Light yellow color. Aromas of grapefruit, lemon and papaya with mountain stream, whipped honey and white flowers. Crisp but creamy on the palate with a stony, bright feel that balances well with juicy, fleshy texture, but it stays balanced throughout. Yellow plums, papaya, lime, mixed with chalk, mineral undertones and creamy, honeyed elements. A lot going on here, sort of like a bunch of different SB styles rolled into one, and it is done really well.

Poised aromas of waxy yellow fruit open to a more expressive palate. It’s broad and complex with a yeasty mouthfeel, layers of dried peach, apricot and hay, smoky minerals and a creamy finish. The acidity just balances the plush fruit and it should age into a savoury beauty.

Giant Steps is rightly known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but the 2018 Syrah is also a solid offering. A subtle touch of cedar accents blueberries and black olives on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate remains fresh, juicy and supple, finishing with ample length. It's just a fun wine to drink, reminiscent of a good Saint-Joseph in a sunny vintage.

This comes from Phil Sexton’s 75-acre vineyard on a north-facing hillside in Gruyere planted in 1997 (neighboring Yarra Yering and Coldstream Hills). The vines gave a clean, spicy, transparent red in 2018, with intriguing scents of peonies and Rainier cherries. The tannins carry some bitterness, of cherry pits and skins, suggesting a match with duck confit if you open it now. Better to cellar it for a few years to gentle the tannins.

Taut and even a bit wiry in structure, the 2018 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir looks to be a candidate for several years of cellaring. Pie cherries, cranberries and pomegranate notes predominate, accented by hints of earth and cedar on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is focused and streamlined, leading into a long, mouthwatering finish.

Dried lavender and talcum notes add an aromatic detail to the core of airy raspberry and orange zest flavors. Wonderfully elegant and open-knit, with a fresh thread of acidity and thyme accents on the finish. Drink now through 2033.

Marked by scents of mushrooms, compost and sous-bois, the 2018 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir is the earthiest and most savory of the 2018 Pinots from Giant Steps. Aged in 25% new oak, there are touches of mocha and cedar evident, but they're balanced by hints of red berries. The wine is medium-bodied and supple, with ultrafine, silky tannins and a mouthwatering finish.

Lemon curd, lime zest and hazelnut notes are creamy and supple, balanced by crunchy, minerally acidity that keeps the flavors in focus. Soft spice and cedar details echo on the finish. Drink now.

Perhaps the most classic Chardonnay of the bunch, the 2018 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay boasts attractive notes of toasted nuts alongside hints of white peaches and grilled pineapple. All Mendoza clone aged in 20% new oak, it's medium-bodied, defined by its concentrated pineapple flavors. Punchy and direct, it finishes long and citrusy.

COMMENTARY: The 2016 Cambria Estate Vineyard & Winery Clone 4 Chardonnay offers excellent persistence and complexity. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with lovely aromas and flavors of dried earth, sandalwood, apple, and oak. Enjoy it shellfish in a cream sauce.

Lush and chocolatey black fruits nose with some flamboyance. Grippy, concentranted and intense with roasted meats on the finish.Drinking Window 2020 - 2040

This shows a mix of floral, herb and spice notes out front, followed quickly by cassis and plum puree flavors that streak through a long, polished finish, where the herb accents reemerge. Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Drink now through 2025.

Ripe and mature-tasting, with decadent cooking spice notes to the brooding dark currant and dried berry flavors. Green olive details show on the viscous finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintageThe medium ruby colored 2018 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a perfumed nose of warm blackberries, bright red cherries and cranberries with nuances of underbrush, dried flowers and warm spices. Medium-bodied, it’s bright, open, juicy and lively in the mouth with loads of spice and perfume, finishing long.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintageMedium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard offers cranberry sauce, blueberries and blackberries with nuances of earth and floral perfume. The palate is medium-bodied, concentrated and perfumed with a grainy, fresh frame and long finish.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintageMedium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands has bright, open-knit aromas of red and black cherries, warm earth and roasted cranberries with nuances of tar, black tea leaves and underbrush. Medium-bodied, it’s bright and pretty in the mouth with touches of floral perfume, a grainy frame and good freshness, finishing long.

USA, California, Central Coast: The 2018 VintagePale to medium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is scented of blackberries and smoked cranberries with touches of citrus peel, tea leaves and spices. The palate is light to medium-bodied with an equally earthy, fruity character, a silky texture and bright, uplifted finish.

2018 Santa Lucia Highlands: What a Difference a Year MakesBright ruby-red. Fragrant cherry and red berry scents pick up floral and spice accents as the wine opens up. Smooth and energetic on the palate, offering gently sweet raspberry and cherry flavors that show very good depth and seamless texture. Finishes long and supple, with repeating florality and discreet tannins framing a lingering berry note.

The nose is sultry, herb-laced red berry fruits with graphite and licorice. The palate entry is an expansive licorice and herb with soaked cherry and plum in the core. The finish is firm and intertwined with dry tobacco leaf. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is deep plum, green herbs and spice box leading to a silky palate entry of graphite and earthy black tea. Carries some substantial mass through the finish with lower acidity. Drink 2020 - 2024.

The nose is clay-like strawberry, orange peel and fire-singed sticky marshmallow. The palate entry is candied orange, mineral and juicy acidity. A nice summer quencher when chilled. Drink 2020 - 2022.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018s Siduri's 2018 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) captures the essence of the appellation so well. Sweet dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and lavender race out of the glass in an exuberant, forward Pinot that is sure to find many admirers.

A light, elegant approach is taken to this mountain wine, robustly seasoned in sage, dried herb and clove. Herbaceous throughout, it represents the variety, vintage and provenance well, showing balanced, bright underlying acidity that softens the inherent power.

Made in a light, buzzy style, this red is juicy in wild strawberry, accompanied by savory threads of black tea and forest floor. Soft integrated tannins make it appealing in the glass, the acidity lively and complementary.