The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Super-perfumed with candied ginger and lemon peel, underscored by oyster shell minerality. There is a medium-bodied richness that may well stem from the Montrachet clone at Bootleggers Hill Vineyard, lending the wine added depth and a velvety suaveness. Crisp acidity carries through to a long, lemon-bright finish with excellent persistence. Vineyard sources include: Heintz and Bootleggers Hill. Native yeast fermented, with full malolactic, aged for 15 months in fine French oak, including in Marcel Cadet barrels. ($100) 14.3% alcohol. 220 cases produced.
This wine shows a beautifully unctuous character, with salted lemon peel and bright, fragrant lemon oil leading the way. Crushed Marcona almonds add a savory-salty nuance, while a hint of buttered brioche builds richness. The texture is velvety and sleek, balanced by a firm spine of acidity. Zesty and gently spicy. Vineyard sources include: Heintz and Lancel Creek Vineyards (Mark Aubert leases some of this). Native yeast fermented, aged for 15 months in fine French oak, including in Marcel Cadet barrels. ($100) 14.2% alcohol. 135 cases produced.
Compared to 2018, the 2019 release is crisper and more focused, showing lifted wet-stone and flinty-mineral character. White floral notes and tangerine oil add further lift while the medium-bodied palate is entirely fresh with grippy acid tension. Crushed Marcona almonds add nuance to the lengthy pressed-wildflower finish. Vineyard sources include: Heintz and Freestone. Native yeast fermented, aged for 15 months in fine French oak, including in Marcel Cadet barrels. ($100) 14.1% alcohol. 183 cases produced.
Sourced from Heintz and Freestone vineyards. Heintz Vineyard was planted in 1982 to Clone 4 on AXR1—the large-berried selection developed by Harold Olmo at UC Davis. It forms the backbone of this wine. A distinctive element of the élevage is the barrels crafted by Marcel Cadet, who produces roughly 2,000 each year. Each barrel is submerged in water for about 20 minutes before toasting, effectively steaming and toasting simultaneously. This technique encourages greater expression of vanillin and crème brûlée notes, while the harsher tannins are leached out early in the toasting process. The result is a more perfumed, refined oak profile. Winemaker Bob Cabrall also ages some of the wine in heavier-toast François Frères barrels, adding depth and a marked contrast. In the glass, the wine is super-expressive, with oyster-shell minerality, ripe orchard fruit, and nuances of wildflowers, with a subtle beeswax note. It builds with impressive mouthfeel, yet finishes focused, carried by salty acidity and lingering baking-spice complexity. A pop of salted French butter on warm brioche is about as far as the oak character goes, and is perfectly integrated. Vineyard sources include: Goldrock Estate, Campbell, and Heintz. Native yeast fermented, aged for 15 months in that fancy French oak. ($100) 14.4% alcohol. 183 cases produced.
The 2023 Electric Hippy is robust and richly styled, bold and generous yet framed by zippy, zesty acidity. A pop of cocoa powder freshness lifts the darker fruit tones, while earthy black tea tannins and fresh morel notes add savory depth, but the overall impression remains focused and precise. Vineyard sources include: Goldrock Estate, Campbell, and Heintz. Native yeast fermented, one-third whole cluster, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 13.9% alcohol.
The base of this wine largely comes from Paul Hobbs’ Goldrock Estate, perched on the first ridge rising off the Pacific Ocean. It opens with dark fruit and sassafras notes, backed by zippy, zingy, electric acidity that will mellow with time. Incredibly perfumed, it offers wild berry fruits layered with violets, wild herbs, white and black pepper. There is building tannic tension through the mid-palate, supported by a saline thread of acidity that carries the wine to a firm, lasting finish. Vineyard sources include: Goldrock Estate, Campbell, and Heintz. Roughly one-third is whole-cluster fermented with native yeast in open-top tanks, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 13.9% alcohol.
This wine carries the energy and finesse of the 2023 vintage. Bright and expressive with a coiled-up sense of energy. Pure black cherry and blackberry fruit are dusted with cocoa powder. Wound up, exuberant, and in need of some time in the bottle for the tannin to fully knit together. So, best to pop corks after 2027 when the wine exhibits its more unctuous self. Vineyard sources include: Kanzler, Schell Estate, Little Boot, and Heintz. Roughly one-third is whole-cluster fermented with native yeast in open-top tanks, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 14.2% alcohol.
The 2022 builds in the glass, with blackberry and cherry nuanced by incense and English Breakfast tea notes. Bold and expressive, it carries red and black licorice tones, a touch of tar, and wet slate minerality. Medium-bodied with a supple richness and softer tannins, a reflection of the warmer vintage, making this an unusually early-drinking expression of Troubadour. That approachability will be welcome for consumers, as several of the surrounding vintages still require time for their structures to fully settle. Vineyard sources include: Kanzler, Schell Estate, Little Boot, and Heintz. Roughly one-third is whole-cluster fermented with native yeast in open-top tanks, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 14.1% alcohol.
The 2021 Troubadour is bright with a vivid carbonic character that gives the aromatics lift. Whole-cluster fermentation brings structure, shaping tea-like tannins with nuances of white pepper and fresh morels. As in previous releases, a consistent thread of saline acidity runs throughout, framed by compact, ripe tannins. Delicious upfront, it nonetheless needs time for those tannins to fully settle. Vineyard sources include: Kanzler, Schell Estate, Little Boot, and Bush Crispo Vineyards. Roughly one-third is whole-cluster fermented with native yeast in open-top tanks, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 13.9% alcohol.
The 2020 is bold, offering ripe darkberry fruit, Hibiscus, dried fennel, and black licorice, layered over rich cherry fruit. Deeply concentrated mid-palate, with ultra-fine tannins framing a focused, acid-driven and mineral-scented finish. Vineyard sources include: Kanzler, Schell Estate, Little Boot, and Bush Crispo Vineyards. Roughly one-third is whole-cluster fermented with native yeast in open-top tanks, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 13.8% alcohol.
Wonderfully fragrant, fresh, and inviting, with notes of rose petal and incense layered over blackberry and blood orange. Medium-bodied on the palate, it carries a terrific thread of saline acidity, staying beautifully focused and juicy through a lengthy, brown-baking-spice finish. The fine tannins in Troubadour often show a black tea quality. Vineyard sources include: Kanzler, Schell Estate, Little Boot, and Bush Crispo Vineyards. Roughly one-third is whole-cluster fermented with native yeast in open-top tanks, aged for 16 months in fine French oak. ($125) 13.9% alcohol.
This medium-bodied Pinot Noir shows wonderfully bright, crunchy red fruit layered with blackberry and hints of sassafras. Nuances of white pepper add lift while black-tea-like tannins are beautifully resolved, underscored by saline minerality and blood orange acidity. Fresh and lifted. Vineyard sources include: Kanzler, Schell Estate (Paul Hobb’s estate), Little Boot, and Graham Vineyards. Average of 35% whole cluster fermented with native yeast in open top tanks, aged 16 months in fine French oak. ($150) 13.8% alcohol.
This rosé is crafted from grapes sourced from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Gently destemmed berries are macerated overnight before pressing, combined with a saignée portion, drawn from Pinot Noir fermentations after 12–24 hours. The juices ferment separately to dryness in stainless steel with carefully selected yeasts, with malolactic fermentation suppressed to preserve freshness and vibrancy. Bottled unfined with minimal sulfur. As such, there is a nice, dark color, almost the color of Aperol, and very lovely notes of blood orange, grapefruit, and tangerine, with white peach. A silky mid-palate is balanced by a firm spine of saline acidity through the bone-dry finish, nuanced by sagebrush and rose petal florals.
Grapes are hand-sorted and destemmed, and whole berries are native yeast fermented with daily punchdowns. After 18 days on the skins, the wine is gently pressed and undergoes native malolactic fermentation before a single racking prior to bottling. It is aged 17 months in 13% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur. Quite shy on the nose, offering crunchy red berry fruit, crisp apple skin tannins, tangy, blood orange acidity, and subtle sea salt and wet slate notes resonating throughout this medium-bodied, zesty Pinot Noir.
This wine is crafted using a minimal-intervention approach, beginning with meticulous hand-sorting and destemming into whole berries, with each clone fermented separately using native yeasts and daily punchdowns. After 18 days on the skins, the wine is gently pressed and undergoes native malolactic fermentation before a single racking prior to bottling. Aged in French oak (38% new, 62% two-year) from cooperages including Cadus, Damy, Billon, François Frères, and Seguin Moreau, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO₂ (13.5% ABV). Plenty to love about this Pinot Noir, from its medium-bodied appeal to its velvety-silky textures, bolstered by good firm, yet plump and juicy tannin. The softness is surely from the time ageing, as this is a 2021 release, hitting the market some five years after harvest. It’s really quite a pleasant and easy-drinking sipper finishing with some Graham cracker crust spice and grapefruit and blood orange zest.
Grapes are hand-sorted and destemmed, and whole berries are native yeast fermented with daily punchdowns. After 18 days on the skins, the wine is gently pressed and undergoes native malolactic fermentation before a single racking prior to bottling. It is aged 17 months in French oak (20% new, 20% once-used, 60% two+ year) and bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur. The wine is quite savory, with a black truffle umami richness and high-toned Asian spice notes of soy and white miso. Earl Grey tea tannins are firm, yet inviting. A cascade of darker umami-laced fruit glides across the palate. The finish is medium-length and dry.
This wine is produced using a minimal-intervention approach, beginning with meticulous hand-sorting and destemming into whole berries, with each clone fermented separately using native yeasts and daily punchdowns. After 18 days on the skins, the wine is gently pressed and aged 17 months in French oak before a single racking prior to bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur. Intriguing in its super savory core of dark, candied cherry fruit, hoisin, espresso bean, loamy earth, and flamed orange peel. Quite delicious, velvety, and layered with more umami spice and richness, made fleshier by plump tannins and gentle acidity. Long and juicy.
This wine is crafted using a minimal-intervention approach beginning with meticulous hand-sorting and destemming into whole berries, with each clone fermented separately using native yeasts and daily punchdowns. After 18 days on the skins, the wine is gently pressed and aged 17 months in French oak, undergoing native malolactic fermentation and minimal handling before bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO₂ (13.5% ABV). Nicely suave, velvety, with red berry fruits and elegant notes of cedarwood, rose hip, and crushed cocoa nibs, with tart blood orange acidity on the lengthy, perfumed, medium-bodied finish.
Winemaker Shalini Sekhar produced this Chardonnay from a single vineyard block of Dijon Clone 76 using a minimal-intervention approach, beginning with gentle whole-cluster pressing. Fermented in mostly neutral French oak with carefully selected yeasts and no malolactic fermentation. Aged 10 months in French oak and stainless steel and bottled with minimal sulfur. This is one serious Chardonnay, satiny through and through, balanced by crisp apple and pear notes, a firm spine of ultra-juicy acidity, and beautifully pure and vivid citrus and orchard fruits, leaning into stone from the bouquet through the slightly salty finish. Lush and supple mid-core, with excellent fruit weight.
Winemaker Shalini Sekhar crafts this Chardonnay using a minimal-intervention approach, beginning with gentle whole-cluster pressing and fermentation in French oak with carefully selected yeasts. Each Chardonnay clone is vinified and aged separately, with partial malolactic fermentation for balance between depth and freshness. Aged 10 months in French oak and stainless steel and bottled with minimal SO₂, the wine comes from certified sustainably farmed vineyards. Wonderfully high-toned, offering lemony-bright notes, hints of baking spice, lime zest, and lemon cream. Focused, energetic, with zesty acidity, wet river stone minerality, crushed sea salt, and a crisp, bone-dry finish.
