Dark reddish purple color in the glass. Brooding, mysterious aromas of blackberry compote, meaty black grapes and iron. Clearly a special, full-bodied and luscious wine that balances power with charm. The array of heady black fruits is dusted by earthy complexity and framed by mellow tannins that are unusually tame for a Pisoni Pinot Noir. There is beautiful integration of acidity, oak and alcohol, with a remarkably long, royally endowed finish. The pedigree really stands out in this sublime offering.

An impressive wine that really satisfies on the richly appointed palate. Aromas and flavors of ripe cherries and a hint of vanilla impress on the attack and extremely long finish. The fruit really has traction and there is a good grip of acidity to lift the fruit load. Still outstanding when tasted two days later from a previously opened and re-corked bottle.

Adam Lee makes some concentrated wines each vintage, and this one shows cherry syrup, sandalwood and some smoke on the dense, layered nose. The palate is similarly deep, rich and complex, with tangy cherry, mulberry, dried ginger and mace flavoring, rising into a chorus of camphor on the finish.

Medium ruby color; gentle, rich, dark cherry and oak aromas; rich, plum and spiced cherry flavors with cola notes; soft and silky texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Supple and well-balanced Pinot with deep flavors.

Elegant purple flower, black cherry fruit, a bouquet of white sage and a touch of graphite decorate the rich and vibrant nose of this wine by Adam Lee. The palate surrounds soft red brambleberry fruits, with thyme, rosemary and Earl Grey tea spicing the edges. It's both plush and herbal.

Medium ruby color; complex, spiced plum and cherry aromas with earth notes; full bodied, rich and focused plum and cherry flavors; good structure and balance; long finish. This Pinot has really focused flavors and a long persistent finish. Originally published in issue #103.

Medium ruby color; complex, spiced plum and cherry aromas with earth notes; full bodied, rich and focused plum and cherry flavors; good structure and balance; long finish. This Pinot has really focused flavors and a long persistent finish.

My favorite of the Sta. Rita Hills releases, the 2013 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard offers sensational purity and elegance in its darker berry fruits, crushed flowers, underbrush and hints of mint. Seamless, silky and refined, it still has plenty of fruit and texture, and shows terrific focus on the finish. I'm a fan and this bottle drank beautifully over the three days I had the bottle open. It will have a decade or more of overall longevity.

I was blown away by the 2013 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard. It's a gorgeously complete, balanced and still structured 2013 that offers rocking notes of cassis, black cherry, crushed rock and forest floor to go with a medium to full-bodied, textured and concentrated feel on the palate. Easily one of the riper, larger framed and powerful wines in the lineup, it nevertheless has the fruit to drink nicely today. It should be at its best from 2017-2023.

Medium ruby color; lively cranberry and floral aromas; complex, layered cherry and strawberry flavors on a lithe, silky frame; good structure and balance; long finish. Complex and layered Pinot that deepens with time in the glass.

Supple and sleek, with elegantly layered violet, raspberry and orange peel flavors that build richness and expression on a long finish.

Elegant yet dynamic, with violet, raspberry and spiced cinnamon flavors that build richness and structure toward refined tannins.

Impressively structured and expressive, this features refined raspberry and cherry flavors, accented by orange peel, smoky spice and clove notes, building drama toward polished tannins.

Oregon: An Embarrassment of Riches and Richness Limpid ruby-red. Intensely perfumed cherry, blackberry, Indian spice and vanilla aromas show excellent clarity and pick up cola and licorice notes with air. Stains the palate with sweet dark berry, cherry preserve and floral pastille flavors that show impressive depth and a strong supporting core of smoky minerality. Shows a surprisingly light touch for its depth and power and finishes with outstanding detail, youthfully gripping tannins and superb, floral-driven persistence.

Pretty rose/ruby color. Takes time but opens up to show deep red currant, red and black cherries, rose petals, spicy white pepper, clove, tilled soil. Crisp acidity frames the palate so well, but the tannic structure provides plenty of support without being harsh, and the balance is superb. Graceful but tart red and black cherries, some cranberry, tons of spiced black tea, tobacco, rose petals, white pepper, sage and earthy, floral complexities that linger long on the finish. This is a tightly structured wine that will probably see its best days five years from now, and age beautifully, but this an impressive young Shea Pinot from Penner-Ash.

Oregon: Pinot Still King Even In Hot 2015 and 2014 Vintages A very unique and perfumed nose here with rhubarb fool, cranberry crumble, mint, cherry blossom, slate, jasmine, lilacs, rose petals and nutmeg. By the contrast, the palate is very linear and precise with lots of grainy, fine tannins, bright fruit and a fresh, uplifted finish. Drink now or hold.

This ‘No Name’ bottling is a barrel selection by Penner Ash. Needing roughly a one hour decant to fully express itself, this starts off with beautiful red currant, rose petal and red cherry with forest floor aromatics. The palate is burly, almost Sonomaesque. Cherry cola, sassafras, wild strawberry jam and forest floor flavors complete this outstanding wine. Enjoy this great, beautifully textured, Pinot Noir over the next fifteen plus years.

Limpid ruby-red. An expressive, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red berries, cola, incense and vanilla, complemented by a sexy five-spice powder accent and a hint of smokiness. Stains the palate with sweet raspberry liqueur, spicecake, floral pastille and vanilla flavors that become more energetic as the wine stretches out. Shows a compelling blend of power and elegance, revealing no rough edges and delivering an impressively long, floral-tinged finish.

Firm, with fine tannins under a flowing beam of generous blueberry, currant and floral flavors. Comes together harmoniously on the complete and focused finish.

From select barrels, this “no name” reserve takes the signature elements of the winery's Pinots—notably forward, plush berry fruits and a strong whiff of tobacco—and punches them up to the next level. Big, solid, almost chunky with packed flavor, it touches lightly on lifted aromatics, and frames its tannins in dark chocolate.

Brilliant ruby-red. Exotic, highly expressive aromas of blackberry liqueur, Indian spices, cola and pipe tobacco, joined in the glass by a suave floral overtone. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering intense dark berry, cherry cola and spicecake flavors given lift and spine by juicy acidity. A distinctly plush, concentrated and seamless Pinot Noir that finishes impressively long and sweet, with lingering dark berry and spice character and velvety tannins sneaking in late.

The absolutely sensational 2013 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard is from a mixed block of vines planted in 1927, dominated by Zinfandel. This is the smallest cuvée of all four of Adam Lee=s Zinfandels, with only 148 cases. Terrific aromatics that blast from the glass, offering notes of sweet kirsch liqueur, spice box, licorice, mulberry, roasted herbs, a touch of loamy notes and a big, peppery, meaty, full-throttle attack, mid-palate and finish. This is a great, classic California Zinfandel to drink over the next decade.

The 2015 Syrah Garys' Vineyard is killer stuff! Black and blue fruits, bacon fat, black olive and tapenade notes give way to a ripe, sexy, forward Syrah that has plenty of fruit, good freshness and a great finish. This is a classic, cool-climate style wine that's packed with Cali fruit. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years. The Novy label is for winemaker Adam Lee’s (of Siduri) Rhône blend and Zinfandel releases.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard is fabulous. Rich, dense and explosive, with tremendous fruit density, the Carlisle is absolutely gorgeous. A rush of ripe cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, mint and hard candy all race out of the glass in a racy, flamboyant Zinfandel loaded with personality. The field blend at Carlisle yields a wine with tremendous aromatic intensity and exotic beauty.