Quite the muscular wine on the nose here with firm red fruit, a touch of heat, and minerality. The palate also comes off a tad hot, but there is more than ample fruit and plenty of chutzpah. Excellent.

Funk. Not quite Brett, I don’t think, but there is a reductive, sulfur thing going on. Normally, I like the funk, but this is a bit over the top, even for me. The palate is fruity, but that funk is definitely still there. Very Good.

Dark in the glass with flint, funk, and fumée. The palate is fruity, but comes off as overly extracted. I would not necessarily seek this wine out, but nor would I be overly upset if I were served this wine. Very Good.

15 Interesting Wine-Related Discoveries For Fall 2020Capture’s flagship wine, the Tradition Sauvignon Blanc, elevates the purity of the variety through stainless steel fermentation and ten months of sur lie aging. The result, Capture 2018 Tradition Sauvignon Blanc — suggested real price of $25 — is an expression of bright citrus such as lime peel, white stonefruit, and green apple fragrances. Capture’s vineyards highlight the ideal characteristics for Sauvignon Blanc with mineral texture, brilliant acidity and a fresh finish. You can pair this sauvignon blanc with hearty winter veggies or a simple cheese board.

The 13 Best Cabernet Sauvignons to Drink in 2020The grape varietal to rule all reds.Best Splurge: 2016 Lokoya Mount Veeder Cabernet SauvignonNot to knock Champagne, but if you have an occasion worth celebrating, try skipping the bubbly and diving into this exquisite bottle of cabernet. The Lokoya Mount Veeder is an indulgence, and you'll know why as soon as the first drops fall on your tongue. It combines the best of Napa Valley’s mountain climate, rich soils, and expert winemaking from Lokoya’s artisan of the grape, Christopher Carpenter. This is an example of peak cabernet. It is intensely aromatic with blueberry, violet, and blackberry notes bolstered by truffle and wild herbs. It's also full-bodied with tannins that grip and refuse to let go. Enjoy with reckless abandon.

Whoa. A bit on the dark side, with a rich and lovely nose. Whoa. As I had hoped, the palate delivers on what the nose suggested. Whoa. Fantastic fruit, balanced acidity, lengthy finish. Whoa again. Excellent.

Sweet nose of ripe cherry, molasses, and spice. Yum. Whoa. This is another wine that is quite rich and fruity on the palate, but also well-balanced with a tart acidity that bookends all of that fruit. It might come off a bit thin on the mid-palate, but that is countered by the finish. Whoa? Excellent.

Medium to dark color, sweet, rich nose of ripe cherry, vanilla, freshly-turned earth, and five-spice. Yum. Great fruit (cherry, red currant) and acidity on the palate, with depth and length. Yowza. A great start to the tasting. Excellent.

Meaty and iodine on the nose, the fruit is pretty much hidden behind those two elements. Maybe a little herbal as well (mint?) or eucalyptus. This is “different” as it seems to focus on secondary (or even tertiary) elements over the fruit. But me likey. Excellent.

Medium color, translucent. Sweet corn and red cherry on the nose. Big, luscious fruit on the palate, more of a ripe style here. Lovely tartness, a touch of earth. Fantastic. Excellent.

Back to the fruit here, albeit on the subtle side, with some smoke and flint but it is also rich and inviting. The palate is quite nice, with subtle fruit and plenty of that flint. Very nice. Excellent.

Rich and a bit dirty from this above-average colored wine. Black cherry, a tad on the sweet side on the nose. Also comes off as a tad sweet on the palate, but that comes from the fruit (I doubt there is RS). Tart, bright, not exactly my style (I would like some earth or spice), but this is another strong iteration of the variety. Excellent.

Plenty of meat here, maybe some blood and iodine for good measure with some tart cherry and cranberry behind all that livestock. Plenty of fruit on the palate, but might be lacking in the acidity department just a bit. Still, good flavors. Very Good.

14 Superb California Zinfandels to Pair With Your Thanksgiving FeastNothing comes as close to being an American wine than this red.Only about 10 acres of gnarly, dry-farmed vines remain of this vineyard planted more than 100 years ago by Italian immigrants (with the original 8-by-8 spacing to allow horses to plow in both directions through the rows). Lovely high-toned violet and spice aromas wrap around a nose of dark berries, white pepper and cocoa. The flavors are concentrated, intense and lush, yet bright at the same time, with juicy black raspberry and cherry layered with exotic spices, a little red licorice and a firm backbone of tannins (think of aging this one, for a Thanksgiving down the road).

Pick these pinot noirs for your Thanksgiving tableMedium body, fresh fruity aromas, rich fruit flavors, raspberry, cherry, cranberry, dried leaves and a hint of cinnamon and white pepper.

Food-friendly wines to pair with your Thanksgiving dishesThis beguiling rosé is a collaboration between winemaker Hélène Seillan and Julia Jackson, of Jackson Family Wines. It’s made entirely from cabernet franc, which is unusual for Sonoma County, where pinot noir reigns in rosé. Look for aromas of jasmine and roses just opening to release their scent, followed by flavors of wild berries and herbs.

The best wines for ThanksgivingChâteau Lassègue: Expect a wine with a brilliant color and pure aromatics that leap out from the glass, offering a panoply of fresh red fruit, and evoking notes of rose and violet. On the palate, the 2017 Lassègue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is dense and round with silky tannins. There is a fine complexity of spices and ripe fruits that extends into a long and balanced finish. This vintage exudes freshness and refined minerality.

What to Drink Now: Thanksgiving Wines La Crema Russian River Valley Pinot Noir reveals bright red berry and bing cherry notes, with touches of soft herb, and baking spice, making it an easy wine to pair with the holiday...

What to Drink Now: Thanksgiving Wines Yamhill-Carlton’s Gran Moraine shows the heady earthiness of the sub-AVA, with woody herb and truffle melding with red fruits, anise, and spice.

What to Drink Now: Thanksgiving Wines WillaKenzie Willamette Valley Pinot Noir showcases the vibrancy and freshness of Pinot Noir, ideal for pairing with the rich Thanksgiving meal, revealing layers of raspberry, black tea, Asian spice, and truffle.

Napa Valley Cabernet: Best Mount Veeder 2018 winesThe winemaking precision of Chris Carpenter as his team is apparent across all their projects regardless of price point, making the Mt. Brave Howell Mountain particularly impressive as a relative value proposition. Soft but ripe red fruits and briar on the nose. Rich, energetic and attractively dry on the finish. Punches above its weight across all metrics of power, complexity, length, and intrigue. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 1.5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec.

Holiday Gift Guide 2020: The Best Luxury Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon WinesDazzling aromas of black fruit, Asian spice, crème de cassis, cedar, worn leather, dried herbs, dusty cocoa, and cured meat. The layered aromas playout across the palate in an expressively focused wine. Chewy, fresh, broad, and long for days.

Maggy Hawk “Jolie” Pinot Noir 2018, Anderson Valley, aged 15 months in French oak, 20 percent new barrels. The color is totally transparent medium to light ruby with an ethereal rim; aromas of spiced and macerated red and black cherries unfold notes of smoke and sandalwood, potpourri, sour cherry and melon, all grounded in a loamy, foresty base; this is a balanced and harmonious pinot noir, offering a lithe and silky texture gently propelled by bright acidity; a few minutes in the glass open bare hints of rhubarb, cranberry and pomegranate; the overall structure feels elevated, balletic, sensuous; the contrast between the wine’s drape on the palate and its supple, sinewy energy is delightful. 13.8 percent alcohol. Now through 2025 or ’28.

No kissy-face little chard here, the Maggy Hawk Skycrest Vineyard Chardonnay 2018, Anderson Valley, is vigorous and textured, though it gains spareness and elegance in the glass. Grapes were foot-trod; the wine aged 15 months in a combination of French barriques, 20 percent new, and neutral 500-liter puncheons. The color is medium straw-gold; notes of pineapple and grapefruit, yellow plums and almond skin, smoke and jasmine adhere with remarkable intensity; a few moments in the glass unfurl hints of quince and candied ginger; the wine is quite dry, animated by shimmering acidity and a crystalline limestone element that persists through a finish that feels both chiseled and generous and almost tannic; an intriguing quality of some astringent mountainside flower and tangerine skin deepens the elusive effect. 13.6 percent alcohol. Production was 495 cases. Now through 2025 to ’28. This one ranks among the very best chardonnays I tasted this year.

I confess that I’ve never understood the raison d’etre behind pinot noir blanc wines, but I’ll also admit that the Maggy Hawk Edmeades Vineyard White Pinot Noir 2018, Anderson Valley, is pretty exquisite. The grapes fermented in and the wine aged nine months in French oak, all neutral barrels. The color is a pale to medium lemon-gold hue; aromas of lemon curd, quince, peach and cloves feel infused with elements of sour lemon candy, papaya and lightly buttered cinnamon toast; the texture is sleek and satiny, riven by bright acidity and sustained by delicate notes of lilac, graphite and grapefruit pith; the finish is long and elegant. 14.2 percent alcohol. Now through 2022.