This fantastic Pinot Noir comes from the Hapgood Vineyard, which is located across the road from the Machado vineyard and is situated immediately next to the Acin parcel. The vineyard consists of slightly richer soils with elevated clay loam content, and is planted to the Merry Edwards clone. The 2015 Hapgood Pinot Noir begins with bright aromatics of red cherries, guava, pomegranate and orange rind. The round texture is absolutely stunning, with flavors of red cherries, red raspberry, sage and baking spices which site alongside light tannins. While already delicious, this is a simply stunning Pinot Noir will also cellar beautifully for many years.

Siduri and the Santa Lucia Highlands are a particularly successful Pinot Noir partnership in 2015, and this one from Garys' Vineyard earns a place at the very top of this month's exciting roster of very good wines from renowned producers and sites throughout the state. It is, as its provenance predicts, a very rich and deeply draughted wine that makes no apologies for ripeness, but its top honors are earned for its uncanny combination of substance, structure, vitality and fruity precision. It is a wine that reveals a bit more with each successive sniff and sip, and, as fascinating as it is now, we cannot wait to see the ways in which five years of cellaring will work to make it all the more refined and complex. It is a keeper well worth seeking out. Three stars.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Easy to find superlatives for this special wine with no name. Intense aromas of cherry, rose petal and forest floor, broadening over time to deeper tones. Delicious mid weight black raspberry, black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors that offer pleasing density and a mouth coating finish. Stunning mid palate presence with a dreamy texture, integrated tannins, and a deft touch of toasty, peppery oak. Considerably better when tasted later in the day from a previously opened bottle and still embraceable two days later. This is a celebratory wine for special occasions.

The 2015 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir is an absolutely outstanding showing, which opens with a bouquet of cinnamon sticks, red cherry, guava puree and suggestions of pomegranate seed with orange rind accents. Lithe and deep, this shows very pretty flavors of red cherries, lavender, raspberry and pomegranate with blood orange accents. Smooth and seductive, this is absolutely outstanding wine which should conintue to show well for years to come.

Top Ten: California Mt. Brave Vineyard sits high atop Mt. Veeder at 1,400 to 1,800 feet. The estate, on the western flank of Napa Valley, is named for the native Wappos who first called it home. Mt. Veeder has been planted to wine grapes since the early 1860s while Mt. Brave Vineyard dates back to 1841—before the Gold Rush and the Civil War. The site is all about high elevation and thin, rocky soils that present many winegrowing challenges. Four cabernet clones (191, 4, 8, and 337) and three rootstocks (3309C, 101-14, and 1103P) neutralise some of the issues in what is a slow moving, long, cool growing season above the fog line. The wine fermented in stainless steel and goes through malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels (80 percent new). After some 19 months of barrel ageing it is bottled without fining or filtration. The season was perfect, yielding flavourful floral, blueberry notes with stony mineral whiffs. The palate is firm with rich, dense tannins, black raspberry/blackberry fruit and dried herbs. A real mountain wine that will need time. The blend is 82/7/6.5/4.5 cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and cabernet franc. Cellar for a decade or two.

Bold purple color. On the nose, I get waves of black currants, gushing plums, black cherries and pomegranate, along with rich earth, eucalyptus, sage, sweet pipe tobacco, vanilla and violets — just lovely stuff. Gorgeous structure on the palate, velvety but sturdy tannins, moderating acidity. Plums, currants, black cherries, blackberries, exquisite fruit. Tons of charcoal, graphite, iron, mineral, notes of mushroom and soy, along with cocoa, vanilla, cedar and violets. Deep and complex yet effortless and elegant. So much time ahead. From a 1,800 foot vineyard, this contains 10% Petit Verdot and is aged 19 months in French oak.

Whoa. While the last bottle I had of this exhibited some stewed characteristics, absolutely none of that here. Big juicy red fruit on the nose and the palate with that characteristic Siduri balance. Yes, this is on the bigger side of Pinot, even a decade out, but when it is balanced, it can be a beautiful wine. Outstanding.

The 2015 Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay is a beautifully made and ageworthy wine sourced from the Machado, 3D and Acin Vineyards. This has a highly perfumed nose with wild mushroom, Golden Delicious apple and ripe pear. Dense and delicious, this wine has flavors of banana, roasted pineapple and suggestions of white tea with gooseberry accents. The weight and texture of this Chardonnay is absolutely gorgeous as this is a stunning effort by the talented hands of Greg Brewer.

This is exceptionally well-made for the vintage with blackberry, dark chocolate and nutmeg character. Medium body, firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Needs a year or two to soften.

Plenty of cherry and chocolate character with hints of hazelnut. Medium body, silky tannins and a focused finish. I like the focus and energy.

Adam Lee's Sonoma based Pinot Noir specialty house reaches north for this richly textured, well-integrated offering. Black cherry, turned field and brown spice aromas and flavors balance nicely together, with taut acidity keeping the ripe fruit singing the melody and carrying it through a long finish with the supporting players delivering a satisfying coda.

Smooth and luscious with ripe Rainier cherry fruit from what many call the Grand Cru Vineyard of Oregon; rich texture and bright flavors; supple, deep, and balanced.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. An arsenal of dark red cherry and berry fruits emerge over time in the glass. Slow to give up its charms initially but regal and great when tasted later in the day from a previously opened bottle. A mid weight assortment of purple and black fruits are fresh and deep, backed by a taut tannic spine and enough acidity for freshness. The harmonious mouthfeel draws you back to the glass and nuances of spice and earth show up in time. Built for aging, this wine will benefit from more time in the cellar and may be deserving of an even higher score over time.

Bright purple color. Gorgeous aromatic blend of red and black currants and crunchy plums, mixed with violets, espresso, potting soil, tobacco, some pencil lead. Vibrant acidity, structured tannins, a velvety feel that is both deep and fresh at the same time. Tart black cherries, blackberry and juicy cherries come in waves, and the fruit is backed up by graphite, cocoa powder, espresso, rich earth, charcoal and pencil shavings notes. Complex, rich but also vibrant – although this has years of development in the cellar. Beautiful mountain vineyard Merlot. All Merlot aged 19 months in French oak.

Fair bit of gum leaf perfume, and a truffle and flower water pong, mocha, blackcurrant and blackberry. It’s medium bodied, with a blend of sweet black fruit and undergrowth and savoury things, a touch meaty and the like, but with fleshy tannin and a solid finish. A little old school in its delivery but very nice, and almost certainly age-worthy.

This pitch black colored kitchen sink blend from Napa is a big boy wine. It opens with an attractive blackberry and boysenberry bouquet with a hint of cola. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, very smooth and balanced. The flavor profile is a rich and concentrated black olive and blackberry blend with notes of minerality and black tea. I also detected hints of black cherry and a touch of plum. The finish is rather dry and its sticky tannins linger and last for a very long time. I would decant this wine for a least an hour and serve it with a well-marbled ribeye. Very good+.

Big and juicy tannins with chocolate, walnut and almond character. Full body, rich and flavorful. Needs time to soften.

We are rarely disappointed in Pinots from this comparatively cool-climate vineyard in the southeastern corner of the Russian River Valley regardless of the maker, but there are vintners that show special success and Siduri's Adam Lee definitely ranks with the best. This edition is a full, yet graceful wine that is both extracted and wonderfully light on its feet, and, while bursting with pure fruit, it comes with a sneaky sense of complexity and reach. Its latter-palate turn to firmness and its terrific tactile length are the certain signs that it will impress more with age, and we plan on hiding it away in a corner of the cellar where it cannot be easily reached for four or five years. Two stars.

Medium-light to medium ruby color; attractive, forward, spicy, cherry and raspberry fruit aroma with hints of forest floor; medium to medium-full body; rich, elegantly styled, cherry and red berry fruit flavors with bright acidity and a silky mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed depth and some complexity as it opened and developed with airing in the glass, making it very approachable, and easy to enjoy now. Very highly recommended.

Very much adhering to the ripe and rich style that has come to be the hallmark of good Santa Lucia Highland's Pinots, Siduri's bottling from Rosella's Vineyard is a deep, very juicy and decidedly outgoing effort that makes no attempt at restraint. It is full, it is fleshy and it is close to lush in feel with a good backing of integral tannin and acidity right where it needs to be, but, even if well-structured and capable of aging for more than a few years, this is a rich and wide-open wine whose succulence and fruity depth make it downright irresistible right now. Two stars.

Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Engaging aromas arrive over time in the glass, including blackberry, cassis, toast, warm spices and bacon. Mid weight plus in weight, with a substantial black fruit load balanced by burly tannins. Oak is deftly matched to the fruit that has an earthy underpinning. The wine was considerably better when tasted later in the day from a previously opened bottle and may deserve a higher score with a few years in the cellar.

This light- to medium-bodied wine delivers well-integrated strawberry preserve flavors, along with hazelnut, malt and milk chocolate highlights. It’s smooth and well proportioned, and should drink well through 2023.

Dark garnet color in the glass. A serenade of cassis, white pepper and tobacco aromas lead off. Full-bodied and robust with hefty tannins. A man’s wine with plenty of delectable blackberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit accented with spice. Impressive length in the mouth with a persistent finish. This wine needs a big ribeye steak. I had my neighbors try this one since they like bigger wines and they went ga-ga over it.

Always a strength in the winery’s white wine lineup, this is sourced from both Columbia Valley and Rogue Valley vineyards. It’s aged entirely in stainless steel and walks a tight rope between citrus zest and honeysuckle, botanical herb and leafy green flavors. It’s all in perfect proportion, and absolutely delicious lightly chilled.

Zesty and expressive, with floral wild berry and licorice aromas and lively, rich raspberry and pepper flavors.