that shifts into cranberry, grapefruit zest, raspberry, and a touch of cocoa powder on the finish. Easygoing, joyful, refreshing, and downright delicious.

2024

Producer

Name

Queen of the Meadow is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc (saignée), and Chambourcin, which contributes color through direct press. Fermented cool and entirely in stainless steel, the wine was bottled shortly after fermentation. It’s a vivid, crisp rosé fueled by blood orange brightness, with uniquely crunchy acidity and a hint of saline richness that’s characteristic of the estate. Nicely balanced with good length—soulful, joyful, and absolutely delicious.

2024

Producer

Name

Set to be bottled in the spring of 2026, this is a richer, bolder expression with suave, sinewy tannins and deep dark berry fruit. Elegant violet and rose petal notes weave through layers of cranberry and cherry coulis. Medium- to full-bodied, with ripe, robust tannins and loads of wet slate minerality, it also shows hints of vanilla, brown spice, and dark salted chocolate. This is clearly a bold, ripe style—thanks to the introduction of new oak by winemaker Ian Bearup—and it feels like a confident step forward. I’m excited to see where this goes.

2024

Producer

Name

Open-top fermented and drained to four- to five-year-old François Frères barrels. Bottled after 7–8 months, this wine shows gorgeous dark berry depth framed by rose petal florals and earthy undertones. The mid-palate is generous and fruit-driven, with a Pinot-like elegance: red cherry, cedarwood spice, and a whisper of conifer forest. It all leads to a long, stony, mineral finish.

2024

Producer

Name

Unoaked and medium-bodied, this vivid blend of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Traminette, Seyval Blanc, and Chenin Blanc is zippy, bright, and red-fruited, with vibrant honeysuckle aromatics and luscious melon on the palate. Made using the saignée method (except for the white varieties), it’s layered and long, with red cherry and pomegranate emerging on the extended finish. Winemaker Ian Bearup took over from John Graciano in 2021 and continues to guide this expressive, energetic style.

2024

Producer

Name

Estate-grown Grüner Veltliner, whole cluster pressed and tank fermented with no malolactic fermentation, then bottled early to preserve freshness. The nose is elegant and smoky, with stony minerality and a hint of grapefruit. On the palate, fresh honeydew melon leads into a medium-bodied frame supported by tingly acidity and a long, chalky, mineral-driven finish with a subtle, spicy edge.

2024

Producer

Name

Fermented on skins for 24 days with a pied de cuve wild yeast culture, this wine is 100% free-run, with no pressure applied to separate it from the skins, and aged in concrete amphora. Fragrant in its Cabernet Franc character, it shows wild herbs, dried sage, smoked paprika, and grilled Piment d’Espelette notes. The palate is rather creamy, with supple, soft tannins and a very pleasant medium-bodied finish. From Montezuma Winery (Martin Family Wineries).

2024

Producer

Name

From the George Ball Vineyard—planted in 2015 at higher elevation and further from Cayuga Lake—this site tests the cold-hardiness of Marquette each winter. Vines are trellised on north-south rows to a high wire cordon system and are farmed with heavy applications of composted wood chips. To enhance air exchange in the clay-rich soils, vine bases are mounded. Hand-harvested and aged on lees until July before being lightly filtered and bottled, production was tiny (188 cases). This is a savory, zippy red with brambly red berry fruit, charcuterie and violet aromas. The palate is vibrant and tangy, framed by crunchy acidity and finishing with earthy, truffle-like depth and lingering minerality.

2024

Producer

Name

The bulk of the fruit for this wine came from a special, protected site on the west shore of Cayuga Lake, planted in 1973 on Cazenovia silt loam soils. These own-rooted vines are hand-harvested and grapes were transferred whole cluster to red fermenters for carbonic maceration, then basket-pressed and moved to tank to complete fermentation. Just before bottling, a portion of Cabernet Franc juice from a separate whole cluster carbonic maceration was added. Bottled under crown cap and disgorged in February 2024, only 500 cases were produced. The result is meaty and black-fruited, laced with notes of black olive and black liquorice. Assertive and bright, the palate brims with zesty tension and an energetic mousse that brings structure and lift to the finish.

2024

Producer

Name

A focused, zippy, and zesty white with fragrant notes of sea grass, sea spray, grapefruit zest, and pithy lime carried across a light- to medium-bodied palate. The finish is long and driven by saline-laced acidity. Grapes are sourced from Swedish Hill Winery’s Blue Water Vineyards, a second-generation family-owned estate along the western shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes AVA.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2024

2024 Johnson Estate Winery May Wine

Sparkling Wine

$

2024

2024 Knapp Winery White Pet Nat (Sparkling White Wine Blend)

Sparkling Wine

$

2024

2024 Macari Vineyards “HORSES” Cabernet Franc

Sparkling Wine

$

2024

2024 Macari Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc “Katherine’s Field”

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Marine Layer Wines Aries Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Milea Estate Vineyard Grüner Veltliner (Farmhouse Collection)

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Milea Estate Vineyard Hudson Heritage Chambourcin

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Milea Estate Vineyard Queen Of The Meadow Rosé

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Millbrook Winery Cabernet Franc Clone 623

Still Wine

N/A

2024

2024 Millbrook Winery Gamay Noir

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Millbrook Winery Hunt Country Rosé of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 Millbrook Winery Propprietor’s Special Reserve Grüner Veltliner

Still Wine

N/A

2024

2024 Montezuma Winery (Martin Family Wineries) Voleur Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 osmote Purple Rain Marquette

Still Wine

$

2024

2024 osmote This Is Red Pet Nat

Sparkling Wine

$

2024

2024 Thirsty Owl Wine Co. Traminette

Still Wine

$

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