Aromas of spices, walnuts and dried berries with hints of white pepper. Medium-to full-bodied, round and juicy. A little jammy on the finish. Drink now.

A juicy and fruity red with plum and dried-cherry character. Medium body, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Some dried-fruit character, yet this comes out fresh and lively. Screw cap. Drink now.

Says old-school Russian River here with lots of dried-cherry aromas and cedar. Full-bodied, big and juicy. Slightly jammy. Fig Newton? Screw cap.

A more linear style here to this pinot with dried berry, walnut and cedar follow through to a medium to full body, firm tannins and a crisp finish. Drink in 2019.

A delightful surprise, this ubiquitous red wine tastes far more serious and compelling than I expected. It offers classic Cabernet flavor, with an impressive structure and excellent balance. People sometimes dismiss Kendall-Jackson’s “Vintner’s Reserves” as supermarket wines lacking character. This particular one suggests that we should all take another look -- or taste.

Wild yeast, fermented and matured in two 675L ceramic eggs, fermenting on skins for 140 days. Grapes sourced from Block 30, planted in 1946. And, well, if ever there was a Grenache style for me, then no oak and heaps of grape tannin is it. 
Flowers, sugar coated almonds, cherry and raspberry, aromatic herbs, Medium bodied, red fruits and spice, beautiful mineral and brick dust tannin, perfume and almost cranberry juice acidity, freshness and great length, etched with tannin and scented with flowers and almond. What a beautiful wine. It’s an Italianate expression, as well as essence of Old Vine Grenache. Hats off to the team at Yangarra.

Aromas of blackberries, wet earth and fresh mushrooms follow through to a full body, a dense palate with chewy yet polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Hints of tree bark. Solid wine. Drink in 2019.

Intense ripe berries, stones and fresh leather on the nose. Full body, chewy tannins and a powerful finish. A little extracted. Needs three to four years to soften. Try in 2021.

Aromas of walnuts, chocolate and blue fruits with hints of stones. Full-bodied, dense and cherry-flavored wine. Lots of grape skin character from cold soaking. Give it three or four years to soften. Extracted.

Zesty and plush, with lively strawberry and peach accents.

Soft and delicate, with supple strawberry and cranberry flavors.

Delicate and pretty, with floral strawberry and watermelon flavors.

From a cooler-climate region of California, and a winemaker who trained in France, this wine is elegant, nuanced and full of finesse. It is lean and racy, with notes of yellow Rainier cherry, strawberry, lilac and white pepper. The spice character will complement the arugula and radish perfectly, while the acidity will cut through the texture of the bread and cheese.

A well-crafted viognier, this particular wine has an attractive bouquet with notes of honeysuckle and jasmine coming from the glass.

This wine is redolent with stone fruit (think apricots and white peaches) and ripe Bartlett pear notes, shot through with snappy acidity and crackling minerality. Delicious.

La Crema winery has launched its Monterey Pinot Noir Rosé. The wine hails from one of the world's best cool-climate appellations, stretching from Monterey Bay across the pastoral coastal valley. The ever-present sea breeze cools the vineyards, allowing the grapes to stay longer on the vine. Crafted in small batches, the grapes were fermented in 100 percent stainless steel at cool temperatures.

Winemakers in the state of Oregon, which borders northern California, have enjoyed three consecutive outstanding vintages—2014, 2015, and 2016—and are making some of the most exciting pinot noirs in the world. The wines, which can emulate the best of Burgundy, have a unique purity of fruit due to the coastal state’s cool climate. Here are 10 outstanding examples after James tasted close to 300 in the Willamette Valley last October.

We opened this on the same night as the 2007 Siduri Amber Ridge, and while the Siduri was incredible, this topped it. Slightly. Whoa. So this is not a subtle Pinot. This falls more into the “balls to the walls” style of Pinot. More than ample fruit, great depth. Whoa, and a holy cow. Fantastic.

A juicy pinot noir weighted to red fruit, with notes of mushroom, mineral and pepper. Layered, with a silky texture. Nice length. What makes it a standout is its generous red fruit. Impressive.

Our Wine of the Week, Siduri 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, is a welcoming and engaging wine. It opens its arms wide to a range of preferences. It is delicate yet not so delicate that a fan of, say, merlot, would call it wimpy. It is substantial yet not coarse; it won’t drive away those who appreciate more, shall we say, feminine examples of this varietal. Fruit flavors, all bright and red, are beautifully integrated, though if you try, you may pick out suggestions of Santa Rosa plums, cranberries, and pomegranates. There’s a hint of wild mushroom, forest floor, topsoil, and the high, sweet notes of the world’s best black peppercorns. The texture is just what it should be, as smooth as satin rubbing against taffeta, with an almost mineral-like crispness. The finish lingers, temptingly: Yes, go ahead, have another sip. At the table, the wine will be flattered by mushrooms, fresh and aged goat cheese, delicate tomato and butter sauces, rare duck, lamb, and beef, the dark meat of chicken, salmon, smoked fish and deep fried oysters.

I wasn’t any kind of fan of the 2013 release, but I am of this 2014. It’s biodynamically grown, it sees 25% whole bunches, it’s cold soaked and then fermented wild in open vats before seeing all French oak, 40% new. It’s not only a vineyard selection but a barrel selection; the best barrels of the most distinctive vineyard, kind of thing. 5784 bottles made.
If you’re going to make a powerful statement then give it the scaffolding to endure. This is a McLaren Vale shiraz to reckon with. It’s inky with blackberried fruit flavour, it’s infused with saltbush, it’s sheeted with cedary oak and for all its luxury polish it roars Get Out Of My Way, I’m On The Way To The Future. This is a ship with long anchors of tannin. Go on a fitness kick, eat healthy, do your best to be around in 20 years. This is a shiraz for the ages.

Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. A love able nose, with hi-tone aromas of redder fruits, potpourri and bark. Very charming in the mouth, with vivid flavors of earth-kissed cherry and strawberry backed by genteel tannins. Impeccably balanced with a compelling finish. This wine exudes charisma and is quintessential Central Coast in character.

Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose is somewhat primary, offering only hints of berry pie, wilted rose and sweet oak. Sweet-fruited and rich, offering an array of highly extracted black fruit flavors along with notes of black tea and anise. Nicely integrated tannins and oak with a juicy, generously fruited finish.

Dark garnet color in the glass. Shy nose initially, slowly unfolding to reveal aromas of black cherry, blackberry, clove, smoke and cigar box. A palate saturating flood of sweet blackberry and boysenberry fruits with hints of spice and graphite give notice. The tannins are ripe and balanced, oak plays in the background, and there is some finishing intensity. A hedonistic display of RRV fruit.

Dark garnet color in the glass. Oak-infused berry aromas lead to a full-on attack of purple and black berry fruit flavors framed by noticeable, but well-toned tannins. A Cab lovers Pinot, with a lush mouthfeel and an unctuous fruit finish.