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.

Perhaps the most classic Chardonnay of the bunch, the 2018 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay boasts attractive notes of toasted nuts alongside hints of white peaches and grilled pineapple. All Mendoza clone aged in 20% new oak, it's medium-bodied, defined by its concentrated pineapple flavors. Punchy and direct, it finishes long and citrusy.

COMMENTARY: The 2016 Cambria Estate Vineyard & Winery Clone 4 Chardonnay offers excellent persistence and complexity. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with lovely aromas and flavors of dried earth, sandalwood, apple, and oak. Enjoy it shellfish in a cream sauce.

Lush and chocolatey black fruits nose with some flamboyance. Grippy, concentranted and intense with roasted meats on the finish.Drinking Window 2020 - 2040

This shows a mix of floral, herb and spice notes out front, followed quickly by cassis and plum puree flavors that streak through a long, polished finish, where the herb accents reemerge. Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Drink now through 2025.

Ripe and mature-tasting, with decadent cooking spice notes to the brooding dark currant and dried berry flavors. Green olive details show on the viscous finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintageThe medium ruby colored 2018 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a perfumed nose of warm blackberries, bright red cherries and cranberries with nuances of underbrush, dried flowers and warm spices. Medium-bodied, it’s bright, open, juicy and lively in the mouth with loads of spice and perfume, finishing long.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintageMedium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard offers cranberry sauce, blueberries and blackberries with nuances of earth and floral perfume. The palate is medium-bodied, concentrated and perfumed with a grainy, fresh frame and long finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintageMedium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands has bright, open-knit aromas of red and black cherries, warm earth and roasted cranberries with nuances of tar, black tea leaves and underbrush. Medium-bodied, it’s bright and pretty in the mouth with touches of floral perfume, a grainy frame and good freshness, finishing long.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintagePale to medium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is scented of blackberries and smoked cranberries with touches of citrus peel, tea leaves and spices. The palate is light to medium-bodied with an equally earthy, fruity character, a silky texture and bright, uplifted finish.