Rounded notes of lemon curd, baked green apple and sage on the nose. Medium-bodied with white tea and nutmeg on the palate. Vanilla cream. Slightly smoky finish. Tasty. Drink now.

Red fruit, red licorice and redcurrant on the nose. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannins, carrying sweet red fruit and berries. Fairly concentrated with a floral finish. Sustainable. Drink now.

Red cherries, strawberries and dried herbs on the nose. Medium-bodied with good intensity and presence. Well-integrated tannins. Juicy with pleasant wet-stone character. Drink now.

Aromas of plums, black cherries and dried herbs. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannins. Good intensity and depth. A savory, herbal finish. Drink now.

Another delight for any wine collector is the 2018 Le Désir. Also from the North coast of California – Sonoma County, Le Désir is dark and moody in appearance with a hint of violet, this Cabernet-Franc based blend is a complex signature made up of more than 50 micro-crus with deep red fruits, sage, mint and cinnamon bark on the nose, followed by sweet spice, a hint of blackberry and vanilla and a lingering finish. Bold, oaky and acidic, it’s a keeper which will age well.

La Muse uses a variety of more than 50 micro-crus to produce its complex signature in the Sonoma County of California. 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, this incredible blend has been able for 16 months in French oak (95% new). A mild spring in 2018 followed by a cool growing season and slow, even ripening has produced a beautiful balance with matured tannins and a gorgeous ruby-violet colour. With ripe red and black plum, spices and hints of toast and roasted nut, there are rich red fruits on the nose and notes of chocolate and tobacco giving way to a long finish.

Maggy Hawk Unforgettable Pinot Noir 2018 was exactly the color pinot should be in the glass, a little ruby on the edge and a darker purple in the bottom of the glass. Cherry cola, eucalyptus and an iron-based minerality unraveled at the finish.It’s a prime example of wines from Anderson Valley’s Deep End, an area that captures the many mysteries of pinot noir so well.

Thanksgiving Wines Under $50 - recommended

The 100 most amazing wines in Sonoma CountyIt packs a wallop, at 16.1% alcohol, yet is nicely balanced on the palate, with only a touch of heat. Violets, wild red and blue berries, mocha and sandalwood are the top notes of this juicy and intense wine, whose style is everything to zinfanatics.

The 100 most amazing wines in Sonoma CountyFounder Richard Arrowood gave this wine its name to indicate it had “special reserve” quality. It still does, though under Jackson Family Wines ownership. At 100% cabernet sauvignon, it makes a bold statement in the glass, with sizeable tannins for long-term cellaring, yet enough suppleness that it can be enjoyed now. Inviting aromas of violets and spice lead to dark fruit that’s expressive without being over-ripe; extended barrel aging adds vanilla, spice, toffee and semisweet chocolate to the mix.

The 100 most amazing wines in Sonoma CountyWho says a large-volume wine can’t be wonderful? La Crema, a major brand in the Jackson Family Wines portfolio and whose bottlings span several regions, used Sonoma Coast grapes in this widely available, terrific-value wine that deserves its Top 100 stripes. There is brightness and verve to it, a mingling of orange marmalade, tangerine, peach, fennel and hazelnut, in a compact, mouthwatering package.

The 100 most amazing wines in Sonoma CountyTake a trip to the tropics with this wine, which puts vibrant pineapple and mango fruit in a bowl, adds zesty citrus, toasty brioche and hazelnuts, and lets natural acidity keep it all fresh. Jeff Stewart makes several chardonnays for Hartford, each with its own personality; this one is both exuberant and polished.

Nine Great Wines for Thanksgiving, Your Family, and the PlanetHere’s your essential pinot, a silky-textured, red cherry-inflected, full-bodied red from a sustainability pioneer. The Jackson family co-founded the International Wineries for Climate Action in 2019 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Bottles contain 50% recycled glass.

Pinot Noir — A Global Love AffairBest of Australia

Pinot Noir — A Global Love AffairBest of California

23 Luxe Host Gifts for When You Really Need to ImpressFor the Francophile oenophileChâteau Lassègue is enviably nestled on the Côte de Saint Émilion in Bordeaux. Seventh-generation vigneron Pierre Seillan and his son Nicolas Seillan, using 50-year-old vines planted in clay and limestone-rich soil, have released a deliciously silky, beautifully rounded 2017 Grand Cru with notes of cassis and violet that is both highly drinkable now and a great candidate for aging. Ahead of the curve in prioritizing sustainability, the vineyard is notable for melding age-old traditions with responsible environmental practices.

Tropical aromas. Apple and citrus on the palate, just a bit creamy, well-balanced, with lively acidity and a lingering finish. Very good.

The 15 Best Wines to Serve for Thanksgiving This YearThe Anderson Valley is one of few places left in California cool enough to pull off a mesmerizing Pinot Noir. This exemplifies that, a detailed wine chock-full of delicacy. This is the wine you pour to accompany the turkey, but also enjoy on its own, as it beams with layer upon lasting layer.

The clarity, the purity, the elegance and the perfume that the Upper Yarra Valley Applejack Vineyard brings to the party is immediately recognisable. Equally insistent is the sheer power of the red fruits and spices hidden by the light colour of the cloak. 66 barrels/barriques.

100% pinot noir, hand-picked, specifically for this rose, wild yeast fermented. Vibrantly fresh aromas and flavours; rose petals, violets and delicate spices on the bouquet, wild strawberries and raspberries on the mouth-watering palate. Great wine, not just great rose.

Alluring, creamy, fresh.Carmel Road is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey's Arroyo Seco appellation. It is just one of the several dozen outstanding wineries in the Jackson Family Wines (Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Freemark Abbey, Arrowood, etc.) portfolio.Notes of honeysuckle and warm buttered apple puff pastries, hazelnuts and faint spice lead to an equally alluring palate. Sweet golden fruit sprinkled with spice, vanilla and lemon peel flavours culminate in toastiness on the finish. It has wonderful balance, a creamy slick texture and a mouthwatering finish.

This midnight purple colored Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a very fragrant black currant and blackberry bouquet with hints of eucalyptus and pencil lead. On the palate, this wine is full bodied and smooth with medium acidity. The flavor profile is crushed stone mineral influenced black currant with notes of black tea and blackberry. We also detected hints of oak and Baker’s chocolate mixed in. The finish is dry, and its big dusty mountain tannins stick around for a very long time. The Panel would decant this wine and then pair it with a dry-aged, well marbled ribeye or braised short ribs. They also feel this would be terrific on its own.

A true Southern Rhone blend beyond the usual suspects of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre; each component handled separately, prior to final assemblage. Smells a touch rooty on opening, again I stress there's no bunch component, yet 50% whole berry. It's light, slick and racy across the palate - a juiciness that cannot be escaped and fails not to freshen. A light rub of tannin, gentle maceration ensuring a fine extraction and delivering length. No artifice, all expression of fine fruit and the winemaker's craft.

Autumn in a glass. From organic pioneer Peter Fraser, a delicious, fresh, crunchy, herb-driven wine that underlines just how exciting Aussie Grenache can be.

This pitch-black colored Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a black cherry and cassis bouquet with hints of graphite and blueberry. On the palate, this wine is full bodied with medium plus acidity. The mouthfeel is round and savory. The flavor profile is black currant and blackberry blend with notes of integrated crushed stone minerality and black plum. We also detected hints of blueberry and dark chocolate. The finish is dry, and its dusty tannins build-up and last for a very long time. The Panel would decant this Cab and then serve it with a Wagyu steak or Jiko's wild boar tenderloin.