Dark red cherries, plums, mocha, dried rose petals, licorice, tobacco, smoke, game and cedar meld together in the 2003 Helena Dakota Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that is drinking quite nicely today. I don't see much upside from cellaring bottles further. The 2003 is in a beautiful place today.

This dark ruby colored Carmenere from Alcance was well liked by our tasting group. It opens with a black cherry bouquet with a hint of tire rubber. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a black cherry and oak blend with notes of minerality and some hints of herbs. The finish is dry and its chewy tannins build-up and linger nicely. The group thought this Carmenere would pair well with grilled wild boar tenderloin from Jiko.

A velvety cabernet with citrus peel and currant character. Full to medium body, silky tannins and a fresh finish.

Attractive ripe plums for a 2016 and plenty of supple tannins on the medium-full palate. Long, warm and juicy finish. Nice, velvety and dry. Drink now.

This is a marvelous $24 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Black fruit flavors, a savory green olive component and the structure provided by its suave tannins means it's a great choice to accompany a slab of beef this summer or fall. Refinement and unexpected length at this price makes you want to remember the producer's name.

Vivid ruby. Energetic and focused on the nose, displaying vibrant aromas of ripe red and dark berries, violet and pungent flowers, along with suggestions of vanilla and cocoa powder. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering sweet cherry, raspberry and vanilla flavors that flesh out and become smokier with air. Sappy, fresh and pliant on the seamless finish, which features subtle tannins and a persistent note of cherry compote.

Juicy, refreshing, and tangy with minerality and zesty acidity; bright and modern; long and balanced; a small-production wine from Kendall-Jackson's Chilean property.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two The 2015 Pinot Noir Conifer is a little youthfully shy on the nose, giving way with coaxing to cinnamon stick, clove, ripe black cherries and black berries with notions of dried leaves and underbrush plus touches of charcuterie—this is very savory! Medium-bodied, it's got wonderful layers of ripe black fruits, earth and spice, framed by fine, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and savory with just a touch of heat.

Light and expressive, with a steely edge to the cherry, blackberry and spice flavors. Hints at orange tea as the minerally finish lingers. Drink now through 2021. 240 cases made.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale Raspberry and cherry notes emerge on the nose of the 2016 Old Vine Grenache. Aged ten months in older French oak, it's a sleek, streamlined version of Grenache, from vines planted in 1946. Leather, sandalwood and dusty earth elements join with the red fruit to create an engaging whole, framed by silky tannins and punctuated by a lengthy finish.

Effusive florals and pretty red fruits offset delicious old-vine dried spices and sandy tannins. The alcohol is worn very lightly; lovely freshness.

This is a concentrated, firmly built example of Grenache, with herbal overtones to its black cherry fruit. Despite the dark plum and cherry fruit, the impression is one of tautness and freshness. Drink it with red meat now, or give it until 2017 to settle down.

Well yes, the ‘European Vintage’ is what some call it and it’s delivered some interesting wines. McLaren Vale Grenache seems to have done pretty well, surprisingly.Peppery, fragrant, fresh red fruits, a bit of fennel and leaf litter. It’s medium weight with spicy red fruit, a touch of decay, fresh but mildly astringent (as a positive, I think), and has a fresh red cherry/berry finish. I like its precision and character. An example of light and shade from a vintage if ever there was one. 90 or 91 points. Not sure how it will age, though I have a feeling it may surprise.

Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2011 Grenache is redolent of red cherries and black raspberries with wonderfully spicy / black pepper nuances plus whiffs of lavender and dusty earth. Medium-bodied and generously fruited with spiced red berry flavors, the opulent flesh is well structured with a medium level of velvety tannins and seamless acid lending just enough lift, finishing long. Drinking nicely now, it should cellar to 2018+.

A sturdy style of Grenache, generous, but not as opulent as shiraz, burying its ripe cherry and pomegranate fruit under a light blanket of dusky spices and superfine tannins. Drink now through 2014. -H.S.

Harvested from bush vines planted in 1946, this grenache has a range of fruit flavors. It starts off bright with wild strawberry scents, then darkens to black cherry and fig. The deep, savory finish tastes rich and ripe. A smooth grenache for rustic sausages or other fatty meats

Tight, peppery style has generous black cherry and pomegranate flavors, lively acidity and fine tannins, beautifully proportioned, showing impressive depth and length. Needs time to let the pieces fall into place. Best from 2007 through 2015. 1,084 cases imported. -H.S.

Top 100 90+ point wines under $25. This bottling of Grenache is Beautifully proportioned, with impressive depth and length and generous black cherry and pomegranite flavors. Winemaker Peter Fraser sources the estate-grown fruit from up to 60 year old vines and ages the wine for 15 months in 1-2 year old French barriques.

This is some of the Vale's most sought-after Grenache; it was planted by the Smart family in 1946 and narrowly escaped being pulled up a few years back. Mint, fresh herb and black pepper aromas are profound; on the palate, lifted black cherry and plum fruit is swathed in fine tannins. A wine worth seeking out, as it tends to sell out shortly after release.

Has a wonderful sense of freshness to the blueberry and plum flavors, shaded with peppermint and a touch of espresso as the finish lasts and lasts against mildly grippy tannins. Has style without sacrificing purity. Best from 2006 through 2015.

Big, rich and juicy, brimming with blueberry, plum, blackberry and black pepper flavors that are so lively they seem to jump out of the glass. the finish lingers intensely, cloaked in ultra refined tannins. Drink now through 2012.

Appealing blackberry and mulberry aromas with a touch vanilla cola and licorice. Good density on the mid-palate. I enjoy the plush nature of the palate, the depth of fruit and the distinct vein of spice. A stunning example of a preservative-free wine.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings This red-fruited style has bright red berries and some slightly earthy nuances, too. Then a fresh, pure and easygoing palate that offers a neatly resolved finish. Drink now. Screw cap

This is Yangarra's foray into this very Australian preservative-free category of wines, and the result is delicious. Brambly fruit, baking spices, coffee, vanilla and ground peppercorn aromas lead to a palate that is plush but firm, deftly woven with stony, mineral tannins, an earthy core and a long savory, herbal finish. This is a clean-cut, warming wine that makes you want to eat a gamy casserole on a cold day in winter.