Medium to medium dark red. Nice dark cherry and pomegranate with floral notes and an earthy/underbrush edge. Good focus, firm backbone, nice savory and brambly edge. Dry finish. A versatile food wine. Sourced from three appellations: Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, and Eola-Amity.

The Pinot Noir Parsons’ Vineyard displays a dark garnet ruby color and intense aromas of dark ripe cherry and plum fruit. It is full-bodied on the palate with big fruit flavors and mouth feel and is rich in alcohol with hints of forest floor, tea and earth. Parsons’ is a relatively warm site located west of Santa Rosa on the Santa Rosa plain.

The Russian River Valley Pinot is a pretty wine, offering very fresh scents of red cherry and raspberry with a slight candied edge. The wine is fruit forward with pure flavors and a suave mouth feel. Finishes with good length.

There’s a whole bunch of percentages and details on what fruit goes where and when and how much is skin fermented (a fair bit here) but I think its best said that this is roussanne which is built like an orange wine and raised in ceramic eggs off a biodynamic vineyard. The skin fermentation went for a whopping 193 days, which is probably the quip you need. Also, this may be the heaviest bottle of white wine I have ever raised. Deceiving look to its weight too. It is a whopper. First sips and I kept having mental flashes in neon… ‘Hot n Spicy’, over and over again. Not hot as in alcohol heat hot, just this sensation of warmth of flavour that comes with the skinsy texture and a kind of breathiness alongside. Nothin’ wrong with that, per se. It’s quite restrained in perfume and flavours, just-ripe nashi pear, a bit of good-citrus bitterness, some peppery notes too. The skinsy chew is there alright. That hot n spicy thing, however, just irks a touch and tannin pulls the wine up relatively short. That being said, it’s a wine of impact and grip for those seeking plenty out of a white wine.

This pale straw-colored Chardonnay from Freemark Abbey is very good. It opens with a mild pineapple and kiwi bouquet with hints of campfire, vanilla, oak and banana. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and acidic. The flavor profile is a pineapple and chamomile tea blend with notes of minerality, oak and almonds. We also detected hints of lemon curd and mango. It was pretty complex. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. The Panel suggested pairing this Chard with a seafood casserole or crêpes Suzette.

I like the ripeness and energy to this Chianti Classico with a plum, walnut and dried-meat undertone. Medium body, round and juicy tannins and a savory finish. Hints of burnt orange in the center palate. Flavorful finish. Drink now.

Linear, fresh red with plum and orange-peel aromas and flavors. Medium body, light tannins and a fruity finish. Subdued and focused. Drink now.

Rich ruby color, smooth and juicy with toasty oak and a hint of vanilla; juicy and balanced, long and charming.

Golden color, smooth and rich with toasted oak and a core of bright acidity; this winery is very consistent in style and quality; long and lovely through the finish.

This pale straw-colored Chardonnay from La Crema is impressive. It opens with a lemon custard and mild oak bouquet with notes of pineapple. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, round and smooth. The flavor profile is a mild mineral infused pineapple with notes of Anjou pear and oak. I also detected hints of apricot and a dash of white pepper towards the end. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. I would pair this very nice Chard with pan seared sea scallops drizzled with herb butter.

Dark fruit flavors are fleshy and dense, juicy and appealing, with a floral note adding aromatic lift to the details of spice, tobacco and toasted herb. Sticky toffee pudding and toasted cedary elements linger on the finish. Drink now through 2030.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. The nose offers aromas of blackest cherry, black raspberry, dried herbs and burnt tobacco. Mid-weight in concentration, featuring well-ripened, earth-toned black fruits with a modicum of oak in the background. Fruitladen, with mild tannins, good brightness and a sappy finish. Similar when tasted from a previously opened and re-corked bottle the following day. A hint of warmth appears on the finish as the wine warms in the glass.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of blackest cherry, earthy flora, oak spice and Herbes de Provence. Both earth and oak accent the hearty core of black cherry and boysenberry fruit that is framed by mild fine-grain tannins. There is a hint of tobacco and mocha. Silky in texture, with some length on the finish. When tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle, the earth and oak tenor of the fruit persisted.

Sweet raspberry and cherry aromas, cedar, violets, peppery spices, leather and cocoa aromas lead to a silky palate with berry tea, fine spice and earthy flavours. A delicious and well constructed Pinot with freshness, structure and persistence.

COMMENTARY: The 2018 diatom Bar-M is an excellent example of a Santa Barbara County Chardonnay. TASTING NOTES: This wine is multi-dimensional. Enjoy its aromas and flavors of ripe core fruit, creamy oak, and mineral notes with a pan-seared, panko-breaded flounder.

Yangarra’s egg-fermented Roussanne is pale gold in hue, with a slightly green tinge. An aromatic offering, it bursts from the glass with notes of ginger, lavender hand soap, fresh pineapple and peach, and speckles of honeysuckle and soft spices. The mouthfeel is rich and highly textural, with just enough acidity to freshen it. Minerals and spices run through to the finish, and the fruit takes a back seat. A characterful, site expressive, outside-the-box bottling with not a hint of funk.

Weighty and textured, this richly layered wine shows a density of baked strawberry, pomegranate and rhubarb, the fruit seasoned in clove. Toasted oak supports and complements, finishing in a subtle twist of black tea and cola.

Pomegranate, raspberry, carnations, rose petals and toasted sage fall into harmony on the nose of this appellation blend. Black-raspberry and light thyme flavors show on the palate, which deftly balances weight and acid.

This full-bodied wine offers seductive, pretty fruit aromas and flavors that reflect ripe black cherries, blueberries and strawberries. It tastes pure and uncomplicated, nicely polished in texture and with a lingering berrylike finish.

McLaren Vale Delivers Top Mediterranean Styled RedsThis grenache rosé nails the bright, fresh brief with aromas of light strawberries, peaches and apples, leading to a very elegant, zipped-up palate that delivers crisp, fresh appeal. This is right on the stylistic bullseye. Drink now. Screw cap.

McLaren Vale Delivers Top Mediterranean Styled RedsThis has a very attractive, fresh and spicy nose with rich, darker-plum and blackberry aromas. Chocolate and raspberries, too. This is a vintage that delivers bold, fleshy, darker fruit. Supple, fleshy texture and nice chew on the finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

McLaren Vale Delivers Top Mediterranean Styled RedsPlenty of ripe red plums and purple flowers with a cedary and spicy oak thread, too. The palate has a succulent, smooth feel with a bold, assertive cut to the tannin. Ripe, rich and punchy merlot.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Coming all from the estate in the Alexander Valley, the appellation 2018 Chardonnay Estate reveals a medium gold color to go with lots of honeyed stone fruits, buttered almonds, brioche, and that classic mineral and white flower character that seems to be present in all of these Stonestreet Chardonnay. It's balanced, medium-bodied, and has loads of character.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018From a cool, windy region south of Monterey, the 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands offers a fruit-forward, medium-bodied, classic style that carries lots of black raspberry fruits, a touch of floral and violet notes, and plenty of spice-like aromas and flavors. This rounded, plush, and sexy Pinot Noir is ideal for drinking over the coming 4-6 years.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018The flagship Sauvignon Blanc, the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Journey is a mix of Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, and Bennett Valley fruit and was brought up all in neutral French oak, mostly larger puncheons. It has an exotic, tropical bouquet that includes plenty of tart pineapple, grapefruit, and floral notes. This carries to a medium-bodied, dry, crisp white with good concentration, bright acidity, and a great finish. It's one of the more serious, age-worthy releases in the lineup and I suspect it will keep for over a decade.