This is an interesting blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 25% Roussanne, 12% Clairette, 9% Piquepoul and 4% Bourboulenc. Portions of the first two varieties are skin fermented and macerated for 90-126 days, with a result that 59% of the blend was skin macerated. Aged in large ceramic eggs. Soils are weathered sands mixed with ironstone gravels. It’s a fresh, refined and beautifully balanced white wine with some well integrated structure supporting fresh pear and citrus fruit. There’s a hint of white peach, mint and mandarin, but the main thrust on the palate is delicate citrus fruit, with a sense of finesse, and finishing compact and slightly structured. This is a rarity: a wine with a significant skin ferment portion, but also lovely balance and delicacy, and it should age in interesting ways. Still very pure and primary, and not at all blowsy or rich, as some expressions of Rhône whites can be.

The only one of the Mt Brave wines that isn't 100% varietal, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder includes 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Offering hints of sage and lavender entwined among waves of cassis, this full-bodied wine may not be as broad or expansive in the mouth as the La Jota, but it also might be a touch juicier and longer on the finish.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, with small proportions of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It's ripe and rich, with plenty of cassis, hints of cinnamon and cedar and nuances of bay leaf on the nose. Full-bodied and velvety, it's remarkably easy to drink, finishing mouthwatering and long.

Blended from portions of Sycamore, Bosché and another vineyard, Freemark Abbey's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford features scents of cassis, plum and hints of dark chocolate on the nose. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, matured in 55% new French oak, it's full-bodied, dusty and firmly built. There's even more structure here than in the Oakville bottling, yet the wine remains elegant on the lengthy finish.

Stunning, with terrific focus and intensity to the core of Earl Grey tea, firm, juicy cherry, raspberry and white pepper flavors. Notes of clove and green cardamom linger on the finish, with a touch of salted caramel. Drink now through 2034. From Australia.

March 2022: Red currants, raspberry scents, quite ripe and forward in fruity perfume with a more tightly wound, fresh feeling palate and a building, quality tug of fine tannin in the mix. Gingery spice, a bit of alpine herb too. Tension, vitality and drive. Serious feeling, understated expression.

Bright ruby. A highly expressive bouquet evokes fresh red fruits, cola and Asian spices, along with a bright mineral overtone. Juicy, lithe and precise on the palate, offering mineral-laced raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and finesse and finishes with outstanding clarity, slowly building tannins and strong persistence.

Vivid ruby-red. Expressive scents of ripe red/blue fruits, candied rose and exotic spices, along with a smoky mineral element that emerges with aeration. Silky, sweet and fleshy on the palate, presenting juicy, spice-laced black raspberry, cherry-cola, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors that are complemented by a hint of mocha. Made in a seamless, plush style, showing impressive clarity and smooth, rounded tannins on the strikingly long, floral-driven finish.

Rich in ripe pear and a lovely note of vanilla bean, this white offers a crisp, mineral-like backbone of acidity and structure that shows its coastal beginnings. White flower, dried herb and sea spray contribute a beguiling character amidst the full-bodied weight of the wine.

Focused and deep black-cherry flavors ride soft tannins and a touch of brisk acidity for good balance in this compelling, fruit-driven wine from an immaculate small vineyard above Anderson Valley. Nuances of black tea and rhubarb emerge with more sipping, driving good complexity through the finish.

Introducing 20% whole bunch into the ferment lifts the perfume and brightness of the clean, lean palate, but the real interest here is the svelte tannin profile. It transforms the expected traditional burly Australian Shiraz structure into a something more surprising, supple and elegant. The slender palate weight ensures that the fresh red fruits remain lively and especially vibrant.

The ironstone that dominates a portion of Yangarra's estate vineyard asserts itself with brawny muscle in this deeply coloured, intense Shiraz. Despite 25% whole bunch in the ferment, the perfume is a dark, smouldering shroud of blackberry, laced with high notes of wild fennel and violets. The palate is linear and precise – partly a reflection of the site, partly the finesse that comes from gentle treatment in the winery – resulting in a big-framed wine that steps lightly on its toes.

Wombat Creek again proves a winner in the range of single-vineyard Chardonnays from this top Yarra Valley producer. It's the highest elevation, grown on volcanic loam soils, and shimmers with a mineral complexity like sunbaked clay, lightly toasted hazelnuts and high-toned lemon zest. Butterscotch notes appear as it warms in glass. In the mouth, an unforced, lemony acidity bounces on the tongue. A well-structured wine with great depth, length and purity. Drink now–2030.

Aromatic and generous, with notes of pineapple upside-down cake, ripe and fleshy peaches as well as a whiff of salted butterscotch. Vibrant, crisp acidity keeps the flavors balanced and focused. Long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2030.

It takes a dedicated winemaker to work with the notoriously erratic Roussanne, but Pete Fraser nails it. A vibrant honey color, the nose is rich and savory, like crème brulée, amaretto, seashell, raw beeswax and damp hay, with gentle stone and citrus fruit at the back. The palate is an exercise in balance between texture and acidity, both locked in a beautiful dance. A little more flavor depth wouldn't hurt here, but overall this is top example of Roussanne.

Quenching in acid-driven flavors of Meyer lemon, tangerine and grapefruit, this is a lovely, bright, light and complex wine of great structure and refinement. A lasting note of wet stone adds to the beautiful texture.

Exploding with spicy, earthy notes from the glass, this Pinot Noir from Greg Brewer is a sensory delight. Red and black spiced cherry, wild strawberry, sassafras, black tea, and green olive juice notes are all present. Greg doesn’t use any new oak on his wines, but it’s never needed and what you get is the pure expression of the grape and the Sta. Rita Hills terroir. Medium tannins, high acidity, and a medium body complete the wine’s lengthy finish.

Blends tension with fresh and lovely fruit, such as raspberry and blueberry. Draws in accents of black tea, forest floor and dusky spice as this builds richness toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030.

Strawberries and black cherries with stones and flowers. Medium body, firm and round tannins and a stone and mineral aftertaste to the fruit. Tight at the end. Drink after 2024.

Wells Guthrie has been working with Yorkville Highlands fruit sources for more than a decade, and has passed his confident hand onto Ryan Zepaltas, who’s made the wines since 2017. This wine is dark with leathery reduction when first poured, becoming more floral with air. The flavors of plum and carob are dark and brooding, but the texture is impossibly seductive, fine and silky, invigorating in its juicy succulence, the tannins so silky they feel almost cool to the touch.

This is very steely and fresh with crushed-stone and lemon-rind undertones. Praline, too. Medium-bodied, linear and bright. About 40% malo. Mostly Carneros and Coombsville fruit. Excellent value for this quality. Drink or hold.

Gorgeous aromas of blackberries and fresh herbs, such as lavender and sage. Bay leaf, too. Full-bodied with round, juicy tannins and a creamy and dusty finish. Hints of dried bay leaf and a dusty-wood undertone. Very drinkable now, but a year or two will improve it.

Blackcurrant and bay-leaf aromas with some licorice follow through to a medium to full body with dusty tannins and a juicy, savory finish. Creamy and lightly chewy tannins. Drink or hold.

Aromas of blackcurrants, spearmint, licorice and lead pencil follow through to a medium body with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Hints of chocolate and almonds. Really polished. Very drinkable now, but will age beautifully.

Smooth aromas of black cherry, cola and root beer are evident inside the nose of this lush bottling. The palate is thick and viscous while soft and comforting, offering dark cherry, boysenberry, star anise and cardamom flavors in an opulent yet balance manner.