In its first vintage, the 2017 King's Wood Shiraz has made a splashy debut. Made with 25% whole clusters and aged in a 25-hectoliter foudre, the nose boasts subtle shadings of dried spices and cracked pepper set against a backdrop of boysenberry and blueberry. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied, silky but firm in feel, with a crisp, mouthwatering finish. A modern, stylish take on South Australian Shiraz worth trying, especially for consumers who haven't kept up with regional trends.

Produced in ceramic eggs (hence the name), the 2018 Ovitelli Grenache comes from a vineyard block just adjacent to the High Sands block. Scents of Provençal herbs join strawberries and raspberries on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is fine and silky, with a long, long finish. This remarkable effort spent a whopping 158 days on the skins post-fermentation, resulting in an exceedingly elegant tannin structure.

The 2017 High Sands Grenache comes from a cool vintage and hence had a longer hang time than most others and a higher pH, which makes it paradoxically more approachable than some warmer years. Delicate raspberry and strawberry nuances mark the nose, as the bulk of the wine was aged in older barrels, with some spending time in ceramic egg as well. It's medium-bodied and silky in texture, with a lingering red-fruit finish.

Produced from a 50-50 mix of whole clusters and destemmed fruit, the 2017 Elder Hill Grenache features aromas of ripe cherries and dry earth. Matured in older (four or more years old) Burgundy barrels, it's medium to full-bodied, framed by soft, dusty tannins. Savory notions of dried spices—pepper, clove and allspice—linger elegantly on the long finish.

The 2017 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty classically made and styled, with notes of cassis, cedar and vanilla on the nose. Befitting the cooler vintage, it's a bit more medium-bodied and streamlined than some other years, with ample acidity and firm tannins on the crisp, tangy finish. It's a structural wine, rather than a generous, plush one, that's for sure, but it should come good in a few years' time.

A dark earthy wine, the Pinot Noir Gran Moraine Vineyard offers ripe dark berry and dried dark cherry fruit flavors. It is elegant and superbly balanced with a soft texture, dense extract, and savory notes. Still quite youthful, it displays firm round tannins and a long, rich finish. Yamhill Carlton is located in a relatively warm area of the Willamette Valley with the earliest harvest dates, but Gran Moraine and its 220 acres is located to the west and receives a cooling influence from the Pacific.

The Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard offers aromas of dark red berries and plum with spice notes. It has a silky texture and a full mouth feel with considerable purity of flavor. It is an elegant wine, beautifully balanced and persistent on the finish a good sense of refinement. The Barbieri Ranch was originally planted by an Italian immigrant, Italo Barbieri, on Olivet Rd northwest of Santa Rosa. It was later (1970) purchased by the De Loach family and when they filed for bankruptcy in 2003, it was resold to the Boisset family, and the old vine Zinfandel was ripped out in favor of Pinot Noir.

Ye olde bush vines and biodynamic farming. All old oak here. Inky thing this release. More brooding. More/different tannin. Quite rich and ripe feeling, slippery texture segues to sheets on sheets of grippy, puckering, powdery tannin. It’s quite brutish and rough house as a release under this High Sands guise, not lesser for it, but misses a little of the finesse of previous. Booze soaked cherry scents and flavours, a bit breathy and warming in sniff and tongue, around this, lavish spice, ripe fruit, dried fruit and savoury things like salted liquorice, salt bush and faint game meat characters. Packs in plenty of detail, lots to sink teeth into.

This very attractive and fragrant wine composed of predominantly Cabernet Franc (73% - from 16 different blocks of vines, along with 17% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) needs some time to open, despite the fact that it is showing decidedly tertiary aromas. While the aromas are immediately inviting, the palate initially feels a bit tough and reserved. The Franc gives notes of tobacco leaf - even cigar wrapper - along with dried cranberries and cherries. There's also a very evident scorched earth note. So Italian, so Tuscan, this is a wine for a table set with hearty fare. The tannins and acidity hold equal voices here. There is a toughness to both that give an angularity to the wine, despite its full body and ample alcohol - the latter thanks to the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The big positive is that there is no obvious mouth-coating glycerol and the high-ish abv is well contained. The finish lingers with dried sage and savory spices. It's a dramatic, meaty wine that is worth a try when you want a steak knife sort of wine in your glass. Drinking well now, this is hitting its autumn. Drink: 2020-23

A stunning Classico with deep color, smooth texture and luscious berry fruit; structured and juicy with exceptional length.

This light-yellow colored Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson is very impressive! It opens with a toasted oak, vanilla, pineapple and lemon bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, very well balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a rich oak and Bartlett pear blend with notes of pineapple, butter and ripe apple. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. This Chard is pure a California style and will be loved by those that like it that way. I would pair it with baked stuffed lobster.

The Merlot is pretty much the weakest link in the range, though it’s a very good wine in its own right, regardless.Savoury, toasty, black olive and black fruit, with a little lemon zest and mint. It’s medium-bodied, roast beef and olives, something of a Campari tang, fine-grained tannin, redcurrant and blackberry on a slightly charry finish. The flavour profile is a little left-of-centre, but the wine is very good.

Fleshy, singular, golden. Harvested from four separate vineyards and matured in neutral oak barrel to add complexity and weight but not oakiness, this is a truly memorable bottle. It is golden and resinous offering aromas of yellow apples, pineapple chunks, spiced butter, vanilla and acacia flowers. Fleshy and ripe but with excellent acidity to balance--fresh weighty and the finish is nutty and spiced.

Blackberries, blueberries and other blue fruit. Some stone and pine-needle undertones. Energetic and fresh for the vintage. Medium to full body and a vivid finish. Drink or hold

This appellation wine comes from a blend of five vineyard-designated sites, all old vine, dry farmed and low yielding. Velvety and expansive on the palate, it has broad appeal in its rich density of cherry, strawberry and fleshy texture. Supple tannins and integrated oak allow a finishing touch of white pepper.

Head-trained old vines give this wine substantial concentration and a soft fleshy core of lush dark-berry fruit. Nutmeg and black pepper give it a contrast of savory and sweet seasoning wrapped in well-integrated oak.

Fresh and inviting on the nose, this is richly round, high-quality red that is structured and lengthy. Mocha, cassis, oak and clove provide a seamless, integrated experience across the palate, with powerful concentration settling into a softened finish.

A spicy nose leads the way to the appellation’s earthy funk and a length of cherry vanilla that balances it well. Powerful and weighty, the wine is juicy in orange and tangerine on the midpalate, with firm, supple tannin support and hearty oak.

Juicy, smooth and velvety, this block selection is full bodied, fleshy and lushly opulent, with soft integrated tannin. The ripeness pushes and offers a warmth of rich cherry cola, baked plum and earthy cinnamon.

From a foggy site near Forestville, this is a reductive, brawny wine with plenty of weight and backbone. Earthy and herbal, it offers a density of red and black raspberry, with hints of tangerine, the tannins expansive andvelvety smooth.

Near the outpost of Fort Ross, this is a wild, coastal site, and it provides intense grip and power. Juicy and broad in orange peel, dark cherry and strawberry, it has undeniable earthiness and accents of rock and iron, finishing with a lengthy lushness.

Vintage Retrospective: The 2001 Napa Valley CabernetsBright, dark, moderately saturated red to the rim. Very sexy scents of black raspberry, mocha, graphite, tobacco, licorice, game and spices, lifted by a floral topnote. Moderately sweet on entry, then shows a fine-grained texture and lovely savory concentration to its berry, spice and floral flavors. At once dense and juicy, even if it doesn't show quite the complexity or detail of the better later vintages of this bottling. Finishes with firm, dusty, slightly drying tannins and very good subtle length. I wanted a bit more sweetness of fruit. With 48 hours in the recorked bottle, this was the supplest and juiciest of the three Vérité 2001s but not the densest or richest. And the tannins turned a bit more clenched.

This dark ruby colored Merlot from Mt. Brave shared top honors in a recent mini-blind tasting that we conducted. It opens with a very inviting blueberry and black cherry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced and rich. The flavor profile is a chocolate covered cherry cordial with notes of blueberry. We also detected some hints of oak and vanilla mixed in. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins show very nice length. The Panel suggested pairing this very good Merlot with short ribs.

Follows exceptional form & sleek styling of previous, with pure seam of citrus, saline acidity & taut structure. 2016 more new oak (60% vs 30%) & richness but still sublimely fresh. Stellenbosch, Robertson & Overberg vines. 4.5 stars.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of blackberry, pomegranate and oak-driven toast and tobacco. Mid-weight plus in heft, offering an onslaught of ostentatious, spicy purple and black fruits, yet sleek, polished and very agreeable in the mouth. There is more tannins evident but they are entirely supportive. The wine sports impressive length on the generously fruity finish. Still enjoyable when tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. This wine needs more time in the cellar.