The 2013 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard is one of the most distinctive wines in the range. Exotic, spiced aromatics add gorgeous complexity to a core of dark red and black stone fruits. All the elements fall into place in an effortless, impeccably balanced Pinot full of personality and class. The 2013 is both exuberant and intensely aromatic.

The 2013 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is the most complex and nuanced of these Pinot Noirs from Arrendell. Exotic, perfumed and utterly beguiling, the Arrendell races from the glass with hints of pomegranate, blood orange, wild cherries and savory herbs. The combination of old vines and the Martini clone collide to produce a Pinot Noir of rare pedigree and class. There is a lot to like here.

The 2013 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters is going to need some time to open up. Today, it is the wine's total sense of purity that is compelling. Freshly cut flowers and stone fruits emerge gradually, but the 2013 remains quite embryonic and not fully formed. Still, the wine's potential is pretty easy to see.

The 2015 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is a powerful and intense wine that captures a striking middle ground between oily richness and the more reserved style of this cooler part of the appellation. Deep in color and flavor, but not at all heavy, the 2015 exudes personality. Orange peel, butter, wild flowers and chamomile leave a lasting impression.

The 2015 Chardonnay Jennifer's is one of the most overt wines in this range and yet has fabulous balance. The richness of the fruit comes through in the wine's deep color and textural depth. Orange peel, hazelnut, spice, butter and expressive tropical notes give the wine its shape and texture. The Jennifer's is a new wine in the Hartford range and emerges from a site in Sebastopol. This is a striking wine from Hartford.

From the Sonoma Coast, the 2013 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard (396 cases) emerges from a mountain ridge north of Fort Ross. This cuvée sees about 35% new French oak, and the 2013 clearly shows the tropical fruit side of Chardonnay with lots of pineapple, mango and candied tangerine-like notes. Full-bodied with fabulous fruit intensity as well as purity, super focus, and an underlying liquid minerality that gives it an extra-special character, it should drink well for 10 years.

There are 304 cases of the 2013 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard, another Green Valley hillside site just south of the town of Forestville. One-hundred percent barrel-fermented and aged in 29% new French oak, this superb Chardonnay exhibits notes of apple blossoms, lemon oil, white currants, quince and hints of tangerines and orange marmalade. The vintage’s sensational acidity and delineation come through in this full-bodied, super-concentrated 2013. Drink now-2020.

The 2013 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is quite a bit richer and oilier than the Jennifer's. Mango, pineapple, spices, butter and French oak blossom in a wine that captures a striking interplay of intense fruit allied to bright, piercing acidity. This is another impeccable, absolutely beautiful Chardonnay from Hartford Court.

The 2013 Chardonnay Stone Cote Vineyard (from Durell) is rich, sumptuous and layered, with attractive floral, honeyed overtones and plenty of orchard fruits. Hints of orange peel, lemon oil, hazelnuts, spices and butter add further dimensions of nuance on the finish. The 2013 stands out for its voluptuous, inviting personality and silky finish.

Orange blossom, burnt sugar, hazelnuts, spices and roasted almonds open up in the Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard. This parcel, which sits within Dutton, is planted with a variety of clones, but it is the Rued clone in particular that add a distinctly exotic flair to both the flavors and textures. The voluptuous, oily finish is super-distinctive.

From the Green Valley, the 2013 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard (253 cases produced) sees about 44% new French oak. It reveals terrific fruit, lots of tangerine oil, pear, pineapple and caramelized citrus, medium to full body, and tremendous acidity and definition. Drink over the next 7-8 years.

The 2012 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard is one of the most nuanced, transparent and weightless Chardonnays in this range. Lemon, slate, white flowers and crushed rocks meld together in a pointed, nuanced Chardonnay endowed with terrific energy and pure mineral drive. Bright saline notes support the finish. This is a terrific showing from Hartford.

The 2012 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard is from a hillside location in Green Valley that experiences the frequent fogs that roll in off the ocean. It exhibits abundant notes of Mandarin oranges and citrus oil intermixed with a hint of smoke (one-third new French oak is utilized), and a full-bodied, rich, crisp, layered mouthfeel with great elegance as well as purity. It possesses one of the highest alcohol levels of Hartford Court’s Chardonnays at 14.7%.

More orange rind, tropical fruit blossoms and citrus oil characteristics are found in the 2009 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard. Like its siblings, it is kept in barrel for approximately 15 months prior to being bottled unfiltered. It, too, should drink nicely for 3-4 years. Owned by Jess Jackson and Don Hartford and assisted by winemaker Jeff Mangahas, Hartford Court is one of the bright shining stars in Jess Jackson Family Vineyard's impressive portfolio. All three Chardonnays come from cool climate sites, either the Sonoma Coast or the Green Valley. I tasted five 2008 Pinot Noirs, a challenging vintage for some producers but Hartford Court had no smoke issues.

One of my perennial favorites, the 2009 Chardonnay Stone Cote Vineyard (actually a block of vines within the Durell Vineyard) enjoys indigenous yeast fermentation, aging in French oak, and bottling without filtration. It exhibits lots of green apple, honeyed melon, quince and nectarine notes in its full-bodied, beautifully textured, crisp, fresh yet substantial personality. It should drink well for 3-4 years. Owned by Jess Jackson and Don Hartford and assisted by winemaker Jeff Mangahas, Hartford Court is one of the bright shining stars in Jess Jackson Family Vineyard's impressive portfolio. All three Chardonnays come from cool climate sites, either the Sonoma Coast or the Green Valley. I tasted five 2008 Pinot Noirs, a challenging vintage for some producers but Hartford Court had no smoke issues.

Good bright red-ruby. Highly aromatic nose combines cassis, black pepper and brown spices. Richer and more horizontal than the Bosche, with bright acidity framing and lifting the somewhat cool flavors of dark berries and clove. This juicy, firmly structured wine finishes with sweet tannins and very good breadth but will need at least four or five years of bottle aging to express itself. Winemaker Ted Edwards describes this rather muscular wine as Bosche's big brother. Potentially the best Freemark Abbey wine in years.

FUTURES TASTING HIGHLIGHTS: EXCELLENT QUALITY OF 2016 SUPER TUSCANS Plenty of dark fruit and spice character. Medium to full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Very balanced young wine.

FUTURES TASTING HIGHLIGHTS: EXCELLENT QUALITY OF 2016 SUPER TUSCANS Very fine and linear with polished and creamy tannins. Medium body. A clean and fresh. Wait and see.

Vivid ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet displays scents of fresh boysenberry, black raspberry and cola, with a sexy floral nuance gaining strength with aeration. Sweet and seamless in the mouth, showing very good heft and focus. Delivers impressive energy on the youthfully tannic finish, which hangs on with serious fruit-driven tenacity.

Deep ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of candied red berries, potpourri, vanilla and candied rose. Nicely concentrated and vivacious, offering sappy raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors that gain energy and spiciness with air. Closes sweet and long, with a lingering floral quality and smooth, slow-building tannins.

Ruby-red. Intensely perfumed red fruit and rose scents are complemented by deeper-pitched notes of cola and licorice. Lithe and sharply focused on the palate, offering sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and a touch of white pepper. Shows excellent clarity and lift on the finish, which features suave, velvety tannins and repeating floral character.

Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. An intensely flavored mid weight plus macho wine featuring aromas and flavors of black cherry, black raspberry, mocha, and savory herbs. Polished tannins make for very forward drink ability. A “ribeye wine.”

Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Very enticing aromas of alpine strawberry, cherry, wood spice and sous-bois. Highly satisfying, “pretty” core of cherry fruit with a flowery underpinning. The oak is well-integrated, the fine-grain tannins provide support, and the wine finishes with a burst of juicy, black cherry fruit which hangs on for dear life.

Deep ruby. Cherry-cola and boysenberry aromas are complicated by exotic notes of sandalwood, potpourri and star anise. Dense and creamy in texture, with surprising lift and clarity to its ripe dark fruit and floral pastille flavors. Notes of Asian spices and mocha come up with air and carry through a long, smoky finish, which shows just a hint of tannins. I guessed that there was some whole cluster work going on here but I was wrong.

Opaque ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet displays scents of red fruit preserves, incense and cola, with a smoky topnote that gains strength with air. Deeply pitched but lively on the palate, with a smooth interplay of ripeness and vivacity to its raspberry and bitter cherry flavors. The smokiness comes back on the long, focused finish.