The Oregon style is front and centre here with cranberries, cedar, forest floor mixed with leather and strawberry notes. The palate is equally piquant with juicy pomegranate and red fruits, juniper berries and sandalwood, all in a silky textured red that slips down effortlessly. This Carleton-Yamhill pinot is drinking well now and would be perfect with duck confit.

Sleek, focused and distinctive, with a savory edge to the cherry and blackberry flavors, playing against fine, nubby tannins on the long and expressive finish. Has presence and depth. Best from 2018 through 2024.

Generous, open-textured and harmonious, layering the cherry and sweet spice flavors with hints of leather and pepper. Glides into a long, precise and deftly balanced finish.

This is generous, open-textured and harmonious, layering the cherry and sweet spice flavors with hints of leather and pepper. Glides into the long, precise and deftly balanced finish.

The 2013 La Premiere Pinot Noir comes from a specific parcel in the Gran Moraine vineyard in what Eugenia describes as Mother Nature's sweet spot, and it is usually the first vineyard to be picked. It has a complex bouquet with dark cherries, blackcurrant leaf, broom and woodland scents, certainly earthier than the Estate Reserve. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and new oak (about 40%), with good density and backbone on the chocolate-tinged finish that lingers. This is another excellent Pinot Noir from Gran Moraine, although I might actually prefer the Estate Reserve this year.

A fresh and expressive Pinot, layered with blackberry, cherry, floral and savory spice flavors on an open-textured frame. Dances lightly as the finish lingers harmoniously.

The 2013 Pinot Noir has a delightfully fresh and vibrant bouquet with raspberry and wild strawberry scents accompanied by a lovely floral note. The palate is medium-bodied with raspberry and blueberry, and displays a fine line of acidity. It is one of the juicier 2013s that I have encountered with a dash of spice towards the finish. It might lack a little substance and persistence, but it is well balanced with impressive mineralité and personality.

Fresh and expressive, layered with blackberry, cherry, floral and savory spice flavors on an open-textured frame. Dances lightly as the finish lingers harmoniously.

Limpid yellow. Powerful, mineral-tinged Meyer lemon and pear aromas show very good clarity and complementary hints of anise, vanilla and smoky lees. Minerally and chewy in the mouth, offering sappy citrus and orchard fruit flavors and suggestions of buttered toast and ginger that emerge on the back half. Shows impressive depth as well as energy and finishes silky and very long, with a suave floral nuance lingering.

This Yamhill-Carlton bottling opens with a bright bouquet of nutmeg, lemon meringue, vanilla cream and toasted hazelnuts. This has a rich mouthfeel, showcasing creme brulee, ripe banana and brioche with heavy whipping cream flavors. This balanced Chardonnay will cellar beautifully for a decade or more.

The 2013 Chardonnay, matured in a judicious 15% new oak puncheons for 14 months, has a delightful, well-defined and yes, very Burgundy-like bouquet with impressive mineralité coming through. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity and nuanced white chocolate and almond notes infusing the citrus fruit. Armed with satisfying depth and a precise finish, it is basically everything you look for in an Oregon Chardonnay.

Another gorgeous wine, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Latro offers a compelling mélange of dark red cherry, plum, herb, graphite and mocha notes. The mineral and savory-driven brightness that makes Knights Valley wines so compelling comes through loud and clear in this very pretty, singular Cabernet Sauvignon. Sadly, production is just one-third of normal.

Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pleinair Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon delivers pronounced baked berries, prunes and warm black currant cordial notes with touches of baking spices, olives and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it has concentrated baked black berry and savory layers with soft, velvety tannins and balanced freshness, finishing on a spicy note.

The two red wines include the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Pleinair, which comes from Napa vineyards Atlas Peak, St. Helena, Diamond Mountain and Howell Mountain. Aged 20 months in 53% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine is a beauty, with notes of loamy soil interwoven with red and blackcurrants, tobacco leaf and forest floor. It is medium to full-bodied, shows excellent purity, a nicely layered mouthfeel and ripe tannins. It should drink well for at least 15 or more years.

Smooth and lush with notes of earth, spice and herbs; ripe blackberry, plum and dense style; long and balanced.

Smooth and lush with mellow black raspberry and juicy style; rich and balanced with depth, style and length.

This wine is fermented partially in concrete, partially in amphora and French oak puncheon. Lemony green-apple and peach flavors star with ease against a backdrop of creamy, lush texture and plenty of fresh bright acidity.

This light yellow colored Riesling opens with a ginger and bees wax like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is light bodied, dry and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a delicious ginger and Bosc pear blend with notes of nicely integrated minerality and a hint of pineapple. The finish remains dry and its flavors and mild acidity show very nice length. This Riesling is impressive. I would pair it with Emeril's crab cakes.

This gentle, complex white offers lovingly crafted waves of tropical lychee and golden-apple minerality, with bites of wet stone, gravel and lemon. Balanced in acidity and a lightness of being, it's meant for the table or kitchen, to sip happily while making a meal.

Beautifully balanced and elegant, this is made by one of the winemakers at Cardinale and inspired by the Loire Valley. It offers equal parts fruit, weight and minerality, tasting of fresh-squeezed lime and wet stone, with a layering of viscous vanilla. Medium-sized in terms of texture, it dances on the palate, refreshing throughout.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages A blend of 87.7% Merlot, 6.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.1% Petit Verdot and 2.1% Malbec, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Merlot features ripe, expressive warm plums, black cherries and blackberry scents with touches of spice cake, fallen leaves and tobacco. Full, rich, plushly textured and laden with spiced black fruits, it finishes with a compelling peppery lift.

Rich, mature and deep scent with a dark and delicate fruit. Spicy and mature but still with a fresh touch. Super elegant and structured. Beautifully balanced fruit, acid and tannin. Drink friendly and mouth watering. 5 stars.

Freemark Abbey is most well-known for its splendid vineyard-designate Cabernets, winemaker Ted Edwards has always had a strong hand with Merlot and this vintage is more evidence, if any were needed. This vintage is bold and rich, showing aromas of black currant, black cherry and plum, with spice notes from oak aging. The tannins are firm on the finish, but those will soften with time.