A solid introductory style Monterey-based pinot that offers a silky soft palate and sweet red fruit mixed with dried herbs, spice, and freshly turned earth. The oak is present, but it doesn’t overpower the wine. A fruity charming berry-laden red is the first duty of inexpensive New World pinot. It is certified sustainable. The perfect mid-week drop.

At first taste, this certified sustainable chardonnay suggests it has had some oak ageing, but it is not the case. Its creamy custardy palate is all part of the Monterey site it comes off. The nose is a mix of intense fresh peach and sweet lime that spills onto the palate. Butter and baked pear and lime mark the finish along with a refreshing hit of acidity that is all Monterey. It is California, no doubt, but fun to sip and friendly enough to work with chicken tacos. Fun and well worth the money for California chardonnay fans, new and old.

The Wine You Should Always Drink When Watching This Classic Fall MovieSoul FoodSoul Food may not be a film about the holidays but its plot is rooted in the tradition of gathering around the dining table with family — and what's more seasonally appropriate than that? This 1997 comedy-drama is best viewed with a hearty meal and soulful wine close by, like a Chianti. The grape that’s used to make Chianti is called Sangiovese and it produces dry wines with red-fruit and dried-herb notes. In other words, Chianti is oh so delicious with a plate full of food.Pair It With: Chianti

Stellar Values in California Chardonnay from Sonoma CountyA blend of fruit from Stonestreet’s estate mountain vineyards, this Chardonnay reveals scents of chamomile tea, smoky oak and high toned tropical fruit. The palate is round and softly textured with appealing, firm phenolics and good mid-palate weight. Finishes dry with lingering lemon and tropical notes. Clones Hyde-Wente, UCD 4, and Peter Michael from Mayacamas vineyards blocks at 400-1800' elevation. Barrel fermented with ambient yeast, full malo with monthly lees stirring and aged 11 months in 33% new French oak. TA 5.1 g/L, pH 3.61, 14.1% alc.

Stellar Values in California Chardonnay from Sonoma CountyThis Sonoma County blend of mostly Alexander and Bennett Valley grapes is relatively reserved aromatically, showing lemon-like citrus with a honeysuckle accent. The palate is broad and balanced with light stone fruit complemented by earthy/savory notes, finishing dry and crisp with good length. An outstanding value in premium Sonoma Chardonnay. Sourced predominantly from the Alexander Valley and Bennett Valleys, fermented in new and used oak barrels (a small percentage was fermented in stainless steel) with native yeast followed by malo and elevage on the lees in barrel. 13.7% alc.

The 2020 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is outrageously beautiful. In fact, it is one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Greg Brewer. Rich and textured in the glass, with plenty of bright acids, the 2020 is wonderfully alive. Greg Brewer has done a tremendous job in crafting a Chardonnay that is both texturally deep and intense. In 2020, facing a lack of visibility in the market because of COVID-19, Brewer-Clifton bottled just a fraction of their appellation Chardonnay, freeing up a number of top sites that Greg Brewer was able to access for Diatom. The 2020 is simply magnificent.

The 2019 Chardonnay 3D is a fabulous Chardonnay that captures the magic of the Sta. Rita Hills. Rich and expansive on the palate, the 2019 is laced with apricot, tangerine oil, butter and tropical fruit. The 2019 gets better and better in the glass as the layers start to flesh out.

The 2018 Syrah Tepusquet is without question the finest wine I have tasted from Cambria under the direction of Jill Russell. Dark and sensual in the glass, the 2018 possesses tremendous depth and power, but with tannins that are almost impossibly elegant. Black plum, chocolate, lavender and spice all build in the glass. Syrah can be magical in Santa Maria, as it is here. The 2018 spent 15 months in French oak, 30% new.

The 2018 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard Signature Collection emerges from the estate's oldest vines planted in 1971. Rich and oily in the glass, the 2018 possesses tremendous character as well as nuance. Lemon confit, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes open beautifully with a bit of aeration. A hint of reduction adds personality, but is not distracting.

The 2019 Chardonnay Machado is another dazzling wine in this range from Brewer-Clifton. The Machado is powerful and vertical in feel, with an intensely mineral/savory profile that is so distinctive. The Machado is not an obvious wine, but rather a Chardonnay that impresses with its nuance and complexity.

Dark, dense and mysterious, the 2018 Pinot Noir Barbara's Clone 667 is superb. Succulent dark cherry, plum, chocolate, spice and licorice build in an ample, full-bodied Pinot that is all charm. I would give the tannins a few years to soften. The 2018 is beautifully done. There is real substance and gravitas here.

The 2019 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard is fabulous. Rich and ample, the Katherine's offers striking dimension to play off its mid-weight structure. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, spice and tropical accents all meld together effortlessly. The Katherine's is a blend of various parcels and clones across the estate. This classic Santa Maria Chardonnay hits all the right notes.

The 2019 Chardonnay Hapgood offers an attractive mélange of apricot, dried almonds, chamomile and tropical fruit. In this tasting, the Hapgood stands out for its creamy, textured personality allied to clean mineral notes. All the elements are so well balanced.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Hapgood is a dense, ample wine endowed with tons of brooding power. This cool site yields a Pinot of real distinction. I would give the 2019 2-3 years to soften, as it is pretty imposing today. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice and leather open in the glass, but the Hapgood is first and foremost a Pinot of weight and resonance.

The 2019 Pinot Noir 3D is bold and savory, yet it retains the transparency that is such a signature at Brewer-Clifton. Pommard and Swan clone Pinot on sandy soils, done with 100% whole clusters, yield an effusive, aromatic Pinot that is all about lift and perfume. This is such a gorgeous and distinctive wine.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Julia's Signature Collection is 100% Clone 23 fermented in barrel. Succulent black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and licorice fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2018 offers tons of depth as well as character.

The 2019 Syrah, from Bar M in Los Alamos, is elegant, perfumed and deep. Black cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, cedar and dried herbs fill out the layers. Wonderfully aromatic and savory, the 2019 has so much to offer. The 100% whole clusters feel especially well balanced here. This soft, open-knit Syrah will be ready to go with another year or two in bottle.

The 2019 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is outrageously beautiful. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, mint and light tropical character all grace the 2019. Bright saline accents play off the creamy fruit in a Chardonnay that dazzles from start to finish. All the best qualities of the year come through loud and clear.

The 2019 Pinot Noir 459 is intensely aromatic and ethereal in feel. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint and dried herbs all open in the glass. Silky tannins give this mid-weight Pinot tons of sensuality and appeal to balance some of its more eccentric leanings.

The 2019 Viognier Tepusquet Vineyard is a beautiful wine that balances varietal character with notable verve and freshness. Apricot, tangerine peel, mint and exotic white flowers all open nicely in this pretty inviting Viognier.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Machado is painfully inward today. Even so, there is terrific energy and purity to the red-fleshed fruit. The Machado feels just a bit compact. It will be even better than this note suggests if the fruit emerges more fully.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is an attractive, easygoing wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Silky tannins and sweet, perfumed aromatics give the 2019 much of its sheer appeal. Bright red/purplish berry fruit and spice accents linger on the soft, understated finish.

The 2019 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is bright, tense and full of energy. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice and rose petal all grace the 2019. Brewer-Clifton's appellation Pinot is all charm. There is a wonderful feeling of transparency here, not to mention plenty of appeal.

This white offers plenty of buttery accents to the ripe white fruit and spice flavors. There's a toasty richness on the open-textured finish, with caramel nuances. Drink now.

In a word? Crushable. However, this nuanced, elegant pinot noir is so much more than just an easy drinker.On the nose, you are immediately hit with notes of bright, fresh, red fruits including cherry, strawberry and cranberry. As it opens up, aromas of sour cherry candy and coffee emerge.The first sips are equally full of beautiful red fruit with an immediate punch of cherry, followed by a distinct taste of baked strawberry and rhubarb. The eight months in a barrel soon become apparent, as gentle flavours of vanilla, cocoa, and coffee come through to create a mocha flavour. The mouth feel is velvety smooth and the tannins are so soft, they are hardly apparent. The long-lasting finish imparts noticeably refreshing acidity and leaves a taste of sour cherry and pomegranate. This crowd-pleasing wine is a prime example of what makes Sonoma one of the most well-respected homes of New World pinot noir. The renown and versatility of this wine make it an excellent choice for any occasion as it can be appreciated by the wine snob and the casual wine crusher alike.