The 2005 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard is an exceptional Pinot Noir. Dark ruby in color, with a beautiful nose of rose petals, strawberry and cherry jam, forest floor, and peat moss, the wine also has an undeniable minerality about its character, with great fruit, terrific texture, and a long finish. This is a superb Pinot that should drink nicely for 5-6 years.

Showing the beautiful silkiness and delicacy that great Pinot should have, this one also combines immense power. The end result is an important wine of ageworthy proportions. Drinking it now rewards for the wealth of cherry, raspberry, cola, cinnamon spice and oak flavors that are so delicious. But the wine has a fine balance that will allow it to age gracefully for at least six years.

The 2005 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard, which is made from the oldest vines (32-year-old heritage Martini clone Pinot Noir), exhibits a Grenache-like kirsch liqueur and raspberry fruitiness. Elegant, with medium to full-bodied flavors, great fruit on the attack and mid-palate, and a savory, medium to full-bodied finish, this wine should drink nicely for 5-6 years.

The 2005 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters from the Savoy and Falk Vineyards in Anderson Valley is a classic example of this area. Bluer fruits with copious notes of flowers jump from the glass of this dark ruby-colored wine. It is nuanced and elegant, with plenty of stuffing, but lovely balance and a feminine personality. Drink this wine over the next 4-5 years.

Grown on a ridge-top west of Occidental, this wine develops into a beauty with long exposure to air. At first, new oak masks the fruit, and then clean flavors of fresh strawberry build their fragrance into a midpalate punch of brightness. It grows increasingly generous, the red fruit lasting into a finish that contrasts saline tannins with the chocolate richness of oak. The impression is cool, clean and luxurious, the wine needing three to six years' more bottle age to reach optimal maturity.

Exhibits cola, raspberry, strawberry, and floral notes along with great ripeness, medium body, tremendous purity, and wonderful fruit presence.

Smoky, plum, black raspberry, sandalwood, celery salt, barnyard, compost aromas. Rich, round, supple and intense with good acidity and balance. Ripe cherry, vanilla, licorice, orange pekoe, and cardamom flavours. Long, warm and intense with great fruit.

Plummy and rich with deep, complex fruit flavors and a long, ripe finish; intense and dark.

At only 300 cases, this will be hard to locate, but worth the search. It's tightly wound, with citrus, herb and grilled-nut aromatics, rich buttered pearflavors and a silky, velvety mouthfeel that's to die for.

An intensely fragrant floral, ginger, peach, lemon-lime and orange-spice bouquet ushers in this smooth, well-structured wine. The palate shows intricately meshed orange, butterscotch and toasted nut flavors, offset by angular, racy mineral accent. Finishes long and crisp, wirh real refinement in it's pineapple, citrus and stony flavors. Enjoyable now but still tight, this should offer even more in two years.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is bright, focused and nicely lifted. Gracious and light on it its feet, the 2016 has a good deal of vibrancy. Lemon confit, white flowers and persistent saline notes bring energy and focus.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Sevens Bench shows the natural richness and textural intensity that are such Carneros signatures. Orange peel, hazelnut, spice and tropical overtones give the Sevens Bench a slightly exotic feel that is quite appealing. Open-knit and gracious, the 2016 is quite expressive today.

This wine is an impressive barrel selection of several vineyards across the appellation. It opens with a nose of charcuterie and brined olive, with a palate that is textured and rich in flavors of tarte Tatin and baked mango.

Bright, fresh and nuanced, the 2016 Chardonnay (Russian River) has so much to offer. The Russian River Chardonnay is a distinctly mid-weight wine built on expressive citrus and floral character. It also happens to be the hidden gem in this range.

The 2015 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is deep, viscous and exotic. Tropical fruit, vanillin and yellow orchard fruit are all pushed forward in this racy, flamboyant wine. A touch of botrytis comes through in the wine's oiliness and overall flavor profile. The Seascape is the most exotic of the Chardonnays in the Hartford Court range.

The 2015 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard is a distinctly structured, savory wine built more on nuance rather than on overt fruit. Sage, dried apricot and a host of more mineral-notes are laced together in this distinctive Chardonnay. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2015 packs quite a punch.

This is made from grapes grown within a small block of the larger Durell Vineyard, on a slope that's rocky in soil and helps impart minerality and an undeniable note of flinty stone to the wine. Flowers, earth and dried herb persist, with a hint of ginger as the robust palate takes on fleshy white-peach and citrus flavors and a lasting impression of oak.

Hartford's 2015 Chardonnay Stone Côte Vineyard has turned out beautifully. Today, the mineral notes that are typical of this wine are much more present than they were when the wine was in barrel. Graphite, sage, apricot and smoke infuse this super-expressive, textured Chardonnay. This is very nicely done. The Stone Côte emerges from Hartford's portion of the Durrell Vineyard.

From a relatively warm site, this wine is rich and tropical, with a lovely texture. Sourced from multiple vineyards along the Laguna Ridge and from older plantings, it has high-toned aspects of tangerine and stone with a warmth of Gravenstein apple and pear. The medium structure supports integrated oak and body.

The 2013 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards is a classic Russian River Chardonnay built on texture and exuberance. Honey, almonds dried herbs and apricots all flesh out in a generous, deeply expressive Chardonnay. Most of this fruit comes from Tom Dehlinger.

From the Laguna Ridge sub-region of Russian River, the bottled 2013 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard (1,200 cases made) is fashioned from such older Chardonnay clones as the Wente, Sees and Rued. It displays tremendous acidity, wonderful ripeness, a leaner, and a more premier cru Chablis-like style than the Three Jacks and Stone Cote cuvées. It should drink well for 5-7 years.

The vineyard is in the far northwestern, mountainous part of the county, on the true Sonoma Coast. You can taste the cold, foggy nights in the mouthwatering acidity, and the warm, sunny days in the ripe oranges, tropical fruits and limes. As always, this Hartford Court Chardonnay brims with balanced elegance. It’s ready to drink now.

This is a huge, gigantic Chardonnay. It’s an atomic blast of tropical fruits, apricots, peaches, pears, oranges and zesty limes, along with plenty of toasty, caramelized oak. This massive richness is fortunately balanced by wonderful acidity and even a streak of minerality, like a lick of chalk and granite.

Crack the lobster and crab, sauté the scallops, bring on the wild mushroom risotto. This glamorous Chard will rise to the occasion with the best foods. It’s got it all: crisp acidity, a fine minerality, rich oaky influence and above all massive tropical fruit, pear and Meyer lemon flavors, with a crunchy minerality. Grows more fascinating as it warms in the glass.