The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
The Ghielmetti Vineyard is located in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, planted to the ENTAV clone UCD-4. This wine is elegant and finesse-driven, with lovely white pepper and redcurrant and cranberry fruit, along with gorgeous sagebrush and juniper-bush garrigue. Supple, mineral-laced tannins frame the palate, carrying cocoa-powder freshness and rich brown spices on the lengthy, juicy and acid-driven finish.
The 2023 L’Autre Côte is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc from the Ghielmetti Vineyard in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Lux Block of Bates Ranch, and 5% Merlot from the Zayante Vineyard — the latter two situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is a bright, vivid and expressive wine, bursting with blue and red fruit notes laced with lovely espresso-bean and clove nuances, a refined tobacco character and spiced-plum fruit. Cocoa-powder tannins build on the mineral-rich, wild-herb finish. Superbly classy, with a firm spine of acidity, it is one of the most balanced, complex and approachable wines from the area, and should age gracefully for at least two decades or more.
This is the 2025 Cabernet Franc from Gilmetti Vineyard, bottled in 12-ounce beer bottles — a playful decision by winemaker Steven Kent, who simply pulled it from tank and bottled it at 13.5% alcohol. It is super young, youthful, unfined and unfiltered, and it smells and tastes exactly as Cabernet Franc should, with crisp tannins, clean acidity and super-juicy dark-berry fruit. It is absolutely delicious, and if you find yourself at a beer-only party, you could bring this along, pretend, and get away with it.
A New World–style Cabernet Sauvignon, this 100% Cab is sourced from 53% White Cat Vineyard and 47% Casa de Vinas Clone 30 Vineyard, and aged in a mix of French and American oak. It’s a fabulous wine, opening in the glass with red and black cherry fruit layered with toasty cedarwood and subtle sweet spice. The medium-bodied palate is juicy and expressive, supported by fine tannins with a black tea quality. For all its boldness, the wine remains remarkably approachable and refreshing, with a firm spine of juicy acidity that keeps it lively and buoyant.
Fermented in open-top half-ton bins with daily punchdowns, this Merlot-based blend was aged for 19 months in 55% new French oak. The Merlot comes from Thatcher Bay, the Carménère from the cooler-climate Insel Vineyard in Pleasanton, and the Malbec and Cabernet Franc from White Cat. The wine rises out of the glass with plum fruit, fresh herbs, and tobacco notes, supported by hints of leather and a white-truffle, charcuterie-like intensity. A firm baseline of ripe, bold tannins anchors the palate. Juicy and a bit spicy on the lasting finish.
A blend of 93% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in French oak (43% new). The Cabernet Franc is sourced from White Cat Vineyard in the Crane Ridge area on the eastern edge of Livermore Valley. Exceptionally bright and vivid, the wine shows crunchy red fruit alongside savory sage and tobacco notes, with Asian spices and white pepper shining on the palate. Medium-bodied with a creamy mid-palate, ripe currant fruit, and warming spice, it carries through to a savory, spiced, and floral finish. The frame is slightly lighter than the 2022, yet just as elegant and complex in flavor, with excellent length.
Fruit comes from the highly acclaimed Sachau Vineyard, a Wente property. Crafted in an Old World style with a light touch on oak, the wine was aged for 20 months in once-used French barrels; just 55 cases were produced. On the nose, it’s bright and lifted, with crunchy red fruit—cranberry and cherry—alongside sagebrush and smoky mineral notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with vibrant, lithe tannins that are polished and well-integrated, finishing with juicy blue fruit and elegant orange-peel aromatics. Just spectacular.
From vintner Weston Edison, best known for Silver Ghost, this Pinot Noir is sourced from the iconic Charles Heintz Vineyard near the town of Occidental, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. It’s a dark-fruited, powerful expression of Pinot Noir, layered with rich espresso bean and caramel spice. Medium-bodied yet concentrated, the palate is lifted by blood orange and pithy grapefruit notes that bring freshness and energy, finishing with excellent length and a deep forest, redwood-driven character.
Gorgeous aromatics of dark cherry, cherry wood smoke, and clove rise from the glass, unfolding into a tapestry of exotic Asian spices that lift and energize the palate. Crunchy apple-skin tannins frame a supple core of dark berry fruit, and the interplay of fruit, spice, and gentle grip creates a wonderfully textural, deeply flavored experience. Sourced from vineyards along the western edge of the Sonoma Coast AVA, this 100% Pinot Noir was aged 20 months in 33% new French oak barrels and is composed of Clones 667, 828, and Pommard. Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.
This wine opens with a nostalgic burst of Red Hots hard candy—spicy and cinnamon-driven—alongside hints of blue and black fruit and warm brown baking spices. The palate is vibrant and consistent, offering juicy, plump fruit and velvety tannins supported by crunchy pomegranate seed, ripe black raspberry, and a lively blood-orange acidity that brings tension and lift. A blast of cocoa powder richness builds toward the finish, accented by lingering notes of clove. Sourced from Rosella’s Vineyard, located at the northernmost edge of the Santa Lucia Highlands and planted to the Pisoni Clone of Pinot Noir, this late-ripening, cool site produces thick-skinned berries that yield a more muscular tannin structure. Aged 15 months in 50% new French oak.
Garys’ Vineyard—Dan Kosta and winemaker Shane Finley’s second source in the Santa Lucia Highlands—is also planted to the Pisoni Clone of Pinot Noir. The site typically ripens about 10 days earlier than Rosella’s, producing wines with less tannin, more finesse, and delicate blue floral character. Dan Kosta has sourced fruit from Garys’ Vineyard since 2005, when it was part of his former Kosta Browne label. The 2022 vintage is a dark-fruited, sumptuous, and savory expression, showing a bit more power and richness on the nose and a broader profile than Rosella’s. The wine opens with super savory aromatics of dried sage, rosemary, and thyme, joined by intriguing notes of yellow curry and red berry fruit that become more defined on the palate. A luxurious mocha richness envelops the senses, balanced by elegant conifer spice, while the long, refreshing finish shows crunchy red apple-skin acidity. It’s simply a delicious wine to drink.
From Rosella’s Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, this white offers gorgeous, lifted aromatics of brown spice and a hint of anise. The wonderfully rich mid-palate is framed by exquisite saline minerality and the grip of lemon zest and apple skin. Lean, focused, and nuanced, it’s a tension-filled expression of Rosella’s. Barrel-fermented and aged in 50% new French oak. The 2022 vintage marks the inaugural release of this wine under the DK Grail label—wines that founder Dan Kosta sources from highly reputable vineyards, aiming for consistency, structure, and age-worthiness.
The 2022 Woodenhead Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley is unfined and unfiltered, revealing a savory, spice-driven expression of Pinot Noir redolent of cherry fruit wrapped in eucalyptus leaves, with Earl Grey tea nuances framing the medium-bodied palate. Black tea–like tannins add structure, leading to a punctuated, lingering finish. Those savory elements are beautifully integrated and make this an ideal pairing for herb-dusted pork loin, spare ribs, or grilled branzino. Enjoy now through 2029.
Wonderfully rich baking-spice notes evoke walnut–cardamom pastry, French buttered croissant, and wet river stones, all wrapped around cherry and apple fruit. The mousse is incredibly frothy, building with beautiful lightness and textural lift, while hints of white truffle and a streak of saline acidity add a savory freshness that’s undeniably delicious.
This is an opulent, fruit-forward, and generous Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts with blue-fruit fireworks, graphite, and cedarwood nuances. Full-bodied and pleasure-packed, it’s teeming with robust tannins and finishes with notes of dark chocolate and lingering graphite minerality. Composed entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon from the North Coast, with all fruit sourced from vineyards in Mendocino County, it was aged in a combination of medium and heavy toast French oak, 20% new. Hedonistic and expressive, it’s best enjoyed now and over the next three to five years. Sean Minor Wines was founded in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Sean and Nicole Minor, and is still family-owned and operated. In 2023, their daughter, Elle Minor, joined the team as winemaker. Wines are made from a combination of estate fruit and fruit purchased from sustainably farmed sources throughout California.
From the Garys’ Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands comes this ripe-cherry-fruited, vanilla-laced, cedarwood-spiced Pinot Noir, bending around rich espresso-bean nuances and supple tannins. A plump, creamy mid-palate is lifted by zesty blood-orange acidity, leading to a lingering finish of warm Indian spice and vanilla-bean cream. Sumptuously refined.
Sourced entirely from Pisoni Vineyard and fermented in stainless steel and concrete with 8% whole cluster, then aged 14 months in 38% new French oak. This 2023 release is an absolute powerhouse, bursting with blue-fruit intensity, blackberry and sagebrush notes, and velvety tannins dusted with cocoa powder. Loamy earth adds depth and grounding. The finish carries impressive length, layered with dried spice, mild Indian spices and a dash of black sea salt.
Sourced from Premier Cru vineyards—Fourchaume and Vosgros, a small site on the northern side of the appellation. Aged for 11 months in 5% new French oak. This is a beautifully crafted white wine with a creamy mid-palate richness and a lingering Marcona almond character. White flowers, tangerine peel and lemon verbena add intrigue and complexity, while the finish is soft and carried by ripe orchard fruit with excellent mineral tension stretching through the length. The 2024 vintage was hit hard by hail, so there will be no 2024 bottling—stock up on this while you can.
This wine shows a superb structural framework and impressive length. Zesty acidity drives the palate, supported by wet-stone and graphite minerality, with almost chalky tannins giving fine definition. Fragrant red and black fruit notes mingle with warm brown spices, all carried on a long, persistent finish. Shy in its youth, this will benefit from patience—best to hold until 2027 before pulling any corks.
A powerhouse wine from a challenging Burgundy vintage. It shows tremendous concentration of red berry fruit alongside red earth, iron and loamy earth tones, with deep, woodsy spice. Perfumed rose-petal notes flood the mid-palate, while firm yet inviting apple-skin tannins frame the structure. The finish brings juicy richness and an elegant lift. Overall, this is a very charming wine and a lovely expression of Beaune Premier Cru—offering that upfront Kosta Browne–style generosity balanced by true Premier Cru tension.
