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.

Friendly and open-knit, with a modest mix of bramble, anise and mulled red and black cherry fruit. Drink now.

Plush and loaded with character, the Capture Pine Mountain, Cloverdale Peak, Sonoma County Merlot is loaded with soft red fruits of strawberry, raspberry and cherry. There's milk chocolate nibs and a dusty, mountain scrub green note on the finish.

The Capture Pine Mountain, Cloverdale Peak, Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 had majestic mountain fruit that started with blueberry, blueberry cobbler, hot coals and dusty, fresh-ground coffee. It was propped up with tannins that are well integrated with the fruit and spice notes.

A medium translucent garnet colour to the core. Lighter aromas of red berries, bramble berries, and hints of smoke and coffee. Raspberries and floral aromas with some air.

A bright deep lemon colour. Medium evolving aromas of pineapple, pear, pear and butterscotch plus honeysuckle with air. Dry, fuller body, round with a thicker mouthfeel. Ripe pineapple along with apple citrus pith, and touches of toast and villa. There is some pepperiness to this wine, getting stronger toward the finish.

The 2020 Chardonnay Machado is slightly more tight and focused, with abundant minerality in its stone fruits, white flowers, honeyed melon, and orange zest-like aromas and flavors. It's beautifully textured on the palate, with medium to full body as well as bright yet integrated acidity. This stunning Chardonnay offers everything you could want from this variety and region. It's spectacular now but will benefit from a year in bottle and evolve for 10-15 years if well stored.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Hapgood is cut from the same cloth stylistically yet certainly has its own singular character. Blackberries, ripe mulberries, toasted spices, brambly herbs, and sappy flowers all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an incredibly pure, elegant, seamless texture, building tannins, and a great, great finish. As with the other single vineyard Pinot Noir, it’s perfectly balanced and just an incredibly compelling, complete, ultra-classic expression of this site.

The 2019 Chardonnay Radian Vineyard is a tiny production release and was brought up in 100% French oak. It has a gorgeous bouquet of caramelized orchard fruits, honeyed flowers, almond paste, and chalky minerality. Deep, rich, and concentrated on the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, has terrific balance, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's another stunning wine from this estate.

Lastly, the 2019 Pinot Noir Truly Rita comes from the Dierberg-Drum Canyon Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and was brought up in just 22% new French oak. As with all these releases, it's made in tiny quantities. Deep ruby/purple-hued (and almost opaque), it gives up a big, concentrated, exuberant style that has tons to love. Black raspberries, mulberries, leafy herbs, flowery incense, and tons of spicy goodness flow to a medium to full-bodied Pinot Noir with a broad, expansive texture, terrific balance, and a great finish. This classic, pleasure-bent, sexy, Grade A California Pinot Noir will shine for 5-7 years.

The 2020 Chardonnay 3D is another mineral-laced effort, yet it's slightly richer and broader than the Machado. Brioche, toasted spices, honeyed stone fruits, and orange liqueur notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Chardonnay that has bright acidity, beautiful mid-palate depth, and great acidity. It shows an incredible sense of salinity and minerality on the finish and is another awesome wine from Greg Brewer that will drink well for 10-15 years from cold cellars.

Lastly, the 2020 Pinot Noir Machado oozes Sta. Rita Hills notes of mulled red and black fruits, loamy soil, iron, and assorted marine-like nuances. This rich, medium to full-bodied, brilliantly concentrated, and textured beauty has ripe tannins, an expansive, mouth-filling, gorgeous balance, and a great finish. Picking a favorite between these single vineyards is just about impossible, so you can't go wrong with any of these.

The 2020 Pinot Noir 3D displays a more iodine and marine-influenced character as well as both red and black fruits, medium-bodied richness, building tannins, and complex notes of rose petals, scorched earth, forest floor, and spice. Layered, rich, balanced, and structured, it's another magical Pinot Noir from this estate that will benefit from just a year or so in the bottle and keep for 10-15 years in cold cellars.

The 2020 Pinot Noir 459 is similarly ruby/translucent in color yet has a more fruit-forward bouquet of ripe strawberries, red plums, forest floor, and exotic flowers, with just a kiss of background iron and marine-like nuances, which is classic Sta. Rita Hills. Nicely structured on the palate, with medium-bodied richness, it has ripe yet firm tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It's pure class. Give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade.

Leading off the Chardonnay, the 2020 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills offers a gorgeous perfumed of orange blossom, honeyed almonds, brioche, and lemon oil. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated, with great acidity and a distinct sense of minerality on the palate, this thrilling, deep, layered, singular Chardonnay will keep for over a decade.

Another Santa Lucia Highlands release, the 2019 Pinot Noir Sierra Mar Vineyard has a more mineral-laced, earthy style while still bringing killer amounts of fruit. Black raspberries, dried herbs, flowers, and some spicy notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, opulent beauty that has supple tannins and a great finish. It's impressive as well.

One of the standouts here, the 2019 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard has a gorgeous core of ripe raspberry and cherry fruit, notes of sappy herbs and flowers, medium-bodied richness, and a round, supple, seamless texture. It brings lots of ripeness, but it’s balanced and just a sexy, seamless, pure Pinot Noir loaded with charm.

The appellation Pinot Noir from Brewer-Clifton is always a winner, as well as one heck of a value. The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills reveals a medium ruby hue to go with a gorgeous perfume of red and blue fruits, peppery herbs, underbrush, and a touch of iron. With notable richness, medium body, ripe tannins, and integrated acidity, it has a terrific mix of Old World complexity and structure with plenty of California fruit. It will drink brilliantly for a decade.

The 2019 Chardonnay Signature Collection Katherine's Vineyard offers a similar bouquet of ripe stone fruits, toasty oak, white flowers, and chalky minerality. This carries to a beautifully textured, medium-bodied Chardonnay with plenty of richness and depth, integrated acidity, outstanding balance, and a great finish. It's another beautiful, incredibly impressive Chardonnay from this estate that is well worth your time and money.

I loved the nose on the 2019 Pinot Noir Hapgood Vineyard, and it has complex red and black fruits as well as some foresty, floral nuances, medium-bodied richness, good purity of fruit, and ripe tannins. It's a balanced, satisfying Pinot Noir to drink over the coming 4-6 years.