Greg Brewer's 2020 Syrah is redolent of red-toned fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper and tons of savory character from the 100% whole clusters. In 2020,the Ex Post Facto Syrah is decidedly floral and red fruited in character, which seems to really emphasize both freshness and energy.

The 2020 Pinot Noir 3D is soft and supple, with lovely red berry fruit lending quite a bit of up-front charm and overall immediacy. Touches of blood orange, mint, sage and spice lend quite abit of presence. Beautifully perfumed and textured, the 2020 is shaping up to be another beauty in this range.

Vibrant and savory, with bright cherry and raspberry flavors laced with cured meat, smoked anise and pepper tones that finish with finely grained tannins. Drink now through 2029.

The 2019 Pinot Noir The Sum utilizes 50-60% whole clusters and is fresh with red raspberry, cinnamon, and fresh herbs. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with grenadine, orange peel, and baking spice. Drink 2023-2033.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Block 6 is rich with pepper spice, sappy pine, and black cherry, and it has powerful structure, with black raspberry, blackcurrant, turned soil, and cedar. Allow a few years for this to settle and drink it over the following 10 years.

Opaque ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard has a more introspective character on the nose, with cedar, black cherry compote, and forest floor. The palate is generous without weight and has a velveteen texture, with more pure black cherry and mocha. This is a rather seductive wine to drink now, although it will certainly benefit from time in the cellar. Drink 2023-2033.

The 2019 Chardonnay Yamhill-Carlton is perfumed with opulent fruit, ripe melon, pine, and delicate oak spice. It has a rich texture, although it has tension and does not feel heavy at all. The palate is fresh with ripe green apple, lime blossom, and delicate oak spice. Drink 2024-2034.

Utilizing 13 year old clone 777 and 4 Pinot Noir clones, the 2018 ‘The Sum’ is beautifully weighted, high-acid Pinot Noir that is built for aging. Sour cherry, cranberry and orange rind flavors combine with forest floor and wild mushroom undertones on the palate, with soft tannins holding everything in place. Gorgeous to consume now, this has another fifteen years in front of it. Drink 2022-2035

The 2018 ‘Slope’ is a gorgeous bottling that comes from Zena East Block 5 and Zena West Block 6. The wine yields serious tension and weight once on the palate with layers of orange rind alongside guava, pine needles and stony undertones. Gorgeous to consume now, this rich and mineral-driven wine has a long journey ahead of it. Drink 2022-2035

The 2018 ‘Conifer’ is sourced from Zena West 1A, 6 and Zena East 12 blocks, as vines are set on a wide range of soils from Jory to Helmick. This wine saw 15 months in French oak before bottling. This full-bodied, warm vintage effort displays plenty of finesse as bright red fruits collide with pine needles, citrus embers and salty undertones. This beauty has at least another ten years in front of it. Drink 2022-2034

I get the feeling that 2020 in McLaren Vale was better for Shiraz and Grenache, over the Bordeaux grape varieties. Spice, paprika and pepper, blue and black fruits, meaty and more than a little nutty. It’s meaty and savoury, dried herbs, some aniseed perfume, a fine chalky chew to tannin, a little vanilla/cedar oak, a whole lot of dry spices, and black olive, with fresh acidity and a saline and pepper-laced finish of excellent length. Slightly baked in flavour profile, but convincing all the same.

La Crema is one of the larger brands focused on Sonoma chardonnay and pinot noir, so I am happy to see them delving into single vineyard offerings as well. This pours fairly deep yellow. It is full on oak fermented and aged creating a souffle of nutmeg spice, butter, toast and butterscotch around tropical fruit. It is medium-full bodied, texturally rich and creamy yet underpinned by lemony acidity. The flavours are very rich, the length is excellent to outstanding.

The colour of golden afternoon sunshine, La Crema's Kelly Ann Vineyard chardonnay is a striking and compelling wine. Ripe lemons and apples are enveloped in rich barrel flavours of butterscotch, cedar, nutmeg, and toasted fenugreek seeds. The buttery, smooth as satin silk palate is lifted and supported by tart acidity. There is excellent concentration here and the finish is long and memorable.

Deep ruby color. Beautiful nose of tangy strawberries with warm raspberry jam, topped in complex tones of mint, pepper, anise, rhubarb, just a lot going on here. The tannins are chalky but structured, balanced nicely with zippy acidity, and the red cherry and strawberry fruit is juicy and fresh. The complexities of black tea, pepper, sage, oregano, cola and rhubarb go on and on and offer a lot to contemplate and enjoy. Pretty, balanced, with a very long finish. This could use at least two or three years, but what a beaut.

This ruby colored Pinot Noir from Oregon opens with a black raspberry and craisin bouquet with hints of oak. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with pleasant medium acidity. The flavor profile is a tasty boysenberry and black raspberry crumble pie with notes of oak and black licorice. I also detected hints black pepper, craisin and black tea. The finish is dry, and its dusty tannins and fruit flavors linger and last for a very long time. This impressive Pinot would pair well with veal tenderloin medallions with a brown butter sauce and mushrooms.

This appellation blend is a very satisfying and delicious expression of the region, rivaling many single-vineyard bottlings. Snappy aromas of raspberry and pomegranate are clean and polished on the nose. The palate is juicy and bright with strawberry flavors that are cut by minty tarragon tones.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Cougar Ridge has some savory aromas of fresh leather, red and black plum, and mountain herbs. The palate floods with fresh fruit up front and through the mid-palate, with ripe redcurrant, that leads to a refreshing (and dangerous) drinkability, with a softer stony feel through the finish. Drink 2024-2042.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Bear Point Vineyard has more medicinal herb on the nose as well as notes of menthol, fresh sage, dark mineral earth, and compact black cherry. The palate is fleshy through the mid-palate, with the structure coming together to lend more savory richness. The finish is long and gives way to its mineral profile. Drink 2026-2046.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Edmeades Vineyard leads with very floral aromas of fresh raspberry liqueur, crushed roses, and cinnamon spice. The palate is open, with a hug of fresh fruit, red cherry, and forest floor as well as fine tannins. This another super pleasurable wine to drink now or over the next 8 years.

With 70% Merlot from Bennett Valley and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Knights Valley, the 2019 Journey Red is perfumed with blackcurrant candies almost moving into blue fruits, gravelly earth, and fresh leather. The palate is structured and full, with rich mineral earth moving into purple flowers and blue and black fruits. Drink 2025-2038.

The 2019 Merlot Keyes Vineyard offers a more powerful and assertive character, with cedar, tobacco leaf, and spiced black plum. It has an iron-rich texture, with light game and meatiness, black fruits including cherry pit, and earthiness on the finish. Hold this 2-3 years and drink over the next 10-15 years.

The 2020 Chardonnay Journey is layered with its aromatics of yellow flowers, fresh lemon balm, and white peach, as well as a light, reductive, flinty tone. It has a supple, silky texture on the palate, with honeydew melon and delicate baking spice. Drink 2022-2030.

Led with Clone 777, the 2019 Pinot Noir Stormin' Estate Vineyard has a darker fruit profile, with black raspberry, rich mineral earth, and cedar. Full cherry fruit floods the palate, with baking spice, fine tannins, and a long finish. Hold this another year or so and drink 2024-2034.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Afleet Estate Vineyard utilized 40% stem inclusion with whole clusters. The aromatics are spiced and take on more depth, with red plum, cinnamon, and forest floor. The palate has more structure as well, with brambly red fruit, wild raspberry, and turned earth. It has a bit of youthful astringency on the peripheral palate, so hold 1-2 years and drink 2024-2032.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Stature is flush with classic aromatics of cedar, pipe tobacco, and black currant liqueur. The palate is full throughout and rich with plum skin, iron rich earth, and dried sage. Drink 2024-2037.