Medium ruby red. This annata has a fruit forward nose of red and dark red berries with light herbal and underbrush notes. There’s excellent acidity and freshness on the medium weight palate. An excellent bistro wine. A blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot aged 10 months in used French oak barriques.  pH 3.45, 15% alc. 

A clonal selection between the Machado and Hapgood sites, the 2022 Pinot Noir 459 gives off aromas of dark fruits, bright spices and tobacco leaves on the nose. The decadent, luscious palate is lined with balancing acidity, concluding with a ripe, robust finish framed by drying tannins. While decidedly on the more powerful side, a lifted quality to the finish brings this into balance, although it is best enjoyed on the early side

Tropical-fruited, honeyed, nutty and menthol-tinged on the nose, the 2022 Chardonnay 3D is a voluptuous, powerful expression of the Sta. Rita Hills. The palate is rich and decadent yet manages to retain focus, finishing with immensely flashy ripeness. While this is passionately well-made, I can't help but gravitate toward the more chiseled bottlings in the lineup.

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is a lovely summation of the Brewer-Clifton style. It leads with a balanced array of bright fruits, lifted herbal flourishes and spice-driven overtones. The palate straddles fruit-forward succulence and focused, driving precision, concluding with a charmingly refreshing, saline-tinged finish.

The 2021 Pinot Noir was matured for 14 months in 30% new oak. It has pure aromas of cranberry, rhubarb, orange peel, mossy bark and mushrooms. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and fresh with concentrated, earth-laced fruit and a long, juicy finish. 250 cases were made.

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Journey is scented of kiwi, citrus blossoms, dried herbs and petrichor. The light-bodied palate is mineral driven and energetic with a gently grippy texture and a long, juicy finish. 220 cases produced.

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Bennett Valley opens with flinty tones that give way to pineapple, lime peel, tarragon and dried hay aromas. The medium-bodied palate is gently grippy, and its bright acidity calls you back for another juicy sip. 390 cases produced.

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench is scented of peach, white pepper, citrus blossoms and tarragon. The light-bodied palate offers citrusy, mineral-laced fruit. It balances juicy acidity with a gently creamy texture and has a long, flavorful finish. 215 cases were made.

The 2020 Chardonnay Skycrest Vineyard was matured for 17 months in 24% new French and Austrian oak. It has layered aromas of Meyer lemon, yellow apples, panna cotta, almonds and beeswax. The medium-bodied palate pairs a creamy texture with generous, ripe flavors. It’s balanced by bright acidity and has a long, flavorful finish. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. 520 cases produced.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Unforgettable was fermented with around 30% whole clusters and matured for 17 months in 30% new French oak. It has a medium garnet color and layered scents of raspberry jam, orange, shiitake, forest floor and rose petals. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and fresh with concentrated, perfumed fruit and a long, layered finish. Drink it over the next 2- 3 years. 161 cases were made.

The 2021 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Sable Mountain Vineyard has pure aromas of apricot, jasmine, honey and spice, revealing further detail as it spends time in the glass. The light-bodied palate is soft and perfumed with delicately styled, floral flavors, rounded acidity and a nuanced finish.

The 2020 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Sable Mountain Vineyard was barrel fermented and matured in 25% new French oak for nine months. It has savory aromas of apple pie, crème brûlée and honey. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with honeyed stone fruit flavors. It’s balanced by mouthwatering acidity and has a long, flavorful finish. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. 455 cases were made.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Estate Hawkeye Mountain was matured for 21 months in 63% new French oak. It has layered aromas of cassis, coffee beans, sage, olive and bay leaves. The full-bodied palate offers generous, nuanced fruit framed by grainy tannins, and it has a long, graphite-laced finish. 1,364 cases produced.

The 2021 Zinfandel Russian River Valley comes from vines over 100 years old, and the wine was matured for 10 months in 41% new French oak. It slowly unfurls aromas of yellow peach, bergamot, conifer and graham cracker. The medium-bodied palate is soft and juicy with expressive flavors and a spicy finish. 2,044 cases produced.

Matured for 21 months in 31% new French oak, the 2017 Syrah Outer Limits has distinctly savory aromas of black fruit, shiitake, bitter chocolate, game meat and iron. The full-bodied palate is powerful and concentrated. It’s structured by grainy tannins and juicy acidity and has a long, savory finish. 150 cases produced.

The 2021 Chenin Blanc Jurassic Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1982 in fossil-rich soils at 1,000 feet of elevation. Barrel fermented and matured in used French oak for eight months, it’s scented of apple pie, hay, beeswax and spicy undertones. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and savory with concentrated fruit, vivacious acidity and a long, flinty finish. 135 cases were made

The 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley was matured for nine months in 21% new French oak. It’s scented of rhubarb and blueberry with nuances of orange peel, tea leaves, mushroom and nutmeg. The light-bodied palate is silky and refreshing with crunchy, spicy flavors and a long, floral finish. 15,000 cases were made.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Jennifer’s, matured for 15 months in 33% new French oak, is scented of cranberry, rhubarb, dried flowers and oolong tea leaves. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with understated flavors and a long, pleasantly earthy finish. 292 cases were made.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley, matured for 10 months, has alluring scents of strawberry and raspberry jam, mossy bark, shiitake mushrooms and floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with perfumed fruit and a long, fragrant finish. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. 275 cases were made.

Matured for 10 months in French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay Skycrest Vineyard has mineral-driven aromas of flint, cashew and Meyer lemon. The light-bodied palate is silky in texture and offers citrus and honey flavors, mouthwatering acidity and a long, layered finish. Drink it over the next year or two. 200 cases were made.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Edmeades Vineyard, matured in French oak for 20 months, unfurls slowly on the nose to reveal red cherry, raspberry, aniseed, tobacco and iodine aromas. The mediumbodied palate has generous, perfumed flavors, gently rustic tannins, mouthwatering acidity and a flavorful finish. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. 355 cases produced.

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Pine Mountain comes from vines planted at 2,900 feet of elevation, and the wine was matured for 10 months in puncheons, stainless steel and amphorae. It has bright aromas of white peach, kiwi, lime peel, beeswax and candle smoke. The light-bodied palate is concentrated and textural with perfumed flavors, energetic acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish. Drink it now and over the next five years. 530 cases were made.

Sourced from the Perilune Vineyard, the 2022 Syrah is pretty and spice-driven on the nose, with green peppercorns, dried cloves, olive brine and menthol aromas. The palate is bright, redfruited and supple, finishing on a balanced, simple, savory note.

From vines planted in 2017, the 2022 Pinot Noir Perilune is soft and delicately red-fruited and floral on the nose. The palate is richly saturated and plush, leading to a simple, straightforward finish with pleasant saline refreshment. Given the performance of this site's Chardonnay, I am excited to taste future iterations of the Pinot Noir as the vines mature.

Similar to the Chardonnay expression from this site, the 2022 Pinot Noir 3D is a ripe, lush take on a cool-climate Pinot Noir. Aromas of candied and preserved red fruits, fruit liqueur, citrus peels and menthol accents bound from the glass. The palate is dense and concentrated, with a sweetly fruited finish subtly propped up by lift from whole-cluster inclusion.