Splits the difference between pure and well-oaked fruit, with a structured beam of vibrant green apple and pear flavors. The result is a deftly balanced, deeply nuanced, rich and layered wine of notable vibrance and edginess.

Light, bright gold. Sexy, floral-accented aromas of orange, poached pear, iodine and honey, with a minerally topnote. Densely packed and firm, with very good clarity to its citrus fruit, iodine and buttered toast flavors. Finishes silky and long, with suave aromatic persistence.

Vivid yellow. Zesty lemon and green apple aromas are complemented by notes of iodine, sweet butter and anise. Taut and linear on the palate, displaying intense, mineral-accented citrus zest and floral qualities. The mineral element repeats strongly on the pure, focused finish.

Bright gold. Fresh melon and peach pit scents are brightened by suggestions of smoky minerals and white flowers. Fleshy and deep in pit fruit and floral flavors but also lively and minerally, with a zesty orange pith note on the back half. Finishes with striking persistence, leaving honeydew and peach notes behind.

Generous oak, butterscotch and hazelnut aromas on the nose give way to full-bodied richness on the palate. Lovely green apple and peach notes as well. A big chardonnay for those who love the genre.

A big, expressive style that's ultra rich, with ripe, pure, oak-laced fig, melon and spice, this is also very tight and worthy of short-term cellaring.

Bright gold. High-pitched aromas of orange zest, green apple, nutmeg and wet stone, with a building suggestion of exotic fruits. Dense and chewy but also fine-grained and bright, conveying a strong impression of extract without weight. Offers considerable immediate appeal, but also has the backbone for mid-term aging. Finishes long, with resonating mineral and spice notes.

Tight and focused, yet fleshy at points, this offers ripe, vivid white peach and nectarine flavors, reaching out to pineapple and ending with a beam of flavor.

Vivid yellow-gold. Floral, mineral-accented nose displays fresh orchard fruits, spices and a strong jasmine quality. Shapely and focused, with noteworthy purity and cut to its pear, nectarine and floral flavors. Fine-grained and gripping on the back end, finishing pure, stony and very long. Quite concentrated and tactile but there's nothing heavy about this. This got 20% new oak, the lowest amount of this year's releases.

The 2009 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard reveals an intriguing combination of expressive citrus, salt and crushed stone on a fairly large frame. The wine's balance and overall sense of harmony are first rate. A racy, saline-infused finish rounds things out in style. This is a gorgeous showing from Hartford. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

The 2008 Chardonnay Stone Cote (a block of vines within the larger Durell Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast) is an unfiltered, crisp, elegant white exhibiting notes of creamy creme brulee, white peach, apricot, and lemon blossom intertwined with hints of quince, wet stones, and nectarines. This beauty reveals unmistakable minerality as well as power allied to elegance. One of the best wineries in Sonoma, Hartford Family Winery, under the guidance of winemaker Jeff Mangahas, continues to fine tune an impressive portfolio of wines, all from cool climate sites. The three Chardonnays among the current releases are all outstanding.

Bright, greenish yellow. Pungent aromas of lime and orange pith, lemongrass, iodine, crushed stone and anise, plus a suggestion of jasmine. Juicy, savory and dry, with a gripping tactile quality to the bracing flavors of citrus and orchard fruits. Mint and smoky mineral notes add cut to the long, sappy, penetrating finish. Lots of Wente clone here, says winemaker Mangahas.

The 2008 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard is a cross blend of four separate sources in Russian River. Crisp, zesty notes of citrus, peaches, lemon oil, candied apples, and brioche along with tart acids are found in this lean Chardonnay as well as impressive minerality and a long finish. One of the best wineries in Sonoma, Hartford Family Winery, under the guidance of winemaker Jeff Mangahas, continues to fine tune an impressive portfolio of wines, all from cool climate sites. The three Chardonnays among the current releases are all outstanding.

Bright gold. Powerful scents of papaya, pear skin and tangerine, with a strong mineral underpinning. Sharply focused citrus and orchard fruit flavors pack a serious punch and gain a smoky mineral and floral character with air that repeats on the lingering finish. This is the most vibrant of this set of chardonnays.

Light gold. Leesy pear and yellow plum aromas display a waxy, minerally character that reminded me of a Loire Valley chenin blanc. Ripe orchard fruit and citrus flavors are firmed by juicy acidity, which adds refreshing bite and clarity. Nervy lime and pink grapefruit flavors build on the long, spicy finish, which echoes the waxy note. Lots of flavor and power here, but the impression it leaves is of elegance rather than weight.

Hazy yellow-gold. Smoky, leesy orange and pear aromas give way to white peach and floral honey with air, but maintain energy. Rich and chewy, with deep orchard and pit fruit flavors braced by zesty orange and lime qualities that carry through the long, powerful finish. Plenty open today but there's enough material here to reward cellaring.

Green-gold. Bright, mineral-accented melon and orange aromas, with a hint of white flowers. Crisp, focused citrus and orchard fruit flavors display impressive precision as well as excellent concentration. Fills in nicely on the finish, which shows refreshing mineral lift and outstanding persistence.

Hartford's 1999 Zinfandel High Wire Vineyard contains 15.8% alcohol, but you would never suspect that from tasting it. Bottled without filtration, this wine offers an opaque purple color as well as explosive aromas of blackberries, pepper, and spice. In the mouth, ripe cherries also make an appearance in this unctuously-textured, rich, full-bodied, exuberant, superbly-concentrated, well-balanced Zinfandel. These wines are best consumed during their robust, powerful youth - over the next 5-6 years.

Medium-dark purplish ruby; attractive, ripe, spicy, blackberry and boysenberry fruit aroma with herbal notes and hints of mint, dried herbs, and milk chocolate; full body; deep, concentrated, ripe, layered, dark berry fruit flavors with herbal notes and undertones of spicy oak; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Rich, ripe, and relatively mature flavors make this wine very approachable and enjoyable to drink now as it developed with airing in the glass, though also worthy of several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

The awesome Hartford 1999 Zinfandel Fanucci-Wood Road is a powerful, concentrated, intense effort produced from 90-year old vines. Don Hartford said a touch of Petite-Sirah was added, but that was not noticeable. It offers abundant quantities of blackberry and cherry liqueur-like aromas and flavors, along with pepper, minerals, and spice. Voluptuously-textured, intense, fragrant, pure, and decadent, this dazzling Zinfandel should drink well for a decade.

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.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is distinguished by a real sense of weight and gravitas. Leather, cedar, licorice, tobacco and dried herbs add layers of nuance. The Fanucchi-Wood Road is the darkest and most powerful of these Zinfandels from Hartford, which is probably attributable to a field blend that includes Petite Sirah.

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.