Dark and potent, this deeply flavored red offers ripe and smoky blueberry, licorice and stony mineral notes that finish with dense tannins.

2016 RED WINE, GSM The nose is a fresh raspberry and savory tomato tapenade, bacon fat and blackberry with notes of loam. The palate entry is a ripe plum, loam, and bacon fat with a bright, lively finish.

This blends 36% Syrah, 23% Mourvèdre, 22% Viognier and 19% Grenache. A beautiful perfume of violet opens the proceedings, followed by white pepper, garrigue, lavender and meat. A high-toned midpalate tames the wine's richer, riper leanings that takes on a robust taste of strawberry leather before pepper comes back to dot the finish.

Medium-dark ruby color; attractive, deep, peppery, meaty, dark cherry and blackberry fruit aroma with notes of dried herbs and charred oak; full body; forward, rich, extracted, meaty, red and black fruit flavors; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. A big, rich, stylish wine that’s drinkable now and can be enjoyed over the next five plus years. Grapes were from the Arrowood Vineyard. Very highly recommended.

A blend of 36% Syrah, 23% Mourvèdre, 22% Viognier, 19% Grenache (the Viognier was cofermented with the Syrah), the 2015 Arrowood Vineyard Rhône Blend is a delicious, rounded, supple, incredibly charming Rhône blend that has lots of blackberry, herbes de Provence, lavender and peppery aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, pure and elegant, drink it over the coming 3-5 years.

Vibrant and jammed with fresh pepper and black licorice aromas, leading to zesty, well-built blackberry pie and cinnamon flavors.

The 2016 Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) is a very pretty, appellation-level wine from Novy. Pliant, silky and beautifully perfumed, the 2016 has so much to offer. Lifted floral notes add brightness to the red berry and purplish fruit. Best of all, this juicy, mid-weight Zinfandel offers serious quality for the money.

From vines planted in 1915 and 1952, the 2016 Zinfandel Russian River Valley is a supple, medium-bodied, sexy Zinfandel that has loads of character in its peppery, spicy, incense, and darker raspberry aromas and flavors. Brought up in 35% new French oak, give it a quick decant if drinking anytime soon.

Medium-dark ruby; attractive, forward, spicy, peppery, blackberry fruit aroma; full body; forward, rich, ripe, nicely balanced, raspberry and blackberry fruit flavors with a hint of dark chocolate; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Easy and enjoyable to drink now and over the next year or two. Very highly recommended.

Energetic and plump, with personality, offering huckleberry, eucalyptus and grilled sweet anise flavors that finish with zesty tannins.

From vines planted in 1910 in the northern part of the Russian River Valley, the 2015 Zinfandel Limerick Lane Vineyard is a ripe, sexy, yet elegant Zinfandel that has tons of ripe plum, raspberry, exotic spice and violet aromas and flavors. With no hard edges, a forward, sweetly textured, forward style, drink it over the coming 5-7 years. The Novy label is for winemaker Adam Lee’s (of Siduri) Rhône blend and Zinfandel releases.

2016 VIOGNIER The nose is a juicy tropical fruit with notes of banana, vanilla bean, peach, mango along with fragrant gardenia. The palate entry is rich, silky peach and mango with an impression of caramelized (roasted) stone fruit in the core. Finishes with a vanilla and lemon/mineral bite.

Sourced from sites in the Santa Maria Valley and aged 18 months in 40% new barrels, the 2016 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley has slightly more density and depth in its black cherry, toasted spices, crushed flowers, and vanilla bean aromas and flavors. Clean, beautifully balanced, elegant, and with ample length, it delivers tons of Pinot Noir charm for not much buck.

2015 PINOT NOIR, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY The nose is a briary and lively red fruit with good core richness and brightness. The palate is rhubarb and cherry with form texture throughout, blue fruit on finish with nice brightness.

Perhaps due to being four years old, this wine shows less exuberance than most Santa Barbara Pinots usually do, and instead exhibits grace and silky style. Soft on the palate, it tastes foremost of cherry fruit, but without the annoying sweetness that mars so many others. Impressive.

The 2013 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley is notably more serious than the Santa Barbara County release. Offering up dark cherry and black raspberry fruit to go with lots of spice, licorice and a touch of oak, it's nicely concentrated, medium-bodied, balanced and rich, with juicy acidity coming through on the finish. Fermented with 10% whole clusters and aged 14 months in 20% new French oak, it should be at its best from 2016-2021. Even though it's more expensive than the Santa Barbara County Pinot, it's still a terrific value. Originally misprinted as Byron, but review pertains to Nielson by Byron.

2015 CHARDONNAY, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY Fermented and aged in 80% stainless/20% older French oak. The nose is light, fresh peach with notes of clay and spice. The palate entry is toffee and crème brulee silkiness with oily density in the core. Quite compelling in its juiciness.

Based on cabernet from the Terra A Lago vineyard in the Mayacamas foothills and merlot from the Geyserville bench, this is a chewy yet sophisticated red, carrying a black earthen flavor in its tannins, even as they’re smoothed by oak. It feels properly ripe, its sails full of red fruit, hinting at higher-toned floral aromas and a woodsy savor that speaks to hillside fruit.

Smooth and lush with dense plum, blackberry and cassis fruit; silky and bright with smooth fruit and notes of earth and spice; balanced and long.

Silky and elegant with plum, cassis and spice; smooth, lush and rich with balance and a long, toasty finish.

Smooth and juicy with black raspberry, blackberry and plenty of spice; rich, softly tannic and complex; tangy structure and velvety texture; long and lush.

Rich and supple with black cherry, black raspberry and spice; notes of toasty oak and vanilla; tannic, dense and balanced with a long, lush finish.

We fully admit to being unaccustomed to finding anything like polish in a wine of this size and ripeness, but both polish and balance are the hallmarks of this deeply filled wine. It leads with intense aromas of blackberries, sweet smoke and cream, and it follows up on that promise with rich, well-composed flavors of empathetic fruit. It is firmed by a nice trim of tannins and shows little in the way if intrusive heat despite its 15.8% alcohol. It is withal a fairly serious wine, and it seems certain to improve for another three to five years.

2004 ALEXANDER VALLEY SNAKE EYES ELAINE MARIA VINEYARDS ZINFANDEL Rustic in its youth and blunt with raspberry jam flavors against staunchly dry tannins, this needs years to evolve into those tannins and the sharp, mineral acidity. It grows more complex and heady with air, a touch green, a touch pruney and entirely zin. (1,025 cases)

Crisp citrus aromas and fresh lemon and grapefruit flavors define this medium-bodied, appetizing and unapologetic wine. With lots of personality, a tingly texture and tangy finish, it’s just the thing for appetizers and first courses.