USA, California, Central Coast: The 2017 Vintage in Santa Barbara County The 2017 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills has a fresh, open nose of Golden Delicious apple, yellow pear, acacia flowers, crushed stone and white peach. Light to medium-bodied with ripe fruits and integrated acidity, it has a long, minerally finish.

The Upper Barn Vineyard was planted in 1982 to a Hyde-Wente selection (from the Hyde Vineyard in Carneros). Those mature vines, growing at an altitude of 1,800 feet in the Mayacamas Mountains, produced a rich, pear-scented chardonnay. Lisa Valtenbergs ferments it without added yeasts in barrels, where it completes malolactic fermentation and develops a buttery integration. As a young wine, it’s cool, simple and savory, with a structure built to age.

Fragrant, creamy, rich merlot with a sweet impression on the palate, abetted by a significant dose of sweet oak influence, this wine is made for maximum appeal, and achieves it. Tannins are broad-grained and plush, and the flavours spin in the black fruit spectrum, ripe and slightly jammy-sweet. Broad and plush, satisfying, a cold winters' nigh sort of wine. Tasted August 2019.

Here's a very fragrant merlot with nicely lifted red berry, herbs, vanillin, spice and some toast. A modern classic. It is full bodied, fairly dense, warm and juicy with good acidity and firm, slightly green tannin. Good tension here if still riding roughshod and warm at the moment. The length is excellent. Best 2020 to 2025. Last tasted August 2019.

Oregon: An Embarrassment of Riches and Richness Deep red. Fresh, spice-accented dark berry, cola and candied violet scents show very good clarity and pick up a hint of vanilla with air. Appealing sweet and plush in style, offering black raspberry, cherry-cola and spicecake flavors that deepen slowly on the back half. Closes with a touch of spiciness and fine-grained tannins that add shape and subtle grip to a clinging dark berry note.

Yangarra's Shiraz offers amazing complexity for the price. While it starts a little reductively, it opens after a short time in glass and out pours aromas of drying plums, tangerine, Kalamata olives, savory spices and warm earthy mineral nuances. The palate is precise and highly textural with talc-like tannins and a mouthfeel that seems as though you could crunch the wine like an apple rather than sip it. Drink now until 2027.

Mellow, smooth and balanced; smooth, silky and showing a crisp acid structure; long and lovely with subtle toasty oak elements.

Well-structured and juicy, with focused white fruit and dried coconut flavors, featuring creamy accents. The spicy finish is rich, showing hints of dried tarragon.

The 2009 Napa Valley Cabernets at Age 10 Bright dark ruby. Distinctly wild aromas of blackberry, minerals, game and leather, plus a whiff of Band-Aid. Dense, powerful, Cabernet Franc-dominated wine with vibrant, downright penetrating black fruit and licorice flavors. Fairly thick but still tight in the middle palate, with flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes with slightly edgy, building tannins that saturate the front teeth and incisors. Twenty-four hours in the recorked bottle brought a somewhat plusher texture and more breadth, but the leathery quality still impinged on the wine's fruit, limiting its complexity. While the wine's superb density of grain is undeniable, there's ultimately a bit too much Old World funk for me. I tasted two similar bottles.

Moderately light golden yellow color in the glass. A flamboyant wine with aromas of pineapple, yellow apple and buttery croissant. On the palate there is a rich display of well-ripened citrus and honey flavors with a delicate backing of toasty oak. Soothing in texture with integrated alcohol.

This is a classic, more traditional Napa cab that shows blackcurrant/cassis ripeness without losing cabernet's herbal, foresty complexity. Then all is nicely framed by oak resin, vanilla and spice. It is certainly full bodied, fairly thick, dense and soft, with firm tannin. The length is excellent. Should age well for a decade, but try it whenever if you give it some time to aerate.

Extremely jubilant aromas of Fruit Stripe gum, guava, pineapple and mango make for a fresh and lively nose on this bottling. The palate zips with acidity that cuts through the ripe peach, pear and pineapple-guava flavors, which are powerful yet framed in a tense texture.

Graphite notes accent the rich, fruity blend of cherry, currant and plum flavors, supported by lively acidity. Minerally and red licorice elements emerge on the fresh finish, with hints of white pepper. Drink now through 2023.

Intense notes of hot stone and slate accent the dried cherry and berry flavors. Floral hints show midpalate, with a powerful finish that is rich and mineral-infused. Drink now through 2024.

This dark yellow colored Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson is very good. It opens with a fragrant pineapple, oak and lemon bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and has a very soft and round mouthfeel. The flavor profile is a grilled pineapple and toasted oak blend with notes of lemon. I also detected a hint of minerality, vanilla and green apple. The finish is pleasant and drifts away nicely. I would most likely drink this very nice Chard on its own. With food, I would pick a lobster.

This bright red colored Pinot Noir from the La Crema is very good. It opens with a strawberry and cola bouquet with a hint of blueberries. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and has a pleasant round mouthfeel. The flavor profile is a Dr. Pepper and mild red raspberry blend with notes of caramel and clove. I also detected a hint of coffee and strawberry mixed in. The finish is dry and its mild tannins show nice length for a Pinot. This Pinot from the Russian River Valley is savory and would pair well with a grilled pork chops with cherry sauce.

Special Report: Chianti Classico This 2,500-acre estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga, owned by California’s Jackson Family Wines, sources grapes for its Riserva from south-facing blocks, where the fruit ripens into flavors of black raspberry, cassis and roasted red pepper. Ten months of aging in French oak barriques enriches those deep fruit tones with notes of dark chocolate, vanilla and peppery spice. Best Buy.

From rolling hills in the shadow of the Santa Lucia Highlands, this wine leads with scents of cedar, hinting at oak; its flavors are lined with wintry spice, the textures silky, finely woven and calling for sturgeon.

Dense, rich, very ripe, sweet wood and coconut-inflected cabernet here from Stonestreet's gorgeous Alexander Mountain Estate in Sonoma County, polished, slick and ambitiously made. The palate is thick and dripping with fruit extract, while wood, as on the nose, still needs some time to fully integrate, though will always remain a dominant feature with its dusty coconut husk-vanilla profile. Tannins are soft and fleshy, and acids are equally soft. This is not a wine for the long term in my view, but start to enjoy around 2022 or so or hold for a few years after that. Solid and polished. Tasted March 2020.

White and yellow peach aromas meet with seared pear, grapefruit rind and sea salt on the nose of this bottling. It's very lively on the palate with a strong citrus tang that cuts through the underlying viscosity, finishing on a nutty kick.

Crunchy and well-spiced, with savory hints to the peach pastry and apple compote flavors. Juicy richness on the finish is powered by fresh acidity. Drink now through 2024.

Shows verve, with savory herbal shadings to the crunchy green apple and lemon-lime flavors. Fresh acidity powers the juicy finish. Drink now through 2023.

Open-textured and lush, with toasty accents to the glazed pear and lemon meringue flavors. The buttery finish shows a savory richness that lingers with smoky hints. Drink now through 2024.

Vibrant and snappy, with fresh cherry, black tea and orange peel flavors that pick up speed toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028.