This wine’s gentle red fruit is clean and fresh, with simple flavors of strawberries and bright notes of Maraschino cherries. There’s some black-pepper spice to the light tannins, directing it toward grilled chicken. Best Buy.

Appealing, with medium-weight lemon and tropical fruit flavors. Drink now.

As with the other 2016 Pinots from WillaKenzie, the fruit seems less than fully ripened. Stem and leaf flavors stand out, and the red berry fruit is one-dimensional and lacks much punch. Aging in 50% new French oak puts a toasty frame on the finish.

A soft entry leads into not-quite-ripe fruit flavors of rhubarb and strawberries. There's an herbal, tomato leaf character under the fruit, and aging in 50% new French oak has not made much of an impression.

Not up to past standards, this vintage of Aliette is thin and generic. It's quite tart, with rhubarb and red berry flavors. There's a touch of barrel toast, but fruit and barrel (50% new) seem mismatched.

Once upon a time this was the top cuvée, but now it's rather ordinary, just hinting at black cherry fruit and a thin streak of cola. It's earthy flavors of herb, stem and leaf that dominate and resonate through the finish.

Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2019 - #79

Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2019 - #9

2016 Chianti Classico Riserva is an expressive and elegant vintage 2016 was an expressive and elegant vintage. There was ample summer sunshine and just enough rain in early September to hold off harvest, giving the fruit more precious time on the vine. Warm days and cool nights produced wines with ripe fruit avors, deep color, vibrant acidity and very precise aromatics. Floral tones of violets and lavender dominate the aromas. Other aromas include blueberries on the vine, vanilla bean and honey. The palate is framed by bright acids with a dense layered center. Flavors of tart cherries give way to a lasting cedar and orange peel finish. This vintage will be remembered well, and has the structure and acids to age beautifully.

An elegant style, featuring lilting flavors of red currant and dried raspberry that show hints of cedar and paprika. Fine-edged, with savory richness midpalate. Dried green herbal notes emerge on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2026.

Powerful, brooding and full of dark plum, dried blackberry and cherry flavors that feature notes of dark olive. Shows savory richness midpalate, with firm tannins on the finish, accented by dark chocolate details. Best from 2021 through 2026.

Shows polish and presence, with expressive black raspberry, smoked beef and stony mineral flavors that gather tension and complexity toward fine-grained tannins. Best from 2021 through 2026.

Subtle wild red berry aromas mingle with delicate spice, dried violets, and warm earthy undertones. It has lovely levity, is slick and deftly woven on the palate; complex and fresh with plenty of high-toned red fruit grounded by earth and botanical. The finish is lengthy and trails spiced cocoa.

A classic blend made from traditional Bordeaux varieties, which comes from a selection of fine Napa Valley vineyards, this red is seductive. Expect mocha and loads of purple berries, vanilla, cloves, pipe tobacco and sarsaparilla aromas, which roll into generous fruit, and a supple palate weight. It has oomph and concentration with a fine spice and cocoa finish and finely textured tannins.

Dense, smoky and powerful, featuring notes of freshly ground coffee to the roasted plum and dried blackberry flavors. Hoisin sauce accents show on the tannic finish, with green herbal shadings. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Drink now through 2025.

This light ruby colored Pinot Noir from Siduri opens with a wild strawberry and pomegranate bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, pleasantly acidic and juicy. The flavor profile is a tasty strawberry and tart red plum blend with nicely integrated minerality and oak. I also detected hints of pomegranate and red raspberry. The finish is dry and its flavors and moderate tannins are nicely prolonged. This crowd-pleasing Pinot was well-liked by all that tried it. It will not last long. Pair it with grilled red snapper.

11 well-priced bottles to have on hand for holiday entertaining For the past 25 years, Kendall-Jackson’s Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay has ranked as the top-selling chardonnay in the United States. Even more impressive, all of that volume comes entirely from family owned hillside vineyards that stretch along the California coast. The winemaking team points out that Monterey County fruit contributes citrus flavours, Mendocino County provides green apple notes and Sonoma County imparts ripe pear. Further south, Santa Barbara County supplies riper tropical notes. This coastal blend is fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels for added richness and complexity. The smooth texture and polished, fruity character makes this easy to appreciate.

Thanksgiving Wines Splurge Pinot Noir

Thanksgiving Wines Splurge Pinot Noir

Napa Valley & California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015: Panel tasting results Very rich, oaky nose, backed by vibrant blackcurrant fruit. Fleshy and concentrated, leading to a long, refreshing finish. Shows presence and force.

Napa Valley & California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015: Panel tasting results Burly meaty black-fruits nose, savoury, powerful rather than refined. Broad and fleshy with good weight of fruit. A very lovely, polished wine.

Napa Valley & California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015: Panel tasting results Delicate cherry and coconut nose, showing some charm. Quite rich and supple, with light tannins but a pleasant acidity. Long, mocha driven finish.

Napa Valley & California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015: Panel tasting results Juicy bramble and blackberry nose, with more crunchy fruit and ripe tannins on the palate. Light mocha finish.

Napa Valley & California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015: Panel tasting results Discreet and elegant, with some leafy notes. Palate has a lovely freshness and silky tannins, very appealing.

What to Drink Now: Thanksgiving Wines Featured Today on KXAS/NBC DFW From Willamette’s Yamhill-Carlton, WillaKenzie Gamay Noir is an easy wine best enjoyed shortly after bottling, delivering bright red fruit, woody herbs, and an earthiness similar to Pinot Noir.