Good bright ruby-red. Refined, restrained, slightly medicinal aromas of cassis, licorice, herbs, lead pencil and coffee. Sweet, plush and energetic but youthfully reserved, with the medicinal quality carrying through on the palate. Most impressive today on the broad, slowly building finish, which features firm but very suave tannins and terrific lift. This may merit an even higher rating by the time it's released next fall.

Deep medium ruby. Precise aromas of black raspberry, licorice, espresso and spices. Less obviously sweet in the early going than the Helena Dakota, showing more mineral firmness to the flavors of black raspberry, spices and tobacco. Finishes very long and firm, with solid tannic structure for aging.

(14.8% alcohol) Saturated bright ruby. Aromas of cassis, violet, licorice and menthol, plus a whiff of cocoa powder. Sweet and chewy but with lovely aromatic lift to the black fruit, brown spice and floral flavors. At once structured and silky, powerful and stylish. Finishes with firm tannins and noteworthy verve. From a vineyard planted at an elevation of 750 feet. The gravelly silt and loam soil here is a bit less firm than the sandy gravelly loam (volcanic ash) used to make the Helena Montana wine.

Bright medium ruby. Aromas of medicinal blackberry, licorice, violet, graphite and crushed stone. Rich, sappy and quite concentrated, showing a tactile, chewy texture to the youthfully clenched flavors of black fruits and minerals. No shortage of acidity here. This powerful mountain style of cabernet will need time in bottle to absorb its powerful, building tannins time in bottle to absorb its powerful, building tannins.

Good deep ruby. Crushed blackberry, graphite and licorice on the nose. Lush and seamless in the mouth, but with no easy sweetness to the chewy flavors of black fruits and minerals. The least sweet of these Stonestreet reds but this offers impressive mouth coverage. Finishes with substantial dense tannins that call for at least seven or eight years of cellaring.

(from vines at 1,800 feet): Bright straw-yellow. Nuanced nose offers peach, apricot, lime and anise. Supple and gently fruity, with a glycerol quality leavened by bright acidity. Became silkier with air but without losing its edge of acidity. This highly concentrated and very long chardonnay needs some time in bottle to harmonize its sweet and acid components.

Dark ruby-red. Musky, reduced aromas of black cherry and dark berries. Surprisingly plush and ripe on entry, then tighter in the middle, showing medicinal restraint to the dark berry flavors. This very dry, backward wine finishes with serious tannins that will require patience.

Ruby-red. High-pitched aromas of black raspberry, licorice, bitter chocolate, violet and menthol. Silky on entry, then dry and classic in the middle, with kirsch and dark berry flavors lifted by violet and licorice. Really spreads out and builds on the back. Powerful without being brawny or unrefined, this very young cabernet avoids the hard tannins that characterize so many Spring Mountain reds.

Saturated deep ruby. Crushed black fruits and minerals on the lively nose. The densest and richest of these 2006s, with a compelling sweetness to its extremely primary dark fruit and bitter chocolate flavors. Not yet complex but has terrific stuffing to support its big, chewy, broad tannins. Lay this one down.

Full ruby. Briary dark berries, licorice and tar, lifted by a floral nuance. Impressively concentrated but tightly wound and backward, with powerful flavors of briary berries, chocolate and truffle. Finishes with chewy, firm tannins and excellent aromatic persistence. This has turned out very well, but calls for at least five or six years of bottle aging.

Glass-staining ruby. Brooding dark berry, kirsch and licorice aromas and flavors are enlivened by a zesty blood orange nuance and an intense floral quality. Dense and chewy in texture initially but softens and becomes livelier with aeration. Shows excellent power and focus on the finish, which is firmed by dusty tannins and a touch of smoky minerality. The yield from this vineyard was reportedly under a half ton per acre in 2012.

Bright red. Exotic red and dark berry compote, cherry-cola and potpourri aromas are complicated by smoky minerals and herbs. Fleshy, seductively sweet raspberry and candied cherry flavors are strikingly pure and concentrated, with silky tannins adding support. Gains weight with air and finishes with excellent clarity and persistence. Put this one away for a couple of years, at least.

Deep red. Brooding aromas of cherry pit, licorice, dried rose and dark chocolate. Powerful, palate-coating dark fruit flavors slowly unfold to display sexy baking spices and flowers. The licorice note repeats strongly on the finish, which hangs on with great tenacity. I'd give this some time in the decanter or cellar.

Pale lemon-yellow. High-pitched aromas of orange blossom, lemon and minerals. Bright, lively and intense, with citrus, nectarine and stone flavors nicely framed by strong but well-integrated acidity. Very juicy, tautly structured chardonnay with a youthfully firm, lingering finish. I like this!

The 2022 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is scented of red cherry, blackberry, forest floor and floral potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is silky and bright with concentrated, crunchy flavors and a long, spicy finish. This is dangerously easy to drink!

The 2022 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard has layered aromas of red cherries and berries, charcuterie, forest floor and well-integrated wafts of baking spice. The medium-bodied palate features bright, crunchy flavors. It’s framed by soft, dusty tannins and has a long, spicy finish.

Matured for six months in stainless steel, the 2024 Viognier has inviting scents of apple, peach, beeswax, citrus blossoms and petrichor. The full-bodied palate pairs concentrated, mouth-coating flavors with surprisingly fresh acidity, and it has a long, nuanced finish. 1,553 cases were made.

The NV Brut Rosé Extended Tirage is composed of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Base wines were matured in stainless steel and French oak, and it spent six years en tirage. Disgorged in May of 2024, it has a pale onion-skin color and scents of red apple skin, raspberries and freshly baked bread. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, savory flavors and a soft, creamy mousse. Its bright acidity is balanced by two grams of dosage, and it has a long, elegant finish.

Graham Weerts sources this Chenin Blanc from his friend Adi Badenhorst's Kalmoesfontein farm in the Swartland. Picked early to retain acidity in a warm region, it has appealing granitic drive and freshness, some subtle stony reduction, a hint of petrichor from ageing in amphoras and old wood and a core of citrus and yellow apple fruit. 2025-2

The 2018 Merlot, from vineyards in Bennett Valley, offers an intriguing mix of bold fruit and strong complicating savory undertones. Black cherry, espresso, sage, menthol, licorice and dried flowers build with a bit of time in the glass. Far from an easygoing Merlot, the Matanzas Creek Merlot is a serious wine.

This silky and fruit-focused Pinot Noir features delicate notes of spices, adding layers to its character. Aromas of raspberries introduce similar berry flavors, followed by a subtle hint of clove for a long finish.

Honey, truffle, and flint are at the fore from first sniff on this brut bubbly from England’s largest producer. It takes some snuffling to get to the fruit, but it’s there—subtle and citrusy, like grapefruit and green apple with a nougaty center. A radiant beam of acidity shines through the center of the palate. There’s a bit of sugar visible, and it all veers a touch tart at the finish. But a subtle slippery texture keeps it on the tracks.

Sweet vanilla and orchard fruit on the nose, with a rich middle and flavors of candied green apples and toasted almonds. Medium-bodied. Drink now. 

A swirl of the glass lifts a nose of bright raspberry, crushed Bing cherry, cinnamon, and caramel aromas. The palate of this wine is lively and ripe, with berry fruit dominating. A framework of supple tannin and juicy acidity is followed by nuances of flowers, cinnamon, and mint through the finish.

A compelling mix of toasted nut, white flower, lemon drizzle, and crushed rock aromas align on the nose of this bottling. The palate lands with baked lemon and mild oak flavors that are enlivened by a zesty acidity.