The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
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.
Airy Acres Vineyard is a 21-acre certified sustainable estate site on the west side of Cayuga Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes region, which sources this 2022 Cabernet Franc. Fermented on the skins for 11 days in bins, then pressed and aged for 10 months in a mix of seasoned French oak barrels and one new French oak barrel, this is a light, bright, fruit-forward expression with juicy plum fruit on the medium- to full-bodied palate, velvety tannins, and a dusting of cedarwood spice on the earthy, well-framed finish.
Airy Acres Vineyard is a 21-acre certified sustainable estate vineyard on the west side of Cayuga Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes region. This 2021 Cabernet Franc was fermented on the skins for approximately 14 days in bins, then pressed and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels that were at least two years old. Pale in color—almost rosé-like—it opens with a subtle lift of high-toned acidity on the nose before revealing a supple, red-berry palate layered with spice and espresso bean nuances. Serve well-chilled alongside hard, salty cheeses for maximum enjoyment.
Strawberry and raspberry fruit lead the charge, with watermelon notes building in volume and richness across the palate. The creamy, enveloping mousse resolves into a delicate off-dry sweetness, echoing just-ripe cherries and freshly picked farmers’ market strawberries—clean, bright, and thoroughly expressive. The 2023 Glide Rosé is a field blend and co-ferment of Cabernet Franc and Lemberger, sourced entirely from the certified sustainable, 21-acre Airy Acres Vineyard on the west side of Cayuga Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes. Both varieties were harvested on the same day, given roughly eight hours of skin contact, then pressed and co-fermented in stainless steel.
Sourced from Doyle Vineyard Management in New York’s Finger Lakes region—renowned for cultivating native grapes, hybrids, and vinifera for wineries across the state—this red was crafted from vinifera grapes cold-soaked for 24 hours, fermented whole berry for six days, then aged 10 months in a mix of French and American oak. This is a truly intriguing wine that lures you in with expressive red berry fruit, spiced with cinnamon and underscored by espresso bean and thick, maple-cured bacon notes. The medium-bodied to medium-full palate delivers baked cherry fruit and cherry pit nuances that linger on a long, salty mineral finish.
Sourced from Doyle Vineyard Management in the Finger Lakes region, this red hybrid was fermented whole berry for 5 days and aged in American oak for 10 months prior to bottling. Light in body with a Grenache-like texture, it opens with ripe red fruit and brown baking spices, layered with tobacco leaf and a distinctly Cabernet Franc-like savouriness. Notes of bay leaf and green tobacco add intrigue to this savoury red. Serve slightly chilled for a refreshing and expressive taste of New York. Best enjoyed now through the next 2–3 years.
A blend of Radian and Bentrock fruit. We select the most extreme expressions from both vineyards—those with the most intensity and edge—which ultimately make their way into the Estate bottling. The result is a wine of harmony and precision, with a mix of white flowers, citrus, and orchard fruit. There’s a real purity to the fruit character, with finely delineated notes of apple, pear, nectarine, and white peach. An incredible thread of saline-acid tension runs through it all, accenting a perfectly spicy element that lifts the richness of the fruit. The wine shows marvelous mid-palate density yet finishes with an ephemeral lightness of being—melting away with grace.
This blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Malbec, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from three different vineyards in the Texas High Plains and aged for 18 months in 62% new French oak. It’s a soft, plush, medium- to full-bodied red that builds on classic Texas wild herb character—a heady mix of black tea, bay laurel, sagebrush, and scrubrush—all intertwined and framing juicy dark cherry and spiced plum fruit, with hints of pomegranate and blood orange zest. The wild herb and fruit notes linger beautifully on the finish. Pair it with barbecue slathered in rich, honey-mustard sauce, or serve slightly chilled alongside hard cheeses. Elisa Christopher Wines is owned by husband-and-wife duo Elisa and Chris, with Elisa also serving as the winemaker. Passionate about sparkling wine and their red wine program, they plan to begin planting their 43-acre estate in 2026.
This 100% Pinot Noir sparkling wine is sourced from Reddy Vineyards in the Texas High Plains. Made in the traditional method, it was aged on the lees for 18 months prior to disgorging. Its luminous pink hue reveals lovely, pure aromas of red cherry, white peach, and nectarine. The mousse is frothy and vibrant, carrying great energy across the palate. Flavors of ripe cherry, apricot, raspberry, and even a hint of strawberry unfold with a striking saline-driven acidity that propels the mouthwatering finish. Elisa Christopher Wines is owned by husband-and-wife duo Elisa and Chris, with Elisa also serving as the winemaker. Passionate about sparkling wine and their red wine program, they plan to begin planting their 43-acre estate in 2026.
Certified both CCOF Organic and Demeter Biodynamic, the vines for this Chenin Blanc hail from the Stolpman Estate in Ballard Canyon. The grapes are gently pressed before fermentation, which takes place in new, light-toast 500-litre Ermitage Mt. La Vache French oak puncheons, where the wine is then aged for 15 months. It’s such a pretty wine—so layered, so enticing, and so intriguing you’ll wish you had bought a full case (and hopefully, you did). Medium-bodied and a true salty dog, it crackles with saline-acid tension that energizes this electrically vibrant white. It practically lists the tasting notes for you: sea salt sprinkled atop candied lemon peel, subtler hints of ripe apricot and white peach, and zesty seagrass growing on sand dunes pounded by Pacific Ocean breezes. The mid-palate reveals elegant touches of citrus fruit tinged with vanilla bean, layered with Marcona almonds, and drizzled with agave nectar. It’s long, linear, and vividly zesty—with such bracing acidity your dentist might advise caution. Best enjoyed with food—it slices beautifully through roast chicken or Dover sole with buttery mashed potatoes.
Notes from the Winery:
In 2016, we sought out a rare strain of “yellow” Chenin Blanc that turns color before it reaches peak ripeness. Once yellow, the resulting wine becomes substantial and mouth-filling rather than creating a leaner, crisper style. We spent six vintages refining our winemaking approach to Chenin Blanc under our experimental “Combe” label before debuting the grandiose 2023 vintage. Healthy late season rains pushed back bud-break and the growing season by 3-4 weeks. We escaped the summer without any extreme heat events that would have accelerated ripening. On September 29th, La Cuadrilla made a pass through the Chenin and harvested any remaining green clusters for Pet’Nat. Aided by unusually high daytime temperatures in early October, we returned to cherry pick evenly yellow clusters on October 5, and then finished the stragglers on October 9th.
Notes from the Winery:
In 2016, we sought out a rare strain of “yellow” Chenin Blanc that turns color before it reaches peak ripeness. Once yellow, the resulting wine becomes substantial and mouth-filling rather than creating a leaner, crisper style. We spent six vintages refining our winemaking approach to Chenin Blanc under our experimental “Combe” label before debuting the grandiose 2023 vintage. Healthy late season rains pushed back bud-break and the growing season by 3-4 weeks. We escaped the summer without any extreme heat events that would have accelerated ripening. On September 29th, La Cuadrilla made a pass through the Chenin and harvested any remaining green clusters for Pet’Nat. Aided by unusually high daytime temperatures in early October, we returned to cherry pick evenly yellow clusters on October 5, and then finished the stragglers on October 9th.
Certified both CCOF Organic and Demeter Biodynamic, the vines for this wine come from three strains of Savagnin cuttings sourced from France. The grapes are gently pressed prior to fermentation, which takes place in new, light-toast 500-litre Ermitage Mt. La Vache French oak puncheons, where the wine is then aged for 15 months. What a wine. It’s about as close as you can get to the Jura—opening with high-toned aromas of honey, nutty citrus, and vivid, crunchy sea spray minerality. On the light- to medium-bodied palate, everything melds beautifully: lemon-lime zest, lemon oil, crushed white flowers and a gravelly minerality that is both salty and chalky. For now, the oak is subdued, but it will gain texture and complexity with time in bottle. This is an incredibly focused and mineral-driven expression from the region—hands down, off-the-charts good. Wine geeks will marvel at it; everyday wine lovers will wonder where it’s been all their lives.
Notes from the Winery:
Stolpman’s Jura Inspired Savagnin Inspired by the noble Overnoy, Tissot, and Macle vineyards in the Jura region of France, we began propagating these 3 strains of special Savagnin cuttings back in 2016. In our arid Ballard Canyon conditions, the yields are tiny, and up until the release of the 2023 Savagnin, we only produced one combined barrel from the three prior vintages 2020, 2021, and 2022. While the 8 years of development has been costly, the mono-vintage 2023 debut makes it all worth it, even if it is just one 500L puncheon from 2 acres.
Notes from the Winery:
Stolpman’s Jura Inspired Savagnin Inspired by the noble Overnoy, Tissot, and Macle vineyards in the Jura region of France, we began propagating these 3 strains of special Savagnin cuttings back in 2016. In our arid Ballard Canyon conditions, the yields are tiny, and up until the release of the 2023 Savagnin, we only produced one combined barrel from the three prior vintages 2020, 2021, and 2022. While the 8 years of development has been costly, the mono-vintage 2023 debut makes it all worth it, even if it is just one 500L puncheon from 2 acres.
This Syrah hails from John Sebastiano Vineyard—one of the crown jewels of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Windswept and wild, it’s an exceptional site for Syrah, and this 2022 rendition from Samsara is a case in point. High-toned and aromatic, it opens with violet, rose petal, dried lavender, bay laurel and black truffle charcuterie, all laced with a dusting of sweetly smoked paprika. The palate is beautifully supple, medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins that carry an intriguing mineral edge—think crushed red rock or iron. It finishes with slate-like texture and tension, leaving a vivid, dynamic impression. A knockout effort from winemaker Matt Brady and the cellar team. Joan and Dave Szkutak, owners of Samsara, continue to assemble an impressive portfolio of utterly riveting wines.
This blend of 55% Syrah, 36% Grenache, and 9% Mourvèdre was 85% whole cluster pressed, fermented with native yeasts, and aged in entirely neutral oak. Exceptionally approachable and medium-bodied, it delivers a vibrant burst of crunchy red berry fruit, supported by a fragrant underbrush undertone and a touch of crushed cocoa nib. Ground espresso and dried blood orange rind bring added complexity, while paprika and white pepper lend aromatic intrigue. The finish is nicely chalky, leaving a savoury and textural impression.
The 2024 Samsara Clairette, sourced from the organically farmed Watch Hill Vineyard in Alisos Canyon—known for its marine influence and low-nutrient sandy-clay soils—offers a crisp, focused expression of this variety. Chalky minerality and zesty citrus fruit lead the way, joined by wild white flowers that bloom aromatically. The medium-bodied palate reveals a lovely core of ripe peach and dried apricot, layered with a subtle nutty nuance that adds depth and charm.
The 2022 Samsara Chardonnay hails from Francesca Vineyard, a windswept, seven-acre site on the far western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills, where sandy-loam soils and full Pacific exposure yield intensely concentrated fruit. Aromatically, it lifts from the glass like a perfectly buttered bowl of popcorn—rich with caramel, smoky toasted oak, and butter croissant notes. Despite the decadent nose, the palate is more focused and linear, with plenty of mid-palate richness layered with baking spices. Bright lemony acidity keeps it taut, balanced by citrus oil richness—think lemon and tangerine—finishing with salted, toasted almonds. A bold, generous expression of Chardonnay from this extreme coastal site.
This 50% Mourvèdre, 50% Grenache blend was co-fermented and aged in stainless steel. The pale rose-gold hue leads to a complex and seriously delicious rosé, driven by notes of white peach and dried apricot, interwoven with a smoky mineral character that adds depth and intrigue. The palate is rich, silky, and supple, finishing with refreshing saline-acid tension and a cool river stone minerality. This isn’t your typical fruit-bomb, pool-pounder rosé—though you could, and probably should, crush bottles by the pool. Still, it’s best enjoyed while lounging with a book in an Adirondack chair or catching up with good friends around the backyard picnic table. Pour it for your favorite people—and definitely pour it for yourself.
A blend of Syrah from four vintages—2019 (20%), 2020 (20%), 2021 (40%), and 2022 (20%)—this wine brings together fruit from Stolpman, Kimsey, and Larner vineyards in Ballard Canyon and John Sebastiano in the Sta. Rita Hills. The final blend is 95% Syrah, 4% Grenache, and 1% Viognier. Aged for an extended period in barrel before careful blending, this bottling pays homage to Vega Sicilia’s famed Único Reserva Especial in Ribera del Duero. The label, a commissioned artwork by artist R. Anthony Askew, adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness to an already compelling bottle. I love this wine—and you will too—because it delivers a mouthful of Syrah deliciousness, done the Santa Barbara County way. Rich, supple dark fruits meet tangy blood orange acidity and mid-palate density. The wine builds with layers of black cherry, blackberry, violets, sandalwood, and robes of dark chocolate, all weaving into a satiny sheet that glides across the palate. The multi-vintage integration is so seamless and complete, it makes you wish Dragonette would craft a wine like this year after year.
Notes from the winery on how this wine was made:
“We harvested each block in the cold morning hours, personally hand sorting in the field. The grapes were destemmed within hours then cold soaked for 2-7 days, before fermentation with native yeasts. Pumpovers, punchdowns and delestage were used to gently extract flavor, while managing tannins. At dryness, the wines were transferred to French oak barrels of various formats (500L puncheon, 400L, and 228L barrique) of which a portion is new. Each vintage included in this blend was itself a blend of the best barrels for that given season. Each component vintage was aged separately with a range from 26 to 62 months in barrel, with an average age of 42.8 months in barrel. In honor of our 20th Anniversary, the wine was bottled in January of 2025.”
Notes from the winery on how this wine was made:
“We harvested each block in the cold morning hours, personally hand sorting in the field. The grapes were destemmed within hours then cold soaked for 2-7 days, before fermentation with native yeasts. Pumpovers, punchdowns and delestage were used to gently extract flavor, while managing tannins. At dryness, the wines were transferred to French oak barrels of various formats (500L puncheon, 400L, and 228L barrique) of which a portion is new. Each vintage included in this blend was itself a blend of the best barrels for that given season. Each component vintage was aged separately with a range from 26 to 62 months in barrel, with an average age of 42.8 months in barrel. In honor of our 20th Anniversary, the wine was bottled in January of 2025.”
Brooding, expressive, and impressively focused, this blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Grenache draws from three distinctive vineyard sites—Stolpman (clay loam and limestone), John Sebastiano (Linne clay loam), and Larner (sand)—each selected for its unique soil series. The wine opens with a rush of pure black cherry and blackberry fruit, mingling with dark plum, deep forest underbrush, bark, dark chocolate, rich loamy earth, and roasted espresso bean. Aromatics build with momentum, gaining lift and energy on the palate, where gorgeously perfumed violet and rose petal notes emerge. In 2021, the tannins are particularly gentle, velvety, and elongated, wrapped in a dusting of white pepper and tobacco leaf. The finish is vivid and complex, with ripe, muddled farmers market–fresh blueberries, a pulse of blood orange acidity, and savory notes of black truffle, tar, and incense. Wow. As winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis explains, the idea behind Dragonette’s MJM Syrah has always been simple: “The sum is greater than its parts.” That ethos has guided every vintage since the inaugural release in 2007.
Year to year, this wine goes in and out of the most vivid floral intensity imagineable and in 2022 it is back in spades, boasting darkly seductive voilets and rose petals notes, dark blood orange acidity, darker cranberry and black cherry notes, alluring incense and a deep woodsy underbrush character, liek the backside of a fallen bark on the forest floor, detail-driven into the tannins, which are supple and salty, giving length, tension, and energy to this entry level Syrah from Dragonette. What a killer wine.
