Coming from the West Sonoma Coast, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sesacape Vineyard is from a late-ripening site with sandy soils, located next to Cobb’s Coastlands Vineyard, just west of Occidental. This is the second vintage for this wine, which was aged for 10 months in 20% new French oak. In the glass, it pours a medium ruby/red color and opens to lifted and bright aromatics of cinnamon, pomegranate, wild strawberries, roses, and tangerine. Linear and fresh, it offers fine tannins and a clean, salty, juicy finish. It's quite charming now and will continue to offer a lot of pleasure over the next 5-7 years.

The 2022 Chardonnay Alexander Valley was raised in 19% new French oak for 10 months and largely comes from vines in Pocket Peak within the Alexander Valley. On the nose, it’s floral and pours a bright yellow/green hue, with notes of fresh honeysuckle, white peach, and preserved citrus. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s elegant and rounded, with a delicate, pithy citrus and notes of honeyed citrus on the finish. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.

The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County is a pale silver/green hue and includes the small addition of 3% Semillon, with 13% of the wine fermented in old French oak. It shows off lifted aromas of white grapefruit zest, piney fresh herbs, white currants, and saline. Midweight and refined, it floats on the palate and has a delicate floral touch, with fresh acidity, although it’s not austere. Approachable and mouthwatering, it is a springy wine that’s going to show its best over the next 3-5 years.

A bright youthful yellow/green hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Tidal Break Vineyard is sunny and floral with notes of honeysuckle, quince, poached pear, and broth. Full-bodied, it fills the palate and expands with juicy ripeness and more persistent length on the palate. It has a bit of saline on the palate that frames the wine very nicely to not feel heavy.

A medium yellow/golden hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Anderson Valley was entirely barrel fermented and raised in 24% new French oak for 9 months. It opens in the glass to ripe notes of fresh pineapple, honeyed citrus, golden apples, and baking spice. Medium to full-bodied, it has a kiss of sweet fruit and vanilla on the palate, with a weightless feel, and it’s not cloying. It’s going to show its best over the next 3-4 years.

With a youthful, ripe ruby hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Saralee's Vineyard reveals classic Russian River Valley notes of ripe red cherries, cola spice, and forest floor. Mediumbodied, elegant, and refined, it has fine tannins and a clean, ripe feel throughout. Drink 2024-2032.

A bright ruby color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast saw 14 months in mostly neutral French oak. A good deal of expressive spice lifts from the glass, with classic notes of ripe cherries, fresh piney herbs, and light peppery spice. Medium-bodied, it has a lovely, delicate, juicy feel, with fine tannins. It’s charming and approachable. Drink 2025-2035.

Pouring a pale silver/yellow color, the 2022 Chenin Blanc Jurassic Vineyard was raised in neutral oak and is savory with notes of linen, yellow flowers, beeswax, and pear. Salty and bright on the palate, it’s lean to medium-bodied, with more lemon pith, a citrus chalky texture driving the palate, and a clean, zesty finish. It’s a refreshing and savory style of white to drink over the next 3-4 years.

Ripe youthful ruby color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is from several sites anchored around Barbieri Vineyard and is aromatic of ripe red cherries, fresh roses, forest herbs, and cola spice. Pure, juicy, and medium-bodied, it has fine tannins and a clean feel with a lot of charm. Drink it now or over the next 4-5 years.

A brilliant silver/green-tinged hue, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County comes from multiple sites in Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Dry Creek, and the Russian River Valley and is fermented both in barrel as well as in stainless steel. Aromatic with a fresh, tropical perfume of guava, melon, chive, and grapefruit, it offers an elegant and delicately rounded feel, with a kiss of candied citrus and its floral perfume lasting on the finish. It’s a very charming wine to enjoy over the next couple of years.

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sable Mountain Vineyard comes from the eastern slopes of the Anderson Valley and was aged for 8 months in 34% new French oak. In the glass, it pours a ripe red ruby color and offers expressive aromas of wild raspberries, candied roses, sweet earth, and sappy fresh herbs. Medium-bodied and juicy, it takes on an earthy spice note, with ripe tannins and a juicy, floral finish. It’s a charming, ripe wine to drink over the next 5 years.

Pouring an opaque purple/red hue, the 2019 Syrah Outer Limits spent 20 months in 34% new French oak and is very ripe in the glass, showing a touch of development in its notes of baked fig, tarry earth, leather, and black olive brine. It’s an opulent red, with sweet tannins, a rounded mouthfeel, and a dark, brooding, savory finish. It is showing well now, though I would prefer to drink this over the next few years. Drink 2024-2028.

Pouring a straw yellow hue, the 2022 Riesling displays a great deal of crystalline purity. Sourced from the Stonestreet Estate (Cougar Ridge), it shows off an elegant, floral perfume with aromas of white flowers, white peach, pineapple, and saline. The palate offers a lovely, ripe feel, with medium body and a stony texture. It feels approachable in this vintage, with an elegant, juicy profile while remaining dry. It has a long finish, with a delicate touch of white pepper and saline notes. A very charming wine from Fabian Krause, this will have an open window for drinking over the coming 10 years.

A ripe red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir comes from the Sealift Vineyard and was raised for one year in 30% new German and Austrian oak barriques. It offers a very attractive nose in this vintage, with floral and fruity aromas of ripe cherries, woodsy earth, fresh herbs, and roses. Medium-bodied, it’s elegant and refined on the palate, with wonderful, fine tannins, a pure, juicy feel, and a balanced, earthy profile. This is the most enjoyable bottling I have tasted of this wine to date, with a good deal of purity and balance. Drink 2024-2037.

Screw cap. Excellent Pinot Noir, in a supple, fragrant style. It has distinctive floral-fruity character (rose petal, cherry, strawberry), with toasty, herbal overtones, some richness, good balance, and a lingering finish. Very approachable now; drink into 2025.

Screw cap. Tremendous Chardonnay at the price: full bodied, complex in flavor (pineapple, white peach, candied lemon, toast, spicy oak), well balanced, and medium-long and zesty on the finish. Remarkable value. Drink into 2026.

Terrific value, the 2021 Hawkeye Mountain is a very fine mountain Cabernet that is fairly rich and somewhat tannic; a wine that is supple on the palate and both fine and complex in flavor (black cherry, cassis, boysenberry, cedar, vanilla, oak), with a long, firm finish. Drinkable now (because of its texture, richness, and balance), but likely at its best only after 2026, and beyond. 99.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 0.7% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in oak barrels, 96% French, of which 63% is new. 14.5% [2027-2037] 

A rich, full bodied of excellent quality. It is ripe and complex in aroma and flavor (pineapple, honey, peach, candied lemon, tangerine, toasted oak), vibrant and well balanced on the palate, and very persistent on the finish. Opulent; for drinking into 2027. Fine value. Fermented and aged 9 months in French oak barrels, 46% new. Clones: 4 and Wente. 15.4% [2024-2027] 

Screw cap. Terrific Pinot Noir value, the 2022 La Crema Monterey is a fairly rich wine, with intense flavor (cherry, strawberry, vanilla, black tea, herbs, oak), light oakiness, good balance, and a long, full finish. Great value. Better in 2025; can age further. 3-5 day cold soak. Aged 5 months in French oak barrels, 18% new. 13.9% [2025-2026] 

Screw cap. Very fine 2022 Pinot Noir Rose: medium salmon pink in color; very intense in aroma and flavor (raspberry, cherry, white peach), well balanced, and very long on the finish. Has a hint of tannin; very enjoyable now, but can be drunk through 2025. Fine value 100% Pinot Noir. Unwooded. 13.5% [2024-2025] 

Fine quality Monterey Chardonnay from La Crema, and an excellent value. It is ripe and quite rich in flavor (pineapple, apple, lemon peel, peach, banana, toast, oak), smoothly textured, nicely balanced, and very long on the finish. Drink into 2026. Aged 5+ months in oak barrels, primarily French, 16% new. 13.5% [2024- 2026] 

Excellent Anderson Valley Pinot Noir: ripe and complex in style, it is medium rich in flavor (blueberry, cherry, herbs, red currant, tangerine, oak), well balanced, and long and lightly tannic on the finish. Still evolving; likely best in 2025, and beyond. Fine value. Aged 16 month in French oak barrels, 15% new. 500 cases. 13.1% [2025-2028] 

Fine quality Sonoma Coast Chardonnay that is elegant and complex in style; somewhat Burgundy-like. It is round, full bodied, and crisp, with excellent flavor (pineapple, candied lemon, apple, toast, vanilla, oak), and a lingering finish. Drinking very well now; enjoy through 2025. Native yeast. Aged months in oak barrels, 5% new French. Full ML. Clones: 4, 76, 72. 500 cases. 13.3% [2024-2025] 

Matanzas Creek Winery has been making Merlot in Alexander Valley, Sonoma since 1984. This wine is a testament to their experience. This bottle is a blend sourced from its higher elevation sites. The nose is a bit shy but shows some cherries and maybe a hint of cassis. The palate is soft and supple with great fruit depth.

Now, this is something special. Setting the benchmark for the Western Cape (one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world), the ancient vineyards of Stellenbosch, Overberg and Robertson have come together to create this beautifully layered expression of the land. Pure, vivid citrus and rich minerality are the driving forces behind the liquid, carrying with them a typhoon of creamy tropical notes and electric zesty lemon on the finish. A true showcase of high-end chardonnay and the region.