The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
From the George Ball Vineyard—planted in 2015 at higher elevation and further from Cayuga Lake—this site tests the cold-hardiness of Marquette each winter. Vines are trellised on north-south rows to a high wire cordon system and are farmed with heavy applications of composted wood chips. To enhance air exchange in the clay-rich soils, vine bases are mounded. Hand-harvested and aged on lees until July before being lightly filtered and bottled, production was tiny (188 cases). This is a savory, zippy red with brambly red berry fruit, charcuterie and violet aromas. The palate is vibrant and tangy, framed by crunchy acidity and finishing with earthy, truffle-like depth and lingering minerality.
The bulk of the fruit for this wine came from a special, protected site on the west shore of Cayuga Lake, planted in 1973 on Cazenovia silt loam soils. These own-rooted vines are hand-harvested and grapes were transferred whole cluster to red fermenters for carbonic maceration, then basket-pressed and moved to tank to complete fermentation. Just before bottling, a portion of Cabernet Franc juice from a separate whole cluster carbonic maceration was added. Bottled under crown cap and disgorged in February 2024, only 500 cases were produced. The result is meaty and black-fruited, laced with notes of black olive and black liquorice. Assertive and bright, the palate brims with zesty tension and an energetic mousse that brings structure and lift to the finish.
This Tocai Friulano was destemmed and macerated for five days, then pressed at the onset of fermentation and blended with Traminette juice for co-fermentation in stainless steel. A splash of Cayuga White was also added to brighten the acidity. There’s a wild, untamed quality to this crisp and expressive white wine, with strawgrass and grapefruit zest leaping from the glass. Zingy acidity fuels the palate, where notes of pickled fennel, candied melon, and a chilled chamomile tea character linger on the long, savoury finish. Pep in its step and plenty of personality, with just 187 cases produced.
Winemaker Phil Plummer explains that the Diamond variety can’t hang long enough on the vine to make a true dessert wine, so they pick it early, freeze the fruit, and barrel ferment it using a non-Saccharomyces yeast that naturally stalls around 10% alcohol. Half the wine went through malolactic fermentation, the other half did not. The result? Think Sauternes on an acid trip—mouth-puckering lime-bright acidity supports a luscious core of dried apricots and golden fruit, finishing long, tangy, and tart.
Tropically driven, this sparkling Diamond bursts with pineapple, nectarine, papaya, and mango, wrapped in a rich, creamy, frothy mousse that amplifies the ripe fruit. It finishes with a touch of wildflower honey and bright, bold acid tension that keeps it lifted and refreshing. Winemaker Phil Plummer recalls the legacy of Pleasant Valley Wine Company in Hammondsport, New York—the first bonded winery in the U.S.—which was built on hybrid sparkling wines. And here we are, full circle. This Diamond really is a diamond in the rough—but it’s not too rough out here. Think Neil Diamond singing Coming to America—there’s energy, there’s charm, and there’s joy in every sip.
A co-ferment of 40% Traminette, 29% Valvin Muscat, 26% Noiret, and 5% Aromella—all hybrid varieties developed by Bruce Reisch at Cornell—this is a uniquely expressive red wine. It opens with wild aromatics of dill, orange peel, and grapefruit zest, leading into tart cranberry fruit and pithy citrus. Grippy apple skin tannins add texture and structure, framing a long, floral-driven finish.
The wine is called Voleur—French for “thief”—a nod to the idea of respectfully borrowing inspiration from other places and people. Winemaker Phil Plummer modeled this wine after a Bedell Cellars bottling, creating something equal parts science experiment and homage. To build their native yeast culture, the team takes 10 gallons of juice on a “field trip” through the Finger Lakes—gathering wildflowers, fruit, even rocks from local beaches. All of it goes into the bucket, cultivating a wild ferment starter that functions like a sourdough culture, continuously fed and maintained for use in future fermentations. It spends one night on skins before fermenting with the wild culture, then ages 4–5 months in concrete amphora. Super floral on the nose with notes of honey, gardenia, and purple lilac, it carries a medium-bodied palate with grippy apple skin tannins, grapefruit acidity, and a long, captivating finish.
Bursting with apricot, orange oil, honey, honeysuckle, and candied melon, this late harvest selection dessert wine offers tremendous mid-palate richness. Layers of honeycomb, candied orange, and apricot unfold with lush intensity, balanced by zesty acidity and a fine salted almond finish, with vibrant tension and a luxurious fruit core.
Estate-grown Grüner Veltliner, whole cluster pressed and tank fermented with no malolactic fermentation, then bottled early to preserve freshness. The nose is elegant and smoky, with stony minerality and a hint of grapefruit. On the palate, fresh honeydew melon leads into a medium-bodied frame supported by tingly acidity and a long, chalky, mineral-driven finish with a subtle, spicy edge.
This is absolutely spectacular. At 15 years of age, the wine is riveting—showing the kind of secondary complexity you might wait 25 years to see in Bordeaux or Napa. Here, Cabernet Franc has evolved into a deeply expressive, medium- to full-bodied wine with layered cassis and red currant fruit, loamy earth, and dried eucalyptus. Notes of bay laurel, orange zest, and a hint of vanilla lift the finish, which is long, earthy, and energized by zesty acidity.
Set to be bottled in the spring of 2026, this is a richer, bolder expression with suave, sinewy tannins and deep dark berry fruit. Elegant violet and rose petal notes weave through layers of cranberry and cherry coulis. Medium- to full-bodied, with ripe, robust tannins and loads of wet slate minerality, it also shows hints of vanilla, brown spice, and dark salted chocolate. This is clearly a bold, ripe style—thanks to the introduction of new oak by winemaker Ian Bearup—and it feels like a confident step forward. I’m excited to see where this goes.
A six-barrel selection aged in two-year-old barrels. Hand-picked, destemmed, and fermented in open-top tanks with punchdowns and pumpovers, then drained to barrel with primary lees and aged for approximately 15 months. The wine shows a bright, richly spiced character layered with red berry fruit, brown spices, black olive, licorice, and hints of leather. Robust tannins and juicy, grippy acidity are framed by aromatic Christmas spice, giving the wine both power and lift.
Sourced from both hillside blocks and rows along the road leading to the winery, this six-barrel selection was hand-picked, destemmed, and fermented in open tops with punchdowns and pumpovers. Aged for around 15 months, it’s slightly riper and more concentrated than the 2021, it offers mulberry fruit, brown spice, and a medium-bodied richness. The tannins are plumper yet still grippy, with just enough tension to support the juicy core.
Sourced from the Lollipop Hill block—halfway up the hill on the right-hand side as you drive toward the winery—this wine comes from sandy loam soils and is crafted with an emphasis on texture and aromatic finesse. Foot-treaded to extract subtle stem and skin aromatics, then gently pressed and fermented in neutral barrels. Lees were stirred every two months before the wine was racked to stainless steel drums and aged for an additional 4–6 months before bottling. The result is an elegant, structured white with delicate aromatics of citrus, white flowers, and honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, with lemon-bright acidity and grapefruit on the palate, finishing with a distinctive salted lemon peel note.
Open-top fermented and drained to four- to five-year-old François Frères barrels. Bottled after 7–8 months, this wine shows gorgeous dark berry depth framed by rose petal florals and earthy undertones. The mid-palate is generous and fruit-driven, with a Pinot-like elegance: red cherry, cedarwood spice, and a whisper of conifer forest. It all leads to a long, stony, mineral finish.
This 50/50 blend of Cayuga and Seyval Blanc was tank fermented, with a portion aged in neutral French oak for a year before being racked, filtered, and bottled. It lifts from the glass with honeysuckle and wild rose, followed by a squeeze of lime zest and tangerine. A refreshing saline-acid tension drives the finish. Best enjoyed on a hot, humid summer day—ideally with a picnic lunch.
Here’s a Cabernet Franc with a splash of Merlot, sourced from Long Island growers and aged 15 months in a mix of Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels. The nose opens with rich cherry and forest berries, layered with brown spices, leather, tobacco, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate features spiced plum and loamy earth, finishing with floral lift and mineral nuance
Unoaked and medium-bodied, this vivid blend of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Traminette, Seyval Blanc, and Chenin Blanc is zippy, bright, and red-fruited, with vibrant honeysuckle aromatics and luscious melon on the palate. Made using the saignée method (except for the white varieties), it’s layered and long, with red cherry and pomegranate emerging on the extended finish. Winemaker Ian Bearup took over from John Graciano in 2021 and continues to guide this expressive, energetic style.
Stylistically similar to the estate Vineyard Milea BDX Red Blend, this wine leans darker, with forest berry fruit, conifer, and cedarwood spice. Medium- to full-bodied, it delivers supple, juicy dark fruit layered with a touch of salty dark chocolate and lifted by blood orange acidity. The finish is long, expressive, and remarkably fresh.
