The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana is deep and inviting with polished cassis, plum, rocky earth, lavender oils, and polished cedar. Fullbodied, it has ripe tannins with a subtle chalky edge and a more approachable personality in this more immediate vintage. Drink over the coming 10-12 years. Drink 2026-2036.

A golden hue in the glass, this bottling hits the nose with intriguing aromas of lemon verbena, tonic and sour cream. The palate is grippy and vibrant, offering grapefruit peel flavors that will evolve with time. Drink now-2033.

The 2022 Windracer Taylor Peak Pinot Noir from Bennett Valley reveals a saturated ruby core edged with flashes of purple that signal its depth and vibrancy. Aromas drift upward in layered waves, blending wild blueberry, crushed violets, and spiced strawberry compote with a faint echo of pine resin. On the palate, the wine broadens with concentrated notes of black raspberry, ripe plum skin, and a twist of citrus oil that adds brightness to the darker fruit profile. Fine-grained tannins frame the medium-bodied structure while moderate plus acidity lifts the finish, giving the wine both clarity and momentum. 160 cases produced.

The 2022 Windracer Edmeades Vineyard Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, aged ten months in thirty percent new French oak, opens with a translucent ruby hue that leans gently toward rose. Scents of wild strawberries, pink peppercorn, and crushed lavender mingle with airy hints of citrus peel and soft cedar, giving the wine an inviting aromatic lift. On the palate, red cherry and tart pomegranate notes stretch across a medium-bodied frame, accented by subtle touches of spiced fennel and blood orange rind that add complexity. High acidity keeps the wine vibrant while taut tannins provide shape and definition, leading to a clean, focused finish. 203 cases made.

The 2022 Windracer Saralee’s Vineyard Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley shows a luminous lemon silver core that reflects its freshness and clarity. Aromas of dried lemon zest, ginger candy, underripe pineapple, and hints of white tea and white nectarine weave together with lifted precision. On the palate, the wine turns more luxurious, offering generous layers of white nectarine, apricot skin, and lemon verbena supported by high acidity that keeps the medium bodied frame lively. Ten months in 15 percent new French oak lend subtle structure without overshadowing the fruit. The finish lingers with poise, rounding out this beautifully expressive Chardonnay. 166 cases made.

The 2022 Windracer Estate Chardonnay from Alexander Mountain opens with a pale lemon straw hue and a lifted bouquet of wet sandstone, dried honeysuckle, subtle lime zest, and dried hay. On the palate, the wine gains richness, presenting white nectarine, white peppercorn, and soft herbal tones that broaden its expression. Sixteen months in neutral French oak barrels and puncheons contribute gentle roundness without overt spice, allowing the moderate body and graceful acidity to stay front and center. The finish is long, elegant, and quietly persistent, showcasing both the purity of the site and the precision of the winemaking. Pair this with poached chicken in a lemon-herb broth, served over silky polenta with fresh chives. 130 cases made.

The 2023 Siduri Skycrest Vineyard Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley is a vibrant and textural expression aged for 14 months in 20% new French oak. Aromas of crushed black cherry, blue plum skin, and wild herbs lift from the glass, joined by hints of rose petal, cedar shavings, and baking spice. The palate glides with flavors of ripe blueberry, blood orange, and forest berries layered with touches of cacao, clove, and a whisper of sandalwood. The tannins are polished yet persistent, guiding the wine toward a graceful, extended finish that leaves traces of fruit and spice intertwined. 150 cases made.

The 2024 Siduri Parsons' Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley carries its richness with class, shaped by ripe tannins and a generous, rounded core. Black raspberry, pomegranate, crushed rose, fir needle, and damp woodland accents move through a juicy, layered palate. There is ample fruit, yet the wine stays composed, with savory lift and enough structural breadth to keep the plushness in balance. The finish is clean, inviting, and quietly earthy, leaving a graceful tone across the palate.

The 2024 Siduri Seascape Vineyard Pinot Noir from the West Sonoma Coast is shaped by coastal snap and a vivid, translucent red-fruited profile. Sea spray, crushed pomegranate, alpine strawberry, bay leaf, and a trace of clove move through a medium-bodied frame with crisp acidity and finely drawn tension. The wine feels lifted rather than weighty, carrying its freshness with poise and immediate charm through the saline and red-fruit finish.

The 2022 Maggy Hawk Stormin Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley was aged for 16 months in 53% neutral and 47% new French oak and stands as a powerful and brooding expression in the lineup. It bursts from the glass with aromas of black plum, crushed blueberry, and violets wrapped in accents of cocoa, toasted cedar, and nutmeg. The palate is dense yet refined, carrying a core of blackberry compote, cassis, and licorice root layered with hints of espresso and clove. Despite its richness, the acidity brings lift and focus, keeping the wine balanced and vibrant throughout. Fine-grained tannins shape a lengthy, savory finish tinged with dark chocolate and stony minerality. 189 cases were made.

The 2022 Maggy Hawk Afleet Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley spent 16 months in 100% neutral French oak and showcases purity, tension, and grace in equal measure. Composed of 60% whole-cluster fermentation, this wine opens with aromas of red currant, wild strawberry, and dried hibiscus layered with notes of pine needle, sage, and dusty loam. The palate unfolds with elegant restraint, weaving together flavors of tart cherry and blood orange framed by fine, slightly rustic tannins. With air, subtler tones of tea leaf, forest moss, and spice emerge, bringing an earthy sophistication that speaks to its site. The lack of new oak allows the fruit’s natural vibrancy to shine, giving the wine lift and clarity from start to finish. 160 cases were made.

The 2022 Maggy Hawk Skycrest Vineyard Chardonnay from Anderson Valley spent 16 months in 25% new French oak and reveals both tension and elegance in perfect balance. Grown at high elevation on the estate’s wind-swept slopes, this Chardonnay opens with aromas of white nectarine, Meyer lemon, and honeysuckle layered with hints of almond skin and wet stone. The palate is supple yet vibrant, carrying flavors of golden apple, pear tart, and chamomile that glide across a silken texture. A subtle undercurrent of mineral and spice lends structure and energy, while delicate oak tones of brioche and vanilla bean quietly support the fruit. The zippy finish is pure and extended, lingering with notes of citrus peel and hazelnut cream. 359 cases were made.

A medium-bodied, nicely structured
red showing deep, ripe fruit flavors
bolstered by great balancing acidity
and light tannins. Fresh, appetizing,
pure and delicious yet showing a bit
of restraint that keeps inviting more
sips. Drink or hold

The 2022 ‘Dropstone’ Chardonnay comes from blocks 109 and 330 in the state vineyard. Stored in a small amount of new French oak this shows off Key lime and cantaloupe favors that combine with shades of yellow plum and salted French bread on the palate. Deep and rich, enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2026-2038

This is ripe and generous, yet has a
great, vivid structure of acidity and
moderate tannins to back up the
ripe, tasty red and black fruit
flavors. Elegant and fresh in terms
of mouthfeel. Drink now.

Shows wonderful purity, offering notes of Meyer lemon, crunchy star fruit and kumquat. Cosmic Crisp apple, pear and white pepper elements are effusive, sleek and wonderfully juicy, with acidity that’s wonderfully chiseled. Sea salt, jasmine, lemon balm and wild fennel details linger and expand. Drink now through 2038.

Winemaker Kristy Melton explains that the Napa Cabernet draws on fruit from Bouchet and Sycamore in Rutherford, alongside parcels from St Helena, Oak Knoll, Oakville, and mountain sites on Mt. Veeder and Spring Mountain. The result is very much a fingerprint of the Napa Valley as a whole, spanning benchlands and valley floor through to mountain fruit. The wine is aged for 19 months in 49% new French oak. Bold and powerful, this is one of the finest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons I have tasted from Freemark Abbey. There is tremendous power and energy here, building with layers of blackberry and black cherry fruit, tobacco spice, rich cedarwood aromatics, violet florality, and dark chocolate notes. The palate is packed with flavour and structure for the appellation, oozing dark fruit and graphite mineral character, all carried by powerful yet suave, velvety tannins that are perfectly integrated. It has a timeless feel.

Winemaker Randy Ullom, who has spent much of his career in Northern California, likens Itata to Mendocino “without the redwoods.” As such, it takes more work in the vineyard to manage the grapes in the 2025 Pinot Noir Vinedo Maricerro than time in the cellar to capture the cool-climate ethereal nature of this full-bodied wine. Slatey in texture with a bit of crunch to the tannins, it is ultimately more about earth and tea than fruit. Drink now through 2035.

White sage, lemon balm and vetiver notes add an aromatic, floral and herbal overtone to the crisp, precise core of lemon sherbet, lime curd and litsea oil. Lime zest, ripe Bartlett pear, freshly grated ginger and crunchy star fruit flavors linger on a sleek, mouthwatering frame. Drink now through 2038.—M.W.

Intense, focused and vibrant, with flavors of Meyer lemon, Cosmic Crisp apple, orange zest, lime sorbet, sage flower and a drizzle of wildflower honey that are energetic and lively, showing plenty of intensity. Hints of tarragon, sea salt and clary sage flower linger on the long, expressive and powerful finish. Drink now through 2038.—M.W.

Offers up an intense core of blood orange, raspberry and cherry compote flavors that show a lush aspect but stay fresh, racy and pure in feel through the finish, which lets in a kiss of red licorice and a gentle waft of black tea. Drink now through 2036.—J.M

This is delicious from the start, with refined notes of blood orange and damson plum coulis that race along with succulent acidity, backed by rose hip and red tea, plus a brisk mineral edge. The fruit plumps up on the finish, adding to the engaging feel. Drink now through 2035.—J.M.

This is nicely built, with depth and substance to the core notes of bitter cherry, damson plum and blood orange coulis as they mix with sous-bois, tea and singed sandalwood accents. Shows range, underlying energy and a sneakily long finish as those two sides play out. Drink now through 2032.

Generous but refined, as the mouthfeel is silky, rounded and long, while the core of gently mulled red and black cherry fruit shows graceful sous-bois, wet pine and mineral notes. Offers lovely flow and persistence on the finish, with mineral, dried blood orange and pennyroyal details peeking through. Drink now through 2031.

From vines more than a century old, this bursts with freshness and immediacy in the aromatics. Fresh mint leaves, crushed stone and tart early-season blackberries offer lively aromatics. Slate and mineral, freshness frame buoyant black fruits and wild mint. Delicious.