USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Pale to medium ruby in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard has a bright nose of Bing cherry, wild blackberries, earth and stewed black tea leaves with saline and hints of charcuterie and potpourri. Medium-bodied and silky, it's much more giving in the mouth with black and red fruits and tons of Earl Grey tea-tinged spice, with soft, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and layered. A delicate, earthy and pretty expression.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2016 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard comes from a windy site planted on sandy loam with diatomaceous earth, using one-third whole cluster and 50% new oak. Pale to medium ruby and youthfully tight on the nose, it slowly gives up blueberry, black plum, violet and warm blackberries with blue fruit hints, cocoa, graphite, moss-covered bark and rain-spattered soil. Medium-bodied, silky and mineral-driven in the mouth, it slowly segues out to spice, with dusty-textured tannins and integrated acidity, finishing long and minerally.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2016 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and scents of blueberry, boysenberry, warm black cherries and berries with touches of smoke, turned earth and a faint floral hint. Light to medium-bodied, it offers great intensity of blue and black fruit in the mouth with a frame of firm, grainy tannins and great juicy acidity, finishing long with some warm spice coming through.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The pale to medium ruby-purple colored 2017 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a broody nose of loamy earth, crushed blackberries and black cherries with notes of boysenberry, cranberry, potpourri and an earthy undercurrent. The light to medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, nuanced fruits with a sturdy frame of grainy tannins and juicy freshness, finishing spicy.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2018 Chardonnay Grand Reserve offers pure aromas of baked apples, poached pears, toast, a hint of gunflint and white peaches with floral perfume. The palate is medium-bodied, silky and intense with toasty fruits, juicy acidity and a long, savory-laced finish. This is expertly made, delicious and a great value!

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Stainless steel fermented and aged in 25% new French oak for 12 months, the 2016 Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard has a medium ruby-purple color and gives up aromas of dried lavender and desiccated violets with touches of cocoa, cast iron pan, crushed blackcurrants and blackberries, plus hints of menthol, charcuterie and earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers fresh, peppery fruits with a firm frame of grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and elegant.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2016 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard Signature Collection, from vines planted in 1971, was barrel fermented and aged for 15 months in 20% new French oak. It opens with notes of sweet spice and nutmeg, apple pie, spring honey, lemon curd and white flowers. The medium-bodied palate has a lovely creamy texture with great intensity, juicy freshness and a long, flavorful finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Pale to medium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a hightoned nose of cranberry, red cherry, licorice, woodsmoke, perfumed earth, black cherries and dried flowers with amaro hints. Light to medium-bodied with perfumed fruits, soft, grainy tannins and seamless acidity, it finishes on an earthy note.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills has a fresh, open nose of Golden Delicious apple, yellow pear, acacia flowers, crushed stone and white peach. Light to medium-bodied with ripe fruits and integrated acidity, it has a long, minerally finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard opens with a touch of rubbery reduction, giving way to blackberries, damp earth, tree bark and spicy touches with notes of rhubarb and pomegranate. The light to medium-bodied palate is broody with earth-tinged fruits, a firm frame of grainy tannins and good freshness, finishing earthy. This will require another year in bottle or a long decant.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard opens with smoke, tar and turned earth over a core of black fruit with black tea hints. Light to medium-bodied, it offers spicy dark fruits in the mouth, with firm, grainy tannins and good freshness on the long finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County This is the first vintage of a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir from Siduri, with fruit coming from the Sta. Rita Hills and the Santa Maria Valley. Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County has a nose of strawberry, Bing cherry, blueberry and even watermelon notes with faint touches of autumn leaves and dried herbs. Winemaker Adam Lee says because this is the first vintage of this wine, he wanted to experiment with a lot of whole cluster fermentation. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a good core of juicy red fruits, firm, grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing long. This is a successful use of whole cluster!

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County was sourced from multiple sites across the county and aged in 5% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby, it has a perfumed nose of violet, tangerine peel, Earl Grey tea leaves, crushed blackberries, cranberries, rhubarb, woodsmoke and pipe tobacco with an earthy undercurrent. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a good core of earthy fruit framed by grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing earthy. This is a great value, and with 31,000 cases produced, this should be easy to find.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Chardonnay Clone 4, sourced from vines planted in 1971, fermented entirely in stainless steel before being aged for eight months in neutral oak. The nose features poached pears, baked red and yellow apples, pie crust and warm white peach with accents of crushed rock and honey. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a good core of ripe fruits and a lightly rounded texture, countered by zesty acidity and finishing long. A clean, fresh style.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Barrel fermented in neutral oak and aged for five months, the 2018 Viognier Tepusquet Vineyard has a classic nose of honeysuckle, white peach and apricot, elderflower touches, musk melon, white pepper and a strong vein of crushed rock minerality. Medium-bodied, it offers restrained, mineral-driven fruits with very juicy acidity and a long, perfumed finish. An understated, well-balanced Viognier.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Pinot Blanc fermented 50% in neutral puncheons and 50% in concrete eggs (the first vintage the concrete has been used). It opens with a touch of rubbery reduction, giving way to poached pears, baked Golden Delicious apple, smoke, candle wax, dried flowers and tropical touches. Medium to full-bodied, it has a creamy texture and good core of savory fruits, with bright acidity to lift the long finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County fermented in stainless steel, neutral oak and only 8% in new French oak, with partial malolactic fermentation. It features scents of baker's yeast, Bosc pear, banana chip and touches of spring honey and white flowers. The palate is medium-bodied and creamy with a fresh fruit core, juicy acidity and a refreshing finish. This offers a bit more interest than the average unoaked Chardonnay.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard fermented 40% in stainless steel and 60% in barrels and was aged in 15% new French oak for six months. It opens with notes of toast, gunflint and smoke, giving way to red and yellow apples, honeycomb, kiwi and fresh, white stone fruits at the core. Light to medium-bodied, it's fresh and clean in the mouth with juicy acidity and a refreshing finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County Very pale cherry-pink in color, the 2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard features fresh strawberries, raspberry leaves, watermelon, crushed stone and garrigue scents. The light-bodied palate offers restrained, bright fruits with refreshing acidity on the finish.

This medium butter yellow colored wine has a rich bouquet of pear, lime and white peach with notes of butter and honeycomb. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with medium plus acidity. It is also supple and slightly creamy, with flavors of pear, pineapple, and vanilla. I also detected some nicely integrated minerality and a hint of baking spice. This finish is clean and elongated. It would pair well with pan seared sea bass. Very good.

Legacy: A Jewel in the Crown of Jackson Family Wines 2013 Legacy Red Wine, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County — bright ruby in the glass with aromas of cedar and red fruit. Rich red and dark fruit flavors include blackberries, tart cherries, pomegranates and raspberries. Fruit and cedar flavors, along with a lingering slate-like minerality, are supported by bright acidity. Tannins are smooth in this agile Cabernet blend.

Legacy: A Jewel in the Crown of Jackson Family Wines 2015 Legacy Chardonnay, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County — medium yellow in the glass with citrusy, grapefruit aromas lightly scented with toasty notes. Citrusy flavors with melon, yellow apple, a hint of toast and lingering minerality are supported by nice acidity. The body is on the light side of medium.

Wine of the Week It was a bit shocking to realize that I only had six bottles of Siduri left in the cellar. For years, this was my go-to CA Pinot as both the wines and the story were compelling (Adam and Diane met in a while working at the mall, made a wine, submitted it to Robert Parker and scored a mid-90), but so is the vineyard and wine: dark berry fruit (that is ever-so-slightly stewed), black pepper, and a bit of Christmas spice, this is an incredible Clos Pepe, even close to a dozen years out from vintage. Rich, unctuous, but also tart and playful, This is amazing. Excellent.

Sipping through California’s Sta. Rita region Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton have partnered to create acclaimed Burgundian-style pinot noir and chardonnay since 1995 and currently farm four “monopole” or single-vineyards with some of the finest stock in the appellation. I selected the 2016 Brewer- Clifton Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir ($40), that blends grapes from the 3D, Machado and Hapgood estate vineyards. Whole- cluster pressed and aged in neutral oak, it is an exceptional wine at a reasonable price.

How To Drink Like A Royal: California Wine Breaks New Ground At England’s Guards Polo Club This Cabernet Franc-dominant blend has 12% Merlot and a small bit of Malbec. Plush black fruit notes are tempered with cassis and clove –all wrapped in a structure that shows freshness and polish.