USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesMade from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (coming from the vineyard surrounding Cardinale winery), the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville was aged for 27 months in French oak barrels, 58% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts on the scene with bold cassis, plum preserves and red currant jelly scents plus hints of pencil shavings, dusty soil and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with a firm, grainy texture and bold freshness, it delivers bags of black fruit and a lively herbal lift on the finish.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2019 Chardonnay underwent 50% malolactic and spent nine months in oak barrels, 40% new. It opens with expressive poached pears and apple pie scents plus nuances of powdered ginger, honey toast and mandarin peel. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating spiced-apple flavors with a racy line and great length.

This pale garnet colored Pinot Noir from WillaKenzie opens with pleasant strawberry licorice and maraschino cherry bouquet with hints of wet slate and cola. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, round and slightly lush. The flavor profile is a very tasty red plum and red currant blend with notes of earthy minerality and vanilla. I also detected hints of strawberry licorice and maraschino cherry similar to what I found on the nose at the very end. The finish is subtle and the flavors drift away nicely. While this is not the most complex Pinot you will try, it is very yummy and the bottle will not last very long. I would pair this crowd pleasing Pinot with good music and cooking.

This opaque and dark purple colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Galerie opens with a dark chocolate, oolong tea and black currant bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, slightly acidic and round. The flavor profile is a black olive and blackberry blend with notes of cedar, crushed stone and dark chocolate. There is hints of stewed plum and black pepper towards the end. The finish is dry and its dusty tannins drift away nicely. This Cabernet would pair well with savory British beef olives.

Another new cuvée from Willakenzie, the pale ruby colored 2017 Pinot Noir Clairière has earthy tones of underbrush, bay leaves and tobacco with fresh cranberry and citrus fruit. The light-bodied palate is delicately styled with elegant, pure, lifted fruit character and a long finish.

Medium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard opens with delicate notions of charcuterie, aniseed, forest floor and dried blackberries, offering up more nuance with time as it sits in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is firm and juicy, with broody, earthy fruits and loads of energetic lift, finishing long and savory.

The 2019 Viognier explodes from the glass with lychee, dried green herbs, white peaches and musk. The palate is medium-bodied, silky, fresh and bright with loads of floral fruits and a lifted, energetic finish. Lovely!

73% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay. Another faintly hued wine, which is slightly more orange than pink, but it is definitely in the splitting hairs realm of argument. Tart on the nose, quite lovely, even. Heavy on tartness, subtle fruit, layered. Yeah, I could hang out here for a while, even a long while. Perhaps not to the level of the top wines here, but it is close, really close. Excellent.

The 2017 Merlot Bennett Valley is laced with dark cherry, tobacco, cedar, licorice, menthol, dried herbs and a touch of oak. Medium in body, with terrific pliancy and plenty of character, the Bennett Valley Merlot has a lot to offer. I especially like the way it broadens on the mid-palate and into the finish.

This ruby colored Pinot Noir from Oregon opens with a cherry-cola and oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with plus acidity and a little sizzle. The flavor profile is a tasty blend of black cherry-cola and oak with notes of plum and mushrooms. I also detected hints of red currant and black pepper towards the end. The finish is dry and its flavors, managed acidity and gentle tannins drift away nicely. This very good value Pinot would pair well with a pork tenderloin seasoned with sage and garlic.

Another really lovely nose of round red berry fruit with some baking spice and minerality. The palate takes a minute or so to get going, but when it does, the fruit comes rushing in along with some complexity and drying tannins. More, please. Excellent.

Fruity, as in the “I wanna be a pleaser of the crowd” kinda fruity (i.e., a touch over-extracted, perhaps) with a slight hint of funk. The palate is a bit to the contrary. Yes, there is fruit, but it is surprisingly reserved and, well, in balance. Not at all the boisterous bully that I expected. In fact, this is quite nice. Excellent.

Lean and grippy with great balance, this is an awesome example of how Cali does Savvy B. It smells like honeysuckle flowers and a squeeze of lime with some sea salt. You could just chill with this wine, but a goat cheese and walnut salad with peppery arugula would shine with this bottle.

On the dark side, here, with a really muted nose. Rich fruit on the palate, though, really surprising. It is actually fantastic once it gets past the lips, with balance and nice flavors. Eventually, some candied cherry came through on the nose, but still rather faint. Excellent.

Back to the fruit here, albeit on the subtle side, with some smoke and flint but it is also rich and inviting. The palate is quite nice, with subtle fruit and plenty of that flint. Very nice. Excellent.

Rich and a bit dirty from this above-average colored wine. Black cherry, a tad on the sweet side on the nose. Also comes off as a tad sweet on the palate, but that comes from the fruit (I doubt there is RS). Tart, bright, not exactly my style (I would like some earth or spice), but this is another strong iteration of the variety. Excellent.

A smooth, mouthwatering mix of mango, Crenshaw melon, nectarine and lemon zest details on a succulent frame, with a thread of beeswax and lanolin weaving in and out. Shows plenty of style, with tremendous harmony on the finish. Drink now through 2027.

Light yellow color. Aromas of grapefruit, lemon and papaya with mountain stream, whipped honey and white flowers. Crisp but creamy on the palate with a stony, bright feel that balances well with juicy, fleshy texture, but it stays balanced throughout. Yellow plums, papaya, lime, mixed with chalk, mineral undertones and creamy, honeyed elements. A lot going on here, sort of like a bunch of different SB styles rolled into one, and it is done really well.

Poised aromas of waxy yellow fruit open to a more expressive palate. It’s broad and complex with a yeasty mouthfeel, layers of dried peach, apricot and hay, smoky minerals and a creamy finish. The acidity just balances the plush fruit and it should age into a savoury beauty.

Giant Steps is rightly known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but the 2018 Syrah is also a solid offering. A subtle touch of cedar accents blueberries and black olives on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate remains fresh, juicy and supple, finishing with ample length. It's just a fun wine to drink, reminiscent of a good Saint-Joseph in a sunny vintage.

This comes from Phil Sexton’s 75-acre vineyard on a north-facing hillside in Gruyere planted in 1997 (neighboring Yarra Yering and Coldstream Hills). The vines gave a clean, spicy, transparent red in 2018, with intriguing scents of peonies and Rainier cherries. The tannins carry some bitterness, of cherry pits and skins, suggesting a match with duck confit if you open it now. Better to cellar it for a few years to gentle the tannins.

Taut and even a bit wiry in structure, the 2018 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir looks to be a candidate for several years of cellaring. Pie cherries, cranberries and pomegranate notes predominate, accented by hints of earth and cedar on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is focused and streamlined, leading into a long, mouthwatering finish.

Dried lavender and talcum notes add an aromatic detail to the core of airy raspberry and orange zest flavors. Wonderfully elegant and open-knit, with a fresh thread of acidity and thyme accents on the finish. Drink now through 2033.

Marked by scents of mushrooms, compost and sous-bois, the 2018 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir is the earthiest and most savory of the 2018 Pinots from Giant Steps. Aged in 25% new oak, there are touches of mocha and cedar evident, but they're balanced by hints of red berries. The wine is medium-bodied and supple, with ultrafine, silky tannins and a mouthwatering finish.

Lemon curd, lime zest and hazelnut notes are creamy and supple, balanced by crunchy, minerally acidity that keeps the flavors in focus. Soft spice and cedar details echo on the finish. Drink now.