2018 Santa Lucia Highlands: What a Difference a Year MakesBright ruby-red. Fragrant cherry and red berry scents pick up floral and spice accents as the wine opens up. Smooth and energetic on the palate, offering gently sweet raspberry and cherry flavors that show very good depth and seamless texture. Finishes long and supple, with repeating florality and discreet tannins framing a lingering berry note.

The nose is sultry, herb-laced red berry fruits with graphite and licorice. The palate entry is an expansive licorice and herb with soaked cherry and plum in the core. The finish is firm and intertwined with dry tobacco leaf. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is deep plum, green herbs and spice box leading to a silky palate entry of graphite and earthy black tea. Carries some substantial mass through the finish with lower acidity. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is clay-like strawberry, orange peel and fire-singed sticky marshmallow. The palate entry is candied orange, mineral and juicy acidity. A nice summer quencher when chilled. Drink 2020 - 2022.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018s Siduri's 2018 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) captures the essence of the appellation so well. Sweet dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and lavender race out of the glass in an exuberant, forward Pinot that is sure to find many admirers.

A light, elegant approach is taken to this mountain wine, robustly seasoned in sage, dried herb and clove. Herbaceous throughout, it represents the variety, vintage and provenance well, showing balanced, bright underlying acidity that softens the inherent power.

Made in a light, buzzy style, this red is juicy in wild strawberry, accompanied by savory threads of black tea and forest floor. Soft integrated tannins make it appealing in the glass, the acidity lively and complementary.

This is nice composite of Napa's smooth styling a cabernet's rugged character. The nose shows generous blackberry, herbal, tobacco and oak notes, while the mid palate delivers body, some lushness and sweetness. The alcohol is warm, the tannins are quite chewy and drying. The length is very good to excellent. I would age this five years.

Classic Napa cabernet here from this historic property in Oakville, complete with dark, black fruit and notable oak spice still present, even 5 years in. Tannins are a bit drying, and wood is also dominant on the palate, while the overall density and depth are good, if not excellent. All in all it could use a little more stuffing on the mid-palate; some additional cellar time should help soften the dusty tannins, though I fear with fruit fading that full harmony might never be reached. Drink over the next 5-6 years to capture what remains.

COMMENTARY: The 2016 Cambria Estate Vineyard & Winery Pommard Clone 4 Pinot Noir is vibrant and long. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers excellent aromas and flavors of tart strawberries and wild herbs. Enjoy it with grilled salmon.

Pinot Noirs are food-friendly for Thanksgiving and other occasions

This beauty from Oregon is a great example of what drives Pinotphiles to Oregon Pinot. It has heft without being heavy, exhibits richness and complexity and is just restrained enough to not overpower a grilled salmon, say, or roast chicken. This vintage delivers yummy red fruited aromas and a touch of fall spice.

Delicious, ripe, creamy. Golden in hue and ripe in style; lovely warm apple pie, toasted walnuts, browned butter, pineapple, melon and lemon meringue aromas lead to a palate with yellow fruit, spice and vanilla. Creamy and lengthy and wonderfully fresh; very appealing.

Harmonious and polished, featuring elegant raspberry and blueberry flavors, laced with cinnamon and spice details and finishing with sleek tannins. Drink now through 2025.

Hints of gunflint and graphite accent the dried dark fruit and spice flavors, backed by firm acidity and tannins. Forest floor elements show on the savory finish. Drink now through 2024.

Explosively fruity, featuring raspberry, red currant and red plum flavors, with zesty acidity and minerality. Pastry accents linger on the spicy finish. Drink now through 2024.

Firmly structured, with focused flavors of dark currant, green olive and dried raspberry flanked by accents of beef carpaccio and savory minerality. Drink now through 2024.

Heady and enticing, with hints of spiced red fruit, while the palate is braced with supple, soft tannins.

Graham Weerts blends this wine from two of the top parcels at the Jackson family’s Alexander Mountain Estate, Upper Barn and Cougar Ridge. It’s a bold chardonnay, powerful in flavor yet integrated, its oak prominenteven as the wine feels tense and clean. As it opens with air, the flavors take on the layered richness of an almond confection while the fruit sustains a bright, refreshing lift.

Katherine’s Signature fairly screams benchland, big skies, wispy fog and a warm, sunny oasis of fruit in a cool Central Coast valley. This has a sweeping oak presence, with hints of vanilla and sweet corn. The flavors are rich, the fruit caramelized and broad; a crowd-pleasing white for scallops in brown butter.

Here’s a rich and rewarding style of chardonnay from the Stonestreet estate in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County. There’s an enticing mix of fruit, toffee and oak derived notes that carry through to a long refreshing finish. Drink now to 2023.

Located in Santa Maria, Calif., the Cambria winery is home base for the Jackson family, who own and operate wineries up and down the coast of California and in other parts of the world, including Unsworth Vineyards on Vancouver Island. Katherine’s Vineyard is named for older daughter Katie Jackson. One of the winery’s larger production wines, this represents a blend of fruit from the 34 different blocks of chardonnay grown there. It knits together nicely for a juicy and refreshing white wine with a mix of appealing fruit, floral and spice notes. Drink now to 2022.

There's a nice floral component to this, as well as some blackcurrant and vanilla character. Full body, round tannins and a fruit-driven finish. Screw cap.