The 2012 Valadorna is 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Castelnuovo Berardenga comune. This is a dark and impenetrable wine with thick concentration and ripe fruit flavors. The two Cabernet grapes come out on top, and the wine delivers a heavy load of ripe fruit, garden herb and rosemary. This a ripe, bold and super opulent red wine from Tuscany that could pair with savory roasted lamb with mint sauce.

The 2012 Arcanum is mostly Cabernet Franc (71%) with smaller parts Merlot (16%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Petit Verdot (3%). This is a dark and thickly extracted wine that pours from the bottle with midnight black intensity. The Cabernet aromas play a leading role with rosemary and wild herb behind plump cherry and blackberry. This is a big wine and an aspirational one as well. It should continue its evolution over the next decade or more.

Rich ruby color. Bursting aromatics of dark plums and cherries, a deep, complex earthiness pervades the nose with elements of fall leaves, loam, graphite, and throw in some violets and green herbs. Full on the palate with solid tannins (by no means harsh) but vibrant, crisp acidity. Black cherries and gushing plum fruit, so delicious, mixes with dried roses, pipe tobacco, black olive, and I get some rhubarb and cola notes as well. Complex, balanced, deep, lasting, memorable. Plenty of years of evolution ahead.

The 2014 Arrowood cab delivers a huge burst of ripe blackberry and cassis fruit and has notes of wood vanillin. It is equipped with smooth, supple tannins that make for easy drinking now, although another two to four years in the cellar would benefit this wine tremendously.

The 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva Strada al Sasso (100% Sangiovese aged in neutral barrique for 12 months) is a plush and rich wine with dark cherry fruit, plum, moist tobacco and cured leather. The wine spreads evenly over the palate with broad intensity and a long succession of dark fruit flavors. I love the texture and fullness of the wine and the tartness is significantly downplayed, which is not easy to do with the naturally acidic Sangiovese.

Vibrant ruby color. Deep, dark aromas of cherries and rich blackberries, along with violets, clove, espresso, some mushroom, deep but awesome aromatics. Plush, balanced, lovely palate that combines bright acidity, structured tannins, with tangy black cherries and tart plum fruit. A delightful mix of violets, sweet pipe tobacco, sarsaparilla, cherry wood and clove, the flavors are rich but the wine is so lively. I’d love to bury this for five years.

The 2014 Chianti Classico Riserva is a dark and enriched expression of Sangiovese (and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) with above average concentration and extraction. This is a meaty and dark red wine with a powerful load of dark fruit and ripe blackberry with spice, leather and moist terracotta on the close. The finish is soft, creamy and long lasting. I would never have pegged this wine as being from the more difficult 2014 vintage in a blind tasting. You get excellent value here.

Jackson Estate's 2014 Outland Ridge is a meaty pinot noir from the Anderson Valley. Showing savory notes of wood smoke and somewhat rustic tannins, this wine is also packed with dark cherry and raspberry fruit. It drinks well now but will be best in another two to three years.

Deep ruby color. Aromas of cool raspberries, black cherries, dusty earth, some rhubarb and rose petals. Medium-full-bodied with suave tannins and moderate acidity, the black cherry and sweet raspberry fruit is chewy but fresh. I get elements of eucalyptus, rose petal, sweet violets, hints of cedar and clove. Bold but vibrant, and a great intro this producer’s excellent Pinot Noirs.

Medium purple color. Tart black cherries and plum aromas with some smoky, pepper, earthy notes along with tar, sweet violets and coffee. Silky on the palate but structured with medium acidity and tannins. Tangy black currants and crunchy plum fruit blends so well with pepper, black olive and tar, but I also flower pot and violet petals, some incense sticks. Good now but I’d cellar this for a few years or give it time because it really opens up and gets smooth and expressive.

La Crema's Kelli Ann Vineyard chard embraces the new style that seems to be catching on throughout California. The wine is rich and oily, but not heavy, retaining the balance that chardonnay aficionados increasingly demand. This wine shows notes of lemon creme and pear, with a solid dose of wood spice.

McLaren Vale grenache grown on bush vines, planted 1946. Meticulously berry-sorted prior to crushing. Cold soaked, wild fermented, left alone, pressings excluded, bottled unfined. Certified biodynamic. Robust grenache, sizeable, slathered with toasty/creamy oak and plush throughout. Grenache with the works, sure, but complex. Deli meats, spices, redcurrant and plums. Lots of oak, too much arguably, but seductive with it. Intricately tannic yet overall it remains supple. Fabulous booze, so long as oak doesn’t annoy you. It drinks beautifully now but it has a future. Drink : 2018 - 2024+

Wine of the Week Lime, lemongrass, and a trace of peach are only three of the many subtle aroma Notes. The wine is dry (think oysters!), but succulent enough to work with slightly broader food as well, especially if it is not too cold.

The sybaritic style of Freemark Abbey A portfolio tasting with Ted a few weeks ago was enlightening. I was never more impressed by the quality and style of the Freemark Abbey wines — and I have a relationship with that winery dating to 1971. In particular, what was striking was that Ted, who joined the winery in 1980, completely understood the house style that had been set in motion a decade earlier by the great wine maker Jerry Luper. It is exemplified by the 2015 chardonnay, a most impressive zero-malolactic, delicate-oak style, with a lemon peel aroma and superb acidity.

2015 Mesa Terrace Pinot Noir has aromas of strawberry jam and fresh herbs such as sage, the company reports. Bing cherry and raspberry notes emerge on the palate with warm spice notes, with a velvety texture and barrel toast on the finish. This wine pairs well with dishes such as wild mushroom tartlets.

2015 Element Pinot Noir possesses an aroma of dark cherry, ground coffee, and baking spices, with blueberry, baking spices, and a hint of orange peel on the palate, the company reports. This wine pairs well with rich dishes such as duck confit.

Cambria Winery in Santa Maria creates world-class pinot noir and chardonnay... The estates vineyards for this Jackson Family Wines gem are certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. It is a beautiful, oaky chardonnay with grapefruit, peach and apple flavors with a hint of mineral and spice.

2015 West Point Chardonnay features orange blossom and lemon zest with hints of honey and graham cracker on the nose, the company reports. It has a bright acidity and a creamy mid-palate texture, with notes of creamsicle, honeysuckle, and oak on the finish. It pairs well with dishes such as Tortilla Española.

2015 Fog Tide Chardonnay contains aromatics of honeysuckle, lemon zest, wet stone, and pineapple. It’s bright and lively with layers of tropical fruit, white peach, and a hint of crème brûlée. This wine pairs well with steamed clams.

The 25 best wines from California for summer sipping Offered as part of a program that raises money for women working for justice in the world, this wine from Byron’s next-door neighbor Cambria shows lime zest, a hint of lemon, popcorn and sandalwood on the nose. Citrus, apples, white peach and fascinating hints of brine dominate the mid-palate. It’s less tropical fruity than many chardonnays from this region, and aging sur lie has given it a pleasing fullness.

This is a sassy red blend with notes of tangy cherry, a hint of caramel and black pepper spice. What makes this a tasty pick is its length. The cherry note lingers on the finish. The packaging is trying to appeal to the Millennial, but it’s a solid wine for all ages. 3½ stars.

Gold Medal

Gold Medal

Gold Medal

Wine of the Week Mourvedre is a grape with several personalities. Also known as mataro or monastrell, it is grown in France, Spain and the United States, as well as in the warmer regions of Australia. Not only is it a key component in GSM blends, it is also widely used in fortified wines, as well as a component of some rosés. Most of the Mourvèdre from the Yangarra estate vineyard at Kangarilla goes into a GSM but limited-quantity varietals are produced in exceptional years. This is a very lively and spicy wine, perfumed, with grippy tannins and extremely enjoyable even in its youth. Kept on lees for 10 months in older oak barrels this is unashamedly fruit driven, unfined and certified biodynamic. Lovely stuff.