Crimson color. Unbelievable nose of gushing red and black currants and plums, such depth and purity of fruit with notes of sweet roses, menthol, eucalyptus, cola, cigar box. Full but suave on the palate with surprisingly crisp acidity that keeps the wine fresh, with waves of red cherries and gushing blackberries. Complex notes of cola, violets, charcoal, sweet pipe tobacco, eucalyptus. Gorgeous, velvety, fresh, vibrant now but this will be even better with 5-7 years. All Merlot aged 15 months in French oak.

Grown on a block planted in 1971. That’s when Walsh was a bub; which means these vines are very, very old. 1940 cases were made. It sees 15 months in French oak (Burgundy coopered). You can see people clambering for this. It’s soft and luscious but with a firm backbone of tannin; it lays on the fruit, covers it in velvet, then pulls the ropes taut. A this-is-how-it’s-done kind of wine. The oak comes spiced, the fruit has bitumen and saltbush aspects to it, and there’s a (dark) chocolatey sheen. It’s not dense or overwrought; it remains lively enough. I tossed up between 93-94 but ultimately few for the latter, on the basis that it squarely nails pure pleasure, in a warm-climate way.

Polished and expressive, with a hint of caramel and brown sugar to smooth out the dense black cherry and plum flavors. Dark chocolate, spice and toasted tobacco notes are aromatic and generous on the long finish. Drink now through 2028. From Australia.

Blackberry, some mint and tobacco perfume, almost capsicum, fine spicy coffee oak. Medium bodied, mixed berry, fresh acidity, gentle thread of dried herb gives amaro like flavour, fleshy grainy tannin and a pretty good long finish. Certainly it’s Cabernet here, and high quality.

Take Note: Real Australian Wine Is Here The nose explodes with lots of decadence in the form of cassis, plenty of eucalyptus, forest fruits, tar, licorice and ink undertones. Full body, mouth-coating tannins and a powerful but savory finish. This needs time. Drink in 2019. Screw cap.

A juicy cassis-driven cabernet of great purity and typicity, oak and tannins a means to an end, and doing precisely what they should

The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard covers a steep cut of country from the ridgetops above the village of Clarendon to the Onkaparinga River in the gorge below. Planted since 1971 it is now owned by Jackson Family Farms and the wines are made by Australian Charlie Seppelt and American Chris Carpenter. The revivalist is crazy good merlot with intense Bing cherry aromas and dried figs. The attack is smooth and rich with more ripe cherry/fig flavour and a long savoury fruity finish. Elegance and class of which you rarely see in Australian reds. Three rack-and-returns were conducted over eighteen months as the wine seasoned in a mixture of Bordeaux-coopered barrels. Impressive New World merlot that ranks with best.

As Australian vineyards go, this isn't that old, having been planted in 1971. Chocolate and vanilla shadings frame bowls of mixed berries in this full-bodied, powerful wine. It finishes long and intense, outlined by dusty tannins.

Eighteen months in Bordeaux-coopered oak. Good colour; has way above average texture, complexity and very good varietal character; cassis, black olive, spice, plum and good tannins all contribute.

Vineyard planted in 1971, and I believe, once a source of fruit to many a very premium wine. Blackberry, dried mint, toast and tar – brooding while wearing perfume. Full bodied, slick of ripe fleshy tannin, dark chocolate and plum with acidity just shy of being too pushy. Brown toast and blackberry on the finish. Deep, rolling wine with plenty of substance, through it’s not over-wrought. Feels like it’s built for the future.

Pure, seductive Pinot aromas combine floral, rose-petal aromas with dark fruit and brown sugar. Rich flavors of blackberries and boyenberries cascade across the palate in a fall of velvet. Moderate acidity makes it approachable now, but there's enough tannin to preserve it for a few years. A wine that can stand up to a steak but still retains a sense of Pinot elegance. EDITOR'S CHOICE.

Deep, dark ruby purple color, rich black cherry, chocolate, earthy notes on the nose; dry, full lots of black cherry and plum notes, incredible depth, toasty oak, great balance and a finish that goes on forever. Incredible concentration of flavor, rich and mouthfilling! Hartford Court is making some of the finest Pinots in California. The Arrendell is no exception - truly exceptional Pinot.

The 2001 Chardonnay Laura's offers a stunning array of tropical fruits along with hints of butterscotch, orange marmalade, and spring flowers. Full, rich, and extremely pure, with a multilayered texture, this is another brilliant Chardonnay that showcases Mike Sullivan's winemaking talents.

Lush and elegant; lovely oak, spice and smooth fruit; complex and long.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2016 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard also has a marine influence in its mulled cherry, spice box, earth, and shrimp broth-like aromas and flavors. Showing a good mix of sweet fruit and savory notes, it’s medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and has a complex, singular style. Aged 17 months in 39% new French oak, it can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 7-8 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma A classic Sonoma Coast release, the 2016 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards offers perfumed notes of candied cherries, orange rind, rose petals, and sandalwood. I always find the true Sonoma Coast releases to have a rounded, supple texture and that’s certainly the case here. This medium-bodied wine has a silky texture, ripe yet polished tannins, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming decade. This cuvée comes from two Sonoma Coast sites located 4 miles off the coast and spent 31% new French oak.

The 2017s From Sonoma From a single vineyard in Marin County located north of the Golden Gate bridge, the 2016 Pinot Noir Marin County was mostly destemmed and spent 17 months in 38% new French oak. It’s a medium to full-bodied, textured effort that has loads of bright cherry and cranberry fruit, plenty of loamy earth and compost, a touch of smoky stem character, solid mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. It will be thrilling to drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it keep even longer.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond A new wine in this range, the 2016 Pinot Noir Truly Rita is gorgeous. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the 2016 offers terrific drive in a mid-weight, energetic style that holds considerable appeal. Red and purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and mint are all beautifully focused. A touch of whole clusters adds lift without being especially evident.

The 2017s From Sonoma Another Anderson Valley release, the 2016 Pinot Noir Muldune Trail comes from a warmer, higher elevation vineyard located on a ridge at 2,000 feet above sea level. This puts the vineyard above the fog line, so it sees higher day temperatures and cooler nighttime temperatures. Aged 17 months in 32% new French oak, it has a classic, savory Anderson Valley bouquet of black and blue fruits, dried spice, loamy soil, cured meats, and forest floor. It’s rich and medium to full-bodied, with a mouthfilling texture and a great finish.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard emerges from the heart of this well-known site. Soaring aromatics make a strong first impression. Blood orange, mint and rose petal are all beautifully lifted in the glass. Medium in body, gracious and exotic, the Arrendell has a lot to say.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters rocks up with boisterous notions of crushed black raspberries, blueberries, red plums and black cherries plus hints of cloves, cinnamon stick and chocolate box. Full-bodied, plushy textured and decadently fruited in the mouth, it delivers mouth-filling black fruits and spices, finishing long.

Velvety and luxurious on the nose, this is named for the producers' son and is from a vineyard near the coastal town of Occidental. Dark cherry and chocolate travel along a smooth spicy thoroughfare of integrated oak and tannin, the body bold and full bodied. Forest pine and orange peel add complex nuances of aroma and flavor.

The 2015 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block is even more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel. Bright and lifted, with terrific focus, the MacLean's deftly balances fruit intensity with structure. Whole clusters and elevation also add to the wine's savory and mineral-driven personality. I very much like the sense of energy here. This is a terrific showing from Hartford Court.

This wine has a tannic intensity to it and a depth of rich red fruit. Rose and lavender aromatics season a seductively velvety texture of leather, nutmeg and Asian spice, the spiciness warming and muscular within a full-bodied boldly ripe core.

This wine is slightly reductive on the nose, and tannic in its youth, with a strong floral component that brightens the proceedings. From a foggy hillside site overlooking Forestville, it sings in forest pine, tart tangy blood-orange acidity and sprinkles of Asian spice and soy.