Buttery and creamy, with tiers of tangerine and tropical fruit flavors that turn honeyed on the finish. Despite the richness, there's elegance and balance throughout.

Vivid gold. Pungent, perfumed aromas of orange pith, pear, lees, flowers and iodine. Juicy and deep but surprisingly energetic, with an alluring sweetness and a smoky accent to the candied grapefruit, pear and honeysuckle flavors. Finishes with firm cut and impressive length, the smoke and mineral nuances repeating.

More creamy and honeyed is the 2007 Chardonnay Alary Vineyard. Aromas of orange marmalade, poached pears, caramelized citrus, wet stones, and hints of shortbread and honey are followed by a full-bodied, stony-styled Chardonnay that can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years. This is another impressive group of wines from one of the most consistent winemakers and long-time veterans of the California wine scene, Dick Arrowood. He has always had the Midas touch with white varietals, yet he also continues to impress me with what he can do with red varietals.

The 2014 Valadorna is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Other editions of this blend see Petit Verdot as well, but that late-ripening grape was omitted in this cool and soggy vintage that made it difficult for many varieties to reach full maturity. This wine is rich and meaty at its core with a pretty base of black fruit that is enhanced by spice, cola, cured meat and freshly tilled earth. The mouthfeel delivers medium intensity and richness and is more streamlined overall compared to the warm-vintage editions.

Juicy and chewy with lots of dark fruit, dark chocolate and hints of walnuts. Full-bodied. Still needs to soften a little. Mainly cabernet franc.

Good medium ruby. Highly aromatic nose combines black fruits, sassafras, violet, chocolate, coffee, smoke and game. Large-scaled, seamless and rich, with lovely dept of texture. The wine's briary black fruit flavors are nicely complemented by violet and white pepper. Dense, sweet, generous cabernet, finishing with ripe tannins and excellent length.

Bright medium ruby. Black cherry, leather and herbs on the nose, along with hints of menthol and licorice. Not an opulent style but pure, intense mountain cabernet nonetheless. showing lovely spicy definition and even a touch of delicacy to the black cherry, dark berry, violet and coffee flavors. Finishes with a piquant note of cranberry and dusty tannins that coat the teeth. It's always good when the spice holds the hand of the tannins, noted winemaker Pierre Seillan. Very small berries here yielded just 1.5 tons per acre, and production of these two 2011s is down about 60% from a normal year.

Bright medium ruby. Cassis, black cherry, tobacco, mocha and leather on the rather wild nose. Juicy and penetrating, with nicely delineated, high-pitched dark berry, licorice and peppery herb flavors dominating. Shows a cool mountain character and excellent subtle depth and intensity. This distinctly firm, long, lively midweight may yet soften further with bottle aging.

Good red-ruby. Musky aromas of currant, iron, leather and smoke. Lush, fat and nuanced, with noteworthy purity and depth to its flavors of black cherry, game, spices, mint and earth. Very full and round but not at all sweet or easy. Compared to the Helena Montana, this shows a tad less energy and finishes with more obvious though fine tannins.

Dark red cherries, plums, mocha, dried rose petals, licorice, tobacco, smoke, game and cedar meld together in the 2003 Helena Dakota Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that is drinking quite nicely today. I don't see much upside from cellaring bottles further. The 2003 is in a beautiful place today.

This dark ruby colored Carmenere from Alcance was well liked by our tasting group. It opens with a black cherry bouquet with a hint of tire rubber. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a black cherry and oak blend with notes of minerality and some hints of herbs. The finish is dry and its chewy tannins build-up and linger nicely. The group thought this Carmenere would pair well with grilled wild boar tenderloin from Jiko.

A velvety cabernet with citrus peel and currant character. Full to medium body, silky tannins and a fresh finish.

Attractive ripe plums for a 2016 and plenty of supple tannins on the medium-full palate. Long, warm and juicy finish. Nice, velvety and dry. Drink now.

This is a marvelous $24 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Black fruit flavors, a savory green olive component and the structure provided by its suave tannins means it's a great choice to accompany a slab of beef this summer or fall. Refinement and unexpected length at this price makes you want to remember the producer's name.

Vivid ruby. Energetic and focused on the nose, displaying vibrant aromas of ripe red and dark berries, violet and pungent flowers, along with suggestions of vanilla and cocoa powder. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering sweet cherry, raspberry and vanilla flavors that flesh out and become smokier with air. Sappy, fresh and pliant on the seamless finish, which features subtle tannins and a persistent note of cherry compote.

Juicy, refreshing, and tangy with minerality and zesty acidity; bright and modern; long and balanced; a small-production wine from Kendall-Jackson's Chilean property.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two The 2015 Pinot Noir Conifer is a little youthfully shy on the nose, giving way with coaxing to cinnamon stick, clove, ripe black cherries and black berries with notions of dried leaves and underbrush plus touches of charcuterie—this is very savory! Medium-bodied, it's got wonderful layers of ripe black fruits, earth and spice, framed by fine, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and savory with just a touch of heat.

Light and expressive, with a steely edge to the cherry, blackberry and spice flavors. Hints at orange tea as the minerally finish lingers. Drink now through 2021. 240 cases made.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale Raspberry and cherry notes emerge on the nose of the 2016 Old Vine Grenache. Aged ten months in older French oak, it's a sleek, streamlined version of Grenache, from vines planted in 1946. Leather, sandalwood and dusty earth elements join with the red fruit to create an engaging whole, framed by silky tannins and punctuated by a lengthy finish.

Effusive florals and pretty red fruits offset delicious old-vine dried spices and sandy tannins. The alcohol is worn very lightly; lovely freshness.

This is a concentrated, firmly built example of Grenache, with herbal overtones to its black cherry fruit. Despite the dark plum and cherry fruit, the impression is one of tautness and freshness. Drink it with red meat now, or give it until 2017 to settle down.

Well yes, the ‘European Vintage’ is what some call it and it’s delivered some interesting wines. McLaren Vale Grenache seems to have done pretty well, surprisingly.Peppery, fragrant, fresh red fruits, a bit of fennel and leaf litter. It’s medium weight with spicy red fruit, a touch of decay, fresh but mildly astringent (as a positive, I think), and has a fresh red cherry/berry finish. I like its precision and character. An example of light and shade from a vintage if ever there was one. 90 or 91 points. Not sure how it will age, though I have a feeling it may surprise.

Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2011 Grenache is redolent of red cherries and black raspberries with wonderfully spicy / black pepper nuances plus whiffs of lavender and dusty earth. Medium-bodied and generously fruited with spiced red berry flavors, the opulent flesh is well structured with a medium level of velvety tannins and seamless acid lending just enough lift, finishing long. Drinking nicely now, it should cellar to 2018+.

A sturdy style of Grenache, generous, but not as opulent as shiraz, burying its ripe cherry and pomegranate fruit under a light blanket of dusky spices and superfine tannins. Drink now through 2014. -H.S.

Harvested from bush vines planted in 1946, this grenache has a range of fruit flavors. It starts off bright with wild strawberry scents, then darkens to black cherry and fig. The deep, savory finish tastes rich and ripe. A smooth grenache for rustic sausages or other fatty meats