This dark ruby colored Zinfandel from the Perli Vineyards opens with a boysenberry, red plum and cinnamon spice bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slight acidic and savory. The flavor profile is a very tasty black cherry and Chai tea blend with notes of milk chocolate, oak and a hint of caramel toward the end. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. This tasty Zin is very food friendly and would pair well with grilled Asian beef kebabs.

Start Thanksgiving planning with wine choice Where most old-vine zins can be quite hearty, robust and higher in alcohol, Edmeades has a history of blending interesting old-vine fruit with some younger, more exuberant juice to create a more civil, well-textured rendition that still has plenty of mojo at its core. It’s a great value and relatively easy to find. This is the wine to savor with smoked turkey and all its fixings.

Here’s how to spend, wisely, on a splendid wine for your holiday dinner Chateau Lassegue 2011 Saint Emilion Grand Cru probably found its way to me because this property is now owned by California’s Jackson Family Wines, of Kendall-Jackson fame. It is cabernet franc and merlot done up in the smooth, red berry fashion of Right Bank Bordeaux.

Wines of the Week Bursting with bright, fresh cherries and raspberries as soon as you pour it into the glass, this is a silky and vivacious Pinot Noir with just enough of a savory edge—blood-orange pith, wild strawberries, tobacco leaf—to work beautifully alongside a broad range of foods. There’s energy to spare here, but never at the expense of depth. And at less than $35, this is a steal.

25 Splurge-Worthy California Reds This is the kind of wine you could smell for hours and be perfectly happy: Wild strawberries, black raspberries, herbes de Provence, and the subtle spice of excellent French oak.The palate is perfectly balanced, generous and broad, yet precise at the same time, with flavors of cherry clafoutis, cacao nibs, cigar tobacco, and sweet spice, as well as nods in the direction of blackberries, cassis, and black raspberries. Lingering notes of pencil lead and cedar make this remarkably food friendly even this early in its evolution.

25 Splurge-Worthy California Reds Star anise, Chinese five-spice powder, and hints of currants and cedar precede flavors of mixed mountain berries, candied violets, and blueberries that ripple out on the palate. Amazing acidity and elegant tannins promise a very long life ahead.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Vibrant crimson color. High-pitched black raspberry, cherry, exotic spice and potpourri scents show excellent clarity and take on a minerally quality with air. Taut and energetic on the palate, offering ripe red and blue fruit and cola flavors that are complemented by suggestions of candied rose, vanilla and allspice. The fresh, impressively persistent finish displays a strong mineral quality, suave florality and harmonious tannins that lend gentle grip.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Limpid ruby-red. Powerful, spice- and mineral-accented red and blue fruit, incense and potpourri aromas pick up a cola nuance with aeration. Densely packed but also energetic in the mouth, offering intense black raspberry, boysenberry, cherry pie, star anise and rose pastille flavors that are supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Smooth, alluringly sweet and focused on the impressively long finish, which features a lingering floral note and harmonious tannins that add framework and closing grip.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Bright magenta. Displays high-pitched red fruit, floral and spice aromas that are accompanied by a smoky mineral nuance and a hint of succulent herbs. Appealingly sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that slowly deepen on the back half. Shows sharp delineation and tension on the long, floral-tinged finish, which is given shape by fine-grained, even tannins.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Deep vivid red. A complex, expressive bouquet evokes ripe red berries, cherry preserves and mocha, and bright mineral and spice topnotes lend vivacious character. Stains the palate with appealingly sweet black raspberry and cherry vanilla flavors supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows excellent definition and floral lift on the impressively long, supple, cherry-tinged finish, which is given shape by sneaky, well-knit tannins.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Bright red. Highly perfumed red berry preserve, floral and exotic spice scents are complicated by a nervy blood orange quality. Seamless and alluringly sweet, offering palate-caressing raspberry, cherry cola and rose pastille flavors sharpened by a spicy jolt of white pepper. Closes silky, focused and appealingly sweet, delivering well-knit tannins and outstanding, floral- and spice-driven persistence.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Vivid red. Displays powerfully scented aromas of raspberry, cherry-cola, exotic spices and vanilla and a vibrant mineral nuance expands in the glass. Palate-staining, mineral-laced red fruit preserve flavors pick up notes of star anise and candied flowers as the wine opens up. Powerful but surprisingly energetic in character, finishing with sharp delineation and sneaky tannins that emerge slowly.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Deep red. Ripe red berries, incense and candied flowers on the expressive nose, along with a smoky mineral accent that adds energetic lift. Sappy, appealingly sweet and lively on the palate, offering juicy cherry, raspberry and spicecake flavors, along with candied rose and white pepper notes. Smooth and seamless in texture, finishing with resonating florality, smooth tannins and strong, spicy tenacity.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Shimmering red. Perfumed aromas of red currant, cherry cola, baking spices and potpourri show excellent clarity and mineral lift. Seamless and spicy on the palate, offering pliant black raspberry, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Finishes on a resonating cherry note, with silky, fine-grained tannins and lively persistence.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Brilliant magenta. Expressive aromas of ripe red berries, incense and potpourri are brightened by a building spicy nuance. Silky, seamless and lively on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake flavors complemented by suave rose pastille and mocha notes. Finishes very long and sappy, with repeating floral character and smooth, well-integrated tannins.

Deep bright-rimmed red. Lively, sharply focused red berry aromas show very good clarity and pick up hints of candied rose, white pepper and smoky minerals with air. Taut and sharply delineated, offering intense raspberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors that open up very slowly with air. In a bright, spice-driven style, finishing with firm cut and just a trace of silky tannins.

Santa Lucia Highlands Braves the Heat in 2017 Brilliant red. Fresh dark berry, cherry and floral qualities on the deeply perfumed nose. Silky and broad on the palate, offering black raspberry, cherry cola and rose pastille flavors sharpened by a zesty white pepper flourish. Closes smooth, appealingly sweet and quite long, with repeating florality and smooth, late-arriving tannins.

La Crema can always be counted upon to deliver value, but it’s especially true when it comes to Pinot Noir. The 2017 Sonoma Coast is modestly priced yet ranks very high on the satisfaction meter. This vintage is somewhat delicate and light in color, but there’s no skimping on flavor. Aromas of cherry and wood spice dominate, with modest tannins lingering in the background.

Autumn on the Sonoma Coast The 2018 Chardonnay opens with aromas of lemon zest and citrus rinds, framed in hints of bread crust and melted butter. White fruit pop in and out the bouquet, but are juicy and crisp when the manifest, lending the aromatics a very pleasant complexity. On the palate, the white fruit notes intensify and are lasting, but are tinged in just a hint of spice set over a foundation of dried citrus and butterscotch.

Autumn on the Sonoma Coast The 2017 Pinot Noir introduces itself with smoky red fruit off the top of the glass, think of things like fresh pomegranate dusted with black pepper, or freshly sliced strawberries soaked in balsamic vinegar. Hints of oak or antique wood manifest deeper into the glass, and are a pleasant addition to the bouquet. On the palate, the smoky red fruit are immediate and dominate, with a vague hint of herbaciousness lingering somewhere in the background.

La Crema: NV Brut Rose, California. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that offers flavors of strawberry and cherry along with crisp acidity and a fresh well balanced texture on the lasting finish.

By the Bottle: Oregon pinots for Thanksgiving Dramatic on the palate with notable quality across the board, including strength, thick body, wonderful fruit, finely honed balance, engaging complexity, smooth integration, clean refinement, forward personality and extended length.

By the Bottle: Oregon pinots for Thanksgiving Tops in its price range, La Crema delights the eye, nose and palate. I loved its strength on the attack, full body, beautifully balanced fruit and pleasing tannins, along with complexity, integration, refinement and length.

Gift Guide: The Best White, Red, Sparkling, and Dessert Wines to Give This Year Possibly the most bang for your buck on this list, La Crema Russian River Valley Brut Rosé is a lovely bottle of bubbles that will leave a lasting impression—likely the impression that the bottle is more expensive than the brut therein. A newer offering from the California winemaker, the Russian River Valley brut rosé benefits from the fog’s gentle embrace with a soft yet crisp finish. Crafted in the méthode traditionnelle, the brut rosé is a blend of 73% Pinot Noir and 27% Chardonnay grapes. It’s also ideal for holiday entertaining—specifically, holiday eating. Recommended pairings include starters such as baked brie and crostini to mainstays like turkey and fish.

Top three Pinot Noir: – La Crema Pinot Noir Monterey 2016 (California)