A pretty and softly spicy nose combines notes of red and blue pinot fruit. There is a lovely sense of verve to the delicious, round and supple middle weight flavors that possess reasonably good depth and persistence on the dusty and nicely balanced finish. This could use a bit more overall complexity but it is certainly very pretty. Worth a look, especially for value. 89 points.

There is a trace of menthol to the cherry cough drop-like red and dark berry fruit aromas that display a hint of sandalwood. Here too there is good verve and detail on the delicious and fleshy medium-bodied flavors that where the supporting tannins are present yet manage to be more completely integrated. There is a hint of backend warmth though it’s not really enough to materially impair the overall sense of balance though neither is it invisible. 89 points.

There is enough reduction present to push the underlying red berry fruit to the background and I would suggest thoroughly aerating this if you’re going to try a bottle young. There is an attractive sense of vibrancy to the once again polished medium weight flavors that possess good depth on the lingering finish that is supported by slightly raspy tannins. In much the same fashion as the Barbieri, the tannins are not refined though with that said, this isn’t rustic. 89 points.

A cool, pure and restrained nose consists mainly of red cherry, dark raspberry, orange peel and a hint of tea. The mouthfeel of the medium weight flavors is equally cool and restrained with good focus and vibrancy, all wrapped in a dusty, intense and mildly austere finish that flashes a hint of bitter cherry pit quality. Provided that you can cellar this for at least a few years this should prove to be lovely. 89 points.

Spicy aromas of dark cherry and raspberry introduce succulent, round and fleshy medium weight flavors that possess a polished mouthfeel before concluding in a dusty and ever-so-mildly austere finish. This moderately firm effort could be enjoyed young or held for a few years first, which is what I would suggest to allow this to unwind further. Very good quality here. 89 points.

A whisper of wood toast sets off elegant and pure aromas of discreetly spiced essence of red cherry and raspberry. There is a bit more volume to the nicely concentrated and appealingly textured medium weight flavors that offer slightly better depth and particularly so on the muscular and ever-so-slightly warm finish that is borderline rustic. This should repay a few years of keeping as it’s presently pretty tightly wound. 89 points.

The nose is petrol and apricot with underlying notes of exotic lychee. The palate is a resinous lemon and golden stone fruits. 89 points.

Medium-light golden yellow; grassy, grapefruit and white peach aroma with a hint of gooseberry; medium body; crisp, grapefruit, kiwi, and apple flavors with mineral notes, and tending to be a slightly tart on the finish; lingering aftertaste. 89 points. Highly recommended.

Deep red. Jammy dark berry and cherry aromas and flavors, complicated by subtle cola and woodsmoke notes. Smooth and fleshy in style, showing a refreshing jolt of spiciness with aeration. Rounded tannins lend shape to the finish, which leaves a sweet blackberry note behind.

This very dark ruby colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Kendall Jackson opens with plum and cranberry like bouquet with a hint of red raspberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, nicely balanced, round and approachable. The flavor profile is a mild black plum and gentle oak blend with notes of nicely integrated soft minerality with a hint of black currant. The finish is dry and its mild tannins stick around for quite some time. While this Cab is not the most complex wine, it is tasty and will be a crowd pleaser, I would pair it with a juicy bacon burger. 89 points. Very good.

Here the nose mixes both red and dark berry fruit aromas with soft earth and spice wisps. The middle weight and attractively vibrant flavors aren’t quite as concentrated but they are finer with a good detail on the delicious and again youthfully austere finish where a hint of acid tang. This too is really quite good as I like the complexity even if the balance isn’t quite as dialed in. 88 points.

An easygoing blend, offering notes of blueberry, pepper and smoky anise. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petite Sirah.

Whiffs of menthol and smoke add breadth to the plum and blue berry scented nose. The supple and forward flavors possess a sleek and rounded mouthfeel before terminating in a balanced and sneaky long finish. Like several of the wines in the range this needs more depth to be at the next level but I like the delivery plus more complexity should develop if it is allowed a few years of cellar time. 87 points.

Fresh, cool and airy aromas of red cherry, raspberry and spice introduce energetic, round and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors that possess a relatively refined mouthfeel, all wrapped in dusty and slightly dry finish that is presently slightly clipped. In contrast to the Chehalem Mountains cuvée, this may come together though I underscore that isn’t a given. 87 points.

A relatively high-toned nose hales mostly from the red side of the fruit spectrum, and in particular notes of maraschino cherry, while displaying additional notes of subtle spice nuances. The sleek, intense and delineated middle weight flavors culminate in a clean and lingering if ever-so-slightly drying finish. 87 points.

Smart Buys 60 go-to wineries for excellence and affordability A supple version, with meaty hints to the dried berry and cherry tart flavors, ending with a spicy finish that has some richness.

Carmel Road's inexpensive "Monterey" line of Pinot Noir from the 2015 vintage is yet another example of a large winery taking advantage of its vast vineyard resources to produce a solid bottle of Pinot that most can afford. This wine shows pretty notes of black cherry and spice, with moderate tannins. It's easy to drink and even easier on the wallet. 86 points.

8 100-Point Wines from Issue 234 Nearly 5,100 wines were tasted in the latest Wine Advocate Issue throughout the regions of Australia, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United States—eight of them received an impressive 100 points. Of these top-scoring wines, two came from the Northern Rhône: “No doubt, 2015 in the Northern Rhône has been trumpeted as the latest ‘vintage of the century,’ “ says Joe Czerwinski, managing editor of the Wine Advocate, in his latest report. “Across the board, it’s a year of formidable concentration and ripeness.” The other 100-pointers in the bunch came from the Napa Valley and Jura. Below, the wines that achieved the perfect score in Issue 234... 2015 Lokoya • Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder “Full-bodied with very firm, very ripe tannins and an incredible core of black fruit, earth and spice layers, it has wonderful freshness and depth, finishing long and multilayered.”

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is beautifully complete, with a layered, multi-dimensional, elegant profile that's more structured than the Diamond Mountain, yet more seamless and approachable than the Howell Mountain. Crème de cassis, Asian spice, smoked earth, incense and sandalwood note all flow to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannin, incredible purity of fruit, and a great finish. As with all these 2014s, it's not about huge richness and opulence and more about purity, nuance and balance. It's a damn near perfect wine that will only get better with 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for three to four decades.

Prices for many pinot noirs are rising because of huge demand for this variety, with top-of-the-line pinots now commanding $65 to $100 a bottle. And such wines are selling. This wine is thus moderately priced for its dramatic cherry/strawberry aroma, succulent mid-palate, and excellent balance. Adam Lee has always made stylish pinots and the early word is that 2015 is also a great vintage.

Wines of the Week: Favorite Buys of 2017 (Under $20) Our tasting panel is always trying to hunt down great bargains and we’ve discover dozens of wines that really deliver unexpected quality for under $20. Each member picked a favorite in different categories and we invited wine drinkings (who enjoy a glass or two on a regular basis but certainly aren’t experts) to vote for the ones they liked best. Here are the winners: Favorite Pinot Noir.

Dream Cabernets From Napa & Beyond An esteemed brand in the Jackson Family portfolio, Cardinale, located in Oakville, produces a single Cabernet Sauvignon each vintage. Consistently at the top of the charts, this wine has earned 98 points from Wine Advocate. Winemaker Christopher Carpenter says this blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot, sourced from multiple vineyards, from Veeder Peak to Spring Mountain to Howell Mountain reminds him of a great vintage of Pontet-Canet from Pauillac. Aged in 94% new French oak, he describes it as slightly bigger than life, which is a serious understatement. Massive aromas of cedar, graphite, tobacco and crème de cassis can hardly prepare you for this profoundly concentrated monster, packed with black currant and seething with tightly wound acid and gargantuan, yet silky tannins. This is the T-rex of the cabs in this collection.

Bright, lively crimson with some evolution at the rim. Very rich fruit but with admirable energy underneath. Round, evolved, sweet yet fresh with some mineral notes. Excellent evolution. 17/20

The Cambria “Mesa Terrace” Pinot Noir 2015, Santa Maria Valley, aged in a different direction, 10 months in French oak but with 62 percent new barrels. The color is a similar dark ruby shading to an invisible rim, but the focus here is on red fruit — cherries and currants — and a fuller exploitation of spice in the form of sandalwood, cloves and sassafras, with a smoky-beetroot background; it’s a dense and chewy pinot noir, not just satiny and succulent but close to opulent on the palate, though balanced by keen acidity and a scintillating flinty quality; the finish adds loam and forest floor. 14.2 percent alcohol. Again, a pinot noir that’s impressive for its detail and dimension. Now through 2021 to ’23. Excellent.

We’re on steadier ground with the pinot noirs, fashioned in a big-hearted, full-throated style that touches on many aspects of the grape. The Cambria “Element” Pinot Noir 2015, Santa Maria Valley, aged 11 months in French oak, 39 percent new barrels. The color is dark ruby shading to a transparent magenta rim; it starts with notes of iodine and iron, spiced and macerated black cherries and raspberries, with hints of cranberry, pomegranate and sassafras; it emphasizes the dark, earthy and loamy character of the grape, though also its potential for a satiny, supple texture and succulent fruit; this is very dry, quite lively and spicy, and a few moments in the glass bring in touches of raspberry with slightly raspy and astringent raspberry skin and stem. 13.6 percent alcohol. Very pleasing in depth and complexity, for drinking through 2021 or ’22. Excellent.