19.5/20 points

DIY Four-Course Dinner Paired with Oregon Pinot Noir As the starter, I chose a vegetable that can traditionally be tough to pair with wine – brussels sprouts. Pinot Noir tackles the challenge of pairing with this veggie because its earthy characteristics don’t overpower the brussels sprouts, while the Pinot’s savory notes play nicely with the nutty parmesan cheese and the tangy mustard. Siduri’s 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($25) was our favorite pairing for this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard & Parmesan. With hints of dried berries, earthy notes and a bright acidity, it was the perfect match for this tangy, umami-filled salad.

Those who relish savory will find this pinot striking because it’s earthy and even a bit gamy. What’s more, it’s complex with layered notes of boysenberry and cola, and it has impeccable balance. Smart. Four stars.

Black raspberry tea with a side of smoked meat, and they're not just for lunch anymore. A-

DIY Four-Course Dinner Paired with Oregon Pinot Noir Unless, of course, you’re a dessert person. In that case, I have something extra special in store for you! This Blackberry Galette. I love this dessert for so many reasons – Not only is it simple to make (read – it’ll take you about 10 minutes to assemble), but it’s amazingly delicious and a bit of a showstopper if I do say so myself. The ingredients are kept simple – just a bit of sugar, some lemon zest and those beautiful blackberries. And it’s those blackberries that make this recipe perfect for pairing with a berry-forward Pinot Noir like Penner-Ash’s 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($40). With aromas of dark berries, a smooth body and hint of vanilla it is absolute perfection when paired with this galette.

Mt. Brave presented itself with a deep, vibrant red color. The nose carried explosive, aromatic notes of floral, dark and red berries, plum, spice and oak. Hints of stone, espresso and tobacco tangoed together with layers of complexity at its peak of freshness. It is well balanced with good tannic structure, mild acidity with a delightful, lingering finish. This wine would be paired well with a juicy fillet.

What to Drink Now: Napa Cabernet Sauvignon A good bottle of Cab remains a go-to wine Napa Valley delivers sublime Cabernet Sauvignon options. The joy is finding what your palate prefers. Here are a few to try this season. (Some were sent for editorial consideration.) Get a taste of all of these delicious wines and more, while helping the Napa Valley community, at Auction Napa Valley May 31 through June 3, presented annually by the Napa Valley Vintners. For lovers of high-elevation mountain fruit, consider Cardinale ($250) which blends five of Napa’s mountain ranges into layers of dried blueberry, leather, cigar box and espresso for an earthy representation of textured, highly structured Cabernet Sauvignon. Or highlighted in individual mountain AVAs, like Cardinale sister wines La Jota ($75) from Howell Mountain and Mt. Brave ($75) from Mount Veeder, both concentrated, dense and divine.

First Place Merlots Sweet vanilla spice is joined by toasty, black pepper spice and a touch of orange peel, giving this high tannin and juicy dark-fruited wine plenty of complexity.

What to Drink Now: Napa Cabernet Sauvignon A good bottle of Cab remains a go-to wine Napa Valley delivers sublime Cabernet Sauvignon options. The joy is finding what your palate prefers. Here are a few to try this season. (Some were sent for editorial consideration.) Get a taste of all of these delicious wines and more, while helping the Napa Valley community, at Auction Napa Valley May 31 through June 3, presented annually by the Napa Valley Vintners. For lovers of high-elevation mountain fruit, consider Cardinale ($250) which blends five of Napa’s mountain ranges into layers of dried blueberry, leather, cigar box and espresso for an earthy representation of textured, highly structured Cabernet Sauvignon. Or highlighted in individual mountain AVAs, like Cardinale sister wines La Jota ($75) from Howell Mountain and Mt. Brave ($75) from Mount Veeder, both concentrated, dense and divine.

Welcome spring with dry rosé wines Made from 100 pinot noir, this lovely pink wine comes from La Crema, part of the Jackson Family portfolio. While it’s also dry but not bone dry, it’s bigger in body, deeper in color and more complex than the Aimé Roquesante. Very aromatic and well-balanced, this is an elegant rosé that tastes of fresh, juicy strawberries and has a mouthwatering acidity. It would go well with salmon and seafood dishes.

The estate wines definitely show their difference. The 2014 Saralee's Vineyard Chardonnay invites a lemon meringue comparison to the rather wispy set of other Chards, and the 2014 Saralee's Vineyard Pinot Noir murmurs about spicy, raspberry herbal tea, while the 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir boasts, shyly, about vanilla, raspberry and cola.

The Jackson folks are more than eager to show off their Oregon acquisitions, so you'll find plenty of offerings from up north. But the smoky and brooding 2015 Los Carneros Pinot Noir, I'm told, won't put off the occasional visitor who demands, "So where's your Cab?"

On the nose, for Pinot 2015, we find aromas of red cherry, raspberry, pomegranate and sweet tobacco. On the palate, it is rather the multilayered flavors of red, blue and black berries, plums, cherries and a hint of blood orange that support subtle layers of exotic spices and toast. Fine tannins and balanced acidity lead to a long finish and the mouth is complex and graceful. Rich and layered, the wine captures the expression of California's exquisite Sonoma Coast in a bottle.

Best Wines For Mother's Day - Celebrate With Women Winemakers La Crema Pinot Noir: If you know and love wine you know the name La Crema, but you may not know that the winemaker at the vaunted vineyard is Jen Walsh. She previously worked for numerous Napa and Sonoma wineries, but her passion has always been cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which happens to be La Crema’s specialty - for more than 35 years. Pinot Noir may be the perfect Mother’s Day red, because it straddles so many food pairings, soft enough to go with traditionally white wine dishes but robust enough to pair with meats, perfect for a mixed-course brunch, and if your mom loves Pinot, you are in luck - La Crema makes a staggering 18 different labels from its vineyards across Sonoma, Monterey and Oregon’s Willamette Valley, ranging from $23-$90. My top picks would include the 2015 Sonoma Coast, bargain for $25, which is complex but full bodied, and the Yamhill-Carlton ($45) from Oregon for a softer and more nuanced Burgundian style. The top tier is the Nine Barrel from the Russian River Valley ($90).

DIY Four-Course Dinner Paired with Oregon Pinot Noir You’ll often find savory notes in Oregon Pinot Noir – hints of mushroom, sage and coffee. Some almost have a “meaty” characteristic to them. The 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($30) from La Crema definitely showed those qualities. It also had aromas of star anise, bay and orange zest. I thought that it would be the perfect wine to pair with our main course, Sheet Pan Salmon with Pickled Ginger Butter. The hint of star anise was amazing with the pickled ginger, and it’s warm citrus notes worked so well with the delicate salmon, but more hearty mushrooms. For me, it was the showstopper of this four-course meal.

The estate wines definitely show their difference. The 2014 Saralee's Vineyard Chardonnay invites a lemon meringue comparison to the rather wispy set of other Chards, and the 2014 Saralee's Vineyard Pinot Noir murmurs about spicy, raspberry herbal tea, while the 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir boasts, shyly, about vanilla, raspberry and cola.

Best Wines For Mother's Day - Celebrate With Women Winemakers La Crema Pinot Noir: If you know and love wine you know the name La Crema, but you may not know that the winemaker at the vaunted vineyard is Jen Walsh. She previously worked for numerous Napa and Sonoma wineries, but her passion has always been cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which happens to be La Crema’s specialty - for more than 35 years. Pinot Noir may be the perfect Mother’s Day red, because it straddles so many food pairings, soft enough to go with traditionally white wine dishes but robust enough to pair with meats, perfect for a mixed-course brunch, and if your mom loves Pinot, you are in luck - La Crema makes a staggering 18 different labels from its vineyards across Sonoma, Monterey and Oregon’s Willamette Valley, ranging from $23-$90. My top picks would include the 2015 Sonoma Coast, bargain for $25, which is complex but full bodied, and the Yamhill-Carlton ($45) from Oregon for a softer and more nuanced Burgundian style. The top tier is the Nine Barrel from the Russian River Valley ($90).

89 points.

What I'm Drinking This Spring La Crema makes a lot of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, from California and Oregon vineyards, and this is their basic bottling from Sonoma, with 13.5% alcohol. It is a very creamy Chardonnay without the cloying caramel and bitter oakiness so many others have. La Crema makes others more site specific, but at $23 this one is at least as flavorful as Chards twice the price.

Exotic flavors of extracted papaya, apricot and tangerine make this a delicious complement to seafood dinners or just sipping.

The estate wines definitely show their difference. The 2014 Saralee's Vineyard Chardonnay invites a lemon meringue comparison to the rather wispy set of other Chards, and the 2014 Saralee's Vineyard Pinot Noir murmurs about spicy, raspberry herbal tea, while the 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir boasts, shyly, about vanilla, raspberry and cola.

Wine of the Moment As varied in hue and style as the color after which it’s named, rosé remains the hottest trend in wine, and this quintessential California rosé showcases the very best of what this trend has to offer. Bright and refreshing, this wine is the perfect way to rosé all day – It adds color to any social gathering, from picnics to backyard cookouts, or just enjoying its own with friends and family. Previously available in select markets, the 2017 Vintner’s Reserve Rosé is now available nationwide. This wine comes from vineyards in Santa Barbara, Monterey, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. It is comprised of primarily pinot noir, which brings brightness and vibrancy, with some syrah and grenache, which contribute to the wine’s soft coral color and strawberry notes. “A gorgeous hue of pale pink jumps out of the glass with crisp grapefruit, strawberry and white floral notes. Aromas of fresh cut watermelon, hibiscus and apricot,” said Randy Ullom, wine master. Stainless steel fermentation allows the wine to retain its bright fruit character and freshness, making it ideal for sipping on its own or pairing with a wide array of flavors and spices. The Vintner’s Reserve series showcases classic varietals, highlighting the complex fruit flavors from the best California’s coastal, marine-influenced vineyards.

Last, but by no means least, the sturdy *KENDALL-JACKSON Vintner’s Reserve Santa Barbara County 2014 is a substantial, very specifc Syrah that, while a very good buy at its winery-suggested price, becomes an out-and-out steal when found at a discount as it often is. One star, best buys in the market

This has a broad spectrum of flavors, mouth-filling blackberry fruit and a hint of chocolate. Forward in style with soft tannins and long finish.

Wines of the Week Kendall Jackson sources fruit from premium vineyards in the coastal growing region of Santa Barbara County to craft this complex GSM blend showing fruit flavors of juicy cherry and pomegranate with a cocoon of toasty cedar and slivers of dark chocolate.