Grown biodynamically. 50% fermented on skins (and remains on skins for 131 days) in two ceramic eggs, 50% fermented in ceramic eggs but not on skins. Final blend is 67% of the extended skin contact egg portion. Bottled unfined in November 2017. This release feels reserved, or at least reserved in the context of a fairly rich style. It’s not throwing a great deal of aroma and the palate feels a touch ungainly. It will find its way. It tastes of stonefruit, oyster shells, nashi pear and gunsmoke. There’s honeysuckle here too, but it’s whispered at most. It’s had nearly two years in bottle but it needs another couple.

The 2017s From Sonoma The more ruby-colored 2016 Pinot Noir Seven's Bench offers an earthier, more savory style as well as complex notes of ripe currants, autumn forest floor, cured meats, and smoked herbs. It’s rich, medium to full-bodied, and will be better with short-term cellaring. This cuvée from a site in Carneros is a mix of Mount Eden and Dijon 777 clones and spent 17 months in 30% new French oak. 298 cases.

The 2017s From Sonoma From a site in the middle of Anderson Valley, the 2017 Pinot Noir Abel was aged 16 months in 15% new French oak. Black cherries, spice box, spring flowers, and forest floor notes all flow to a medium-bodied, juicy, incredibly elegant Pinot Noir that has bright acidity yet an upfront, juicy feel.

Get Ready: The Super Italians Are Coming Big and rich wine with lots of fruit and tannins. Plenty of wood, too. Full body. Needs two or three years to soften.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings There’s a commanding thread of rich dark plum and berries here with dried, woody spice and earthy notes. The palate is very composed and delivers good length with a compact, contained feel. Plenty of tannin. Certified organic. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings This youthful ‘village’ red has a very vibrant, energetic and composed feel with abundant mulberry, blueberry and raspberry aromas that flow to a composed, spunky palate that has vividly appealing fruit. A blend of 40% grenache, 21% mourvedre, 14% shiraz, 12% cinsault, 11% carignan and 2% counoise. Drink now. Screw cap.

This ruby colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Stonestreet shows really nice finesse. It opens with a fragrant cranberry and black currant bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, nicely balanced, silky smooth and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a tasty flinty mineral influenced black currant with notes of old oak, black olive and hint of green pepper. The finish is dry and its refined tannins fade away nicely. I would drink this Cab soon, as it is showing nicely now. It would pair perfectly with a filet mignon.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard is also rock solid and offers a richer, more concentrated style as well as notes of white peach, leafy herbs, underbrush, and a rocky, mineral-like character that takes time to emerge from the glass. Nicely balanced, it’s a serious, age-worthy Sauvignon that will keep for over a decade.

The 2017s From Sonoma Moving to the Chardonnays, the 2017 Chardonnay Estate was fermented and aged 11 months in 33% new French oak. It’s a clean and crisp, with terrific notes of stone fruits, brioche, and white flowers. Possessing medium to full body, ample pure fruit, and a balanced style, drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

Sensuously fragrant, this Chardonnay also delivers a delicious taste experience. The fruit, influenced by citric notes lightly seasoned with oak, is anchored by just enough acidity and a hint of stony minerals. The texture is medium-full and the finish is very satisfying.

The 2017s From Sonoma A slightly bigger wine than the Sonoma Coast, the 2017 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley offers tons of rich black fruits, cola, and smoked earth characteristics in its medium to full-bodied, rounded, textured profile. Coming from a mix of sites, mostly destemmed (there are 15% whole clusters), and brought up in 17% new French oak, it’s a rocking little wine that delivers loads of pleasure.

The 2017s From Sonoma From a slightly higher elevation vineyard in the Russian River Valley (which is surrounded by old vine Zinfandel), the 2017 Pinot Noir Parsons' Vineyard offers plenty of classic Russian River character in its red and black fruits, cola, bay leaf, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. Nicely textured, ripe, and sexy, drink it over the coming 4-6 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma Impressive notes of smoked earth/charcoal, pineapple, and apple blossom emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Kelli Ann Vineyard. It’s a medium to full-bodied, rounded, supple effort that has plenty of sweet fruit, a big texture, and no hard edges. This is a beautiful, pleasure-bent Chardonnay to drink over the coming 2-3 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2017 Chardonnay Bennett Valley is another charmer that delivers incredible quality. Notes of citrus, melon, white flowers, and a chalky minerality all give way to a beautifully balanced, medium-bodied, layered Chardonnay that has good acidity as well as purity of fruit. Brought up in 22% new French oak, it’s another beauty from winemaker Marcia Torres Fornon that’s ideal for drinking over the coming 2-3 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma More exotic, the 2016 Pinot Noir Fog Veil comes from the estate Piner and Piner-Olivet Vineyards in the Russian River and was aged 15 months in 37% new French oak. Lots of red and black fruits, baking spices, dried earth, and even a hint of caramelized orange zest give way to a medium-bodied, rounded, supple, nicely textured Pinot Noir that has loads of character. Drink it over the coming 4-6 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma Moving to the reds, the 2017 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate was brought up 30% new French oak and is a mix of 777, 667, and Calera clones. Plenty of smoked black cherries, spice, and charcoal notes emerge from the glass, and it’s medium-bodied on the palate, with terrific purity and freshness as well as balance. It’s another incredibly high-quality release from winemaker Randy Ullom.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Estate is a beauty. It comes all from estate vineyards in Alexander Valley and spent a full 20 months in 47% new French oak. This medium to full-bodied, fresh, concentrated Cabernet offers classic Sonoma character as well as notes of crème de cassis, spice box, vanilla bean, and smoky oak. Elegant, nicely textured, and beautifully balanced, it’s well worth seeking out and will keep for over a decade.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Estate Trace Ridge is another terrific wine. Coming all from Knights Valley and 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 47% new French oak, it offers outstanding notes of cassis and black cherry fruit intermixed with hints of white flowers, violets, lead pencil shavings, and just a hint of rocky minerality. Focused, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, give bottles 2-3 years and it should develop beautifully over the following 15 years or more.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings Bold, powerful raspberries and a fleshy and punchy feel to the palate with a overlying sheen of sweet spices. The texture is smooth, fleshy and mouth-filling with plenty of tannin. Structured and long. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings A bold, plum and spice style with cedary oak and an unmistakably Australian edge. The palate has impressive depth and fresh red-plum flesh with firmish tannins, cradling ripe and zesty red plums. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The 2017s From Sonoma The appellation 2017 Zinfandel Russian River Valley is terrific and certainly well worth seeking out. It’s also a great value. Notes of blueberries, sandalwood, peppery spice, and violet notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, upfront, and straight-up delicious Zinfandel that I’d be happy to drink.

The 2017s From Sonoma From a site in the Russian River Valley that spent 10 months in 50% new French oak, the 2017 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard offers outstanding complexity in its dark fruits, spice, and peppery herb-laced aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it has a pretty, juicy, delicious style that’s ideal for drinking over the coming 7-8 years.

Precise and tightly wound right now, offering expressive blueberry, white pepper and evergreen aromas that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins.

The head-pruned vines at the vineyard behind Don Hartford’ house are more than 100 years old, their deep roots providing a bright and detailed zinfandel with meaty depths of flavor. It’s a little reduced at first, with some orange-zest volatility that bring up a brisk, mineral feel in the tannins. Clean, supple and seamless, this would complement roast duck with cherries.

Wine of the Week When I see a nearly five-year-old Sauvignon Blanc, I get worried. Really worried. Unless, of course, it says “Sancerre” on the bottle. With this bottle, I might have to expand that universe just a tad. This is delightful. Tropical and flinty on the nose with the slightest hint of that characteristic “cat pee.” The palate is still surprisingly fruity with great tartness and wet rock. Wow, this is good. Excellent... As I mentioned in the note above, I am usually not a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but this is not a usual Sauvignon. Even though the price of the 2014 Matanzas Creek Winery Sauvignon Blanc Bennett Valley is a bit higher than the average New World Sauvignon Blanc, there is little doubt in my mind that it is worth it, and worthy of Wine of the Week honors.