A blend of mainly cabernet sauvignon and merlot with a dollop of petit verdot from the Sexton vineyard, planted in Gruyere in 1997. A deep, bright magenta. Aromas of red cherries, black plums and floral notes together with hints of thyme and rosemary lead onto the medium-bodied, gently structured and balanced palate. Far from a monster, this is a wine to enjoy now (with food) and over the next five to seven years.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Emery is characterized on the nose by pretty, tricolored berry fruit and alluring accents of forest floor, juniper, aniseed and tobacco. The medium-bodied palate features layered, floral fruit structured by clay-textured tannins and vibrant acidity. It's powerful and inviting, and its structure and detail point to a positive evolution in bottle. 430 cases were made.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Aliette opens dramatically with time in the glass, its aromas segueing from tar and forest floor to pure red cherry, cranberry, licorice and lavender. The medium-bodied palate features a concentrated core of fragrant red fruit. It has a finely astringent texture, vibrant acidity and a long finish with a fan of spicy accents. 425 cases produced.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée is dark and savory on the nose: red cherry and cranberry are accented by tones of tar, forest floor and amaro. The medium-bodied palate explodes with generous red fruit and complex spicy accents. It's structured by finely astringent tannins and fireworks of fresh acidity, and it has a long, expressive finish. 1,500 cases produced.

A barrel selection, the 2021 Pinot Noir Pas de Nom offers notable purity and complexity this vintage. It opens with detailed aromas of blackberry, raspberry, black tea leaves, woodsmoke and lavender. The medium-bodied palate's layered flavors are framed by chalky tannins and vibrant acidity that give it a weightless feel, and it has a very long, fragrant finish. 229 cases produced.

The nose on this bottling is quite complex, ranging from waxy, dried lemon peel to hints of sour cream to intense honeysuckle aromas. The palate is viscous yet buoyant in citrusy acidity, leading into a salty finish.

This brand's wines are consistently engaging even at this more widely available appellation cuvée level. Crisp cherry, raspberry, bay leaf and fennel aromas lead from the nose into a palate that's alive with juicy red fruits and wild, peppery herbs.

Though fascinating when young, this wine is built for years of evolution in the cellar. Aromas of raspberry soda evolve quickly into anise, peppercorn and mint on the nose. The palate is tense and savory yet still bright with fruit, as a high-acid and firm-tannic grip offer long-term protection. Drink now–2042.

Craig McAllister presented this wine. Saralee’s is a famous vineyard, developed and planted by Saralee and Richard Kunde, and La Crema bought it 2012. It’s 200 acres of vines, but they are doing some replanting and have a composting operation there for all the estate vineyards. It’s the test bed for the JFW regenerative farming work. This vineyard gives them an elegant style of Pinot Noir. It’s a flat vineyard. This is vibrant and juicy with bright red fruit characters and some nice structure. The oak (30% new) is well integrated. Largely Martini clone but also Mount Eden and Swan and some Dijon clones. Crunchy raspberry fruit with good acidity, and finishes with some grip. Compact and focused, this is really good. 

The 2021 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz is surely one of the most elegant iterations of this idiosyncratically Australian blend. The idea behind the blend is that the Cabernet tannins create shape and line, while the Shiraz fills in the middle palate. The effect, when blended well with great base wines, is one of seamless power and drive across the palate. Here, the wine is leafy and brambly, no doubt owing to the expression of the Cabernet in what was a cooler season, while the usually inky McLaren Vale Shiraz speaks this year of arnica and aniseed, licorice and blueberries. The tannins are fresh and ashy, making for a chewy, pliable sort of finish. The oak is prominent at this stage, although perhaps this will ameliorate in time, given the quality of the fruit. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

The 2021 The Nest Cabernet Franc is beautifully textured. I know I usually start with aromas then flavors, but I tasted this after smelling it for a while, and the tannins are surely the most alluring part about this wine; they're finely gravelly, gritty, chewy and pliable and extend out through the finish, beyond the cassis and cocoa, beyond the raspberry and bramble. They beckon for another sip. Done. I like it, and it will cellar well. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

From a north-facing block, the 2021 Cabernet Franc Mt. Veeder features scents of tobacco and tomato leaf elements, plus blackberries and blueberries. It's full-bodied and firm but silky and ripe, with hints of licorice and drying tannins on the lingering finish. It's ultimately mouthwatering, which I take as a good sign that the tannins will be balanced in another few years.

The 2021 Chardonnay W.S. Keyes boasts lovely toasted-hazelnut scents, nicely accenting grilled peach and ripe pear notes. Only 10% of the wine went into new oak, and the barrels used are 500-liter puncheons, to keep the oak influence moderate; malolactic fermentation is avoided. The wine is medium to full-bodied, juicy and mouthwatering without being overly lean; it's generous but balances that with plenty of citrusy acid and ample length on the finish.

The 2021 Chardonnay La Crête is exotic and expressive! The nose is bursting with yellow peach, lemongrass and ginger, plus deeper tones of manuka honey, toasted meringue and crème brûlée. The medium-bodied palate offers the same depth of fruit, its dynamic flavors ranging from stone fruit to honey and spice. Its opulence is balanced by firm, focused acidity, and it has a very long, layered finish. 100 cases were made.

Pouring a straw yellow hue, the 2022 Riesling displays a great deal of crystalline purity. Sourced from the Stonestreet Estate (Cougar Ridge), it shows off an elegant, floral perfume with aromas of white flowers, white peach, pineapple, and saline. The palate offers a lovely, ripe feel, with medium body and a stony texture. It feels approachable in this vintage, with an elegant, juicy profile while remaining dry. It has a long finish, with a delicate touch of white pepper and saline notes. A very charming wine from Fabian Krause, this will have an open window for drinking over the coming 10 years.

A ripe red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir comes from the Sealift Vineyard and was raised for one year in 30% new German and Austrian oak barriques. It offers a very attractive nose in this vintage, with floral and fruity aromas of ripe cherries, woodsy earth, fresh herbs, and roses. Medium-bodied, it’s elegant and refined on the palate, with wonderful, fine tannins, a pure, juicy feel, and a balanced, earthy profile. This is the most enjoyable bottling I have tasted of this wine to date, with a good deal of purity and balance. Drink 2024-2037.

Pouring a ripe yellow/green hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Red Point comes from an incredibly steep hillside vineyard site and was aged for 10 months in 20% new French oak. In the glass, it takes on more serious, mineral-inflected aromas, with notes of flint, wet stones, preserved lime, and white peach. Medium-bodied, it has a weightless feel and a delicate almondine note through the finish, with a chalky texture and a refreshing, easygoing feel. It’s elegant and clean through the finish, and there’s no rush to drink it now. Drink 2024-2034.

Coming from this terraced vineyard and pouring a ripe red hue, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Bear Point is lifted with notes of cassis, menthol, leather, and cedar. Wonderful fresh energy propels it through the palate, with bright red fruit, ripe tannins, and a long finish. It is very nicely styled and has the longevity to drink well over the next 15 or more years.

Ripe red-colored, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sealift Vineyard comes from the West Sonoma Coast, and has a wonderful nose of pine needles, grenadine, spiced orange, and a bit of sanguine iron lift. Medium-bodied, it has a compact structure and lovely, clean freshness on the finish as well as a hint of umami that will come through more with age. It’s a very appealing wine to drink over the next 10 years.

Raised for 16 months in 35% new oak, the 2021 Chardonnay Skycrest is a ripe and youthful yellow color, with generous and more resinous notes of delicate toast and gunflint, pineapple rind, and orange. There is fantastic fresh spine of acidity on the palate that propels this wine forward and keeps a linear and citrus-driven profile on the palate, with balanced extract, a medium to full-bodied feel, and refreshing, mouthwatering salinity and richness. It is going to age gracefully over the next 10 years. I love the light, sweet baking spice perfume with notes of creamsicle that lasts through the finish.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Stormin' has more 777 clone in the mix and sees 41% new French oak. A jeweled ruby hue, it’s expressive and layered in the glass, opening with spicy layers of anise, ripe cherries, dark earth, and toasted incense. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir has a lot of richness, with an expansive feel and velvety texture that lasts through a long finish. It is a more serious effort with a more inward personality, but it’s going to drink well over the next 15 years.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Unforgettable boasts a deeper red/ruby color and was aged in 38% new French oak. There’s more 667 clone in this blend, which reveals a darker profile in the glass, with red and black-fruited notes of black raspberries, brambly herbs, forest floor, and cedar. Medium-bodied, it has a broader shouldered feel, with lovely structure throughout and a lovely, ripe finish. It’s going to drink well over the coming 10 years.

Moving north to the Anderson Valley, the ripe ruby-hued 2022 Pinot Noir Outland Ridge saw 13 months in 25% new French oak and offers plenty of purity in its notes of wild raspberries, violets, sweet cedar, and fresh mountain herbs. Ripe and structured, it remains medium-bodied, with a lovely weightless feel and notes of tea leaf and incense on the finish. It’s going to show its best over the next 10-12 years.

Ripe and leaping from the glass, the magenta-hued 2022 Zinfandel Winberrie Knolls Vineyard is packed with fruity aromas of mixed berries, ripe peaches, candied flowers, and a hint of white pepper spice. Medium-bodied, it offers a silky and coating texture, with a clean feel, and it’s juicy and inviting all the way through. It’s going to drink well over the next 10 years.

Fruity and floral, the 2022 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard boasts a magenta color and has a more polished feel, with luxurious notes of oak spice, sweet blackberries, red plum, baking spice, sweet tobacco, and lavender. Full-bodied, it fills the palate with a plush, velvety texture and a chocolaty rich finish with a mouthwatering mineral undertone. It’s ripe but keeps some freshness and is going to show its best over the next 8-10 years.