A brilliant new wine by Erik Kramer, this shows off a pretty core of tart red fruits alongside a great combination of viscosity and tension. The rich mouthfeel entices here. Finishing long with tilled soils and red fruits alongside copious minerals, this is a beautiful 2018 Pinot Noir that is built for the cellar.

Classic, value, juicy.Carmel Road is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey's Arroyo Seco appellation. It is just one of the several dozen outstanding wineries in the Jackson Family Wines (Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Freemark Abbey, Arrowood, etc.) portfolio.At under $20 this wine offers exceptional value. It has initial earthy and spicy notes, that roll into classic red cherry and rhubarb, pomegranate, red apple peel, fine white pepper, bacon fat and leather. It has a juicy palate with lively red fruits underscored by fine aromatic spices and forest floor flavours. It's got excellent bones and true pinosity.

A floral and herbaceous nose of roses, violets and sage with notes of ripe red cherries and black licorice as well. Medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins and good, steady intensity. Sweet red fruit and fresh mint on the palate. Very attractive. A lovely line of balsamic on the finish. Drink now.

Pleasant aromas of red fruit and berries, ground spice and peppermint. Medium-bodied with fine, well-integrated tannins and nice presence on the palate. While gentle and delicate, there is still good depth of flavor and length. Drink now.

Aromas of green apple, lemon rind, honeysuckle and wet stone. Medium-bodied and very clear and lean in its delivery. There is really precise balance here with steady acidity. Lovely savory character develops on the palate. Elegant and refined. Drink now.

More McLaren Vale than Cab Franc, but who cares when it’s an enjoyable drink?Then again, everything Hickinbotham is unwaveringly great, and this is no exception. From a 0.9ha vineyard planted in 2013. Cold soak, wild ferment, 15 days on skins, basket pressed. Includes 7% Malbec and 2% Merlot. Yield 6t/ha. Numbers: pH 3.53 TA 6.2g/L.Deep, dark and molten, it’s a black wine of considerable sexy oak and power. Seduction, weight, silken tannins. Right bank Bordeaux, but with a McLaren Vale mid palate. Lots of oak but not unbalanced. The flavour is abundant for such moderate alcohol. High class.Best drinking: good now, better in a few years, and fine drinking for at least fifteen more.

The 2018 Penner-Ash Chardonnay shows ripe honeysuckle tones on the nose with baking spice laced sourdough bread and bright melon tones. The palate is fresh and viscous with a great beam of tension as saline dusted orchard and citrus fruits greet you alongside undercurrents of wild mushroom. Really good to enjoy right now, this has another eight plus years ahead of it.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Julia's Signature Collection is 100% Clone 23 fermented in barrel. Succulent black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and licorice fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2018 offers tons of depth as well as character.

The 2019 Syrah, from Bar M in Los Alamos, is elegant, perfumed and deep. Black cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, cedar and dried herbs fill out the layers. Wonderfully aromatic and savory, the 2019 has so much to offer. The 100% whole clusters feel especially well balanced here. This soft, open-knit Syrah will be ready to go with another year or two in bottle.

The 2019 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is outrageously beautiful. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, mint and light tropical character all grace the 2019. Bright saline accents play off the creamy fruit in a Chardonnay that dazzles from start to finish. All the best qualities of the year come through loud and clear.

The 2019 Pinot Noir 459 is intensely aromatic and ethereal in feel. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint and dried herbs all open in the glass. Silky tannins give this mid-weight Pinot tons of sensuality and appeal to balance some of its more eccentric leanings.

Rich and expressive, with concentrated dried red cherry and berry flavors that are filled with beef carpaccio and allspice notes. Fine-edged tannins support the mineral-infused finish that also features cedary and loamy nuances. Drink now through 2026.

There's unctuous spiciness to the cherry tart and plum pastry flavors that are rich and well-structured. Offers hints of white pepper and paprika midpalate, with lively acidity on the finish. Drink now through 2026.

From north-facing slopes and at lower elevation than sister wine, “Applejack,” this single-vineyard Pinot is initially dense and quiet, taking time to reveal its charms. As it warms, it unravels notes of cherries, plums, spring flowers and spice, with earthier bass notes of smudged charcoal and something more sanguine. The winemaking prowess shows on the palate. It has weight and power but also elegance in the form of wellintegrated, sandpaper-like tannins and savory spice amid the concentrated fruit. Still a baby, this could cellar until 2029 at least.

This vintage of single-vineyard “Primavera” Pinot is as vibrant as the vivid cherry hue suggests. It’s a more delicate, drink-now drop than this producer’s other single-vineyard Pinots. The wine explodes from the glass with redberry and stalky cinnamon-bark aromas, followed by gentler dried herb, floral and warm stone notes. The palate is fresh and bright, with a well-threaded tug of textural tannins. Drink now–2026.

Winemaker Jill Russell does wonders with this widely available wine. Aromas of Meyer lemon and sea salt ride over roasted peach on the nose, leading into pan-seared apple, more salt and a touch of warm butter on the palate.

Nielson’s 2018 Pinot Noir is rich, elegant and full flavored. Floral, earthy and berry-like elements dominate the aroma, while the palate offers suggestions of cherries and plums. This luscious Pinot is both elegant and dynamic.

Refined, with well-honed dark fruit and dried flavors that are supported by racy acidity and fine-grained tannins. Offers rich forest floor notes midpalate, with a finish loaded with Asian spice and minerally accents. Drink now through 2026.

A strikingly fresh and complex pinot that hails from a cooler season. Plenty of red-cherry, redcurrant an slighter strawberry aromas, as well as florals, spicy oak and sappy elements. The palate has a pure red-cherry core and fine, taut tannins. Fresh finish. Drink now.

A very fresh and composed chardonnay that offers aromas of lemon, lightly spiced pear pastry and peach. The intense and fresh palate holds a line of juicy peach and pear flavors in a smoothly enriched, focused style. Drink now.

Penner-Ash sources a fair number of blocks of the landmark Zena Crown vineyard, mostly at pretty high elevation. Most of the fruit is destemmed, and the cold maceration is being reduced to manage the extraction and assure elegance and vibrancy. The freshness and structure is achieved here, along with a vibrant blackberry fruit with hints of violet and ginger. Tannins are firm but not austere, and the wine has an exceptional balance between the fruit, the freshness, and the density that lead it to a lovely finish.

From a pioneering Napa producer founded in the 70s, this strikes a somewhat traditional note with more elevated tannin which I like in cabernet. The nose is classic and quite pretty with blackcurrant, cedar, violet some menthol and consderable oak. It is full bodied, fairly dense, warm and chunky with considerable alcohol heat and gritty tannin on the finish. The length is excellent. Best 2025 to 2035.

Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Seductive aromas of Bing cherry and oak spice. Light to mid-weight in richness, featuring flavors of black cherry, black raspberry and a hint of oak spice. Very fine grain tannins and upbeat acidity compliment the fruit core. Plenty of gentle goodness in a glamorous wine that exudes class.

Showing more forward fruit than the 2017, this is nonetheless a sleek and mouthwatering Chardonnay with a hint of savoriness in the lingering, perky finish. Silky soft on the mid-palate, a clean, precise and chiseled acidity gives excellent tension. The long-lasting finish tastes of lemon zest and pomelo with a contrasting kiss of sweet cream. Vinous and dreamy to drink.

Very youthful, bold purple/red colour. The bouquet is smoky/char-oaky and slightly reductive, savoury, with traces of ironstone and graphite or coal-dust. Lots of character. The palate is full-bodied and youthful, fresh, bright and attractive. Chewy tannins persist long on the follow-through. A long-term keeper.