The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
This is a striking example of Cabernet Franc, offering chalky minerality and tart red berry fruit layered with violets, rose petals, and a subtle hint of rose stem. Delicate nuances of well-integrated used oak add quiet complexity without overshadowing the purity of fruit. Bright, vivid, and finely layered, it showcases expressive acidity and minerality. Sourced from a 2.5-acre block at Magdalena Vineyard—considered the ripest site in their portfolio—it was aged entirely in a mix of neutral French (225L) and Hungarian (500L) oak barrels. One of the top Cabernet Francs tasted during my time in New York.
This single-vineyard Riesling from the Magdalena site benefits from the moderating effect of Seneca Lake, allowing for extended hang time and greater ripeness. Multiple selective harvest passes through the same blocks build aromatic intensity and palate weight while preserving balance. It shows generous orchard fruit and citrus zest, underpinned by a deep vein of saline minerality and smoky, stony tension. There’s a sense of drive and energy here, with remarkable length and purity that carries on for minutes. A stunning wine.
Aged 53 months en tirage, this estate-grown méthode traditionnelle blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir hails from the Standing Stone Timeline and Magdalena vineyards. It opens with aromas of just-picked orchard fruit warmed in the sun, underpinned by subtle French pastry notes. The palate is driven by crystalline acidity and bracing tension, finishing with a vivid streak of wet slate minerality.
From the experimental Julia Vineyard—a nursery site cultivating an eclectic mix of European varieties—this red blend (Cabernet Franc 35%, Blaufränkisch 33%, Zweigelt 13%, Affentaler 8%, Lagrein 4%, Schioppettino 2%, Merlot 2%, Cabernet Sauvignon 2%) is hand-picked, hand-sorted, and aged in 500L neutral Hungarian oak. It’s a hearty, meaty wine with Old World gravitas and unmistakable Finger Lakes character. Notes of leather, cured meat, black olive, and tobacco wrap around a core of dark blue-toned fruit and wet stone minerality, with lithe, dusty tannins and a finish that evokes cold river rock and brooding earth.
Non-vintage méthode traditionnelle sparkling made from 100% Riesling, riddled and disgorged by hand after 18 months en tirage. Dosage is 5 g/L. This is razor-sharp and brilliantly focused, driven by crystalline acidity and ripe, succulent orchard fruit. The rich, frothy mousse fills the palate, resolving into a stark, mineral finish brimming with energy and tension. Delicious.
100% Riesling from HJW Blocks 1 and 4 from the Demeter-certified HJW Vineyard on the western slopes of Seneca Lake, this was hand-picked, hand-sorted, and whole-cluster pressed, then fermented in stainless steel. It’s a wonderfully energetic and exuberant wine, with subtle tropical fruit and apricot notes, lifted by honeysuckle aromatics and a long, fruit- and flower-driven finish marked by terrific acidity.
This wine offers terrific texture, framed by apple skin tannins and pomegranate seed notes alongside vibrant cherry and apricot fruit. There’s excellent mid-palate depth, with a savory edge of olive tapenade adding complexity. Aged in a 50/50 split of stainless steel and neutral oak, it delivers both freshness and presence.
The Grapes of Roth is Roman Roth’s personal label and now ranks among the premium offerings within the Wölffer Estate portfolio. This bottling is 92.5% Merlot from McCullough Vineyard in Cutchogue and 7.5% Cabernet Franc. A power-packed, dynamic, and complex expression of Merlot, it bursts with red berry fruit, spiced plum, and cedar-rich tannins that form a firm backbone to support the juicy mid-palate and exceptional length. It’s energetic and taut, with a vibrant spine of acidity—more linear and earth-driven than plush or silky, steering clear of the West Coast profile. Exceptionally food-friendly and built for the table. Aged in French oak barriques: one-third new, one-third one year old, and one-third two years old. Only 3,786 bottles produced.
Clean and expressive, this 2015 vintage-dated sparkling wine opens with lifted aromas of orchard and stone fruit, accented by hints of almond and white flowers. The mousse is assertive and creamy, building on the palate with toasty brioche notes. Excellent mid-palate concentration and a long, acid-driven finish underscore its remarkable freshness and vitality, even after extended time on the lees. The fruit was sourced from estate vineyards on the west side of Seneca Lake: 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay.
Glenora Wine Cellars was the first winery established on Seneca Lake and remains a pioneer in New York’s Finger Lakes wine region. This 2017 Blanc de Blanc is sourced entirely from Glenora Farms on the lake’s west side. After six years en tirage, the result is an impeccably bright and creamy sparkling wine, layered with orchard fruit and confected lemon bar notes. The finish is balanced and expressive, framed by toasted almonds, apple skin tannins, and a touch of lemon oil.
This 2023 Pét-Nat of Seyval Blanc is sourced entirely from Glenora Farms on the lake’s west side. A “salty dog” of a sparkler, this bone-dry wine bursts with zesty lemon and lime, kiwi fruit, white flowers, and a touch of Marcona almond on the mineral-driven finish. Crisp, crunchy, and just salty enough, it’s a vibrant companion to a wide range of dishes—spicy or otherwise.
From Seneca Lake’s first winery, this 2022 Cabernet Franc offers ripe cherry fruit laced with cedarwood and vanilla accents builds intrigue, while savory notes of tobacco and earth are framed by robust, mineral-laced tannins. Pomegranate seed-like acidity adds a crunchy, juicy brightness that carries through the tangy, refreshing finish.
Vivid, bright, and expressive, this white (sourced from Glenora Farms on the west side of Seneca Lake) offers notes of white peach, white plum, and a squeeze of grapefruit-like acidity. Light- to medium-bodied on the palate, it finishes with excellent wet slate mineral tension. There’s great energy and precision throughout.
Focused and linear, this estate-grown sparkling wine leads with bright apple and lime zest notes, followed by subtler hints of French pastry. The gentle mousse gives way to a brisk, acid-driven finish. Hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed from certified sustainable estate vineyards, the wine was partially barrel fermented to build texture.
This is a bit of a chameleon—beginning with ripe red and black-toned fruit, elegant cedarwood spice, and rose petal nuances. The medium-bodied palate quickly shifts toward the savory spectrum, revealing layers of strawberry-rhubarb, baked cherry, leather, tobacco, and crunchy wild herbs. The finish is bright and lifted by crunchy acidity. Sourced from estate-certified sustainable vineyards and aged in neutral oak for 12 months.
A long, cool fermentation followed by eight months of aging on gross lees lends this wine uninhibited aromatics and vivid concentration, balanced by precise, zesty acidity. Stony minerality and lime zest leap from the glass alongside candied green apple, while the medium-bodied palate builds with smoky mineral tones and apple skin tannins that gradually soften. The finish unfolds with creamy apricot, crushed almonds, and lingering intrigue. A shape-shifter of a wine—complex, expressive, and constantly evolving its flavors in the glass.
2017 marked the first year that partners Christopher P. Bates MS, and Robert W. Bates began farming this estate, managing to coax just under a ton per acre from the vineyard. Sourced from their Sunspot and Underdog blocks, the fruit was destemmed, spontaneously fermented with ambient yeasts, then basket-pressed and aged in old neutral French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine strikes a nice balance between fruit density and rustic earthiness, lending real complexity. Dark cherry fruit and cocoa powder tannins create a chewy, textured palate, lifted by tangy acid tension. The low yields undoubtedly contribute to the wine’s depth and concentration. Now, eight years on, this wine still has a promising future ahead!
2020 was a blockbuster vintage for the region—ripe, opulent, and particularly favorable for red wines, though the winery tragically lost much of its crop to frost. Thanks to expert farming by the team at Hermann J. Wiemer, this Cabernet Franc—sourced from Serenity Vineyard—was hand-picked, meticulously sorted, and fermented naturally before resting for 18 months in a single 600L neutral French oak puncheon. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it’s a blockbuster in style: a bold and expressive wine, showing medium to full-bodied intensity with layers of dark berry fruit, cassis, and currant. A woodsy, earthy richness carries through on the palate, framed by towering, sappy tannins that structure the juicy kirsch and spice-laden core. Notes of green tobacco and bay laurel add complexity. Drink now or cellar for the next 3–5 years.
