A bright, deep ruby-red in the glass. Blueberry, dried herbs and violet aromatics. Just shy of full-bodied, with bright blueberry fruit, nori and saline-mineral notes, layered with great complexity across the tongue. The tannins are fine and firm and there’s a lick of brightening acidity that drives and lifts it to a very long and bright finish. A wine that will offer great rewards for years to come.

Liquid Gold | 7 Splendid Napa Valley Chardonnays
This inaugural vintage of the La Jota W.S. Keyes Vineyard Chardonnay comes from a cherished vineyard block planted in the historic W.S. Keyes Vineyard in 1999. With bracing minerality, refreshing acidity, and notes of white peach, crisp pear and freshly baked bread, this is a Chardonnay that is ready to drink now, but is also built to age.

The 2019 Chardonnay Machado has a soft honeyed character, with brighter tones of saline, Meyer lemon and chamomile. The medium-bodied palate has great textural presence, its satiny, expansive flavors foiled by bright acidity that brings an energetic quality to the long finish.

The 2019 Pinot Noir 3D is lovely, with pomegranate and raspberry aromas and nuances of lemon peel and wildflowers. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and polished, with sleek layers of spicy fruit and juicy acidity calling you in for another sip on the long finish.

The 2019 Pinot Noir 459 has a medium ruby-purple color and rich scents of raspberries, blood orange, sage and angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate is layered and deeply fruited, with fine, silty tannins and a long, iron-laced finish.

The 2019 Chardonnay 3D has a singular expression this year, with expansive flavors and fine aromatic nuances. Quince fruit is overlaid by wafts of chaparral, sage, mushroom and dark spices on the nose, and the palate has a satiny texture and gentle tang,
finishing long and mineral-driven.

The 2019 Syrah from Ex Post Facto was made entirely with whole clusters and spent, "a zillion years in the fermenter, as always," quips winemaker Greg Brewer. It's fantastically expressive this vintage, with pure scents of red and black currants, cracked pepper, mint, coffee beans and wildflowers. Medium-bodied and silty in texture, its intense, spicy fruits are perfectly ripe, and fresh acidity adds crunchy appeal on the long, layered finish. Yum!

Pale ruby-purple, the 2019 Pinot Noir Hapgood is scented of raspberries and pomegranate with touches of licorice, iodine and earth. The medium-bodied palate offers bright, pure citrus flavors, a gently chalky texture and great uplift and length.

Medium ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Machado is scented of blackberries, aniseed and citrus peel with loads of fine, earthy accents in the undercurrent. The palate is chalky, fresh and detailed, with a very long, spicy finish.

The 2019 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills is scented of toasty yellow apples, roasted almonds, honey and saline. The palate is satiny and seamless, with bright acidity and rich, honeyed fruits, finishing with impressive texture and length.

Pale ruby-purple, the 2019 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has bright cranberry and pomegranate aromas with touches of earth, tangerine and dark spice. The palate is delicately styled, with a soft, seamless texture and bright citrusy character lingering on the finish.

The 2019 Chardonnay Hapgood offers saline-tinged citrus fruits and deeper honey-nut tones on the nose. The palate is satiny and super fresh, a linear line of acidity streaking through honeyed fruits, and it finishes long and lifted.

Lassegue’s 2015 Bordeaux is a sumptuous Merlot-driven blend from the Right Bank. It is immensely pleasurable now and worthy of a spot in the cellar. It’s a lustrous garnet red, with vibrant aromas of ripe plum, cherry, dark chocolate, and violets. Medium to full in body, it has a dense but balanced feel on the palate with opulent layers of spiced black fruit, cassis, and mocha. The blend is 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine evolves nicely in the glass and is the perfect candidate for a case purchase.

Flinty to begin, the 2020 Chardonnay takes some time to reveal baked peaches and quince with honey-nut undertones. The palate offers incredible texture and saline-like mineral character, with soft white-flower perfume on the refreshing finish.

The Penner-Ash 2019 Estate Pinot Noir is refreshing and savory — a delicious effort by Kate Ayers, the winemaker. It is a terroir-driven Pinot Noir that showcases the distinguishing textures and flavors of Willamette Valley. The first sip releases high-toned notes of wild strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, rose petal, wet stone, cherry, and crushed earth. The palate is fresh and lush with supple tannins and a soft mineral core that provides complexity to each layer of the wine.

This is a beautifully structured wine with generous notes of black olives, blueberries and lavender. Deliciously ripe and fruit forward.

Barossa and McLaren Vale Grenache: 20 top wines to try
Great care has been taken in crafting this elite expression of Grenache from a rare old dry-grown McLaren Vale vineyard. Winemaker Peter Fraser captures a heady high-toned perfume of ripe berries and a hint of wild herbs, with a fine, clean palate and a long, beguiling flow of subtle flavour hits. The impact of the initial impression persists, with lean muscle in the structure enabling every nuance to ring clear and true.

This pale straw-colored Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson is terrific. It opens with a fragrant oak and pear bouquet with notes of wet stone. On the palate, this wine is full bodied with nicely integrated acidity. The flavor profile is a lemon and golden delicious apple blend with notes of oak and pear. I also detected hints of butterscotch and almond in the mix. The finish is dry, and its acidity and flavors are nicely extended. This Chard paired very well with my Lucia’s Pollo e Zucca di Zucca aka sautéed chicken with butternut squash ravioli simmered in a parmesan cheese, and chiffonade fresh sage cream sauce. Yum!

Hartford Family Winery, Russian River Pinot Noir 2018, assertive for Pinot, there’s crunchy red berry fruit, well integrated gently spicy oak and a silky sleek character that makes this the most wonderfully satisfying fireside wine.

Celebrating International Women's Day - With Wine
Owned by Barbara Banke, named for her daughter and made by winemaker Jill Russell this is a female-led triple threat of a wine with Cambria’s slogan being ‘Women Led, Women Owned’. Delicious notes of baked apple pie, vanilla blossom and a racy line of warm citrus evokes the sunshine and glamour of Napa.

This medium purple colored Zinfandel opens with pencil lead and black raspberry cobbler bouquet with hints of stewed black plum and vanilla. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with medium plus acidity. The mouthfeel is round, balanced, and crisp. The flavor profile is very fruit forward, featuring juicy red plum and graphite along with notes of chalky minerality and red raspberry tea. We also detected hints of oak, cinnamon, and pepper. The finish is dry, and its flavors and dusty tannins are nicely prolonged. The Tasting Panel would pair this big boy Zin with your favorite steak taco or with a steak pizzaiola.

Juicy. Crisp. Exotic. Sourced from distinct vineyards spread across some of Sonoma County’s warmer sub-regions, including Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, and Dry Creek Valley. Aromas of apricot, golden kiwi, and mango are followed by flavors of ruby grapefruit, nectarine, and Gala apple. The 2020 vintage presents vibrant acidity and a lingering finish.

Ink black at the core to a deeply-tinted ruby-red rim. A rich and complex nose, mixed berries and oak spices lift from the glass. Voluminous and weighty, the fruit concentration is impressive yet doesn't fall into the jammy spectrum. Equally, the oak complexities are unmistakeable, but everything is in remarkable harmony and balance for such a young wine. A prodigious length and it finishes with a clean vibrancy and a hint of mint freshness that belies its previous intensity.

Deep ruby-red colour in the glass. The nose lifts with ground coffee, tobacco leaf and mixed berry. It fills the mouth with dark berries and mocha notes, glides with a slippery tannin line and a hint of oiliness that adds depth to its flow. Good length and finishes softly .

Ink black core to a deep purple rim. Cassis, bay and wood oil aromatics. A big and voluminous wine that shows ripe cassis alongside significant oak spices. Goes long and the structure is up to the task of controlling the flow. Time and a serious serve of red meat will bring it into context.