USA, California, Napa Valley: 2017 — Napa's Perfect Storm The 2017 Pleinair Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a very deep garnet-purple color and bursts from the glass with crushed blueberries, black cherry compote and boysenberries with touches of raisin cake, Chinese five spice and potpourri. Full-bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, it has lovely freshness and a lovely bit of chew texturing the finish. 810 cases produced.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s Moving to the Pinot Noirs, the 2016 Pinot Noir Signature Collection Julia's Vineyard comes from the Santa Maria Valley and spent 16 months in 35% new French oak. It has a big kick of oak as well as notes of ripe cherries, spice box, dried flowers, and underbrush. It's rich and medium-bodied, with good depth of fruit and ripe tannins. Give it a year or two to integrate some oak, and it should drink nicely through 2026.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2017 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Anderson Valley is another solid effort. Offering more density and depth than the Grand Reserve, it has loads of black cherry fruits, notes of Christmas spice and sassafras, medium body, and a great finish.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2016 Prequel Red Blend is a Syrah-dominated blend (there's 15% Petite Sirah) and offers an inky purple color as well as a big, sexy bouquet of blueberries, crushed violets, vanilla bean, and sappy herbs. This medium to full-bodied, concentrated red has bright acidity, plenty of background oak, and a good finish. It's a ripe, sexy, fruit bomb to enjoy over the coming 3-4 years.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Estates offers a pretty, nuanced bouquet that includes plenty of blue fruits as well as sappy herbs, bay leaf, tobacco, and lead pencil. Medium-bodied, elegant, and beautifully balanced on the palate, with moderate tannins, it's going to cruise for over a decade in cool cellars on its balance and purity.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s From a vineyard previously known as Dos Rubios Vineyard, located just below Sierra Mar, the 2017 Pinot Noir Lemoravo Vineyard was mostly destemmed (a small part of the Pommard clone wasn't destemmed) and was brought up 11 months in 30% new French oak. It offers a more rounded, spice, dried earth, and savory cherry bouquet as well as a medium-bodied, nicely textured, soft style on the palate. With good acidity and ample charm, it's ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s A blend of 93% Pinot Blanc and 7% Pinot Gris brought up in neutral oak and concrete, the 2017 Pinot Blanc Santa Maria Valley reveals a light gold color as well as an impressive bouquet of apple blossom, spiced melon, and hints of brioche. Rounded and beautifully textured, with terrific purity, it's one seriously good Pinot Blanc to enjoy over the coming year or so.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s Blackberries, peppery herbs, bay leaf, violets, and candied cherry notes all emerge from the medium-bodied 2016 Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard, which has bright, juicy acidity, no hard edges, and a good finish. It has a cool-climate feel yet packs plenty of richness and ripeness. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2017 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard has a flinty, Burgundian minerality as well as notes of ripe orchard and lemon fruits, spice, and white flowers. Bright, juicy, and elegant on the palate, it's a beautiful Chardonnay that represents a smoking value. You'll be hard-pressed to beat this as a house white.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s More pear, melon, and spice notes emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Clone 4, which is a much smaller production cuvée brought up all in neutral oak. Medium-bodied and textured on the palate, it builds nicely with time in the glass, has plenty of richness, terrific balance, and is well worth seeking out.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2017 — Napa's Perfect Storm The 2017 Chardonnay Estate has fresh, crunchy fruit notes of red apples, apricots and waxy lemons with nuances of chalk dust, shaved almond and baker's yeast. Medium-bodied, elegant, youthful and laden with apple and peaches flavors, it has a well-poised, refreshing finish. 3,693 cases produced.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2017 — Napa's Perfect Storm The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Estate leaps from the glass with gregarious white peach, grapefruit and lemon curd scents plus hints of elderflower, chopped herbs and pea pods. Medium-bodied, the palate is charged with electric citrus and herb flavors plus a super racy backbone, finishing on a peachy note. 651 cases produced.

South Africa: The 2016 & 2017 Vintages and the Future of South African Wines – Part 1 Bolder and richer in style than the regular range, the 2015 Fijnbosch Chardonnay overflows with elegant oak and baking spices, creamy apple yogurt, Bosc pears with freshly zested lemon. The palate is clean and vibrant with a fresh, ripe expression and bright citrus core that feels fleshy over the mid-palate and will be a crowd-pleaser. Medium to full-bodied, the Fijnbosch Chardonnay is named after the ambient underbrush that lends soft green flavors into the expression of the wine. The wine ends with a lingering expression of lemon-hazelnut panna cotta. Only 100 cases were made.

South Africa: The 2016 & 2017 Vintages and the Future of South African Wines – Part 1 The 2015 Chardonnay begins with a structured nose of Meyer lemon and a soft mintiness to the aromatics, with subtle oak edges, underripe golden apples and corn kernels with mild brown baking spices. The palate shows pomaceous fruit and expresses flavors of subtly spiced pears sprayed with lemon juice. Medium-bodied, the Chardonnay ends with a balanced, lingering finish that reminds me of Margret River Chardonnay, with a touch of saltiness on the back end. 1,000 cases made.

Fresh and vibrant, with lively cherry, mineral and spice flavors that finish on a snappy note. Drink now through 2024.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The deep purple-hued 2017 Syrah Jackson Estate Alisos Hills has plenty of classic Syrah black fruits, cured meats, pepper, and bay leaf notes as well as a rounded, medium-bodied, nicely balanced style on the palate. This is cool-climate meets California fruit, and it's well done.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2017 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve Anderson Valley comes from the Anderson Valley and has good complexity in its black cherry and currant fruits as well as notes of Christmas spice, violets, and orange rind. Medium-bodied and balanced on the palate, with a dry finish, it's another solid effort.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2016 Malbec Knights Valley is solid, yielding upfront black and blue fruits, peppery herbs, and some earthy nuances as well as a fleshy, medium-bodied style on the palate. It stays balanced, has good purity of fruit, and is certainly a charming, well-made wine.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s A step up in price, the 2017 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley comes from a mix of the Nielson and Bien Nacido vineyards and was barrel fermented and aged in 41% new French oak. It offers a more balanced, layered, classic style as well as plenty of honeyed apple fruit, hints of spice citrus, and toasted bread. With terrific balance and no hard edges, it's ideal for drinking over the coming 2-4 years.

South Africa: The 2016 & 2017 Vintages and the Future of South African Wines – Part 1 The 2016 Chardonnay has aromas of lemon peel, green apple skin, golden apple core and yellow pear, with subtle brown baking spices from French oak aging. There is something very pleasing about the focus of this wine, with lower alcohol and an energetic line of acidity through its core. This Chardonnay expresses more vibrancy from the warmer weather in 2016, while the structure is still balanced. Medium-bodied, the wine finishes with citrus and green apple wrapped in soft oak tones. Only 1,047 cases were made.

South Africa: The 2016 & 2017 Vintages and the Future of South African Wines – Part 1 2016 was a challenging vintage, but the 2016 Fijnbosch Chardonnay shows some finesse that still is better than the typical range; however, the challenging vintage robs some potential from the enjoyment. Medium to full-bodied, the expression begins to unfold on the palate with fresh apple slices, oak spices and lemon drop, but the mid-palate begins to move a little flat. The wine ends with a robust finish with an oaky presence of popcorn and brown baking spices. Only 57 cases were made in this challenging vintage.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s Spice cherries, raspberries and sassafras notes all emerge from the 2017 Pinot Noir Vintners Reserve, which is medium-bodied and nicely balanced, with a classy finish. While too many Pinot Noirs at this price point are sweet and overdone, this is solid.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2017 Chardonnay Stature is also solid, with honeyed peach and apricot notes, medium-bodied richness, and a rounded, enjoyable texture.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2018 Julia's Vineyard Rosé (100% Pinot Noir) offers a slightly reductive, crisp, citrus and strawberry-scented style that's clean, bright, and refreshing. It's a solid poolside quaffer.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2018 Viognier Tepusquet Vineyard comes from a site in the Santa Maria Valley and is a ripe, tropical effort loaded with notions of pineapple, apricot, and exotic flowers. Fleshy, medium-bodied, and textured, yet also fresh and lively, this solid Viognier will be versatile on the dinner table.