The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
100% barrel-fermented, with roughly 30% new French oak and some Hungarian oak in the mix. This wine is super bright, with layers of lemon oil, toasty brioche, buttered croissant, and candied ginger. Medium- to full-bodied, it delivers a fantastic mouthfeel—rich, weighty citrus fruit balanced by bright, intense acid tension. Winemaker Mark Clarin notes that he inhibits some of the malolactic fermentation, allowing only about 70% to complete, which helps preserve freshness and drive. Fragrant baking spice and vanilla notes weave through the palate, and the finish lingers with terrific mineral intensity. A dynamic, beautifully structured white with serious depth and length.
Winemaker Mark Clarin proudly notes, “We grow everything we produce.” This Grenache Blanc—planted in the Lucky 8 Vineyard—is what he calls his “pet project,” a variety he personally championed for its strong performance in Livermore Valley. Sourced from cuttings out of Beeswax Vineyard in Monterey County, the wine is fermented in stainless steel. It opens with lovely aromatics of citrus oil, honeysuckle, and a hint of licorice, with dried fennel adding complexity. On the palate, it shows impressive weight and density, with terrific phenolic grip and vibrant apricot and white peach intensity. Long, textural, and compelling—a rare and exciting white from the region.
This 100% Cabernet Franc, aged for 18 months in French oak, comes from Clone 11 (French 214) grown at Lucky 8 Vineyard in the southeastern portion of the Livermore Valley. The wine explodes from the glass with bold oak overtones framing blackberry and spiced plum fruit. It’s a meaty, heady wine layered with loamy earth, pressed violets, soft, supple tannins, and loads of juicy character. This is your burger Cabernet Franc—some for the meat on the grill, the rest for the glass.
The Kylie Ryan Rosé from Lucky 8 Vineyard is picked on the early side and pressed directly into stainless steel. It’s super fragrant, with red berry fruit, strawberry, and watermelon rind, layered with apricot and sea spray minerality. A kiss of baking spice rounds out the nose. Medium-bodied, with a fleshy mid-palate and crisp, crunchy acid tension that drives a long, refreshing finish.
This sparkling Chardonnay from Lucky 8 Vineyard was harvested in late August at approximately 17 Brix with a pH of 3.0. Fermented in stainless steel, it was then racked to neutral oak for about three months before returning to stainless for heat and cold stabilization. The wine was bottled, tirage-aged, riddled, and finished with a dosage of just 2 g/L. It boasts bright lemon citrus and apricot notes, accented by fragrant white flowers and hints of nougat. The mousse is rich and creamy yet assertive, framed by soaring acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish. Crisp, clean, and beautifully structured.
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Lucky 8 Vineyard comes from the southeastern portion of the Livermore Valley and is entirely Musqué Clone, aged primarily in stainless steel with 10% in neutral oak. Named in honor of the two eldest granddaughters, Peton Taylor and Ashton Paige, this Sauvignon Blanc pays homage to the variety’s legacy in Livermore Valley. It’s a vibrant expression, bursting with tropical melon and guava notes that build across the medium-bodied palate, layered with juicy white peach and underscored by zesty, citrus-driven acidity. Long and focused on the finish.
A wine “Best in Show White” winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, this Verdelho is sourced from the first pick, fermented in stainless steel, and aged just a few months before bottling. Bright and laser-focused, it delivers citrus and orchard fruit layered with white flowers, and warmer undertones of straw and prairie grass. On the palate, it’s bracing and tightly wound, with nervy, electric acidity and a chalky mineral finish.
Assistant winemaker Aaron Andrews explains that in 2023, they approached Verdelho with a series of staggered picks and multiple fermentations using different yeasts. From just one block, they might run up to eight separate fermentations—later blending them to bottle. But in 2023, winemaker Brent Amos says each lot stood out so distinctly that they decided to bottle four different Verdelhos—a rare move for the portfolio.
This bottling represents the Reserve expression of the first pick from the estate. Fermented in neutral barrels with no malolactic fermentation, it opens with notes of quince and white peach, alongside wild herb aromatics. On the palate, crisp, crunchy acid tension embraces a succulent, weighty mid-palate with silky textures. The wine shows excellent length and precision, with striking tension throughout.
The 2022 Estate Monastrell was fermented in stainless steel and aged for 24 months in large-format barrels, including approximately 30% new French oak. This is a beautifully focused, easy-drinking red with supple, plump tannins and silky fruit on the palate. A mix of red and black fruits is layered with wild herbs, subtle mocha, and crushed cacao nibs. Wonderfully balanced and extremely food-friendly.
A blend of 37% Graciano, 34% Monastrell, 23% Tempranillo, and 6% Garnacha, this wine bursts from the glass with dark cherry, blackberry, and smoky cedarwood accents. On the palate, those aromatics deepen with crushed cocoa nib nuances, red berry fruit dusted with mocha spice, savory dried thyme, and espresso bean. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins framing a bold and satisfying finish.
This is a super savory and focused red, offering notes of black olive tapenade, black truffle charcuterie, and a hint of red licorice. Wet river stone minerality and blood orange acidity add lift, all supported by crisp, focused tannins. Medium- to full-bodied, with building intensity that carries through to a satisfying finish.
Fermented in neutral 500L puncheons by winemaker Brent Amos and assistant winemaker is Aaron Andrews, this silvery-hued white wine delivers a super expressive nose of guava, white peach, nectarine, pear, and zesty seashell minerality—an aromatic explosion from such a delicate-looking wine. On the palate, those aromatics come alive, fueled by oyster shell minerality and lime-scented, saline-driven acid tension. Crushed Marcona almonds, white flowers, and jasmine notes add complexity and frame the long, elegant finish.
This second pick Verdelho was aged entirely in stainless steel and bottled just a few months later. Stylistically in line with the first-pick White Label, this bottling offers a touch more generosity on the palate. The mouthfeel is plumper and more supple, with silky orchard fruit layered with nuances of almonds and dried florals. A slightly rounder, more textural expression—while still retaining freshness and focus.
This is the Reserve bottling from the second pick of Verdelho grapes in 2023, crafted decisively in a Chardonnay style. Fermented in 100% new French oak with full malolactic conversion, it was aged for just a few months in barrel prior to bottling. Texturally, it’s broader and rounder than the Estate Reserve Verdelho—which is more bracing—yet this version remains vibrant and dynamic. Orchard fruit mingles with umami-rich notes of Parmesan rind and expressive baking spices. While richer, it’s by no means flabby; bright, focused acid tension keeps the wine fresh and balanced.
This 2021 Barbera was fermented in stainless steel with punchdowns and aged for 30 months in large 500-liter puncheons—about 25% new, primarily French oak with a touch of American. Blending occurred just prior to bottling. The wine opens with fragrant red berry fruit, wet stone minerality, and dusty wild herbs. On the palate, sweet tea–like tannins frame notes of rose petal and rich cedarwood.
Fermented in stainless steel and bottled just a few months later, this vibrant white wine is crafted by winemaker Brent Amos, with assistant winemaker Aaron Andrews (who began his journey as a busboy and worked his way up through the cellar). Bright and laser-focused, it shows crisp citrus character with notes of orange oil, sea spray minerality, and white floral aromatics woven throughout.
As if a just-picked basket of limes and lemons were squeezed into your glass, this wine bursts with citrus purity, layered with jasmine flowers and honeysuckle nuances. Absolutely bracing and racy on the palate, with spicy, zesty, and zippy acid tension fueling the finish. This is your salad wine. Your carnitas tacos wine. Your post–18 holes first glass refresher before you dive into a hearty red with steak and potatoes.
