The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Becker’s Reserve Chardonnay is crafted from grapes sourced from Canada Family Vineyards in Plains, Texas, near the New Mexico border, and Drew Tallent of Tallent Vineyards in Mason, within the Texas Hill Country AVA. Aged for 20 months in 30% new French oak, it displays both richness and freshness. The oak imparts a subtle sweetness, with hints of caramel and toffee spices seamlessly woven into the aromas of rich citrus and orchard fruits. Full-bodied on the palate, it offers flavors reminiscent of apple pie and warm baking spices. Its lush texture is counterbalanced by a vibrant spine of juicy acidity, creating a wine that is both indulgent and refreshing.
Sourced from the Six Harts Vineyard, owned by Jeter Wilmeth near Tokio and Brownfield in the Texas High Plains, this Reserve Viognier represents a barrel selection of exceptional craftsmanship. The wine bursts with aromas of stone fruit, apricots, and delicate white flowers, all beautifully highlighted by notes of honeysuckle.On the palate, it offers a granular texture, enhanced by a distinctive thread of salty minerality and a chalky character that extends seamlessly through the long, elegant finish. Aged for 16 months in mostly neutral French oak, this Viognier achieves a perfect balance of complexity and approachability. Crafted with precision by Jon Leahy, it is both refined and utterly delicious.
The 2019 Becker Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, sourced from the Wilmeth Vineyard (also known as Diamante Doble) in the Texas High Plains, is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1.6% Petit Verdot, and 1.4% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 30 months in a combination of 70% American oak (35% new) and 30% French oak (20% new), this wine is juicy, approachable, and easy to drink. It features satiny, silky tannins and rich dark berry flavors, accented by ample brown baking spices. The palate carries a welcome lean elegance, leading to a long finish with fantastic slate and iron minerality and a touch of wild herbs.
During the tasting, I also sampled a 2016 vintage, which showed remarkable evolution—fuller, richer, and with more intense tannins. Its truffle notes and loamy earth character were reminiscent of aged California Cabernet or Bordeaux Supérieur. Both vintages exemplify the vineyard’s exceptional potential and craftsmanship.
The 2020 Becker Vineyards Barbera is a beautifully crafted, rich, and unctuous wine. It opens with aromas of crunchy red-toned fruit, spice, and rose petals, complemented by dusty minerals and toasty cedarwood notes interwoven with subtle hints of charcuterie. Full-bodied on the palate, it reveals mocha accents and silky, plump, well-integrated tannins, leading to a long and satisfying finish. The 2019 vintage earned the prestigious Texas Wine of the Year award from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Rodeo Uncorked International competition, and this 2020 vintage continues that tradition of excellence.
The Becker Vineyards Petite Sirah from the Texas Hill Country is an expressive, currant-rich red, with dark black fruits emerging on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Sappy tannins frame this power-packed wine, providing structure and depth. The finish is remarkably floral, with fine notes of rose petal, espresso bean, and crushed thyme.
Grapes for this red are sourced from Canada Family Vineyard, located in the Texas High Plains, atop primarily limestone-based soils. Compared to the Wilmeth Vineyard, this wine exhibits a more structured profile with greater grip and intensity on the mid-palate. It bursts with red and blackberry fruit, cassis, and is supported by fashionable, polished tannins that build gracefully into a lengthy, mineral-driven finish. A truly complete and harmonious wine.
This blend of 78% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Tannat, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 36 months in 22% new American oak, resulting in a wine with impressive power and intensity. It features a savory mineral character and subtle nuances of pressed dried florals, which complement the rich barrel spices. The nose is further enriched with red berry fruits, mulberry, and a touch of molasses, likely influenced by the American oak. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it concludes with a long ironstone mineral finish, with hints of charcuterie adding complexity.
This blend of 90% Sémillon, 7% Chardonnay, and 3% Viognier was aged for an impressive 48 months in French oak, representing a bold experiment for the winery. The result is a wine that surprises consumers with its smooth, glossy texture and remarkable food-friendliness. It offers a rich array of aromas, including fragrant toasted nuttiness, lemon-drop, and butterscotch. Full-bodied and spicy on the palate, it delivers a wealth of toasted nut flavors and a luxurious finish. While thoroughly enjoyable now, this wine promises to evolve beautifully over the next decade, gaining even more richness, toasty complexity, and caramel-like depth.
The “Jolie” Rosé from Becker Vineyards is a vibrant wine that feels like a fruit salad in the glass with notes of strawberry, watermelon, white peach, and a touch of spring flowers. Medium-bodied with lasting richness and tension, this rosé is both approachable and layered. The surprise comes on the finish, where subtle hints of white pepper and coriander cream await.
The Becker Vineyards 2020 Texas Hill Country Malbec Reserve, sourced from Tallent Vineyard, opens with a hint of funkiness, adding a touch of earthy underbrush and charcuterie, complemented by stewed plum character. Medium-bodied, the wine features grippy tannins that build throughout the palate, culminating in a drying finish. Pair this bold and flavorful Malbec with a nicely salted Ribeye, and you’ll be off to the races.
(Barrel Sample) This multi-vintage blend of Mourvèdre is already in fantastic condition, offering ripe red cherry and brambly red berry fruits that mingle beautifully with sweet baking spices, elegant cedarwood, and bright rose florals. The medium-bodied palate is supported by polished tannins, making for a very fresh, racy, and captivating wine. I can’t wait to taste the final product, and I believe consumers will be equally thrilled with the direction these wines are heading. Since Napa-based consultant Jean Hoefliger began making the wines in 2021, big changes have been happening at Arrowhead Creek each vintage. This is definitely a wine to watch.
(Barrel Sample) This polished, expressive, and medium-bodied Mourvèdre offers crunchy red berry fruit, sweet spices, and cedarwood, all framed by firm, inviting tannins that lay a solid foundation. Already in great condition, the wine shows great promise. I’m excited to taste and rate the finished wine in the coming year, as it holds a lot of potential.
This Montepulciano (augmented with 5% Aglianico) from Arrowhead Creek Vineyards offers a heady mix of sweet red berry fruits, with fine-grained tannins that provide good presence and build intensity on the mid-palate. The wine is balanced by vibrant blood orange acidity, complemented by smoky mineral notes, toasty cedarwood, and crushed prairie herbs.
Julien Fayard’s 2021 Covert Cabernet from the Coombsville AVA is a full-bodied, silky, super-enticing wine with heady boysenberry fruit, dark cacao, and sweet oak spices. Plush, velvety tannins form a solid foundation, framing gobs of dark berry fruit, cassis, graphite, wild herbs, and cedar spices. All too easy to drink, and at 14.9% alcohol, balanced as it is, this is a wine to savor with a burger and fries, roast chicken and potatoes, or braised meats and hearty stews.
