USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard is a little closed to begin, opening out to Black Forest cake, mulberries and kirsch scents plus hints of dark chocolate, wild thyme, lavender and charcuterie. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers fantastic intensity with loads of red berry and savory layers and a pleasant chew to the texture, finishing with an herbal lift.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases The 2017 Chardonnay Stone Côte sashays out of the glass with provocative apricot tart, honey-drizzled pears and spice cake notes plus suggestions of fresh ginger and marzipan. Medium-bodied, the palate possesses bags of finesse and freshness and a satiny texture to boot, finishing on an invigorating citrusy note.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases The 2017 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard bursts with expressive green mango, guava and apple pie scents plus suggestions of coriander seed, cedar chest and pineapple tart. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is all class with lovely freshness defining the apple and tropical flavors, finishing on a spicy note.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases The 2017 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard is a little youthfully mute at this stage, giving up notions of baked pears, peach cobbler and lemongrass with touches of pie crust and chopped nuts. Medium-bodied, the palate gives a great intensity of pure, well-defined apples and pears flavors, structured with a refreshing backbone, finishing chalky.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Zinfandel Hartford Vineyard comes strutting out of the glass with gregarious Black Forest cake, black raspberries and prunes notes, plus hints of red roses, black tea, spice cake and fertile loam. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with fruit preserves and spicy layers, it has a plush texture and compelling freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Zinfandel Dina's Vineyard has a nose of preserved plums, fruitcake, unsmoked cigars and charcoal with nuances of dried herbs, fallen leaves and Chinese five spice. The full-bodied palate has a lovely savory expression with rugged, chewy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long and savory.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard opens with Bing cherry, spiced cranberry, pomegranate and sliced blueberries, with an intriguing background of floral perfume—lots of layers here. It's light to medium-bodied with good fruit intensity, firm, grainy tannins and juicy acidity, finishing long and layered. Yum!

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond Deep ruby-purple, the 2016 Syrah Brosseau Vineyard (the vineyard is certified organic) opens with blueberry liqueur, cassis, a hint of toasted coconut, black earth, aniseed, mint leaves and charcuterie with bay leaf accents. Medium-bodied, it's rich and intense with a frame of lightly chewy tannins, great freshness and a long, flavorful finish. This is youthfully flamboyant and should develop well in bottle over the next few years.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond Aged 15 months in 23% new French oak, the pale to medium ruby colored 2016 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands gives up crushed blackberries and black cherries, cranberry, moss-covered bark, dried tangerine peel, rose petal, perfumed earth and red berry aromas. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a wonderfully silky texture but still retaining power, with pure fruits and lots of perfume. It has a frame of sturdy, grainy and juicy freshness with a long, energetic finish.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality Striking, fragrant lift here with blood-orange, pink-grapefruit and pomegranate aromas, as well as wild red cherries and forest leaves. The palate has very elegant style with bright acidity carrying red cherries long and fresh. Drink or hold.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality A very modern, complex style with rich aromas of red cherries and plums, laced with baking spices, fresh forest leaves and stones. The palate has a very supple, smooth-honed feel with a creamy style of tannin, carrying fresh, red-cherry flavors in pure, bright mode. Good definition too. Drink or hold.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality Aromas of star anise, red plums and cherries, as well as blueberries. This is enticingly complex. The palate delivers a smooth, vibrant red-cherry core with such silky, smooth tannin. Great balance, too. Really seductive. Drink or hold.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality Impressive aromas of fresh lemons and peaches with lime-pith and spiced-biscuit notes, as well as a hint of praline. The palate then delivers a superbly fleshy and smooth core of rich, concentrated, ripe-peach flavors. Very composed and long. Drink now.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality This has a very impressive feel with a fresh array of citrus and some gently spicy pastry aromas, too. The palate has a long, fresh and composed feel with such fine, fresh peaches and pears. Drink or hold.

Napa Valley's 2017s There are just over 500 cases of the 2017 Chardonnay W.S. Keyes, which comes from a single block of the Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Seeing no malolactic fermentation and aged in 10% new French, it has Chablis-like citrus, lemon curd, and green apple notes as well as medium-bodied richness, bright yet integrated acidity, a light graceful texture, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years.

Elegant nose with aromas of creamy red berry fruit combining nicely with mocha and sweet spices. Silky texture with a long, pleasant finish.

A suave and toasty style, with lusciously spiced flavors of apple pastry, pear tart and brioche, supported by crunchy acidity. The minerally finish features buttery accents that are balanced and fresh-tasting. Drink now through 2025.

Complex and deeply flavored, with loamy notes to the dark cherry, plum tart and wild berry flavors, which are broad-textured and robustly spiced. The dense, powerfully structured finish lingers, revealings smoky touches and sanguine richness. Drink now through 2025.

Weighing in at 14.5% alcohol, the ‘Santa Rita Hills’ Chardonnay by the talented Greg Brewer was sourced from the 3D, Machado, Acin and Hapgood vineyards. Texturally beautiful, the wine yields great brightness and acidity, as well as weight. Baked apple and vanilla creme brûlée flavors mingle with the earthy and citrus rind undertones on this complex palate. While outstanding now, the 2017 Brewer-Clifton ‘Santa Rita Hills’ Chardonnay will provide drinking enjoyment for another decade, picking up tertiary tones as it ages. Drink 2020-2030.

The 2018 ‘Katherine’s’ Chardonnay shows nice salted Marcona almond and pink grapefruit tones that build together aromatically. The palate is exceedingly bright and lithe, showing off a silky texture and yielding medium-bodied lemon cream and saline drenched Challah bread flavors. The long finish is exceedingly good. This has just terrific length and elegance. Fantastic now, this will continue to build for another seven to ten years. Drink 2020-2027.

The 2010 Bordeauxs are proving their merit and age worthiness in bottle. Lassegue's dense and tightly packed St. Emilion Grand cru displays its ambition on its sleeve, still featuring significant oak influence, albeit very high quality wood, alongside roasted vegetal character and especially masses of black fruit, and now the development of tertiary, earthy, mushroom-truffle notes that add interest and intrigue. It's anything but a subtle, elegant wine, rather a full-on bruiser, thick and dense, but impressive in that context, a soldier, not aristocrat. Forget for another 2-4 years, or hold into the mid-thirties. Tasted January 2020.

Vibrant ruby color with a ripe cherry nose; velvety and rich with dense flavors of cherry and raspberry. Lush yet mellow and balanced.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2017 Chardonnay - W.S. Keyes is rich and deeply phenolic, with all of the natural structure that is so typical of Howell Mountain. Bright and fresh on the palate, with terrific energy, the 2017 is wonderfully nuanced and full of character. Savory herbs, chamomile, mint, pineapple and exotic floral notes add to the wine's character, while blocked malolactic fermentation keeps the flavors bright.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore is dark and beautifully resonant from start to finish. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, mocha, dark spice and licorice infuse the 2016 with notable character as well as volume. Ample and expansive on the palate, with tremendous depth, the 2016 has so much to offer.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford) is powerful, dense and savory, not to mention incredibly expressive. Sweet tobacco, grilled herbs, leather, licorice, chocolate and dried flowers develop in this characterful Cabernet; there is plenty of Rutherford dirt personality as well. This is very nicely done.