Graphite notes accent the rich, fruity blend of cherry, currant and plum flavors, supported by lively acidity. Minerally and red licorice elements emerge on the fresh finish, with hints of white pepper. Drink now through 2023.

Intense notes of hot stone and slate accent the dried cherry and berry flavors. Floral hints show midpalate, with a powerful finish that is rich and mineral-infused. Drink now through 2024.

This dark yellow colored Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson is very good. It opens with a fragrant pineapple, oak and lemon bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and has a very soft and round mouthfeel. The flavor profile is a grilled pineapple and toasted oak blend with notes of lemon. I also detected a hint of minerality, vanilla and green apple. The finish is pleasant and drifts away nicely. I would most likely drink this very nice Chard on its own. With food, I would pick a lobster.

This bright red colored Pinot Noir from the La Crema is very good. It opens with a strawberry and cola bouquet with a hint of blueberries. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and has a pleasant round mouthfeel. The flavor profile is a Dr. Pepper and mild red raspberry blend with notes of caramel and clove. I also detected a hint of coffee and strawberry mixed in. The finish is dry and its mild tannins show nice length for a Pinot. This Pinot from the Russian River Valley is savory and would pair well with a grilled pork chops with cherry sauce.

Special Report: Chianti Classico This 2,500-acre estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga, owned by California’s Jackson Family Wines, sources grapes for its Riserva from south-facing blocks, where the fruit ripens into flavors of black raspberry, cassis and roasted red pepper. Ten months of aging in French oak barriques enriches those deep fruit tones with notes of dark chocolate, vanilla and peppery spice. Best Buy.

From rolling hills in the shadow of the Santa Lucia Highlands, this wine leads with scents of cedar, hinting at oak; its flavors are lined with wintry spice, the textures silky, finely woven and calling for sturgeon.

Dense, rich, very ripe, sweet wood and coconut-inflected cabernet here from Stonestreet's gorgeous Alexander Mountain Estate in Sonoma County, polished, slick and ambitiously made. The palate is thick and dripping with fruit extract, while wood, as on the nose, still needs some time to fully integrate, though will always remain a dominant feature with its dusty coconut husk-vanilla profile. Tannins are soft and fleshy, and acids are equally soft. This is not a wine for the long term in my view, but start to enjoy around 2022 or so or hold for a few years after that. Solid and polished. Tasted March 2020.

White and yellow peach aromas meet with seared pear, grapefruit rind and sea salt on the nose of this bottling. It's very lively on the palate with a strong citrus tang that cuts through the underlying viscosity, finishing on a nutty kick.

Crunchy and well-spiced, with savory hints to the peach pastry and apple compote flavors. Juicy richness on the finish is powered by fresh acidity. Drink now through 2024.

Shows verve, with savory herbal shadings to the crunchy green apple and lemon-lime flavors. Fresh acidity powers the juicy finish. Drink now through 2023.

Open-textured and lush, with toasty accents to the glazed pear and lemon meringue flavors. The buttery finish shows a savory richness that lingers with smoky hints. Drink now through 2024.

Vibrant and snappy, with fresh cherry, black tea and orange peel flavors that pick up speed toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028.

This impressive wine is sourced from stellar sites, including Stagecoach, Cardinale and Bosche. Made in a 100% varietal manner, it is plush and expansive on the palate, rich and round in smoothly integrated red plum and cherry with accents of herb, tobacco, leather and black pepper.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases The 2017 Chardonnay offers up wonderfully intense tropical fruit notes of pineapple upside-down cake, guava and passion fruit with touches of brioche, butterscotch and toasted cashews. Full-bodied, the palate has a lovely oiliness to the texture and plenty of freshness lifting the intense tropical flavors to a good, long finish.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Already bottled, the 2018 Zinfandel Russian River Valley has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and sings of blackberry pie, blueberry compote and raspberry preserves with hints of mossy tree bark, hoisin and Indian spices. Full-bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, the palate features firm, chewy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing on a lingering raisin cake note.

Tightly focused and a bit restrained, with brooding blueberry, smoked tarragon and dusky spice flavors that build tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028.

Wine for the Cellar Freemark Abbey is enjoying a renaissance under the Jackson Family Wines banner, and there is plenty made under the Napa label, now at 24,000-plus cases. Don’t let the production scare you. It is a reserve style red, fresh and vibrant with everything you want in a 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon. The blend is a tour of Napa soils, including valley floor well-drained loam and clay; western mountaintop soils shallow and acidic with low fertility; and eastern mountaintop soils that are volcanic based, with poor fertility and incredible minerality. Look for intense, spicy, fresh, juicy boysenberry and bing cherry with milk chocolate, cedar, and garrigue. There is plenty of life here, and there is no rush to drink this wine. The 2016 composition is 75.8 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 16.2 per cent Merlot, 4 per cent Malbec, 3 per cent Petit Verdot, and 1 per cent Cabernet Franc.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby color and notes of earth and wet leaves over a core of black berry and cherry fruit with potpourri and Earl Grey tea touches. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a good core of dark, spicy fruits, grainy tannins to frame and juicy acidity, finishing long.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2016 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is pale to medium ruby-purple and scented of black cherry pie, warm blackberries, shaved nutmeg, wet leaves and earth. Light to medium-bodied with a good core of dark fruits, it has juicy acidity and soft tannins with warm spices coming through on the long finish.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2017 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and an open nose of charcuterie with hints of tar and earth, fleshing out to red cherries, Bergamot, pomegranate, rhubarb and dried flowers notes. Light to medium-bodied, it has a good core of juicy, perfumed fruits, with a soft frame and lip-smacking freshness, finishing on a floral note.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard opens savory with faint touches of tar and charcuterie, fleshing out to black cherries, loamy earth, cinnamon stick, tree bark and red cherry sparks. Light to medium-bodied with broody, earth-tinged fruits, it has a soft frame and great freshness, finishing long and layered.

USA, California: All Along the Central Coast – The 2017 Vintage in Paso Robles and Beyond The 2017 Chardonnay is fermented entirely in stainless steel with some bâtonnage in tank but no malolactic fermentation. It has a pretty nose of pear blossom, red apple skin, honeycomb and chamomile with notes of peach pie and a rocky mineral note. Light to medium-bodied, it has a softly rounded texture with juicy acidity and finishes long on a floral note.

Opens with steely elegance and gently expands and fleshes out, featuring refined apple, spiced pear and mineral flavors that glide on a vibrant finish.

2018 Oregon Vintage: Vineyard Savvy Reaps Consistency and Quality This is a brambly style that has forest berries and herbs on offer, as well as a spicy layer that delivers a complex overall impression. The palate has good, harmonious structure and neat, spiced red-cherry flavors. Drink now.