Stonestreet's 2016 Estate Sauvignon Blanc is simply gorgeous. Textured and pliant, with terrific balance, the Estate Sauvignon delivers terrific quality and personality from the very first taste. Citrus, herb and grassy notes punctuate this super-expressive Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard offers striking depth, texture and creaminess. Fermentation in oak, along with lees stirring, give the wines a distinctive oiliness and waxiness that comes through in the wine's textural feel.

Deep black-plum sauce, cocoa powder, black pepper, dark loam and vanilla show on the nose of this bottling from an unfamiliar vineyard by Adam Lee. The flavors are deep and dark but full of energy, with white pepper and plum jelly riding a relatively lighter frame.

2015 PINOT NOIR, SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS The nose is decidedly herb and floral with red berry fruit in the middle. The palate offers a bright and focused red cherry and tobacco in a solid core of well-integrated fruit and acidity. Overall an effortless feel of lightness on the palate, very well done.

2015 PINOT NOIR, CLOS PEPE VINEYARD The nose is leafy green herb, cherry and raspberry. The palate entry is dry and lean red raspberry and mineral, dusty cherry and graphite in the core through the finish. Gains more silkiness with air.

The 2015 Penner-Ash Estate Vineyard pinot noir offers a boatload of potential for the patient. The nose boarders on hedonistic, and offers some killer aromas of iron, black strap molasses and bruised strawberry and blackberry, though it’s obvious that with some bottle age there will be more to come. The body is as full-throttled, and the tannin structure and acid suggest a minimum of 5-6 years is required for it to really come together, though I’d give it a decade to allow the full range of fruit and Earthy flavors to shine: Acai, pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry, tar, black tea and black pepper all duck and weave through a robust tannin structure and acid that will need to relax for this wine to show its best self. This will be an all-star if one can wait a solid decade. Penner-Ash’s Estate Vineyard has some cool stuff going on. 92 points, value A-.

2016 CHARDONNAY, ESTATE, SANTA MARIA VALLEY The nose is a full white stone fruit, resinous lemon and coconut. The palate is nicely elevated toast and bright lemon, butterscotch and peach through the finish.

This dark yellow colored Chardonnay is impressive. It opens with a fragrant lemon and oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and smooth with no edges at all. The flavor profile is a tasty mild oak influenced apple and pear blend with notes of butter. I also detected a hint of ginger towards the end. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. I would drink this Chard on its own and it certainly would not last long. Enjoy with friends that like this style of Chard!

The first of the two reds was the 2015 Hartford Family Winery Warrior Princess Block Zena Crown Vineyard pinot noir, which has a deep, serious nose boasting aromas of briar berry compote, dark dusty cocoa, graphite, lavender, tar and candied red apple. It’s nimble on the palate, exhibiting youthful finesse. The gorgeous tannins provide a sturdy frame, but don’t overpower while the acid is spot-on. Though I wouldn’t call the structure elegant, it has skillfully found a balance between power and finesse that’s intriguing. In the flavor department you get black and boysenberry, very dark chocolate, rose petals, lavender, Herbs de Provence, and wet soil. Though it’s good now, it will be better in five years. 92 points, value: C.

The Gran Moraine, in my experience with this and previous vintages, delivers incredible value for pinot noir. The slightly restrained nose wafts boysenberry, dark earth, olive brine, lightly tanned leather and orange zest. Boarding on full bodied, it has velvety tannins and shiny acid that’s well integrated. The substantial depth of this one demands a good decant, and benefits from keeping it in your mouth for an extended period of time to experience its development. I think this has good medium-term aging potential. Flavors hit on pomegranate, acai, plum, black olive, currant, wet soil and juniper berry. 92 pts, value A-.

2015 PINOT NOIR, POMMARD CLONE 4 The nose is a rich and savory rhubarb, plum, garrigue and graphite with notes of sun-warmed tomato. The palate entry is supple cherry and cranberry with a core of mouth-coating dry red fruit, tobacco and herb.

2015 PINOT NOIR, JOHN SEBASTIANO VINEYARD The nose is a hard cherry, graphite and garrigue. The palate is deeply polished black fruit through the core, becoming lean and lively on the finish.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of black cherry, underbrush, woodland spice and cigar lead to well-spiced flavors of black cherry and boysenberry. Sleek in the mouth with balanced tannins and a modest but satisfying finish. There is a bit too much oak barrel intrusion, but otherwise this is a delightful wine.

2015 PINOT NOIR, JULIA’S VINEYARD The nose is a savory herb, peppercorn, licorice and mint. The palate offers polished cherry and spice with a dense savory core and a distinctly richer flavor profile.

Medium yellow color. Aromas of lemon curd, yellow apple, buttercream, raw almond, sea salt, along with honey and cinnamon. Medium-bodied, precise acidity with a lively saline element. Rich texture with notes of whipped butter, apricot jam, lemon curd and baked apple, but also fresh with notes of chalk dust and crushed oyster shells. Nougat and honey on the finish, this is delicious and balanced.

Light gold color. Bold and beautiful on the nose with bruised yellow apple, baked pear, lime juice, notes of nougat and cinnamon buns mix with sea breeze and chalk dust, and the combo is so good. Creamy and plush on the palate but moderating acidity keeps it fresh. Plump yellow apples and pears with apricot jam, drizzled with lime, and topped in some toasted almonds and flowers. Lots of richness here but complex and vibrant as well.

I found the nose of the Siduri to be deep and hedonistic, offering sweet cherry, cola, ink, cassis, kirsch and rose. It’s full bodied with smooth and plush tannin and bright acidity, everything appearing in good balance that I think will improve even more with time. Flavors are tarter than the nose, delivering cherry, cranberry, huckleberry, wet pavement, pastel florals and a small dose of wet soil. 91 pts, value B+.

The Penner-Ash Willamette Valley pinot noir is distributed nationally and shows up on a lot of restaurant wine lists around the country. It serves as Penner-Ash’s entry point pinot, and is one that tries to strike a widely appealing profile. I’ve had a number of vintages and it tends to show very little variation from year-to-year, making its consistency an appealing asset for consumers who like knowing what they’re getting each time. Nevertheless, it usually offers good depth for the price, and is one that I always wish I could have a few years of bottle age. The 2015 has a saturated nose of plummy cherry, Dr. Pepper, graphite and lavender. It’s rocking a full body that enters thick. The tannin is restrained but mouth-filling and slightly grainy, and the acid strikes a good level. Flavors are a briar patch of blackberry, raspberry and boysenberry complimented nicely by baking spice and just a touch of saline. While it’s nice now, I’d love to try this one again in 2020 and expect it to do well for a few additional years. 91 points, value: B+.

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.

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.

The 2015 Encantadora is a new Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend from Matanzas Creek. Pliant and generous, with plenty of savory top notes from the Franc make for a compelling wine. The 2015 needs a year or two to come together, but it is already super-expressive and very pretty.

The 2015 Armoniza is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot-based blend from vineyards in Knights Valley. Bright, punchy and fruit-driven, the 2015 offers plenty of immediacy, although it also has the depth, structure and savory freshness to develop a good bit of complexity over the next few years, maybe more.

This pale pink colored wine opens with an inviting rose pedal and watermelon like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is light to medium bodied, nicely balanced and smooth as silk. The flavor profile is a gentle mineral infused faint strawberry with hints of white pepper, watermelon and almond. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. This elegant Rose is very sophisticated and would pair with the finest mild dishes. I would pair it with a shrimp scampi risotto.

This pitch black colored Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley opens with an appealing black currant and dark chocolate bouquet with a hint of moist pipe tobacco. On the palate, this wine is just full bodied, balanced and a little juicy. The flavor profile is a ripe black currant and blueberry with notes of olive and minerality. I also detected hints of oak and plum in the background. The finish is rather dry and its dusty tannins and flavors stick around and last for a very extended period of time. This Cab would pair well with a well-marbled ribeye.

The Largest Blind Tasting of American True Rosés  - Flights 10-12 Very light pink. Quite floral with subtle strawberry. On the palate, finespun, but exquisite fruit, great acidity. Lovely. Outstanding.