The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, from the estate vineyards, is showing well. Dense purple, with the telltale mulberry and graphite notes of Howell Mountain, youthful tannins, and a relatively boisterous and exuberant, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, it is still young. This wine (90% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) should hit its prime in another 4-5 years, and drink well for 10-15+ after that.

COMMENTARY: My love for La Crema goes way back—I won't tell you how far—and the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosé just adds to those feelings. TASTING NOTES: This is a lovely rosé with excellent aromatics and flavors. Pair the wine's strawberry and dried earth flavors with a light seafood risotto.

At first, this is all angles, the clean cherry fruit warmed by coffee, burnt at the edges, slightly bitter, sweetened with vanilla. Then air settles the factions and brings the smooth fruit into focus. It takes on a smoky, masculine Carneros style, expressing its power as a big black wine. Drink it now if you like aggressive, muscular wines, or wait it out for a more graceful conclusion.

Deep cherry red. Moderately full-bodied. Highly extracted. Moderately oaked and tannic. Chocolate, toast, ripe blackberry. Deep dark brooding nose leads a seamless and rich palate with some attractive toasted oak flavors through the finish. Overall a firmly structured style.

Dark color. Pretty aromas of cherry, vanilla, tea, meat, mushroom, earth and smoke mingle. Very complex and concentrated. Tiers of ripe, sweet stone fruit with spicy oak notes and a lively acidity. Delicious now.

Pinot Noir World Series

"A blockbuster filled with ripe cherry and strawberry. Balanced and rich with high levels of fruit, acid and tannin. The lush fruit is married well with complementary notes of chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Silky smooth texture carries through to the finish." Cellar selection and best buy.

A big bold red, this is lush and expansive on the considerably concentrated palate, imparting developed flavors of baked strawberry, rhubarb, baking spice and black tea. The oak is integrated yet present.

Earthy and grippy character define this full-bodied wine, a full explosion of big flavor at its core. Cola, cherry and black currant complement in waves of sweet and savory flavor, with a lasting taste of forest floor and tea.

La Crema sources the grapes for this Pinot Noir from the potentially better-suited vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. Compared to their Monterey bottling, the sweetness in this one is replaced by bright, ripe red fruit notes mixed with alluring herbal and leafy flavors. Similar to their Monterey bottling, suave tannins allow you to enjoy it now. For those who think far ahead, it would be an excellent choice for turkey.

What's most notable for such a big production wine is that it was sourced entirely from two estate vineyards rather than assembled from purchased fruit. Supple flavors of berry, plum and baked cherry spread broadly across the palate, with highlights of cocoa and tobacco. The finish is smooth as silk.

This dark ruby colored Pinot Noir from La Crema is very good. It opens with a cherry and pomegranate bouquet with hints of oak. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and savory. The flavor profile is an oak and black raspberry blend with notes of stewed plum, red beet and a dash of black pepper. The finish is dry and it shows very nice length for a Pinot Noir. I would pair this Pinot with duck confit.

This is a wonderful wine, made in large enough quantities to be easily found on store shelves. Smoky, meaty and gamy aromas rise from the glass around perfumed rose. The palate is juicy and velvety, with flavors of berry pie and cinnamon.

A mix of estate and purchased fruit, the 2015 Pinot Noir is a fleshy, rich, impressively textured – and balanced – effort that gives up classic notes of black cherries, forest floor, and scorched earth. It's an impressive, rich, and again, balanced, effort that has loads to love.

Expect a rich, spicy, entry with bright, juicy dark cherry pinot bathed in dried herbs. The palate is silky with bright plummy, floral, raspberry, blackberry fruit and a pinch of cola. There is an attractive, juicy, acidity character within the warm, spicy finish. Made for restaurants and pinot lovers. It is a complex mix of Russian River fruit that is aged in French oak for 11 months - only one third is new. Fog-bound mornings create a cooler climate and more intense flavours accented by hand-picked, hand-sorted berries with 70% whole berries making it to the fermentation tanks. The free run is transferred to tank for one night of decanting before racking to barrel where its sits until blending prior to bottling. The complex clone mix includes 777, Flowers, Pommard, 2A, 667, 828 and 23.

Offers mouthfilling richness, with flavors of cherry tart, plum pudding and berry pie that feature plenty of pastry notes. The plump finish is spicy and creamy.

This is a fine expression of the best elements of Anderson Valley -- cool climate acidity and bright cherry fruit. Fall spice and a touch of stemmy character add interest and lengthen the finish. It would be a solid pairing partner for roasted chicken, turkey and the like.

Deep ruby color; smooth and lush, juicy and savory; ripe black cherry with tangy fruit and lush texture.

Sleek and gracefully built, offering vibrant cherry, green peppercorn and tea flavors that finish with refined tannins. Drink now through 2021.

This seductive Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley gets off to a good start with an inviting nose of violets and spice. It only gets better from there. On the palate the wine is exquisitely balanced, showing notes of raspberry and cherry with a touch of oak spice. The texture is silky and supple, made for immediate consumption, although the excellent balance suggests it will age nicely over the next five to seven years.

This full-bodied red is smooth and silky on the palate, swirled in tangy, tart acidity that buoys the concentration of power. Crisp red fruit and subtle undertones of earthiness and rose make for a succulent core built around firm tannin and integrated oak.

Moderate cherry red color in the glass. Welcoming aromas of cherry and baking spices. A streamlined style that is both sleek and suave, with discreetly weighted flavors of cherry and red plum. The tannins are well integrated, the oak adds the right amount of seasoning, and the delightful finish is blessed with a generous presence of juice cherry fruit.

Top Ten: California This wine has been good for a while and the price is more than fair. Look for a lively spicy entry with bright juicy dark cherry and a wash of dried herbs. The palate is plummy and smooth with a long, warm, spicy finish and round, soft tannins. Perfect oak for the fruit. A well-made pinot noir that should be a restaurant standard, it is a mix of seven clones from eight vineyards aged in 100 French oak but only 20 percent is new.

The 2013 Pinot Noir is one of the most expressive wines in the La Crema range. Succulent black cherry, smoke, leather, licorice and menthol are all fused together in the glass, while firm beams of supporting tannin give the wine its energy and overall sense of proportion. The is a real overachiever, not to mention one of the gems in this set of terrific new releases from La Crema.

This producer continues to up its game with this brand. This wine offers a smoky, luxurious experience defined by black-cherry spice, smoky oak and a thickness of chocolate. Textured and full bodied, it's made for fans of a richer, more concentrated style.