The 2015 Chardonnay DuPratt Vineyard is quite powerful and dense, but still very much within the understated style that is such a Copain signature. Pear, smoke, slate and flinty notes all flesh out in this textured, nuanced Chardonnay from Copain. The DuPratt is one of the more generous, creamy wines in the range. There is plenty of energy, but the DuPratt also has an extra kick of textural depth to balance things out.

Copain's 2015 Chardonnay Brosseau is distinctly mineral, structured and savory, as wines from Chalone tend to be. Even so, there is good depth to the fruit, within the restrained Copain style. Smoke, slate, dried herbs, lemon peel and crushed rocks add shades of nuance to this beautifully chiseled, pure Chardonnay. There is so much to like here.

Copain's 2013 Chardonnay Brosseau is powerful, rich and enveloping, with striking creaminess and textural richness throughout. There is a real sense of oiliness to the orchard fruit flavors. White flowers, chamomile, almonds, mint and sage add further shades of nuance. All the elements are impeccably balanced in a wine that captures the essence of this highly-regarded Chalone site.

This estate covers 36ha in total, with the grand vin coming from 24ha along the côtes, unaffected by frost. The vines grow on south-facing slopes on a mix of hard asteries limestone and softer molasses du Fronsadais. This is a rather lovely 2017 from winemaker Pierre Seillan, showing excellent density with touches of well-textured raspberry and crushed damson fruit. The austerity is evident, but it unwinds itself beautifully through the palate, and the harmony makes it one of the successes in St-Émilion. Harvested 21 September to 5 October. 80% new oak, a touch more than in 2016. 3.7pH.

Like the 2003, this is creamy and supple, but the fruit is fresher and livelier also. The result is a lovely blend of mocha, raspberry and spice accented by hints of vanilla and crushed herbs that linger elegantly on the finish.

This wine comes from Jackson Family Wines’ Boone Ridge Vineyard, planted in 2006. It’s full-bodied and rich, yet with crisp acidity and a spicy note that adds depth and complexity. Black raspberry, pomegranate and cassis flavors fill the mouth, and while there is an alcoholic kick (14.5% on the label), it will certainly please those whole love lusty, full-throttle Pinot Noirs.

This is the second vintage of the Jackson family’s Anderson Valley pinot noir project, from a high-elevation property that Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke purchased in 1999 and began planting in 2006. The vineyard sits above the town of Booneville at elevations approaching 2,000 feet, benefiting from plenty of sunlight as well as cooling ocean breezes coming over the hills to the west. The vineyard’s sandstone-based soils grew a concentrated, mineral pinot noir in 2011, a wine that feels both ample and focused, glowing with rich dark cherry tones and loaded with earthy scents of cedar bark and forest mushrooms, layered and complex. It’s beautiful now, and its structure has room to grow with time in the cellar.

The 2015 Red Wine (Sonoma County) is soft, lush and inviting. Smoke, game, gravel, tobacco and incense add wild, savory underpinning to this racy, Cabernet Franc-based blend. The 2015 is a very pretty and expressive wine with tons of Chalk Hill character. Plush fruit and silky tannins will make the 2015 easy to drink and enjoy young.

The 2012 Red Wine Sonoma County is one of the under the radar jewels of the vintage. Sweet floral notes meld into espresso, plum, dark red cherry and cedar notes. Perfumed, expressive and impeccably balanced, the 2012 impresses for its overall sense of proportion and harmony. The style is rich and quite textured, but younger vines and an overall approach that seeks to preserve freshness give the wine considerable energy. There is a lot to like here, including the price.

The 2016 Cenyth Sauvignon Blanc delivers an intense ripe peaches, passionfruit and musk perfume nose with hints of dried herbs and elderflower. Medium-bodied, very fine, fresh and elegant, it has a wet pebbles and mineral nature on the palate, complimenting the citrus and stone fruit flavors, finishing with great length.

Opening in the glass with notes of blackberries, blood orange and sweet soil, the 2015 Pinot Noir Panorama Vineyard North Crest is one of the deeper, more fruit-driven wines in the range this year, with a medium-bodied, succulent palate and a generous core of fruit. Drink it now or over the next six years.

2017 California Value Priced Pinot Noir All-Americans First Team Wines Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose is infused with welcoming aromas of black cherry, blackberry, earthy flora and a bit of oak. The black cherry core is quite tasty on the palate, enhanced with an earthy tone. Impressive harmony, with juicy acidity, modest tannins, and a light touch of oak. The satiny mouthfeel is quite seductive.

Pale to medium garnet colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir First Row has a gorgeous perfume of violets, dried lavender, anise and powdered cinnamon over a core of kirsch, raspberry preserves and cranberries. Medium-bodied, fine and fresh, it has a nice backbone of fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and earthy.

Love the berry and strawberry aromas here with hints of citrus fruit. Medium bodied, with a lovely intensity of fruit on the palate and a bright acidity. Super fine tannins. Racy and clean. Lovely now to drink.

Sporting a fine mix of ripe cherries and sweet oak spice first in the nose and then again on the palate, this carefully composed Pinot Noir eschews high extract and bombast and instead keys successfully on balance and keen varietal definition. It's bright mildly toasty, moderately rich flavors invite drinking in the near term, yet it shows no signs of fading away anytime soon, and should keep well for several years.

90 Carmel Road 2004 Pinot Noir (Monterey);Likeable for its silky texture and dry finish, this Pinot also offers high acidity and earthy, cherry, cola and coffee flavors. It's an elegant, food-friendly wine with a great deal of spicy richness and the silky texture that makes Pinot Noir so distinctive. S.H.

92 Carmel Road 2003 Pinot Noir (Arroyo Seco); The Appellation is a distinct bench on the west side of the Salinas Valley, and this fine Pinot has benefited from the cool winds and long hang time. Marked by bright acidity and intense cherry, cola and spice flavors, it's a dry, rich wine, with a silky texture and enough complexity to age through this decade. - S.H.

Seductive earth, currant and spices lead to a smooth, supple-textured, richly flavored wine, with layers of currant, blackberry, coffee, mocha and mineral. Turns elegant and sophisticated, with hints of anise and cedar. Well-integrated tannins suggest short-term cellaring.

Blending the lush fruit of Alexander Valley fills with the power of Napa cabernet, Cardinale turns in wine of tough and supple contrasts. It has enough sweet, delicious fruit for the hedonist, and enough tannic structure for the puritan. Fine and juicy, staunch and reserved.

Massages the intense tannins with supple currant and plum-laced flavors, shows off cedar, spice and mineral, too. Holds its focus through the long and complex finish. (Also appeared 11/98)

Impressively balanced and well-proportioned, centered on rich, deep currant, blackberry, wild berry and black licorice flavors, revealing a dusty, cedary oak side. Ends tight and structured. Drink now through 2028.

Bright ruby-red. Classic cabernet sauvignon aromas of cassis, blackberry, bitter chocolate, coffee, shoe polish and mint. At once rich and suave, showing lovely purity and early sex appeal to the sappy flavors of blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate, minerals and licorice. The broad finish features sweet tannins and lingering minerality. Winemaker Chris Carpenter gets first pick of Jackson Family Wines' Napa Valley cabernet, and his objective is to make a wine with early attractiveness. This one is especially lovely in the context of its vintage.

Ruby-red. Complex aromas of blackcurrant, plum, dark chocolate and minerals. Silky on entry, then broad, young and nuanced in the middle, with moderately dense, energetic flavors of black cherry, cassis and menthol. Finishes with a broad dusting of tannins and lovely lingering fruit. This is mostly from a blend of mountain properties owned by Jackson Family Farms, with Mt. Veeder fruit used as a natural acidification.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond Arrowood's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Crown is fabulous. Rich and explosive, the Knights Crown is almost shockingly sensual for a wine from Knights Valley. Racy and silky, the Knights Crown is more texturally finessed than most Knights Valley Cabernets, it is a wine of sheer sensuality and appeal.

While the 2015 Harmonie Red Wine isn’t going to make you forget the sensational 2013, it’s still a beautiful wine. A Bordeaux blend of 85% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, this ruby-colored beauty offers loads Margaux-like perfume of crème de cassis, raspberries, spring flowers, sandalwood, and forest floor. It’s medium-bodied, seamless, and beautifully textured on the palate, and while it’s not a heavyweight, it’s perfectly balanced, has sweet tannin, and outstanding length. It needs a decant if drinking anytime soon (I followed this bottle for two days) and will keep for 10-15 years.