The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
The Vignette Bubbly 2023 is a vibrant sparkling wine composed of 80% Traminette and 20% Vidal Blanc, sourced from New York State Sustainably Certified vines planted in 1998. Fermented in stainless steel and finished with forced carbonation, this hybrid blend opens with vivid aromatics of green apple, apricot, white peach, and a flourish of white flowers and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate carries a perfectly frothy, creamy mousse, balanced by bone-dry precision and a crisp, crunchy acid tension on a refreshing finish.
94% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon from Sawmill Creek Vineyards. Red-fruited and delicately spiced, this light- to medium-bodied wine offers lifted aromatics of cinnamon, violets, and rose petals. On the palate, cherry and cherry pit notes are framed by firm apple skin tannins and a zesty, lingering finish. Aged for 9 months in neutral French and Hungarian oak with full malolactic fermentation.
100% Cabernet Franc from Sawmill Creek Vineyards in Hector, NY. Aged for nine months in 4–5-year-old French oak barrels. This is an elegant, red-fruited expression of Cabernet Franc, layered with notes of espresso bean, brown spice, and a zesty infusion of tangerine and grapefruit. A stony minerality anchors the palate.
100% Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from 53% Nutt Road Vineyards (Penn Yan, NY) and 47% Sawmill Creek Vineyards (Hector, NY). Ten percent of the juice was barrel fermented in puncheon, with all lots blended after six weeks, then tank aged and cold stabilized. This is a bright, zesty Sauvignon Blanc with fragrant sweetgrass aromatics—like fresh-cut lawn after a summer rain—lifted by a hint of sea spray. Pear and crunchy apple drive the light-bodied palate, which crackles with zingy, quaffable acidity.
95% Vidal Blanc and 5% Pinot Blanc, sourced 48% from Sawmill Creek Vineyards (Hector, NY), 47% from Wagner Vineyards (Lodi, NY), and 5% Nutt Road Vineyards (Penn Yan, NY). A bright, easygoing white that blends citrus, orchard, and tropical fruit tones from the Vidal Blanc—more commonly used for ice wine but here shows its fresh, fruit-forward side. The finish is crisp and vivid with a steely mineral edge, perfect for humid East Coast summers.
Tank fermented with twice-daily pumpovers and oxygen exposure via gravity feed sump, this wine was aged for two years in stainless steel prior to bottling. The result is a crisp, clean, and vibrant expression of red berry fruit, accented by vivid cinnamon spice, cedarwood nuances, and firm, cedar-rich tannins. Zesty blood orange and grapefruit peel acidity adds lift and energy to the finish. Sourced from 100% estate-grown fruit in Sustainably Certified, herbicide-free vineyards in the Niagara Escarpment AVA.
Leading with vivid, earthy aromatics and fragrant red berry fruit, this estate-grown Cabernet Franc (sourced from sustainably certified vines in the Niagara Escarpment AVA) is laced with spicy wild herbs and grilled Padrón pepper nuances. Supple tannins carry a slightly sappy texture, framing notes of black currant and a brown sugar–spiced charcuterie quality on the finish.
100% Dry Berry Selection TBA from handpicked fruit at Martini Family Vineyards. Intensely aromatic with lifted apricot, prickly pear, golden raisins, and lush dates, unfolding into layers of candied orange peel and dried apricot. The palate is rich yet remarkably bright, carried by a fine thread of acidity that balances the sweetness beautifully. A long, slightly salty finish underscores the wine’s tension and elegance.
A classic méthode Champenoise Riesling sparkler sourced from the Martini Family Vineyard, aged on the lees for two years before disgorgement. The vintage produced bright, acid-driven wines, and this bottling is no exception—youthful and crisp with crunchy apple fruit and absolutely bracing acidity. A subtle vinous character lingers through the long, mineral-laced finish. Positively made for oysters.
Sourced from the Martini Family Vineyard and aged on the lees for four years before disgorgement, this 2018 vintage sparkler hails from one of the most challenging vintages of the past decade. It opens with lovely baked orchard fruit, nuanced by delicate French pastry and toasted nut aromatics. The palate is rich and creamy, with a frothy mousse that finishes on a layered undercurrent of salty-saline and oyster shell minerality. Bright, and perfectly balanced.
From Martini Family Vineyards, this wine is crushed and pressed into stainless steel and fermented with indigenous yeast. It offers expressive vinous aromatics layered with fresh apple and lemon verbena, supported by subtle honeycomb notes. A through line of lime-bright minerality carries the wine to a lifted finish.
Sourced from Martini Family Vineyard and Nutt Road Vineyard, this Cabernet Franc was aged for approximately 12 months in neutral French and American oak barrels. Dark, crunchy red fruit interlaces with cedarwood spice and the classic herbal character of the variety, lending a woodsy, aromatic quality. Firm, structured tannins frame the palate, with notes of tobacco on a saline-mineral finish.
This Pinot Gris, like the stainless steel version, is sourced from the winery’s Nutt Road Vineyard, where silty loam soils are threaded with limestone and shale. Fermented in large-format 500-liter oak barrels and aged on the lees for up to seven months without malolactic conversion, it gains a lovely mid-palate richness without the need for residual sugar to offset the racy acidity. Light to nearly medium-bodied, it offers crunchy early-season pear and apple fruit that drive the long, mineral-laced finish. A thirst-quencher with layered texture and purity of fruit.
Native yeast fermented in large 500-liter puncheons and aged on the lees for up to seven months. Enticing aromas of honeycomb, wildflower honey, and honeysuckle lift from the glass, drawing you into a light to medium-bodied palate layered with vivid orchard fruit and subtle tropical underpinnings. Nuances of rose stem add complexity, while a touch of residual sugar provides richness that balances the bracing acid tension.
Vignoles is a tightly bunched variety with thick skins, and though its origins remain uncertain, it has become something of a star in the Finger Lakes. This bottling opens with apricot and white peach aromatics that deepen on the palate into richer tones of pineapple drizzled with wildflower honey. A vivid backbone of zesty grapefruit acidity provides lift and structure, finishing with impressive length and tension. You’d never guess the residual sugar if the winemaker told you—this is fully balanced and strikingly expressive.
A classic Finger Lakes Riesling viewed through the lens of an acid trip—bright, edgy, and wildly expressive. It opens with flinty minerality and a spray of lime zest before unfurling into crunchy pear and a touch of orange marmalade on the mid-palate. The finish is long and coiled, driven by wet stone and electric tension. Balanced, vibrant, and an absolute joy to drink.
This Pinot Gris is sourced primarily from the winery’s Nutt Road Vineyard, where silty loam soils are threaded with limestone and shale. Fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic conversion, the wine remains on the lees in tank for up to seven months prior to bottling. The nose is bright and zesty with a sea spray minerality, while the light to medium-bodied palate gains subtle richness from 4 grams of residual sugar to balance the bracing acidity. Pear and apple fruit become more expressive through the long finish.
