A pretty shade of bright pink in the glass, this bottling offers potent aromas of strawberry, cherry and orange peel on the nose. There’s a bit of power to the palate, with juicy cherry flavors that would pair well with roasted chicken, grilled salmon and summer salads

A lighter hue in the glass, this clonal study offers tart red-currant aromas on the nose as well as a prominent game note of seared and dried beef. That savory meat spice adds complexity to the brisk cranberry core of the palate.

Cleanly presented aromas of smashed boysenberry and black plum are lifted by cinnamon and mace on the nose of this bottling. Those spice elements hold firm through the sip, where Red Hot candy enlivens the rich redfruit core.

Clipped thyme and light pepper aromas spice up the intense blackberry elements on the nose of this bottling. There’s a tight texture to the palate, where tart cranberry, fresh currant, citrus rind and earthy flavors of sagebrush and thyme carry through the finish.

This pinot shows fragrant aromas of lavender, crushed hazelnuts, strawberries and hints of caramel. Polished with a medium body, mellow tannins and tangy acidity kicking in. Drink now.

Fresh and fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc from the esteemed Napa estate. Classic aromatics of smoky flint, cut Granny Smith apple and lemon zest. The palate is lively, balancing fresh citrus flavours with flinty aromatics of wet stone.

A delicate Anderson Valley pinot, this is light in color, focused on a crisp line of red fruit that lasts. It’s not about complexity, but the wine’s freshness holds well as it continues to open with air. Easy to enjoy with a range of foods.

Offers a friendly mix of loganberry and damson plum allied to a bright, racy frame, with a nice piercing savory thread running through the finish. Drink now through 2028

Under DIAM5. I found this in the cellar, but I had not added it to my inventory. I guess that is a bonus of sorts? I was out of town and my wife picked this up somewhere (Costco?) and apparently put it in the cellar without noting it anywhere. Yeah, that tracks. Pale straw in the glass with lemon curd and vanilla. Yum. The palate is similar, with plenty of fruit and that vanilla aspect, but there is also a boatload of acidity, which serves to hold it all together. Yes, Copain is now part of a corporate conglomerate, but the wines continue to perform at a very high level. Very nice.

This fabled vineyard from the Chalone appellation gave a wine with a lovely scent of sun-warmed berries, strawberries and juice. There’s a back note of black tea and chaparral herbs carried on a mulled-wine texture. A mid-weight red for ribs

There’s a sweet molasses note up front, then the fruit settles into its acid structure, integrated with the tannins. Skycrest Vineyard tops out at 2,000 feet above sea level, a steep hillside providing the fruit for this pinot.

This deep, rich expression of Zinfandel, delivers notes of overripe blueberry and blackberry, black plum jam, Mission figs, black-cherry compote, chocolate, vanilla, black pepper and a hint toasted wood. The voluptuousness of the fruit is well-met by the coarse, mouth coating tannins and elevated alcohol and balanced by a solid acid structure. Best Buy.

You may not know it, but La Crema has been producing wine for over 40 years. This 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is part of that proud heritage. This offers light lemon-lime, quince, honeysuckle, resin, apricot and guava notes. It’s a lighter style wine that makes it inherently better with a diversity of food. The acidity is in check due mainly to the use, predominately, of stainless steel, and just 27% went into neutral oak allowing for a flinty, tactile expression.

Both very well balanced and flavorful, this medium-bodied wine suggests red and black cherries backed by medium tannins for a good, appetizing grip in the texture. It’s a versatile wine for food pairings, and best through 2028.

Seductive and smooth, La Crema’s Sonoma Coast Pinot shows ripe raspberry, plum, sweet spices and a hint of cedar on the nose. The palate highlights La Crema’s softly textured style with layers of refreshing raspberry, dark cherry , and vanilla persisting on the finish. Enjoy this versatile Pinot with bacon-wrapped California Medjool dates, BBQ’d pork tenderloin with a cherry compote, beet salad with goat cheese, or lamb chops. All great pairings with this smooth and inviting Sonoma Coast Pinot. Tasted February 2023

Sophisticated and polished, this Monterey Pinot Noir is brimming with brambly red and black cherry, a hint of tobacco, clove and toast from oak. Features a slightly warming finish but overall very well balanced. Voluminous and with a luxurious feel created by supple but not understated tannins. Very good length. Best now to 2026. Tasted February 2023.

This is a plush and polished style of Merlot with oodles of cherry, cola, beets with their stems, green peppercorn and an olive savoriness. The palate is full figured; the tannins are a touch drying. Cut it with a steak knife, which you can then use on the steak beside it. But peek through the power and gloss to get at the balanced and site-expressive wine beneath. Drink 2024–2030.

A wine that’s been made since 1967, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a beautifully textured, medium-bodied, sweetly fruited charmer that has lots of cassis and redcurrant fruit, some spicy oak, ripe tannins, and the balance to evolve and drink nicely for a decade. I think it’s outstanding.

Deep red-purple colour with a sweetly ripe, charmingly fragrant bouquet, the palate backing up with good intensity of flavour and rather firm, taut tannins imparting a solid grip. A robust wine with a future. Right now, it needs some protein

In case you’re wondering, Siduri in literature is the bartender of the underworld. But winemaker Adam Lee’s Pinot Noirs are always otherworldly. The Oregon soils and climate give the wine aromas of cranberry and plum rather than strawberry. The acidity is bright, with a medium mouthfeel and very soft tannins. WW 91

An elegant white, with lush layers of poached quince and pear fruit, hints of honeysuckle, toast and pastry and minerally accents of graphite and saline. This has a succulent quality to the finely meshed acidity, which keeps this fresh through the long, lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2026. 1,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is bold, punchy and full of mountain character. There is some tannin that needs to resolve, but that should not be a problem in a few years' time. Blue/purplish fruit, graphite, lavender, spice and licorice are nicely pushed forward in this structured, mid-weight mountain Cabernet.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Skycrest Vineyard is a dark, racy wine. Black cherry, cloves, licorice, menthol and leather all run through this potent yet juicy Anderson Valley Pinot from Siduri. The Skycrest is not exactly subtle, but it does offer plenty of pleasure in an immediate, bold style.

The 2019 Syrah High Rock Ranch is dark, pliant and super-expressive. Ripe black cherry, plum, leather, spice and incense all take shape nicely. The High Rock offers
plenty of forward appeal. I would give the tannins a year or two to soften. Ultimately, though, this is a pretty accessible young Syrah.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Maggy Hawk offers up scents of dried cherry, cedar, tobacco, dried flowers, anise and orange peel. The flavor profile is distinctly Nebbiolo leaning, but with sweet Pinot tannins, naturally. All the elements are nicely balanced in this ethereal, understated Pinot.