SonomaOct2025 – Cristaldi & Co

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2017

Domaine de la Rivière

Middle Reach Vineyards Pinot Noir

Sources for this wine are El Diablo and Star Ridge, planted to Pommard and Vosne Romanée selections. Star Ridge is the older site and was originally part of the Gary Farrell estate. The Pommard here is Clones 4 and 5, with Clone 5 being the cleaned-up selection. At this stage, the fruit profile leans a touch baked, but it’s still quite delicious—think strawberry and cherry pie with classic cherry-pie spice. The palate is rich, satiny and velvety, driving a long, creamy and inviting finish.

Red

2020

Chenoweth

Home Ranch Pinot Noir

On other labels, you’ll see Home Ranch listed as Chenoweth Ranch. This wine is pretty generous, sourced from vines planted on Goldridge soils with classic Pinot Noir clonal selections. It shows rich red fruit, a touch of mulberry, and Christmas-spice warmth, with plenty of Russian River Valley plushness. Dried violets, fig notes, and baked-cherry tones carry through on the finish, supported by firm tannins that build as the wine closes. CIRQ and CHEV also source fruit from this site.

Red

2020

Chenoweth

Pinot Noir

This is the winery’s flagship wine from the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley. Sourced from Home Ranch, Treehouse, and Bootlegger’s, it’s a fragrant Pinot that opens with dark-berry fruit, fig paste, brown baking spices, and a touch of underbrush. Crisp tannins support a juicy core, with plenty of warm spice character, a bit of black pepper, and perfumed rose petals that carry through the lengthy finish.

Red

2020

Chenoweth

Treehouse Vineyard Pinot Noir

That’s quite a wine. It’s a robust, richly styled Pinot Noir with super-dark fruit, loamy earth, and an intense underbrush and deep-forest character, all threaded with an elegant sea-spray minerality. The wine is also incredibly floral, showing rose-petal lift alongside black-tea tannins and a distinct red-rock minerality that likely reflects the unique red soils of this site. I really love where this wine is in its life cycle — it has just the right balance of ripe fruit and savory nuance.

Red

2020

Longboard Vineyards

Dakine Vineyard Syrah

This was the last of about 200 wines I tasted from Sonoma over two days—and what a standout. It’s a fabulous Syrah, the nose bursting with baked fruit and charcuterie notes, candied violets, and a Rhône Valley–like flair, all nuanced by white pepper and an irresistible minty freshness. Full on the palate, it offers round, supple tannins and rich fig fruit wrapped in dark salted chocolate, building with intensity and wild herb complexity through the long, drawn-out finish. What a terrific wine.

Red

2021

Chenoweth

Bootlegger's Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

Brightly aromatic, showing expressive white flowers and lemon verbena. Full malolactic fermentation and aging in 30% new French oak add richness to the citrus, apple, and pear fruit, while a hint of well-integrated cedarwood spice comes across more like salted Marcona almonds. The finish builds with a lovely lemon-oil richness. From Bootlegger’s Hill, with three rows of Montrachet clone from Little Boot Vineyard blended in.

White

2021

Domaine de la Rivière

Flora Marie Vineyard Chardonnay

Ulysses Valdez, the late and legendary grape grower, is the reason the Bedrosians have access to this fruit. Valdez replanted the site and was adamant that they take Block D—the steepest section of the vineyard. It’s a two-acre parcel they began working with in 2018, located 3.4 miles north of East Side Road on uplifted riverbed soils composed of rocky, gravelly silt. The block is entirely planted to the Montrachet clone. Winemaker Kale Anderson explains that the clone holds its acidity regardless of ripeness. It’s also susceptible to shatter, much like Old Wente, and is naturally low-yielding. The selection was isolated from a remarkable site in Montrachet in Burgundy. At Flora Marie Vineyard, this block sits at the very top of the hillside with excellent row orientation. Grapes are picked at night, whole-cluster pressed, and sent straight to a mix of barrel and stainless steel, with one-third new French oak. Fermentation is native, and in this vintage the wine went through full malolactic with lees stirring. It was aged 11 months before bottling. The wine is super bright, marked by a lovely sea-spray minerality and subtle citrus and orchard-fruit tones. A silky texture carries elegant baking-spice notes that linger across the mid-palate, offering warmth, generosity, and a clean, vibrant finish.

White

2021

Domaine de la Rivière

Heritage Block Vineyard eleven Pinot Noir

A blend of Mt. Eden and Swan clones, this is the second release from the Heritage Block. These clones yield very little, says winemaker Kale Anderson. He loves the Mt. Eden clone in particular, noting that it takes time to evolve because of its perfumed character. The wine shows gorgeous violet and rose-petal aromas—white rose and purple-blue violets—supported by a firm spine of generous acidity and wonderful black-tea notes, bergamot, and orange peel. Delicate cherry and raspberry fruit carry through alongside rich baking spice, white pepper, smoked paprika, loamy earth, and a wet-stone minerality on the finish. A beautifully constructed wine with the structure and detail to age for many years.

Red

2021

Domaine de la Rivière

Middle Reach Vineyards Pinot Noir

This wine is wonderfully rich and layered, with lovely textures drawn from each of the sites that feed into the blend. The Middle Reach Vineyard contributes Pommard, Vosne-Romanée, Swan, and Mt. Eden clones, while additional fruit comes from Starr Ridge, El Diablo, and the estate Vineyard Eleven. Winemaker Kale Anderson harvests at night, bringing the fruit into the winery cold and fermenting in open-top tanks. He uses as much whole cluster as the vintage allows, gives the fruit a five-day cold soak, then ferments fairly warm with a combination of punchdowns before pressing at dryness to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The wine ages 11 months in roughly 25% new French oak before bottling. The result is bright, crunchy red fruit layered with clove and warm spice. The purity of the fruit really comes through, building richness across the palate with strawberry and raspberry tones, touches of leather, tobacco, and blood orange, and a thread of brown baking spices that linger on the finish. Velvety, satiny textures frame this wonderfully tasty wine, which is considered the entry-level offering.

Red

2021

Domaine de la Rivière

Red Barn Block Vineyard eleven Pinot Noir

In 2021, this marked the first year the estate produced this wine. The fruit is wonderfully bright, pure, and crunchy, with lifted white-pepper aromatics and a burst of rose-petal fragrance. It builds across the palate with juicy blood-orange acidity and perfectly integrated cocoa-powder tannins. The blend is 49% UV-VR clone, 34% Pommard, and 17% Swan. It’s an absolutely fabulous wine—the kind you want to enjoy throughout an entire meal for its bright acidity and tension supporting such beautifully pure fruit. Aged 11 months in roughly one-third new French oak.

Red

2021

Domaine de la Rivière

Two Forces Pinot Noir

A blend of owner Jeff Bedrosian’s two favorite clones, Pommard and Swan. I love the concentration and freshness here—it’s packed with lush fruit and velvety textures, and it’s absolutely delicious on its own, full-flavored and generous. The wine was aged 11 months in 37% new French oak before bottling. The name refers to the two clones and the forces they represent: Pommard, with its darker fruit and earth-driven depth, and Swan, which brings a more feminine profile of spice and brighter fruit tones. Think of them as yin and yang. They complement each other beautifully in this blend, which shows lovely high-toned spice and that wonderful Pommard richness on the palate. I’d happily drink this on its own, but it would also pair well with braised meats or a salad scattered with pomegranate seeds to echo its juicy, earthy pop.

Red

2021

Innumero

Norstar Pinot Noir

This is the first Pinot Noir Innumero has produced from Bacigalupi Vineyard, made entirely from Wente Clone. Fermented in stainless steel, then pressed to barrel and aged in 50% new French oak. The nose is wonderfully alluring — candied cherry fruit, warm baking spices, blood orange, and cocoa-powder notes — all building into a medium- to full-bodied palate. Excellent fruit weight and depth, with dark-berry richness, spice, a touch of leather, and loamy earth. A nicely complex and thoroughly delicious Pinot Noir.

Red

2021

Kosta Browne

Keefer Ranch Blanc de Blancs

Picked in the second week of September, the base wine from this site is somewhat ironically among the last to come in. Made using the traditional method, unfiltered, with high lees contact, and aged en tirage in barrel for two years. Winemaker Julien Howsepian believes a shorter tirage suits his California-grown fruit, as ripeness comes naturally from the warm sunshine, while foot-treading and extended lees contact contribute the richness he wants. The wine shows wonderful depth and a saline–acid tension, with wet-stone character, bright citrus and orchard fruit, and warm baking spices adding richness through the mid-palate. The finish is long, lifted, and thoroughly enticing.

White

2021

Landmark Vineyards

Rodgers Creek Chardonnay

This ridge-top vineyard is fully exposed to the afternoon winds funneling in from the Pacific through the “gap,” a defining feature of the Petaluma Gap viticultural area. Whole-cluster-pressed and barrel-fermented with native yeast, the wine is aged for 14 months in French oak (33% new). One of the freshest whites I tasted from Landmark for my inaugural Sonoma Report on Cristaldi & Co., that brightness carries straight onto the palate. Lemon peel and lemon curd mingle with toasty oak spices, while candied ginger and poached, spiced pear drive the creamy mid-palate. The finish brings a wave of sea-spray minerality and a touch of tannic grip—likely a function of the thicker skins from this wind-lashed site—alongside cool wet-rock notes balanced by more decadent toasty-oak accents.

White

2021

Longboard Vineyards

Rodgers Creek Vineyard Syrah

The Rodgers Creek Syrah delivers layers of blackberry, dark walnut husk, black olive, dried violet, and black truffle–charcuterie character. Medium-bodied and supple, it shows vibrant, high-toned acidity and burly tannins that gradually take on a velvety feel. The finish is long, refined, and lightly citrusy.

Red

2021

Serres Ranch

Buchanan Estate Grown Merlot

Named after Taylor Serres’ younger brother, Buchanan, this is a Merlot-heavy blend and always has been. Their Merlot has historically been sold to producers like St. Francis and Gundlach Bundschu. It’s a bold, robust expression with super-rich dark berry fruit, plenty of intensity and power, and generous toasty oak spice. This is no wimpy Merlot. Ripe mulberry notes unfold on the palate alongside warm brown and Asian spices, leading to a lengthy, full-bodied finish.

Red

2021

Serres Ranch

Marshall Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon

Named after Proprietor Taylor Serres’ older brother, Marshall, this blend is composed of 76.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Malbec, and 3.5% Petit Verdot. All the fruit comes from a seven-acre block replanted in 2016 to multiple clones and rootstocks; each small lot is fermented separately before final blending. It’s a fantastic, full-bodied and robust Cabernet-based red, opening with rich cigar-box and dark-chocolate notes, toasty oak spice, and gobs of inky dark fruit. The palate is powerful, with muscular tannins and a righteous, indulgent, full-bodied finish. The most potent and forceful wine in the lineup, yet it still carries a polished edge to all that unctuous richness.

Red

2021

Serres Ranch

Watriss Estate Grown Bordeaux

The Watriss is a Bordeaux-style blend named for the Watriss family, who owned the Serres Ranch in the 1800s. The composition shifts vintage to vintage; in 2021, it’s 30.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Franc, and 21% Petit Verdot. This is a bold, full-bodied red with a rich nose of dark berry fruit and toasty oak that leans into cigar-box spice. The palate shows firm, building tannins and a cool, polished character to the dark berry fruit, layered with loamy earth that carries through the long finish.

Red

2022

Anaba Wines

Felix Hunter Vineyard Pinot Noir

Felix Hunter Vineyard lies west of the town of Sebastopol, straddling both the Green Valley and Sonoma Coast AVAs. This 100% Pinot Noir, a blend of Clones 828, Calera, Pommard, and 115, was aged for 20 months in 33% new French oak. The wine is beautifully balanced and generous, offering a heady mix of juicy red berry fruit, warm brown spices, star anise, clove, and rose petal. The palate is supple and vibrant, with ripe, juicy fruit floating over fine, firm tannins. Notes of blood orange acidity, loamy earth, and a touch of vanillin-charred tobacco bring depth and lift to the finish. Long and satisfying, it’s a Pinot Noir well suited to heartier fare. Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.

Red

2022

Anaba Wines

Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard Chardonnay

The Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard Chardonnay was aged 19 months in 33% new French oak, resulting in a slightly riper fruit profile than the Westlands bottling. Tropical and stone fruit lead the way, with notes of white peach, apricot, and candied citrus peel. Rich, toasty baking spices wrap around layers of charred pineapple, while a long, saline-driven finish brings energy and focus. A dazzling, beautifully balanced wine. Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.

White

2022

Anaba Wines

WestLands Chardonnay

I love this Chardonnay’s focus and precision. Highly aromatic, it opens with hints of salted lemon peel, lime blossom, and crushed Marcona almonds. Medium-bodied yet rich in character, it offers impressive depth of fruit alongside a long, salt-stone mineral finish that keeps the wine light, bright, and full of energy. Notes of candied ginger and quince linger gracefully after the first sip. Chardonnay barrels are hand-selected each vintage for this bottling, with the wine aged 17 months in 40% new French oak. Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.

White

2022

Anaba Wines

WestLands Pinot Noir

Gorgeous aromatics of dark cherry, cherry wood smoke, and clove rise from the glass, unfolding into a tapestry of exotic Asian spices that lift and energize the palate. Crunchy apple-skin tannins frame a supple core of dark berry fruit, and the interplay of fruit, spice, and gentle grip creates a wonderfully textural, deeply flavored experience. Sourced from vineyards along the western edge of the Sonoma Coast AVA, this 100% Pinot Noir was aged 20 months in 33% new French oak barrels and is composed of Clones 667, 828, and Pommard. Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.

Red

2022

Anaba Wines

Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir

The Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir comes from vines planted in 1998, situated at 800 feet above sea level within both the Sonoma Coast and Carneros AVAs. Composed entirely of Clone 115, it was aged for 20 months in 40% new French oak. Aromas of wood smoke and redwood forest floor mingle with dark cherry and warm brown baking spices, growing more savory as the wine opens. The palate is framed by rich, round, and supple tannins with subtle notes of vanilla, clove, and cedarwood. There’s a notable influence of barrel spice for those who enjoy a toasty style, while the elevated vineyard—bathed in abundant sunlight—ensures beautifully ripe, juicy fruit that imparts a supple, almost sweet impression.Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.

Red

2022

Aperture

Proterra

The Proterra (formerly known as Nomad) is a blend of 82% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. The name changed with the 2022 vintage. Aged 22 months in 85% new French oak. The wine is dark-fruited and savory-spiced, with notes of fig paste, blackberry, cherry, and cherry pie, along with salted dark chocolate and black-tea tannins that are substantial — almost chunky — underscored by good acid tension. Fragrant sagebrush and bay laurel add layers of complexity and spice. It’s a long, full-flavored wine with full-bodied richness that finds balance in its acid backbone, an impressive feat given the vintage.

Red

2022

Balletto Vineyards

BCD Vineyard Pinot Noir

Perhaps the boldest, most expressive, and structured of the five Balletto wines tasted during my visit to the Sonoma County Vintners offices, this was a clear standout in the lineup. The BCD Vineyard lies on rolling hills that rise toward the coastal mountain range, a site that imparts both freshness and depth. Fermented with indigenous yeast in small six-ton open-top tanks and aged in French oak barrels, the wine opens with sumptuous cedarwood aromas intertwined with cherry and clove, creating an alluring impression of cherry-scented wood smoke. Medium-bodied on the palate, it delivers supple tannins and concentrated mixed berry fruit, finishing with notes of clove, incense, and wet slate minerality. A wine of impressive length, tension, and energy.

Red

2022

Balletto Vineyards

Sexton Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

The 2022 Sexton Hill Vineyard Chardonnay comes from a site in the Sebastopol Hills with vines rooted in classic Goldridge soils. Aged 18 months in 25% new French oak, it’s a ripe, orchard fruit–driven wine with crisp, crunchy acidity and lingering notes of buttered croissant and almond pastry. Rich and attractive without ever feeling heavy, it remains lean, focused, and full of flavor

White

2022

Balletto Vineyards

Sexton Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sexton Hill Vineyard is a steep, north-facing site located about 10 miles from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean. The vines are planted in Goldridge sandy loam soils, and the wine was aged 10 months in 35% new French oak. This is an easy-drinking, focused red with mixed berry fruit, appealing aromatics of clove, anise, and gentle wood smoke. The palate is supple and balanced, finishing with a smooth, velvety texture that makes it effortlessly enjoyable.

Red

2022

Balletto Vineyards

Twin Ridges Vineyard Chardonnay

The 2022 Twin Ridges Chardonnay is sourced from a site rooted in Goldridge soils and composed of Wente, Robert Young, Clone 96, and Clone 4 selections. Aged 18 months in 30% new French oak, it’s clean, balanced, and beautifully focused, with alluring orchard fruit aromatics accented by hints of ginger and delicate French pastry. The palate shows great energy and tension, with layered flavors and a refined, medium-bodied finish.

White

2022

Calluna Vineyards

Cabernet Sauvignon

In 2022, the Calluna Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted as a selection of the best lots from the winery’s hillside vineyards. Each of the 12 blocks was fermented separately and evaluated through blending trials after five months in barrel. The final blend comprises 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. This is a structured, energetic, and finely focused red—nothing soft or loose here. It offers expressive blackberry and violet notes alongside hints of blue fruit and cedarwood spice. A dusting of cocoa powder frames the pure, vibrant fruit, giving the wine both texture and polish. The finish shows excellent length and tension, with subtle graphite and wood smoke. Founder and winemaker David Jeffrey established Calluna Vineyards in 2005, planting 12 acres of estate vineyards in Sonoma County’s Chalk Hill AVA, followed by an additional 5 acres in 2014. After earning his degree in viticulture and enology at Fresno State, Jeffrey apprenticed under Alain Raynaud at Château Quinault in Saint-Émilion.

Red

2022

Calluna Vineyards

Calluna Vineyards Cuvée CVC

This Bordeaux blend is composed of 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. Aged 21 months in French oak barrels, 20% of which were new, it’s a bold, full-bodied, and generously structured red. The nose and palate are layered with dark berry fruit and warm cedar spice, offering both richness and comfort. Notes of dark chocolate complement juicy, spiced plum and a hint of tart raspberry, all framed by firm yet polished tannins. The finish lingers with a touch of dried fig, adding depth and a satisfying sense of warmth. Founder and winemaker David Jeffrey established Calluna Vineyards in 2005, planting 12 acres of estate vineyards in Sonoma County’s Chalk Hill AVA, followed by an additional 5 acres in 2014. After earning his degree in viticulture and enology at Fresno State, Jeffrey apprenticed under Alain Raynaud at Château Quinault in Saint-Émilion.