Vivid black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit notes are framed by vanilla and sweet spices in this polished red. Nonetheless, there are ample tannins as this winds down on the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2036.

Bordeaux has many expressions. For Saint-Émilion it’s the ability for longevity in the wines. True, most wines are made to drink now, and then there are wines like Les Cadrans, which have the ability to be enjoyed now, or held on to for several years. The 2016 offers soft and subtle fruit of blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, and like traditional Bordeaux, it holds back the expressive nature and allows it to work with food and to be a companion to whatever meal you might be having. There are notes of black cherry, cranberry, spice and violet, expressing its silky Merlot character. Rich and round on the palate, with a touch of well-integrated oak and fine-grained tannins, Les Cadrans is mainly Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc and aged 10 months in new French oak. A celebration of Old World Merlot, this Saint-Émilion can be enjoyed now and over the next 10 years.

This medium ruby colored Merlot opens with a blueberry, wild cherry and oak bouquet with hints of dried herbs and lavender. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, well-balanced, polished, elegant and nicely coats your mouth. The flavor profile is a tasty red plum and gentle oak blend with notes of cherry and hints of minerality and black pepper. The finish is dry and its flavors and mild tannins drift away nicely. The Panel would pair this Merlot with veal medallions with mushroom-wine sauce or a Tennessee meatloaf (blend of beef, pork & veal)

This Central Coast GSM has an Australian feel: warm and generous in its red raspberry and red cherry scents, bright on the edges, with a juicy core of red fruits and caramelly oak to back it up. This is modern and forward, for barbecue.

A smoky version, whose black cherry, earth, wild thyme and cedar notes are tightly bound with the dense matrix of tannins. An accent of licorice seeps in as this winds down on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2025.

Medium purple color. On the nose, I get tangy red and black currants, roasted figs, juicy and deep, laced with violets, tobacco, inviting earth and clove. Full and suave on the palate, moderate acidity, with bold plum and currant fruit that is juicy but maintains a tangy edge. Laced with cocoa, charcoal, tobacco, mint and menthol. Complex earth and floral tones will continue to come out with time. Really solid value here. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

This has aromas of underbrush, truffle, blue flowers and French oak. Reflecting the nose, the tightly wound, full-bodied palate features coconut, vanilla and licorice that accent a black cherry core. Close-grained tannins provide the tight framework and leave an assertive, drying close. Drink 2023–2029.

Thick, earthy and red-fruited, this approachable red offers tremendous value and quality. It is solid and well integrated in its hearty texture and fresh notes of pomegranate and plum. Characteristics of nutmeg, vanilla and oak rise on the finish.

The high-toned nose features of honeysuckle, caramel, chamomile, and lime pith. Medium bodied with lightweight, juicy acid that flutters about, refusing to integrate with the structure; even on the finish it remains apart. May be a sign of youth. Flavors include slightly bitter green apple, lemon verbena, damp earth, and white pepper minerality. It finishes on a sweet orange note. I’d love to revisit this in two or three years because if that acid integrates, this improves dramatically.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Estate was aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, 31% new. It gives up notes of guava, fresh yellow apples and white peaches plus hints of chalk dust and candied ginger. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegant and refreshing with good length and a mineral kick on the finish.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2019 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley was aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, 27% new. It delivers vibrant notes of black cherries, kirsch and mulberries with suggestions of garrigue and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of ripe, juicy black and red berry flavors, supported by soft tannins, finishing with a lively red berry kick.

This medium purple colored Syrah from Copain opens with a blackberry and black cherry bouquet with hints of anise, smoked beef jerky and boysenberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with gentle acidity. We also found it to be balanced and round. The flavor profile is a red plum and red raspberry blend with notes of cedar and tart cherry. We also detected hints of star anise, crushed stone, and strawberry. The finish is dry and is flavors and moderate tannins build-up and last for a very long time. The Panel would pair this Syrah with duck à l'orange, or with marinated venison steaks.

Subtle white, with subdued herbal notes, but cream and salted butter emerge midpalate together with notes of citrus and yellow apple. Hints of orange and mint linger on the long, well-defined finish. Drink now through 2026.

COMMENTARY: The 2019 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is an attractive, soft-spoken wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine is bright with green apple, dried herbs, and spice in its aromas and flavors. Pair it with chicken tamales and mild salsa.

Deep garnet color, smooth, silky and juicy with sweet plum, black raspberry and cherry fruit; mellow and balanced, charming and long.

The 2018 Tourdion Cuvée Blanc is a brand new bottling composed of 35% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Blanc and 30% Pinot Gris. The nose is bright and fresh with scents of apples, white blossoms, bakers yeast and beeswax. The light-bodied palate offers loads of crunchy fruits and juicy acidity, finishing long with a touch of texture. This is a fun, fresh wine to drink immediately, but it offers enough fruit intensity to pique my interest in what this will taste like with another 2-3 years of bottle age.

The 2018 Chardonnay Willamette Valley has touches of candle smoke and flint over floral-laced white peaches. The palate is medium-bodied and rounded and slowly expands to gently honeyed fruits, finishing long and lifted.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley has classic scents of tea leaves, tar and earth with a core of red and black berry fruits. The medium-bodied palate is silky and fresh, with a ripe frame, earthy fruits and a lifted finish.

The 2018 Chardonnay Willamette Valley has a savory nose of baked apples, beeswax and baker's yeast with touches of dried herbs. The medium-bodied palate is silky and super fresh with crunchy, uplifted fruits and an energetic finish.

57% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir. Another pale wine in the glass, just a hint of pinkish-orange with a fairly muted nose. Eventually, some creamy strawberry-rhubarb ekes out, but only just barely. The palate is tart with different flavors than what I normally expect. I can’t really place the fruit, but it is certainly tart and nuanced. Again, this is not what I expect from a rosé sparkling, but I do know that I like it. Perhaps a lot. Excellent.

Vibrant and fresh, with tart apple and lemon flavors accented with lively yeast roll and spice flavors that linger on a bright finish. Drink now.

The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc (Alexander Valley) is an intriguing wine that deftly balances the floral, citrussy character of Sauvignon with tropical notes that add a real sense of exoticism along with an extra kick of body, both of which work so well here. This is such a delicious and inviting wine.

One of the lighter pinots, at least in color thus far. Hints of funkiness and red fruit, this is a bit shy on the nose. Fruity, good acid, balance. This might be a touch overly-fruity for me, but it works. Excellent.

Quite the muscular wine on the nose here with firm red fruit, a touch of heat, and minerality. The palate also comes off a tad hot, but there is more than ample fruit and plenty of chutzpah. Excellent.

Given time in both oak and stainless steel, this lively white is grassy and lively in stone fruit, with an enduring crispness to the texture. Bright and food-friendly, it offers wide appeal and elegance.