Sign In/Subscribe

Cristaldi Scores

Producer
Producer
More
Country
Country
More
Vintage
Vintage
More

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2024

Kokomo

Timber Crest Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is barrel-fermented in Acacia wood using natural yeast, with weekly lees stirring to enhance mid-palate creaminess. Bright and lemony with lime zest accents, white floral notes, and zesty acidity balanced by river stone minerality. A touch of fragrant baking spice adds subtle complexity. Easy-drinking and best enjoyed while preparing a big meal. Owner and Winemaker Erik Miller founded Kokomo Winery in 2004 (named after his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana). Miller partnered with fourth-generation grower Randy Peters to craft wines from the Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valleys.

2024

Landmark Vineyards

Pinot Gris

The 2024 Pinot Gris is sourced entirely from the winery’s Hop Kiln Estate Vineyard on Westside Road. Whole-cluster-pressed and cold-fermented in stainless steel, it bursts forth with tropical fruit notes of white peach and lychee, while a creamier mid-palate brings balance to the chalky mineral finish.

2024

Laurel Glen

Blanc Slate Hopkins Ranch Sauvignon Blanc

This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from Hopkins River Ranch in the Russian River Valley and spent its entire life fermenting and aging in stainless steel—until you came along, poured it into your glass, and let it shine. It reveals fresh, crunchy orchard fruit, a squeeze of lemony citrus, and freshly picked white flowers, all carried by a zippy acid profile. The finish shows chalky minerality and warmer tropical and stone fruit tones that beautifully balance the crunchy Gravenstein apple character. Originally planted with 2 acres of Cabernet in 1968, Laurel Glen Vineyard was has been owned by Bettina Sichel since 2011. Organic farming is handled by Phil Cottuiri, with winemaker Randall Watkins leading the cellar.

2024

Longboard Vineyards

Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay

Longboard’s 2024 Russian River Valley Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay is 100% Clone 76, native fermented, and aged on the lees for six months before being bottled unfined. It opens with a wonderfully rich nose of lemon oil, anise, and tarragon, layered with smoky, toasty oak spice. Full-bodied and deeply flavored, it’s packed with charred pineapple, apricot, and lemon curd, showing impressive depth and concentration. Bold and unapologetically rich, it lingers with a savory, spiced finish.

2024

Montagu

Charles Heintz Vineyard Pinot Noir

From vintner Weston Edison, best known for Silver Ghost, this Pinot Noir is sourced from the iconic Charles Heintz Vineyard near the town of Occidental, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. It’s a dark-fruited, powerful expression of Pinot Noir, layered with rich espresso bean and caramel spice. Medium-bodied yet concentrated, the palate is lifted by blood orange and pithy grapefruit notes that bring freshness and energy, finishing with excellent length and a deep forest, redwood-driven character.

2024

Salty Goats

Salty Goats Coastline Project Pinot Noir

This Coastline Project Pinot Noir is a dark-fruited powerhouse, showcasing the ripe, soaring tannins characteristic of fruit grown in the extreme coastal zones of the Sonoma Coast. It bursts with dark cherry and plum fruit, framed by red apple-skin tannins and mineral nuances that shine through the dark core—wet river stone, slate, and a touch of violet. On the palate, subtle blue fruit tones emerge beneath the grip of those firm tannins, adding depth and intrigue. I’m inclined to think these 2024s will age longer than the dazzling 2023s; there’s more heft and power here, making it worth holding until at least 2026 before pulling a cork. Sourced from organically farmed vineyards along the West Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Coast AVA—including McDougall Ranch and Kings Ridge (Fort Ross–Seaview), Fociñni (Petaluma Gap), and Lucky Well (Occidental)—this wine blends clones 114, Calera, Schoolhouse, Pommard, and La Tâche. With 30% whole-cluster fermentation in stainless steel using native yeasts and native malolactic conversion, the wine spent 15 days on the skins. Salty Goats is passion of Nickel & Nickel’s Joe Harden and Phil Holbrook (who were mentored by Thomas Rivers Brown). The wines are made at TRB’s Mending Wall facility, sourcing grapes from organically farmed vineyards on the West Sonoma Coast and in Napa Valley.

2024

Salty Goats

Salty Goats Pinot Noir

This wine unfolds slowly, finishing with profoundly robust, firm tannins that build and build—but before that, it seduces with calm generosity and perfumed red fruit layered with violets, dark cinnamon, cedarwood, and underbrush. The entry is soft and silky, edged with blue-toned fruit that’s soon drawn into focus by the grip and structure of this powerful Pinot Noir. Like the Coastline Project Pinot, it’s worth holding until late 2026 before pulling corks—and it will easily reward a decade or more of aging. Composed of a barrel selection sourced 70% from McDougall Ranch and 30% from Kings Ridge Vineyard, with 30% whole-cluster fermentation in stainless steel, native primary and malolactic fermentations, and 16 days on skins. Salty Goats is passion of Nickel & Nickel’s Joe Harden and Phil Holbrook (who were mentored by Thomas Rivers Brown). The wines are made at TRB’s Mending Wall facility, sourcing grapes from organically farmed vineyards on the West Sonoma Coast and in Napa Valley.

2024

Sean Minor

Invited Series Denmark St. Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from Denmark Street Vineyard and pressed directly into locally crafted clay amphorae, where it completes both primary and secondary fermentation and ages for six months. The result is a lemony-bright, lime-zesty, white-floral, and high-toned aromatic wine with a lovely richness on the palate. Crisp, clean, and vibrant, it delivers acidity reminiscent of biting into ripe grapefruit. Intriguing baking spice notes—likely imparted by the amphorae—add layers of mineral iron and subtle Indian spice. Utterly fascinating. Sean Minor Wines was founded in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Sean and Nicole Minor, and is still family-owned and operated. In 2023, their daughter, Elle Minor, joined the team as winemaker. Wines are made from a combination of estate fruit and fruit purchased from sustainably farmed sources throughout California.

2024

Serres Ranch

Toots Estate Grown Aleatico Rosé

The Toots Rosé is made entirely from Aleatico—a grape variety most common in Italy, typically blended into red wines, yet thriving on the Serres Ranch, where just six acres are planted. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, it’s an exceptionally expressive rosé with a rich, luscious quality and a satiny texture. Ripe strawberry and cherry tones lead the way, lifted by a fresh pop of grapefruit or blood orange and a zippy, mouthwatering finish. Super refreshing. The Serres family launched the brand in 2018, with the inaugural vintage released in 2022; they currently produce about 500 cases each year. Tim Milos and Derek Irwin are the winemakers.

2024

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

Sauvignon Blanc

A tropical-fruited, zesty Sauvignon Blanc with crisp orchard fruit aromas leading into a palate of luscious pear and underripe pineapple. The texture is creamy yet vibrant, finishing with a clean, mineral edge. Sourced from both estate and grower vineyards, the fruit is pressed and the juice fermented slowly in stainless steel tanks, with a small portion aged in acacia barrels. St. Francis Winery & Vineyards has been in operation for more than five decades, now farming over 400 acres of estate vineyards.

2024

The Setting Wines

Sauvignon Blanc

From a hillside site in Alexander Valley and planted to 50% Musqué and 50% Sauvignon Blanc clones. This Sauvignon Blanc shows a heady richness, driven in part by barrels with Acacia heads, which—when toasted correctly—bring gorgeous florality and minerality. The wine expands across the palate with fleshy pear and apricot, carried by a rich, saline-acid tension that fuels both texture and focused length. It’s an opulent wine with precision and lift. In short, ultra-delicious. This wine was aged 6 months in 40% new French oak.

2024

Vaughn Duffy Wines

Bacigalupi Vineyards Chardonnay

From the Bacigalupi family’s historic Goddard Ranch—the first property Helen and Charles Bacigalupi purchased in the 1950s, and the source of grapes used in Chateau Montelena’s legendary 1973 Chardonnay that won the Judgement of Paris—this wine carries a remarkable legacy. Aged for 10 months in French oak barrels (50% new), it offers layers of baked lemon, orchard fruit, lemon oil, and French pastry richness, all seamlessly integrated. Vaughn Duffy is a small, family-owned winery based in Sonoma County producing about 3,000 cases annually and specializing in Pinot Noir. The wines are crafted by forklift-wiz-turned-winemaker Matt Duffy, who co-founded the winery in 2009 with his wife, Sara Vaughn.

2024

Vaughn Duffy Wines

Sauvignon Blanc

The grapes for this wine were sourced entirely from Hopkins River Ranch in the heart of the Russian River Valley, where Bob Hopkins has been farming wine grapes on his family’s property off Eastside Road since the 1970s. Fermented and aged for five months in a combination of older oak (58%) and stainless steel barrels (42%), the wine is crunchy, crisp, and super tart, with bright lime acidity, grassy nuances, and tropical fruit character reminiscent of kiwi and green apple. Vaughn Duffy is a small, family-owned winery based in Sonoma County producing about 3,000 cases annually and specializing in Pinot Noir. The wines are crafted by forklift-wiz-turned-winemaker Matt Duffy, who co-founded the winery in 2009 with his wife, Sara Vaughn.

N/A

Valette

Champagne Blanc de Noirs NV

Wonderfully rich baking-spice notes evoke walnut–cardamom pastry, French buttered croissant, and wet river stones, all wrapped around cherry and apple fruit. The mousse is incredibly frothy, building with beautiful lightness and textural lift, while hints of white truffle and a streak of saline acidity add a savory freshness that’s undeniably delicious.

1 2 3 4 … 10 11 12

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2023

Producer

Name

Zippy, zesty, and zingy—this is an electrified Pinot Noir that crackles with energy. In total contrast to the richer Wester Reach bottling, it shows crunchy red fruits, bright red florals, and delicate Asian spice notes. Long, lean, and focused, it’s a natural partner for oysters Rockefeller or grilled branzino. This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from Dutton Ranch and was aged 15 months in 32% new French oak barrels from Tonnellerie Remond. Founded in 1996, DuMOL is led by Chief Winemaker & Proprietor Andy Smith, crafting Russian River Valley releases from both estate and nearby grower-partner vineyards.

2023

Producer

Name

This Chardonnay bursts from the glass with a dazzling mix of citrus, orchard, and tropical fruit, accented by fine cedarwood and subtle vanilla. The medium-bodied palate is layered with flavors of lemon curd, lime zest, apricot, and pineapple, framed by delicate notes of pressed wildflowers. A firm spine of racy acidity provides balance and tension, supporting the wine’s generous fruit core. Sourced from 38% Flax Estate, 22% El Diablo, 16% Winners Circle, 12% Cornerstone, and 12% Charles Heintz, it was aged 11 months in 20% new French oak from Tonnelleries Remond, Chassin, and ACF, followed by 4 months of settling in tank before bottling. Founded in 1996, DuMOL is led by Chief Winemaker and Proprietor Andy Smith, crafting Russian River Valley releases from both estate and nearby grower-partner vineyards.

2023

Producer

Name

The DuMOL style demands attention—structured, firmly tannic, and crisp, these wines are built for long-term cellaring. But give them air—open in the morning and revisit in the evening—and their purity of fruit and quiet elegance reveal themselves, a reminder that these are not wines to simply pop and pour. After four hours open, this 100% Pinot Noir showed layers of dark fruit, forest pine, and black truffle charcuterie, nuanced by wet slate and robust, smoky sea-salt–dusted tannins. Smoked paprika carries through the lengthy, dynamic finish. Sourced from 28% Occidental Road, 26% Dutton Ranch, 16% Flax Estate, 16% DuMOL Estate, and 14% Placida, it was aged 15 months in 28% new French oak from Tonnelleries Ermitage and Remond. Founded in 1996, DuMOL is led by Chief Winemaker & Proprietor Andy Smith, crafting Russian River Valley releases from both estate and nearby grower-partner vineyards.

2023

Producer

Name

A light, zesty, and tropical Chardonnay offering notes of quince, salted lemon peel, and candied pineapple. The creamy mid-palate adds texture and depth, leading to a stony, sea-salt–tinged finish. This 100% Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley was barrel-fermented with native yeast, underwent full malolactic fermentation, and aged 11 months in one one-year-old French oak barrel and one used French oak barrel. Debra Mathay purchased Dutcher Crossing in 2007, and it now produces more than thirty wines from Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino counties, farming 75 acres of estate vineyards.

2023

Producer

Name

A medium-bodied, plump, and juicy Pinot Noir with a velvety texture, sourced from four vineyards: Terra de Promissio, Cut Root, Bucher, and Placida. The inclusion of 15% whole clusters adds a touch of grip, though the tannins are well-integrated and refined. Aged 11 months in 30% new French oak, the wine shows layered baking spice character—clove, nutmeg, and a touch of dusty minerality on the finish. Harmonious and inviting, it’s an effortlessly appealing Pinot Noir that’s all too easy to drink. Debra Mathay purchased Dutcher Crossing in 2007, and it now produces more than thirty wines from Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino counties, farming 75 acres of estate vineyards.

2023

Producer

Name

Tasting the two Elaine Chardonnays from Calypte Vineyard provides a visual lesson in vintages—2022 was hot, 2023 was cool. The 2022 shows a deep golden hue, while the 2023 glows lemon-gold with hints of emerald shimmer. The 2023 vintage is leaner and brighter, driven by high-toned acidity that initially commands attention but soon reveals layers of lemon, lime, white florals, and tangerine oil beneath. Sourced from the winemaker’s estate vineyard, the Chardonnay was hand-harvested, barrel-fermented with indigenous yeast, and aged 17 months sur lie in 40% new French oak with bâtonnage before being bottled unfiltered. Established in 2017 by Elaine and Mark Sale, Elaine Wines produces fewer than 200 cases annually.

2023

Producer

Name

Sourced from Calesa Vineyard, a Petaluma Gap site perched on a high plateau with northwest-facing slopes and soils flecked with gravel and quartz. Musqué Clone 809, fermented with native yeast and native malo, then aged 15 months in 30% new French oak. Absolutely riveting on the nose, with tangerine peel, orange essence, honeysuckle, and pineapple crème brûlée. All of that comes together on the palate, where more tropical fruit emerges alongside a creamy mid-palate richness and lingering exotic spice. All fruit is night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Producer

Name

Sourced from Calesa Vineyard, a Petaluma Gap site perched on a high plateau with northwest-facing slopes and soils flecked with gravel and quartz. This Pinot Noir is entirely 115 and fermented with native yeast. Bâtonnage begins with more frequent stirring and gradually tapers off, after which the wine is racked into roughly 30% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. Given the clone, there’s lots of structure in this wine, grippy apple-skin tannins with rich brown baking spices, red cherry fruit, tobacco, and new-wood cedar on the very pretty, very linear finish.

2023

Producer

Name

Aged for 19 months in 33% new Kádár Hungarian oak, this Bordeaux-inspired red wine is something of a chameleon, leading with bright, high-toned plummy red and black fruits, hints of fragrant bay laurel, sage, and dried mint or prairie grass. On entry, it’s soft, plump, and satiny before soaring tannins rise to grip the palate, delivering real structure and depth. It resolves with an unsweetened cocoa powder intensity and a showstopping finish. Best enjoyed with roast chicken and potatoes or steak au poivre.

2023

Producer

Name

This Cabernet Franc from Newman Vineyard was aged 19 months in 40% new Kádár Hungarian oak. It’s an expressive and beautifully balanced wine, bursting with blue-fruit aromatics, rich cedarwood, and unsweetened cocoa powder, accented by a hint of minty freshness. Medium-bodied, it shows savory Bay laurel framing the palate, supported by lively acidity and tangy red fruit that lingers invitingly.

2023

Producer

Name

Cabernet Sauvignon from Newman Vineyard in Knights Valley, aged for 19 months in 33% new Kádár Hungarian oak. Made similarly to their Cabernet Franc, this Cabernet Sauvignon carries the same elegance and lighter touch, expressed through a distinctly varietal thread of blackberry, black cherry, graphite, and fine cedar spice, all lifted by red floral tones. Super juicy and impressively long, the sinewy, power-packed tannin profile never overshadows the succulent fruit but instead provides seamless support throughout.

2023

Producer

Name

A barrel selection with 40% whole cluster. Aged for 14 months in 20% new French oak. An intriguing and exotic bouquet evokes tropical passion fruit, pomegranate, cranberry, and a touch of brown spice, all of which carry through to the light- to medium-bodied palate. More cherry and raspberry fruit emerge mid-palate, framed by sinewy tannins and a floral-driven finish.

2023

Producer

Name

Vines and Roses comes from older vines along Olivet Road in Santa Rosa. Fermented with 33% whole clusters and aged for 14 months in 20% new Damy French oak barrels. It captures the generosity of the Russian River Valley with a lighter-toned red fruit profile and a fine dusting of pink Himalayan sea salt atop firm tannins that resolve with juicy richness and taut acid tension.

2023

Producer

Name

The Reserve comes from Macama Ranch, located at the base of LookOut Mountain, and the fruit from this site produces some of the darkest Cabernet in the Ferrari-Carano portfolio. The 2023 was fermented in stainless steel and aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. This is a super-ripe wine with great mid-palate richness and plenty of warm baking-spice character—mulberry, clove, allspice—layered with touches of leather and black tobacco on the long finish. Serve with braised meats or burgers, please.

2023

Producer

Name

The Reserve is sourced from estate fruit in Los Carneros. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed to stainless steel and cold settled before being racked to French oak (30% new) for fermentation and nine months of sur-lie aging with full malolactic. This is a refined, polished wine—not at all bombastic in its oak profile. The oak shows more like a delicate blondie or light graham-cracker crust, gently framing silky citrus fruit, grilled pineapple sprinkled with black sea salt, and ripe pear layered with honeycomb and butterscotch caramel. All that richness builds on the palate—something of a surprise, as the nose doesn’t hint at the depth to come. The finish is long and super toasty. A meal of a wine unto itself.

2023

Producer

Name

Siena is Ferrari-Carano’s nod to their Italian heritage, aged 10 months in 20% new French oak. The blend includes Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is intriguing, with a sweet-spice profile that hints at black licorice or, as the technical sheet puts it, “cream soda”—a nostalgic candy character you can interpret however you like. Blackberry and raspberry notes follow, along with mulberry-pie spices on the palate. The texture is creamy and satiny, supported by firm, grippy tannins that resolve nicely on the berry-driven finish.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2023

2023 DuMOL Ryan Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$$

2023

2023 DuMOL Wester Reach Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 DuMOL Wester Reach Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Dutcher Crossing Chenoweth Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Dutcher Crossing Fifth Stage Reserve Barrel Select Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Elaine Wines Calypte Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Eleven Eleven Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Eleven Eleven Calesa Vineyard Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 En Garde KnightStar Newman Vineyard Proprietary Red Wine

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 En Garde Newman Vineyard Cabernet Franc

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 En Garde Newman Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 En Garde Passion de la Reine Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 En Garde Vines and Roses Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Ferrari-Carano Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Ferrari-Carano Siena

Still Wine

$

MAILING LIST

The only email you want to open

  • Podcast Drops
  • New Reports
  • Latest Scores