The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Aged for 36 months in 33% new French oak, this wine comes from Newsom Vineyards in Plains, Texas, located due west of Lubbock and just seven miles from the Texas–New Mexico border. It’s a well-built wine showing ripe currant and spiced plum fruit with cocoa powder notes on the nose, complemented by bright baking spice, sagebrush, Hatch pepper, and a meaty undertone. Medium-bodied on the palate, it reveals more spice character and a pleasant loamy earth minerality on the finish. Balanced and polished, with a lush texture. Ab Astris is a boutique, family-owned winery founded by Erin and Tony Smith, with Mike Nelson heading up winemaking. Their 12-acre estate, planted between 2018 and 2019, grows a range of varieties including Tannat, Souzão, Clairette Blanche, Petite Sirah, and Montepulciano.
Sourced from Pepperjack Vineyard in the Texas High Plains, the 2022 Teroldego was aged for 18 months in a mix of neutral French and American oak. It’s a bold, juicy wine brimming with red and black fruit, showing a meaty richness on the palate nuanced by violets and candied rose petal notes. Supple yet firm tannins provide structure, while the finish is bold, juicy, and rich.
The flagship wine for Pedernales Cellars, this blend was aged for 18 months in a combination of new and neutral oak and sourced primarily from Lahey Vineyard, with fruit from Daniel Vineyard supplementing. It’s a fantastically bold, supple, and dark-fruited wine, showing blue fruit nuances, dark chocolate notes, and a touch of chalky minerality. Supple tannins frame the full-bodied finish.
Sourced from Canted County Vineyard and aged to Rioja Gran Reserva standards in 100% new French oak, this limited production of just 75 cases will be released in December 2025. Wow—this is fantastic! One of the best wines I tasted during my trip to Texas in October 2025 for the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival. It’s bold, robust, rich, and supple, with high-toned black cherry, blackberry, and fig fruit layered over dark loamy earth, dried violets, and cherry liqueur notes. Currant fruit and fine-grained tannins build across the palate, leading to a supple, dark-fruited finish with nuances of unsweetened cocoa powder and impressive intensity through the full-bodied close. Larry and Jeanine Kuhlken planted their first vineyard near Fredericksburg in the early 1990s, founding what would eventually become Pedernales Cellars, named after the nearby Pedernales River. In 2005, their children, David and Julie, joined the business, which remains family-run.
From Dell Valley Vineyard, a site situated 3,500 feet above sea level on an ancient coral reef that imparts a salty minerality to the wine. It offers dark berry fruit, tobacco spice, and bright wild herb character—balanced and fragrant with cassis and blackberry fruit on the medium-bodied palate. The finish is lengthy and expressive, framed by perfectly crisp, firm tannins with a velvety texture. A benchmark wine for the region from Tony Offhill with Jean Hoefliger as consultant.
From La Pradera Vineyard, picked on the early side and aged for 14 months in large-format neutral oak to preserve freshness, with some stem inclusion adding a touch of spice to the nose. Medium to full-bodied, it shows nice mid-palate depth and richness, with dark berry fruit, violets, saddle leather, and muscular tannins that build on the crisp finish.
The Picpoul Blanc from Alta Loma Vineyard—situated at over 3,000 feet elevation and owned and farmed by the Burran and Floyd families—in the Texas High Plains was my favorite white in the William Chris lineup from the 2024 releases. It shows loads of aromatic and flavor intensity with a plush, silky character that’s incredibly enticing. Fleshy pear is nuanced by white floral notes, while crushed almonds and river stone minerality add texture on the palate. The long finish brings richer lemon oil tones with building intensity and complexity. Quite a white wine. Aged for 6 months in stainless steel tanks. William Chris Vineyards was founded in 2008 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. Tony Offill leads the cellar as Head Winemaker, and Jean Hoefliger is the consulting winemaker.
The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from William Chris Vineyards hails from Dell Valley Vineyard in Hudspeth County. It’s an easy-drinking, bright, citrusy white with notes of cut prairie grass. Subtle in both aroma and flavor intensity, it nonetheless offers a lovely mid-palate richness of orchard fruit and finishes with crunchy minerality. Ideal for sipping on a hot, humid summer day, it’s equally charming as a dinner prep wine in the dead of winter. Fermented for an average of 28 days in large oak fermenters, large concrete fermenters, and oak barriques, then aged for 7 months in a combination of large oak and concrete vessels. William Chris Vineyards was founded in 2008 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. Punchdowns are done by hand, with Tony Offill leading the cellar as Head Winemaker.
William Chris’ Chenin Blanc from Dell Valley Vineyard (at 3,750 feet elevation) in Hudspeth County clocks in at a modest 11.4% alcohol yet delivers a wealth of citrus and orchard fruit character alongside cool slate minerality and subtle pressed wildflower notes, all framed by crisp, cooling acidity. If you’re enjoying oysters in Texas, this is the wine to sip—or if it’s a hot, humid day, a well-chilled bottle will cut beautifully through anything from barbecue fare to salads and cheese plates. Fermented in stainless steel and oak barriques for an average of 24 days with partial malolactic conversion to retain acidity, then aged for 7 months in large oak fermenters. William Chris Vineyards was founded in 2008 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. Tony Offill leads the cellar as Head Winemaker, and Jean Hoefliger is the consulting winemaker.
This Roussanne from La Pradera Vineyard in the Texas High Plains is undeniably delicious, showcasing crisp orchard fruit, unctuous lemon and tangerine oil, white flowers, and supple textures framed by savory, saline-driven acidity that’s mouthwatering and glides to a wet river stone mineral finish. The vineyard was established in 2010 by Mike and Barbara Paddack with the help of Texas grape growers Andy and Lauren Timmons. Aged for 7 months in 30% new French oak and 70% neutral oak barrels. William Chris Vineyards was founded in 2008 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. Tony Offill leads the cellar as Head Winemaker, and Jean Hoefliger is the consulting winemaker.
The William Chris Vineyards 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from vineyards in the Texas High Plains, is quite exceptional. This medium-bodied red shows remarkable balance and seamlessness, even by this producer’s high standards. Blackberry fruit, currants, cassis, and dried cherry mingle with hints of tobacco and a tapestry of mild Indian spices, all supported by a firm bed of fine, mineral-driven tannins. The medium-length finish is fruit-forward with subtle earthy notes adding complexity. Aged for 20 months in 20% new French oak and 80% neutral oak barrels. Sourced from The Family Vineyard in Terry County and Dell Valley Vineyard in Hudspeth County. William Chris Vineyards was founded in 2008 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. Tony Offill leads the cellar as Head Winemaker, and Jean Hoefliger is the consulting winemaker.
The 2023 Petit Verdot from Dell Valley Vineyard in Hudspeth County is a dark-fruited, medium-bodied red offering notes of dark cherry, fig, and blackberry jam, accented by toasty oak nuances and dark chocolate. It’s framed by crisp, apple-skin tannins with a spine of zesty acidity that brightens the finish. Aged for 16 months in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral oak barrels. Continuously planted since 1987, the vines at Dell Valley are planted in sloped sandy caliche soils, at more than 3,500 feet elevation. William Chris Vineyards was founded in 2008 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. Tony Offill leads the cellar as Head Winemaker, and Jean Hoefliger is the consulting winemaker.
Texas Roussanne in the hands of Claire Richardson is a completely different and sensationally interesting white compared to what you might know of the grape from the Rhône Valley. It’s not the oily, rich style of France; instead, it’s more focused and mineral, with just a touch of that silky underbelly. The profile leans toward salted lemon peel, crushed Marcona almonds, and pressed white flowers with a hint of chamomile essence. It’s a fabulous wine, perfect to revel in alongside buttery pasta dishes and seafood. Fermented and aged for 8 months in 25% new French oak barrels. Uplift farms 55 acres within the Hoover’s Valley, which runs through the Llano Uplift, one of the more impressive repositories of rare earth minerals found in the USA.
The 2024 Viognier from Uplift is highly floral, layered with tangerine oil, vanilla, and crushed almonds, all lifted by cool lemon-lime acidity. Light to medium-bodied, it finishes with a chalky mineral edge. Fermented and aged for 8 months in 40% new French oak barrels. Uplift farms 55 acres within the Hoover’s Valley, which runs through the Llano Uplift, one of the more impressive repositories of rare earth minerals found in the USA. Claire Richardson is the winemaker.
Having never tasted a Mourvèdre Blanc before, I was both surprised and delighted. It shows a lemon-gold color in the glass and boasts notes of lime zest, lemon, and vanilla, all of which build on the light to medium-bodied palate. Silky-textured citrus and orchard fruit are supported by chalky minerality on the bone-dry finish. Direct press. Fermented and aged for 8 months in neutral oak barrels. Uplift farms 55 acres within the Hoover’s Valley, which runs through the Llano Uplift, one of the more impressive repositories of rare earth minerals found in the USA. Claire Richardson is the winemaker.
The 2023 Petite Sirah is a powerhouse—bold, rich, and full-bodied with robust, driving tannins. It’s thoroughly hedonistic, bursting with decadent blackberry, spiced plum, fig jam, and blue fruit layered with vivid dark chocolate notes. Blood orange acidity brightens the lengthy, baking-spice-driven finish. Grown in sandy loam soils, the wine was fermented in large oak fermenters and aged for 16 months in 30% new French oak barrels. Uplift farms 55 acres within the Hoover’s Valley, which runs through the Llano Uplift, one of the more impressive repositories of rare earth minerals found in the USA. Claire Richardson is Winemaker.
This might be one of my all-time favorite wines from Uplift. It has everything you want in American-grown Grenache—from tart red cherry fruit and elegant cherry woodsmoke and clove nuances to the blood orange acidity that drives the medium-bodied palate. Velvety tannins frame a cedarwood-spiced, wild-herb-kissed red with a wonderfully satiny texture, kept lively by that acid tension and perfectly in sync with the fruit and bold spice character. It’s complex, balanced, and deeply impressive. If I were an Uplift fan, I’d buy it by the case and stockpile it as fast as I could. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 22 months in 40% new French and Eastern European oak. Uplift farms 55 acres within the Hoover’s Valley, which runs through the Llano Uplift, one of the more impressive repositories of rare earth minerals found in the USA. Claire Richardson is the winemaker.
The Marsanne is a bright, buttery, lemon-scented, white-floral-driven wine that’s light to medium-bodied with a touch of sea salt minerality and a finish of vanilla and baking spices. In short, it’s enticing and delicious. Uplift farms 55 acres within the Hoover’s Valley, which runs through the Llano Uplift, one of the more impressive repositories of rare earth minerals found in the USA. Claire Richardson is the winemaker.
Just like the MAREN White, the label on this OCTO Pinot Noir states that it’s a medium-bodied wine bursting with cherry, blackberry, and cocoa notes—and I’m happy to confirm my tasting aligns with that. Of course, I’ll add a few flourishes: enticing cedarwood notes weave around and beneath the cherry and blackberry fruit, joined by darker forest berries framed by firm, tense tannins. The finish offers a cool, wet-slate minerality and a crunchy apple-skin aftertaste.
The nice thing about the OTTO Line is that the tasting notes are right there on the label. It’s a medium-bodied wine offering juicy pear, a squeeze of lemon zest, and crushed almonds—at least according to the front label, and I’d agree wholeheartedly, though I’d also add white flowers to the mix. There’s a touch of candied ginger and a wonderfully warm, saline mineral quality. The label also notes that the wine is made from sustainably grown grapes and contains no added sugar, which is perhaps more a nod to consumer misunderstanding—most wines are dry and don’t contain added sugar to begin with, but that’s a whole other conversation for another time.
