Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir Nielson Vineyard stands out in this range for its huge mid-palate and punch. Dense and quite virile, the Nielson shows all the power of this relatively warm site in Santa Maria. Blueberry, licorice and cloves fill out the wine's ample frame. The overt style will appeal most to readers who seek and appreciate power in Pinot Noir. In this lineup, the Nielson is distinguished by its Syrah-like palate presence and overall feel.

2015 PINOT NOIR, JOHN SEBASTIANO VINEYARD The nose is a hard cherry, graphite and garrigue. The palate is deeply polished black fruit through the core, becoming lean and lively on the finish.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of black cherry, underbrush, woodland spice and cigar lead to well-spiced flavors of black cherry and boysenberry. Sleek in the mouth with balanced tannins and a modest but satisfying finish. There is a bit too much oak barrel intrusion, but otherwise this is a delightful wine.

2015 PINOT NOIR, JULIA’S VINEYARD The nose is a savory herb, peppercorn, licorice and mint. The palate offers polished cherry and spice with a dense savory core and a distinctly richer flavor profile.

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Rita’s Crown has pretty, floral scents with notes of violets and dried roses over a core of cherries and mulberries, plus a waft of anise. Medium-bodied, elegant and refreshing, it has a solid line of chewy tannins and a nice long earthy finish.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2015 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard is soft, supple and inviting, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Bright, perfumed aromatics lift the red/purplish berry fruit nicely. Best of all, the 2015 is already drinking very nicely.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Nielson Vineyard comes from a sandy site in the Santa Maria Valley and was aged 16 months in 35% new French oak. Black raspberries, strawberries, mulberries, forest floor, spice box and dried earth are just some of the aromatics, and it's elegant, silky and polished on the palate, with juicy acidity and a clean finish. It’s another outstanding wine from Jonathan Nagy.

Spice, caramelized cherries, cedar and currants all emerge from the glass of the 2014 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard, and it's a medium-bodied, elegant, nicely textured effort that has bright acidity and plenty of cut. It will be even better with a year of bottle age, and keep for a decade. This was only partially destemmed and saw 16 months in 40% new French oak. Originally founded in 1984, Byron is now owned by Jackson Family Wines with the wines made by Jonathan Nagy. The oak treatment sticks out slightly in a number of these wines, but as I hope the scores show, there’s tons to love here. These are ripe, classic Santa Barbara wines.

Baked red plum and mulberry flavors are doused with charred sagebrush and hickory smoke aromas in this bottling from Jonathan Nagy. The palate also shows barbecue-like character, which dominates the energetic raspberry fruit and is appealing in a fall-off-the-bone pork rib way.

Spicy cherry nose; juicy and fresh with bright cherry and savory notes; complex and charming with notes of spice and earth; long and balanced.

The most complete of the lineup, with ripe black currants, black raspberry, toasted spice and oak on the nose, the 2014 Pinot Noir Rita's Crown (15 months in 46% new French oak) is medium-bodied, nicely balanced and rich on the palate, with solid underlying structure. Coming from mostly clay loam and limestone soils, and all from clone 828, it needs a year in bottle to let some of the oak integrate, but it's a terrific wine.

PinotFest 2018 More than any other characteristics, Byron’s Pinot Noir over the decades exude a medium to full-bodied roundness with dimensionality, a silky-smooth glycerol-like texture, and they always showcase the attributes of the Pinot Noir grape varietal faithfully. This 2014 Monument is no exception. Most notable on the palate are black-cherries, mulberries, with just a whisper of green tea. The grapes source from alluvial outcroppings and sandy loam soils at an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above sea level about18 miles from the Pacific. Byron calls Monument their flagship Pinot Noir. Roughly 300 cases were produced and oak was 100% French about 90% new.

This wine’s distinctive nose lays a foundation of underripe raspberry fruit and tops it with sesame, sandalwood and wild thyme aromas. There is significant woody character to the palate, including pine, oak and juniper, all set against bright red fruit.

Bright and spicy with cherry and pomegranate fruit; savory and toasty, long and complex.

The 2012 Pinot Noir 667 is a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated effort that gives up notions of cherry blossom, white flowers, licorice and hints of toasty oak. Coming all from sandy soils, barrel-fermented with 10% whole cluster, and aged the standard 15 months in 40% new French oak, it’s an outstanding Pinot Noir that has loads of character. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

In the same ball park, the 2012 Pinot Noir Julia’s Vineyard spent 15 months in 40% new French oak before bottling. A medium to full-bodied, rich and textured effort, it offers plenty of darker berry fruit, licorice, pepper and minerality in its rustic, chewy profile. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

Kicking off the Pinot Noirs and coming all from sandy soils, the 2012 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley is another rocking value from this estate. Exhibiting classy cassis, toasted bread, creamy licorice and loads of spice, this medium to full-bodied, concentrated and ripe Pinot Noir has solid mid-palate depth and a great texture. Spending 15 months in 20% new French oak, enjoy it over the coming 3-4 years.

Byron’s basic 2012 Santa Barbara is that rare bird: delicious, affordable California pinot noir. Sourced from three vineyards in Santa Maria Valley, two near Los Alamos and one in the Santa Rita Hills, it’s frisky and approachable, lasting on fresh red-fruit-skin flavor and fine tannins, light on its feet, with a hard-to-resist juiciness reminiscent of cru Beaujolais. Buy a case and watch it disappear.

Byron’s basic 2012 Santa Barbara is that rare bird: delicious, affordable California pinot noir. Sourced from three vineyards in Santa Maria Valley, two near Los Alamos and one in the Santa Rita Hills, it’s frisky and approachable, lasting on fresh red-fruit-skin flavor and fine tannins, light on its feet, with a hard-to-resist juiciness reminiscent of cru Beaujolais. Buy a case and watch it disappear.

Bright ruby-red. Vibrant, spice-accented red berry and cherry scents are deepened by notes of licorice and black tea, with a suave vanilla nuance building in the glass. Sappy and precise, offering lively raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a hint of blood orange. Gains weight with air and finishes with silky tannins and zesty jolt of white pepper. This energetic wine was made entirely from a Swan clone.

Vivid ruby-red. Sexy, oak-spiced cherry and dark berries on the fragrant nose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering intense black raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors lifted by a spicy element. Supple tannins shape the finish, which features notes of smoky minerals and sweet floral pastilles.

Deep ruby color; deep, tight dark cherry aromas; big, deep and rich dark cherry flavors with some oak and tannin; earthy and pepper notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Big and deep Pinot that needs time to open up.

The stems that were included in the fermentation give this wine a full-bodied, tannic mouthfeel, as well as adding to the spices. With raspberry, cherry and mocha flavors, it’s a powerful Pinot that wants two or three years in the cellar.

Deep ruby. Sexy, oak-spiced aromas of black raspberry and cola, with subtle floral and anise nuances adding complexity. Shows very good depth and focus on the palate, offering sweet red and dark berry preserve flavors and a strong spicecake quality. Gains weight and takes a darker turn on the finish, with its suggestions of boysenberry and candied licorice.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is gorgeously elegant and finesse driven, with layers of sweet red fruits, crushed flowers, underbrush and rose petal to go with a medium-bodied, seamless and energetic palate. Already approachable, with fantastically polished tannin, it's a knockout Pinot Noir that will have upwards of a decade of ultimate longevity. It's the most integrated and complete in the lineup and I'm a fan. Drink now-2020. Relatively firm, structured efforts, these should all benefit from short-term cellaring.