Arroyo Seco adjoins the Santa Lucia Mountains and is known for its inexpensive red and white varieties. This is a focused yet delicate Riesling. There are orange blossom and honeysuckle rather than petrol aromas, but there is a clean minerality, and a very attractive lift on the finish.

Exotic, slightly musky aromas of pineapple, coconut, orange zest and spicy oak, plus an intriguing minerality. Supple, silky and seamless, with deep, persistent flavors of apple and honey. Long and perfumed on the aftertaste. Sexy Chardonnay, from a crop level a good 25% lower than normal for this wine.

The all-stainless steel fermented and aged 2008 Chardonnay Liberated is outstanding. Notes of lemon custard, honeyed citrus, and white currants jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, light straw-colored wine. Elegant, pure, and impressively textured, this is a Chardonnay to drink over the next 1-2 years.

I was also impressed with Carmel Road's 2008 Chardonnay Monterey. With a light greenish hue to its color and loads of tropical fruit intermixed with a hint of orange blossom, this medium-bodied Chardonnay is not as weighty as the Arroyo Seco, but it's tasty in a medium-bodied, fresh, lively, cool-climate style.

This may be the first time I've ever thought of a wine in terms of ballet, but as I tasted this Chardonnay I began to think that both need certain things to achieve success. Balance is vital, of course, to the wine and dance (we don't want the ballerina toppling off her toes, or the wine thrown off kilter by oak and/or alcohol). Complexity is likewise important (whether in choreography or flavor profile) and, ideally, passion will be showing through as well as basic skill. The Carmel Road Chardonnay succeeds on all counts: luscious fruit is well balanced between oak and the minerality that often characterizes this region's Chardonnay; the alcohol is well integrated into the body of the wine; the texture is full and lush without being heavy (weighty wines often appeal for a short time, but eventually fatigue the palate). All in all, I'd say this wine deserves a standing ovation.

Very ripe and new oaky, but the acidity is so vibrant, it provides the much-needed balance kick. Flavor-wise, this Chard is a blast of orange Slurpee, pineapple tart, vanilla crème brûlée and cinnamon spice. It sure is an easy wine to drink.

Remarkably rich and distinctive for its depth and purity of flavor. The core apple, honeydew melon and pear flavors are ripe and vibrant, with excellent concentration and length. Finishes with a hint of toasty oak, which adds a nice dimension. Drink now through 2008.

...a beautiful bouquet of popcorn intermixed with orange rind, lemon oils, honeysuckle, and crushed rocks. Excellent texture, medium to full body, terrific acidity, and a long finish characterize this high class Chardonnay. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years.

California Pinot Noir Medium ruby color. Crisp aroma of strawberries, pomegranate, raspberry, along with rose hips, rhubarb, tobacco, with cola and coffee. Crisp acidity on the palate, suave texture but nice tannic grip. Tart cranberry mixes with richer black cherries, backed up by roses, rhubarb, cola, coffee and dark chocolate shavings. Juicy and forward but structured and fresh as well. Aged 13 months in 20% new French oak.

Bright medium ruby. Aromatic nose combines roasted plum, black raspberry and lead pencil. Lush and lively in the mouth, with bright, complex flavors of raspberry, plum and smoked meat. Finishes with ripe, oak-sweetened tannins and excellent persistence. Superb for the vintage.

This has a stern oaky, blackberry and plum nose which is in some way imposing. The grippy tannins are in harmony with the alcohol and a veneer of elegant oak. It is still assertive and will settle down, but it has impressive fruit and persistence. Highly recommended.

Sleek, modern nose of purple fruits and spices, such as clove and black pepper. Great intensity, with touches of leather, cigar box and a plush, silky feel. Certainly has ample fruit and swagger, and plenty of energy to carry through onto the long finish.

Sleek, modern nose of purple fruits and spices, such as clove and black pepper. Great intensity, with touches of leather, cigar box and a plush, silky feel. Certainly has ample fruit and swagger, and plenty of energy to carry through onto the long finish.

...to be a promising white Graves look-alike. It is primarily Sauvignon Blanc, but there is a healthy dose of Semillon added to fatten the wine, and give it a creamier texture. It is a boldly-styled, pure, lush, medium to full-bodied dry

Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, the 2015 Red Wine Innovant has a deep garnet-purple color with a nose of ripe plums, crushed black currants and black berries with touches of bay leaves and menthol. Medium-bodied, tightly knit and with a firm structure of grainy tannins and electric freshness, it finishes on a lovely mineral note.

Cabernet Franc plays the leading role in the 2015 Harmonie. Sleek, supple and forward, the 2015 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Today, the new oak is a bit pronounced. Otherwise, all the elements are nicely balanced. The blend is 85% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Revelation offers expressive black cherries, black berries and cassis with touches of eucalypt, chocolate box and graphite. It's medium-bodied, fresh and exuberant with a firm, chewy structure and an earthy finish.

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.

From Alexander Valley, the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc les Pionniers gives white grapefruit, lemon tart and green apple notes with hints of wild thyme and chalk dust. Medium-bodied with great vibrancy and freshness, it has a lovely steely/minerally nature and purity to the finish. 89 points.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Tradition is intensely floral and aromatic, with tons of varietal character. The Tradition is aged in steel, but lees stirring adds striking texture throughout. Citrus peel, lime, sage and white flowers notes give the 2016 a decidedly exotic feel.

Aged in neutral French oak for eight months and blended with 11% Sémillon, this is a voluptuously full-figured take on the variety, textured and multi-layered. Creamy vanilla is met by waves of tangerine and peach as pea shoots and fresh grass look on.

The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Tradition exudes gregarious notes of grapefruit, passion fruit, peaches and musk perfume. Medium-bodied with very good intensity and a nice suggestion of savory sulfide complexity, it finishes long.

The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Les Pionniers presents a more powerful, phenolic expression of Sauvignon than that found in the Tradition. Orchard fruit, mint, white flowers and lime abound, but it is the wine's energy, delineation and finely sculpted personality that stand out most. This is very nicely done.

An alluring, toasty style, with lots of hazelnut and warm brioche notes leading the way for creamed melon and yellow apple fruit. Toast lingers on the finish, delivering a creamy mouthfeel and enough fruit for balance. For fans of the style. Drink now. 1,000 cases made.

An aspiring wine that has a big lick of oak spice at the start, which bubbles over into caramelized green apples and figs and a flash of boot polish. The palate is a touch hot, but there is a real marzipan and butter complexity.