The mystic black tea Kung Fu is very, very strong here. A-

Wines of the Week Lynn Penner-Ash came to Oregon in 1988 to become winemaker at Rex Hill Winery in Newberg. A decade later, she and her husband founded their own winery, building their own facility in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in 2005. Look for aromas and flavors of candy cherry, plum and dried herbs with notes of earthy mineral – aeration helps round out the palate.

Pinot Noir Masters 2018 Master

Stepping up the price ladder at $125/bottle was the 2013 Single Block Mt. Brave, a project of the much-acclaimed Chris Carpenter, also either the current or past winemaker at Cardinale, La Jota and Lokoya (quite an impressive resume). It’s 100 percent Mt. Veeder fruit and spends three-plus years in barrel before it is bottled. All cabernet sauvignon, it is heavily perfumed with aromas of black fruit, especially blackberry. While heavily tannic (which will likely dissipate over time), the fruit flavor is outstanding and beautiful.

Another pinot followed, the 2014 Maggy Hawk Unforgettable. A contrast to the Conifer, this Anderson Valley red is very fruit forward. A strawberry/cherry nose, the wine is full-bodied and tannic. I would give this a couple of years to see what develops.

30th Anniversary Best of the Best Grand Grapes - The most delicious and worthy wines released over the last year A whiff of fresh mint on the nose gives way to blueberry pie and black raspberry with muscular, dusky notes of lamb. The long finish is dry and savory, leaving you craving another sip.

Top 5 Must-Try Rosés This Summer The 2017 La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir Rosé is a fresh, crisp, and easy-to-drink wine. It features mandarin citrus characteristics and flinty, mineral notes. The grapes were fermented in 100 percent stainless steel at cool temperatures, resulting in a smooth, exotic wine that is the quintessential accompaniment for bright spring dishes. 100% Pinot Noir.

10 Rosés I’m Drinking This Summer. (And a Cheese Board, Of Course!) La Crema makes some of my favorite wine (their Pinot Noir is practically the only one I drink) and when I found their rosé, I was super excited. This one is pretty dry as expected and it goes super well with a cheese board. It’s a bit on the pricier side though.

What I'm Drinking on the Fourth of July This family winery, begun in 1979, originally used the name La Crema Vinera to denote their wines would be the "best of the vine," and consistency has always been a hallmark of their satiny flagship cool climate Pinot Noirs, which will go as well with salmon as with roast pork. The fruit is sourced from several vineyards with various soil types, so you get minerality with the soft fruitiness.

Modern style chardonnay with elegant pineapple, a touch of toffee aromas and a fine balance of freshness and roundness in the mouth. A very pleasant texture and concentration of the flavours that coat the mouth and leave the mind craving the next sip… so why not? A fabulous wine to enjoy on its own or with poulet et frites or slice of mature cheddar. Good value for a very well made wine at around £20.

Pink wines continue to grow in popularity Two delightful rosés were dominated by pinot noir and syrah: Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve (juicy, round…)

This is a bright and lively, citrusy rosé with notes of pink grapefruit, mineral and just a hint of strawberry. It’s a smart buy because it over-delivers. 3½ stars.

Top 5 Must-Try Rosés This Summer Coming primarily from Monterey and Mendocino’s cool coastal vineyards, the 2017 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Rosé is a vibrant translucent pink coral. It features bright citrus, wild strawberries, watermelon rind, and white floral elements. Stainless steel fermentation retains the bright fruit character, freshness and purity, and makes it perfect for sipping on its own or paired with spring meals. Composition: 75% Pinot Noir; 23% Syrah; 2% Grenache.

15 New Wines You Should Be Serving at Your Wedding Kendall-Jackson’s newest 2017 Vintner’s Reserve Rosé will pair well with fruit and veggie-driven appetizers and salads, or a cocktail or dessert hour cheese course, given its food-friendly quality, but it might also be a good idea to have some on hand to appease the KJ fans in the fam. Regardless of Wallace’s rules, we all know those diehard loyalists.

Wines of the Week Jackson Estate wines showcase the company’s cherished vineyard estate properties located in the prime growing areas of California. The Anderson Valley in Mendocino County follows the Navarro River canyon as it allows cooling ocean breezes to moderate the warm growing season. My tasters enjoyed aromas and flavors of wild strawberry, black cherry, earthy mineral, vanilla and toasty sandalwood.

Giving it Socks? No. Wine! 11 Man-tastic Wines for Dads on Father’s Day Subtle peppery oak cask aromas. Still very early in its development with the barrel aging dominant on the palate, like an oak craft sailing on a dark brooding sea. Food friend: requires a simple rich dark meat. Try duck breast wrapped with smoked rashers and roasted together with plums.

Wine review: bottles that pair well with vegetable dishes Soft, warming red wines pair well with root vegetables. This bottle from Kendall-Jackson has ripe purple fruit aromatics of plum and blueberry, and will taste great with roasted vegetables, especially tomatoes.

The Right Color for Summer; Bottles We're Loving This Summer Palest peach–colored, but vibrant with delicate florals, grapefruit, white peach, watermelon, and crushed stones.

Try These 20 Great Rosés From France and the West Coast Made from whole-cluster pressed pinot noir from a great growing region of Oregon, this balanced and fresh rosé has bright strawberry and watermelon flavors with nice citrus notes.

15 New Wines You Should Be Serving at Your Wedding Oregon’s Willamette Valley is known for many things (and creating many wines), but their Rosé of Pinot Noir is so smooth it could easily pass for a South of France top contender. Let’s just put it this way: Notes of Chinese gooseberry, Asian pear, and honeysuckle nectar are going to make your partygoers’ palates extremely happy.

Pinot Noir Masters 2018 Gold Medal

Floral and lemony, with rippling acidity. Two stars.

A warm vintage made for an early September harvest at Gran Moraine Vineyard, a 210-acre site in the foothills west of Carlton, Ore., that’s well into its second decade of life in the Willamette Valley. This Jackson Family Wines project features a selection of Dijon clones and a 16-month barrel program. A small percentage of those barrels were new, and that sets up the theme of toasted almond, lemon and Bosc pear, making for a vibrant structure that picks up minerality along the way to a finish of toffee, pistachio and caramel Granny Smith apple.

Another huge, yet elegant Chardonnay, the 2015 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard boasts a deeper gold color to go with a powerful, deep bouquet of buttered citrus, tangerine, baking spice, and awesome salty minerality. With full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless, incredibly pure and precise texture, and a huge finish, this is another incredible Chardonnay from this team. The Seascape Vineyard is located on a panoramic ridge-top west of the town of Occidental facing Bodega Bay and the Pacific Ocean, and this 2015 was barrel fermented and aged 16 months in 42% new French oak.

From blocks in the Durrell vineyard (the parcel is rolled river rocks soils), the 2015 Chardonnay Stone Côte Vineyard offers a medium gold color as well as a sensational bouquet of ripe, caramelized citrus, crushed rocks, tangerine, and marine/seashell-like aromas and flavors. Aged 16 months in 37% new French oak, it's deep, rich, and thrillingly textured, with bright, juicy acidity keeping it vibrant and focused. It's a stunning Chardonnay to drink over the coming decade.