A whole lot of blue and black fruit, some violet perfume, and no shortage of creamy mocha oak, also some iodine and crushed dried herbs. It’s full-bodied, rich in flavour, a Turkish coffee feel to tannin, chocolaty oak, dried blueberry and raspberry, lavish silty tannin to close, with oak and fruit having a fair old crack at each other, though the density of the fruit is probably the winner. It’s a bold wine, inky and ferrous, with no shortage of stuffing. It’s a throaty, almost Napa style of wine, and kind of showy in that way, though there’s no doubt it’s high quality.

Expressing a more tension, the dark ruby 2021 Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard is more reserved aromatically but also more focused, with delicate incense, black raspberry, and violets. The palate has a fresh spine of acidity, with ripe fine tannins, and a nice citrus-tinged lift on the finish with a hint of toasted earth. It’s a very pretty wine from winemaker Kate Ayres to drink over the next 6-8 years.

Fresh perfumed, fennel seed, white flower and vanilla perfume, ripe lemon. Rich and almost creamy, maybe a little under-powered, but full of character. Airy kind of feel to it, and a good finish. Tasty. In evolution, but fine now too.

Sexton Vineyard is planted on shallow gray dirt over mudstone. The elevation is 220 meters and shows the magic of a warmer part of the Yarra in a relatively cool year. Plum skin, chinotto, fig, blueberries and exotic spices form the backdrop to the bright strawberry/cherry fruit. The 2021 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir is structurally quite different from the other vineyards, in that the tannins are more grainy and gravelly and provide more framework from which the fruit can hang. It is perhaps more obvious in its display of fruit and tannin, but with that comes a sonorous baritone of tannin and flavor. Impressive.

Sourced primarily from the Yverdon Vineyard on Spring Mountain, the 2019 Cabernet Franc features stunning floral aromas of rose petals and violets, plus sage and raspberry scents. Blended with 21% Merlot, this medium to full-bodied wine is taut and focused, silky textured yet mouthwatering, long and imbued with plenty of dusty tannins on the finish. Give it a few years in the cellar, then maybe my initial rating will begin to look stingy.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard is another very pretty, elegant wine in this range. Crushed flowers, mint, sweet red berry, pine and mocha give the 2016 striking aromatic dimension. I would cellar the 2016 for at least a few years, as it needs time to come together.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More 2016s The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Bear Point Vineyard is deep garnet-purple colored and comes sashaying out of the glass with beautiful kirsch, blueberry compote, warm cassis and fresh plums notions plus suggestions of rose hip tea, tilled soil, yeast extract and tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, the palate has impressive grace with a quiet intensity of black fruits and earthy sparks, supported by firm grainy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing on a persistent mineral note. 434 cases were made.

Santa Barbara: Present & Future The 2018 Chardonnay Santos Road is the most open-knit and creamy of the Chardonnays in the Diatom range. Lemon peel, tangerine, white flowers and a touch of reduction give the 2018 tons of character. A Chardonnay of distinction and class, the Santos Road is also an example of the diatom style at its very best.

Santa Barbara: Present & Future The 2017 Pinot Noir 3D is a deep, powerful wine endowed with tremendous intensity. Next to the other Pinots in the range, the 3D feels quite virile. White pepper, crushed rocks, savory herbs and chalk give the 3D a beguiling upper register to play off its dense fruit and imposing structure. Veins of salinity give energy and brightness. This is such a compelling and promising wine.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Chardonnay Hapgood begins with fresh pear and quince, opening to hazelnut, crushed shell and sweet hay with warm white peaches and white blossom hints. Light to medium-bodied with a lovely interplay of ripe fruits and mineral notions, it has seamless acidity and a very long, energetic, honey-nut finish.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases The 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is composed of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 9% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it delivers fragrant underbrush, cloves and cinnamon stick notes over a core of warm cassis, blackberry pie and cedar chest plus a waft of Sichuan pepper. Full-bodied, the palate packs a powerful punch of black fruits with loads of spicy accents with a plush texture, finishing long and toasty.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2017 Pinot Noir Muldune Trail reveals gregarious notions of raspberry tart, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and lilacs plus nuances of cracked black pepper, baking spices and root beer. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers impressive elegance and energy with loads of restrained red fruit and earthy nuances, finishing long and plushly textured.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Already bottled, the 2018 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard features bold baked pears, fresh Golden Delicious apples and lemonade scents with touches of chalk dust and allspice. Medium-bodied, the palate has a racy line lifting the apple and pear flavors, finishing on a chalky note.

Napa Valley's 2017s The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is a richer, broader, more concentrated wine, yet it also has a serious amount of tannins. Lots of dark chocolate, blackcurrant, forest floor, and espresso notes all emerge from this full-bodied, concentrated, impressive effort that’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have 20+ years of longevity. The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% each of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2017 Cabernet Franc is fabulous. Bold and dramatic in scale, the 2017 hits the palate with serious fruit intensity and tons of pure richness. Super-ripe red cherry, red plum, menthol, wild flowers, chocolate and mocha build as this racy, voluptuous wine shows off its alluring personality. The 2017 needs time in bottle to develop its full range of aromatics, but it has a ton of potential.

Lean but flavoursome, if that is possible. Textural and intense but rapier-like through the finish. Needs time but has it going on. Citrus and stone fruit, steel and cedar. The most subtle of lactose notes. This will shine in time.

A nest of cabernet franc.Strong fruit, strong tannin and strong oak. It’s balanced within its own world but this is a heavy hitter. A big serve of resiny vanilla, mint, chocolate, steel and redcurrant, with plum notes drenching the palate. Dry, rusty herbs, the leftovers from a couple of summers ago combine with florals, old too, dried too. Less oak would have been good but this is a wine set up to age. Strong arms, this one. Ropes of tannin territory.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Docker Hill from a site in Mendocino, is brisk, finely cut and full of character. Bright red/purplish fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and spice are all finely sketched. Deceptively medium in body, the 2018 has terrific energy and tons of class. It is a typically nervy Pinot from this part of Northern California.

The 2017 Armoniza is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 14% Malbec, all from Knights Valley. The flavors are bold and punchy in this super-expressive, vibrant red. I would cellar the 2017 for at least a few years, as the acids are bright while the tannins are searing. There is plenty of fruit behind that, but it needs time to emerge.

Checking in as a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the dense purple-hued 2017 Red Wine gives up classic 2017 savory red and black fruits as well as lots of chalky minerality, notes of lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco, full-bodied richness and depth, and building yet polished tannins. This gorgeous 2017 has some charm today yet will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and have two decades of overall longevity.

The 2019 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is a darker, slightly more earthy release that has darker berry and blue fruits to go with medium to full body, a structured, tannic mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and a big finish. It's going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age yet keep nicely through 2031 if stored correctly.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir Marin County was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 44% new. Pale ruby-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vibrant black raspberries, pomegranate and Bing cherries notes followed by nuances of underbrush, wild sage and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegant and refreshing with tightly wound red berry and earthy layers and fine-grained tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir Jennifer’s was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 35% new. Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, it bursts with juicy raspberries, Morello cherries and pomegranate notes plus hints of rhubarb, dried Provence herbs and lavender. Medium-bodied, the palate is soft-spoken and elegantly played with a plush texture and lively finish.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThis is a new vineyard source for Hartford Court, located in Mendocino County. The 2018 Pinot Noir Docker Hill was aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, 28% new. It gives up gregarious notes of raspberry preserves, Morello cherries and red currants with suggestions of underbrush, lavender and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great tension and is wonderfully nuanced with loads of red berry and earthy layers textured by fine-grained tannins, finishing with a lively lift.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesComposed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosché Vineyard was aged 27 months in French oak barrels, 68% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it delivers scents of Black Forest cake, black currant jelly and blueberry pie with hints of dusty soil, dried lavender and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, grainy texture and lovely freshness while chock-full of black fruit preserves, finishing long with mineral suggestions.