13 West Coast Pinots at 90+ Points New reviews of elegant reds from California and Oregon Dried cherry, allspice and poached plum flavors show plenty of hot stone and brick notes, with cardamom and sandalwood details on the creamy finish.

Wines of the Week: 90 Point Bargains for Thanksgiving Notes of pineapples, peaches, butter, and vanilla greet the senses. The palate weaves together flavors of pineapple, peach, and passion fruit with suggestions of buttery oak and creamy vanilla. There’s a welcoming richness that’s balanced by a fresh acidity which makes it well suited for your appetizers or the turkey itself.

We admire this Chardonnay for its elegance also in the use of wood, which is present, but with the finesse to offer the basis for the fruit's brilliance and the excellent acidity. Chardonnay comes from its own vineyards in the coastal and cold districts of Monterey (36%), Santa Barbara (36%), Mendocino (14%) Sonoma (14% ), San Luiz Obispo (3%).

Medium to deep red/purple bright colour; the bouquet spicy, fresh earth and subdued raspberry fruit. The wine is medium-bodied and savoury, with more savoury and matured flavours than fresh, bright, jubey fruit. It's soft but drying on the tongue. A good wine and quite a different style to the sibling Yangarra grenaches. (Made from 54-year-old grenache vines on the property, planted before the Hickinbothams owned it. 473 cases made) the longer the wine is aerated. A wonderful glass of red wine.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two The 2016 Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton is medium ruby-purple in color with an open, gregarious nose of warm black and blue fruits—blueberries, black cherries and black berries—with meaty/savory notions plus lovely blue flower nuance. Medium-bodied and concentrated, it has soft tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing long with lots of sweet fruit.

Aged in French puncheons and concrete, this is an herbal, bright and buzzy white that's medium bodied and complex. Apricot dominates alongside hints of ginger and lemongrass.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two Medium garnet in color, the 1996 Pinot Noir Pierre Leon opens with dried cranberries and dried red cherries with notions of pipe tobacco, wood smoke, graphite, yellow raisins and charcuterie. It's light-bodied with lovely savory/tertiary characteristics in the mouth—smoked meats, pencil shavings, savory mushroom, dried leaves and sweet red fruits. It's still holding its structure well, with firm, grainy tannins and and a long savory finish.

Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Aromas of turned earth, oak cask and black cherry. A muscular, full-bodied style offering thick flavors of dark red and black cherry, blackberry, black tea, and espresso. There is sprightly acidity that keeps the fruit load upbeat. Highly atypical for this vineyard showing unusually prominent tannins, dark rather than red fruits, and sappy rather than demure fruit character.

Woody oak and elongated tannin mark this powerfully built wine, which is angular in acidity. Juicy citrus amplifies the freshness, lingering in cola and cardamom.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two "2011 was a cool, wet, really challenging vintage," says Lynn Penner-Ash. The 2011 Pinot Noir is pale to medium ruby in color with aromas of black cherries and warm blackberries with notes of dried floral perfume, cracked pepper, charcuterie and a hint of fried herbs. Light to medium-bodied, it’s peppery and black fruited in the mouth with Syrah-like notes of pepper, meat and herbs. It has very firm, chewy tannins and just enough freshness to lift the long savory finish.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two "In 2007 it was a little cooler, and it started getting wet through the entire growing season. We had some nice heat near the end of the vintage, but the damage was done—we had some problems with botrytis. We sorted excessively and threw out about 30% to 40% of the fruit due to rot and disease pressure." Pale to medium ruby-garnet in color, the 2007 Pinot Noir opens with a classic nose of black and red cherries, wet leaves, cola and wood smoke with notions of underbrush. Light to medium-bodied, it has restrained black fruit in the mouth with strong notes of earth—turned soil, wet bark, tea leaves and dust—with a frame of soft, grainy tannins and just enough acidity to carry the long earthy finish.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two "In 2003 it was really warm and it caught us all by surprise," says Lynn Penner-Ash of the early heat that year. "From about 2,100 to 2,200 heat units, we were up to 2,500 heat units. 2003 was the first year we started talking about acid additions and how to utilize them. We decided that we needed to balance these wines because they were intense, high sugar and low acid, and making the best wine from that vintage required an acid addition." Pale to medium garnet in color, the 2003 Pinot Noir has a nose of baked red cherries and baked cranberries with suggestions of dusty earth, dried leaves, fresh tobacco and Bergamot. The light to medium-bodied palate gives up plenty of dried red fruit character with notes of tobacco and Amaro. It has tensile, grainy tannins and juicy acidity carrying the orange peel-laced finish.

Weekend Wine Picks A large production pinot that is a mix of estate and grower vineyards but all within the cool, marine swept boundaries of Sonoma County. The parcels are kept separate until the final blend to capitalize on the best lots. Look for an earthy wild strawberry nose with a dusting of baking spices. On the palate look for cherries, plum, pomegranate and spice. It’s aged in 95 per cent French oak, but only 25 per cent is new. Delicious, drinkable and authentic.

Luscious, full-throttle chardonnay in a classically ripe California style. Generously oaked, this exhibits plenty of tropical fruit supported – if not slightly overwhelmed – by an up-front toffee-caramel essence. It’s balanced by good acidity as well as a pleasantly astringent grip and wood-spice dryness.

Weekend Wine Picks Chief winemaker Randy Ullom mixes Monterey County citrus and lime flavours with the mango and pineapple flavours of Santa Barbara County, the green apple notes of Mendocino County and Sonoma County’s ripe pears. The wine is fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels and aged sur lie. The combination of freshness and roundness with a mix of papaya, pineapple and mango flavours makes this a crowd favourite. It is fully ready to drink. Try it with a chicken salad or a favourite creamy pasta dish.

Sour lemon aromas meet with strong sandalwood and charred oak on the very woody nose of this bottling. Tangy lemon skin, lighter lemon blossom and viscous, nearly sweet oak flavors show on the palate, which is dominated by wood.

Plump, generous plum, black cherry and wild berry flavors are fleshy and polished, making for an easy-drinking charmer.

Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose offers primarily grounded aromas of mulch and potpourri with only hints of black cherry and vanilla. Full-bodied flavors of blackberry, black raspberry and cassis in a fat, saucy, lush style with modest tannins, a silken texture, and well-integrated alcohol. A weighty wine that packs a wallop but lacks a bit of verve.

This almost clear colored Sauvignon Blanc from Kendall-Jackson opens with a mild yellow grapefruit bouquet with a hint of lime zest. On the palate, this wine is light to medium bodied, pleasantly acidic and juicy. The flavor profile is a nice citrus blend of gentle lemon, yellow grapefruit and lime. The finish is dry and refreshing. This Sauvignon Blanc is food friendly and would pair nicely with swordfish kabobs. Very good.

Hibiscus, sumac, pepper and vanilla aromas show on the nose of this widely available bottling, which works as a midweek sipper. The fruit is fairly ripe and extracted, showing flavors of orange-cranberry juice, although the mouthfeel remains a bit thin.

Smooth and silky, this easy-drinking wine offers modest plum and cherry fruit, with touches of herb and earth.

Celebrate all year with California Zinfandel A couple of other hidden gems: a bright, juicy 2014 Edmeades Mendocino County…

Syrah Masters 2018: Master Between £20 and £30, we had no fewer than 14 Golds and one Master, showing the potential for Syrah to perform at the entry-point price-wise of the fine wine market. Noteworthy in this band was the excellence of a Syrah from California, hailing from the Yorkville Highlands AVA, based in the southern Mendocino County, and produced by Copain – a winery within the Jackson family portfolio.

A vertical tasting at Cardinale A dense and opulent wine with aromas of blueberry, blackberry, tobacco and cedar and sandy tannins that cover the tongue.

A vertical tasting at Cardinale Dark fruit notes, brown spices and a touch of sweetness with elegant tannins, this wine is still powerful after 23 years but also elegant.