The only block that doesn't get afternoon sun and from gravely soils, the 2016 Chardonnay Gravel Bench (aged all in new barrels) boasts a medium gold color as well as classic spiced orchard fruits, buttered citrus, charcoal, and hints of white flowers. It's concentrated, has beautiful purity, integrated acidity, and a good finish. It has absorbed its oak beautifully.

Red currants, cherries, dried herbs, and smoked earth define the 2015 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard, one of the more fresh, lively and pure efforts in the lineup. It has a sappy, vibrant, spring flower character, good acidity and a great finish. This is a pretty, vibrant Pinot Noir.

The 2016 Pinot Noir Kiser En Haut from Anderson Valley saw 20% new French oak. It has a complex, nuanced, Côte de Beaune-like perfume of red fruits, sassafras, flowers, and exotic spices. Incredibly elegant, silky, and polished on the palate, with juicy acidity, it shines for its complexity, nuance, and ethereal texture. It’s one of the gems in the lineup.

One of my favorites in the lineup was the 2016 Pinot Noir Perry Ranch Vineyard, which comes from a cooler site in the Russian River (this use to be Keefer Ranch Vineyard). Medium-bodied, silky, and beautifully balanced and elegant, it has complex notes of salty minerality, ripe cherries, currants, and crushed violets. I love its balance, purity, and length, and would happily drink bottles over the coming decade.

This ‘No Name’ bottling is a barrel selection by Penner Ash. Needing roughly a one hour decant to fully express itself, this starts off with beautiful red currant, rose petal and red cherry with forest floor aromatics. The palate is burly, almost Sonomaesque. Cherry cola, sassafras, wild strawberry jam and forest floor flavors complete this outstanding wine. Enjoy this great, beautifully textured, Pinot Noir over the next fifteen plus years.

The 2015 Journey Red is a significant step up (in price as well) and checks in as 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 46% new French oak. This medium to full-bodied beauty gives up loads of black cherry fruits, notes of tobacco, bay leaf, and cedar, ultra-fine tannin, and an elegant, seamless style on the palate. It has loads of character and should be capable of drinking well for a decade.

One of the gems in the lineup is the 2016 Chardonnay Journey, which is a barrel selection that ended up being 38% new oak. This cuvée is made with the idea of a rich, powerful wine, and while it succeeds on that front, this beauty also has considerable purity and elegance. White flowers, buttered citrus, tangerine, honeysuckle, and hints of wood smoke give way to a deep, rich, concentrated Chardonnay that’s drinking beautifully today.

A barrel selection from two sites in Sonoma, aged in 60-75% new French oak, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Stature is a brilliant 100% Cabernet Sauvignon release. Crème de cassis, lead pencil, crushed violets, and graphite notes all emerge from this full-bodied, deep, seamless effort that has awesome depth of fruit as well as an undeniable elegance.

Polished and elegant, with refined raspberry and wild strawberry flavors and an edge of matcha. Velvety tannins and bass notes of sage, cedar and black pepper showcase a wine of power and restraint.

Heady aromas of black currant, rhubarb, old library books and Chinese five spice are backed by an earthy spine. The palate of this full-bodied wine is a lovely balance of richness and restraint, with earthy, savory elements ensconced in velvety, fine-grained tannins. Enjoy with Moroccan lamb.

Marin County lies to the north of San Francisco, just across the Golden Gate Bridge and goes up to Bodega Bay. This is a cool, foggy region and the 2015 Pinot Noir Marin County was destemmed and spent 16 months in 32% new French oak. Cranberries, white cherries, spice, bay leaf, and sassafras notes all flow to a beautifully balanced, medium-bodied Pinot Noir that shines for its complexity and nuance. It’s one of the fine, ethereal wines in the lineup, yet doesn’t lack for intensity or depth. It’s going to keep for 10-12 years.

Muted on the nose at first, this white becomes pretty in white flowers and nutty on the nose, with a character of candied ginger and honey. Preserved lemon flavors add richness to a grittiness of wet stone and quince. Structured and textured, it has ribald ripeness at its core that finds balance in its coastal provenance.

Combines power and polish, offering a deep and complex structure along with rich and refined raspberry, loamy mineral and herbes des Provence flavors that linger on the finish.

Impressively structured, with a lively core of tannins and big but refined tannins that pair beautifully with black raspberry and loamy mineral notes and hints of spice and mint.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pleinair (there’s a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) comes from Napa Valley and was brought up just under 60% new French oak. It’s a beautiful, classic – elegant even – Cabernet that has loads of crème de cassis, lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco nuances. It’s very much in the style of the 2014 vintage with its medium to full body, no hard edges, beautiful balance, and sweet tannins. As Napa Valley Cabernet goes, it’s also a stunning value. This beauty is capable of drinking well for at least 10-15 years.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso comes from the famous Louis Martini property and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that’s still aging in 81% new French oak. This cuvée comes from one of the oldest, dry farmed blocks on the property and is a barrel selection made in the winery. Awesome blueberry, flowers, incense, and lead pencil aromatics, full body, ripe, sweet tannin, and a seamless texture all make for one head-turning Cabernet that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyard Sexton Road features gorgeous crushed black cherries and black raspberries scents with nuances of violets, wild thyme, lavender and iron ore. Medium-bodied, the palate features a fantastically refreshing backbone juxtaposed by wonderfully velvety tannins and amazing black berry intensity, leading into a very long floral finish.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Ewald Vineyard exudes wonderfully fragrant lilac and kirsch notes, accented by scents of cinnamon toast, raspberry pie and dried Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied with a taut line of grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, it has wonderful intensity and depth with a long perfumed finish.

A rich nose of papaya, mangoes, butterscotch, banoffee pie, dried cloves and vanilla. Full body, loads of tropical fruit, a driven serving of acidity and a long finish.

Complex and well-structured, with pear tart, green apple and ripe citrus flavors that are supported by crystalline acidity. The minerally finish has hints of smoke and plenty of spice notes.

One of the newer estates under the Jackson Family umbrella, Bootleg is managed by Kristy Melton, who’s turned out a brilliant Syrah blend in 2015. Made from 85% Syrah and 15% Petite Sirah, its deep purple color is followed by a peppery, meaty, dark fruited beauty that has full-bodied richness, complex notes of olives and spice, sweet tannin, and a great finish. It’s a pleasure-bent 2015 that should keep for a decade.

Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from vineyards at 800 to 1,000 feet in elevation, the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard was fermented and aged in a French oak foudre. It’s slightly fresher and more crisp compared to the estate release and has lots of lemon, white flowers, citrus rind, and a similar salinity. This medium-bodied, vibrant Sauvignon Blanc has terrific purity and will drink nicely for 4-5 years as well, if not longer.

The 2016 Chardonnay Bear Point Vineyard is another terrific wine from this estate. Barrel fermented and aged, with classic orchard fruits, lemon rind, honeysuckle, and white flowers, it has bright acidity, a rich, weight texture, and a clean finish. Slightly reserved and inward currently, give bottles a year and it should evolve gracefully for upwards of a decade.

The 2016 Chardonnay Red Point comes from a steep block that covers roughly 300 feet in elevation and red, iron-rich soils. It's a richer, rounded, fleshy effort offering hints of tropical fruits, white flowers, and salty minerality. It's nicely textured, has integrated acidity, and a clean finish.

Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard offers notions of red roses and baked cherries with hints of cranberry sauce and tilled soil plus a waft of mossy bark. Medium-bodied with a plush, delicate frame of soft tannins and background acid, it fills the palate with earthy and red fruit layers, finishing long and savory.