Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018White grapefruit, lemon curd, and a kiss of minerality all emerge from the medium-bodied 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Pine Mountain, which has a balanced, elegant texture, good acidity, and a clean finish. It's a quality, satisfying Sauvignon Blanc to enjoy over the coming 2-3 years.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018There are a whopping six Sauvignon Blanc releases from Matanzas Creek. Starting with the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County, this blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc, 14% Sauvignon Musque, and 10% Semillon has racy notes of white grapefruit, white peach, and pineapple to go with a medium-bodied, textured, sweetly fruited style on the palate that has loads to love. Beautifully balanced and pure, drink it over the coming 4-6 years.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Moving to the Chardonnay, the 2018 Chardonnay Sonoma County comes mostly from the Alexander Valley and was brought up in a mix of new, neutral, and stainless steel. Classic California Chardonnay notes of baked apples, spice, and brioche all emerge from the glass, and it's textured, medium-bodied, and balanced on the palate. It's a terrific house white and ideal for enjoying over the coming year or two.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Clean orchard fruits, peaches, and a touch of white flowers and green almonds all emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley. It’s nicely balanced, medium-bodied, and textured, with plenty to love.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Coming mostly from Monterey County and just about all barrel fermented, the 2018 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve reveals a medium gold hue as well as a ripe, exotic bouquet of pineapple, melon, and a touch of caramelized peach. It's nicely balanced, has good acidity, and is a terrific, balanced Chardonnay that would be a great house white.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintner's Reserve sports a deep purple color as well as a ripe, attractive bouquet of plums, violets, vanilla bean, and green tobacco. It's nicely textured, medium-bodied, and a delicious, easy-drinking Cabernet.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Tasting like a great bottle of Château Lafite, the 2017 La Joie is based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon and brought up, I suspect, in mostly new French oak. Deep ruby/purple, with a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil, cedarwood, graphite, and tobacco, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an incredible sense of elegance and purity, building tannins, and a great, great finish. This majestic, regal Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is going to require a decade of cellaring to hit maturity (although it’s far from unapproachable today) and will see its 50th birthday in fine form. I followed this bottle for three days and it never showed a hint of oxidation. This is easily my wine of the vintage in 2017.

What To Drink Now: Chardonnay DayWith a long growing season thanks to the influence of the Pacific Ocean in Sta. Rita Hills, Brewer-Clifton shines with citrus and lychee notes, with soft herbs, blanched almond, and salinity.

What To Drink Now: Chardonnay DayMaggy Hawk Skycrest Vineyard from the deep end of Anderson Valley in far north California highlights the effects of the diurnal temperature shift the vineyard experiences with very hot days and cool nights creating ripe fruit while locking in acidity and freshness. The round, textured wine shows herbal notes and five spice, with ripe apple and crisp Asian pear.

What To Drink Now: Chardonnay DayGran Moraine wines have an elegant finesse and refinement, allowing the fruit to shine without the need to be flashy. The Chardonnay layers orange blossom, white peach, and a note of minerality.

Soft, fine-grained tannins with spice, berries and iron. Leaves and mushrooms, too. Such purity. Medium to full body, lovely fruit flavors and a long, delicious finish. It’s fine, elegant and refined. Super finish. Beautiful structure. Energetic. 100 percent merlot for the first time. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.

Chardonnay is the second most-planted variety in Napa, following cabernet sauvignon, which represents 40 per cent of total production in the valley. This complex and easy-to-appreciate white draws upon chardonnay grapes grown in different parts of Napa, including cooler sites in Carneros and a higher elevation property on Howell Mountain. The result is a rich white wine that offers vibrancy and refreshment along with its creamy and honeyed character. Drink now.

The Best Wines To Enjoy Under Lockdown: From Esoteric To UbiquitousEvery Pinot Noir lover is constantly hunting for the definitive wine that delivers pleasure and value in equal spades. For this much-loved grape can run to thousands of pounds, yet it often disappoints (yes, even expensive bottles) as much as it delights. Thankfully, this wonderful example from California falls into the latter category. The supple tannins, the generous mouthfeel, the lush, scented berry fruit – there is nothing to dislike. It deserves 5 star treatment; try La Crema with duck.

The Best Wines To Enjoy Under Lockdown: From Esoteric To UbiquitousA fantastic St-Emilion that really punches above its price point. The 2015 is a standout example from this lovely property, owned by Californian wine magnet Barbara Banke. Expect ripe, supple tannins married to aromas of black fruits, plum and spice, with blackcurrant, blackberry and mocha on the palate.

What makes this a standout is its generous, high-toned fruit coupled with its crisp acidity. It has flavors of cherry, cracked black pepper and a hint of cranberry. It finishes crisp with a note of wild strawberry. Bright and balanced, it can stand up to the flavors in a juicy burger –– the perfect wine for those grilling on Memorial Day.

In Bordeaux, 2016 is considered a great vintage, ranked 94 to 98 points by some critics. In tasting the 2016 Château Lassègue you understand immediately that the vintage produced wines of rich, ripe fruit. The aromatics pale in comparison to the 2012’s, but the wine’s fullness, richness of texture, apparent roundness in your mouth, and seamless balance are impressive. Before you label the wine as California-style in your mind, let me add that fine notes of minerality permeate the wine’s taste, a signature of Bordeaux. And as ripe as the fruit is, that fruit is still fresh, not overripe, not baked, not jammy. Counter-intuitively, while the older vintage benefits from aeration, the 2016 is beautiful in the glass from the get-go.

The 2012 vintage in Bordeaux was not an acclaimed vintage, although Merlot on the Right Bank (such as in Saint Émilion) fared better than Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank. Typical of the vintage, the 2012 Lassegue is surprisingly perfumed for a Bordeaux, especially when the wine has had some aeration in the glass. I found aromas of blackberry fruit topped by lovely floral notes (violets, rose petals and lilac, suggest the Seillans) and classic Bordeaux scents of polished leather, lead pencil and cigar box. In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied and supple in texture, with a strong tannin frame. Within that tannin frame, the fruit is fairly light and pretty, showing notes of mushroom, red cherry and black currants, along with fresh herbs. A key to getting the most enjoyment from this wine is to give it enough air, and a wide enough glass, for its aromatics to emerge.

Chardonnay Day 2020Silky, supple, delicate and creamy with notes of apple tart, butterscotch and cinnamon toast.

Chardonnay Day 2020Supple, rich, inviting, round and dry with notes of golden apple, grilled peach, creme brulee and mushroom focaccia. A crowd pleaser.

Chardonnay Day 2020Rich, silky, fresh and dry with notes of mandarin, green apple, ripe melon, violet and toasted marshmallow.

Chardonnay Day 2020Fresh, lively and dry with both intensity and delicacy and notes of lemon bar, buttercream frosting, caramel apple and cinnamon bun.

Chardonnay Day 2020Impressive, rich, round and dry with notes of peach, grilled pineapple, mango nectar, nutmeg, vanilla and coconut. Classic old school Napa style.

Chardonnay Day 2020Full, complex, dry and delicately textured with notes of lemon zest, Fuji apple, toasted walnut, brie cheese and mushroom quiche. Ripe Burgundian style.

20 Pick-Me-Up Gifts to Send During COVID-19Special occasion coming up? Send bubbly! This sparkling rosé is a party in a bottle with delicate notes of ginger, strawberry and lemon meringue.

The One With The Juicy, Savoury Feel. A little more volume than the other 2019 Giant Steps single vineyard releases, Sexton pushes ripe citrus, green apple, nuttiness and a Parisian almond/marzipan character. It’s flinty too, minerals don’t escape, but the main gist is a wine of quiet power, depth, concentration and drive. Exceptional length, the finish is a starburst of flavour, then chalky and puckering. It opens up beautifully, indeed needs some time to reveal more and more, so you get a complex wine with incredible detail going on. Long term fans of the Giant Steps chardonnay world will recognise the pedigree here. It has it all.