Bright straw-yellow. Nervy and precise on the nose, displaying fresh Meyer lemon and green apple aromas that pick up a subtle floral note as the wine opens up. Taut and gently chewy on the palate, showing fine clarity and a refreshingly bitter snap to the mineral- and floral-accented citrus and orchard fruit flavors. Finishes with firm cut, repeating citrus character and strong, mineral-driven tenacity.

Deep red. Vibrant raspberry and rose aromas, along with hints of dusty minerals and baking spices. Juicy, seamless and focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet red fruit and floral pastille flavors that deepen steadily as the wine opens up. Fine-grained tannins frame the lively, spice-laced finish, which shows strong, red-fruit-driven tenacity.

After 14 months in 30% new French oak, this is a compelling Pinot Noir that favors fruit, baking spice and sweet herbs. Layers range from plum, pomegranate and lavender to boysenberry and Bing cherry. There’s a sense of silkiness that’s joined by juiciness, Craisin and a finish that brings everything together.
Outstanding!

This smooth and darkly fruity wine offers rich blackberry and blueberry flavors, a smooth, lightly tannic texture, full body and a lingering fruity, chocolaty finish. Native yeast performed the fermentation, and neutral French barrels aged the wine.

Woody spice and cardamom accent tingly red fruit in this herbal, earthy wine, crunchy in texture with a length of citrus and red berry. Made in a lush, concentrated style of great power, it finds balance in a finishing touch of acidity.

Light cedar, rosemary and cranberry aromas lead to tasty red and black cherry flavors in this well-structured, well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. It’s a bit tight in texture and should improve with time. Best from 2025.

Crisp black raspberry, lavender and damp earth aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The palate is both savory and refreshing, with fruit punch, red flower blossom and dried meat flavors.

This superreliable, full-bodied wine boasts toast and butter aromas, ripe black cherry flavors and a full, rich mouthfeel backed by moderate tannins.

Warm and honeyed aromas of salted almonds and white peach show on the rich nose of this bottling. There’s a viscosity to the palate that comes across as bold and attention-grabbing, with flavors of smoked peach, Meyer lemon and butter completing
the picture.

Very crisp on the nose, this bottling by Greg Brewer pops with tropical flowers and fruits of jasmine, plumeria and guava on the nose, with a crushed seashell minerality. The tropical character rides through the palate, offering more plumeria and guava flavors in a balanced approach.

This fresh and vibrant bottling is widely available and fairly priced. Aromas of cherry, strawberry and raspberry are spiced with a pinch of oak on the nose, while the palate shows a heartier side of baked red fruit with sandalwood spice.

Mesquite and vanilla pair with baked red fruit and slate on the nose of this appellation blend. Smoked strawberry flavors arise on the palate, which is softer in texture.

Light raspberry and white peach flavors give an inviting freshness to this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine. It tastes clean, light and lively.

This vintage of the highly regarded Clarendon vineyard is currently in an awkward place. There are layers of flavor, from sun-shriveled plums and figs to green peppercorn and olive brine; from cedar shavings to chocolatey oak, but the oak and alcohol make for a dense, heavy set bottling lacking in freshness and verve. From 2019 the winery switched to large foudre barrels, so this reviewer advises either holding out for later vintages of this wine or leaving this in the cellar another few years.

Fresh, grapy, jammy flavors and a medium body give this wine an intensely fruity, gulpable appeal. It is exuberant, easy to enjoy and not to be taken too seriously.

Lighter in the glass, this bottling shows cranberry, carnation and a funky earth aroma on the nose. It’s lean on the palate, where dried thyme and oregano meet with dried cranberry and cured meat flavors.

Big in oak and tannin, this wine is profusely ripe in blackberry jam, baking spice and barbecue smoke.

A very well known, and delightfully consistent producer that is also quite easy to find at many shops, Kendall-Jackson makes a number of very agreeable, crowd-pleasing wines. Well-restrained with oak characters, but showing off dominant apple and citrus fruit, and a zippy acid. Could work very nicely with certain seafood dishes, but better with grilled poultry or even a not too meaty charcuterie board...

I wouldn't normally call chardonnay a "crushable" grape, but the 2019 from Cambria is finding that fine balance between oak (yes, it's there) but offset by bright and fairly tart fruits on the tropical spectrum, with a rather delicate floral component. A very clean, very modern expression of the grape that is versatile at the table and for a wide range of enthusiasts. Very nice.

One of the most interesting projects we’ve been watching is over at Yangarra. They’ve got most of the grape varieties of France’s Chateauneuf-du-pape region planted, some of which I can barely pronounce, like Counoise, if you say something like “Coo-Nwah-z” that’s about right.
In 2018, they released something with all the red varieties blended together called “Noir”. Pete Fraser is the brains behind the winemaking, my parents also happen to be his godparents, but even with an unbiased view, his wines are nothing short of incredible. This is fresh, lively and jam-packed with flavour, perfect for the introduction of winter and something braised!

The 2018 Strada al Sasso Gran Selezione is also phenomenal, a more sweetly fruited and generous — yet still very age-worthy — expression of Chianti Classico.

The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva is particularly exciting, with tart black and red cherries, leather, and violets ringing through the vibrant and mouthwatering finish.

Very inviting, with an expressive set of blackberry, black cherry and boysenberry compote aromas and flavors kept energetic by juicy acidity, while bramble and anise fuel the finish. A fruit bomb lover's wine. Drink now through 2026.

This zesty Zin delivers black cherry, roasted anise and spice flavors that finish with briary tannins. Drink now through 2027.

Focused, with a narrow beam of bitter cherry and blood orange notes guided by light cinnamon and red tea. Ends with a gentle feel. Drink now through 2025.