Bold berry and spice aromas are straight from the Carmenère textbook. In the mouth, this wine is full and beefy, with proper balance. Earthy, lightly baked and candied black-fruit flavors are graced by oak, chocolate and herbal notes on a ripe finish.

Medium-light to medium ruby; initially restrained, earthy, dark cherry and raspberry fruit aroma with hints of Asian spices and forest floor; medium to medium-full body; moderately rich, spicy, red and dark fruit flavors; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed with airing in the glass, though still a bit tight at present and could use another year or two of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Medium-light to medium ruby; forward, deep, cherry and cranberry fruit aroma with earthy notes, and hints of forest floor and Asian spices; medium body; earthy, fleshy, spicy, red fruit flavors with bright acidity and a silky mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now and over the near term. Very highly recommended.

Medium ruby; attractive, deep, ripe, red and dark fruit aroma with hints of dried herbs and forest floor; medium to medium-full body; nicely balanced, elegantly styled, cherry and dark berry fruit flavors with good depth and concentration, and some richness in the velvety mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now. Very highly recommended.

Medium-light to medium ruby; fragrant, deep, earthy, raspberry and cherry fruit aroma with an initial note of char that blew off with airing; medium to medium-full body; red fruit flavors with some plushness in the mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now. Very highly recommended.

Dark purplish ruby; deep, intense, dark berry fruit aroma with hints of black pepper and dried herbs; full body; forward, deep, concentrated, jammy, spicy, cedary, blackberry fruit flavors with undertones of toasty oak; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Approachable now, though best to bottle age for several more years. Very highly recommended.

Screw capped. This retails for around $35. It is really very good. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, slight black olives and a bit of black pepper. On the palate, this has a nice sinewy texture. Light tannins. It is drinking quite well right now but no hurry. Black raspberry fruit. Good acidity. Slight complexity. Nice finish. This will work with a wide variety of foods. Drink now thru 2023.

The 2016 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley comes mostly from the Nielson Vineyard, with 29% from Bien Nacido, and spent 11 months in 55% new French oak. It is slightly deeper gold in color and gives up classic notes of ripe orchard fruits, brioche, and spice. It's plump, rounded, has solid mid-palate depth, and excellent purity. Drink it over the coming 3-5 years

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Encantadora gives up plenty of spiced blackberries, warm plums and mulberries notes with touches of cinnamon stick and dusty soil. Full-bodied and packed with plushly textured, spicy black fruits, it finishes on an earthy note.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Composed of 88% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Desvelado features lovely warm blackberries and black cherries notes with suggestions of spice box, tobacco and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, it has a plush texture and plenty of spicy layers, finishing with a floral kick.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Bennett Valley sings of white peaches, grapefruit and lemon zest with touches of chalk dust and lime leaves. Medium-bodied with fantastic intensity and packed with citrus and herbal flavors, it has a racy line of freshness and an invigorating finish.

This white gold colored Sauvignon Blanc from the Alexander Valley opens with a fragrant honeydew melon and yellow grapefruit bouquet with a hint of herbs. On the palate, this wine is light bodied, balanced, juicy and mouthwatering. The flavor profile is a tangy yellow grapefruit with notes of minerality, peach pit and a hint of honeydew melon and lime. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. This Sauvignon Blanc is food friendly and would pair well with swordfish skewers.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Cougar Ridge Chardonnay displays expressive pineapple, pear tart and nectarine notions with hints of popcorn, brioche and acacia honey. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a lovely satiny texture and plenty of savoriness coming through on the finish.

With its sturdy blackberry and raspberry flavors backed up by subtle spice and a good, dry finish, this is an altogether engaging Zinfandel. While its upfront fruit marks this wine as unmistakably Zinfandel, there is nothing overheated or unpleasantly sweet going on here -- on the contrary, its well balanced boldness is what makes this a terrific partner for chili con carne and other similarly bold foods.

Medium ruby; attractive, earthy, red cherry and currant aroma with hints of clove and cocoa; medium to medium-full body; initially tight, herbal, red fruit flavors with bright acidity, and a crisp, elegant mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed appealing richness and nuances as it aired in the glass. Very highly recommended.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Hartford Zinfandel opens with bombastic blueberry pie, raspberry preserves and blackberry tart scents with waft of potpourri, Chinese five spice, raisin cake and dusty soil. The palate is full-bodied, rich and spicy with a zippy line of freshness and a long chewy finish.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Pleinair Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) opens with rambunctious crème de cassis, plum preserves and lifted notes of candied violets and lavender with touches of of menthol and cedar chest. Full, rich, concentrated and packed with flamboyant fruit, it has a solid frame of rounded tannins and a long finish.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir les Voisins gives up notes of Bing cherries, cranberries and wild strawberries with touches of underbrush, fallen leaves and black pepper. Medium-bodied, perfumed and elegant on the palate, it has a soft texture and lively line, finishing earthy.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2015 Les Voisins Chardonnay gives up notes of lemon curd, grapefruit and white peaches with hints of honeyed toast and toasted almonds. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers plenty of citrus and stone fruit flavors with a lively line of freshness and a savory finish.

The light pink 2017 Julia's Vineyard Rosé (100% Pinot Noir) offers loads of upfront strawberry and cherry fruit and is nicely textured, balanced, and impeccably made. Drink it over the coming summer months.

The medium ruby-colored 2016 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard comes from a vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley and was aged 8 months in 27% new French oak. It has a classic California bouquet of sweet raspberry and cherry fruits, spice, and stems, with some background salinity and minerality coming through with time in the glass. It's medium-bodied, supple, and polished on the palate, with good acidity, excellent purity, and a clean finish.

Vineyard named after proprietor Julia Jackson in 1988. This well-known vineyard is sustainably farmed. Soils are fossilized seashells, shale, limestone and sand. Clones are Pommard 4, 2A, 23, 667, 115, 777 and “828.” Aged 8.5 months in 100% French oak barrels, 31% new. Moderately light garnet color in the glass. This wine performed much better when tasted a day after opening the bottle. Nicely perfumed with black cherry fruit and subtle oak notes of toast, tobacco and cardamom. Discreet in weight, with brandishing flavors of oak-kissed cherry, raspberry, spice and earth. Silky, with a good tannic frame, bright acidity, and a modest but pleasing finish. This wine is always a good choice in the value-price category.

This sustainably farmed vineyard was named after proprietor Katherine Jackson in 1986. Clones 76, 96 and Wente. Aged 6.5 months in 83% French oak barrels, 21% new. Moderate golden yellow color in the glass. An appealing wine offering aromas of lemon, pineapple, peach, gravel and toasty oak. Giving in the mouth, with flavors of apple, lemon creme, white peach, pineapple and toast. Soft in texture, with agreeable acidic verve and some finishing fruit flavor. A consistently dependable wine in this price category.

This red offers black currant, black cherry, herb and spice flavors draped across a frame of fine tannins. Balanced and lingering. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

Medium-light ruby; fragrant, spicy, Bing cherry fruit aroma with a hint of cola; medium body; nicely balanced, elegant, red fruit flavors with bright acidity and some richness in the silky mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable now, though deserves a few more years of bottle aging. Highly recommended.