A youthful yellow/green-tinged color, the 2022 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard is forward and lifted in the glass with notes of lime zest, gun flint, citrus blossoms, and fresh apples. Full-bodied, it keeps light on its feet, with an elegant profile and fresh, juicy candied citrus notes through the palate. It’s a lovely and well-detailed wine to drink over the next 6-8 years.

Boasting a rich yellow/golden color, the 2022 Chardonnay Jennifer's comes from the Russian River Valley and has more depth on the nose, with ripe aromas of lemon oils, sea spray, pineapple rind, beeswax, and golden apple. Full-bodied, it brings a good deal of concentration and has plenty of length and savory richness. It’s going to show its best over the coming 8-10 years.

Heading back into California to the Mendocino Ridge AVA, the 2022 Chardonnay DuPratt Vineyard comes from a high elevation site at 1500 feet, and this is the first vintage of this wine they’ve produced. In the glass, it reveals a ripe golden/yellow hue, and it’s expressive with savory notes of wet stone, Meyer lemon, white flowers, and salted pineapple. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a good deal of intensity and a compact nature on the palate, which has a full-bodied richness though it’s propelled forward and is linear with bright acidity. It should drink very well over the next 8-10 years. Only 100 cases were produced.

From the Anderson Valley, the deep ruby/magenta-hued 2022 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters has a more rugged and umami profile on the nose, opening in the glass to notes of leather, mushroomy earth, dark berries, purple flowers, and pine. It’s medium-bodied but fills the palate and has a saline, mouthwatering feel, with ripe tannins and fresh lift on the back. Drink over the next 8-10 years.

From the far Sonoma Coast, the 2022 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards was aged for 9 months in 32% new French oak barrels. In the glass, it displays a medium ruby color and offers expressive notes of red berries, cranberries, and juniper. There’s a good bit of reduction initially that benefits from a little air at this stage, but it starts to reveal darker notes as it opens, so I would recommend decanting if opening it on the young side. The palate has a wonderful, compact feel, with refreshing lift, fine tannins, and a snappy finish. I personally enjoy the bright and coiled energy that comes through in this one. It’s a lovely wine that is going to drink well over the next 15 years.

The 2022 Pinot Noir Fog Dance is a medium red hue and delivers aromas of candied cranberries, red cherries, bright spices, and fresh flowers. With elegant, fine tannins, a sweet floral finish, and clean freshness (but nothing austere), it’s a charming wine to drink now and over the next 10 years.

Arcanum is Tenuta di Arceno's 100% Cabernet Franc, sourced from a variety of small blocks across the estate. The wine is matured for 12 months in 70% new French oak. Leafy blackberry and blackcurrant scents rise from the glass, with just a hint of petrichor and thyme. In the mouth it's surprisingly nimble, the soft intensity of fruit there but also not there, in quite an ethereal way. Bitter herbs, peppery spice and pressed violets provide lift and interest, while refined and soft tannins lurk in the background. Some wood is evident on the long, breezy finish but on the whole this is an extremely poised and polished wine.

Almost a year on from my initial taste of this superb new Gran Selezione from Tenuta di Arceno, the co-fermented Sangiovese and Colorino from a high elevation vineyard is showing some lovely red fruit aromas – even a hint of blueberry – along with crushed rock and peppery spice. Incredibly vibrant, concentrated and zingy, it offers a saline mouthful of juicy dark berries which soak up the alcohol with ease, subtly framed by wood, herbs, graphite and earth. It ends with a floral and blueberry lift and a sprinkle of spice. Sapidity and verticality are the order of the day here.

This wine is opulent, with aromas of Black cherry, red currant compote, cinnamon spice, and fresh florals on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Bing cherry, blackcurrant confiture, vanilla lime cream interwoven with dried herbs, bittersweet chocolate, earth and a long silky finish. Hold or Drink until 2032 Pair with Lamb Shoulder 

This wine is deep, supple with aromas of boysenberry, red plums, spiced vanilla, toasted almond, and clove on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Red currant compote, red licorice, orange zest, interwoven with citrus vanilla cream, mineral and a juicy long dry finish. Decant and Enjoy with Duck Breast

This wine is concentrated, aromas of Black cherry compote, black strawberry, nutmeg, violets, and dried chicory on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Black currant confiture, Blood orange segments, interlaced with allspice, star anise, pomegranate, dried herbs, toasted walnuts, and a long supple finish. Hold or Drink 2030

Centers on intense lemony notes, including lemon curd, lemon zest and litsea oil, with crisp acidity and lemongrass accents.

Fresh and ripe, displaying delicious blood orange and bitter cherry compote notes laced with sanguine, savory and sandalwood threads. Keeps its mouthwatering cut through the steady, lengthy finish. Drink now through 2036.

Racy and focused, with expressive and energetic notes of bitter cherry and blood orange pâte de fruit backed by singed black tea and warm earth accents, plus a touch of tobacco. Shows a sanguine echo at the very end. Drink now through 2035.

15% whole bunch and on skins for 20 days. Matured in French and Austrian oak for 18 months. On lees for 6 months island in foudre for an additional 12 months. Fluorescent in beetroot tones in the glass. Hawthorn, blackcurrant and kalamata olive brine. Allspice and juniper. A trio of peppercorns, black truffle and potting soil. A stony character to the fine gritty tannins and elongated acidity line. So youthful you’ll check the vintage multiple times. This is bright and fresh now but will age gracefully with that perky black fruit spectrum. Give it another 4-8 years in the cellar. A wonderful wine to serve with medium rare steak, something with a bit of chew.

Fresh and ripe, displaying delicious blood orange and bitter cherry compote notes laced with sanguine, savory and sandalwood threads. Keeps its mouthwatering cut through the steady, lengthy finish. Drink now through 2036. —J.M.

Racy and focused, with expressive and energetic notes of bitter cherry and blood orange pâte de fruit backed by singed black tea and warm earth accents, plus a touch of tobacco. Shows a sanguine echo at the very end. Drink now through 2035. —J.M.

This is powerhouse Chardonnay built for the cellar. With coaxing, the bright, opulent apple and mango aromas begin to swirl from the glass. The palate is firm and structured, with ripe pineapple, sage and white pepper flavors riding a wave of tangerine acidity. Drink 2028–2038. Hidden Gem.

Vibrantly colored garnet in the glass, this wine oozes bright raspberry and lemon zest aromas. The palate is punchy and acid driven with a juicy berry personality and high-tone citrus and white flower flavors mingling with star anise and white pepper. Hidden Gem

This wine comes from an extremely coastal site at higher elevation, and it shows. Stony minerals, crisp apple and tropical citrus dominate the nose and palate with a hint of lively saltiness. The texture should round out nicely over the next year or so, making it even more approachable.

This is spicy Pinot. There’s a good amount of candied raspberry on the nose of this wine, but the palate brings loads of sweet cinnamon, clove, orange peel and fresh blackberry. This wine has a good amount of rich tannin that should help it age gracefully for the next five to ten years. Cellar Selection.

The nose of this wine presents a lovely balance between savory spices and ripe, candied berry fruit. The palate reveals a focused tart-cherry backbone, hints of black tea from the portion of whole cluster included, and loads of citrus acidity in the long, juicy finish. This simply begs for a piece of roasted salmon

This is from 300 m, in the upper Yarra. Primavera is red volcanic basalt, quite a rare soil type in the Yarra, found in seams. 60 million years old, this is fertile and well draining soil, which gives the vines an easier life. One block is MV6 and the other is 115 and G8. Supple, elegant and fine with fine red cherry and redcurrant fruit. Fine, pure and delicate with lovely purity and finesse. Notes of pomegranate and cranberry. Has a sense of delicacy.

This is the most northerly and lowest elevation vineyard, and although it should be the warmest because of this, it isn’t. It’s a small vineyard planted to P58 clone and leased from the Long family. Hand picked, whole bunch pressed after cooling, using the a gentle cycle. The pristine juice goes to barrel (all 500 litres, 10% new) with full solids and is handled oxidatively. Wild ferment. Taut and linear with subtle mealy notes. Mineral and finely spiced with layered citrus and white peach fruit. Fine, delicate with lovely freshness and precision. Fine spices on the finish.

Polished in texture, offering elegantly layered flavors of raspberry and tart cherry, with black tea and savory spice accents that gather richness toward supple tannins. Drink now through 2032. —T.F.