Pale lemon color. Airy, breezy aromatics with lemon pith, green apples, topped in sea spray, baby’s breath and nettle, some mint. On the palate, this has lovely textural depth but a bright, sprightly appeal. Lemon, green apple, kiwi, fun and fruity but complexities abound: chalk, minerals, crushed stones, pure mountain stream. Notes of mint, honeysuckle and sliced cucumber round out the finish. Pure, lively, racy, fun, this is a killer Napa SB for the price. Fermented and aged in a mix of stainless steel, concrete eggs and old oak.

Black-plum, rose-petal and violet aromas converge on the nose of this clonal selection from a historic vineyard. There’s an earthy array to the sip, where leathery and loamy flavors meet with tart cranberry tones.

For such a widely available wine, this is an extremely reliable bet. Aromas of clean and light lemon, nectarine and sea salt are pleasantly mellow, while the palate offers balanced brushes of lemon peel and white peach, wrapped in a soft yet acid-boosted texture.

Wonderful spicy, minty aromas and complex fruit, spice and toast flavors fill out a moderately tannic frame in this full-bodied, lavishly oaked and sophisticated wine.

The nose is an herbal perfume with aromatic sap and cracked pepper. The palate entry is bright, sticky and ripe leading to a full-bodied core of dried prune plum providing polished richness and depth finishing with fine acidity. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is a savory tapenade, graphite, strawberry and cherry conjuring complex earth aromas. The palate is firm tobacco, dried plum skin and mineral. Drink 2020 -2025.

The nose is sticky strawberry and nectarine with notes of blueberry. The palate entry is full and generous with plenty of structure and dimension in the core with a persistent, faceted finish. Drink 2020 -2025.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageMedium ruby, the 2016 Pinot Noir Terres Basses opens with broody scents of dried tobacco leaves, tar, blackberries and black currants with touches of cinnamon stick, dried citrus peel and amaro. The palate is medium-bodied and silky with youthfully coiled fruits, grainy tannins and juicy freshness, finishing bitters-laced. Give this another year in bottle.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageThe 2017 Chardonnay Willamette Valley was barrel fermented with 75% malolactic fermentation, and it aged in about 30% new oak. It has inviting scents of poached pears and red apple skin with notes of white blossoms, white peach, cheese rind and oyster shell. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a lightly rounded texture and a good core of fruit lifted by juicy acidity, finishing long, clean and refreshing. A restrained but approachable style of Chardonnay.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageMedium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley opens with inviting scents of shaved nutmeg, cinnamon stick, warm cranberry sauce, rhubarb and ripe raspberries with accents of warm earth, blackberries and autumn leaves. The palate is medium-bodied and silky with grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on an earthy note.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageThe 2017 Riesling Hyland Vineyard Old Vines comes from original, own-rooted 1972 plantings. It's scented of petrol, lime juice, crushed slate, ripe peach and a tropical undercurrent with citrus blossom perfume. The palate is light-bodied and tensile, with energetic acidity and a minerally undercurrent, finishing long and fresh. The IRF scale on the back label indicates this as medium dry—there is some perceptible sugar here—but the wine is nearly weightless in the mouth due to that tangy acidity.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageMedium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard gives up warm blackberries, cranberry sauce, loamy earth, bergamot, saline, crushed stone and pink peppercorn scents with amaro notions in the undercurrent. Medium-bodied, silky and fresh, it finishes spicy. This will benefit from one more year in bottle.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageThe 2018 Viognier has a nose of honeysuckle, meringue, ripe melon and a peachy core. It's medium-bodied and gently rounded in texture with intense but lively flavors and a long, floral-tinged finish.

USA, Oregon: Searching for Hidden Gems from Willamette Valley's 2017 VintageThe NV Brut Rosé is made up of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay, coming mostly from the 2016 vintage and containing five grams per liter dosage. The nose offers Red Delicious apple, baking bread, cheese rind, poached pears, white blossoms and crushed stone scents, and in the mouth, it's savory with sprightly mousse and a refreshing finish.

Both flavorful and well structured, this nicely balanced wine offers ripe black-cherry, sour cherry and spice elements that are generous but slightly restrained, providing good tension in the texture.

This wine is good and rich while staying balanced. It offers ripe plum and blackberry aromas, abundant fruit flavors and subtle oak spices. It will be hard to beat when a bold, firm wine is called for.

Made from Pinot Noir grapes, the Rose shows pretty white rose and damp earth tones that collide with undertones of blood orange rind and honeydew melon that meld in the glass. The palate has dazzling minerality and a silky texture that entices, delivering bright red fruits and citrus rind accents. This is just awesome stuff that will cellar well for another five years. Kudos to superstar winemaker Erik Kramer.

The 2019 Gran Moraine Rose is another enticing Rose bottling from this great Oregon estate. On the nose this takes on layers of melon and ripe raspberry tones that are woven together with wet stone accents that mingle in the glass. The freshness, astringency and texture is awesome here, as mouth-watering acidity greets you mid-palate. This really needs a hot summer afternoon.

The 2016 Gran Moraine Chardonnay is an outstanding wine that was aged for fifteen months in a combination of French oak barrels and stainless steel before bottling. Toasty brioche, Macadamia nut and shades of Pink Lady apple all fill the nose. The palate is beautifully balanced with a vibrant sense of acidity. With marvelous length, this beautiful bottling will be best enjoyed over the next seven to ten years.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Afleet is pretty and beautifully lifted. Delicate floral and spice notes grace this ethereal, silky Pinot. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries and white pepper, along with 30% whole clusters, give the Afleet its gracious feel.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is pretty, floral and quite savory. Cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, mint and earthy notes all develop nicely with a bit of air. Time in the glass releases some of the wilder, gamier notes that are typical of this Sta. Rita Hills site.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir (Russian River) is a very pretty appellation-level wine in this range. Floral, finely cut and lifted, the 2018 captures all of the energy of the growing season. Crushed red berries and floral notes add energy to this medium-bodied, refreshing Pinot. I can hardly wait to taste the rest of the 2018 Hartford Court Pinots.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Seven's Bench is soft, creamy and engaging—all qualities that make it an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years. Spice, leather, cedar and earthy tones give the Seven's Bench a distinctly brambly character that is quite appealing.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Syrah Les Voisins is a very pretty and expressive Yorkville Highlands Syrah. Savory herbs, tobacco, mint and dried cherry are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop in the glass. The 2017 has so much going on, especially within its peer group.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Côte Bannie is a powerful, dense wine. A whole range earthy, savory notes add to an impression or rusticity that accompanies the dried cherry, plum and sage flavors. This pleasantly rustic Pinot is best enjoyed at the dinner table. There is plenty of personality, that much is clear.