Creme de cassis, black cherries, spices and charcoal. Very refined and structured with a delightful, zesty serving of acidity and a long, chewy finish. An honest, elegant wine that shows great clarity.

Hickinbotham wines ooze class. Single vineyard, the fruit is pristine and handled with kid gloves. Brace for power but with a soft caress all at the same time. Cedar, vanilla, cassis get the juices flowing. Great width, it's a little drying through the mid-palate. Dried herbs are prominent with a deft touch of tomato bush and mint. The longer it lingers in the glass, some black olive appears. It's hard to resist the lure for more. Drying cocoa-like tannins close it out. Someone say roast lamb? Sensational! Drinking well now but it will live well past a decade+

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2017 Chardonnay Katherine's is the most distinctive wine in this range. Crushed rocks, slate, lemon peel and graphite are some of the many notes that flesh out in an expansive, layered Chardonnay endowed with tremendous pedigree and sheer character. The Katherine's will be fascinating to follow as it develops in bottle. Even today, though, it is a true standout.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2015 Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard is the most impressive wine in the range today. Powerful, dense and explosive, the 2015 pulses with both energy. An exotic mélange of inky dark fruit, creme de cassis, lavender, black pepper and spice builds as this striking wine shows off its pedigree.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard is a total knockout. Dense, powerful and unctuous, with tremendous depth, the 2016 hits all the right notes. Even with all of its natural intensity, the 2016 possesses striking aromatic presence as well as freshness to play off the generous inky blue fruit. There is almost no perception of tannin in this impeccably balanced Pinot from winemaker Jonathan Nagy. The 2016 was done with fully destemmed fruit. Don’t miss it.

Very intense nose of blackberries, dark chocolate, sandalwood, vanilla, treacle and tar. Full-bodied with plenty of dark fruit, but lots of black-olive undertones and bright acidity keep this fresh, while firm tannins carve out an elegant, polished shape.

This shows beautiful depth of fruit with cherries, fresh earth and hints of coffee. Full-bodied, layered and very rich. Impressive depth and intensity. Enjoyable to drink now, but it has a long life ahead of it.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir Q Block Bien Nacido Vineyard is one of the best wines I have tasted from Byron of late. Unctuous and yet light on its feet, the 2016 is simply gorgeous. The inky blueberry fruit, lavender, spice and mint flavors offer notable intensity, and yet the wine comes in at under 13%. The 33% whole clusters add layers of dimension without dominating the wine. The 2016 is a total stunner. Own-rooted vines planted in 1973 deliver pedigree and class in the Q Block. This is what terroir is all about.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2017 Chardonnay Hilliard Bruce is absolutely brilliant in the way it brings together textural richness in the focused, chiseled style that is the essential Diatom signature. Lemon peel, mineral and floral notes abound, but it is the wine's character and multi-dimensional personality that really stand out.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two Racy and explosive on the palate, the 2016 Pinot Noir Clone 2A shows the more overt side of Santa Maria Pinot. Super-ripe red cherry, raspberry jam, rose petal and mint all grace this extroverted, undeniably alluring Pinot. The Clone 2A is quite forward in style and yet retains plenty of class.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is another of the more powerful, deep wines in this range. The 33% whole clusters are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the dark-fleshed stone fruit. Lavender, licorice, menthol and dark spice notes add to the wine's imposing personality, an impression that is reinforced by the potent tannins. There is no shortage of character, but the wine needs a few years in bottle to be at its finest.

This iconic vineyard has graced many bottles and certainly shows respect for the fruit in this savory red. Hints of portobello mushroom, tilled soil, and tart cherry seem reserved at first, but once the wine opens up, their aromas seem to sweeten the air. Earth-kissed red fruit, cranberry tea, and that familiar forest-floor effect chime in as the acidity keeps flavors bright. Black olive and balsamic contribute, but raspberry and cherry lead the way.

Pure and refined, with a minerally essence and notes of slate and underbrush to the dried red fruit flavors. Offers hints of cream and spice on the finish.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Pinot Noir 3-D is endowed with lovely fruit presence and impeccable overall balance. Lifted and precise, with lovely mid-palate pliancy and overall depth, the 3-D hits all the right notes. Although not especially complex, the 3-D is curvy and voluptuous, which brings out the red cherry and plum fruit character nicely. Floral notes on the finish add to the wine's considerable immediacy and overall appeal.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Chardonnay Machado is a very pretty wine. Intensely mineral and savory, the Machado is also a wine of notable precision. The lemon confit, almond, dried flower and earthy notes are rather subdued in the Machado, where minerality and overall structure are such distinctive signatures.

I remember tasting components of this wine in barrel with Peter Fraser a few months ago. It's great to now see all elements coming together as they dance across the mouth. Fraser doesn't make bad wine - this is a beauty. In essence, it's a 'heat resilient' blend with white varieties sourced in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and grown on newly planted cuttings on Yangarra's single vineyard Estate in McLaren Vale. I spent some time in the vineyard and winery talking to Fraser at the time - much work has been spent rethinking how the vineyard is being managed and maintained to ensure fruit quality. Made in a 'back to basics' style in mind, the fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. When I say fruit I mean Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, Picpoul and Bourboulenc (35/30/20/10/5). All varieties were fermented together in 675L ceramic eggs, except the Roussanne as it was picked twelve days earlier. No sulphur or additions. Deliciously moreish, I'm thinking long tables and the lunch bell ringing. This oozes food appeal. It's textural with layers of interest and great width through the mouth. A toasted nuttiness is carried on the back of the fruit, lingering long. Savoury characters are the hero of the day, but the energy the wine exudes makes it irresistible. Yellow flowers, a sly showing of musk, super delicate honey tones before elegant stonefruits and pear lay patiently in the background before rearing their head. Super soft spices kick in on a finger licking finish - a class act. Drink now to three years.

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Six Years Later: Suspended in Time April 19, 2014 94, August 2018 93 Note: My favorite wine of this vintage except Pisoni Vineyard (not reviewed again here).

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir Rita's Crown Vineyard emerges from the upper blocks of this site, where the vines struggle to ripen. Translucent and highly expressive, the 2016 delivers serious intensity in a deceptively mid-weight style. The 33% whole clusters are not especially evident. Ripe red berry fruit, rose petal, mint and licorice notes build into the beautifully layered finish. What a gorgeous wine this is.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale A New World Grenache that will thrive for 20 years of cellaring? Yup. The 2015 High Sands Grenache is wonderfully perfumed and floral, but it's also excruciatingly tight and tart on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, it's marked by tart red berries and fine-grained tannins that bring a crisp edge to the lengthy finish.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Syrah is a very pretty wine from Greg Brewer's Ex Post Facto project. Racy and perfumed in the glass, with striking aromatic presence, the 2016 makes a strong opening statement. The red and purplish berry fruit is nicely lifted by floral and savory overtones from the whole clusters. It will be interesting to see where this wine goes in the future. Certainly the debut vintage is promising. Brewer gave the fruit, from Spear, 4-5 days of cold soak followed by a lengthy fermentation/maceration of 45 days or so. The 2016 spent 16 months in neutral French oak.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2017 Chardonnay Santos Road offers a super-appealing mix of textural density and freshness. A wine of real presence and power, the Santos Road is wonderfully complex and multi-dimensional.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two Intense aromatics give the 2017 Chardonnay Machado an exotic Sauvignon or Riesling-like character that is beguiling. Intense saline notes bring out a bright, energetic profile. Deceptive in its feel, and yet wonderfully persistent, the 2017 Machado has a lot to say and offer.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2015 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard Signature Collection is a dense, powerful wine built on textural depth and structure. The 2015 is going to need a few years to come into its own, but it has good potential. Dark stone fruit, lavender, spice and formidable tannins add to the wine's virile feel.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2015 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard Signature Collection presents a richer expression of this site. Pineapple, passionfruit, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes grace this super-expressive, creamy Chardonnay from Cambria.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard offers striking aromatics to play off the translucent, beautifully layered blue/purplish berry fruit. A wine of energy and cut, the Solomon Hills has so much to offer. It will be utterly irresistible upon release. Lifted floral notes reappear on the finish to add a closing burst of drive.