Medium purple color. Deep, gorgeous nose of cassis and black currants, laced with a complex mix of earthy, smoky savory notes (charcoal, mesquite, grilled meat, black olive, pepper) with notes, also some vanilla, cedar. Structured but velvety on the palate, full but fresh, with moderating acidity. Rich blackberry and tart black currant fruit, topped with generous notes of charcoal, graphite, bay leaf, pepper, earth — the savory and spicy elements in here are lovely. I think age has really done wonders for this wine already, but it has many years of evolution ahead. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, aged 26 months in 62% new French oak.

Spicy pomegranate and strawberry ride along a road of thick concentration and tannin in this hearty vineyard-designated red. Perfumed aromatics deftly balance the richness with a freshness of sea spray and Asian spice persisting on the long finish.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hawkeye Mountain is deep, inky and powerful. Super-ripe dark cherry, pomegranate, mocha, blood orange and menthol infuse this succulent, racy Cabernet from vineyards in Anderson Valley. The Hawkeye boasts striking depth, texture and resonance.

Over the past decade or so K-J has moved into uber-premium California wines in a big way, yet the concept of value hasn’t been completely abandoned. The 2014 Grand Reserve Cabernet is a case in point. This is a superb Sonoma County Cab that delivers in a big way but at a price well below the competition. Richly layered with notes of blackberry and cassis, a splash of wood spice and beautifully integrated tannins, it’s a stunning California Cabernet at less than $30 a bottle.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Chardonnay Stature is a very pretty and expressive wine. Tangerine peel, spice, vanillin and butter notes are all laced together. Supple and racy in the glass, with attractive exotic overtones, the Stature is impeccably balanced in this vintage.

Precise, firm and focused, featuring a rich milk chocolate dimension that mingles with concentrated raspberry puree and blueberry flavors, showing dashes of dried rosemary and black tea. The finish is spectacular, revealing accents of sandalwood and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block is plump, juicy and quite sensual in feel. Soft contours and silky tannins help push the fruit forward. Red cherry jam, pomegranate, blood orange, spice, lavender and mint build as this succulent Pinot shows off its considerable charms.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard is plump, racy and super-inviting. Plush fruit and silky, polished tannins give the Fog Dance a feeling of sensuality that is impossible to miss. Bright red cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, hard candy and rose petal build into the succulent finish.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir (Marin County) is plump, juicy and open-knit, with terrific fruit presence and tons of sheer appeal. Ripe red cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, hard candy and mint are all pushed forward in this racy, alluring Pinot. This is a fabulous appellation-level wine and a real overachiever.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir Hailey's Block, from Arrendell Vineyard is another very pretty wine in this range. The Hailey's is distinguished by its striking inner perfume and silkiness. Medium in body and gracious, the 2016 has a lot to offer.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is bright, focused and nicely lifted. Gracious and light on it its feet, the 2016 has a good deal of vibrancy. Lemon confit, white flowers and persistent saline notes bring energy and focus.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Sevens Bench shows the natural richness and textural intensity that are such Carneros signatures. Orange peel, hazelnut, spice and tropical overtones give the Sevens Bench a slightly exotic feel that is quite appealing. Open-knit and gracious, the 2016 is quite expressive today.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard is laced with the essence of dark cherry, leather, spice, tobacco, cedar and menthol. Pliant and forward, with plenty of bright supporting acidity, the 2017 has a lot to offer. The earthy, spicy side of Zinfandel comes through nicely.

Napa 2016 Vintage: 5 Consecutive Years of Fantastic Wines Curious aromas of blackcurrants, smoked meat and tar follow through to a full body, round tannins, and a juicy finish. Shows balance and freshness. Everything in the right place now. Just starting to take on some herb and mushroom character.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Syrah High Rock Ranch is an intriguing wine from Copain. This site in the Yorkville Highlands yields an especially savory, tightly wound style. Dark fruit, game, licorice, smoke and tobacco all develop. The tannins remain forbidding though, and need time to soften. Readers should expect a brooding, inward Syrah.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond A gorgeous wine, the 2017 Chardonnay Brosseau is also one of the distinctive Chardonnays in this range. Orange peel, dried flowers, chamomile and sage all develop in the glass, but it is the wine's feel - the single most telling signature of Brosseau - that stands out most. This is a strong showing from Copain.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond Arrowood's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Crown is fabulous. Rich and explosive, the Knights Crown is almost shockingly sensual for a wine from Knights Valley. Racy and silky, the Knights Crown is more texturally finessed than most Knights Valley Cabernets, it is a wine of sheer sensuality and appeal.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Knights Valley) is very pretty. Bright, punchy and full of life, the 2016 has too much to offer. A rush of red berry fruit, flowers, savory herbs and crushed rocks runs through this super-expressive, delineated Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a gorgeous Knights Valley Cabernet. The mid-weight, energetic style is quite appealing.

By contrast, this is pretty and drenched in fruit. From a 2 acre block, with 50% whole berries. Open wild ferment and spends 10 months in old oak. Numbers: pH 3.53 TA 6.2g/L. Purple red it’s really quite pretty, with poised blackberry fruit coming in at all angles. It’s maybe lacking a little follow through, safe for late warmth, but the blackberried nature makes for naturally attractive stuff. Best drinking: Ready now to to ten years. 17.7/20, 92/100. 14.5%, $35. Would I buy it? Worth a few glasses.

Vintage Retrospective: The 1999 Napa Valley Cabernets Brighter dark red than La Muse. Aromas of redcurrant, plum, mocha and spices. Offers a captivating plump middle if not quite the plushness or sweetness of the Merlot-dominated La Muse. A hint of minty Cabernet contributes to the wine's impression of energy and definition. If this wine doesn't show quite the dimension of La Muse, it's more savory in character. Finishes with a firm dusting of tannins that avoid dryness.

Adam Lee's recent fascination with Châteauneuf-du-Pape translates to this bottling, which offers aromas of black plum, black currant, clove, cinnamon and star anise. It's rich and ripe on the plush palate with wild strawberry, more baking spice and firm tannins holding it altogether.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Encantadora, Matanzas Creek's Merlot-based red, is indeed charming. Bright red berry fruit and floral notes give this mid-weight Alexander Valley blend tons of appeal. A healthy dollop (20%) of Cabernet Franc adds brightness and vivacity. Drink this easygoing, polished red over the next 7-10 years.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley) is one of the more generous, sensual wines in this range from Kendall Jackson. Sweet red berry, mint, blood orange and rose petal are all finely sketched. Succulent and racy, with lovely resonance, the 2017 is enticing from the first taste.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Pinot Noir Outland Ridge emerges from Kendall Jackson's highest elevation vineyard in Anderson Valley. A burst of sweet dark cherry, plum, and spice infuses this super-expressive, layered Pinot. Deep, dark and impeccable in its balance, the Outland Ridge builds nicely in the glass.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Trace Ridge is a very pretty and expressive Knights Valley Cabernet. Grilled herb, leather, smoke, chocolate and game notes run through this virile, expressive Cabernet. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to soften. Today, the tannins are quite imposing.