The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
A refined and elegant red, this Grenache is floral, fresh, and almost delicate, with lifted aromas of red berries. The mouthfeel is absolutely lovely—herbal, spicy, and layered with vibrant red plum fruit. A sense of energy and poise carries through to the long, graceful finish, well-balanced and expressive. -JR
Titled as a love letter to owner and winemaker Dane Stark’s wife, this 100% Grenache rosé opens with delicate notes of wild strawberry and rose petals. A pleasing hint of structural astringency—like plum skin—adds texture to the palate, which finishes with elegance and a refined, mineral-driven character. -JR
Fermented in stainless steel, this Sauvignon Blanc is grassy, vibrant, and aromatic, with just-ripe tropical fruit and subtle herbal undertones. Sourced from a cooler site in the Livermore Valley, the palate is energetic and refreshing, delivering crowd-pleasing notes of stone fruit and citrus. A bright, lively white that’s perfect for warm days and versatile at the table. -JR
Harvested from the Cresta Blanca and Ghielmetti vineyards, this wine was aged for 34 months in twice-used American and French oak. Alluring aromatics lead with red and black currant, sage, dried spearmint, and new wood cedar. Medium-bodied on entry, with saline minerality framing a juicy, savory black-fruited core. Firm tannins and a touch of olive tapenade carry through to the lengthy finish.
Sourced from the Ziganti Vineyard and aged in neutral oak, this is a savory, plum-driven expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose offers dried herbs alongside juicy red and black currants, while the palate delivers lifted notes of red plum and loganberry. A toasty, well-integrated finish rounds out this vibrant and approachable wine. -JR
Sourced from Lodi’s Silva Spoons Vineyard, this white was fermented with native yeasts, saw a touch of skin contact, and was aged partially (30%) in neutral French oak. The nose opens with inviting notes of honey, citrus, and orange blossom. On the orange-flavored palate, it strikes a beautiful balance between linear acidity and a sultry, rounded texture. -JR
Floral, tropical, and herbaceous—this Torrontés from Lodi hits all the right notes for the variety. Crafted with a deft touch by Omega Road, it offers a vibrant, expressive nose of tropical fruit and blossoms. The palate is bright and citric, with a clean mineral edge that brings precision and lift. Delicious. -JR
Sourced from the female-owned Crackerbox Vineyards, this 100% Sangiovese Rosé was aged sur lie for four months prior to bottling and release. It opens with brilliantly bright wild herb aromatics—dried lavender, thyme, and rosemary—accented by hints of prairie grass. The palate is nicely textured, with excellent grip and juicy cranberry and black raspberry fruit. Slightly underripe strawberry adds a crunchy edge, like biting into the white part near the stem. Firm acids give this wine great tension. Enjoy it with tacos.
With 10% of proceeds from each bottle benefiting the Celebration Nation Organization in support of farmworkers and their families, this red blend carries purpose along with personality. Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carignan, 3% Tempranillo, 3% Zinfandel, and 3% Semillon, it offers intriguing spice notes alongside jaunty plum fruit aromas. The palate evolves from tangy to chewy to silky, delivering friendly red fruit flavors with excellent lift and impressive length. -JR
Licorice, mulberry, and wild blueberry leap from the buoyant nose of this Lodi-sourced Mencía. The red fruit-driven palate is delicious, eager, and effortlessly appealing. Waves of peppery spice roll in with persistent energy—just when you think it’s done, another layer arrives. A vibrant, spice-laced wine with charm and character. -JR
The 2021 “Dos Mesas” Red Blend is rich, juicy, and neatly compact—a focused expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that’s teeming with loamy earth accents woven through a rich tapestry of blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. Tobacco spice layers in with notes of spiced Mexican mocha, all framed by superfine tannins and terrific length and intensity.
The 2021 Ghielmetti Vineyard Cabernet Franc from Livermore Valley is a dark-toned, bold, and fragrant red, showing classic Cabernet Franc character with high-toned dried herbs, tobacco leaf, and black currant fruit. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate with superfine tannins and layers of spice, including a smoked paprika nuance throughout. Juicy currant fruit fills the mid-palate with good density while staying light on its feet. Finishes long with a mineral edge. A rocking Cab Franc from this producer.
Exclusive to wine club members, this red is sourced from the highly regarded Ghielmetti Vineyard. The nose is already compelling, offering warm spices, tobacco notes, and a mix of red and black cherry fruit—though it remains youthful and full of potential. On the palate, it strikes a beautiful balance between power and elegance, finishing long, fresh, tangy, and plummy.
The 2023 Murrieta’s Well 100% Sauvignon Blanc was aged sur lie for four months in 10% new and 90% neutral French oak barrels. Refined and balanced, it shows expressive chalky minerality and a rich mid-palate density that remains light on its feet, thanks to scintillating acid tension. Crisp and focused, with orchard fruit shining through on the lengthy finish, sipping this is ike biting into a crunchy, crisp Granny Smith apple or early-season pear. Quite the ideal companion on a hot summer day.
Murrieta’s Well’s Cabernet Franc was fermented in stainless steel tanks with pneumatage twice daily, then aged for 19 months in 60% new French oak and 40% used French oak barrels. Refined, focused, and medium-bodied with suave tannins and expressive black currant fruit, it carries notes of mocha and blood orange-like acidity on a finish marked by dried wild herbs and rich baking spices. There’s a lovely sweetness to the bold fruit, balanced by savory herbal tones and subtle tobacco character.
Sourced from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard, this Cabernet Sauvignon was fermented in stainless steel, cold-soaked to enhance color and fruit intensity, then left on the skins for up to 20 days post-fermentation. After pressing and settling, it was racked to barrel and aged for 30 months in 100% new Hungarian oak.
This bottling offers a more toned-down expression compared to the Reserve Cabernet, yet it’s still rife with dark currant, black cherry, and spiced plum fruit. The oak influence is more refined and mellowed, allowing dried wild herbs and savory tobacco leaf nuances to shine through on the lengthy finish. Firm, muscular tannins are rounded by mineral tension, giving the wine both structure and finesse.
The Patriot Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard. Fermented in stainless steel with a cold soak to extract color and fruit intensity, the wine remained on the skins for up to 20 days post-fermentation before being pressed, settled, and racked to barrel. It was aged for 30 months in 100% new American oak. The moniker is a tribute to the winery’s support of the Fallen Heroes Fund, while also honoring founder James Vincent (a former Alameda County Sheriff). This is the spiciest expression in the McGrail Cabernet lineup, with notes of toasted coconut, white truffle, and a savory meatiness. Full-bodied, with ripping, soaring tannins that frame layers of red and black currant, black cherry, and wild herb nuances on a long finish.
Named in honor of the late James Vincent, who founded the winery with his wife Ginger, this Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard. Fermented in stainless steel with a cold soak to enhance color and fruit intensity, the wine remained on the skins for up to 20 days post-fermentation before being pressed, settled, and racked to barrel. It was then aged for 30 months in 100% new French oak.
This bottling delivers a more classic expression of Cabernet, with blackberry, graphite, and toasty oak spices. Notes of black olive and smoked paprika add savory depth. Full-bodied, with soaring, chocolatey tannins and a mineral core of wet slate. The finish is long and layered, with pressed wildflowers and dried fennel adding aromatic complexity.
Winemaker Mark Clarin says Cabernet Sauvignon should be “big, bold, and badass”—and this wine delivers. Sourced from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard, the grapes were cold-soaked in stainless steel to extract color and fruit intensity, followed by fermentation and up to 20 days of extended maceration on the skins. After pressing and settling, the wine was racked to barrel and aged for 30 months in approximately 65% new oak—a mix of French, Hungarian, and American.
It opens with rich baking spice and cocoa powder aromas wrapped around dense blackberry fruit. Full-bodied and intense, the wine boasts bold, powerful tannins that build on the finish. Loamy earth and dark chocolate add depth, while a burst of juicy blood orange acidity brings lift and carries the length.
