The nose takes on a nuttier, richer feel without heaviness. The palate entry is bright green apple, toast with a core of fresh pear. Beautiful, lively texture of fresh acidity and citrus. Drink 2020 - 2027.

The nose is pineapple, white blossom and pink grapefruit. The palate entry is silky papaya, mango and pineapple with notes of marshmallow and orange peel. Shows nice fruit and acid interplay on the finish. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is crushed blackberries, blueberry and blossoms. The palate entry is a cool blue fruit with a core of white pepper and thick-skinned dry plum finishing with bright and fresh acidity. A lighter touch on Syrah. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is forward hard Christmas candy with notes of spruce needle and pie spice. The palate entry is a sappy juiciness of cherry leading to sleek mouth-coating herb in the core. A tightly-knit and expressive Pinot Noir. Drink 2020 - 2027.

The nose is sultry, herb-laced red berry fruits with graphite and licorice. The palate entry is an expansive licorice and herb with soaked cherry and plum in the core. The finish is firm and intertwined with dry tobacco leaf. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is deep plum, green herbs and spice box leading to a silky palate entry of graphite and earthy black tea. Carries some substantial mass through the finish with lower acidity. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is clay-like strawberry, orange peel and fire-singed sticky marshmallow. The palate entry is candied orange, mineral and juicy acidity. A nice summer quencher when chilled. Drink 2020 - 2022.

The nose is fresh grapefruit and pineapple with crisp acidity and toasty oak. The palate entry is rich, resinous and nutty with less apparent acidity and buttered brioche finishing with a heavier more mature fruit aspect. Drink 2020 - 2023.

The nose is lean, fresh and hazelnut-flecked citrus with notes of toasted oak. The palate entry is lush toasted coconut, pineapple and vanilla bean with well-integrated acidity reminding of baked apple and lemon in the core.Well put together and serviceable. Drink 2020 - 2023.

The vineyard provides a cool climate for Syrah, indicative of its relatively low alcohol levels. The nose is hard cherry and notes of black licorice and spice. The palate entry is lean, bright red fruit with higher acidity. Reminds me more of Grenache then Syrah. Drink 2020 - 2025.

The nose is cola, tomato and bark with notes of vanilla bean and plum turning herbal and crisp with air. The palate entry is silky, waxy red berries with a firm mineral streak in the core. Dry and compact finish. Drink 2020 - 2023.

Juicy, slick, creamy.Flying under the Jackson Family Wines umbrella (Kendall-Jackson et al) this Chardy, was sourced from multiple vineyard locations, the Ferrington Vineyard, which comprises the majority of the fruit, incorporates separate lots crafted from the Robert Young and Wente clones. It was barrel fermented and aged in 98% neutral (French 95%, American 3%) oak; 2% was new French.Golden fruits and toasted nuts, vanilla, browned butter and baking spice aromas lead to a sensual, creamy palate. Slick and concentrated it tasted of apple butter, warm buttered biscuits and toasty spice, which trails on the finish. Excellent.

This is a wonderfully textured Merlot with layers of black fruits, chocolate and black pepper. The finish is refined with mineral, and spice.

Year after year, Mt. Brave produces opulent wines. The ’16 is layered with black and red fruits that finishes grippy with delicious cocoa and raspberry notes. It's a fabulous wine!

A classic Chianti is a popular red wine that has been made from grapes grown in a specific area and given a little extra oak barrel aging. Riserva indicates the wine was held in the bottle for more aging to allow for the melding with all of its components before being released to the public. This wine, a blend of the traditional sangiovese and 10% cabernet sauvignon, is bold and has spent almost a year in oak to allow for the perfect marriage of all the elements and to ensure an elegant smoothness. The aroma stresses violets, raspberries and cranberries, with oak and vanilla quietly lying in the background. As with all premium Chianti wines, this product has a long, smooth and elegant finish. This is a grand and regal wine that will prove what Chianti is capable of and also what made it famous.

Both big and complex – dark but not overly extracted fruit with a welcome finish of well-integrated oak.

Merlot Wines to Seek Out In honor of Merlot month, the following are some great domestic examples to seek out. La Jota Vineyard 2017 Howell Mountain Merlot (Napa Valley, California)Rich. Luscious. Seriously delicious! Smooth from the first sip to the last, with balanced black cherry, cassis, chocolate and blueberry pie aromas and flavors. Full bodied and jam packed with flavor. This was a delight to drink! Definitely in my top 3.

COMMENTARY: The 2018 Carmel Road Cabernet Sauvignon is a stand-up, nicely textured wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits ripe berries and a touch of savory spices in its aromas and flavors. Pair it with grilled cheeseburgers.

October is “Merlot Month” and November 7th is #InternationalMerlotDay” so in celebration, today’s wine of the week is the 2016 Les Cadrans de Lassègue, from Saint-Émilion, France.The 2016 Les Cadrans de Lassègue comes from Saint-Émilion and is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. This wine is the second label of Chateau Lassègue and is made by father and son Pierre and Nicolas Seillan. A well-made Merlot is sexy and seductive with red fruit aromas and silky tannins.The 2016 Les Cadrans de Lassègue has notes of cranberry, cherry and violets with a hint of spice and vanilla. On the palate, the wine is round with silky tannins and fresh acidity.It is time to celebrate Merlot, not just because it is Merlot Month but because it is a delicious wine and at $27, the 2016 Les Cadrans de Lassègue is very affordable.

Merlot from Howell Mountain has long been some of the finest produced in the Napa Valley. Situated on the eastern side of the valley, the Howell Mountain vineyards are well above the fog line and catch the afternoon sun, ensuring full ripeness in most vintages. This beauty from La Jota is richly layered, showing ripe black cherry and blueberry fruit, and complex oak spice aromas.

The Mt. Veeder vineyards that face east are typically firmer in structure and slightly more tannic than the reds produced across the valley in the west-facing mountains. This vintage from Mt. Brave is rich and powerful, with firm tannins and a tight structure that will benefit from another few years in the cellar. It shows ripe notes of cherry and currant, a touch of graphite/lead pencil and the requisite wood spice.

Lean and grippy with great balance, this is an awesome example of how Cali does Savvy B. It smells like honeysuckle flowers and a squeeze of lime with some sea salt. You could just chill with this wine, but a goat cheese and walnut salad with peppery arugula would shine with this bottle.

Pretty neutral and easy, but very balanced. This cheap and solid bottle is worth a case-or-three-buy for whatever is going on, whenever. Keep a couple in the fridge in the name of spontaneity.

La Jota Howell Mt. Merlot Packs A Powerful PunchThe La Jota Merlot is a great example of a mountain Merlot. La Jota also gives the grapes a lot more attention than most wines, showing what a premium wine is all about.The wine is a gorgeous deep garnet in the glass, with dark fruit aromas. On the palate I picked up flavors of black cherry, ripe raspberries and blackberries. It has a nice, smooth mouthfeel with some minerality on the long, velvety finish.

La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2017: Delicious easy drinker. Excellent example of well-made commodity pinot noir.