USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2017 Jackson Estate Seco Highlands Chardonnay was barrel fermented and aged nine months in 60% new French oak. It's very aromatic, giving up scents of lychee, honeysuckle and musk melon over peach cobbler, cured meats, saline, mushroom paste and hints of dried leaves and struck flint. Medium to full-bodied, it's broad, slightly oily and intense in the mouth, offering loads of floral-tinged fruits and savory accents, refreshed by just enough acidity on the long finish. This would be a great Chardonnay for fans of richly styled Viognier—that's what this reminds me of.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Brosseau comes from own-rooted, Wente clone vines planted in 1975 and 1980 on limestone soils—the vineyard is certified organic. Aged 16 months in 10% new French oak, it opens with appealing touches of crème caramel, toast and beeswax with golden apples, white peaches, button white mushroom and stone plus nuances of dried white flowers. The palate is medium-bodied and rounded and gains intensity in the mouth, enlivened with juicy acidity and finishing long and textured. This is lovely now but will benefit from one more year in bottle.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir Panorama Vineyard was aged in 28% new French oak for 16 months. It has a pale to medium ruby color with scents of crushed cranberries, red and black cherries, rhubarb, warm earth, black tea leaves, rose petals, dried citrus peel and tree bark—a pretty interplay of ripe fruits and perfumed earthy character. Light to medium-bodied, it's elegant and silky textured in the mouth, with a sturdy frame of grainy tannins and great juicy freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality This offers some very attractively complex aromas of spiced red and dark cherries, as well as stony accents. The palate has impressive, fleshy appeal and a smooth run of silky tannin that carries long and smooth into the expansive, upbeat finish. Fresh and balanced. Drink or hold.

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.

An elegant and focused style, with lithe minerality enriching the concentrated apple, pear tart and dried apricot flavors. Lilting midpalate, showing hints of crème brûlée on the finish. Drink now through 2024.

Features a pure-tasting core of freshly cut Asian pear and Gala apple flavors, flanked by richly spiced honey accents. Salted almond and lemon curd hints show on the plush finish. Drink now through 2024.

Redolent of cherry tart, this features raspberry notes, all backed by lively acidity and medium-grained tannins. Creamy midpalate, with a finish that oozes with luscious spiciness. Drink now through 2024.

Notes of underbrush and forest floor accent the dried berry and cherry tart flavors. Spicy midpalate, featuring a finely textured finish that echoes with pastry details. Drink now through 2025.

The 2016 Brewer-Clifton ‘Santa Rita Hills’ Pinot Noir is an absolutely killer value Pinot Noir by this storied estate first founded in 1996. On the nose this takes on salted Bing cherry tones that collide with shades of blood orange zest, Umami and wild strawberry that all take their shape in the glass. The freshness imparted, as well as the silky texture, really shines here. Bright red cherry preserves and pomegranate seed connect with the damp terroir tones and salted orange zest flavors. While this is outstanding now, the wine will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2020-2030.

This dark red colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Freemark Abbey opens with a faint blueberry and oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a gentle graphite influenced black currant with notes of juicy plum. I also detected a hint of five spice. The finish is dry and its dusty well-managed tannins linger and last for a while. I would pair this Cab with a New York strip steak.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2017 Merlot is ripe, bold and luscious. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cinnamon give the Merlot a good deal of aromatic freshness to play off the ripe, luscious fruit. The new oak needs a bit of time to integrate, but there is plenty to like here - that much is obvious.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Latro is rich, lush and super-expressive. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, new leather and espresso give the 2017 quite a bit of brooding darkness. There is plenty of Knights Valley savoriness and structure, which means readers will want to cellar the 2017 for at least a few years. This is really expressive and terrific; a wine of great character.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Naissance is bright and finely sculpted, with terrific focus with a range of varietal flavors that open up in the glass. Lemon peel, white flowers, crushed rocks, mint and sage all race out of the glass. I especially like the energy in this Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville) emerges entirely from the Jackson family's Cardinale estate and shows all of the textural richness that is so common in wines from this part of Oakville. Rich, resonant and creamy with terrific depth, the 2016 is wonderfully sensual and inviting, even in the early going. Time in the glass brings out very pretty red fruit and floral overtones that add freshness. This is an unusually approachable young Cabernet.

Luscious, rich and full of creamy white fruit flavors flanked by buttery accents. Spicy plushness lingers into the finish, with some honeyed notes. Drink now through 2024.

Expressive raspberry and brooding spice aromas open to multilayered pomegranate and black tea flavors that take on tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2027.

Floral raspberry and pomegranate scents open to structured and multilayered cherry and orange tea flavors that take on presence toward fine tannins. Drink now through 2027.

This very dark ruby colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Stonestreet opens with a fragrant black cherry bouquet with a hint of black currant, green pepper and blueberry. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, nicely balanced and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a complex blend of blueberry, black cherry and refined minerality with notes of black currant and nicely integrated oak. The finish is dry and moderate refined tannins show very nicely length. This finesse Cab would pair very nicely with a filet mignon.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Retrospective The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Bear Point has a medium to deep garnet color with an earthy, meaty, gamey nose to begin, featuring notes of chargrill, salami, new leather, truffles and tobacco over a core of crème de cassis and plum preserves with hints of dried herbs and Indian spices. Medium-bodied, elegantly played and sporting great freshness, the chewy frame supports the earthy/savory core of fruit, and it finishes long and spicy. 511 cases were made.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Retrospective The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain is deep garnet colored with a hint of brick. It features expressive mocha, leather and spice box notes with a core of crème de cassis, prunes and dried mulberries and a waft of iron ore. Full-bodied and packed with mint and spices, it has a firm, chewy texture and long, earthy finish. It is looking relatively mature, but there is no huge rush to drink soon. 506 cases were made.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Retrospective Very deep garnet in color, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley comes wafting out of the glass with fragrant, expressive warm cassis, baked plums and dried mulberries scents plus touches of dried lavender, dusty soil, tobacco and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, elegant and with lovely freshness lifting the evolved black fruits and earthy flavors, it finishes long and plush. 22,000 cases were made.

Smells of wild raspberries, red cherries and cranberries, along with rose petals, menthol, mint, with spiced tea and earth. Medium/full-bodied with suave tannins and fresh acidity, this is smooth and juicy, vibrant but velvety. Cranberries, wild raspberries, strawberries, deep yet pretty fruit, laced with cola, rhubarb, earth, roasted chestnut, mint. Lots of complexity and elegance already, but I’d love to see this in two or three years. From Blocks 6, 7 and 9, aged in 27% new French oak.

Gorgeous nose of cherries and strawberries, deep yet vibrant, with roses, pepper, earth, coffee. Nice grip on the palate, but rounded edges, full but balanced. Deep black cherry fruit, cranberry relish, along with complex elements of roasted chestnut, clove, warm clay, coffee. Lovely depth and concentration, but vibrancy is there, too. This could use four to five years and should improve for longer. A blend of Blocks 6 and 13 (vinified separately), aged 15 months in 43% new French oak.