The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Fermented in a combination of stainless-steel tanks and French oak barrels, this wine was aged sur lie for six months with regular stirring. The remaining portion was aged in neutral oak and stainless steel to preserve freshness. Sourced from Montpellier cuttings, it opens with inviting aromas of vanilla, yellow apple, biscuit, lemon drop, and jasmine. The medium-bodied palate offers a pleasing richness, balanced by a bright line of acidity. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of wood spice. -JR
Fewer than 125 cases produced, this meticulously crafted wine reflects an uncompromising pursuit of quality. Each barrel from each lot is tasted blind—multiple times—before being selected for inclusion in the final assemblage. The 2021 blend is composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon (Home Ranch Vineyard), 12% Merlot (Zayante Vineyard), and 3% Cabernet Franc (Ghielmetti Vineyard), all aged for 22 months in 100% French oak, 50% of which was new. The Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 7 component was fermented in stainless steel, while the Merlot and Cabernet Franc underwent fermentation in 1.7-ton open-top fermenters—each vinified separately to preserve character and precision.
Long considered one of Livermore Valley’s benchmark reds, Lineage continues to deliver on its reputation. The 2021 vintage offers a complex and layered nose of dried herbs, graphite, dark minerality, black licorice, and brooding black cherry and cassis. On the palate, deep, silky blackcurrant fruit is laced with cocoa and savory undertones, supported by a firm core of acidity and polished tannins. This is a wine of tension, balance, and elegance—with the structural integrity to age for decades. A powerful expression of place and a bold statement on what Livermore Valley is capable of at the highest level. -JR
This is a barrel selection of the 2022 Cabernet Franc, sourced entirely from Ghielmetti Vineyard. Compared to the larger production bottling, it offers more heft and structure, with firmer tannins and a deeper mid-palate. Notes of dried herbs, a pop of fennel, and the earthy scent of a redwood forest after rain give the wine a savory, umami-rich character. Red and black fruit carry through the finish, layered with black truffle and graphite minerality. Spectacularly balanced, complex, and remarkably approachable—even now—yet built with the bones to age gracefully for two decades or more.
This Cabernet Sauvignon from Steven Kent Winery comes from the Home Ranch in the Tesla District, blended with Merlot from Zayante Vineyard and Cabernet Franc from Ghielmetti Vineyard. Each component was vinified separately in open-topped 1.75-ton bins, inoculated for primary fermentation, with spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Wines were punched down for extraction and aged in neutral puncheons and one second-use barrel.
And it’s downright delicious—exciting, fresh, and inviting. I want a case right now, and so do you. Here’s why: the nose is beautifully refined, with nuances of tobacco and sagebrush layered over black and red currant fruit. On the medium-bodied palate, generous, plump tannins provide a firm structure for all that ripe fruit and savory spice. Notes of curry, cardamom, and dark sea salt emerge on the long, expressive finish. As polished and compelling as Cabernet blends get from Livermore Valley.
This wine is particularly compelling for its vibrant red fruit profile, layered with gorgeous underbrush and black tea–like tannins. Sourced primarily from Bates Ranch—west of Morgan Hill in the southeastern corner of the Livermore Valley AVA, with vines planted in 1970—and augmented by fruit from Zayante Vineyard, it’s a striking expression of site. The tannins soar, lifted by perfumed floral notes, while bright currant leaf drives the wine from nose to finish. A brooding, high-acid Cabernet Franc that will benefit from time in the cellar—but if you can’t wait, serve it with well-salted steak, burgers, or even richly flavored chicken or fish dishes.
Sourced from Ghielmetti Vineyard, this Cabernet Franc was fermented in multiple open-topped 1.75-ton bins, punched down for extraction, and aged in neutral French oak puncheons. It’s just about everything you want from a New World Cabernet Franc—and distinctly different from anything you’ll find in Napa or elsewhere in California. Steven Kent Winery nails the balance: beautifully ripe and pure currant and plum fruit, accented—never overwhelmed—by sage, mint, and eucalyptus, all woven around tobacco leaf notes. The medium-bodied palate builds with intensity, framed by refined tannins that are firm yet inviting, with a suppleness in the 2022 vintage that’s hard to beat. Round and gentle, it glides into a long, nuanced finish layered with black sea salt, crushed sage, and bright thyme. You won’t want to put this down—and honestly, you’d better pair it with herb-dusted pork loin (or be damned).
The 2023 screwcap Cabernet Franc from Cresta Blanca Vineyard is a dynamic, complex, and expressive wine—especially impressive at a $35 SRP. Aged in concrete and neutral puncheons, this 1,000-case bottling is medium- to full-bodied, striking a remarkable balance between seriousness and approachability. The tannins are superfine and perfectly integrated, framing a beautiful panoply of dried sage, spearmint, and tobacco leaf. Juicy red and black currant fruit anchors the core, with spectacular wet river stone minerality, subtle underbrush, and crushed cacao nib nuances rounding out the finish.
Elements is a one-third blend of the Steven Kent “Steel”, “Rock”, and “Wood” aged Cabernet Franc wines. It’s an effortlessly delicious and expressive wine, capturing the best traits of all three: pure red and black fruit, integrated wild herb nuances, and a lovely thread of saline-mineral tension. Fine-grained tannins have a velveteen edge, gliding into a long finish marked by cocoa nib. Medium-bodied, with slightly less mid-palate depth than Wood, but with greater aromatic lift and flavor complexity. Very well put together—and a pleasure to drink.
“Wood” was aged in two nearly neutral barrels—a 2011 barrique and a 2015 barrel—making this one of the most subtle oak treatments in the series. “For us, barrel is about sanding off the corners of acid-driven young wines,” says Steven Kent Mirassou. “We don’t want it to add flavor or aroma. Since we mostly use puncheons, we get fewer wood notes but more structure. That oxygen exchange polishes the wine.”
And polished it is. “Wood” pulls together the sauvage character and fresh fruit tones—red and black currant—into a seamless whole. The wine feels composed, with a refined sheen and balanced structure. There’s a quiet density at the mid-palate and a revealing thread of acid tension that makes it deeply food-friendly.
Rock is aged in concrete for 14–18 months, offering a strikingly different expression of Cabernet Franc. The red and black currant fruit is more coiled and restrained, layered with earthy nuances and a subtle sauvage character that feels wild yet refined. The texture is almost velvety, with a grounded, mineral presence that gives the wine a quiet power. Really fascinating—and a compelling contrast within this producer’s Cabernet Franc series.
“Steel” is one of four Cabernet Franc wines in a series presented by Steven Kent Mirassou, alongside “Rock”, “Wood”, and “Elements”. Each is aged for just 10 months in a single type of vessel—highlighting how aging environment alone can shape the varietal expression. “The impetus for my wife, Beth, and me was something we experienced in the Loire Valley a year ago,” says Mirassou. “We noticed the variety of aging vessels being used, and after working with Cabernet Franc here for more than 20 vintages—this being my 30th harvest—we wanted to showcase the differences in varietal characteristics across vessels.”
Steel is made in a reductive style and is incredibly expressive. Aged for up to 10 months in stainless steel, it reveals striking purity of blackberry, black cherry, and black currant fruit, accented by tobacco leaf, spearmint, and sage. Medium-bodied, with silky fruit and precise saline-acid tension, it finishes with a delicate layer of dried flowers. Fresh, pure, and savory, Steel delivers elegant structure and a perfectly balanced finish.
Harvested from Clone 5 Cabernet Franc at Cresta Blanca Vineyard on the west side of the Livermore Valley AVA, this 2024 release saw just under 400 cases produced. My first taste of Cabernet Franc Blanc came from Steven Kent Winery—either the 2022 or 2023 vintage—and this 2024 bottling hits all the same high notes, while adding new depth. It’s a dynamic expression of a red grape reimagined as a white wine, and it delivers.
You might be surprised when you see the label, but give this wine a chance—and here’s what happens: subtle stone and tropical fruit notes build across the medium-bodied palate, nuanced by white flowers. There’s grippy, citrusy acid tension and mineral drive, all layered with apricot pit, white peach, and sea salt. The 2024 version leans a touch more plush and soft than previous vintages, but it remains just as compelling. Stockpile this by the caseload—this is one to watch.
This 100% Petit Verdot Rosé from Sakura Vineyard and Winery was fermented and aged in stainless steel. It’s a super salty, red-berry–fruited, floral-scented, and savory-spiced rosé with real verve and tenacity. As focused and southern-French in style as they come in the New World, it might just be the most food-friendly rosé in all of Livermore Valley.
This Tempranillo from Sakura Vineyard was barrel-aged for 10 months in American oak. High-toned eucalyptus notes weave through red cherry and plum fruit, all building to a crescendo on the medium-bodied palate. A burst of perfectly ripe blood orange and grapefruit zest adds lift before gliding into a drying, tannic finish.
The LVVC (Livermore Valley Vintners Collective) is a group of six Livermore winemakers who collaborate on a blend project each year. While the framework remains consistent, each winemaker creates a totally unique blend from their own wines. Aged in neutral and once-used French and American oak, this is a beautifully built, tightly knit, expressive wine with excellent tension and tremendous length. Medium-bodied, it’s framed by finely textured, tobacco-scented tannins supporting dark plum, juicy black currant, and tobacco leaf notes. A streak of saline-acid tension gives the wine great levity. A compelling showcase of the integrity Cabernet Franc can achieve in Livermore Valley.
The Big Daddy 100% Cabernet Franc from White Cat Vineyard in Livermore Valley is all Clone 5 (French 311), aged for 33 months in neutral and once-used French oak. And wow—is it ever a big daddy. Bold, bodacious, and bursting at the seams, with supple, juicy plum-like tannins that open to reveal ripe black currant, spiced plum, rich tobacco, cedar, and mocha. The long, spicy finish pops with a heady flash of smoked paprika before demanding another big sip.
Fruit for this 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Sunol Highlands Vineyard at Nella Terra Winery in Livermore Valley is grown at 1,100 feet elevation. Fermented entirely in stainless steel, it’s understandably crisp and zippy, yet layered with rich notes of orange and lemon oil and salted Marcona almonds on the nose. Light- to medium-bodied, with crunchy orchard and citrus fruit framed by screaming saline-acid minerality through the tension-filled finish.
This may be Rodrigue Molyneaux’s final vintage of this particular red as a standalone varietal bottling from Thatcher Bay Vineyard—a real pity, because there’s so much to like. Juicy, spicy, and savory, this Merlot offers hints of violets, wood spice, and licorice on the nose. The full-bodied palate is plush with plummy fruit, yet maintains terrific tension thanks to its vibrant spice, bright lift, and a surprising amount of structure. A compelling farewell, if indeed it is the last. -JR
This 98% Cabernet Franc from Casa de Viñas in the Livermore Valley was aged in 17.5% new French oak, 25% third-use Hungarian oak, and 67.5% neutral barrels. It’s a more subtle, refined expression of the variety, with sagebrush nuances, black currant, plum, and accents of new wood cedar. Medium-bodied, it shows zesty blood orange acidity and emerging notes of pine, mint, and eucalyptus that add an unexpected—but very welcome—freshness.
