Holiday gift ideas2018 Penner Ash Willamette Valley Chardonnay – toasty, lush.

Napa Valley Cabernet: Best Howell Mountain 2018 winesLa Jota’s Howell Mountain bottling is a distinctively pure and floral. The nose is loaded with ripe blue fruit and fresh purple flowers centered around a dense core of power. As structured as it is, there is a fantastic refinement to the tannin structure and softness to the acidity. A great example of a modern mountain-sourced Napa Cabernet-based blend. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot.

Napa Valley Cabernet: 2018 vintage reportThere is a palpably regal quality to all four Lokoya wines, but the Mount Veeder Cabernet attains an additional level of purity and class. There is a softness to the nose that is only additive, taking nothing away from the muscular, firm core underneath. The finish is granular, burly and seemingly endless. Reacts instantly to air, and is very much a moving target. An objective, definitive example of Mount Veeder Cabernet.

Napa Valley Cabernet: 2018 vintage reportA luxurious, decadent and refined nose. Where many mountain-Cabernets may be sharp and rugged in their youth, the Lokoya Howell Mountain Cabernet is remarkably integrated right out of the gate. The texture bounces between polished and rustic, punchy and ethereal. Will age effortlessly for at least three decades. A powerhouse that doesn’t lose sight of the shore.

Napa Valley Cabernet: 2018 vintage reportYear in and year out, Lokoya provides a masterclass in crafting rugged mountain fruit into a svelte package, while always letting its essence come through. Their Diamond Mountain release is wonderfully perfumed and exuberant on the nose, with aromas of lilacs, fresh herbs and orchard blossoms. It is opulent and forward but with considerable lift on the finish. The tannins are prominent and fine-grained, with an impressively long and evolving finish.

Napa Valley Cabernet: 2018 vintage reportThe perennial centerpiece wine from Jackson Family Wines and winemakers Chris Carpenter. Composed around mountain fruit with supporting roles from valley floor vineyards across the valley. Hedonistic and commanding on the nose, with dense aromas of ripe black currants, black cherries, coffee beans and fresh herbs. The palate is svelte, balanced and expansive. The finish is grainy but fine, retaining a core of bright, refreshing acidity. Very much in the style of a modern cult Napa Cabernet but manages to do so with restraint.

So plush with a mix of red and blue-fruit aromas on the nose, as well as blood-orange and almost violet-like floral notes. The palate is very plush and juicy with such a long, seamless and silky feel. Super intense and very, very plush with deep, deep rich fruit. Mouthwatering. Super long. Super rich.

The Oracle has read the coffee, olives, dark berry, plum, vanilla, & graphite, and predicts a very bright future, indeed!

A first course Sauvignon BlancSeven Great Wines For Your Thanksgiving TableLa Crema's very first release of Sauvignon Blanc (2019) is sourced from distinct vineyards spread across some of Sonoma County’s warmer sub-regions, where the climate and soil are perfect for producing world-class white Bordeaux varietals. This balanced wine is full of exotic tropical flavors like guava and honeydew, and is ideal for a starter cheese board, roasted butternut squash soup, a shrimp cocktail, or even an old school classic, like pigs in a blanket.

This offers blackberry, boysenberry and açaí berry compote flavors that sparkle with anise, sassafras and sage accents. Shows serious tarry grip, but that recedes into the fruit as this airs in the glass, leaving embers of singed juniper and alder at the very end. Best from 2023 through 2040.

Offers a ripe and focused beam of crushed raspberry and blackberry preserve flavors, laced with sweet toast notes but still dependent on fruit, picking up anise and apple wood accents through the finish. Shows freshness at the very end, adding lift. Best from 2021 through 2032.

Impressive combination of plush California fruit and savory, tension-filled Oregon structure. Supple and rich raspberry, thyme and stony mineral accents build toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2028.

Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 is a rich and tasty classic Chianti. Red and black fruits are delicious. Nicely integrated and balanced. Expressive and elegant vintage when early September rain postponed the harvest and allowed grapes extra time to ripen on the vine. Well structured. Good to drink now, but also can be held several more years for aging. Pair with steak Florentine; chicken cacciatore; French onion soup; red sauce pastas—meaty ragu, spaghetti bolognese; leg of lamb and lamb chops; roast beef; duck; venison; meat-lover pizza.

This is a lovely quaffable sauvignon blanc from a long-time quality producer. Peach and apple notes dominate with a background of herbal notes.

Light yellow color. Aromas of grapefruit, lemon and papaya with mountain stream, whipped honey and white flowers. Crisp but creamy on the palate with a stony, bright feel that balances well with juicy, fleshy texture, but it stays balanced throughout. Yellow plums, papaya, lime, mixed with chalk, mineral undertones and creamy, honeyed elements. A lot going on here, sort of like a bunch of different SB styles rolled into one, and it is done really well.

Flagship as detailed as the fynbos bordering its Stellenbosch single-parcel source. 15 full gamut of citrus tones (including piquant yuzu), nectarine & spice beguile on nose & palate; present yet harmonious oak (50% new) & vibrant acidity add impressive shape & stature for 5+ years cellaring.

From under the umbrella of Jackson Family Wines, this plush Penner-Ash Pinot is an outstanding offering that doles out intense cherry and raspberry aromas woven with baking spices, leather, violets, cocoa, vanilla and at the core, faint forest floor notes. It is supple and suggests the same sweet potent berry found on the nose. It's a full-throttle Pinot with a supple character and trails sarsaparilla and cocoa across the finish.

For earlier drinking than stablemates but 18, like 17, beautifully proportioned & fine, bright citrus acidity drawing out the finish & 30% new oak less overt. Own Banhoek grapes plus small portion from Helderberg. All the wines bunch pressed.

Adds Klein Karoo fruit to usual Stellenbosch, Robertson & Overberg sources in 17. Pronounced lemon-lime marmalade tones, obvious but well-judged vanilla oak support (French, 38% new, 10 months). Curvier than 16 but similar seam of salty acidity.

For a full-bodied white wine, Kendall-Jackson's 2018 Vinter's Reserve Chardonnay is completely plant-based, and perfect for every fall feast or sunny day outside. With notes of tropical pineapple and papaya, and hints of vanilla, honey, and oak, it's a total crowd-pleaser in the realm of white wines.

The 2016 Mt. Brave ‘Mt. Veeder’ Merlot is a simply gorgeous effort by superstar winemaker Chris Carpenter that impresses now at the four year mark. The complex and hedonistic aromas entice with sandalwood tones that are woven together with kirsch cordial, cassis and graphite with chocolate covered espresso bean that all take shape in the glass. The palate is soft, seamless and very elegant, as this effortlessly glides across the mid-palate. A deep core of dark fruits collide with minerals, pipe tobacco, loamy terroir and suggestions of coffee grounds on the palate. Rich and layered, with tremendous aging potential, the 2016 Mt. Brave Merlot will cellar well for decades to come. Be sure to give this at least an hour decant if enjoying in its flamboyant youth. Drink 2020-2038

2020 Costco Wine Thanksgiving PicksWe tasted a lot of good Pinot Noir from Costco this year, and there are many of them that I think would pair great with Thanksgiving, this being one of them for $18, and a bottle that I know is popular with our readers.

The Best French Wine to Drink NowChâteau Lassègue’s 2016 vintage is a red blend from the Saint-Émilion appellation in France. "It’s a blend of majority merlot with some cabernet franc and a small amount of cabernet sauvignon, with bright floral notes on the nose followed by black and red fruits, a bit of acid and spice, and some dark chocolate on the palate." Drink this one now, or cellar it for a few years before enjoying.

Wine Pairings for Fall IngredientsKendall-Jackson ‘Vintner’s Reserve’ Pinot Noir, with bright strawberry, cherry and raspberry fruit and a hint of cola and mint.

Another fine choice from the same estate: Tenuta di Arceno 2015 Arcanum. Based on Cabernet Franc, the true signature of the estate, this remarkable wine is built to age yet is drinkable young, offering aromas of violets, roses and raspberries, with long and delicate spice notes; it is a wine that is seductive yet subtle. Arcanum is sourced primarily from the L’Apparita and Belvedere blocks of Cabernet Franc. With superb exposure and sandy clay soils, each year these blocks shine to produce the finest expression of the variety, and the leading wine of the estate. It is perfect for gifting as it pairs with a wide range of food, from Thanksgiving leftovers to grandma’s Italian beef stew. It also pairs well with any Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese dishes.