The outstanding 2011 La Joie (13.7% alcohol) is composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec. More structured and tannic than La Muse, it displays good ripeness, no herbaceousness or hollowness, and a relatively quick, but moderately long finish. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 15-20 years.

Saturated medium ruby. Brooding aromas of briary dark berries, bitter chocolate and nutty oak, all lifted by a floral element. Dense but juicy, with rich, slightly medicinal flavors of black cherry and menthol. Finishes very long, with big, chewy tannins. Offers strong potential.

The 2013 Chardonnay Broken Road exhibits a liquid rockiness intermixed with orange and pineapple notes. The numerous Chardonnay vineyards are planted at 800 to as high as 1,800 feet (in the case of the Gravel Bench, Upper Barn and Broken Road vineyards). All are 100% Chardonnays largely made from the Old Wente clone with a small percentage of the Hyde clone, and are fermented with indigenous yeasts. Almost all of them spend 10-11 months in various percentages of new French oak, ranging from a low of 44% (the Estate Chardonnay) to a high of 100% (the Gravel Bench Chardonnay. The differences between the various cuvées are very subtle as they are all relatively full-bodied, rich, and aromatic with natural textures. As the scores attest, they are far more alike than dissimilar. My favorites include the 2013 Chardonnay Gravel Bench, which reveals amazing texture and richness as well as a honeyed crème brûlée intensity and striking minerality. The same can be said for the 2013 Chardonnay Broken Road as well as the 2013 Chardonnay Upper Barn, a parcel made famous by Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer when they were producing Chardonnay from this site under their Marcassin label. All of these wines are great Chardonnays that combine the best of California ripeness with the minerality, structure and delineation of a French white Burgundy.

Full bright ruby. Aromas of black cherry, cassis and mint. Dense but backward, with sappy flavors of black cherry, cassis, minerals and mint. Finishes very long, with building, cheek-coating tannins. But in contrast to the Howell Mountain wine, this appears to have plenty of stuffing to support its tannic structure.

Full ruby. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, licorice and bitter chocolate. Bright, sharply defined flavors of dark berries, licorice and menthol. Not especially fleshy today but offers brooding mountain fruit character and plenty of personality. Showed growing sweetness as it opened in the glass. Finishes with firm tannins and sneaky length.

Full medium ruby. Slightly medicinal aromas of blackberry, cassis, and mint, plus a whiff of game. Fat, lush and supple but uncompromisingly dry, with a large underlying structure. A more elegantly styled wine than the Howell Mountain cabernet. The substantial, building tannins spread out to coat the entire palate.

There are nearly 3,000 cases of the 2012 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Outland Ridge. Made from Dijon clones 828, 667 and 777, this beauty moves toward Pinot Noir’s blue fruit spectrum, displaying notes of blueberries and raspberries. It was aged in equal parts new French, old French and old American oak. A terrific wine offered at a reasonable price, this supple, velvety textured Pinot should drink well for 4-6 years.

A powerful, impressive Cabernet Sauvignon is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Trace Ridge from Knights Valley. This comes from the Jackson-owned Kellogg vineyard and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 21 months in 100% French oak. This showed plenty of lead pencil shavings, licorice, damp earth, forest floor and spice box. It should drink nicely for 15 or more years.

The 2007 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is superb. Dense creme de cassis notes intermixed with fruitcake, coffee bean, and tobacco leaf are found in this fat, fleshy wine, which displays excellent purity, density, and richness. It should drink will for 15 or more years.

offers up sweet aromas of melted licorice, chocolate, black currants, and crushed rocks. Elegant as well as powerful and deep, with a layered mouthfeel, a long finish, and firm tannin, my instincts suggest it warrants 3-4 years of cellaring. It should drink well for 12-15 years.

A high elevation planting between 1200 and 2400 feet. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot aged primarily in new French oak. Its dense purple color is accompanied by sumptuous aromas of graphite, black currants, licorice, and smoke. This full-bodied, opulent 2002 exhibits moderately high, sweet tannin. Drink over the next 15-16 years.

Hartford Court's 2015 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block is bright and finely sculpted throughout. Violet, lavender and rose petal notes wrap around the dark red and purplish fruit. A dollop of whole clusters, along with a bit of altitude at the vineyard site, contribute to the wine's aromatic nuance. Beams of salinity and acidity keep the flavors bright.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is rich, sumptuous and flamboyant, all of which are typical of the vintage. Black cherry, chocolate, spice and leather are shaped by a bit higher new oak than is found in most of these Pinots. This is an especially concentrated, powerful style, but it works.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard is one of the most overt, juicy Pinot Noirs in this range. Plum, black cherry, cola, sweet spices and leather fill out the wine's frame quite nicely. Drink this plump, juicy Pinot Noir over the next handful of years.

Bright red cherry, pomegranate, wild flowers, mint and blood orange are some of the signatures in the 2014 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard. Mid-weight and gracious in style, the Fog Dance is another very pretty wine. Here, too, the vibrant acidity is very much front and center.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard is round, polished and seductive, with lovely mid-palate pliancy and plenty of generosity. Spice, new leather and menthol wrap around the inviting finish. Rose petal, savory herbs and mint add the closing layers of nuance.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Hailey's Block is one of the more exuberant, racy wines in the Hartford range. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, menthol, licorice and cloves flesh out in a powerful, inviting wine. The 2014 is bold, juicy and forward, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years.

One of the flagships in this range, Hartford's 2014 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is sweet, perfumed and totally gracious on the palate. Silky tannins, nuanced aromatics and an emphasis on finesse rather than power are some of the many signatures. This is a vivid, wonderfully nuanced Pinot from Hartford.

The 2014 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard presents a very different expression of Chardonnay than the Far Coast. Apricot jam, wild flowers, honey and chamomile are some of the signatures. Winemaker Jeff Stewart likes to open the canopy here to stave off disease pressure, which also gives this wine a bit more raciness in its fruit than the Far Coast.

The 2013 Proprietary Red Stature, a blend from Alexander Valley and Knights Valley from high-elevation vineyards, is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and is tannic, powerful and rich, with impressive extraction and density, but certainly 4-5 years away from prime-time drinkability. This is a wine for the patient connoisseur to cellar and consume between 2020 and 2035.

The 2017 Lassègue was tasted twice, one sample not representative as it was too old. The second sample taken the day before, has a perfumed bouquet with iris and light incense aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin and ample, tobacco-tinged black fruit. I really appreciate the balance and freshness of this Lassègue. It feels nicely poised with just a light graphite note poking its head above the surface towards the finish. This property, owned by the Jackson family of Kendall-Jackson/Verité fame, has great terroir and this 2017 shows it off well.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana is a very pretty wine with lovely red/purplish berry fruit character, sweet, perfumed aromatics and soft contours. The purity of the fruit is just remarkable. I imagine the 2018 will drink well pretty much upon release. It is so showy today.

The 2019 Lassègue is a property that lies in a prime location, on the slopes along from Pavie and Bellefont-Belcier. Deep in colour, it has a fragrant bouquet with vivacious blackberry, blueberry and crushed violet scents. The oak IS beautifully integrated. A marine element develops with aeration. The palate is fleshy and soft on the entry, an easygoing, nicely balanced 2019 Saint-Émilion. I would have like a bit more backbone and grip on the finish. Crack it open after a couple of years and enjoy over 12-15 years.

This is going to sound bad, but I was ready to be less than whelmed by this wine. La Crema has become a brand that is, well, ubiquitous and ubiquity is rarely associated with excellence. Hold on for just a minute. While this will not likely be confused with a vintage Grand Cru Champagne (that cost 3-4 times the price), it is plenty tasty. Ripe red apple with a hint of yeastiness on the nose, the palate is bright and fresh yet also layered. Yum. While $45 might be a tad steep, this is a fantastic effort. Excellent.

Solid Pinot nose of cherry, cranberry and a bit of earth. Quite tart cherry on the palate, with decent depth, some spice. Really tart though. Excellent.