Our Favorite Spring SparklersAromas of asian pear, honeysuckle, dragon fruit, rose petal, brioche, wild strawberry. Flavors of tangerine, kumquat, nectarine. Great balance and acidity, vibrant and exceptionally clean all the way through the finish, phenomenally precise.

This dark ruby colored wine from Toscana opens with a fragrant black cherry and oak bouquet with a hint of graphite. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, nicely balanced and rather smooth. The flavor profile reflects the nose. It features oak influenced black cherry with a nice streak of graphite running through the middle. I also detected hints of black tea and nutmeg. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins are well-managed and stick around for a while. This wine is food friendly and would pair nicely with roasted chateaubriand with red wine-mushroom reduction sauce.

A big, opulent full-bodied Pinot with flavors of raspberry, Christmas spice, turned earth and iron shavings. It’s a wine built on the edge as the fruit, minerality and mouthfeel are engaged in a tense battle for attention. An exquisite effort that produced a wine jam-packed with flavor and spice.

Biodynamic farming, ceramic eggs, natural fermentation, fruit all de-stemmed, Pete Fraser concentrating, a zephyr of autumn, a banjo string is plucked, someone runs a wet finger over the rim of a wine glass, a theremin wails.Magnificent grenache feeling achingly pure, all skinsy, excellent tannin chew, exceptional length, memory imprinted on the taste buds, just-ripe red berries, spice, green herbs, ferrous minerality, a bit lip of fresh blood and something sweet earthy-salty. Superb scents and flavours conspire here, it feels fresh but deeply-flavoured at once. Shimmering transparency and mouth-watering acidity in tow. Here’s a high water mark.

My conspiracy theory is that some closed room conversation happened at a high profile wine show and senior winemaking judges all decided to revitalise the pinot noir syrah blend. Specifically, the correlation between Hunter Valley senior judges and a migration pattern to the Yarra Valley. It’s spreading too. Not a bad thing, I really like the combo and style, but when I do a mental roll call of winemakers new to the field with the style, particularly ex-Hunter, it’s an intriguing list that plays into the hand of my jocularly posited theory. You do the maths. I think they all wear Black/White Nike Cortez sneakers too…

Mt. Brave Vineyard sits high atop Mt. Veeder at an elevation of 1,400 to 1,800 feet on an area planted since the early 1860s. On the western flank of Napa Valley, the estate is named for the native Wappos, who first called it home. The mountain site is all about high elevation and thin, rocky soils planted to four cabernet clones (191, 4, 8, and 337) and three rootstocks (3309C, 101-14, and 1103P) that combine to neutralize some of the issues in what is usually a slow-moving, long, cool growing season above the fog line. It’s an excellent vintage, and the black and blue fruits boast very high-quality levels. Mineral, floral, and dry, the underbelly effortlessly balances off the fruit, adding extra complexity to the mix. It spends 20 months in 74 percent new French oak. The blend is 86/4/6/2/2.5 cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. Winemaker Chris Carpenter likes to say, “Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is meant to show all that is Mt. Veeder, without overt tannins.” He is right, and it is a stylish blockbuster cabernet that will live on through 2025.

Sourced from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the 2016 ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir starts off with a beautiful bouquet of red currant with forest floor, cran-cherry and touches of cardamom that all combine nicely on the nose. The mouthfeel here is really good as this silky Pinot Noir glides across the mid-palate. Bright bing cherry pie, cigar box, blood orange and suggestions of peat moss all come together on the palate. Bright, with a good sense of minerality, this beautiful Pinot Noir will have a long life in the cellar.

The ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir by the talented Erik Kramer is a fantastic new wine from this storied Oregon winery. The nose is loaded with red fruits that combine with lighter orange zest and peat moss undertones that round out the enticing aromatics. The texture here is really good, as is the bright, mouthwatering acidity. Red fruits dance with citrus tones and minerals on the palate. Seriously good, enjoy this beautiful new wine over the next decade.

Aromas of deep black cherries, blackberries and currants, topped in violets, pepper, earth, leather, cocoa. Medium/full-bodied with silky but solid tannins, and fresh acidity balances the wine out nicely. Crunchy but deep plum, currant and black cherry fruit. Pretty, complex elements of smoky earth, cocoa, violets, sage, roasted red pepper. This deserves time, but is already harmonious and balanced. Classic 2016 stuff, here.

Made from Pinot Noir grapes, the Rose shows pretty white rose and damp earth tones that collide with undertones of blood orange rind and honeydew melon that meld in the glass. The palate has dazzling minerality and a silky texture that entices, delivering bright red fruits and citrus rind accents. This is just awesome stuff that will cellar well for another five years. Kudos to superstar winemaker Erik Kramer.

The 2019 Gran Moraine Rose is another enticing Rose bottling from this great Oregon estate. On the nose this takes on layers of melon and ripe raspberry tones that are woven together with wet stone accents that mingle in the glass. The freshness, astringency and texture is awesome here, as mouth-watering acidity greets you mid-palate. This really needs a hot summer afternoon.

Nose shows a lot of smoky, peppery, soy tones with earth, clay, roasted red pepper, on top of black cherries and mulled currant fruit. Medium-bodied, structured but refined tannins, moderate acidity. This shows tangy cherries and currant fruit, laced with loam, tar, earth, charcoal, violets. Refined, smooth, tangy, this is in a good drinking window but has time ahead, too.

This yellow colored Viognier opens with a fragrant and inviting apricot, ginger and orange-peel bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, round and savory. The flavor profile is an apricot pit and orange marmalade blend with notes of quince and hints of ginger and vanilla oak. The finish is off-dry and its flavors fade away nicely. This wine would pair well with a five-fruit stuffed chicken.

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Le Désir is off the charts fabulous and also one of the most compelling wines I have tasted from Vérité. Mocha, chocolate, licorice, leather, menthol, pine and spice soar out of the glass. The 2017 is vertical, heady and extravagantly rich yet not at all overdone, a hugely appealing combination in my book.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesCabernet Sauvignon takes center stage in the 2016 Le Désir. Graphite, menthol, lavender, spice, pine, dried herbs and licorice give the 2016 striking aromatic depth to match its mid-weight personality. Elegant and nuanced, but with plenty of richness, the 2016 has a ton to offer.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 La Joie soars out of the glass with stunning Cabernet Sauvignon red berry fruit, wild flowers, mocha, spice and mint. Elegant and refined, with striking depth, La Joie is pure and total finesse in 2016. It is one of the most sublime, nuanced wines I have tasted from Vérité.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 La Joie is another gorgeous wine in this lineup. Deep, pliant and nuanced, the 2017 is impeccably balanced. Silky and plush, La Joie is especially refined in 2017, and that complements its mid-weight structure so nicely. Hints of rose petal, lavender, mint and blood orange add brightness. The 2017 is a stunning wine by any measure.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 La Muse is 100% Merlot for the first time. In this vintage, La Muse stands out for its freshness, energy and red-toned fruit. It will be interesting to see if the 2017 represents a longer-term shift. To be sure, the 2017 is aromatically deep, beautifully persistent and just impeccable in its balance. I liked it more than the 2016.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesAt just 200 cases, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Stature is the smallest production Cabernet in the Kendall-Jackson range. It is a blend of fruit from Kellogg in Knights Valley and Alden in Alexander Valley - a combination that works beautifully. Ripe red and purplish fruit, wild flowers, mint and blood orange give the 2017 striking layers of nuance. This is such a pretty and expressive wine.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Stature is fabulous. Rich, creamy and super-elegant, the 2018 is one of the best wines I have tasted from Kendall-Jackson. The wine's balance is just unreal. The 2018 is ample, deep and layered, but also light on its feet.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Réserve Spéciale is a dark, brooding wine. Gravel, smoke, black cherry, lavender, licorice, spice and menthol infuse the 2016 with notable darkness and power. This dense, muscular wine needs a bit of time for the tannins to soften, but it is impeccably done.