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Cristaldi Scores

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Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2019

Anthony Road Wine Company

Sparkling Riesling

A classic méthode Champenoise Riesling sparkler sourced from the Martini Family Vineyard, aged on the lees for two years before disgorgement. The vintage produced bright, acid-driven wines, and this bottling is no exception—youthful and crisp with crunchy apple fruit and absolutely bracing acidity. A subtle vinous character lingers through the long, mineral-laced finish. Positively made for oysters.

2019

Becker Vineyards

Canada Family Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Grapes for this red are sourced from Canada Family Vineyard, located in the Texas High Plains, atop primarily limestone-based soils. Compared to the Wilmeth Vineyard, this wine exhibits a more structured profile with greater grip and intensity on the mid-palate. It bursts with red and blackberry fruit, cassis, and is supported by fashionable, polished tannins that build gracefully into a lengthy, mineral-driven finish. A truly complete and harmonious wine.

2019

Becker Vineyards

Lahey Vineyards, Semillon

This blend of 90% Sémillon, 7% Chardonnay, and 3% Viognier was aged for an impressive 48 months in French oak, representing a bold experiment for the winery. The result is a wine that surprises consumers with its smooth, glossy texture and remarkable food-friendliness. It offers a rich array of aromas, including fragrant toasted nuttiness, lemon-drop, and butterscotch. Full-bodied and spicy on the palate, it delivers a wealth of toasted nut flavors and a luxurious finish. While thoroughly enjoyable now, this wine promises to evolve beautifully over the next decade, gaining even more richness, toasty complexity, and caramel-like depth.

2019

Becker Vineyards

Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Becker Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, sourced from the Wilmeth Vineyard (also known as Diamante Doble) in the Texas High Plains, is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1.6% Petit Verdot, and 1.4% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 30 months in a combination of 70% American oak (35% new) and 30% French oak (20% new), this wine is juicy, approachable, and easy to drink. It features satiny, silky tannins and rich dark berry flavors, accented by ample brown baking spices. The palate carries a welcome lean elegance, leading to a long finish with fantastic slate and iron minerality and a touch of wild herbs. During the tasting, I also sampled a 2016 vintage, which showed remarkable evolution—fuller, richer, and with more intense tannins. Its truffle notes and loamy earth character were reminiscent of aged California Cabernet or Bordeaux Supérieur. Both vintages exemplify the vineyard’s exceptional potential and craftsmanship.

2019

Belle Fiore

Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a gorgeous Left Bank–inspired nose of blackberry, graphite, and expressive cedarwood, layered with rich tobacco nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it features fine, dusty tannins and vibrant black currant fruit, with notes of loamy earth, vanilla bean, and savory wild herbs framing the long, focused finish. A tremendously satisfying wine of elegance and mineral purity. Belle Fiore Winery is an estate in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, with 31 acres of planted vineyards.

2019

Belle Fiore

Caprettone

This is a Caprettone, a grape variety from Coda di Volpe in the Vesuvio DOC in Campania, typically blended. Grown on the Belle Fiore estate, there is a bout an acre and a half and winemaker Rob Folin fermentes ina m ix of ss, acaica and French oak all neutral. It’s a bracing, refreshing, lemon-lime-bright wine with nice nutty notes in the nose and loads of canided citrus fruit and vivid acidity. Great tension.

2019

Belle Fiore

Icon Pinot Noir

Winemaker Rob Folin says he loves the sweetness and toastiness imparted by the Icon barrels used to age this wine—“it’s not just salt and pepper,” he notes, “it’s the steak and butter sauce, too.” The 2019 was fermented in open-top bins and aged in 40% new French oak Icon barrels. The result is a terrifically spicy wine with good density and width, dark cherry fruit dusted with cardamom and coriander, hints of wood smoke, clove, and allspice, and super-fine, sweet tannins that carry through a long, elegant finish.

2019

Belle Fiore

Reserve Pinot Noir (Gray Label)

Winemaker Rob Folin’s second vintage at Belle Fiore. This is a robust and bold Pinot Noir with a rich, dark-fruited profile, black cherry, and cherry coulis, rose petals and sgaebrush. Has a MB palate feel with firm tannins and notes of black tea on the finish. Fermented in open top bins, and aged 18 months in 30% nfr.

2019

Belle Fiore

Signature Series Syrah

The Signature Series Syrah, was just two barrels, and fermented in open-tops and aged in 50% nfr for 22 months. Winemaker Rob Folin says this is the best barrel in the cellar in 2019 and the second barrel complements this Syrah. The aromastics are incredibly hedonistic with cinnamon and allspice, with asomeo f the meaty Syrah characterur shining through with red cherry, blackberry, and blue fruit with notes of dried violets

2019

Bending Branch Winery

Camp Lucy Vineyard Malbec

If the 2020 Camp Lucy Malbec showed the delicate, lifted side of the variety, the 2019 reveals its deeper register. This vintage is more dark-fruited, with a richer, more concentrated core and noticeably greater mid-palate weight. You still get the signature cherry character, but it trends darker—black cherry and black plum—supported by firmer, more assertive tannins. The finish echoes the 2020 in its white-pepper lift and limestone-driven mineral notes, but here they play against a denser, more brooding fruit profile. A compelling, more structured counterpoint to the elegance of the 2020.

2019

Bending Branch Winery

Double Barrel Tannat

This Tannat from Bending Branch was finished in bourbon barrels, with flash detente and cryo-maceration, and fermented in half-ton open-top fermenters. Sourced from two vineyards, it offers intriguing aromas of brandied morello cherry fruit and leather spices, mingling with sappy tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Softer and fleshy in the mouth, the wine reveals nice baking spice character, with layers of toffee, espresso bean, and a hint of molasses on the finish.

2019

Bingham Family Vineyards

Merlot

This super savory, medium-bodied Merlot opens with crunchy cherry and dark berry fruits, complemented by underbrush and pastille notes. As the wine develops, it reveals layers of blue fruit jam and a touch of tobacco leaf. The finish is long and satisfying.

2019

Bingham Family Vineyards

Petit Verdot

Bingham Family Vineyards’ Texas High Plains 2019 Petit Verdot is a rich and meaty wine, offering vibrant red currant fruits, spicy charcuterie, and strawberry balsamic notes. These flavors build on the soft, medium-bodied palate, framed by velvety, fine tannins.

2019

Blackmon

County Line Red Blend

Ferments are done in barrel, followed by ageing for up to 15 months in 20% new French oak. Attractive red and black berry fruit leads, with nuances of graphite, tobacco, elegant cedarwood aromatics, and rose petal florals. Medium-bodied on the palate, with firm, structured tannins and notes of espresso bean, all lifted by blood orange acid tension. The lengthy finish carries a touch of mesquite smoke. Grapes are sourced entirely from the 7-acre Blackmon Ranch Vineyard in the Texas Hill Country AVA.

2019

Blackmon Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Blackmon Cabernet Sauvignon from the Texas Hill Country is a fantastic wine that beautifully showcases classic Cabernet character. It offers satiny, slightly sappy tannins that are beautifully integrated, complemented by a melange of dried herb notes and delectable black currant and spiced plum fruits. Rich and enticing, it delivers fantastic structure and length, highlighting the potential of the Texas Hill Country. Aged 15 months in roughly 30% new French oak, this dynamic Cabernet is a standout expression of the region. The winemaker is Anthony Offhill.

2019

Brennan Vineyards

Buffalo Roam Reserve

The Buffalo Roam Reserve is a savory red wine that combines 65% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, and 6% Cabernet Franc. It offers very attractive green olive tapenade notes that mingle with red currants, dried herbs, and spices. Medium-bodied, it is framed by black tea tannins and complemented by tobacco, sage, and a hint of dried spearmint on its complex finish.

2019

Brennan Vineyards

JPB Tribute Red Wine

The Brennan Vineyards Tribute Red, created in honor of late winery founder Dr. J. Patrick Brennan, is an elegant and savory wine that offers a rich profile of currant fruits, tobacco spices, cedarwood, and tanned leather. The wine is further enhanced by delicate notes of dried rose petals and violets. Medium-bodied with expressive tannins, it shows layers of fig jam and currant jelly, intertwined with sagebrush, thyme, and black truffle nuances. A beautifully complex wine, it has both depth and refinement, making it a memorable tribute to its namesake.

2019

Brennan Vineyards

Petite Sirah Reserve

This Reserve Petite Sirah from the Texas High Plains is a full-throttle, meaty red with ripe currant fruit, charcuterie, and dried strawberry, complemented by dried herb nuances of prairie grass and sage. Medium-bodied, it boasts black tea-scented tannins, along with layers of black truffle, loamy earth, and delicate pressed violets and hydrangea notes.

2019

Channing Daughters Winery

Mudd West Vineyard Petit Verdot

This is a wonderfully rich and meaty red with impressive depth of fruit, yet it never veers into cloying or overt sweetness. It doesn’t possess the sheer intensity of a Napa Petit Verdot, but instead offers brightness and vividness underscored by firm acidity. There’s real personality here, with wild, sauvage notes ranging from dried sage and bay leaf to rose stem. The finish is bold, dry, and tannic, chased by mouthwatering acidity.

2019

Cuda Ridge Wines

Malbec

After fermentation in open-top bins with daily punchdowns, this Malbec was aged for 19 months in American oak (21% new). Winemaker Larry Dino favors Pennsylvania oak for this wine, noting its signature bacon-like, meaty character—which is unmistakably present here. That savory quality mingles seamlessly with dark berry and blueberry fruit, supported by a streak of savory spice. The tannins are gritty and granular, adding texture and structure, yet the wine remains fresh and vibrant. A robust, distinctive Malbec that will soften with time in bottle.

2019

Damiani Wine Cellars

Brut

The 2019 Brut—a méthode champenoise sparkler made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier—is sourced from multiple vineyard sites along the east side of Seneca Lake. Each lot was vinified separately in stainless steel and aged sur lie for three months before tirage. Disgorged in 2025 after five years en tirage, this wine offers a complex and richly textured profile. Baked apple, pear, and apricot lead the aromatic charge, followed by confected notes of apple tart and apricot pastry, with buttery, nutty undertones adding depth on the mid-palate. An assertive mousse softens into a gentle froth, while the long, saline-acid finish brings lift, freshness, and tension to this more opulent style of sparkling. My kind of bubbly!

2019

Flat Creek Estate

Super Texan

Flat Creek Estate’s “Super Texan” is a fragrant, meaty red wine with a red-toned character. It offers a medium- to full-bodied palate, enriched with savory notes of truffle, underbrush, and green tobacco, finishing with a long, persistent limestone mineral thread.

2019

Fox Run Vineyards

Blanc de Blancs

Focused and linear, this estate-grown sparkling wine leads with bright apple and lime zest notes, followed by subtler hints of French pastry. The gentle mousse gives way to a brisk, acid-driven finish. Hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed from certified sustainable estate vineyards, the wine was partially barrel fermented to build texture.

2019

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Cuvee Brut

Aged 53 months en tirage, this estate-grown méthode traditionnelle blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir hails from the Standing Stone Timeline and Magdalena vineyards. It opens with aromas of just-picked orchard fruit warmed in the sun, underpinned by subtle French pastry notes. The palate is driven by crystalline acidity and bracing tension, finishing with a vivid streak of wet slate minerality.

2019

Irvine & Roberts Vineyards

Blanc de Blancs

Produced in the Méthode Champenoise style, this Oregon sparkling wine is exceptionally limited—just 70 cases, or roughly 1.5 barrels. Aged en tirage for 37 months, it opens with a bold nose of lavish French pastry and lemon pot de crème. The concentrated, hearty mousse reveals layers of cherry fruit, white plum, and saline-acid minerality, all carried by building tension. Juicy, focused, and impressively long on the finish.

2019

Irvine & Roberts Vineyards

Brut Cuvée

The 2019 Brut Cuvée marks the second vintage of Irvine & Roberts’ Méthode Champenoise–style sparkling wine. A blend of 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir, it was aged en tirage for 37 months. Winemaker Brian Gruber often conducts two separate picks—one to capture acidity and one for ripeness—with harvest typically spanning from late August to mid-October. The wine offers beautiful purity of orchard and citrus fruit, layered with French pastry notes, lemon peel, and chalky minerality. The mousse is assertive yet creamy, underscored by bracing acid tension. Fabulous, layered, and full of energy.

2019

Irvine & Roberts Vineyards

Brut Cuvée Zero Dosage

The 2019 Brut Cuvée Zero Dosage spent an additional six months en tirage and is crafted in the Méthode Champenoise from a blend of 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir. Winemaker Brian Gruber often conducts two separate picks—one for acidity, one for ripeness—with harvest typically taking place between late August and mid-October. This release offers a beautifully natural sweetness that stretches the palate, balanced by bracing acid tension. Savory notes of white truffle and flaky croissant mingle with bright lemon, quince, and layered citrus, all carried by remarkable length and precision.

2019

Kerrville Hills Winery

Newsom Vineyards, Petite Sirah

This Petite Sirah comes from 2012 plantings at Newsom Vineyards on Indian Hill in the Texas High Plains. The vineyard, located about 40 miles west of most sites in the High Plains, sits near the New Mexico border and features unique soils—shallow sandy clay loam transitioning to chalky limestone, with the Petite Sirah blocks on a knoll of iridescent red sand over fractured limestone. Bin-fermented with whole berries and ample oxygen exposure, this wine moves away from the typical inky and heavy style of Petite Sirah. Instead, it offers a balanced and elegant profile of dark currants, black cherry, and high-toned blue fruits, accented by cedarwood notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with spiced plums, brandied Morello cherries, and currants, layered with savory tobacco and leather. The fine, black tea-like tannins are beautifully integrated, enhancing the wine’s structure and depth, and adding a sense of sophistication.

2019

Lamoreaux Landing

Methode Champenoise Blanc De Blanc

The fruit for this traditional method sparkling wine was sourced from Clone 4 vines in our Terra West Vineyard, a 5-acre sustainably certified estate in the Seneca Lake AVA. Hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed, the base cuvée underwent primary fermentation in stainless steel before aging on the lees for 12 months. The wine was then aged en tirage for 4.5 years prior to disgorgement. It offers a fantastic mouthfeel with a rich, airy, frothy mousse and layers of tangerine peel, lime pith, and zesty lemon, with subtle baking spice notes on the bright, clean finish.

2019

Lamoreaux Landing

Methode Champenoise Brut

A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, this méthode champenoise sparkler is sourced from sustainably certified estate vineyards in the Seneca Lake AVA—Chardonnay Clone #4 from Terra West Vineyard and Pinot Noir from Round Rock Vineyard. Hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed, each variety was fermented separately and aged for 12 months in stainless steel before blending and spending 4.5 years en tirage. Steely mineral aromatics frame crunchy apple and pear notes, underpinned by saline-acid tension and an assertive yet focused mousse that resolves in a bone-dry, precise finish.

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2019

Producer

Name

A classic méthode Champenoise Riesling sparkler sourced from the Martini Family Vineyard, aged on the lees for two years before disgorgement. The vintage produced bright, acid-driven wines, and this bottling is no exception—youthful and crisp with crunchy apple fruit and absolutely bracing acidity. A subtle vinous character lingers through the long, mineral-laced finish. Positively made for oysters.

2019

Producer

Name

Grapes for this red are sourced from Canada Family Vineyard, located in the Texas High Plains, atop primarily limestone-based soils. Compared to the Wilmeth Vineyard, this wine exhibits a more structured profile with greater grip and intensity on the mid-palate. It bursts with red and blackberry fruit, cassis, and is supported by fashionable, polished tannins that build gracefully into a lengthy, mineral-driven finish. A truly complete and harmonious wine.

2019

Producer

Name

This blend of 90% Sémillon, 7% Chardonnay, and 3% Viognier was aged for an impressive 48 months in French oak, representing a bold experiment for the winery. The result is a wine that surprises consumers with its smooth, glossy texture and remarkable food-friendliness. It offers a rich array of aromas, including fragrant toasted nuttiness, lemon-drop, and butterscotch. Full-bodied and spicy on the palate, it delivers a wealth of toasted nut flavors and a luxurious finish. While thoroughly enjoyable now, this wine promises to evolve beautifully over the next decade, gaining even more richness, toasty complexity, and caramel-like depth.

2019

Producer

Name

The 2019 Becker Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, sourced from the Wilmeth Vineyard (also known as Diamante Doble) in the Texas High Plains, is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1.6% Petit Verdot, and 1.4% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 30 months in a combination of 70% American oak (35% new) and 30% French oak (20% new), this wine is juicy, approachable, and easy to drink. It features satiny, silky tannins and rich dark berry flavors, accented by ample brown baking spices. The palate carries a welcome lean elegance, leading to a long finish with fantastic slate and iron minerality and a touch of wild herbs. During the tasting, I also sampled a 2016 vintage, which showed remarkable evolution—fuller, richer, and with more intense tannins. Its truffle notes and loamy earth character were reminiscent of aged California Cabernet or Bordeaux Supérieur. Both vintages exemplify the vineyard’s exceptional potential and craftsmanship.

2019

Producer

Name

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a gorgeous Left Bank–inspired nose of blackberry, graphite, and expressive cedarwood, layered with rich tobacco nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it features fine, dusty tannins and vibrant black currant fruit, with notes of loamy earth, vanilla bean, and savory wild herbs framing the long, focused finish. A tremendously satisfying wine of elegance and mineral purity. Belle Fiore Winery is an estate in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, with 31 acres of planted vineyards.

2019

Producer

Name

This is a Caprettone, a grape variety from Coda di Volpe in the Vesuvio DOC in Campania, typically blended. Grown on the Belle Fiore estate, there is a bout an acre and a half and winemaker Rob Folin fermentes ina m ix of ss, acaica and French oak all neutral. It’s a bracing, refreshing, lemon-lime-bright wine with nice nutty notes in the nose and loads of canided citrus fruit and vivid acidity. Great tension.

2019

Producer

Name

Winemaker Rob Folin says he loves the sweetness and toastiness imparted by the Icon barrels used to age this wine—“it’s not just salt and pepper,” he notes, “it’s the steak and butter sauce, too.” The 2019 was fermented in open-top bins and aged in 40% new French oak Icon barrels. The result is a terrifically spicy wine with good density and width, dark cherry fruit dusted with cardamom and coriander, hints of wood smoke, clove, and allspice, and super-fine, sweet tannins that carry through a long, elegant finish.

2019

Producer

Name

Winemaker Rob Folin’s second vintage at Belle Fiore. This is a robust and bold Pinot Noir with a rich, dark-fruited profile, black cherry, and cherry coulis, rose petals and sgaebrush. Has a MB palate feel with firm tannins and notes of black tea on the finish. Fermented in open top bins, and aged 18 months in 30% nfr.

2019

Producer

Name

The Signature Series Syrah, was just two barrels, and fermented in open-tops and aged in 50% nfr for 22 months. Winemaker Rob Folin says this is the best barrel in the cellar in 2019 and the second barrel complements this Syrah. The aromastics are incredibly hedonistic with cinnamon and allspice, with asomeo f the meaty Syrah characterur shining through with red cherry, blackberry, and blue fruit with notes of dried violets

2019

Producer

Name

If the 2020 Camp Lucy Malbec showed the delicate, lifted side of the variety, the 2019 reveals its deeper register. This vintage is more dark-fruited, with a richer, more concentrated core and noticeably greater mid-palate weight. You still get the signature cherry character, but it trends darker—black cherry and black plum—supported by firmer, more assertive tannins. The finish echoes the 2020 in its white-pepper lift and limestone-driven mineral notes, but here they play against a denser, more brooding fruit profile. A compelling, more structured counterpoint to the elegance of the 2020.

2019

Producer

Name

This Tannat from Bending Branch was finished in bourbon barrels, with flash detente and cryo-maceration, and fermented in half-ton open-top fermenters. Sourced from two vineyards, it offers intriguing aromas of brandied morello cherry fruit and leather spices, mingling with sappy tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Softer and fleshy in the mouth, the wine reveals nice baking spice character, with layers of toffee, espresso bean, and a hint of molasses on the finish.

2019

Producer

Name

This super savory, medium-bodied Merlot opens with crunchy cherry and dark berry fruits, complemented by underbrush and pastille notes. As the wine develops, it reveals layers of blue fruit jam and a touch of tobacco leaf. The finish is long and satisfying.

2019

Producer

Name

Bingham Family Vineyards’ Texas High Plains 2019 Petit Verdot is a rich and meaty wine, offering vibrant red currant fruits, spicy charcuterie, and strawberry balsamic notes. These flavors build on the soft, medium-bodied palate, framed by velvety, fine tannins.

2019

Producer

Name

Ferments are done in barrel, followed by ageing for up to 15 months in 20% new French oak. Attractive red and black berry fruit leads, with nuances of graphite, tobacco, elegant cedarwood aromatics, and rose petal florals. Medium-bodied on the palate, with firm, structured tannins and notes of espresso bean, all lifted by blood orange acid tension. The lengthy finish carries a touch of mesquite smoke. Grapes are sourced entirely from the 7-acre Blackmon Ranch Vineyard in the Texas Hill Country AVA.

2019

Producer

Name

The 2019 Blackmon Cabernet Sauvignon from the Texas Hill Country is a fantastic wine that beautifully showcases classic Cabernet character. It offers satiny, slightly sappy tannins that are beautifully integrated, complemented by a melange of dried herb notes and delectable black currant and spiced plum fruits. Rich and enticing, it delivers fantastic structure and length, highlighting the potential of the Texas Hill Country. Aged 15 months in roughly 30% new French oak, this dynamic Cabernet is a standout expression of the region. The winemaker is Anthony Offhill.

2019

Producer

Name

The Buffalo Roam Reserve is a savory red wine that combines 65% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, and 6% Cabernet Franc. It offers very attractive green olive tapenade notes that mingle with red currants, dried herbs, and spices. Medium-bodied, it is framed by black tea tannins and complemented by tobacco, sage, and a hint of dried spearmint on its complex finish.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2019

2019 Wanderlust Vineyard Malbec

Still Wine

N/A

2019

2019 Wölffer Estate Vineyards Christians Cuvee (White Horse Label) Merlot

Still Wine

$$$

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