Nestled in the “Deep End” of the Anderson Valley is Maggy Hawk, which specializes in ultra-premium pinot noir and chardonnay, varieties that thrive in its misty, redwood-tinged terroir. Only 484 cases of the “Stormin’” pinot were made in 2019 and enthusiasts typically must join the winery wait-list to receive allocations, although wines can be purchased at the tasting room with advance reservations. Join on the second Sunday in summer months for woodfired pizzas and a chance to snag some of these extraordinary wines.

This deep garnet colored Pinot Noir from Oregon opens with a blueberry and gentle cinnamon bouquet with a hint of mushroom and cedar. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with integrated medium acidity. The mouthfeel is balanced, round and very approachable. The flavor profile is a crushed stone and gentle red plum blend with notes of cinnamon, oak, and mushroom. We also detected hints of pleasant red cherry. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. The Tasting Panel would pair this Pinot with cedar plank grilled salmon or a juicy lamb burger.

Medium straw-gold color; yellow apple, lemon, white peach, clove, white flowers on light nose; yellow apple, pear, pineapple, honeydew melon, Meyer lemon, hint of butter, oak, and vanilla on the palate.
Dry; soft tannins. Light-medium body. Good but not racy acidity. Subtle oak notes from 10 months in French oak, 25% new. Round, smooth, easygoing, easy-drinking pleasure.

From old, unirrigated vines at Hickinbotham, in Clarendon.The only cuvée produced outside of Yangarra Estate. Destemmed, crushed and tipped into a ceramic egg where it remained on skins for 170 days. Gorgeous. Pinosity in spades. Noble bitterness. Lavender and white pepper. Pink grapefruit pulp and sapid, sour-cherry accents. Like the most glorious amaro with a slice of Sicilian orange, this plays a finessed card of consummate elegance, racy length, crunchy saline tannins and latent power. Brethren to Ovitelli in terms of shape, if not a bit looser and more flamboyant at the seams. A belly dancer in a souk of carnal desire. Scintillating, uber-aromatic grenache.

This medium gold colored Chardonnay opens with a mild Anjou pear and gentle pineapple bouquet with some hints of oak and mild lemon. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with medium acidity. The mouthfeel is balanced, round and bright. The flavor profile is a pineapple and oak blend with some notes stone dust and butterscotch. We also detected some hints of green apple and lemon towards the end. The flavors drift away nicely on the finish. The Tasting Panel would pair this crowd-pleasing Chard with wild mushroom ravioli with a buttered cream sauce or with a squash ravioli with butter breadcrumbs.

The aromas offer notes of rose petal, red cherry – bark, fruit and blossom – which carry into the palate alongside earthy accents, hints of mushroom, and a good balance of fruit to freshness, depth to length. The use of new oak is lightened here compared to previous vintages and to good effect. The wine comes in a good balance of pleasure and length. It is mouth-watering and silken. The Jolie is a Pinot that is both smart and crowd-pleasing.

Notes of anise and freshly cracked pine carry the nose while the palate shifts to a mix of blue and black berries and a bit of violet candy. The palate is silken and a bit warming. This is a richer expression of Pinot built for those wanting a fuller mouthfeel and flavour from the variety. At the same time, it continues to carry the more lifted palate and slightly elevated acidity of the region.

Allow plenty of air upon opening as the aromas start out quite subtle but open to reveal citrus zest accenting a forest of berries, dried pine and fresh mushroom. The palate is a bit reductive, but it weaves into the savoury mushroom notes to create an earthier, deeper-toned expression of Pinot and does open up with air. The tannin is very fine grained and is in good balance with lengthy acidity. This wine will do best with a meal of savoury vegetable dishes and even grilled fish.

Creamy pear lightly spiced opens the aromas, followed in the palate by a squeeze of lemon, warming woodsy notes and a sandstone-mineral crunch. There is a lot of length here, a lightly tactile palate and a balance of lengthy fresh acidity and savoury depth. This is a newer take on California Chardonnay that breaks the old stereotype for the style and instead delivers a more savoury focus with mouth-watering flavour.

Ripe pear and hints of peach open the nose followed by a squeeze of lemon. The palate shifts to baked orchard fruits sprinkled with warming spices. There is a lightly grippy mouthfeel of crushed sandstone that carries through a long finish. The mouth-watering quality balances the full flavour of the wine. The character feels classic to the region though entirely counter to the California stereotype. Savoury, fresh, mouth-watering with lots of length. There is a bit more mid-palate concentration here compared with Copain’s Skycrest Chardonnay.

A mix of tropical yellow fruits on the nose shifts to spiced pear and warm red apple on the palate. The fruits are mouth-watering and juicy though the wine overall is savoury with
warming spices. The flavours here offer riper fruits relative to the region, though nothing near tropical, but the lighter weight of the palate means the wine retains a mouthwatering
focus and a lot of length. This would do well with a meal of white fish and summer foods picked in season.

This last chardonnay brings together many of the flavors from the first two wines. Citrus-like flavors and aromas share the stage with hints of butter, sea salt, oak and lemon. And the other two wines, the flavors here are smooth and mellow. There’s nothing over the top. Instead, the wine communicates its depth and complexity in a whisper.

Penner-Ash is probably best known for its complex, powerful Pinot Noir wines. Its chardonnay’s just as impressive. Layers of flavors range from hints of oak and toasted butter to a dash of sea salt and grilled lemon. Everything about this wine is more subtle and intense. You can clearly taste the mist that often lingers in many vineyards in the Willamette Valley, giving this wine an air of mystery. An exciting, energetic wine with a distinct personality.

Gran Moraine winery’s located on the western edge of the Yamhill-Carlton subregion in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. You may remember reading a few years ago about this winery’s sparkling wine. This chardonnay’s equally memorable. Its flavors range from lemon and sea salt to hints of melted butter. Allow the chilled wine to slowly warm up in the glass and you’ll notice that the lemon, sea salt and butter flavors become brighter, livelier and even more refreshing. A superb wine from start to finish.

Made from pinot noir grapes grown in Monterey County, this expressive dry rosé offers berry and melon flavours with mouth-watering acidity that contributes to its refreshing character. Bright and juicy, this is an elegant pink wine that’s pleasurable on its own or accompanying a meal. Drink now.

Absolutely textbook. Salted pineapple, nutmeg, a tenuous tug of texture, some salted caramel and ripe pear. Enough oak for an oak lover to be satisfied, but well-integrated and not overt.

Warm spices and plenty of sweet strawberries with a squeeze of ripe orange, florals and mace. Barely-there tannins. Lifted, lilted acidity. Juicy charm. A wine for right now.

My guide to the bet Australian chardonnay
...while Giant Steps from the Yarra Valley, also wild fermented, spends even less time in oak; check out the juicy melon and pineapple fruit of the 2021 Giant Steps Chardonnay but with saline bite and grip too.

Father’s Day Gift Guide: Rosé Wines
If your papa loves a plate of charcuterie, then Kendall-Jackson 2021 Vintner’s Reserve Rosé would be a great wine to pair. With aromas of watermelon and apricot, this wine lends itself to cured meats, making it a Father’s Day match.

Eleven years on, the wine is still fresh with bright fruit and focused acidity. Complex layers of aroma and flavor have evolved, with loam and pencil shavings emerging under berry liqueur and dark chocolate. Ripe but elegantly firm tannins give structure to spicy black raspberry and cherry, and mountain intensity carries through a lingering finish.
That structure and intensity are honestly earned, from the historic vineyard’s location above the fog line on Howell Mountain (small berries, thicker skins), making this Merlot a delicious argument that not only can the wine be great, it can age with the best of them.

The 2021 vintage for south-eastern Australia has been the rose between two thorny vintages. The swell of excellent releases solidifies its greatness.
This chardonnay is a blend of their single sites; Sexton, Tarraford, Applejack, Primavera and Wombat Creek vineyards. Earthy aromas of moss and seashell sit alongside white florals and orange zest. It’s finely boned and holds a good line; with air it gains breadth. This is a very fine Aussie chardonnay, it’s complex and delicious with great staying power that speaks of classy fruit sourcing.
With a change of guard at Giant Steps and Mel Chester taking over, we look forward to seeing upcoming releases from this exemplary producer.

Recommended

Howell Mountain produces some of the most expressive Cabernet Sauvignon in the world, but occasionally bottles can take a little time to hit their stride, such as this wine. It opens with a drying nose that showcases blackberries and hints of oak, along with the savory aroma of peppered meat. This wine will benefit from a few years in bottle, but if decanted, it drinks well now.

From the slopes of Mount Veeder, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerhouse. It showcases the lively acidity often found in mountain fruit, and its fruit character leans heavily in deep, dark blackberries. A hearty protein will help soften its firm structure — as will some extra time in bottle if you can wait.

This mountain-fruit Cabernet lives up to Kendall-Jackson’s rich winemaking heritage. It shows expressive fruit depth, the tannins are present but not intrusive, and active acidity gives its weighty body verve. This is a great holiday wine.