A blend of several vineyards, this Chardonnay captures the exquisite ripeness and tart acidity of the valley. It’s lush in apricots, oranges, pineapples and honey, with the buttered toast and vanilla of French oak barrels. Sure is tasty for drinking now.

From the Jackson family's vineyard in Annapolis, this wine developed an herbal ripeness in 2010. Oak layers smoke, cinnamon and nutmeg over a base of fresh apricot flavor. It's rich and intriguing, a velvet-textured pleasure that would stand up to spicy dishes, like a Moroccan tagine.

Bright yellow. Pungent pineapple, tangerine and peach aromas are complicated by smoky minerals and ginger. Rich and weighty but energetic, offering sappy citrus and tropical fruit flavors and a chewy texture. Impressively lively on the finish, leaving notes of spices and citrus zest behind.

Lightly hazy yellow. Smoky aromas of white peach, fig, wild herbs, iodine and vanilla. Round and fleshy on the palate, with intriguing flavors of tangerine, pit fruits, smoky lees and flowers. There's lively acidity here, but it comes on late, adding energy to the wine's sweet fruit. Silky, understated chardonnay with impressive finishing sappiness and cling.

The scent of heirloom cider apples lends this chardonnay a refreshing edge. It's blended from estate grown fruit and purchased grapes from four districts of the Russian River Valley. The richness from barrel fermentation combines with clean, lemony fruit, together feeling supple, round and effortless. For veal in a cream sauce.

Bright gold. Potent orchard fruit and floral scents are complemented by smoky lees and sweet butter. Finely etched pear and guava flavors coat the palate, taking on a spicy quality on the back end. Blends richness and energy deftly and finishes with excellent clarity and length. There are 790 cases of this wine, which is made from a selection of barrels.

From a far-coast vineyard near Occidental, this Chardonnay is all curves - a renaissance still like of buxom pears and peaches. It feels smooth and soft, with the peppery warmth of alcohol that comes in a wine of this ripeness. But it hasn't lost the detail that defines its scents of wildflower honey, of loquat and Meyer lemon. Serve cellar temperature with grilled black cod.

Light gold. Fresh lime and orange on the nose, along with honeysuckle and dusty minerals. Bright and juicy, with suave citrus and honey flavors underscored by tangy lemon zest and quinine. Refreshing, sharply focused and strikingly pure, with excellent finishing lift and cut.

The two Chardonnays are both brilliant wines, with the 2006 Chardonnay Four Hearts a multiple-vineyard blend exhibiting loads of tropical fruit, some poached pear, and apple marmalade notes followed by full-bodied flavors with subtle wood, nice, leesy, chewy texture, and a good finish with fresh acidity and depth. It is best drunk in its next several years of life.

Another beautiful California Chardonnay with elegant structure and bright stone fruit.

This isn't one of Hartford's single vineyard Chards, but a blend from around RRV. It's a very elegant, balanced wine, with complexity and charm; 100% barrel fermented, it shows oak-influenced flavors of Meyer lemons, pineapple sorbet and rich Gravenstein apple butter

2005 HARTFORD COURT CHARDONNAY FOUR HEARTS A new offering, the 2005 Chardonnay Four Hearts is a 11,000-case cuvee of stunning Chardonnay. Beautiful aromas of honeysuckle, peach blossoms, poached pears, and subtle wood are present in this well-made, elegant crisp, aromatically expressive white. Medium to full-bodied, long, and pure, it should provide plenty of pleasure over the next 3-4 years. This is one of my favorite wineries for Burgundian-styled Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs as well as full-throttle Zinfandels (although the 2005s are lighter than usual). Don Hartford and Jess Jackson have incredible access to some fabulous vineyards.

2 Puffs, 91 Points Hartford Court Stone Côte Vineyard 2004 Sonoma Coast. Deep, ripe and rich with a handsomely balanced blend of obviously stated but never overdone apples, pears and creamy oak in its outgoing aromas, this wine has a plush, viscous feel at entry and sports a much appreciated stratum of buoyant acidity that uplifts its juicy, tasty, showy flavors across the palate and all the way into a very long and broad finish. It delivers a lot to like today, yet the wine has the depth and balance to grow a bit with a few years of bottle age.

Pale lemon-yellow. Bright, ripe, complex aromas of crystallized citrus fruits, smoke and flint. Juicy and fruit-driven, with very good breadth and sweetness. For a wine in a very ripe style, this finishes firm and gripping.

From a 95-year old vineyard, the 2000 Hartford Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard (520 cases, 15.8 % alcohol) has fine acidity, giving definition to its big, briery, raspberry and cherry flavors presented in a full bodied, concentrated, delicious style. This hedonistic fruit bomb will drink well for 3-4 years.

There's an intriguing umami character to this Chardonnay, running parallel to the flavor of seared salmon trout with chanterelles the wine is made to match. The texture is viscous and firm, the flavors dry and lasting, a warm, austere take on biscuits, buttermilk and pineapple.

The 2017s From Sonoma The single Syrah from this terrific estate, their 2014 Syrah Outer Limits comes from a southwest-facing block on a mountain ridge north of the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. Aged 21 months in 31% new French oak, it has a smoky, meaty style as well as notes of charcuterie, licorice, spice box, and earth balanced by solid depth of fruit and richness. Medium to full-bodied, with good acidity and considerable elegance, this is a classic, character-filled, cool-climate Syrah to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.

Dark purplish ruby; attractive, ripe, blueberry and blackberry fruit aroma with hints of black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon stick; full body; ripe, concentrated, spicy, blue and black fruit flavors with well integrated oak and a rich, plush mouthfeel; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Shows some maturity and enjoyable to drink now or over the next three to five years. Very highly recommended.

Hartford's blended Zin is filled with exuberant aromas of jammy Zinberry fruit, baking spices like cinnamon and clove, bittersweet chocolate and black pepper. The vibrant mixed-berry flavors are rich and satisfying , finishing with a touch of warmth and softness.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Zinfandel (Russian River) is a terrific introduction to this range of Zinfandels from Hartford. Bright, punchy and forward, the 2017 is super-expressive. Juicy red berry fruit and high-toned floral notes are nicely pushed forward in a succulent, juicy Zinfandel that will drink well right out of the gate.

Densely built around a tight core of firm tannins and lively acidity, this offers black raspberry, herbes de Provence and pepper flavors. Cellar for now.

The 2015 Zinfandel Jolene's Vineyard comes across as a bit austere and compact today, especially within the context of the year and the other wines in this tasting. There is good intensity to the deeply spiced flavors, but less overall charm.

Dark and brooding, with jammy raspberry and briary mint aromas and supple, plump wild berry, licorice and stony mineral flavors.

Dark and brooding, with jammy raspberry and briary mint aromas and supple, plump wild berry, licorice and stony mineral flavors.

Sleek and taut, with cherry and licorice aromas and complex layers of raspberry, mineral and white pepper that linger toward big but plush tannins.