Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is a terrific entry-level offering from Cambria. Gracious, perfumed and silky, with lovely aromatic top notes and lively fruit, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Sweet red cherry, crushed flowers and earthy notes develop nicely in a wine that offers terrific quality for the money.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Pinot Noir Mesa Terrace is done in a style that brings out an energetic, red-toned set of flavors. Bright floral notes add lift and perfume throughout. This is another selection, that while good, is not particularly unique or distinguished from the other wines.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Pinot Noir Element emerges from hillside parcels on the property. A powerful, intense wine, the Element showcases the more powerful, earthy, gamy side of Pinot. While a good wine, I find the Element less intriguing and polished than some of the other wines in the range.

Wines of the Week: Classic Cali Pinot Noir – Under 20, 90 Points Lots of plum, strawberry, and raspberry aromas come up front, with hints of clove, vanilla, and floral earth backing them up. A vibrant acidity lifts flavors of strawberries, dark raspberries, and pomegranates that flow into expressions of vanilla, earth, and all-spice. Lively and well suited for food, roast chicken or even duck would match up nicely.

Here is a Pinot that is very much driven by concentrated, black cherry fruit, yet it is long on complexity with elements of tea, a touch of clean earth and complementary oak making for a fairly full and expressive presentation. It is a touch plump in feel and, if sufficiently rounded as to be accessible now, it is balanced to keep with integral acidity and temperate tannins pointing the way to better with additional age, and its quiet impressions of layering should become more evident with three or four more years of cellaring. 1 star.

Crisp aromas and flavors of raspberry, dried red currant and cherry are backed by vibrant acidity. Dried savory herb accents fill the finish.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two Brewer-Clifton's 2016 Pinot Noir 459 is a blend of fruit from Machado and 3-D. Pretty and aromatic, with mid-weight structure, the 2016 hovers on the palate effortlessly. The 2016 is at times a bit fleeting and elusive, but it has enough depth to drink well for at least a handful of years. Sweet red fruit, mint, pine, sage, tobacco and anise shape this attractive Pinot nicely.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2016 Pinot Noir Machado is attractive, but it also comes across as riper and more candied than the other Pinots in the range. Sweet tobacco, flowers and super-ripe red cherry fruit are nicely delineated. Silky tannins add to the wine's immediacy and sheer appeal. Readers should expect a racy, extroverted style.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale A blend of 58% Grenache, 24% Shiraz and 18% Mourvèdre, the 2016 GSM was fermented in open-top vats with indigenous yeasts and aged in older French oak for ten months. Like all the Yangarra wines, it will benefit from some aeration. Only then will the cherries come out to play with the black olive and sandalwood notes. It's medium to full-bodied, with a smooth, silky mouthfeel and a lingering finish. -

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale I'm afraid this is one of those wines that sounds cooler than it tastes. The 2016 Roux Beaute Roussanne is made in ceramic eggs, 60% had 137 days of skin contact, the other 40% was made traditionally. So, what's the issue? It tastes disappointingly normal. There are pretty pineapple aromas, hints of black tea and citrus, a medium-bodied palate with surprisingly little phenolic grip, and a pleasant, lingering finish. As long as you don't go in expecting something orange, phenolic and funky, you'll be pleased.

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Six Years Later: Suspended in Time October 27, 2012 88, August 2018 90 Note: Very appealing now with waves of fresh black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors, a silky texture and admirable balance.

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Six Years Later: Suspended in Time April 19, 2014, 91, August 2018 90 Note: Somewhat woody/oaky nose prevents higher score.

Floral in lovely ways, this big, bold and broadly expansive wine is hugely structured, with plenty of tannin and strong black-fruit flavor. Good supportive acidity keeps it balanced in the glass.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley) shows the cut and focus that make wines from this appellation so distinctive. Bright lemon, mineral and white floral notes are nicely pushed forward. There is a lot to like in this distinctive Chardonnay. Vineyard sites are Nielson and Bien Nacido.

Delicious cherry and plum flavors are accented by touches of black tea, rhubarb and forest floor in this complex, medium-bodied wine. It’s slightly soft in feel, but has light tannins and enough acidity to give it some snap.

Wines of the Week: Classic Cali Pinot Noir – Under 20, 90 Points Bringing together aromas of cherries, raspberries, and boysenberries with suggestions of toasty vanilla and brown spice make the nose rather inviting. On the palate, flavors of cherry, boysenberry, and raspberry mingle among allusions of vanilla and toasted coconut. Fairly light and approachable, with a balanced acidity, it’s a must try if you can find it for under $15.

This is a large-production wine that spares no attention to detail or quality. Winemaker Randy Ullom created an expression of thick, rich, grippy power that’s available for an attractive price. Baked plum, clove, mountain sage and black cherry all figure into the mix, with a lasting touch of mocha on the lengthy finish.

Wines of the Week: Creamy Chardonnay Tropical fruit and white cherry aromas play nicely with toasty, buttery expressions on the nose. Flavors of pineapple, apricot, and lemon wrap around nuances of butter, vanilla, and spring flowers on the palate. A balanced acidity and solid layers for under $20 make this Chardonnay well worth a try.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2015 Pinot Noir Barbara's Clone 667 Signature Collection is flamboyantly ripe and also marked by searing tannins. It's hard to tell where the 2015 is going, but my impression is that the tannins will outlast the fruit. The 2015 is a good wine, but its balance is precarious and not likely to improve with time.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One Byron's 2016 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is quite reticent, especially next to the other wines in this range. Perhaps it will flesh out with more time in bottle, but I am not so sure. Today, my impression is that the Fiddlestix will always be a touch compact, its considerable personality notwithstanding.

This dark ruby colored Merlot based wine from Italy is very good. It opens with a new leather, barnyard and cedar like bouquet with a hint of cardamom. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, smooth and juicy. The flavor profile is a cedar influenced red plum and flinty minerality blend with a touch of cranberry and pomegranate. The finish is rather dry with quickly disappearing dusty tannins. The Panel suggested pairing this wine is with a veal scaloppini or grilled pork. Very good.

Blueberries, flowers and hints of cedar on the nose. The palate shows firm and chewy tannins, fresh acidity and a clean finish. A little lean but likable.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale Yangarra's 2016 Shiraz spent a year in 25% new French oak, which is manifested as hints of pencil shavings joining dark plum and berry fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, with a sense of tension that's common to all the Yangarra wines, with svelte tannins and a crisp finish.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is another very pretty appellation level Pinot from Nielson. The natural richness of the Sta. Rita Hills sites that inform the wine (Zotovich, John Sebastiano, La Encantada and Rita's Crown) comes through very nicely. Succulent red and blue berry fruit, spice and perfumed floral notes are all beautifully together in this plump, inviting Pinot. Drink it over the next few years.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One Nielson's 2016 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) is fleshy, open-knit and absolutely delicious. Red and purplish berry fruit, along with expressive spice notes, silky tannins and soft contours, all give the 2016 tons of appeal. Best of all, the Santa Maria Pinot is a tremendous value.