This is a sleekly built red, with vibrant and delicately layered rose petal, raspberry and black tea tones that pick up speed and tension on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2026.

The 2019 Zinfandel Russian River Valley was aged in French oak, 40% new, for 10 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly emerges from the glass with notions of wild blueberries, black raspberries and raspberry pie plus hints of potpourri, incense, rose petals and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is velvety and refreshing, featuring loads of baking spice and floral layers, finishing on an earthy note.

Done in the Méthode Traditionnelle, this vintage-dated brut is the first Oregon sparkler from La Crema. It opens crisp and clean, showing little impact from four years en tirage. There is green-apple fruit and sharp acidity but little complexity. Give it ample aeration (open the bottle, re-seal it, and let it sit for some hours) and it shows much better, with touches of straw, toast, citrus and good length and texture. Drink 2024–2035.

This pale copper colored "Brut Rose" from Gran Moraine opens with a beautiful array of fine bubbles. Its bouquet features bread dough and strawberry with hints of almond, peach and pineapple. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with plus acidity. It is crisp yet has a round mouthfeel. The flavor profile is a mineral influenced strawberry and watermelon blend with notes of grapefruit and brioche. We also detected hints of clementine and lemon in the aftertaste. The finish is pleasantly dry and quite refreshing. This Brut Rose would pair well with fresh sliced Norwegian salmon or sushi.

The nose wafts a dessert table of caramel apple, lemon meringue, and graham cracker crumble. Medium bodied with slightly crisp acid nestled nicely in the center of a lush palate. Flavors include green and Opal apples, lime sorbet, gravel minerality, and white pepper. It finishes on orange marmalade. A nicely profiled and structured chardonnay, the quality outshines the depth.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesFermented in neutral puncheons and foudres and stirred monthly during aging, the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard charges out of the glass with bold notes of ripe peaches, pink grapefruit and passion fruit with hints of struck match and lemongrass plus a waft of elderflower. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a wallop, delivering bags of citrus flavors and a lively backbone, finishing long and zesty.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesComposed of 80.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.8% Merlot, 4.7% Cabernet Franc and 2.3% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Proprietary Red Wine was aged in French oak barrels, 43% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it saunters out of the glass with graceful red currant jelly, warm cassis and fresh blackberries scents plus hints of wild sage, lavender and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, grainy texture supporting loads of red and black fruit layers, finishing savory.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2019 Chardonnay Russian River Valley was 100% barrel fermented in French oak barrels, 26% new, and aged for 9.5 months. It slips slowly, cautiously out of the glass with crushed rocks and sea spray scents over a core of green and yellow apples and Bosc pears plus a hint of marzipan. Medium-bodied, the palate bursts with apple and pear flavors with a racy backbone and savory finish.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesMade from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (coming from the vineyard surrounding Cardinale winery), the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville was aged for 27 months in French oak barrels, 58% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts on the scene with bold cassis, plum preserves and red currant jelly scents plus hints of pencil shavings, dusty soil and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with a firm, grainy texture and bold freshness, it delivers bags of black fruit and a lively herbal lift on the finish.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2019 Chardonnay underwent 50% malolactic and spent nine months in oak barrels, 40% new. It opens with expressive poached pears and apple pie scents plus nuances of powdered ginger, honey toast and mandarin peel. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating spiced-apple flavors with a racy line and great length.

This pale garnet colored Pinot Noir from WillaKenzie opens with pleasant strawberry licorice and maraschino cherry bouquet with hints of wet slate and cola. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, round and slightly lush. The flavor profile is a very tasty red plum and red currant blend with notes of earthy minerality and vanilla. I also detected hints of strawberry licorice and maraschino cherry similar to what I found on the nose at the very end. The finish is subtle and the flavors drift away nicely. While this is not the most complex Pinot you will try, it is very yummy and the bottle will not last very long. I would pair this crowd pleasing Pinot with good music and cooking.

This opaque and dark purple colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Galerie opens with a dark chocolate, oolong tea and black currant bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, slightly acidic and round. The flavor profile is a black olive and blackberry blend with notes of cedar, crushed stone and dark chocolate. There is hints of stewed plum and black pepper towards the end. The finish is dry and its dusty tannins drift away nicely. This Cabernet would pair well with savory British beef olives.

Another new cuvée from Willakenzie, the pale ruby colored 2017 Pinot Noir Clairière has earthy tones of underbrush, bay leaves and tobacco with fresh cranberry and citrus fruit. The light-bodied palate is delicately styled with elegant, pure, lifted fruit character and a long finish.

Medium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard opens with delicate notions of charcuterie, aniseed, forest floor and dried blackberries, offering up more nuance with time as it sits in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is firm and juicy, with broody, earthy fruits and loads of energetic lift, finishing long and savory.

The 2019 Viognier explodes from the glass with lychee, dried green herbs, white peaches and musk. The palate is medium-bodied, silky, fresh and bright with loads of floral fruits and a lifted, energetic finish. Lovely!

73% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay. Another faintly hued wine, which is slightly more orange than pink, but it is definitely in the splitting hairs realm of argument. Tart on the nose, quite lovely, even. Heavy on tartness, subtle fruit, layered. Yeah, I could hang out here for a while, even a long while. Perhaps not to the level of the top wines here, but it is close, really close. Excellent.

The 2017 Merlot Bennett Valley is laced with dark cherry, tobacco, cedar, licorice, menthol, dried herbs and a touch of oak. Medium in body, with terrific pliancy and plenty of character, the Bennett Valley Merlot has a lot to offer. I especially like the way it broadens on the mid-palate and into the finish.

This ruby colored Pinot Noir from Oregon opens with a cherry-cola and oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with plus acidity and a little sizzle. The flavor profile is a tasty blend of black cherry-cola and oak with notes of plum and mushrooms. I also detected hints of red currant and black pepper towards the end. The finish is dry and its flavors, managed acidity and gentle tannins drift away nicely. This very good value Pinot would pair well with a pork tenderloin seasoned with sage and garlic.

Another really lovely nose of round red berry fruit with some baking spice and minerality. The palate takes a minute or so to get going, but when it does, the fruit comes rushing in along with some complexity and drying tannins. More, please. Excellent.

Fruity, as in the “I wanna be a pleaser of the crowd” kinda fruity (i.e., a touch over-extracted, perhaps) with a slight hint of funk. The palate is a bit to the contrary. Yes, there is fruit, but it is surprisingly reserved and, well, in balance. Not at all the boisterous bully that I expected. In fact, this is quite nice. Excellent.

Lean and grippy with great balance, this is an awesome example of how Cali does Savvy B. It smells like honeysuckle flowers and a squeeze of lime with some sea salt. You could just chill with this wine, but a goat cheese and walnut salad with peppery arugula would shine with this bottle.

On the dark side, here, with a really muted nose. Rich fruit on the palate, though, really surprising. It is actually fantastic once it gets past the lips, with balance and nice flavors. Eventually, some candied cherry came through on the nose, but still rather faint. Excellent.

Back to the fruit here, albeit on the subtle side, with some smoke and flint but it is also rich and inviting. The palate is quite nice, with subtle fruit and plenty of that flint. Very nice. Excellent.

Rich and a bit dirty from this above-average colored wine. Black cherry, a tad on the sweet side on the nose. Also comes off as a tad sweet on the palate, but that comes from the fruit (I doubt there is RS). Tart, bright, not exactly my style (I would like some earth or spice), but this is another strong iteration of the variety. Excellent.

A smooth, mouthwatering mix of mango, Crenshaw melon, nectarine and lemon zest details on a succulent frame, with a thread of beeswax and lanolin weaving in and out. Shows plenty of style, with tremendous harmony on the finish. Drink now through 2027.