The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
This Picpoul Blanc from Lost Draw, crafted by Brad Buckelew with consulting winemaker Jean Hoefliger, is a clean, bright, and fresh expression of the variety. It opens with lively citrus and delicate white tea notes, complemented by a subtle touch of honeyed almonds. The medium-bodied palate offers a refined texture that builds into a salty mineral richness on the finish, making it an exceptionally food-friendly white.
The fancifully named Drinkin’ Buddy Red Wine is a straightforward, unfussy offering with ripe red cherry fruit and toasty cedarwood notes. It is framed by muscular tannins, creating a medium-bodied wine that builds with richness on the mid-palate. As the assertive tannins resolve, the wine becomes more plump and generous. Lingering notes of red licorice and emerging graphite add complexity.
The Llano Estacado Fumé Blanc, a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc from the Texas High Plains, strikes a balance between richness and precision. Barrel aging imparts a touch of depth, while the wine remains focused and linear. Pressed white floral notes, subtle baking spice character, and hints of Texas prairie grass define the profile. The bone-dry finish underscores its elegance.
The 2021 Le Claret Classique Red Blend combines 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 24% Merlot into a super savory wine. It opens with notes of peppered charcuterie, black olive, black licorice, and tanned leather, all framed by burly tannins. The wine builds beautifully from medium- to full-bodied, with a long finish that lingers for over a half-minute.
Produced by Jason Centanni, this rosé is a delicate blend of 91% Cinsault and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Extremely light and almost ethereal, it offers a refreshing and easy-to-drink profile.
A saline thread of minerality runs through the wine, bolstered by bracing acidity and subtle red-toned fruit notes. Vibrant, understated, and captivating.
This Teroldego from the Texas High Plains, sourced from the Pepper Jack Vineyard, was aged for 20 months in oak. Most often associated with Italy’s Alto Adige, Teroldego does well in this area of Texas, and this red demonstrates that variety is one that Texas grape growers should continue to explore. The wine is polished and expressive, with elegant granitic mineral intensity framing ripe, savory currant fruit, herbs, and brown spice notes. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it offers a wealth of firm, nicely integrated tannins that have rounded edges, providing a smooth structure. The wine finishes with a flashy burst of sweet currant fruit and chocolate-covered figs.
Limestone Terrace’s Esate Mourvèdre is crafted from fruit grown on their Limestine Terrace Vineyard in the Teas HIll County AVA. Aged 20 months in neutral American oak, it leads with red-toned fruit notes and baking spice character, tinged with a hint of molasses. Medium-bodied, its mineral-scented tannins are taught and firm.
Sourced from 2013 plantings in the Rustic Spur Vineyard (the oldest Tannat vineyard on the northwest side of the Pedernales River Valley in the Texas Hill Country), this 100% Tannat is an outstanding effort of the region. Aged for 24 months in neutral oak, it offers a captivating nose, with rich aromas of loamy earth, black and red currants, plums, fruit spices, tobacco, and molasses. These elements transition seamlessly to the palate, which is full-bodied and defined by firm, soaring tannins that resolve beautifully. Layers of brown Indian spices, charcuterie, black tea, pressed wildflowers, dried fennel, and sage add complexity to the long, lingering, and expressive finish. Balanced and deeply nuanced.
This Petite Sirah comes from 2012 plantings at Newsom Vineyards on Indian Hill in the Texas High Plains. The vineyard, located about 40 miles west of most sites in the High Plains, sits near the New Mexico border and features unique soils—shallow sandy clay loam transitioning to chalky limestone, with the Petite Sirah blocks on a knoll of iridescent red sand over fractured limestone. Bin-fermented with whole berries and ample oxygen exposure, this wine moves away from the typical inky and heavy style of Petite Sirah. Instead, it offers a balanced and elegant profile of dark currants, black cherry, and high-toned blue fruits, accented by cedarwood notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with spiced plums, brandied Morello cherries, and currants, layered with savory tobacco and leather. The fine, black tea-like tannins are beautifully integrated, enhancing the wine’s structure and depth, and adding a sense of sophistication.
Sourced from 29-year-old vines at Newsom Vineyards, this 100% Brunello clone Sangioveseis aged for 26 months in a combination of 30% new American oak and neutral French and American barrels, and displays impressive complexity and balance. The wine opens with high-toned, bright cherry aromas, complemented by dried floral notes and hints of brown spices. Medium- to full-bodied, it features firm, taut, and grippy tannins, enriched by savory notes of charcuterie, tobacco, and leather. The finish is long and layered, with cherry pit and spiced plum adding depth.
Under the guidance of John Rivenburgh at Bending Branch, Picpoul Blanc was first planted in Texas in the High Plains around 2009 at the then-named Bending Branch Estate Vineyard. Selected for its excellent acid retention, the planting drew inspiration from Tablas Creek in Paso Robles. This particular wine comes from the roughly 15-acre Alta Loma Vineyard in the Texas High Plains (previously known as Timmons Estate Vineyard until its recent renaming). After harvest, the grapes are pressed in the vineyard, then transported to the winery and fermented on the skins without cold settling. Known for its natural acidity, the variety requires no acid adjustments and is bottled approximately six months after fermentation. This Picpoul Blanc is super aromatic, offering honeyed and nutty notes, melon-rich fruit, and pretty white floral aromas interwoven throughout. The palate is richly textured with good depth, balanced by a pleasant grip and a long, salty mineral finish.
The “Raj Collection,” named after the family’s son, is a special label produced only in the best vintages. This vintage is a blend where Petite Verdot adds richness and depth to Merlot, which can be lighter in this region. Aged for 24 months in neutral French oak, the wine is both structured and elegant. It features ample red and black currant character, with fig, blood orange, and high-toned notes of dried wild herbs, tobacco, leather, and a hint of white pepper. The palate is balanced by firm, taut, fine-grained tannins, leading to a long, mineral-driven finish. This is an excellent effort!
In 2015, Nikhila Narra planted UC Davis-certified Entav Tannat clones on her Narra Vineyards estate in the Texas High Plains, complementing the Tablas Creek clones already grown there. Aged for 24 months in neutral French oak, this wine stands out as one of the finest I tasted in Texas. Full-bodied and richly layered, it showcases a complex profile of red and black fruits, including currants and fig, intertwined with mocha spices and toasty cedarwood. These flavors build gracefully to a satisfying, harmonious, and balanced finish, with its exceptional depth and elegance.
I had the pleasure of tasting three vintages of this wine: the inaugural 2017, the 2018, and the 2022, which introduced new French oak and optical sorting (production was limited in 2019, with none made in 2020 and 2021). There’s no question that the 2022 vintage is the most polished and refined of them all. These reds are rich, showcasing black currant and red berry fruits, leather, and layered with pressed flowers and floral elegance. Aged for 24 months in 25% new French oak, the 2022 vintage takes this profile to the next level, adding a richer blue fruit and violet character, complemented by polished tannins and a plump, rounded texture. Crisp, vibrant structure supports the wine’s overall framework, making it both complex and approachable.
This Sagrantino, the first optically-sorted example of the variety in Texas, is a standout wine. Grown near the Malvasia Bianca blocks on the historic 140-acre Narra Vineyards site in the Texas High Plains, this low-yielding variety thrives in its unique terroir. A true powerhouse,it boasts hefty, muscular, broad-shouldered tannins, complemented by rich red berry fruits, Indian spices, and a touch of cinnamon. The clean, dry finish underscores its structure and aging potential. This is a wine built for the cellar—lay it down to see its full complexity unfold. A remarkable achievement for Texas viticulture.
This Bordeaux blend features Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 685, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Carménère, aged for an impressive 48 months in neutral French oak. Named “Kanchi,” after a village in South India renowned for its wedding saris, the name evokes a sense of rich history and elegance—qualities reflected in the wine itself. The wine is both elegant and intense, offering high-toned red berry fruit and warm spices. Full-bodied, it boasts plump, velvety tannins with layers of mocha, brown spices like cardamom and coriander, and intriguing notes of grapefruit zest and orange peel. The finish is long and deeply satisfying, marking this wine as a standout.
This Malvasia Bianca is a testament to freshness and vibrancy. Grapes were pressed directly in the vineyard using a bladder press, with the juice cold-settled before fermentation and then aged for six months in stainless steel prior to bottling. Sourced entirely from Kalasi’s Narra Vineyards estate in the Texas High Plains—located five hours from the winery—refrigerated transport is essential to preserving the quality of the fruit. This light, low-alcohol white is ideal for summer sipping or pairing with spicy, rich dishes. Highly floral and delicate, it features enchanting aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle. On the palate, it delivers impressive phenolic grip and a vinous character, underpinned by a chalky mineral baseline and bright acid tension. Lean, focused, and utterly refreshing, this white shows both charm and precision.
Originally planted in 2014 at Kalasi’s 140-acre Narra Vineyards estate in the Texas High Plains, this 100% Malbec showcases the region’s potential. Typically ripening around Labor Day, the fruit delivers a wine aged for 24 months in neutral French oak. Bright red berry fruit forms the core of its profile, accented by striking red and purple floral notes. These flavors mingle harmoniously with toasty cedarwood, a hint of molasses, fruit leather, and sweet spices. The palate is structured by firm, fine-grained tannins, leading to a long, sweetly spiced finish.
