Impressive for its detailed structure and rich polish, this shows expressive raspberry, black tea, sweet anise and forest floor accents that with finish with silky, medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030.

Dynamic and multilayered, with tiers of wild red berry, sandalwood and mineral laced with a hint of eucalyptus. Builds richness and tension on the way to refined tannins. Drink now through 2029.

Supple and polished, with pretty raspberry and orange peel aromas that open to elegant dark berry, garrigue and crushed stone tones that persist toward fine-grained tannins. Best from 2022 through 2029.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Giving aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, cardamom spice, tilled earth, flower blossom and a touch of toasty oak. Mid-weight and forward-drinking in style, with flavors of black cherry, black plum and blackberry with a riff of oak in the background. Silky in texture, with quenching acidity and a modest but satisfying finish.

A gutsy little red with medium-bodied blackberry, licorice, bitter mocha and cracked pepper flavors. Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Drink now through 2023.

A gutsy little red with medium-bodied blackberry, licorice, bitter mocha and cracked pepper flavors. Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Drink now through 2023.

Pineapple and peach aromas; apple, butterscotch, spice and minerals on the creamy palate. Good balance of oak and acidity. Good plus overall.

Hickinbotham's flagship 2018 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz checks in as a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Shiraz. Aged in 50% to 60% new French oak, the Shiraz component is drawn from the "drippings"—not the free-run that comes off the skins immediately, but not pressings, either. The two varieties complement each other, with the Shiraz adding richness of texture—a certain lushness and velvety feel that the pure-Cabernet Trueman is missing. Cassis and raspberry notes combine with hints of cedar and vanilla, mint and dried spices. Medium to full-bodied, this is velvety, rich, long and complete, just a joy to drink.

The 2018 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal, aged in 75% new French oak. Dark, minty and mysterious, it boasts brooding cassis alongside hints of red berries and singed cedar. Full-bodied without being overly rich or textured, this is streamlined Cabernet, pure and smooth from start to finish. Supple tannins and hints of pencil shavings mark the long, softly dusty, finish. While nearly approachable now, it should easily go another 15 years or so, gradually developing complex hints of cigar box along the way.

Cedar and vanilla notes—the wine aged in 50% to 60% new French oak—mark the nose of Hickinbotham's 2018 The Revivalist Merlot. It's round and plush, with black cherries and cola wrapped in a velvety blanket of dried spices, mint and mocha on the full-bodied palate. Rich and creamy in style, it's a lovely example of Merlot from an unexpected source.

Hickinbotham's 2018 The Nest Cabernet Franc—only the second vintage bottled—aged in 50% new French oak. Winemaker Chris Carpenter says that proportion will be reduced going forward to preserve the wine's cherry blossom and violet characters. This wine is a bit toasty and cedary, then adds floral notes, black cherry fruit and hints of tobacco. More obvious notes of vanilla and mint mark the streamlined, medium to full-bodied palate, which glides into a silky, focused and lengthy finish. Nicely structured, more than rich or voluptuous, this should drink well for a decade or more.

The emphasis at Hickinbotham is on Bordeaux varieties, but the Shiraz is a sleeper—and well-priced for the quality. The 2018 Brooks Road Shiraz includes 10% whole clusters and was matured in 30% new French oak. There was one new foudre, while the rest of the wine aged in 300-liter hogsheads. The nose is marked by scents of raspberries and vanilla, with some floral, herbal notes and hints of barrel char. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied and mouthwatering, with a long, silky textured finish. A completely satisfying drink, it's rich without being at all over the top.

For three decades Cambria Estate Winery has helped define the Santa Maria Valley. This Chardonnay offers a bevy of subtlety; lemon-lime, guava, honeysuckle, granny Smith apple and white peach. Nothing here is over the top. Four different clones were used on their estate property. “I sourced mainly older vines planted in 1971,” says winemaker Jill Russell. To that she added fruit from “younger blocks planted in 2012.” The 2019 strikes a deft balance between the use of oak aging (nine months), stainless steel, barrel and malolactic fermentations. This allows for enough acidity to make it fresh and lively, while still having a smooth and seamless feel. Though this is a ubiquitous Chardonnay, the 2019 shows the quality of the fruit and land.

This red offers ripe dark cherry and plum compote flavors, with loamy richness. There is pomegranate and dried strawberry midpalate, with forest floor notes on the savory finish. Drink now through 2024.

Open-textured, with fine-grained flavors of red currant, plum and cherry. Offers light spiciness in the midpalate, with a finish that has hints of dried green herbs. Drink now through 2024.

Yes, You Should Drink White Wine in the WinterHere's what the experts recommend.La Crema recommended.

Yes, You Should Drink White Wine in the WinterHere’s what the experts recommend.Similar to Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc is a grape that’s a clone or mutation of Pinot Noir and is also found in the Alsace region of France. It also happens to be grown in California. Kendall-Jackson winemaster Randy Ullom points to Pinot Blanc as a perfect choice for a cold winter evening. “It should not be enjoyed very cold and should be served just below normal room temperature. Between 58 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit is just fine,” he notes. “Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay tend to be richer and heartwarming, making them both perfect choices for a cold winter evening.”

Yarra Valley via the Rhone Valley. Sexton and Tarraford have the plantings of the forbidden varieties.Lush, slurpy red, all dark berries, cola, pepper and sage herbal character. Good perfume, good flavours, good texture which is sandy and swishes with sexy, silty tannins. Long too. The wine feels medium weight, come hither and easy appeal, but dials in some complexity alongside its drinkability. It’s charming from the get go. Very polished and prim in a way too. A very nice expression, all up, and ready to roll.

Siduri specialises in cool-climate Pinot Noir from vineyards in three appellations within the Willamette Valley (Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, and Eola-Amity). Each brings something different to the party — fresh acidity, bright aromatics, and richer and rounder wines — and when blended together creates wine that is rich and zippy …the best of all possible worlds! Winemaker Adam Lee's constant pursuit of Pinot perfection has led to long-standing relationships with top growers in premier appellations in Oregon's Willamette Valley. On the nose aromas of Cranberry, persimmon, bay leaf and black pepper. On the palate: Black cherry, boysenberry, cinnamon and hints of clove. Pleasant tannins hold a long finish, and which are highlighted by juicy acidity and spice. This 2018 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir may be its finest vintage yet! Siduri, where serious wine and serious fun are not mutually exclusive!

The 20 Best Cheap Wines Under $20 for 2021It’s nice to have a solid Sonoma wine as a grab and go. And this wine defines that. It’s widely available and is a crowd pleaser. It has good American Chardonnay depth with moderate acidity, resulting in a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. It smells like butter and pears and won’t weigh you down with too much alcohol.

Aromas of five-spice, strawberries, raspberries and my nanna's garden (geraniums, roses etc). There's a bit of musk and herb action as well. The fruit flavours are bright, crunchy, perfumed and lively, with cherry, raspberry, some darker fruit notes at play as well as earthiness. There's a whole lot of other top stuff happening: it keeps unfolding in the glass. The tannins are a real feature. How does a wine that looks quite light in the glass get such a drive of serious tannin firmness and structure? Delicious stuff.

A quite light red and bright colour in the glass. The aromas are elegant, lifted and fragrant, with red cherry, spice, rose water and a splash of talc. Flavours are refined and incredibly textural, with the red-fruited cherry and raspberry elements being driven by this savoury, very grippy, grainy tannin that coats the mouth and gives the wine some serious, chalky, sophisticated mouth-feel.

Vivid black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit notes are framed by vanilla and sweet spices in this polished red. Nonetheless, there are ample tannins as this winds down on the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2036.

A fruity style, this red exhibits ripe cherry, plum, almond and sanguine flavors. It's supported by a firm structure, retaining its vibrant personality through the lingering aftertaste, though a bit dry in the end. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2029.

2011 California Cabernet - 10 years onChris Carpenter’s flagship blend is stately and intricate in 2011. Definitive, complex aromas of redwood, dried cassis, fennel and pipe tobacco. The palate is svelte and persistent, showing perfect balance between dark fruits, earthy tones and live-wire energy. One of the great showings of 2011 Napa Cabernet.