The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Entirely barrel-fermented in large-format neutral oak, with partial malolactic fermentation to round out the acid bite. The result is a full-bodied, silky, satiny, and downright seductive white. All that palate texture comes from the oak aging, yet there’s no overt oak character. The wine remains bright, zippy, and zesty, layered with floral and citrus notes, creamy orchard fruit, and a long, saline-mineral, crushed-almond finish. Grab as much as you can.
An organic red produced in Castrocaro Terme from fruit sourced from 15-year-old Sangiovese vineyards, this spends 12 months in oak. A very nice nose of herbal spices, leather, wild berries, florals, and red and black fruits is on offer here. The mouthfeel is almost burly in its structure, but there is great minerality and dark fruit flavor to balance it all out. The finish is long and herbal, and the entire palate is absolutely packed with tannins by Sangiovese standards. – J.R.
Sourced from Brisighella, this is a take-no-prisoners Sangiovese that offers lots of dark currant and cherry fruit aromas, along with prominent dried herb spice notes. Fleshy, fruity, and full of body, it’s a mouthful that has impressive structure throughout, and needs some time (or lots of protein). – J.R.
This red is sourced from their most shaded, coolest, and latest-harvested Modigliana vineyard. The Sangiovese clones planted there are believed to be unique to the site, and are lower-yielding. It’s got a gorgeous nose of black cherry, red plum, orange rind and roses, tinged with underbrush hints. The palate is extremely focused in its elegant red fruit flavor, vibrant acidity, and linear minerality. Lovely stuff, it needs some time in bottle to resolve its linear tannins. – J.R.
Sourced from a Sangiovese clone that produces thicker-skinned berries, planted on east-facing slopes at 440m a.s.l. The name refers to a local legend involving an American soldier stationed in Modigliana during WWII, who supposedly decided to settle in the region along with (for some reason) a pet monkey. When the monkey died, he apparently buried it near a well in the ronco (which I am assuming would now violate some regulations?), which is considered to be a “mystical” place. It starts with earth, dried orange peel, dried herbs, sour black cherry, plums, redcurrant, dried rose petal, and a rather serious nature all around. The elegant nose belies a powerful, forceful palate, with leathery tannins, and deep red fruit flavors. This has got serious stuffing in its structure; even the acidity feels serious! – J.R.
This site, named “hole of the priest”, refers to land previously belonging to the church, with a vineyard planted at the base of two adjoining steep hillsiodes. It leaeds with very dark cherry and dried roses, then presents aromas of vibrant red fruits. The palate is earthy, funky, chewy, and structured, leading to a mineral-tinged finish. – J.R.
There’s a lot to like about this white, sourced from a steep, riverside vineyard. A perky nose is abundant with white flowers, ripe citrus, jasmine, underripe pineapple, pear, and yellow and green apples. 9 months in new and second-use French oak lend a hint of toast tro the racy palate, which shows flavors of ripe lemons and a chalky minerality, leading to a long citrus-peel finish. – J.R.
From 30+ year old, bush-trained vines comes this intriguing and mineral Sauvignon, aged 12 months in used French oak barrels. Peach blossom and tropical fruit notes mingle with ripe grapefruit and a touch of hay on the nose. In the mouth it starts quite rounded, with developed citrus, grilled orange peel, ripe yelow apple, and mandarin orange flavors. A saline hint adds complexity and nuance. – J.R.
Sourced from a single vineyard with extrmely thin, slate subsoils, this Cab Franc sees 11 months aging in large format oak and 6 months in concrete. Tons of herbal spice notes kick it off, with citrus peel, lavender, and a fantastic purity of dark plummy fruit. The palate is gorgeous—spice, tension, dusty but elegant tannins, black fruit depth, and blood orange acidity. Irresistibly pretty, mineral, energetic, rich, and delicious. – J.R.
Dried herbs, rose petal, and savory black olive notes offer support to a nose of black plums, red currants, and wild raspberries. Sultry on entry, the mouthfeel then becomes grippy and at turns energetic and then powerful in this exceptional young red that is just finding its footing. It’s very young, very finely textured, very elegant, and very, very good! – J.R.
This flagship red’s grapes are manually selected, with about 20% whole cluster and agewd 6 months in cement tanks and 12 months in large oak barrels. Incense spices, red fruits, and greener herb notes with licorice hints lead the nose. The palate is chewy with black fruit, abundant spices, and more structure than in previous vintages. Great stuff. – J.R.
This flagship red’s grapes are manually selected, with about 20% whole cluster and agewd 6 months in cement tanks and 12 months in large oak barrels. Succulent red fruit kicks it off, all of it deep and savory. The palate shows the same, with spices acting as background to the pure, abundantly fruity mouthfeel. – J.R.
This flagship red’s grapes are manually selected, with about 20% whole cluster and agewd 6 months in cement tanks and 12 months in large oak barrels. The 2021 offering is a savory, complex sipper with dried violets, blackberry, currants, and raspberry on the nose. The palate has a soft entry, then bursts with vibrant red fruits, a hit of herbs and black pepper spice, and shows power on an impressive finish. – J.R.
