Deep ruby. Savory, reticent aromas of cherry, dark chocolate and spices show more lift than the 2009. Firmly built and rather backward, with flavors of plum and black raspberry joined on the back by a hint of leather. Quite tannic.

Deep ruby. Intensely perfumed nose offers redcurrant, cherry and tobacco, with a suave floral quality adding complexity. Deep, chewy red and dark berry flavors are framed by velvety tannins and pick up a sweet tobacco note on the back end. Youthfully tangy on the finish, with the cherry and tobacco notes repeating. This needs some cellar time.

Bright, deep ruby. Reticent aromas of blueberry, licorice and crushed herbs. Less sweet in the mouth than the 2011 Helena Montana, with strong spice and floral notes dominating the dark berry flavors. Tannins are a bit youthfully tough today.

The soil here is rich in white volcanic ash. Good full ruby. Black fruits and a hint of game on the nose. Silky on entry, then more complex and less oaky in the middle palate than the Helena Dakota bottling, offering an attractive combination of ripeness and verve. But not at all overly sweet. Finishes with substantial but ripe tannins and a juicy quality that suggests this will age gracefully. According to Barbara Banke, co-owner of Jackson Wine Estates with her husband Jess Jackson, this winery used two sorting tables beginning with the 2004 harvest, and also introduced a Mistral machine that blows away damaged and dried-out grapes and bits of stalks.

Medium ruby. Cool, somewhat medicinal aromas of blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, licorice, minerals, and fresh herbs. Bright and dense but quite closed and tannic today; very much in the style of a Northern Medoc wine. Distinctly tough now and in need of at least five or six years of patience. This was far silkier from barrel a year ago, but my early early sample contained a much higher percentage of Merlot.

Medium ruby. Cool, somewhat medicinal aromas of blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, licorice, minerals and fresh herbs. Bright and dense but quite closed and tannic today; very much in the style of a Northern Medoc wine. Distinctly tough now and in need of at least five or six years of patience,. This was far silkier from barrel a year ago, but my early sample contained a much higher percentage of merlot.

Full ruby. Riper aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, sassafras, allspice and chocolate. Juicy and intense in the mouth, with lively flavors of berries and bitter chocolate. Finishes with strong tannins that reach the front teeth, but also very good length and lingering sweetness.

Bright red-ruby color. Dark aromas of black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate, menthol and black pepper. Tightly wound and youthfully medicinal, with dark berry, herb and licorice flavors complemented by iron and gravel nuances. Quite dry and light on its feet but imploded today and in need of at least a couple years of bottle aging.

Good deep ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of black fruits, bitter chocolate and licorice, with a pronounced gravelly quality. Ripe and chewy but medicinal and backward today, with density building toward the back. Just a bit of tannic dryness but this is still a baby. There's very little topsoil at this site, notes winemaker Graham Weerts, and the diurnal shifts are more pronounced here than at Stonestreet's higher-elevation cabernet vineyards. This should reward bottle aging.

Bright ruby-red. Almost mute on the nose today, with a lightly dusty quality to the black fruit and mineral aromas. Then suppler, sweeter and more pliant than the Christopher's but with a bit less spine and energy than that wine. Here the slightly medicinal tannins arrive earlier.

(from vines at 1,000 feet): Palish yellow with a green tinge. Cool aromas of lime ice, menthol and dusty stone, with a lightly metallic quality. Supple and quite dry, with subdued flavors of citrus peel and dusty stone. Very laid-back today, with the metallic quality carrying through in the mouth. This uncompromising chardonnay offered a hint of fresh apricot with air but its rather forbidding texture did not loosen up even after 24 hours in the recorked bottle.

Vivid ruby. Pungent aromas of dark berries, cherry pit and smoky minerals, with a hint of fresh herbs in the background. Juicy and precise, offering bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that gain in sweetness and energy with air. Closes on a spicy note, with strong mineral cut and silky, slow-building tannins. This youthful pinot responds nicely to aeration.

Bright ruby. Cherry, dark berries and minerals on the nose, with hints of licorice and pepper. Offers a restrained sweetness and good depth to its dark fruit flavors. Shows a youthful, medicinal quality, a hint of black cardamom and dusty tannins on the long, incisive yet broad finish. This could use a bit of time to stretch out.

Deep red. Spicy cherry and cassis aromas are a bit musclebound but slowly open to show subtle floral and iron qualities. Powerful, deeply concentrated cherry and cherry skin flavors dominate the palate. Finishes with solid tannins and a hint of espresso. This needs time.

Good deep red. Complex aromas of raspberry, blackberry, kirsch, flowers and wild herbs. Juicy and tightly wound, but already demonstrating a strong kernel of dark berry fruit and lovely definition and verve. Tighter than the Seascape bottling and thus a bit less broad today. The acids carry the fruit on the finish, which shows a piquant note of pomegranate.

Good, bright ruby-red. Aromas of raspberry, strawberry, menthol, earth and violet. Flavors are distinctly purple: blackberry, violet and minerals. Supple but not yet filled in; in a rather closed stage today. The fruit character is complicated by a suggestion of exotic woodsmoke. Finishes firmly tannic and in need of patience.

Bright, saturated ruby. Youthfully brooding aromas of blackberry, mulberry, cocoa powder and licorice, with slow mounting spiciness and a hint of dried violet. Deeply pitched dark berry and bitter cherry flavors are slow to unwind, showing serious structure without coming off as hard. The gripping finish is a touch rigid but packs a lot of rich fruit. Give the bottle a little age.

Good full ruby. Aromas of black cherry, blueberry, gunflint, smoke and slate. All crushed fruit in the mouth: black cherry, boysenberry and blackberry. Juicy and imploded today, with very fresh acidity intensifying the fruit. Finishes with powerful but ripe tannins that will require at least a few years of bottle aging. Very bright, structured zinfandel.

The 2025 Rosé of Pinot Noir has a pale salmon-pink color and inviting scents of peach, orange, grapefruit and freshly baked bread. The medium-bodied palate is bright and fruity with a softly rounded texture and flavorful finish. 358 cases were made.

The 2023 Grenache Morning Chorus Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1999. Matured in 18% new French oak, it has intense aromas of red cherry, blueberry, tangerine oil, lavender and cracked pepper. The full-bodied palate is brimming with spicy fruit. It’s framed by sticky tannins and soft acidity and has a softly warm finish. Only 48 cases were made.

The 2018 Vintage Cuvée Extra Brut is a blend of 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir; it spent six years en tirage and was disgorged in August of 2024. It's scented of yellow apple, honey, rye bread and mushroom. The light-bodied palate features savory flavors laced with candle smoke and a creamy mousse. The dosage of 3.5 grams is balanced by fresh acidity, and the wine has a long, mineral-laced finish. 325 cases were made.

Based on the 2021 vintage with roughly half reserve wine, the NV Champagne Souverain Brut is composed of
50% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier. Bright silver-straw in color, it offers tangerine, fresh
bread, white peach, and almond. It is medium-bodied, with an inviting fruity core, fine mousse, and clean,
easygoing finish. A charming and versatile introduction to the range that is ready to drink now. It was finished
with a dosage of 2.6 grams per liter. Drink 2026-2031.

A medium-light hue in the glass, this wine starts with red cherry, pomegranate jelly, light chaparral, and stronger mace aromas on the nose. The palate hits sharply, perhaps from the higher alcohol level on a lighter frame, but the flavors evolve pleasantly across mulberry, rhubarb, and black pepper elements.

The 2024 Chardonnay Sonoma County is a brilliant medium yellow hue and is mostly from
Cougar Ridge with a bit from Matanzas Creek. It’s charming and approachable, with clean,
refreshing notes of pineapple and fresh white flowers. It’s neither blowsy nor lean. Mediumbodied, it has a suggestion of richness, with delicate notes of beeswax and almond, plus a
chalky, youthful texture and even acidity. It’s fresh and appealing without being simply
melon fruit. I like it a lot. Drink it over the next few years. Drink 2026-2029.

This estate previously focused on reds but has now shifted almost entirely toward aromatic
whites. Tropical, elegant, and fresh, the 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County pours a pale
silver/yellow hue and offers notes of salted grapefruit, melon, starfruit, and delicate tropical
flowers. Medium-bodied, it’s refreshing and pure, with almost cocktail-like citrus charm
and excellent value. Drink 2026-2029.