The 2017s From Sonoma The 2016 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block comes from an east facing slope just outside the town of Occidental and spent 16 months in 31% new French oak. It’s a complete, balanced, medium to full-bodied effort that does everything right, giving up a huge bouquet of smoky black fruits, tobacco leaf, forest floor, and wood smoke. This big, masculine 2016 has plenty of tannins, a great mid-palate, and no shortage of length on the finish, it just needs 2-3 years of bottle age to show at its best.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Jennifer’s sashays out of the glass with heart-stopping violets and lilacs over a core of redcurrants, Bing cherries, mulberries and black raspberries plus wafts of underbrush, spice box, black tea and black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with spice and earth layers, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and finishing very long and mineral-laced.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2016 Pinot Noir Hailey's Block is thrilling stuff sourced from the Arrendell Vineyard, which is a cool site in the Green Valley portion of the Russian River. Aged 16 months in 34% new French oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered, it has a big bouquet of black raspberries, blood orange, savory spices, and crushed violets. Incredibly complex, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated, with fine tannins, it’s another incredibly satisfying, complete Pinot Noir well worth seeking out. 248 cases.

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Jennifer’s leaps from the glass with exuberant raspberry preserves, cranberry tart and black forest cake notes with touches of wild thyme, red roses and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate simply sings of red and black berry flavors complimented with dried herbs and savory notes, supported by firm, very fine-grained tannins and great freshness, finishing very long and perfumed. Should age wonderfully!

From a cooler, windy site south of Sebastopol, the 2015 Pinot Noir Jennifer's is a bigger, richer, structured effort. Blackcurrants, black cherries, graphite, scorched earth and beautiful violet notes give way to a concentrated, fresh, tannic Pinot Noir that certainly has the fruit and texture to shine now but will be even better in 2-3 years.

Stone Côte is sourced from a block within the Durell vineyard. It receives native yeast fermentation and is barrel fermented in French oak, 37% new, where it ages for 16 months prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The 2015 Stone Côte Vineyard Chardonnay offers mind-blowingly gorgeous ripe pineapple, peach blossom and pink grapefruit notes with a gregarious undercurrent of candied ginger, allspice, butterscotch and brioche. Big, rich and full-bodied, there’s a seductive oiliness to the texture with fantastic concentration of a very long finish.

Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche Vineyard, composed of 94.1% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5.9% Merlot, has an expressive, savory nose of black olives, roasted nuts and sandalwood with a core of cassis, blackberry pie and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied and laden with black fruits, earth and baking spice notions, it has a firm structure of grainy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long. Forget it for 2-4 years and drink it over the next 25+.

Deep ruby-red. Vibrant nose offers cassis, blackberry, licorice, minerals, tobacco leaf and violet. Rich, tactile and deep, offering outstanding energy for the vintage. Boasts a rare combination of explosive fruit intensity and elegance. Builds and echoes dramatically on the vibrant, nuanced finish, which saturates the palate with dark fruits and minerals. This shut down in the glass but my recorked bottle showed uncanny freshness after three days in the refrigerator.

Bright ruby-red. Aromas of crushed cassis, bitter chocolate and espresso called to mind a top Pauillac. Densely packed and sappy, offering outstanding precision of dark fruit and mineral flavors and inner-mouth floral perfume. Still quite tight but the wine's building tannins and palate-staining length suggest that it will go on in bottle for two decades or more.

Coming from the same site used for their Blanc de Blancs, the 2023 Chardonnay Red Point Vineyard is a more golden yellow color and has layered complexity and dark flinty reduction giving way to grilled pineapple, ginger, and honeyed citrus oils. Full-bodied and deeply textured, it still retains terrific energy and bright acidity throughout. Drink 2026-2040.

The 2023 Chardonnay Gravel Bench Vineyard is a bright yellow/silver color and features a gravelly mineral drive that defines the wine. Once heavily marked by new oak, the élevage has been reduced dramatically and now sits closer to 20% new oak, allowing the terroir to shine through. Aromas of saffron-like spice, lifted minerality, and subtle flinty smoke emerge from the glass. Silky and rounded, it has terrific balance, saline energy, and a refined backbone that should allow it to improve over the next decade or more. Drink 2027-2042.

Stonestreet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith Pouring a youthful black/purple color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith Vineyard reveals notes of pen ink, espresso crema, blackcurrants, and plum. The thick skins bring intensity and angular tannins, though the structure never feels monolithic. Full-bodied, it remains balanced, with a silky texture, refreshing lift, and exceptional persistence despite its power and warmth. Very impressive all around. Drink 2026-2050.

Bright medium yellow; intense flinty reduction over smoked charcuterie and underlying lemon and grapefruit flavours. The acidity is energising and the wine has superior concentration and decent length. A generous and powerful chardonnay which also has poise and finesse

The 2022 Maggy Hawk Unforgettable Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, aged 16 months in 34% new French oak, perfectly straddles the line between power and poise. The wine achieves harmony between fruit, spice, and earth, delivering both vibrancy and depth without leaning too far in either direction. The bouquet unfolds with aromas of black cherry, wild raspberry, and dried rose, accented by subtle notes of clove, cedary herbs, and cocoa husk. The palate is plush yet finely tuned, offering layers of ripe strawberry and black tea supported by polished tannins and a gentle lift of acidity. Hints of allspice and forest air weave through the long, refined finish, adding complexity and nuance. It’s graceful now, but the structure promises an elegant evolution over the next decade. Pair this Pinot Noir with roasted squab served over lentils and pancetta, accompanied by a drizzle of balsamic reduction. 111 cases were made. Highly recommended.

The 2023 ‘Cascade’ utilizes clone 115 and 667 Pinot Noir. The wine was aged for 10 months in 44% new French oak barrels and it is fat and deeply concentrated stuff. Loaded with black and red fruits, with thyme, bay leaf and fresh sage notes, alongside salty soils, this beauty has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2026-2042

Nothing is quite as it seems. The focus is intense, with aromas showing a searing line of bright lemon pith cased in a stern mineral grip. Yet while the nose suggests severe austerity and an especially tight line, the flavour palette immediately ushers a flowing rhapsody of soft, supple lemon pith and fragile white peach with a lick of marzipan. The flavours may seem supple and subtle but they carry on and on, with remarkable persistence. Bright citrus rings like a crystal bell at the finish. This is only Giant Steps’ second release from this extensively re-worked vineyard, already showing serious elegance, but with the promise of much more excitement ahead.

Delicious dark fruit flavors in this
smooth, full-bodied wine. Nicely
framed by moderate tannins, offering
black cherry, dark plum, orange zest
and floral flavors. Excellent
concentration and balance. Drink now
or hold.

A luscious, mouth-filling, fruity and
spicy wine that’s silky in texture, with
good richness balanced by tangy
citrus acidity. Green apple, Bosc pear,
lemon zest and subtle ginger flavors.
Long and lingering finish. Drink now
or hold.

Super ripe and fruity at first, with
lavish flavors of oak spices, poached
apples, cinnamon and vanilla bean.
Sleek, full-bodied and well balanced,
energized by lemon zest, lime curd
and vivid acidity. Drink or hold.

The W.S. Keyes Vineyard is one of the last remaining Chardonnay blocks on Howell Mountain. Approximately 30% of the fruit is sent directly to press and then to barrel, where it undergoes native fermentation. The remainder is fermented on the lees and divided between barrels and 130-gallon new French oak puncheons, with the balance aged in used barrels. The wine sees 22 months of lees stirring and does not undergo malolactic fermentation, with just 12% new oak overall. In 2023, the wine is incredibly bright, fresh, and mineral-driven, bursting with vivid citrus fruit, anise, and pressed floral notes. Ultra-fresh and inviting, it delivers mind-boggling saline acid tension, crushed Marcona almond nuances, and a finish marked by subtle beeswax and honeycomb.

Sourced from blocks at the front of the Cardinale estate on the east side of Highway 29, this wine comes from the same Bale clay loam soils found across the road in To Kalon Vineyard. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 19 months in 56% new French oak. In 2023, Colline is notably acid-driven, a trait that accentuates the tannins, which are profoundly layered, expressive, and build steadily through the finish. Threaded throughout is a distinctive crushed-graphite and wet-rock mineral character, shining through layers of mixed berry fruit and Asian spice. Powerful, distinctive, and complex, this is a wine with clear cellar potential and the structure to reward patience.

Blueberry, wild blackberry and huckleberry flavors are generous and fresh, with forest floor accents including crushed pine needle and rosemary. Darjeeling, black pepper and five-spice powder notes leave an aromatic thread. With a muscular frame but plush tannins, this is velvety in feel, showing a long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2038.—M.W.

This is juicy up front, with generous notes of plum, cherry and blueberry, but the savory, umami thread of porcini, loamy earth and hinoki accents is what sets this wine apart. Herbal details of sage, bay leaf and palo santo, along with malty Assam, leave a strong impression on the finish, where the tannins firm up slightly. Drink now through 2039.—M.W.

Blood orange, raspberry and cranberry flavors are plush, supple and juicy, with notes of matcha and cumin, plus a touch of wild thyme. Impressive for its vividness and precision, with a long, expressive finish, where details of lavender and tomato leaf linger. Drink now through 2039.—M.W.

Shows an impressive, focused and generous mix of salted and preserved lemon, grilled pineapple, and guava notes that are aromatic, precise and juicy. Details of sesame seed candy, brown butter, crunchy sea salt and crispy shortbread add complexity, as does the floral thread of orange blossoms. There’s plenty of harmony and a persistent finish. Drink now through 2038.—M.W.