One of my favorite Pinot Noirs has for a long time been the La Crema from Russian River, and once again it does not disappoint. This is a classic style Pinot Noir from one of the premier vineyard areas in the entire country. It is pretty hard to beat Pinot Noir grown in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley! The nose is elegant with the scent of both black and red fruits fresh from the orchard. The rich flavor suggests plum, blueberry and dark cherry, with a touch of chocolate toward the finish, which has just a hint of oak. This one certainly begs for another sip! The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm’s score is 90. We have enjoyed this wine many times in the past with grilled meat, and it is also a great match for grilled salmon.

This medium garnet colored Pinot Noir from Hartford Court is terrific. It opens with a mild red raspberry and red cherry licorice bouquet with hints of black tea and violets. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with gentle acidity. The mouthfeel is soft, smooth, and very well-balanced. The flavor profile is red plum and cranberry blend with hints of clove, red cherry, minerality, and dried herbs. The finish is dry, and its flavors and soft gentle tannins are nicely extended. The Panel would pair this Pinot with oven roasted cherry chicken with rosemary or braised rabbit.

Wine recommendations for January
La Crema is a California winery that just celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019 and specializes in producing wines from cool climates. The wine is aged in oak for 7 months to give the wine a creamy and buttery texture; you should find citrus and green apple notes too.

This is brooding, intense and quite savoury, with notes of blood and iron, as well as sweet blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. It’s a fresh, structured and slightly backward wine, with acidity prominent, and a slight pithy, reductive tension. Has a bitter plum finish. There’s lots to like here, but it’s unyielding and unresolved at the moment, even though it promises a lot more to come. As such, it is hard to rate. I followed it over three days and it slowly began to yield, but not much. There’s not a hint of overripeness here, nor any obvious oak, and in terms of profile it reminds me a bit of Wendouree, although the region and soils are different. But it makes me think it has a long life ahead of it.

Most of the Merlot grapes, 86 percent, came from Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley and the remaining 14 percent came from the winery’s estate vineyards in Bennett Valley. The wine has a beautiful dark ruby color with a touch of magenta highlights. Aromas of black cherry, plum and blackberry offer an invitation to get the wine into your mouth to enjoy the wine’s rich black cherry, blackberry fruit layered with dark chocolate. It is silky smooth, finishing with ripe tannins. Serve it with a grilled steak, or even better make the L’Ultime Dark Chocolate Mousse with Lavender Scented Mixed Berries from the recipe on their site at MatanzasCreek.com/blog/lultime-dark-chocolate-mousse-lavender-scented-mixed-berries. Bill and Sandra MacIver established the Matanzas Creek Winery in 1977. Their first winemaker was Merry Edwards and the next winemaker was Dave Ramey. They sold the estate to Jackson Family Wines in 2000.

California meets Saint-Emilion in this broad-shouldered Merlot/Cabernet Franc-dominant blend. The unnecessarily heavy bottle predicts the wine’s style. Though mostly black fruit-driven at this stage, a lovely mineral tarriness appears in the finish. I suspect more complexity will appear with bottle age. For now, this voluptuous wine has a suave and supple texture that makes it a good choice for current consumption with a steak for those who gravitate to that style.

Three To Try - Great value pinot noirs (from the New World)
This garnet gem delivers bright cherry and raspberry fruit with elegant earthy notes. Pairs well with beef, game and poultry.

Visit the tropics with a bottle of Hartford Courts Four Hearts. I enjoy this, 93 McD for its trop fruits, citrus, toasty, buttery, hazelnut profile.

This dark ruby colored Cabernet from Kendall Jackson is very good. It opens with a black cherry and blackberry bouquet with a hint of peppermint and dark chocolate. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with nicely integrated acidity. The mouthfeel is round and balanced. The flavor profile is a mineral influenced black currant with notes of oak and blackberry. I also detected some hints of blueberry and cola. The finish is dry, and its fine tannins and flavors fade away nicely. This Cab would pair nicely with a filet mignon.

Oranges, tangerines peach, hazelnuts and mildly grassy licorice. This is a pleasant, everyday Chardonnay.

A mix of red and black fruits, dense in a good way, with savory brambles and a granular, lean finish.

Like several Bordeaux wineries, Lassègue does both late and later releases, so you can often find multiple vintages available. This one is perfect for a bloody steak – fresh but rounded flavors of cherries and cassis blended in with tastes of leather and aging barrels.

Never shy when it comes to the embrace of acidity, this Oregon sparkler made in the traditional method was like a bite of sea salt on a strawberry. There's a creamy mouthfeel, yellow apple, pear and lemon zest on the finish. A flaky croissant and toasty brioche note come through, as well.

In between, are the sophisticated La Crema Sonoma Coast 2019 Chardonnay with its pear and lemon meringue pie profile and the classic Cambria 2019 Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County.

In between, are the sophisticated La Crema Sonoma Coast 2019 Chardonnay with its pear and lemon meringue pie profile and the classic Cambria 2019 Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Freemark Abbey Napa Valley 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is high-end California red at its best.

For example, the popular Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve 2019 Chardonnay is approachable and affordable at $21 and is made from grapes grown in vineyards up and down the California coast in Monterey, Santa Barbara, Mendocino and Sonoma.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most finessed wines I have ever tasted here. That seems to be the direction Chris Carpenter is pursuing of late. So more than a vintage or place (Cardinale is a blend of hillside and valley floor sites) what comes through is the wine's finesse. Floral overtones lift a core of red cherry fruit, pomegranate and blood orange. I imagine the 2019 will enjoy a long life based on its spectacular balance.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is one of the most distinctive wines in this range from Lokoya, but it is also the most backward. Huge beams of tannin give the Veeder Cabernet energy and shape. It will be at least a few years before the fruit starts to fully emerge, so a measure of patience is essential. Iron, red plum fruit, sage, mint and white pepper lend striking brightness to this gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Lokoya and winemaker Chris Carpenter.

In 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is entirely from W.S. Keyes ranch. A huge, statuesque wine, the 2019 possesses tremendous intensity right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, gravel, menthol, licorice and spice build in an opulent, dramatic Cabernet that hits all the right notes. This is such a classic expression of Howell Mountain.

The 2019 Red Wine, Caladan's Merlot-based blend, is flamboyant to the core. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and sweet oak are all kicked up in this decidedly exuberant wine. Winemaker Chris Carpenter opted for hillside sites for this blend, so there is plenty of supporting mountain structure lurking beneath all of that fruit.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Mount Veeder wine loaded with strong savory and mineral accents. Black fruit, graphite menthol and licorice lend complexity to this huge, explosive Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannins are pretty fierce at this stage, so readers should plan on being patient.

The 2019 Cabernet Franc marries density, energy and varietal character in a huge mountain wine that is going to need a number of years to come together. Cedar, tobacco, licorice, coffee and dark-fleshed fruit infuse the 2019 with tremendous character. The 2019 is a powerhouse. Give it a few years to soften.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain is the most elegant, nuanced wines in the Lokoya range. Bright red cherry, red plum, blood orange, mint, cinnamon and rose petal lend brightness to this big, potent Cabernet Sauvignon. The Spring Mountain is differentiated in this range for its distinctly red-tone fruit, floral top notes and silky tannins. In 2019, the wine is a blend from Wuerder and Everdon.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain is a huge, strapping wine packed with inky black fruit, graphite, crushed rocks, menthol, bittersweet chocolate and espresso. This huge, virile Cabernet packs a serious punch in its first impression. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of floral and savory notes that are so typical in wines from this appellation. Give the potent tannins a few years to soften.