Oregon Displays Collective Greatness: 400-Plus Wines Rated This is a polished and complex young pinot that offers deeply spicy and ripe, darker cherries with attractive freshness. The palate delivers a suave, upbeat and very long, spice-laced array of rich, black-cherry and licorice flavor and carries deep into the fresh, even finish.

This limited bottling (350 cases, or about 14 barrels) from Penner-Ash is a stunning example of richly layered, lush Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Beautifully balanced, it offers a deep note of black cherry with a hint of plum and a judicious amount of wood spice that doesn’t overwhelm the fruit. With impressive length and a lingering finish, it’s a memorable effort.

Penner-Ash's flagship bottling leans into the dark side of Pinot Noir possibilities, with loads of black and blue fruit balancing rich damp earth, forest floor and brown spice aromas and flavors, a mouth filling texture and a long finish that doesn't push, but doesn't falter either -- it just hangs in from the initial presentation for a good while. This is ready to drink, either as a fine solo glass, or with red meat dishes. Wines where the acidity is this soft often have some weak spots, but this one works on all fronts.

Smooth and succulent with cherry notes; elegant, classic, and Burgundian; savory; balanced, and refined; a stunning example of what Oregon winemaking can accomplish.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Easy to find superlatives for this special wine with no name. Intense aromas of cherry, rose petal and forest floor, broadening over time to deeper tones. Delicious mid weight black raspberry, black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors that offer pleasing density and a mouth coating finish. Stunning mid palate presence with a dreamy texture, integrated tannins, and a deft touch of toasty, peppery oak. Considerably better when tasted later in the day from a previously opened bottle and still embraceable two days later. This is a celebratory wine for special occasions.

Aromas of tar and asphalt with strawberry and cherry character. Smokey. Full-bodied, chewy and polished with beautiful tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Complex.

Winemakers in the state of Oregon, which borders northern California, have enjoyed three consecutive outstanding vintages—2014, 2015, and 2016—and are making some of the most exciting pinot noirs in the world. The wines, which can emulate the best of Burgundy, have a unique purity of fruit due to the coastal state’s cool climate. Here are 10 outstanding examples after James tasted close to 300 in the Willamette Valley last October.

Tasting 2008 Oregon Pinot Noirs at Age 10 Open-textured and seductive, with cherry, pear, paprika and floral flavors. A sanguine note adds complexity. This has presence and stature.

The cult of minerality is on full display with this beautifully crafted old-vine Riesling from Oregon. On the nose it shows a breathtaking wet stone minerality that is rare in domestic Riesling. On the palate the wine is bone dry, exhibits complex aromas of tropical fruit, dried apricot and spice. The finish lingers impressively. Gorgeous now, but most certainly a wine that will reach new heights with significant bottle age.

A gorgeous dry Riesling from 46-year-old vines that delivers classic character -- granite minerality, mixed citrus and stone fruit, and a touch of petrol all ride lip-smacking acidity through a long, intensifying finish. I love wine like this as solo sippers, but you could run the table with it as well. Riesling like this goes with just about anything.

Dark and deep with excellent structure and style; generous, graceful and long; made by Chris Carpenter, one of Napa's superstar winemakers.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3.5% Merlot, 1.5% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep purple-black, it sings of warm blackberries, cassis and wild blueberries with hints of violets, dark chocolate, cigar box and menthol. Full-bodied and laden with black and blue fruit, it has a firm structure of grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long.

North Coast Part 1: Napa Valley’s Incredible 2016s Lastly, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is another winner that more than overdelivers. While from mountain fruit, this 2016 shows a more rounded, supple, even sexy style to go with beautiful Cabernet notes of blackcurrants, lavender, jammy blackberry, and earthy/herbal characteristics. With ultra-fine tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and plenty of mid-palate depth, drink this perfectly balanced Mt. Veeder Cabernet any time over the coming two decades or more.

Mt. Brave Vineyard sits high atop Mt. Veeder at an elevation of 1,400 to 1,800 feet on an area planted since the early 1860s. The estate, on the western flank of Napa Valley, is named for the native Wappos who first called it home. The mountain site is all about high elevation and thin, rocky soils that present many winegrowing challenges. Four cabernet clones (191, 4, 8, and 337) and three rootstocks (3309C, 101-14, and 1103P) combine to neutralise some of the issues in what is normally a slow moving, long, cool growing season above the fog line. Winemaker Chris Carpenter likes to say, “Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is meant to show all that is Mt. Veeder without overt tannins.” In 2015 a cooling trend occurred during fruit set, lowering yields as much as 30 percent in some cases. Things turned around near the end of harvest as the small crop allowed for an earlier than usual finish. The quality of the fruit was so high they even added a little bit of petit verdot to the blend. In all, it spent 22 months in 75 percent new French oak. The blend is 87.5/5/3/3/1.5 cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. It’s just a baby, full of exuberant blue and red fruits, spice and mineral notes. Balanced, earthy, savoury, restrained fruit with a brooding tannin background that will disperse over time, but for now cellar for at least a decade.

The star of the show is clearly the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon which has everything you could want from a Mountain Cabernet. Cassis, blueberries, violets, leafy herbs, and graphite notes all emerge from this full-bodied, concentrated, yet plush, forward, incredibly sexy 2014. With no hard edges, impeccable balance, and a great finish, drink this beauty anytime over the coming 15+ years.

Mt. Brave Vineyard sits high atop Mt. Veeder at 1,400 to 1,800 feet. The estate, on the western flank of Napa Valley, is named for the native Wappos who first called it home. Mt. Veeder has been planted to wine grapes since the early 1860s, while Mt. Brave Vineyard dates to 1841—before the Gold Rush and the Civil War. The site is all about high elevation and thin, rocky soils that present many winegrowing challenges. Four cabernet clones (191, 4, 8, and 337) and three rootstocks (3309C, 101-14, and 1103P) neutralise some of the issues in what is normally a slow moving, long, cool growing season above the fog line. Winemaker Chris Carpenter says “Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is meant to show all that is Mt. Veeder without overt tannins, and the 2014 is a great example of that proposition". I say, is it ever; the finesse of this wine and the silkiness of the 2014 tannins is other-worldly. The wine fermented in stainless steel and goes through malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels (89 percent new). After some 19 months of barrel ageing it is bottled without fining or filtration. The attack mixes black raspberry/blackberry fruit, dried herbs and blueberries with a floral, mineral undercurrent that perfectly meshes with the silky tannins. The blend is 90.5/4/3.5/2 cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and malbec. Cellar for a decade.

The mountain appellation speaks loudly in this wine, contributing juicy blackberry, tar and leather, all within a forested context of wild truffle and crunchy leaves. Concentrated and robust in body and ripeness, it unwinds slowly in the glass, imparting jolts of black pepper as it goes. —V.B.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Malbec Mt. Veeder (100% Malbec) is very deep purple-black in color and reveals stunning black and red cherries, black plums and violets with wafts of unsmoked cigars and mossy bark. Full, concentrated and seductive in the mouth, it has a solid line of fine-grained tannins and loads of bold, perfumed fruit, finishing long.

Napa 2016 Vintage: 5 Consecutive Years of Fantastic Wines This is an awesome Napa malbec that you need to try, offering blackberries, blueberries and minerals. Hot stones and cement. Full body, chewy tannins and a fresh, salty finish. Shows tension and focus.

Inky purple-black colored, the 2015 Malbec Mt. Veeder gives up a very unusual (in a good way!) savory/meaty nose over a core of black currants and blackberries with touches of Indian spices, chargrill and sautéed herbs. Full-bodied, very firm and very fresh in the mouth, the rock solid, muscular black fruit is tautly framed, finishing long and savory. Give it another 2-3 years in bottle and drink it over the next 25+.

Dark ruby color; luscious, juicy and rich with sweet oak, ripe blackberry and cassis; another stunner made by winemaking master Chris Carpenter.

You don’t see much straight Malbec from the Napa Valley. Rose petal, and musk, red plum and fruit, spice and coffee, earth. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and ripe chocolate and ironstone tannin, mouth-perfume, grip and serious length on the finish. Rich but fresh. Powerful. Emphatic.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Journey Red is powerful, resonant and also light on its feet, with a good bit of aromatic complexity and nuance. Crushed flowers, sweet dark berries, mint, pomegranate and blood orange all run through this super-expressive flagship wine from Matanzas Creek. In the past, Journey has been much more overt, but the 2016 points to a greater emphasis on finesse.

From the minute I pulled the bottle from its carton, I wanted to dislike it. A hundred bucks for a heavy bottle. Not a good start. But that’s why you taste. Labeled simple, “Red Wine,” it’s a Merlot-heavy blend that conveys a lot over everything — dark fruit, earthy notes — and wonderful harmony. An intense wine, but not heavy or over-the-top. Indeed, it’s a balanced powerhouse. Savory notes predominate in the finish, which ends with a seductive hint of bitterness. Leg of lamb studded with garlic would be a great match.

Three things mark this Cab-based blend— intense tannins, fantasically concentrated fruit and a lively acidity that keeps the palate refreshed. It has a molten core of blackberries and cassis that is spectacular, yet nowhere near ready to drink. Needs serious time. Consider drinking from 2018, although it could be going strong for many additional years.