The Jackson family of Sonoma bought the Hickinbotham family’s vineyard in the hills above McLaren Vale in 2012. Chris Carpenter, one of the group’s lead winemakers, now travels to Clarendon to make the wines with Charlie Seppelt. This is a floral cabernet with a tight structure that keeps giving juicy red berry flavors. The fruit darkens with air and the florals deepen to violet scents, all of it saturated with oak richness.

One of the bigger and happier surprises in our latest look at new Pinot Gris offerings, Kendall-Jackson’s is a medium-full version that is a fruitier effort than the bulk of its tighter, more minerally inflected kin and intimates a bit of juicy succulence that sets it apart. It does not, however, bog down in extraneous sweetness, and it is quite well-balanced with just the right degree of acidity keeping it lively and slightly crisp at the finish. Its slight percentage of Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat, Albariño and other aromatic white varieties might well explain its singular style, but whatever the reason, it is thoroughly tasty stuff that is well worth the price. Good value.

Although a bit reluctant to find specific Pinot Noir focus in its mildly mushroomy aromas, this pleasantly rounded, medium-full-bodied wine shapes up far better once in the mouth and tastes of spotlessly clean, straightforward, cherry-like fruit. It gets it right in terms of varietal texture, even if it could do with a little more brightness and bounce, and it is best tagged for drinking in the coming year.

I love a good Chardonnay to wind down in the evening and right now this beauty from Oregon is the one. Deriving from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, this rich, fruity and balanced Chard is teaming with flavor and the most important thing for me in a wine like this – texture. Some people love oak, others don’t, but for me this has the perfect in-between balance for a well-rounded and quality driven Chardonnay. Rich but not overpowering, you can expect to taste apricot, buttery lemon, kiwis and clementines. For those who love Chardonnay, this is for you. For those who don’t, I’d dare say it will convert you.

Best Buys in the Market, 1 star When the discussion turns to white wines long on value, Sauvignon Blanc remains among the very best...while the * MATANZAS CREEK Alexander Valley 2017...are balanced, solidly varietal bottlings that give equal play to fresh fruit and herbs.

Napa Valley's 2017s Previously released under the Cardinale label, the 2017 Cabernet Franc is a Cabernet Franc-driven release inspired by Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux. Coming all from mountain vineyards (Mt. Brave on Mt. Veeder, Yverdon on Spring Mountain, and W.S. Keyes on Howell Mountain) and 77% Cabernet Franc and 23% Merlot, raised in 72% new French oak, it’s an incredible achievement in 2017 and offers a huge perfume of red currants and black raspberries interwoven with notes of dried flowers, chocolate, and forest floor. Complex and nuanced aromatically, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, incredibly elegant texture, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. Hats off to winemaker Chris Carpenter for this awesome 2017. Drink bottles any time over the coming 15-20 years or more.

Napa Valley's 2017s A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot from throughout the valley that was brought up in 80% new French oak, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is dominated by its Stags Leap fruit (which is 30% of the blend) and has the classic elegance and spicy character of that district as well as great red and blue fruits, a seamless, building mid-palate, ripe yet present tannins, and ample tobacco, earth, and spice aromas and flavors. It's plush and textured on the palate yet has the structure to evolve for two decades.

Napa Valley's 2017s From a vineyard closer to the Mayacamas Mountains and first made in 1980, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyards checks in as 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It spent 27 months in 66% new French. It offers more black fruits, earth, tobacco, cedar, and gravelly minerality as well as a touch more burly, masculine style on the palate. Nevertheless, it's still beautifully balanced, has considerable elegance, and a great finish.

Napa Valley's 2017s Lastly, the 2017 Cabernet Franc comes from three separate parcels and is 100% Cabernet Franc aged in 92% new French oak. It’s an awesome bottle of wine with classic Franc black tea and forest floor notes as well as perfumed black raspberry fruits, lots of floral and bay leaf hints, medium to full body, fine tannins, and a terrific sense of elegance. It’s a classy wine to enjoy any time over the coming 15-20 years.

Napa Valley's 2017s One of the flagship releases from this estate, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche comes from a single vineyard (it's one of the earliest single vineyard releases from Napa) in Rutherford and is close to 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot aged in 67% new French oak for 28 months. Its opaque purple color is followed by a stunning bouquet of red and black currants, crushed violets, dark chocolate, graphite, truffle, and hot gravel-like minerality. Showing the elegance and purity that's the hallmark of the vintage, it’s medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins and a seamless, elegant texture.

Napa Valley's 2017s The 2016 Red Wine is a Merlot-dominated blend (there are normally small amounts of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and other varieties), and while the Prequel cuvée focuses on Sonoma, this wine comes all from the Napa side of the valley. It reveals a healthy purple color as well as a terrific bouquet of sweet crème de cassis, toasted bread, Asian spices, lavender, and dried herbs. With a fabulous texture, full body, notable purity of fruit, and a rich yet graceful style on the palate, it's one seriously hedonistic yet balanced, complex red that knocks it out of the park. Drink this rocking little gem any time over the coming 4-6 years. (I wouldn't be surprised to see it keep longer.)

Napa Valley's 2017s The 2017 Merlot (there's 11% Petit Verdot) also comes from the Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Juicy, ripe, and sexy, with plenty of chocolate, black cherries, and earth aroma and flavors, it's textured, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully done.

Napa Valley's 2017s The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is a richer, broader, more concentrated wine, yet it also has a serious amount of tannins. Lots of dark chocolate, blackcurrant, forest floor, and espresso notes all emerge from this full-bodied, concentrated, impressive effort that’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have 20+ years of longevity. The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% each of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

Napa Valley's 2017s There are just over 500 cases of the 2017 Chardonnay W.S. Keyes, which comes from a single block of the Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Seeing no malolactic fermentation and aged in 10% new French, it has Chablis-like citrus, lemon curd, and green apple notes as well as medium-bodied richness, bright yet integrated acidity, a light graceful texture, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years.

Napa Valley's 2017s Lots of forest floor, truffle, and chocolaty dark fruits emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Franc, a more focused, tannic, backward wine that’s going to benefit from bottle age. It should have 15 years or more of prime drinking.

Napa Valley's 2017s Coming from two sites in Knights Valley, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Latro has a darker, smokier, mineral style as well as plenty of black fruits, tobacco, and dark chocolate notes, medium to full body, and again, some grippy, firm tannins. Nevertheless, it has beautiful fruit, shows more pure cassis and violet notes with time in the glass, and is going to improve with short-term cellaring.

Napa Valley's 2017s Coming from three blocks around the Cardinale estate and all Cabernet, the close to 600-case 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville spent 27 months in 61% new French oak. It's a complete, elegant wine that has lots of spicy, white flower notes as well as terrific red and black fruits, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and very pretty, drink this balanced, elegant Cabernet over the coming 15 years or so.

Napa Valley's 2017s These wines are now made by Kristy Melton. The 2018 Chardonnay now goes partially through malolactic fermentation, aged in 45% new French oak, and it's a richer yet beautifully balanced Chardonnay. Notes of lemon oil, orange blossom, and honeysuckle, with just touch of toastiness, are followed by a wine that’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and layered on the palate, with loads to love. Drink it over the coming 2-3 years.

Napa Valley's 2017s There are around 2,000 cases of the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, which is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Aged 27 months in 58% new French oak, it has a terrific sense of elegance and purity as well medium-bodied richness, light tannins, and classic Rutherford notes of mulled red and black fruits, dried earth, and chocolate.

Napa Valley's 2017s The Galerie wines are now made by Gianna Kelly. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Pleinair has a bright, juicy nose of blueberries, cassis, violets, and spring flowers as well as a rather firm, streamlined style on the palate. It has some grippy tannins, so give it a year or two.

Napa Valley's 2017s The largest production release is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. It's 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the rest Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, all of which spent 27 months in 35% French oak. It's a soft, elegant red with pretty black cherry, raspberry, toasted spice, and tobacco notes as well as a medium-bodied, silky, polished style. It's nicely balanced, has present tannins, and a great finish.

Napa Valley's 2017s The 2017 Merlot Stagecoach comes from a site on Pritchard Hill and is a (roughly) 500-case offering that just goes out to the mailing list. Pretty black cherry, floral, and hints of tobacco all give way to a medium-bodied, silky, lightly textured Merlot that has light tannins and a clean finish. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years.

Your Guide To Braising With WineFilet mignon and oxtail boulangerie with 2016 Château Lassègue, “a richer-style Saint Emilion [that’s] a classic pairing,” Puglia believes, with notes of plum, black cherry and cassis, and a subtle minerality that plays off the coffee bean aromas in the finish.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality Very attractive, brambly red cherries and berries with a sweet-spice edge. This is both complex and integrated. The palate has a very juicy, silky texture with really velvety tannins and an impressive, smooth build of concentrated dark cherries on the finish. Drink or hold.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality This is an earthy and attractively intense pinot with blueberry and mixed-cherry aromas on offer, in a sappy mode. The palate has such impressive concentration and weight with a very focused, elegant shape. Saltiness at the finish and bright acidity amid silky tannins. Drink or hold.