California – Page 30 – Cristaldi & Co

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

From Rosella’s Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, this white offers gorgeous, lifted aromatics of brown spice and a hint of anise. The wonderfully rich mid-palate is framed by exquisite saline minerality and the grip of lemon zest and apple skin. Lean, focused, and nuanced, it’s a tension-filled expression of Rosella’s. Barrel-fermented and aged in 50% new French oak. The 2022 vintage marks the inaugural release of this wine under the DK Grail label—wines that founder Dan Kosta sources from highly reputable vineyards, aiming for consistency, structure, and age-worthiness.

White

2023

Producer

Name

Bottled entirely in magnum (to mark it as a wine for special occasions and sharing), The Approach represents a passion project for Dan Kosta and winemaker Shane Finley—just five barrels were made in 2023. Modeled after the Kosta Browne “Four Barrel,” this blend brings together fruit from Garys’ Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Umino and Martaella vineyards in the Russian River Valley, and Campbell Ranch on the West Sonoma Coast near Westside Road. “Is this the best five barrels in the winery?” Dan asks. “No. If you have five wonderful kids, it doesn’t mean they’ll all play well together. It’s the best blend we can make from these sites—the best wine we can create from the components we have. It’s a winemaker’s wine.” The name The Approach is also a tribute to his father, an airline pilot. “You can’t have perfection in wine,” Dan says. “If I believed you could, I’d call it The Landing. But wine is an imperfect journey, so The Approach just fits.” Given that sentiment, Dan may not agree with my 100-point assesment, but I do. I love this wine. For me, this wine isn’t about terroir as much as it is about pleasure, complexity, and the cerebral art of blending. In its youth, it’s floral and brown-spiced with dark fruit and lush texture balanced by a tactile grip. The finish is long and compelling, inviting sip after sip. Certain site components shine brightly now, like the lush, fruity aspect from Santa Lucia, balanced by the intense earthy character of the Russian River Valley, but by 2029 or so, they’ll have fully harmonized—making patience well-rewarded if you wait to pop the cork.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

A full-flavored, medium- to full-bodied Pinot Noir showing firm tannins and abundant richness. Layers of cherry and blackberry fruit mingle with spiced plum, elegant cherry wood smoke, and clove, all carried through a lengthy finish defined by saline acidity and refined balance. Founded in 2010 by David Warren Hejl, former CEO of Kosta Browne and Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, Domaine Della crafts limited-production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from select Sonoma County vineyards.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

Sourced from the Earl Stephens Vineyard in the Green Valley sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley, this is a pretty, savory-driven Pinot Noir offering a mix of red cherry fruit, pine forest, crushed cocoa nibs, and elegant cedarwood. Medium-bodied, it’s balanced and finely textured, finishing with a tart cherry brightness. Founded in 2010 by David Warren Hejl, former CEO of Kosta Browne and Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, Domaine Della crafts limited-production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from select Sonoma County vineyards.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is straightforward and juicy, offering a lively mix of red cherry and currant fruit layered with notes of spicy paprika and cedarwood. A subtle thread of saline minerality runs through the wine, balanced by blood-orange acidity and crisp, refreshing tannins. Founded in 2010 by David Warren Hejl, former CEO of Kosta Browne and Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, Domaine Della crafts limited-production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from select Sonoma County vineyards.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

TASTING NOTE: Lot #14. Barrel Sample: All this wine makes you want to do is jump in a golf cart with Cush Donelan and winemaker David Milner, and ride around the golf course smokin’ cigar and sipping whiskey. And then, you get to the clubhouse and you get serious with this Cabernet blend, which is the first varietal bottling off their estate Obsidian Vineyard since the replant. This is striking—powerful and elegant, the classic iron fist in a velvet glove. Dark rose petal aromatics mingle with sagebrush and forest underbrush. Super expressive and refined, with driving energy and remarkable poise. From the Auction Lot Catalog: ABOUT THE WINE: “The Dark Knights” pays tribute to the two inky grape varietals in this first-ever blend for Donelan Family Wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The 2023 vintage is the Donelan Estate’s debut wine after replanting the vineyard. Great things are expected from these young vines that were propagated from the previous vineyard plantings, which date back to the late 1970s. Knights Valley in Sonoma County is one of the most rugged, untamed, and breathtaking wine regions in California. Nestled between the Mayacamas Mountains, it has volcanic soils, high elevations, and a cooler climate, all of which create powerful yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The valley was named after Thomas Knight, a 19th century pioneer, which gives it a sense of history and adventure. Winemaker David Milner ferments these small lots separately and ages each one differently, revealing spectacular wines that are filled with depth, elegance and power. “The Dark Knights” will be brawny, rich and decadent, like many great Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Cabernet Franc will tame the big mountain structure and give it lift with aromatic herbs, white flowers and sage. It will have a fresh, beautifully saturated palate and fine-grained tannin. WINEMAKER(S): David Milner ESTIMATED BOTTLING DATE: June 2025 ESTIMATED SHIPPING DATE: December 2025 National Distribution: AL, CA, CT, FL, GA, HI, IL, MD, MA, MS, NV, NC, OH, TN, TX, UT, VA, WY, Washington, DC International Distribution: Includes Canada, Japan; please inquire for additional countries.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

The Hypersonic Pinot Noir, sourced from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros, is a 100% Pinot Noir aged 16 months in 83% new French oak. In contrast to the White Barn bottling, this wine is hyper–fruit-forward yet deeply dark and savory, showing remarkable intensity. Aromas of black truffle, charcuterie, dried red cherry, and cherry wood mingle with subtle hints of sage and bay leaf. On the palate, firm cocoa-powder tannins frame the fruit, while a dazzling streak of wet-slate minerality carries through the long, powerful finish. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Chardonnay from TFV Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 67% new French oak. Lean and laser-focused, it carves out a precise, stony mineral profile balanced on a razor’s edge. Brimming with tart lime and bright lemon-driven acidity, it’s a quintessential pairing for oysters or fresh seafood. The bouquet reveals subtle richness, with hints of candied ginger and chamomile adding nuance. Dazzling in its purity and focus, the wine finishes long and mineral, accented by notes of crushed almond and lingering salinity. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

White

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir from TFV Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 62% new French oak. Intensely structured and gripping, it opens with crunchy apple-skin tannins that command the palate before easing into layers of cherry fruit, delicate cherry wood, and a lingering smoky clove finish. As it unfolds, a burst of juicy blood orange emerges unexpectedly, adding vibrancy and lift. Quite an intriguing and structured Pinot. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Chardonnay from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros was aged 12 months in concrete (80%), 4 months in stainless steel, and 16 months in 20% new French oak. It opens with elegant mineral notes reminiscent of wet slate and petrichor, joined by jasmine and lime blossom aromatics. The medium-bodied palate builds with richness, revealing layers of quince, candied ginger, and lemon zest framed by scintillating acidity and grippy pear-skin tannins. A wine of striking focus and depth, it combines bony acidity with layered flavor and textural precision. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

White

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Donum Vineyard in Carneros was aged 16 months in 40% new French oak. It’s a striking, attention-commanding wine with heady aromas of white pepper, crushed eucalyptus, cassis, and a wild birch-bark nuance that sets it apart. On the palate, the tannins are firm and deeply structured—almost as if that birch-bark character has become part of the wine’s very foundation. Powerful and built for longevity, this is a Pinot Noir to cellar and revisit in the late 2020s, when its structure will have softened and its complexity fully unfurled. Founded in 2001, The Donum Estate farms five Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyards across Carneros, the Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

For a compelling case study in site expression, taste this Bentrock Vineyard Pinot Noir alongside Dragonette’s Radian Vineyard Pinot Noir. You’ll immediately feel like a hopeful Master of Wine or Master Sommelier—the wines are structurally distinct yet flavorfully aligned. These are Dragonette’s top Pinots of the vintage, both bursting with red cherry fruit and exquisitely defined brown baking spices—think the finest Indian spice blends, perfectly dialed-in medium-roast espresso, and a curl of dried blood orange peel hanging from the rim of a Manhattan. Add in smoky incense and crushed slatestone minerality, and the aromatics alone are worth the study. On the palate, however, the wines diverge. Bentrock is gracious, giving, supple, and seductive. Radian is darker-toned, brooding, reserved—full of secrets. Bentrock tells you everything you ever wanted to know. Radian is coy, plays hard to get, and knows it’s the best-dressed Pinot in the room. It’s coiled, like a lifelong jogger planning to live forever. Bentrock, on the other hand, is Jim Belushi at the start of his SNL career—youthful, charming, and full of potential—and will finish somewhere between John Mulaney’s honesty and the sharp-witted Tina Fey’s antics.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This 2023 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir from Dragonette is a power-packed, juicy, and supple red, bursting with alluring aromatics of brown spices—think coriander, cumin, star anise, and a hint of curry—layered with dried rose petal, incense, and ground espresso bean. On the medium-bodied palate, tart, juicy red cherry and raspberry fruit are supported by salty, toasty, smoky minerality that carries through a long, lingering finish. It’s so appealing, you’ll be hard-pressed to put the glass down.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

For a textbook lesson in terroir-driven contrast, pour Dragonette’s Radian Vineyard Pinot Noir side by side with their Bentrock bottling. You’ll find yourself stepping into the shoes of a Master of Wine candidate or an aspiring Master Sommelier—the structural differences are unmistakable, even as the core flavors remain strikingly aligned. These are Dragonette’s flagship Pinots from the vintage, each bursting with crystalline red cherry fruit and meticulously defined brown spice—like top-shelf Indian spices, finely ground espresso beans, a dried blood orange peel garnishing a Manhattan, and a wisp of smoky incense over slatestone minerality. But it’s the palate where their personalities split. Bentrock is open-hearted, plush, and inviting. Radian is moodier, more reserved—brimming with hidden depth. Bentrock chats freely, telling you its whole story in the first sip. Radian keeps you guessing, its elegance cool and tightly wound, dressed to impress and in no rush to reveal its full self. Radian is a long-distance runner, lean and disciplined, with stamina for days. Bentrock is Jim Belushi entering his SNL era—charismatic, a little wild, and on the cusp of greatness.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

Only 300 cases of Dragonette’s 2023 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir were produced—and what a wine it is. Crunchy cranberry and cherry fruit meld with ground espresso and a burst of dark Pacific Ocean sea salt. The beautifully sculpted tannins bring a sense of polish and ease, offering a smooth, approachable expression. Yet underneath, there’s serious structure built for aging. But let’s be honest—you’re probably going to drink it all between now and next weekend.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

Dragonette continues to produce some of California’s most compelling Sauvignon Blancs and this Grassini Family Vineyard, situated inland enough so that a north-south mountain range blocks the Pacific coastal breezes, preventing them from cooling the canyons where this grows and as such the wine is generous in its creamy orchard fruit character, stunning lemon-lime oil purity and unbeleiveable mid-palate depth, like diving into the depths of a salty, briny, ocean, coming up with a handful of oysters. It has that kind of sea-like minerality with lemon blossom and lime zest and porached pear and apple fruit with subtle apple skin tannins. It’s a helluva Sauvingn Blanc. Meaty and laser focused.

Cristaldi Scores

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Wines by Alisa Jacobson

Bait + Switch by AJ, Non Alcoholic Wine, Made with Organic Grapes, Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Producer

Name

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$