The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
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.
Though there’s no carbonic maceration, this wine carries a Gamay-like charm, with mulberry and candied berry fruit layered over rich earthy aromatics and a subtle jalapeño note. Supple and full-bodied on the palate, it delivers ripe red fruit that shifts into cranberry, grapefruit zest, raspberry, and a touch of cocoa powder on the finish. Easygoing, joyful, refreshing, and downright delicious.
A blend of fruit from Long Island and the Hudson Valley, aged in 10% new French oak (confirm via tech sheet). This is a well-knit, expressive Cabernet Franc showing both red and black fruit, with cedarwood and graham cracker spice layered over sagebrush and tobacco leaf aromatics. The medium-bodied palate carries those same notes forward, supported by fine-grained, cohesive tannins and finishing with a lift of cocoa powder, blood orange, and raspberry fruit.
This wine comes from the original planting at Clinton Vineyards (from vines planted in the early 1970s), under the stewardship of Barry and Sang Milea since 2022. Fermented in stainless steel, the aromatics are utterly captivating—think white miso and Parmesan rind taking an unexpected turn toward kumquat and pineapple. The palate follows with an intense umami richness, evoking shaved white truffle and salty sea spray. It’s fascinating, confounding, and impossible to stop revisiting, both aromatically and on the finish. A brilliant pairing for Asian cuisine—or pepperoni pizza with hot honey.
Queen of the Meadow is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc (saignée), and Chambourcin, which contributes color through direct press. Fermented cool and entirely in stainless steel, the wine was bottled shortly after fermentation. It’s a vivid, crisp rosé fueled by blood orange brightness, with uniquely crunchy acidity and a hint of saline richness that’s characteristic of the estate. Nicely balanced with good length—soulful, joyful, and absolutely delicious.
