The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
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.
From sites along the banks of the Russian River in the Russian River Valley, this Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented with a mix of native and cultured yeasts. It undergoes 95% malolactic fermentation and is aged sur lie with stirring for nearly five months before continuing its élevage in Burgundian French oak for a total of 14 months. All that barrel work brings a gorgeous confectionary spice character—graham-cracker crust, blondie richness, and vanilla—mingling with delicate white-rose floral notes. The palate is full-bodied and richly fruited, loaded with ripe apple, poached pear, and vanilla-laced toasty oak. Quite delicious, distinctly fragrant for a Chardonnay, and impressively elegant for a wine with this level of richness.
The flagship Bordeaux blend for Ferrari-Carano is sourced primarily from Lookout Vineyard, which spans both Knights Valley and Alexander Valley, along with other estate sites. The wine is fermented in stainless steel, undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel, and is aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. The nose has a wonderfully cool character—blue fruit, forest berries, and cocoa nibs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and plenty of mid-palate concentration, offering blackberry fruit laced with cola spices and a hint of toffee on the lengthy finish. Quite refined and polished in 2023.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This 100% Pinot Noir, a suitcase clone known as the “Cruz Especial Selection,” hails from Pinot Hill Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills on the Sonoma Coast. Aged eleven months in 33% new French oak, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Compared with the regular Pinot Hill bottling, this Cruz Selection shows a softer, more brown-spiced character, fragrant with wild herbs—sage and dried wild fennel in particular. The fruit leans red-toned, the acidity a touch sharper, and the finish trails off crisp, clean, and bone dry. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).
This 100% Pinot Noir from Pinot Hill Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills on the Sonoma Coast blends six clones—115, Hyde, Cruz, 667, Elite, and Pommard. Aged eleven months in 41% new French oak, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The wine is bold, tart, and structured, bursting with cherry fruit, cherry wood, incense, tangerine zest, and grapefruit pith. While the bouquet is generous and expressive, the palate is more lively and zesty, focused, and linear—a vibrant, food-friendly Pinot Noir. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).
This 100% Pinot Noir, a suitcase clone known as “Elite,” comes from the Hallberg Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Aged eleven months in 25% new French oak, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Like all Emeritus Vineyards wines, it carries a firm tannic backbone and benefits from a bit of aeration. The Elite lives up to its name—elegant, poised, and expressive without being showy. It offers gentle red-fruited refinement accented by mild Indian spice, creating a subtle aromatic allure. The palate is lively and nuanced, driven by wet-slate minerality and bright blood-orange acidity. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in the Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).
This 100% Pinot Noir from the Hallberg Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley blends eleven clones—115, 777, 37, 828, 667, Elite, Hyde, Pommard, Cruz, 943, and Swan. Medium-bodied and energetic, it opens with dark cherry and pomegranate seed, framed by savory brown spice and lively acidity. Crisp apple-skin and cherrywood-scented tannins provide structure, while cool river-stone minerality and a touch of cocoa powder add depth on the finish. Aged ten months in 34% new French oak, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).
Dark cherry fruit mingles with rose-petal florals in this broad-shouldered yet graceful Pinot Noir. As it opens, red fruit shades toward blue on the palate, enlivened by zesty blood-orange acidity and nuanced with incense, dusty rose, sagebrush, and thyme. The finish is long and crisp, marked by both freshness and depth. This 100% Pinot Noir, a blend of clones 667 and 115 from the Hallberg Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, was aged eleven months in 38% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).
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.
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.
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.
The golden hue hints at what’s to come—a ripe, toasty, and voluminous Chardonnay layered with crème brûlée, charred pineapple, salted lemon peel, and rosemary-herbed almonds. Despite its richness, the palate retains a refreshing coolness from lively acid tension, finishing lip-smackingly bone dry. Quite a wine. Sourced from the winemaker’s estate vineyard, the Chardonnay was hand-harvested, barrel-fermented, and aged 15 months sur lie in 50% 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.
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Bavarian Lion Vineyard in Knights Valley, Sonoma County, was made entirely in stainless steel with no oak influence. Lush and tropical, it offers aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle alongside ripe tropical fruit. Zippy, zesty acidity enlivens the palate, balancing the wine’s richness and leading to a long, spicy, mineral-driven finish. The Ehret family has been farming their Knights Valley estate for three generations, reserving their best fruit since 2005 for their own small production (handled in the cellar by winemaker Erin Green).
Though the blends are markedly different, the 2022 Bella’s Cabernet and the regular Ehret Cabernet share a similar flavor profile while differing in texture and energy. Both show juicy, brandied cherry, plum, and Asian-spiced red fruit, but Bella’s carries a bit more verve and nervy tension. It’s the livelier of the two—start with a glass of the straight Cabernet and enjoy Bella’s over dinner. Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot, this wine was sourced from the Bavarian Lion Vineyard in Knights Valley, Sonoma County, and aged 18 months in 68% new French oak. 225 cases produced. The Ehret family has been farming their Knights Valley estate for three generations, reserving their best fruit since 2005 for their own small production (handled in the cellar by winemaker Erin Green).
The 2022 Cabernet is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.85% Cabernet Franc, 2.4% Petit Verdot, 1.75% Malbec, and 1% Merlot, sourced from the Bavarian Lion Vineyard in Knights Valley, Sonoma County. Aged 18 months in 59% new French oak barrels, it’s a juicy, supple red with aromas of kirsch, plum, and subtle Asian spice. The palate is soft and satiny, unfolding with ripe red and dark fruit tones before finishing with an easy, graceful burst of blue fruit brightness. The Ehret family has been farming their Knights Valley estate for three generations, reserving their best fruit since 2005 for their own small production (handled in the cellar by winemaker Erin Green).
