Cambria’s clone 4 selections trace their lineage back to the Martini selections propagated by UC Davis professors in the 1950s. They grew a wine that feels rich and tropical at first, then becomes complex with exposure to air, with notes of golden apple, raisin and nutty sunflower seeds. Broad, powerful and focused, this should reward some cellar time.

Deep red colour with a tinge of purple, the bouquet smoky, oaky and savoury, the classy oak adding an aromatic floral lift. The wine is elegant in the mouth, medium-bodied and with the lighter tannins slightly firm on the after-palate. Bucket loads of raspberries. A delicious merlot.

A tinge of melon peel meets with ash and Brie-rind aromas on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. There’s a firm grip to the sip, where engaging flavors of honeydew and green plum ride zesty acidity into the finish.

Dried lime peel, lanolin and hints of wet dough show on the nose of this singlevineyard expression by Greg Brewer. Orange-peel and honeysuckle flavors mix with ash and Brie-rind flavors on the unique sip.

Pale yellow. Fresh pear, melon and lemon curd aromas are complemented by hints of white flowers, vanilla and buttered toast. Fleshy and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy citrus and orchard fruit flavors that tighten up and pick up a minerally nuance with aeration. Finishes with firm grip, a repeating floral note and strong, spicy persistence.

Shimmering yellow. Fresh nectarine, orange, Bosc pear and floral qualities on the highly perfumed nose. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated yet lively orchard and pit fruit, honeysuckle and vanilla flavors that show an appealing touch of smoky reduction. Hangs on with impressive tenacity on a spice-laced finish that strongly echoes the pear and floral notes.

Glistening ruby-red. Powerful cherry preserve, black raspberry, candied licorice and exotic spice aromas are sharpened by a steadily building mineral note. Succulent and pliant on the palate, offering gently sweet red and dark berry flavors, a hint of succulent herbs and a floral pastille quality that emerges on the back half. Finishes long and smoky, with a resonating cherry note and subtle tannic grip.

Deep scarlet. Spice-accented cherry and blue fruit aromas pick up cola and floral accents with air. Juicy, seamless and nicely concentrated, offering lively black raspberry, boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors that show fine definition and smoky back-end thrust. Finishes long and lively, with lingering red fruit, spice and floral notes and rounded tannins that make a late appearance.

This layered wine comes from the neighbors’ grapes, largely the noted Ferrington Vineyard, and offers enticing apple-pie aromas, ripe and zesty citrus and apple-skin flavors and a nicely tangy, almost chewy texture. Aged in95% used oak barrels, it’s a complex and tempting wine.

Wild in forest floor, with a velvety texture, this coastal wine shows elegant layers of plum, wild strawberry and black tea. Additional savory components of clove and cardamom contribute sizzle to its exotic, ethereal nature.

This relatively light-bodied wine is broad and delicious, layering baking spices like cinnamon, vanilla and clove over considerable black-cherry flavors. It highlights the Anderson Valley’s fresh fruitiness and supple texture.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2018 Pinot Noir Truly Rita is a fabulous introduction to the Sta. Rita Hills. A burst of sweet red/purplish fruit, mint, rose petal and blood orange caresses the palate in a sumptuous, luscious Pinot that oozes with class. This gorgeous, alluring Pinot shows all of the raciness of the Sta. Rita Hills. I loved it.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2017 Pinot Noir Julia's Signature Collection is a beguiling wine. Orange peel, cinnamon, cedar and all sorts of dried flowers give the 2018 an exotic dimension that is so inviting. Savory and floral notes from the whole clusters extend the finish nicely in a mid-weight, understated Pinot that has quite a bit to offer.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2018 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard is a gentle, open-knit wine. Soft contours and the tropical accents typical of Santa Maria give the 2018 a very pretty sense of immediacy. Airy and gracious, with terrific precision, the Katherine's Chardonnay is classy through and through.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2018 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is a pretty, elegant wine. Freshly cut flowers, red cherry, mint and white pepper are all nicely delineated. Energetic and taut in the glass, the Fiddlestix emphasizes verve and freshness more than anything else. I would prefer to drink it on the younger side.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2018 Chardonnay Nielson Vineyard is laced with scents of apricot, tangerine oil, white flowers and mint. Brisk acids give this mid-weight, nuanced Chardonnay a good bit of character. A hint of reduction on the finish works nicely here.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2018 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is vivid and expressive. Like so many of the wines here, the Chardonnay needs a good bit of air to show at its best. Once that happens, the wine's textural breadth and dimension emerge beautifully. Lemon confit, dried pear, mint and dried herbs are all laced together. This appellation Chardonnay is deep, savory and phenolic, all of which make it an excellent choice for the dinner table. It is the hidden gem in this range. Vineyard sites are 3D, Machado and Hapgood.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sA powerful, intense wine, the 2018 Pinot Noir Machado has a lot of depth, but it is also not ready to show all its cards yet. Potent tannins wrap around a core of dark fruit, leather, menthol and tobacco. The Machado is a wine of real substance, bit it will be a few years before the 2018 is at its most expressive and rewarding to drink.

Hand-picked, 50% destemmed and crushed to 675l ceramic eggs, fermented on skins and macerated for 183 days before pressing. The other 50% was also fermented in eggs, the skins discarded. It's an interesting wine, but has a slightly stuffy finish.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyFrom a site on the eastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills, the 2018 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard shows the more savory, spicy, marine-like style of this appellation. Lots of mulled red and black fruits, new leather, spice, and forest floor notes all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, textured, and balanced.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyThe 2018 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard was all destemmed and brought up in 65% new French oak. It has a pure, clean bouquet of black raspberry fruits, spice box, dried herbs, and loamy soil. Playing in the medium-bodied, elegant end of the spectrum, it has solid balance, nicely integrated acidity, and a clean finish.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyBrioche, honeysuckle, white flowers, and ample buttered stone fruit notes all emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Nielson Vineyard, a rich, concentrated, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay with some obvious oak, lots of texture, good balance, and a clean finish. It's terrific today yet should keep for 4-5 years.

Glistening magenta. Fragrant, oak-spiced cherry, black raspberry and violet scents are complemented by suggestions of vanilla and candied licorice. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering ripe red and dark berry and cherry cola flavors that become livelier through the midpalate. Finishes long and smoky, with a resonating floral note and steadily building, gently chewy tannins. 25% new oak.

Limpid ruby-red. Lively and focused on the nose, displaying mineral-tinged scents of juicy red and dark berries, allspice and candied flowers. Gently sweet and seamless in texture, offering spice-laced raspberry, cherry and musky rhubarb flavors that deepen slowly with air. Shows fine definition and finishes spicy and long, with discreet tannins and lingering red fruit and floral nuances.

This bright red colored Pinot Noir from Siduri was very popular with the Tasting Panel. It opens with a strawberry and red raspberry bouquet with hints of mentholated red cherry and rose. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, smooth, and easy to drink. The flavor profile is a tasty Santa Rosa plum and raspberry blend with notes of craisin, mild pomegranate and integrated mild oak and minerality. We also detected hints of red licorice and green tea. It is pretty complex. The finish is dry and it drifts away nicely. The Panel suggested pairing this very good Pinot with Stuart's lamb pops.