Aromas of rich Bing cherry, cranberry, and cinnamon swirl on the nose of this Pinot. The palate displays a charming earthy edge, with black tea, nori, and fried shitake flavors mingling with black plum before a finish featuring bright acidity and plush, velvety tannins.

Decadent and concentrated aromas of Bing cherry, spiced plum, and purple flowers waft from the glass on the nose of this Pinot Noir. The palate is broad and well defined, with rich tannin, plush acidity, and flavors of cherry-berry coulis, orange peel, clove, and sage that echo through the finish.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate was blended with 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot and matured for 17 months in 41% new French oak. It has pure, inviting aromas of blackcurrant and cherry, licorice and violet, cigars and graphite. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and expressive with detailed flavors. It’s framed by silky tannins, and bright freshness calls you in for another sip on the long finish. 6,555 cases were made.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Bear Point Vineyard matured for 20 months in 46% new French oak. The nose is bursting with wafts of cassis, blueberry, violet, garrigue, aniseed and charcuterie. The palate is full-bodied with concentrated, mineral-driven flavors, and its generous oak is well integrated. It’s structured by powdery tannins and fresh acidity and has a long, latent finish. It will benefit from time in the cellar. 504 cases were made.

The 2022 Chardonnay Estate was matured for 10 months in 20% new French oak plus six months in stainless steel. It has inviting aromas of peach, apricot, panna cotta, honeysuckle, beeswax and matchstick. The full-bodied palate has a silky texture and highly concentrated, perfumed flavors. It's balanced by vibrant acidity and has a long, layered finish. 2,376 cases produced.

The 2022 Chardonnay Red Point was matured for 15 months in 28% new French oak. It has pure scents of red apple, jasmine, spring honey, roasted almonds and pie crust. The full-bodied palate is satiny with mouth-coating, spicy flavors. It’s balanced by mouthwatering acidity and has a long, saline-laced finish. 164 cases were made.

The 2022 Chardonnay Bear Point Vineyard was matured for 15 months in 26% new French oak. It has slowly unfurling aromas of baked apples, pie crust, beeswax, panna cotta and holiday spices. The full-bodied palate balances concentrated fruit with flinty tones. It has a silky texture, racy acidity and a very long, energetic finish. 239 cases were made.

Matured for 10 months in 31% new French oak, the 2022 Chardonnay Broken Road Vineyard has aromas of peach, nectarine, elderflower, crème brûlée and flint. The full-bodied palate balances ripe, concentrated flavors with refreshing acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish. 284 cases were made.

Muscular and firm in structure, with brooding black currant, mineral and savory anise flavors that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins.

Mixed cherries and forest berries are plush and supple in texture. Yet that pliancy doesn’t detract from the bones, the polished fruit, the carob and the gently aromatic lift that stretches with generosity, minerals and well-calibrated acidity. Drink or hold.

This has a succulent texture, remaining pure and long throughout. Salinity, minerals and springtime blossoms stay taut alongside lemons and crunchy orchard fruit with a lingering kick of tactile melon pith. Drink or hold.

Anise-lifted mixed cherries and berries follow through to a generous yet precise palate. A dusting of crunchy minerals over turned earth, hibiscus and red tea, along with a zip of blood-orange acidity, leaves a bracing impression. Drink or hold

Seamed with saline minerality and fleshed out with mixed cherries and thyme, this silky pinot shows just how detailed appellation-labeled wines from Santa Barbara can be. The finish lingers with brambleberries embraced by tealike tannins, ending on a savory note. Drink or hold.

Hibiscus and herbal aromas mark this detailed pinot noir, following through to a palate of definition, length and mineral bones that frame cranberries, pomegranate, red cherries and their pits. Rose hips rise through the finish, a zip of orange zest on top. Drink or hold.

The 2023 Siduri Chardonnay from Sonoma County was aged 10 months in 20% new French
oak with a small portion in stainless steel, giving it both freshness and subtle richness. It
shows a glowing pale core with a silvery edge, elegant in the glass. Aromas of yellow peach,
pineapple rind, and wild blossoms are layered with stony mineral undertones. The palate is
silky and expressive, finishing with lingering stone fruit that carries brightness and charm. A
beautifully made Chardonnay that overdelivers. 100 cases produced.

The 2023 Siduri Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands was aged 10 months in 25% new
French oak, bringing refinement to its lively fruit. It displays a pale ruby-purple core with a
faint blue-tinted rim. Scents of boysenberry, citrus peel, and cedar spice emerge alongside
dried herbs. The palate emphasizes blue-toned fruit and floral lift, balanced by firm yet
polished tannins and a streak of brisk acidity. Medium in weight but layered in character,
this Pinot offers freshness and depth with an elegant finish. 360 cases produced.

Not far behind the superlative 2021, Mt Brave's 2022 Cabernet Franc Mt. Veeder delivers
notes of blackberries, sage and bay. It's not that floral, but it's intricate and herbal, with a
silky, medium- to full-bodied feel on the palate and a long, concentrated finish.

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is more than 90% Cabernet Sauvignon,
with small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Twenty-two
months in 77% new French oak has given a cedary veneer to the ripe cherries and hint of
pine on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is plush and velvety without being soft,
approachable but with enough substance to keep things interesting sip after sip, with a
long, richly textured finish.

La Jota's 2022 Merlot Howell Mountain includes 14% Petit Verdot, something winemaker
Chris Carpenter describes as "a yin and yang combination." Scents of ripe cherries, pine
needles and mocha appear on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is rich,
velvety-textured and tannic. It's a powerful, concentrated Merlot, with a long, flavorful
finish.

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana was matured for 15 months in 85% new French oak. It has slowly unfurling scents of blueberry, black cherry and blackcurrant plus nuances of cigar box, graphite and violet. The full-bodied palate is powerfully styled with concentrated, spicy flavors and generous new-oak character. It’s framed by abundant, grainy tannins and bright acidity and has a long, latent finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir that was completely destemmed and aged just three months in
neutral barrels, the 2024 Pinot Noir boasts a ruby, semi-opaque color and gives up juicy
blackberry, mulberries, peppery herbs, and sappy, floral-driven notes. Medium-bodied, pure, and
juicy on the palate, it has an incredibly supple, seamless mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and
ripe tannins. This is one heck of a value, offering plenty of richness and ripeness while staying
balanced, light on its feet, and weightless. Drink 2025-2030.

Based on 100% Syrah that was not destemmed and was aged in neutral barrels, the 2023 Syrah Perilune is medium to full-bodied, bright and juicy, with cool-climate black and blue fruits, pepper, sappy green herbs, and sage. It's fresh, focused, has ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length. Give it a year or two to round into form and enjoy bottles over the following decade. Drink 2026-2036.

A pure Swartland Syrah from three blocks on the granite-dominated soils of the
Jakkalsfontein vineyard, this was fermented with 20% whole bunches before ageing in
neutral oak. Structured, racy, pure and intense, it has layers of clove, pepper and hot
stones and a core of blackberry and liquorice. 2

Silene uses grapes from three comparatively cool sites in Stellenbosch and is the cheapest
of Capensis' outstanding range of Chardonnays. Fermented in 30% new oak, as well as
Austrian foudres, it has subtle wood spices, some cream from full malolactic, peach and
citrus fruit flavours and a balanced finish.