Broad and rich at first sip, yet balanced to a tee. Fragrant red cherries, black cherries and spearmint lead to lively fresh fruit, minerals and appetizing chalky notes on the palate and finish. Braced by acidity, full-bodied but agile and moderate in tannins, it has the structure for further aging. Drink now or hold. 

Fresh lemons, herbs and spices on the nose. The palate delivers a focused and energetic body with vibrant acidity supporting a rounded and creamy mouthfeel. A very complex, mineral-driven and balanced chardonnay. Drink or hold. 

Incisive aromas of citrus and yellow orchard and stone fruits. Superb balance with firm acidity on a medium weight palate finishing very long with chalky minerals and lemon extract. Sourced from Adi Badenhorst's Kalmoesfontein Vineyard and fermented in oak, amphora, and concrete eggs. 13.5% alc. This label is owned by Jackson Family Wines, and the wine is made by Graham Weertz (here with the author) at a winery in Paarl. Graham offered to show me later vintages at the winery, but my time ran out before I could do so. Next year, definitely

The 2021 The Revivalist Merlot comes from a vineyard planted in 1971 and leads with brambly mintiness, cocoa and dark chocolate, raspberry and plum, aniseed and thyme. This is a classy wine. It has inflections of green, but it nails the brief Merlot characters, and the tannins in the mouth really ground the experience. I think this will age very well indeed. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

La Jota's 2021 Merlot Howell Mountain includes small proportions of Petit Verdot (5%) and Tannat (2%). Scents of mint, pine, black cherries, cedar and crushed stone mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is reasonably supple up front, then turns softly dusty on the long, elegant finish.

The 2021 Chardonnay Desiderium is the first Chardonnay from Zena Crown. It's scented of white peaches, acacia, pie crust, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate balances satiny, mouth-coating flavors with linear acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish. It will benefit from 2-3+ years in bottle. 172 cases were made.

The 2014 Blanc de Blancs comes from a single vineyard at Gran Moraine and is the winery's current sparkling release. Half of the base wine was fermented in used barrels. It spent about five-and-a-half years en tirage and another eight months under cork and was disgorged in February of 2020. The nose offers scents of bread, almonds and orchard fruit, while the palate is more open, delivering layers of red apple, lemon and pastry. It has exceptionally creamy mousse, fresh acidity to counter its expansive flavors and a long finish laced with iodine. 152 cases were made.

The 2018 Dropstone Chardonnay was matured for 17 months in used oak and an additional four months in stainless steel. It has expressive aromas of yellow peach, clover honey, hazelnuts and citrus blossoms. The medium-bodied palate balances broad, nutty fruits with structuring, linear acidity, and it has a very long, very detailed finish.

The 2019 Dropstone Chardonnay was matured for around 20 months in oak and four months in stainless steel—winemaker Shane Moore says that the 2019s, "were super tight, super wound up, so I left them in wood for a bit longer." It has soft scents of white peach, lemon peel, cashews, elderflower and flint. The medium-bodied palate is satiny with mouthwatering acidity, saline-tinged flavors and a long, energetic finish. It will benefit from a few more years in bottle. 172 cases were made.

Displays alluring, smoldering red tea and sandalwood notes out in front of elegant details of mulled blood orange, persimmon and raspberry fruit. Savory and mulling spice echoes linger on the finish. Drink now through 2034. 220 cases made

This intense version's aromatics leap out of the glass, with notes of nutmeg and cardamom giving way to mandarin orange, peach, browned butter shortbread and lemon meringue flavors, offering vibrant, sleek acidity on

The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc also comes from the Jackson Family’s Stonestreet Estate was raised in a combination of stainless steel, new oak barriques, and neutral oak. In the glass, it pours a bright silver/straw color and is floral and tropical with an elegant feel, taking on classic, fresh aromas of grapefruit, quince, ripe peach, and chive. Medium-bodied, it has a similarly approachable feel on the palate while retaining purity and freshness. Juicy and long, with a delicately rounded feel, it’s going to hold on nicely over the coming 6-7 years.

From a higher elevation site, the 2021 Chardonnay Bear Point saw 10 months in 44% new French oak. In the glass, it pours a bright straw/silver color and is forward with notes of lemon-lime zest, wet stone, and green almond. On the palate, it’s fresh and inviting, revealing a linear feel without being austere in any way. It’s pure and long on the palate, with a hint of baking spice on the finish. Drink 2024-2030.

A ripe red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Van Der Kamp Vineyard saw 14 months in new French oak and is woodsy with savory, almost Rhône-like spice in its notes of cracked pepper, forest herbs, incense, and black cherries. It continues to the palate with refined, coiled tannins, a nice, linear feel, and a rather long, savory finish. It has a touch of gamey richness while staying clean and is a very appealing wine that would be great paired with steak. Drink 2024-2034.

From this vineyard on Olivet Road, around the corner from Parsons, the 2022 Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard pours a ripe magenta ruby hue and shows a darker profile, with more savory aromas of licorice, black cherries, rosemary, and mossy earth. Medium-bodied, it expands on the palate, with broader shoulders, ripe tannins, and an earth-toned grip on the finish. It is going to show its best in another year.

Located in the Sebastopol Hills, the 2022 Pinot Noir Bloomfield Vineyard is packed with notes of resinous herbs, black raspberries, juniper spice, and toasted cedar. Mediumbodied, it offers ripe tannins and a lovely, weightless, elegant feel, with good length on the palate and notes of tea leaf on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 8-10 years.

A bright yellow/silver color, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Journey comes from 48% Taylor Peak, 26% Pocket Peak, and the rest from Helena Bench, and it’s expressive out of the gate. Perfumed and floral, with notes of tropical flowers, melon, guava, and candied tangerines, it’s medium-bodied, elegant, and juicy on the palate, with a juicy and rounded feel through the long finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 5-6 years.

A bright silver/green-toned color, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Bennett Valley was raised in 85% puncheon and 15% barrel and is lifted and fresh with notes of lime cordial, fresh quince, wet stone, and chives. Linear, bright, and mouthwatering, it has a lovely chalky texture, medium body, a great, energetic structure, and a long, driving finish. Drink 2024-2029.

Medium yellow with a green tinge, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench Vineyard was raised in concrete eggs and puncheons and was made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc. It’s forward in the glass with notes of alpine herbs, pine needles, fennel, jasmine, and lime zest. Medium-bodied, it has a rounded feel, with supple viscosity. It’s elegant and charming, with notes of guava on its long finish. It is going to show its best over the next 5-6 years.

A slightly deeper yellow color, the 2022 Chardonnay Journey was aged in a combination of used and second-use oak with 10% new. The wine shows off a sunny profile on the nose, with notes of chamomile, orange sherbet, and poached pear. It’s juicy and ripe, leaning toward full-bodied, with lovely purity and notes of vanilla and lemon curd lasting on the finish. Elegant and pretty, it’s going to be at its best over the next 6-7 years.

This site includes sections both above and below the fog line. Raised in French oak for 10 months, 10% new, the bright straw/yellow-hued 2022 Chardonnay Cougar Ridge Vineyard offers a perfume of incense, fresh pear, preserved lemon, and savory wet stones. Medium-bodied, graceful, and elegant, it floats on the palate with a stony texture, a floral feelm and just a hint of refreshing saline that floats throughout the wine. Drink 2024- 2034.

A bright yellow/straw hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Kelli Ann Vineyard takes on an elegant and delicate, sunny feel, with notes of yellow apple, mango rind, delicate baking spice, and citrus blossom. Medium-bodied, approachable, and very charming, it has lovely purity on the back palate with a touch of saltiness on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 8 or more years

Entirely raised in neutral oak, the medium red 2021 Pinot Noir Afleet is a bit more reserved in the glass on opening hue, revealing a slightly more high-toned note of cinnamon, as well as red berries, minty herbs, and dried flowers. With fine tannins and a more linear, midweight feel, it has a pleasing salty savory note, and it’s light on its feet, with refreshing spice on the finish. Give it another year to let it unfurl and drink 2025- 2040.

Like most of these Pinots, the 2021 Pinot Noir Jolie was raised for 16 months in 15% new French oak. Pouring a youthful ruby red color, the nose opens to notes of fresh sage, ripe cherries, fresh violets, and forest herbs. Medium-bodied, it has elegant, refined tannins, even acidity, and a juicy ripe feel that lasts long on the palate. There’s a floral side to this wine that lasts all the way through, and it has a rather long finish, with notes of dusty dried earth and a refined feel. It’s going to have a wide window for enjoyment over the next 8-10 years.

The 2021 Chardonnay 9 Barrel is a selection of the top nine barrels from the vintage, which for this wine included 20% each from the Saralee's and Kelli Ann vineyards, 10% from Bloomfield, and the rest from growers. It was raised for 15 months in 34% new French oak and pours a golden yellow hue. In the glass, it delivers a compact layered profile, offering aromas of melon rind, white flowers, a hint of flinty wet stone, almond, and pear. Full-bodied, it has lovely finesse and a weightless feel, with mouthwatering freshness throughout. It has a lovely energy that comes through this more decadent style and has a light toasty feel on the finish. Drink 2025-2032.