Vivid ruby-red. Highly expressive, mineral-tinged cherry and raspberry scents are complicated by suave floral and Asian spice nuances. Sappy, sweet and broad on the palate, offering juicy, densely packed red and dark berry flavors that become livelier and sweeter as the wine opens up. Shows suave floral pastille and oak spice qualities on the impressively persistent finish, which is framed by silky, harmonious tannins.

Seeing plenty of whole cluster, the 2015 Pinot Noir Sierra Mar Vineyard has a stunning nose. Forest floor, spice, assorted red and black fruits, and autumn leaves give way to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, layered Pinot Noir that has ripe tannin and a fantastic finish. I suspect it's the best Sierra Mar from Adam to date. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.

Deep ruby-red. Smoke- and mineral-accented cherry and blackberry aromas are complemented by suggestions of candied flowers, allspice and mocha. Silky and concentrated on the palate, offers alluring, sweet dark berry, cherry compote and rose pastille flavors that are lifted by a spine of juicy acidity. Rich yet lively in character, finishes with impressive clarity, resonating florality and smooth, fine-grained tannins.

Medium crimson color from a label named for the Babylonian goddess of wine; velvety with ripe cherry and floral notes; herbal and generous with a crisp, tangy finish.

Gushing aromas but the fruit is tart as well (cherries, red plums, raspberries), along with cola, rose hips, cedar, and interesting elements of black tea and mushroom. Zesty acidity frames the palate, velvety feel, shows dusty tannins. The fruit tastes crisp and chilled, with raspberries, strawberries. Complex blend of cola, chestnut, coffee, rose petals, along with lasting notes of wet leaves and mushrooms. Tastes so good right out of the bottle, but the savory elements will develop more with time. 15 months in 50% new French oak.

2015 PINOT NOIR, ROSELLA’S VINEYARD the nose is a firm red berry with well-defined core of supple fruit and tobacco. The palate is a spicy cherry, herb and black plum on entry with a core of sumptuous raspberry, seamless acidity. Beautiful texture.

A wine that takes a lot of effort to blend due to numerous clones (four different ones), the 2015 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard has a fresh, strawberry, spice, earth and floral-driven nose. This gives way to a medium-bodied, supple, beautifully polished Pinot Noir with a great, grippy texture, bright acidity and a clean finish. This is pure class, and while good today, will be even better this time next year. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.

This succulent wine’s brawny earth is steadied by fresh acidity, adding tart flavors of tangy rhubarb, cranberry and rose. Crushed rock and dried herb notes add savory complexity and texture, but it’s the pretty aromas that ultimately seize the day.

2015 PINOT NOIR, PARSONS VINEYARD The nose holds supple aromas of plum, blackberry crumble, tar and spice. The palate is a beautifully seductive bright red fruit with mouth-coating texture. Silky finish with blueberry and mineral.

Bright red. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red berries, potpourri, incense and Moroccan spices, and a smoky mineral quality builds in the glass. Lively, mineral-accented raspberry, cherry and rose pastille flavors stain the palate and show excellent precision and building sweetness. Unfolds slowly with air, gaining depth and finishing with sharp delineation, well-knit tannins and strong, floral-driven persistence.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Intriguing aromas of muddled black cherry and loamy earth. Rather bold, but refined, in a mid weight plus style with highly flavorful notes of earthy plum and black raspberry back by immersed tannins. A satiny texture and persistent finish add to the appeal. The fruit is very classy and seductive.

This crisp and lengthy vineyard-designate shows a depth of earth and rose petals against baked plum, orange zest and rhubarb. Mouthfilling acidity provides a freshness on the palate that persists through a long, spicy finish.

A bright side expression of Santa Rita Hills, with fruit from the likes of Clos Pepe, Cargasacchi and John Sebastiano vineyards coming together with aromas of cherry and fall spice that translate clearly on the palate, with touches of forest floor and citrus zest bringing the velvety texture to a mouthwatering close. Artfully blended by Adam Lee.

Lush and vibrantly balanced, this wine is marked by juicy layers of blueberry, huckleberry and spicy cola and clove. Velvety-smooth on the palate, it's a satisfying, medium-bodied effort that effectively shows the beauty of the site and the vintage.

Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. I have had consistently fine wines from this vineyard and this bottling is no exception. Well-perfumed with aromas of boysenberry, blackberry and balsam. Delicious mid weight plus purple berry melange coats the tongue, progressing to a notably long and intense finish. Very special, with welcome oak and spice nuances and impeccable balance. I really liked this wine.

Pressed boysenberry aromas highlight simultaneously dark and fresh fruit on the nose of this bottling by Adam Lee, which also conveys Earl Grey tea, lavender, hibiscus and crushed pencils. The palate picks up the same tack, offering delicate fruits and florals, from cranberry to elderflower.

Vivid ruby. Sexy, high-pitched red berry and potpourri scents are complemented by a minerally aspect and a hint of Asian spices. Sappy, incisive and appealingly sweet, offering lively raspberry and cherry cola flavors that gain sweetness and a hint of smokiness with air. Shows a suave blend of power and finesse and finishes with excellent focus and length; silky tannins come up slowly.

Brilliant purple. Highly perfumed, mineral- and spice-tinged dark berry, cola and floral pastille aromas show excellent clarity and a hint of smokiness that gains strength with air. Silky and precise on entry, then broader and deeper in the midpalate, offering vibrant black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a touch of floral pastilles. Finishes sappy and extremely long, with supple tannins shaping the exuberant fruit.

This wine by Adam Lee shows concentrated touches of nutmeg, crushed pepper and dried thyme laid across a base of hearty blackberries, with dried leaves on the nose. There is a strong herbal component to the sip, with eucalyptus oil and black-pepper dust spicing up the hearty beet juice and black-fruit core. A strong menthol lift arises on the finish.

From vines planted in 1997 (the first crop from Garys' Vineyard was in 1999) and all Pisoni clone (which is rumored to be from la Tache), the 2014 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard offers textbook notes of dried earth, savory red and black fruits, dried flowers and a hint of bouquet garni. Medium-bodied, supple and elegant on the palate, it has a killer texture, impeccable balance and a great finish. I went back to this bottle after three days of being open and it was still terrific.

Vivid purple. Assertive aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and spicecake pick up floral and woodsmoke nuances with air. Juicy, focused and alluringly sweet, offering juicy red and dark berry and cola flavors that deepen and spread out slowly on the back half. The floral note comes back emphatically on the strikingly persistent, fruit-driven finish, which features even tannins and a touch of star anise.

Limpid ruby. A heady, exotically perfumed bouquet evokes candied red and dark berries, Indian spices and rose pastille. Sappy, penetrating and alluringly sweet, offering juicy black raspberry, spicecake and cola flavors and a suggestion of licorice. Displays impressive power as well as elegance; smooth tannins come up slowly to frame the sappy, extremely persistent fruit and floral notes.

From a site on the edges of Santa Rosa, this vineyard-designate shows a wealth of baked strawberry and is noteworthy for its vibrantly fruity aromatics. Ripe, velvety and lush on the palate, it delivers sensually and deliciously, with a lasting imprint of cola spice on the finish.

Full ruby-red. Fresh red berries, candied flowers and Asian spices on the highly perfumed nose and palate. Shows impressive energy and focus but doesn't lack for depth of flavor. I like the blend of power and vivacity here. Racy, appealingly pure Pinot with excellent finishing clarity and smooth tannins that emerge slowly.

Medium-deep ruby color; earthy, spicy aromas with dark cherry notes; rich though tight black cherry flavors with savory spice and grilled game notes; good structure and balance. Rich, tight flavors highlight this Pinot. Originally published in issue #103.