An almost 50-50 blend of Cab and Shiraz, this is a big but balanced and perfumed bottling with heady aromas of blueberry and blackberry preserves, savory spice and licorice. There’s a charred veg nuance, like the pan scrapings of a vegetable roast, with a subtle coating of sweet toasty oak. The rich palate is buoyed by crunchy acidity and framed in powerful but fine, talc-like tannins. Oak is better tucked here. This is a polished, mouthcoating Cab that needs serious protein if drinking now, but that should cellar until 2040 or longer. Majestic Imports. Cellar Selection. —C.P.

Distinctive rhubarb and sour cherry flavors distinguish this nervy, lighterbodied wine that offers vibrant acidity and a racy, tangy mouthfeel on moderate tannins. Fans of a steely, palate-cleansing style will find this wine from the Jackson Family especially appealing. —J.G.

This is a fun wine to sip throughout an evening because it continues to open, even through the length of one glass. Initial notes of red cherry, plum, currant and toasted wood evolve into even more integrated, layered flavors of fstrawberry, black tea, cacao, juniper, basil, tarragon and pomegranate. The palate is knit together by firm tannins, generous acidity and a well-integrated, medium level of alcohol. Sip, savor, enjoy. —S.B.

Ripe and robust in flavor, this medium-bodied wine pours out poached pears, baked apples and a touch of lemon for good balance. A nice tang in the texture balances rich, indulgent fruits, keeping the wine appetizing.

The brambly, wild-berry expression of this arresting wine is unmistakable. Raspberry, blackberry and sage aromas lead to juicy, satisfying plums and cooked strawberries on the palate. A soft texture of light tannins and a full body give the wine a comfy mouthfeel. —J.G.

From the Upper Barn vineyard at over 480m in the Alexander Valley planted in 1982 to Old Wente clone Chardonnay, old vines in this part of California for Chardonnay. 2019 shows the early makings of the 2011 and is developing a similar elegance but is complete in its richenss of fruit at present. Cardamom and bruised apples and accents of lemon cream aromatics lean into a palate of lemon cream, honeyed peach and almond notes. It doesn't show the laser precision of the 2011 but offers generous, ample fruit.

Released in 2022 after 7 years en tirage. Pretty aromas of crushed chalk and slate meet lemon cream. The palate shows cut Granny Smith apples, tangy lemon cream, flaky almond cream pastry notes, and a depth of ripe stone fruit.

The Laguna Ridge soils have higher iron content, producing wines of great minerality. This Pinot flashes beautiful blue fruit aromatics with hints of cola and crushed slate. The palate is showy, with turned earth-based umami, fresh red berries and a spiced cassia bark undertone. Fresh, bright mint carries a finish of true elegance.

The Jennifer's Chardonnay is stunning from Hartford Family, showing the old Wente Hyde heirloom clones. Located smack dab in a wind tunnel, this site produces wines of verve and energy. White flowers and bee pollen aromas are showy and bright. This wine has a richness and body that is carried on by bright green mangoes, lemon cream and early-season papaya—a beauty of a wine.

This wine eschews stereotypes and delivers on depth, complexity and minerality while offering an incredible value. Aromatics of honeyed apricot, candied ginger and bee pollen hint at ample elegance. The oak adds structure and helps raise the wine without becoming it. Spiced apple, nutmeg and cardamom flash on the palate, balanced by freshness and lemon drop brightness to finish.

Gary's Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands features a suitcase clone, Pisoni and varied elevations throughout the site. Fresh fruited with ample barrel spice, the aromas hint at a ripe Pinot Noir. The palate delivers ripeness, but it's backed with great dried savoury herbs, black plums and spiced fig. A wine is carried out on a spicy, peppery finish.

Redolent of sweet cherries and blue berry fruits, this wine flashes plenty of savoury nuances. Aromas of tomato leaf, purple violets and mountain scrub are backed by blue fruits. The palate shows grilled blood orange, smoked sea salt and a savoury, garrigue-driven finish.

A ripe vintage from the Willamette Valley plays to the strength of Siduri winemaker Matt Revelette. Power and spice with ample depth and complexity colour this Pinot Noir from Zena Crown in the Eola-Amity Hills. Cocoa nibs, bay leat and mint accent black and red berries in the aromatic profile. The palate is lush and fruited yet amply savoury. Cherries, raspberry and currant are sprinkled with cocoa powder; there is a smoky flint element to this showy wine with a peppery finish, a bit chewy.

The 2017 vintage produced smaller berries and a Pinot of concentration balanced by freshness. Brick red with violets and notes of seaspray. The palate flashes ample structure and spice. Cinnamon, clove, white pepper and allspice complement dark blue and black berry fruits. The wine finishes with sweet cherry flesh and black tea flavours.

A northern exposure site in the Sonoma Coast AVA produces a cooler-styled Pinot Noir with plenty of ripeness (14+%). Pungent floral aromatics accompany mountain berries and eucalyptus notes. The palate is savoury and earthen, fresh and delicious. Soy-driven umami, blue fruits, and clove take you to an earth-driven, fresh mineral finish.

Pure, this red features black currant, blackberry, violet, iron and wild herb flavors. Reveals muscular tannins that integrate with some aeration. Balanced and long. Decant now. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. —B.S.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Rockfall, matured for 19 months in 42% new oak, is scented of blackcurrant, green pepper, tobacco, violet and cigar ash, striking a compelling balance of fruit, floral perfume and notes of maturity. The medium-bodied palate is equally vibrant, offering concentrated flavors of blueberry and botanicals. Its powerful, grainy tannins have begun to soften, bringing its juicy acidity to the fore, which complements its surprisingly youthful fruit. This is right at its peak! 700 cases were made.

The 2019 Chardonnay Red Point was matured for 14 months in 50% new oak. It has singularly spicy tones of fine herbs, white pepper and flint accenting a delicate core of white peach. The medium-bodied palate's expansive flavors are supported by a touch of textural grip and zesty acidity, and it has a long, gently leesy finish. 404 cases were made.

Though clearly a product of a hot, dry year, the Riserva Strada al Sasso – the predecessor of the Gran Selezione – has a marked finesse. It’s made from the best 35 barrels of the 11ha La Porta block and has reached a glorious point of maturity. There’s lovely fresh strawberry interplaying with animalic leather notes, blood orange, rosebuds and a hedonistic whiff of torrone. The entry is flush with soft glycerol that begins to feel excessively oily before the fat falls away to reveal a lovely translucency. Initially assertive acidity dissipates into the body on the mid-palate, but emerges on the back for a refreshing close that’s grazed by sueded silk tannins.

From a Green Valley hillside on Goldridge soil, this pinot noir has an enticing scent of pomegranate and a briny, kelpy seaside note. The tannins deliver on the promise of the scent, completely wrapping the dark, foresty cherry fruit in their cool, stony abrasion.

The even split of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris adds a youthful joie de vivre and a fruity freshness that might not be immediately apparent. Silky tannins and elegance abound in this lovely, round blend. Rainier cherries, pomegranates, raspberries - a whole host of red fruits - go down like melted butter. It's remarkably plush and velvety.

The Zena Crown vineyard sits directly east of the Van Duzer Gap, making it a windier site than most in the Eola Amity Hills. This Pinot offers aromatics marked by black tea, clove, candied cherries and orange peel. The palate is fleshy and lush, with flavours of crushed basalt, refined notes of black cherry, mocha powder and earthen minerality.

A deep electric ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Pas de Nom is a barrel selection blended from across multiple vineyards. It’s expressive and lush, with layered notes of red and black fruit, fresh pressed flowers, and forest herbs. Full-bodied, it retains a plush texture, with ripe sweet tannins, fresh underlying acidity, and a mineral-tinged finish. Juicy and primary, it’s giving and generous now but should have a solid drinking window over the coming 6-8 years.

From their 15-acre estate vineyard, the deep ruby-purple 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard is forward with aromas of graphite, black cherry liqueur, and dark spices of anise. Full-bodied but not weighed down, it retains its pure dark fruit through the palate, with ripe tannins and a savory edge that’s quite attractive. It is another wine where its primary fruit makes it quite appealing now, but it will have a solid 5-6 years of prime drinking ahead.

A rich golden straw color, the 2020 Chardonnay Dropstone is a barrel selection from the two top blocks of the estate vineyard. Its ripe perfume of tangerine, vanilla custard, ripe apple, and frangipane is followed on the palate by a medium to full-bodied white with a nice balance of richness between its fresh texture of orange pith and light, savory touch of saline. It’s in a good place now for fresh early drinking, although it will become more yellow-fruited and savory over the next 6-7 years.