I bought three bottles of this wine from Wine.com way back in 2011 and while this is the first I remember tasting, there is but one bottle left in the cellar. #GriftHappens Well, certainly golden in the glass, but no signs of oxidation on the nose, just tons of honeyed, even candied lemon curd, laden with heavy doses of vanilla and oak. Yeah, this is a big’un, certainly in the style of those late 90s California Chards. The big difference? While all of that lemon chiffon pie, oak, butter, and vanilla are certainly there on the palate, there is also an acidity that breaks through and lets the others know who is really in charge. Certainly not my style of Chard, but there is no doubt that this is extremely well-made and a fabulous wine. Outstanding.

Inky in colour and the feel of the wine remains extremely young, suggesting you need a little more patience. Saffron and earthy smoked turmeric spices layer the fruit, adding depth and complexity. This has richness and power but also lift, with gourmet notes of liquorice and chocolate giving appellation signature.

A little less evolution in the aromatics here than the 2011, emphasis instead on toasty grilled oak and turmeric spice, set amid dark berry fruits. A lot is hidden right now, the texture is charming and fleshy, but these are big tannins and it has plenty to give over the next decade.

A good value, the 2019 Chardonnay Bar-M gives up a juicy, vibrant nose of tart pineapple, citrus, and honeyed flowers. These carry to a rich, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay with a killer texture, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. Pairing wonderfully fresh, complex aromatics with plenty of oomph and richness on the palate, this beautiful Chardonnay is ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years (although it will keep even longer).

It would not take long to count the number of still white Pinot Noirs that I have tried (the sparkling ones, naturally, would take a whole lot longer), but this is the second I have tried in as many weeks. Slightly golden straw in the glass with lovely aromas of peach, pear, white acacia, and ginger spice. The palate is deliciously balanced between the subtle fruit and racy acidity. Although the information about this wine is rather scant, I did discover that it spent nine months in neutral oak, which has no doubt softened that tartness just a touch. Lovely wine. Outstanding.

The 2019 White Pinot Noir is a tiny cuvée of just six barrels off a single block on the property. It is Pinot Noir vinified off the skins (like Blanc de Noir in Champagne). Textured and nuanced the White Pinot Noir is aged in neutral oak. Dried orchard fruit, spice and dried flowers are some of the many notes that grace this quirky yet absolutely delicious white.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Unforgettable is built on texture and creaminess. It offers a bit more mid-palate structure than some of the other wines in the range. The mix of mostly Pommard and Wadensvil clones works so well here. Silky and open-knit, the 2018 can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Abel is a pliant, supple wine with lovely mid-palate presence. Succulent red berry fruit, spice, orange peel and mint are all laced together. The 2018 offers a striking balance of energy and depth. There is something incredibly exotic about the 2018 that is quite appealing. The Abel was aged 16 months in barrel.

The 2018 Red Blend Prequel, a Syrah-based blend from vineyards in Sonoma, is a total knockout that makes such a strong statement as to the potential of Sonoma County. Dark, bold and savory, the Prequel offers a fabulous mix of fruit intensity and savoriness.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Vales Edge is bright, punchy and full of character. This mid-weight Cabernet from a site on the Alexander Valley/Chalk Hill border is effusive and so inviting. Sweet red cherry, spice, mint, sage, blood orange and lavender give the 2017 striking purity and character. Drink it over the next decade.

Grapefruit, lime and lemon flavors are intense and juicy on a sleek frame, with a thread of saline, candied citrus peel and matcha green tea. Impressive for its laserlike focus and mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2022.

This offers a vibrant, mouthwatering mix of lime peel, peach and pineapple flavors on a sleek and juicy frame, with hints of spearmint, matcha green tea and fresh ginger that linger on the long, lingering finish. Drink now through 2022.

Ruby red in colour. Rich fruits comprising cherry and pomegranate lead nuances of dry forest floor and wild mushroom. Plush and silky. Cabernet Franc spice box along with lemon peel and bitter chocolate notes on the very persistent finish.

Intense ruby red in colour. Red fruits, rose aromatics, mocha, spice. Super expressive. Finesse with energy. Plenty of verve.

Bright ruby red in colour. Red berry, raspberry, rose petal aromas, liquorice.Polished. A wine of impact.

Medium ruby core, bright ruby into the rim. Raspberries, violets and dried thyme aromas. Medium-bodied but sits light and lithe. Red fruits, dry herbs and sandstone flavours are layered throughout. Sandy tannins are distinct but not without reason. There's an underlying power here that speaks of serious intent in the vineyard and winery. It lingers for days.

This special limited release Santa Maria Valley chardonnay was established in 1981. The vineyard sits 350-450 feet above sea level, not far from the California Coast in a rare east-west mountain range that opens to almost daily cooling marine air from the Pacific Ocean. The result is a long, cool growing season that produces intense flavours (think New Zealand) with naturally high acidity. The nose is awash in tropical notes of guava, lime, mango, and vanilla. The palate is equally rich but with some mineral undertones from the ancient seabed that sits under the vineyard. The wine is getting drier and more complex every year, upping its quality quotient. Think lobster or any butter-based fish or creamy pasta. It's 40+ years, clone 4 chardonnay grown on its own roots, and barrel aged 7 months in French oak (39 percent new).

The 12.5ha Applejack Vineyard, planted in 1997 (and bought by Giant Steps in 2013), is the apple of winemaker Steve Flamsteed's eye when it comes to Pinot Noir, rating it as one of Australia's best cool-climate sites. A mix of whole-bunch and destemmed fruit (depending on clone) were wild-yeast fermented, then the parcels matured for eight months in barrique, 25% new. As with the rest of the range, there's no fining or filtering, and racking and bottling is done by gravity. Quite a structured Pinot, with fine tannins and brisk acidity to ensure long ageing. Tart red cherry, berries and the vineyard's characteristic bitter-orange tang infuses both nose and palate, plus peppery spices and hints of tilled earth and undergrowth.

Sourced from several blocks within Zena Crown Vineyard, now more than a dozen years old. It’s aged 16 months in 53 percent new French oak barrels. Winemaker Shane Moore likes a high percentage of new oak with medium and medium-plus toast levels because new barrels breathe, permitting more oxygen ingress than wine-soaked neutral wood. The wine only moves once: into the bottle. If there’s one wine that reflects Zena Crown Vineyard, Moore thinks it is the 2017 Vista. The nose is savoury Oregon with coffee, toast and light-brown spice mixing with dark strawberry fruit. The palate is silky texture that seems to power up the spicy notes throughout the wine before a lengthy, earthy, wild pinot finish. Impressive.

This medium purple colored Zinfandel opens with a fragrant boysenberry and black raspberry bouquet with a hint of black cherry. On the palate, this wine is medium plus bodied with bright acidity. It was also juicy. The flavor profile is black raspberry and blackberry blend with notes of red plum and mild graphite. We also detected some hints of rum and Coke mixed in. The finish is dry and its flavors and moderate tannins drift away nicely. The Panel would pair this Zin with braised short ribs.

This is a blend of five vineyard-designates and it shows serious power and elegance in one cohesive body of thick richness and weight. Tightly wound in tannin, with ample toasted oak, it offers satisfying layers of black raspberry, cherry, cola and white pepper, overdelivering on its price.

Rose petal, crushed rock and baked cherry accent this structured, complex wine that is tremendously balanced and full of elegant depth. Fleshy, lush and creamy on the midpalate, it evolves to show a hint of cola, black tea and black pepper, forest notes never far behind.

This pale straw-colored Chardonnay opens fragrant honeysuckle and baked green apple bouquet with hints of Anjou pear and pineapple. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with medium acidity. We also found it to be nicely balanced, delicate, sensuous and smooth. The flavor profile is layered and features green apple, pear and lemon along with notes of chalky minerality. We also detected hints of almond and light oak mixed in. The finish is dry and its flavors are nicely extended. The Panel would pair this Chard with herb butter roasted squab or seafood scampi.

This medium garnet colored Pinot Noir opens with a black raspberry bouquet with hints of cocoa powder and mushrooms. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, round and luscious. The flavor profile is tasty red plum and black raspberry with notes of black cherry. We also detected hints of 80% cocoa and mild oak towards the very end. The finish is dry and its medium fine-grained tannins linger nicely. The Panel would pair this Pinot with a NY strip steak or smoked brisket.

Ripe, bold and soft, the Tenuta di Arceno 2017 Il Fauno di Arcanum is a hot-vintage blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Despite the difficult conditions of the vintage, which included spells of extreme heat and dryness, this wine hits an especially pretty balance that underlines the care given to preserving the best qualities of the fruit. It pours from the bottle with a darkly concentrated appearance and displays blackberry, plum, spice, tar and leather. There is softness here for sure, yet the wine's structure and carefully engineered construction is intact.