Very ripe and skirting the edges of dried cherries in character, the wine never loses the needed vitality to be attractive, and its hints of dark chocolate and caramel add to its charms whereas they might have otherwise pushed it over the top. Full in body, fleshy in feel on the palate and slightly hot to finish, this wine is not for the faint of heart, but so too is it still Merlot at its heart and in its uses with food.

Bursts with cherry, toasty oak and coffee aromas and offers pretty and layered wild berry, spice and caramel flavors that build richness on the finish. Drink now.

Smooth, polished and ripe, this is a blend of Alexander Valley and Sonoma Valley. Those are both warm appellations, and in this warm vintage, the wine is extremely ripe. It brims with chocolate, cassis and licorice flavors. Almost too fruity, this is saved by a dry finish.

Vivid red. Exotic aromas of red and dark berries, olive, anise and violet; the syrah element is really pronounced today. Deep, sappy blackberry and cassis flavors are very supple and show no tannins. A smoky mineral note creeps up on the finish, which is long, sweet and well-focused. I like this wine's clarity and balance.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Estates is soft, pliant and open-knit, all qualities that make it a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next few years. The purity of the red- fruit and floral/savory aromatics is striking. Red plum, mocha, sage and cedar add layers of nuance. This is such a pretty wine.

Aged 24 months (bottled in January of this year), the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 4% Malbec. Blueberries, black raspberries, cassis, bay leaf, and hints of tobacco all emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant, seamless wine. More cedar wood and spice develop with time in the glass, and it's medium-bodied, silky, and balanced on the palate.

This is another stellar Cabernet Sauvignon for Arrowood from the 2014 vintage. It shows ripe flavors of blackberry, cassis and blueberry with a touch of oak vanillin and firm tannins that will smooth out nicely in another two to three years. This vintage also offers and intriguing note of cedar that is often a marker in top-notch Bordeaux.

Herbal in cedar, this medium-bodied wine is simply layered, with a thickness of tannin and oak, its mouthfeel substantial yet smooth. Black fruit speaks loudest—a mix of black cherry, blueberry and blackberry jam.

From various sites across appellations, this well-made red offers soft, smooth tannins and full-bodied ripeness, the flavors defined by cherry, vanilla, oak and clove. It’s ready for steak.

Dark ruby color; smooth, lush and herbal - Dick Arrowood's velvety style (although he's no longer at his namesake winery) - with loads of polish for the modest price.

Made from two vineyards in the appellation, this shows black cherry, cedar and tobacco, with a graphite element not far behind. Sticky tannins provide grip and weight, as full-bodied richly ripe blue fruit and plum form a continuum between hits of clove.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Smothers-Remick Ridge is a powerful, explosive wine. Super-ripe red cherry and French oak are dominant. Other recent vintages have been both more compelling and also more expressive of site. Thirty two months in 100% new oak is probably too much for this wine. Hints of raspberry, blood orange, mint and tobacco add a measure of complexity. In my view, the Smothers-Remick Ridge Cabernet has the potential to be more than just merely outstanding.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County) is an absolutely delicious wine that shows just how compelling Sonoma Cabernets can be. Rich, dark and powerful, the 2013 exudes notable depth in its dark stone fruit, savory herb, smoke, leather, spice and tobacco flavors. Drink this racy, intense Cabernet over the next decade or so.

A classic, boldly full-bodied offering of the variety from vineyards in Sonoma Valley, Knights Valley and Alexander Valley, this wine is defined by blackberry, cassis and mocha, its mouthfeel velvety and luxurious. The finish is lengthy and accented in sage.

This is classic in herbaceous aromas and flavors, rich in juicy blackberry and blueberry while also offering savory pencil shavings and dark chocolate. Leathered, firm tannins complete the picture, providing structure and integration to a wall of well-managed oak.

Smooth and velvety with ripe plum and cassis; bright and showing fine acid structure and complexity; dense, rich and long. 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc.

Deep ruby. Ripe cherry, cassis, tobacco and vanilla on the nose, with a subtle herbal undertone. Fleshy dark fruit flavors are supported by gentle acidity, taking on spiciness with aeration. Finishes sweet and persistent, with the dark berry and tobacco qualities lingering. This nicely balanced cabernet is approachable now.

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma includes fruit from the famed Monte Rosso Vineyard. Aged in a combination of French and American oak for two years prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered, it is an outstanding Cabernet boasting a deep ruby/purple color along with copious aromas of creme de cassis, graphite and spice box. Full-bodied with supple tannins, a generous, even corpulent mouthfeel and a long finish, it should drink well for a decade.

Saturated with blueberry-rich fruit and tannins that give it a cedar and cherry-bark tone, this wine is firmly structured and lasting. It's complex, needing time to develop in bottle.

The 2008 Cote de Lune Blanc Saralee's Vineyard (41% Marsanne, 39% Roussanne, and 20% Viognier) offers up intriguing notes of licorice, lychee nut, honeysuckle, clove, and yellow apples. This well-made, medium to full-bodied, richly fruity, complex white is meant to be consumed during its first 1-2 years of life. This is another impressive group of wines from one of the most consistent winemakers and long-time veterans of the California wine scene, Dick Arrowood. He has always had the Midas touch with white varietals, yet he also continues to impress me with what he can do with red varietals. Moreover, Arrowood is also one of the pioneer Rhone Ranger producers, and his Syrah program has been supplemented with red and white French Cotes du Rhone-like blends called Cote de Lune as well as an outstanding Viognier.

This is a deep and concentrated white wine, ripely adorned in honey and apricot with a streak of honeysuckle dancing on the nose throughout. Creamy and round, it is buoyed by a fresh sprinkling of orange blossom and rind.

Smooth and creamy with vanilla and lush style; rich, mellow and balanced with a long, ripe finish.

Arrowood's 2011 from the exceptional Saralee's Vineyard exhibits delicate notes of honeysuckle and stone fruits, with exquisite balance between fruit and acidity. This suave Viognier is long and lively on the palate. If only more domestic Viognier was this clean, refreshing and satisfying.

Bright gold. Exotic aromas of nectarine, sweet butter, violet and candied ginger, along with a zesty mineral overtone. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering intense pit fruit and tangerine flavors and a sexy honeysuckle nuance. At once rich and lively, finishing with good cling and lingering florality.

Lush and ripe with vanilla, aromatic fruit and lovely balance; tangy and fresh; long and rich with good acid structure; lovely.