A Spotlight on Santa Barbara From a vintage described as productively warm, the 2015 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills offers pretty notes of kirsch, cherry blossom, spice and dried herbs. It’s medium-bodied, elegant and silky on the palate, with moderate concentration yet beautiful balance.

Intense flavors of honeydew melon and pear tart dominate this supple white. The richly spiced finish shows some pastry notes.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two Brewer-Clifton's 2016 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is a gorgeous appellation-level wine. Orange peel, passionfruit, apricot and a whole range of tropical inflections give the 2016 much of its personality. Classy and impeccable in its balance, the Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay has so much to offer.

The 2016 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills offers up a bright bouquet of honeyed citrus, preserved lemon, apple and beeswax, framed by a touch of nutmeg-like leesiness. On the palate, the wine is mediumbodied, with lovely glossy texture underpinned by lots of cut, finishing with good length and grip. This is one of Brewer-Clifton's largest cuvées, and it's keenly priced too.

This offers some rich buttery notes to the ripe white fruit flavors. Lemon curd details show midpalate, with touches of elegance on the spicy finish.

The 2015 Chardonnay Hapgood plays in the tropical end of the flavor profile, with racy fruit, oily texture and tons of density. This is the most obviously ripe and overt of the Brewer-Clifton Chardonnays.

Seared lemon peels, densely packed honeysuckle, Brie rind and white-ash aromas show on the nose of this appellation blend from the regional superstars, which recently became part of the Jackson Family of wines. The palate is tightly wound with grapefruit pith and a lemon spray-laced acidity that provides ample structure, carrying the slightest bit of riper stone fruit at the core.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Red Blend is a gorgeous, heady wine. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, rose petal, mint, blood orange and white pepper all race out of the glass. Bold, juicy and resonant, the 2016 is an absolute joy to taste.

If you’re looking for a “wow” wine crowd-pleaser this holiday season, try winemaker Kristy Melton’s stunning Bootleg Prequel, a power-packed blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah that is sure to turn heads. Melton has done a beautiful job of taming the sometimes aggressive tannins of the Petite Sirah so you can enjoy the lush blueberry and blackberry fruit notes. Add a generous dose of wood spice and you have a winner.

This is a successful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, with smaller amounts of Syrah, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Black fruit, baking spice and chocolate flavors commingle in a full-bodied package that’s rich, round and rewarding, with plenty of length.

COMMENTARY: I often am skeptical when I see names of celebrities on products and wonder how serious the project is? On the wine side, there have always been the use of famous names, and often those wines are nothing more than ordinary. Fortunately the Barrymore name is safe and solid as the wines are quite fine. TASTING NOTES: The 2016 Barrymore by Carmel Road Rosé of Pinot Noir shows up with excellent ripe red fruit, a hint of floral notes, and vibrant acidity. Pair its brightness with a smoked bone-in ham.

The 2009 Syrah Saralee's Vineyard, co-fermented with 4% Viognier, shows the wilder, gamier side of Syrah. Cured meats, smoke, earthiness, blood, iron and tar are some of the many notes that flow from the glass. There is no shortage of personality here, but this wine should only be bought by readers who appreciate the rustic, hearty side of Syrah. A plush, round finish balances some of the wine's wilder tendencies. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021

Dick Arrowood was one of the early Rhone Rangers because of his work with Syrah, especially that from the Saralee's Vineyard. The 2008 Syrah Saralee's Vineyard (93% Syrah co-fermented with 7% Viognier, and aged 16 months in French oak) exhibits wonderful, exotic lychee nut-like notes intermixed with blackberries and flowers. Super-fruity with silky tannins, this is a hedonistic, classic Syrah to drink now and over the next 5-7 years.

Inky ruby. Deep, smoky aromas of dark berry preserves, tobacco and violet, with a suave mineral underpinning. Fleshy blackberry and blueberry flavors are energized by building Asian spice and cracked pepper qualities. Finishes on a long, sweet note of candied dark berries, with excellent clarity. Very nicely balanced syrah.

2004 ARROWOOD SYRAH KULJIAN VINEYARD The big, terroir-driven 2004 Syrah Kuljian Vineyard (198 cases) falls somewhere in between its two siblings. Possessing abundant amounts of damp earth, truffle, pepper, blackberry, blueberry, and acacia flower notes, it is a serious, full, chewy, impressive Syrah that may improve for 2-3 years, and last for a decade.

The 2004 Syrah Saralee's Vineyard was aged in French oak for 18 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It exhibits plenty of blackberry, bacon fat, and exotic fruit aromas (a small quantity of Viognier is co-fermented with this cuvee). This lush Syrah is difficult to resist, but if you can keep your hands off of it, it should age well for 5-10 years.

Velvety, ripe and rich with dense plum and black raspberry fruit; supple, rich and showing notes of mocha, spice and oak; long, balanced and stylish.

The 2015 Prowess Proprietary Red checks in as 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It’s another terrific Bordeaux blend from this estate that’s beautifully balanced and layered, with lots of ripe black currants, smoked herbs, chocolate, and graphite aromas and flavors. Supple, textured, medium to full-bodied, and with lots of character, drink it anytime over the coming decade or so.

Arrowood's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Estates is plump, juicy and absolutely delicious. Dark cherry, plum, tobacco, licorice and savory notes are nicely delineated in a juicy, vibrant wine that will drink well right out of the gate. This is a superb entry-level Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sonoma Estates is an on-premise wine only and will sell for $15 by the glass

Black currant, wild cassis, tart blackberry and smoke. Full-bodied, balanced and complex. A nicely balanced Californian Cabernet. Pair with a pepper steak.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County), all Knights Valley fruit in this vintage, is superb. Raspberry jam, spice, scorched earth, rose petal, cloves and new leather are some of the signatures. Knights Valley is often noted for Graves-like sense of gravel-infused minerality, naturally allied to a California expression of fruit. That is exactly what readers will find in the 2013.

At 600-feet in elevation, this is the site that’s behind a wine of structure and considerable power. A thick rich layering of currant and blackberry is soft with a tannic backbone. Clove and tobacco contribute secondary aspects of complexity.

The serious Cabernet Sauvignons start with the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Smothers Remick Ridge Vineyard, which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 32 months in 56% new French oak. This wine exhibits classic crème de cassis, cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake and spice box notes, loads of new saddle leather, blackcurrants and blackberries on the palate, a full-bodied constitution, and light to moderate tannin in the finish. It will be better in 3-4 years and certainly keep for two decades or more.

Smooth tannins and plump, juicy dark cherry, blueberry and plum fruit mark this mouth-filling wine. It's concentrated and supple, with chocolate, vanilla and spice notes coming from barrel aging to add interest. It's ideal for drinking now and over the next five years.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard comes across as surprisingly round and rich for the site. Black cherries, smoke, tar, licorice and asphalt all meld together in the glass. At five years of age, the 2008 has softened a little, and all the elements are very nicely fused together. Salty, saline notes underpin the gorgeous finish. The 2008 spent 24 months in American oak barrels (40% new). Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.