Good deep ruby. Slightly reduced aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, licorice, rocky minerality, leather and pepper; a bit less expressive today than La Muse. Big, broad, dense and dry but not yet filled in; comes across as a bit youthfully musclebound and tannic today but not heavy. Juicy more than fleshy; very much a wine from a cooler year (the alcohol here is a moderate 13.8%). This will be slow to evolve.

Full medium ruby. Crushed cassis, licorice, menthol, minerals and violet on the very dark nose. Very concentrated and juicy but a bit youthfully imploded, with fruity, peppery acidity giving energy and lift to the middle palate. The very long, rising finish features building tannins and lingering black fruits.

The numerous Chardonnay vineyards are planted at 800 to as high as 1,800 feet (in the case of the Gravel Bench, Upper Barn and Broken Road vineyards). All are 100% Chardonnays largely made from the Old Wente clone with a small percentage of the Hyde clone, and are fermented with indigenous yeasts. Almost all of them spend 10-11 months in various percentages of new French oak, ranging from a low of 44% (the Estate Chardonnay) to a high of 100% (the Gravel Bench Chardonnay. The differences between the various cuvées are very subtle as they are all relatively full-bodied, rich, and aromatic with natural textures. As the scores attest, they are far more alike than dissimilar. My favorites include the 2013 Chardonnay Gravel Bench, which reveals amazing texture and richness as well as a honeyed crème brûlée intensity and striking minerality. The same can be said for the 2013 Chardonnay Broken Road as well as the 2013 Chardonnay Upper Barn, a parcel made famous by Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer when they were producing Chardonnay from this site under their Marcassin label. All of these wines are great Chardonnays that combine the best of California ripeness with the minerality, structure and delineation of a French white Burgundy.

The 2013 Chardonnay Red Point possesses notes of caramelized grapefruit, orange and tangerines along with impressive minerality.

Whoa. While the last bottle I had of this exhibited some stewed characteristics, absolutely none of that here. Big juicy red fruit on the nose and the palate with that characteristic Siduri balance. Yes, this is on the bigger side of Pinot, even a decade out, but when it is balanced, it can be a beautiful wine. Outstanding.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages A barrel sample blended of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Syrah, the very deep garnet-black colored 2017 Petite Sirah gives up a wonderfully earthy nose to begin, featuring notes of mossy bark, fungi and black soil over a core of warm redcurrants and plums with hints of mulberries and spice box. The palate is full, rich and very firm with chewy tannins and a lively backbone supporting the generous fruit, finishing long.

A barrel sample, the 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Stone Côte gives up gorgeous ripe peach, apple pie and pineapple notions with touches of ginger, lightly browned toast and chalk dust. Medium to full-bodied with a silken texture, it has a refreshing backbone cutting through the intense stone fruit and spicy flavors, finishing long and minerally.

The 2015 Chardonnay Jennifer’s comes from a windy, cold Sebastopol Hills neighborhood from primarily the old Wente clone. Loads of orange marmalade, white peach and pineapple jump from the glass of this light gold wine, which has great precision and acidity. It is a super-concentrated, fleshy wine with a long, layering finish.

The 2014 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard is from a hillside vineyard in the very cool-climate Green Valley, not far from the little “hippie” town of Forestville. Aged in 38% new French oak, the wine offers a light gold color with a greenish hue, hints of tangerine oil, pineapple, white peach and citrus. This is rich, full-bodied and stunningly proportioned, and much like all the other Chardonnays, the oak is very subtle and nuanced. This is another tour de force in Chardonnay winemaking from winemaker Jeff Stewart.

The 2012 Chardonnay Stone Cote Vineyard (a block within the Durell Vineyard planted on gravelly riverbed soils) is 100% barrel-fermented and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Made from a combination of Old Wente clones and some of the newer Chardonnay clones, it exhibits a terrific wet rock/powdered stone-like minerality along with beautiful aromas of exotic fruits (mangoes and tangerines), great intensity, full body, terrific acidity, and 14.8% alcohol. This beautiful Burgundian-styled Chardonnay should be enjoyed over the next 7-8 years.

A barrel sample, the 2016 Hartford Zinfandel Hartford Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color, offering blackberry pie, fruitcake and plum preserves notions with touches of licorice, Indian spices and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich and pleasantly chewy in the mouth, the remarkable freshness cuts through the densely packed berry preserves layers, finishing on a savory note.

A barrel sample, the 2016 Hartford Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color and opens with black forest cake, tar and black soil notes over a core of crème de cassis and blueberry preserves, plus a touch of Sichuan pepper. Full-bodied, savory and chewy in the mouth, it has a lovely understated character with a good long, harmonious finish.

Lots of dark-berry and chocolate character with hints of smoky wood now. Full-bodied, juicy and flavorful. Soft and round tannins.

Pale gold, with a green hue. Potent scents of pit fruit nectar, seaweed, anise and smoky minerals, with sexy floral and mace notes adding complexity. Stains the palate with intense nectarine and pear flavors that are braced by a strong mineral quality. There's an intensity here that's really impressive. Refuses to let go on the finish, which strongly echoes the anise and floral notes.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2017 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Seco Highlands, aged 10 months in 30% new French oak, has a pale to medium ruby color and opens with some reductive notes of struck match/gunflint. With air, it offers olive, woodsmoke, bacon fat, roasted cranberries, dried citrus peel, tree bark and amaro aromas. Medium-bodied and silky, it's intense and expressive in the mouth, with a firm frame of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and bitters laced. This needs more time in bottle or a good decant.

The Riserva is a big step up from the annata. More savory than fruity on the nose with earthy, tobacco scents. Mouthfiling on the palate with dark plum, cherries, tea and herbal notes. Long and impressively rich finish. A blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from warmer, south-facing blocks; aged 10 months in used French oak barriques. pH 3.37, 14.1% alc

From a site planted in 2009 to Hyde selections, the 2022 Chardonnay Hapgood is zesty and focused on the nose, combing citrus and orchard fruits with accents of sea spray. Silky and saline on the palate, it finishes with a tremendously chiseled energy that recalls the linearity and precision of the nose. A highlight of the Brewer-Clifton lineup, this has room to unwind and still be a livewire.

The 2022 Chardonnay Katherine’s Vineyard Signature Collection is a pretty potent, tightly wound wine, perhaps because of its relatively recent bottling. Crushed rocks, white pepper, slate, citrus peel and strong mineral accents race out of the glass. About 60% of the malolactic fermentation was blocked, which results in a very steely, reticent Chardonnay that needs time to be at its best.

Darkly floral and intense, the 2021 Pinot Noir La Crete smolders up with a burst of crushed ashen stones, giving way to violets, lavender and blood orange. It’s elegant in feel, with silken textures and polished red and blue fruits that gain an energetic momentum. Juicy acidity enlivens the experience throughout. Gently tannic yet potent and long, the 2021 finishes with bitter licorice, wild blueberries and spice hints. La Crete is a selection of parcels from throughout the WillaKenzie vineyards.

The woodland-inspired 2021 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard smolders up with a bouquet of violets, lavender and sage, complementing crushed blackberries as a tinge of dusty earth adds an oldworld complexity. This floods the palate with textures of pure silk, soothingly round and succulent, with ripe red and blue fruits that slowly saturate. It finishes with outstanding length, mixing confectionary spice and wild blueberries. A subtle tug of fine tannin frames the experience beautifully.

Coming from nearly 30-year-old vines, the 2023 Semillon Flavorscape was just bottled, so it has a good deal of sulfur right now, but the estate doesn’t plan to release this until 2030. The nose reveals notes of candied green apple, lime zest, flint, crushed rocks, and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied, with bright acidity, it has a fantastic chalky texture and a weightless feel. It’s going age at a glacial pace, but it was fun to try it so early. It's hard to estimate a drinking window, though, since it’s got another six years before release. 250 cases were made.

From grapes grown on volcanic soils and crafted mostly from whole clusters, the 2021 Pinot Noir The Sum has layered, spicy aromas of tar, licorice, forest floor, aniseed and wild berry fruit. The medium-bodied palate is concentrated but still youthfully wound and latent. It has chalky tannins and mouthwatering acidity and finishes long and spicy. It deserves several years in the cellar to unwind. 887 cases were made.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Upland is dark-fruited and wild on the nose: wild raspberry and blackberry are accented by touches of mossy bark, dried herbs and Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate is structured by luxuriously silky tannins and fireworks of fresh acidity that brighten its slowly unfurling flavors. It has a long finish that segues from red fruit to spice and floral perfume, and its seamlessness and complexity point to a long life in the cellar. 214 cases were made.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Cascade has pure, layered scents of cranberry, raspberry, dried roses, licorice and dusty earth, with wonderful spicy tones emerging as it airs in the glass. The light-bodied palate's concentrated, spicy flavors are structured by suede-textured tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, floral finish. 156 cases were made.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Dropstone opens with raspberry and blackberry fruit that gives way to forest floor, potpourri and bitters on the nose. The medium-bodied palate offers expansive, alluringly perfumed fruit. It has a silky frame, fireworks of fresh acidity and a long finish with a fan of spicy accents. 254 cases were made.