Medium ruby; attractive, forward, deep, spicy, raspberry and black cherry fruit aroma with hints of baking spices and damp earth; medium-full body; rich, layered, red fruit flavors with good depth and concentration, and undertones of spicy oak; medium to medium-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Deserves several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Medium-dark purplish ruby color; very attractive, forward, rich, intense, spicy, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry fruit aroma with hints of dried herbs and black pepper; full body; big, deep, ripe, concentrated, nicely balanced, red and dark berry fruit flavors with briary and herbal notes, and a rich mouthfeel; full tannin; long, lingering aftertaste. Very approachable and appealing to drink now, though worthy of several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

The Oregon style is front and centre here with cranberries, cedar, forest floor mixed with leather and strawberry notes. The palate is equally piquant with juicy pomegranate and red fruits, juniper berries and sandalwood, all in a silky textured red that slips down effortlessly. This Carleton-Yamhill pinot is drinking well now and would be perfect with duck confit.

Soft red rose petals, cranberry, wet slate and dust show on the nose of this bottling, one of the first new-block designates released by this producer. The palate’s lush texture carries strong soil flavors of crushed gravel and turned earth, which give depth to the background of ripe raspberry and pomegranate fruit.

Vibrant and jammed with fresh pepper and black licorice aromas, leading to zesty, well-built blackberry pie and cinnamon flavors.

Energetic and plump, with personality, offering huckleberry, eucalyptus and grilled sweet anise flavors that finish with zesty tannins.

Expect a rich, spicy, entry with bright, juicy dark cherry pinot bathed in dried herbs. The palate is silky with bright plummy, floral, raspberry, blackberry fruit and a pinch of cola. There is an attractive, juicy, acidity character within the warm, spicy finish. Made for restaurants and pinot lovers. It is a complex mix of Russian River fruit that is aged in French oak for 11 months - only one third is new. Fog-bound mornings create a cooler climate and more intense flavours accented by hand-picked, hand-sorted berries with 70% whole berries making it to the fermentation tanks. The free run is transferred to tank for one night of decanting before racking to barrel where its sits until blending prior to bottling. The complex clone mix includes 777, Flowers, Pommard, 2A, 667, 828 and 23.

Jackson Estate wines are all about the company’s top estates situated on hillsides, raised benchland and even mountain tops. The Alexander Valley AVA (1984) is home to this cabernet (and a little petit verdot) that is a mix of six vineyards. It has all the hallmarks of a rich red wine: blackberries, black currant, cassis and tannins. It's aged for 19 months in an 83/17 ratio of French to American oak with only 31 percent new barrels. This wine is amazingly approachable now especially with a juicy T-Bone steak, Portobello mushrooms, or a grilled lamb chop but you could easily cellar this through 2022.

Sleek and vibrant, with rose petal and cherry aromas and layered, lively raspberry, stony mineral and spice flavors.

This opaque and dark purple colored Syrah from Copain opens with an appealing black cherry and rose like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and very juicy. The flavor profile is primarily plum with notes of boysenberry and some hints black raspberry and minerality and touch of black licorice. The finish is dry and its flavors and mild tannins drift away nicely. This Syrah is food friendly and would pair nicely with a lamb burger.

This vintage of a widely available bottling is a solid everyday sipper for the price, with aromas of star anise, fresh red cherry and snappy hibiscus punch. The palate is fresh and vibrant with raspberry fruit, thyme and white pepper dust, with a warm baking-spice note on the finish.

There’s great amount of minerality on the nose of this bottling, with crushed slate and muddy soil aromas overcoming the mint herb and red-fruit scents. There’s minty lift right away on the sip, with bay leaf, fennel pollen and dusty leather flavors decorating the boysenberry fruit.

Grass, melon and peach highlight a texture that’s creamy and fleshy, with a well-honed balance of lingering acidity. Medium bodied, the wine offers additional flavors of dried herb and nutmeg.

Before the last wine for Easter recommendations, let me suggest Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Chard 2015. In the past I have written up Stonestreet’s Upper Barn; the 2012 was 94 points and there’s still some on the market around $75. Their Bear Point Chardonnay 2011 and ‘12, $60, were 91 and 92 points respectively and are drinking beautifully right now. RP with 95-96 points and Tanzer 93 loved them. Tanzer, you may remember, is a very tough marker. The Mountain Estate is a blend of several of Stonestreet vineyards’ juice, and winemaker Lisa Valtenberg has blended a beauty, priced around $360/case. If you see some on your shelves, snap them up. This is old-time Chard with lots of apple, warm bread, pineapple and honeysuckle. Big, round, buttery mouthfeel, with unctuous tropical fruit flavors and butterscotch, all supported by plenty of minerally acidity. The finish is long, clean, with some barrel spice shining through. A bit alcoholic at 14-15 percent, but it is integrated. It gets 2 price points under $32. The 2014 and ‘13 were also quite delicious, 90 points.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose is earthbound with added fruit aromas of black cherry and ripe berries and a subtle infusion of Asian spice. An engaging wine with open arms, offering tasty black cherry, boysenberry and plum fruit flavors infused with the right amount of oak spice. Gracious and harmonious, with a noticeably extended finish.

Value Picks of the Month On the heels of coffee-plum and chocolate aromas, earthy tones continue the journey with brighter notes of pomegranate and blackberry following. The finish mellows out with silky dark chocolate.

Medium-light ruby; forward, deep, cedary, raspberry and black cherry fruit aroma with hints of clove, cola, and forest floor; medium body; earthy, red fruit flavors with some richness in the plummy, supple mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now and over the next two to four years. Very highly recommended.

Snappy and sleek, with floral cherry and pomegranate aromas and tightly focused green tea and spice flavors.

Floral pear and star fruit aromas combine with precise, vibrant citrus and spice flavors, finishing on a clean mineral note.

Bright but wild on the nose, this bottling, which is overseen by actress Drew Barrymore, shows raspberry, thyme, sagebrush, rhubarb and smoke aromas on the inviting nose. The palate offers light berry flavors alongside hickory smoke, proving refreshing if not too complex.

Dried red currants and cranberries meet with loamy soils on the nose of this block-designate bottling. Tangy red fruits and a hint of olive show on the palate, where the earthy minerality shines through the energetic acidity.

This opaque and dark ruby colored Grenache from down under, opens with a fragrant and appealing boysenberry bouquet with a hint of black raspberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and juicy. The flavor profile is a mineral infused blackberry with notes of black plum and boysenberry. I also detected hints of plum and strawberry. The finish is dry and its flavors and acidity are nicely prolonged. This Grenache would pair well with fresh fig and pork loin ragout. 89 points. Very good.

This midnight purple colored red blend from Murphy Goode opens with a mild black raspberry bouquet with a hint of boysenberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and a little juicy. The flavor profile is black plum with notes of oak and gentle minerality. I also detected a hint of black raspberry and black cherry towards the end. The finish is dry and its fruit flavors and mild tannins fade away nicely. This is a nice everyday offering that is food friendly and versatile. I would pair it with meat lasagna or spaghetti with meatballs. 89 points. Very good.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Engaging scents of Bing cherry, baking spices and nut oil. Succulent and sweet dark cherry flavor with accents of spice, toast and anise. Easy to like in a middleweight style with complimentary tannins and an alluring cherry cola finish. Impressive quality at this scale of production. Score: 89

This dark red colored Zinfandel from Edmeades opens with a black cherry bouquet with a hint of cola. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and slightly acidic. The flavor profile is a mineral infused black plum with notes of Oolong tea. We also detected hints of raspberry, milk chocolate and oak as well. The finish is dry and subtle. The Panel suggested pairing this Zin with a pulled pork sandwich. 88 points. Very good.