The 2016 Syrah Baker Ranch is layered and supple in the glass. Floral and savory notes from the 100% whole clusters give the wine its distinctive aromatic signatures. In 2016, the Baker Ranch is wonderfully polished, nuanced and understated.

A gorgeous, promising wine, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana captures all the personality that makes wines from this site so alluring. Intensely mineral and savory, the 2016 has more than enough nuance to play off the intense, inky fruit. Lavender, menthol, licorice, sage and blackberry jam meld into the dense, powerful finish.

Thoughts on a Surprising Bordeaux En Primeur Pretty core of black fruits enveloped in a ball of tight yet muscular tannins. Solid concentration, but it’s married with acid drive and finesse.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard is the most powerful and tightly wound of the Pinots in this range. Compact and a touch austere, the 2015 offers plenty of persistence, but with less generosity than is typical of the year. Chalk, slate, mint, white pepper and red berry character are nicely layered. It will be interesting to see if the 2015 fleshes out a bit with time in bottle.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Reserve is fabulous. Inky blue/purplish fruit, crème de cassis, gravel, smoke and cured meats give the 2015 quite a bit of complexity, while soft contours and plush fruit add to the wine's exuberant feel.

A keenly priced new label from Greg Brewer, the characterful Ex Post Facto 2016 Syrah offers up a classic bouquet of cherry, smoked meats, raw cocoa and violets. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, supple and savory, with nice balance and length. 473 cases of this attractive Syrah were produced.

The 2015 Syrah Les Voisins is terrific. Inky, savory and super-expressive, the 2015 offers tons of cool-climate, varietal character. Blueberry pie, black pepper, mocha, lavender, spice, menthol and new leather add striking shades of nuance. The 50% whole clusters are very nicely integrated. The long, persistent finish only adds to the wine's considerable appeal.

Cenyth's 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is bright, crisp and full of varietal character, with plenty of citrus, mineral and floral notes. The Sauvignon emerges from two parcels; one in the Chalk Hill District and the Jackson family's Alexander Mountain Estate. The 2016 was fermented mostly in steel, with a touch of new oak.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Panorama Vineyard First Row offers up aromas of wild berries, sweet soil and cocoa powder. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, velvety and layered, delicate and understated in style but attractively balanced and nicely concentrated. I'd expect this to improve with a year or two in bottle.

Cabernet Franc plays the leading role in the 2015 Harmonie. Sleek, supple and forward, the 2015 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Today, the new oak is a bit pronounced. Otherwise, all the elements are nicely balanced. The blend is 85% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Tradition is intensely floral and aromatic, with tons of varietal character. The Tradition is aged in steel, but lees stirring adds striking texture throughout. Citrus peel, lime, sage and white flowers notes give the 2016 a decidedly exotic feel.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Clone 4 was the most impressive of these offerings from Cambria, and the best value too, wafting from the glass with a complex nose of spice, cocoa nib, plums, cherries and soil. On the palate, the wine is supple, plush and expansive, with velvety tannins, juicy acids, good concentration and length and a saline, savory finish.

A vibrant, medium-bodied wine, this Chardonnay offers crisp citrus and apple flavors, a defined oak presence, and refreshing acidity. Cambria Estate Vineyard and Winery, which is owned and operated by women, founded the Seeds of Empowerment Program, a $10,000 annual international grant program designed to celebrate “remarkable women leaders and charitable organizations” and to inspire women’s leadership.

The 2016 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is a very good introduction to the Brewer-Clifton style, wafting from the glass with a nose of ripe cherries, candied red fruit, spice and dried herbs that's more fruitdriven than this bottling often is straight out of the gates. On the palate, the wine is supple, saline and medium-bodied, with nice energy and a crunchy core of fruit. This should drink well for the better part of a decade.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Estates is soft, pliant and open-knit, all qualities that make it a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next few years. The purity of the red- fruit and floral/savory aromatics is striking. Red plum, mocha, sage and cedar add layers of nuance. This is such a pretty wine.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Smothers-Remick Ridge is a powerful, explosive wine. Super-ripe red cherry and French oak are dominant. Other recent vintages have been both more compelling and also more expressive of site. Thirty two months in 100% new oak is probably too much for this wine. Hints of raspberry, blood orange, mint and tobacco add a measure of complexity. In my view, the Smothers-Remick Ridge Cabernet has the potential to be more than just merely outstanding.

Siduri's 2015 Pinot Noir Ewald Vineyard is just as attractive from bottle as it was from tank. There is a good bit of translucence to the red berry and stone fruit flavors. Today, the Ewald is a bit firmer than it was as a barrel sample, but that is likely a reflection of a closed phase for the wine. A kick of blood orange adds brightness to this expressive, inviting Pinot Noir from Siduri.

The 2015 Zinfandel Limerick Lane Vineyard has turned out beautifully. To be sure, Siduri presents a decidedly understated expression of Limerick Lane, a vineyard that tends to produce brawny, powerful wines. Even so, the 2015 is quite pretty, with hints of smoke, cherry jam and mint that are quite inviting.

Highly Recommended California Cabernets of 2014 Charred oak and floral aromas lead to a palate with tarry flavours and a balanced bittersweet component. The forward fruit should help the noticeable tannins to soften.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (Bennett Valley) is deep, bold and authoritative. Partial aging in oak brings out quite a bit of textural depth. There is terrific energy and focus to the varietal flavors in this pretty, expressive Sauvignon Blanc. The style built on structure holds considerable appeal.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (Knights Valley) is bright, crisp and full of energy. A healthy dollop of Sauvignon Musqué adds aromatic intensity and character to the citrus and stony flavors. Drink this flavorful Sauvignon Blanc over the next few years.

The 2015 Merlot is gorgeous. Succulent dark cherry and plum fruit make a strong first impression. Mocha, new leather, lavender and spice add layers of flavor and aromatic nuance to this very pretty, racy Merlot from La Jota. A dollop of Petit Verdot adds character.

The 2016 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) is gorgeous and also one of the more complete wines in this flight of Pinots. Succulent red cherry, mint, spice and rose petal nuances flesh out in this supple, inviting appellation-level Pinot from Kendall-Jackson.

Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. The nose combines oak-driven aromas of cardamom spice and vanilla with aromas of mixed berry fruits. Full-bodied and lush on the palate, exhibiting a charge of sweet purple and black berry fruit flavors that are ripe but not overripe that are underscored with a compliment of oak and agreeable tannins. The higher alcohol adds sweetness and luxuriant body to the wine and is well integrated. A hedonistic, masculine Pinot Noir nicely composed in this style.

Kendall-Jackson's longtime winemaker, Randy Ullom, has a deft hand with Syrah and his expression of this classic grape variety in the Vintner's Reserve lineup never seems to disappoint. This vintage shows a bit of heft through the mid-palate with notes of blueberry and plum. A touch of spice adds to the overall complexity but it really sings on the finish.