Dark, smooth and bright with tangy plum, spice and earth; rich, meaty and balanced. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot.

Smooth and toasty with deep black plum and soft herbs; rich and balanced, long and dense.

Very deep, dense, bold purple red colour with a bold, slightly raw young bouquet of shrill spicy fruit and smoky, charry, burnt-wood overtones (not necessarily from oak). The sooty character of the region is part of it. It's full-bodied, intense and powerful with a very lively palate thanks to fresh acidity, and very good concentration. This is a bit young to drink but has great potential. I'd give it a year or two longer. (68% grenache, 26% shiraz, 6% mourvedre; biodynamic certified; hand-picked; mechanically sorted; 50% destemmed & 50% whole berries, wild fermented; 10 months in older French oak)

Deep red with a good tint of purple, the aroma fumey and woodsy, fairly savoury, with a hint of super-ripeness. A rustic, full-bodied wine with flesh, density and grip, but going further than simple varietal fruit personality. It has good extract and could repay a little time in the cellar - though doesn't really need it. There's good richness, weight and flesh as well as drinkability. (Certified biodynamic. 50% destemmed; 50% whole berries; wild yeast. Older French oak for 10 months; filtered but unfined. 370 cases)

WillaKenzie's Oregon wines are all about the soils, which were named for Oregon's two major rivers, the Willamette and McKenzie. Each of the estate's seven vineyards has a different terroir based on the soil type, climate, elevation and other factors. Grape clone selections also play a role in the wine's flavor, and the varying pinot noir clones, many derived from Burgundian strains, were developed to prevent disease and promote earlier ripening and smaller berries. Fruit for this wine was sourced from Yamhill-Carlton and Dundee Hills. Following harvest, the grapes went through cold-soak maceration, fermented for 20 days in stainless steel tanks and matured in French oak barrels. In the glass, the wine offers aromas of cherry and hints of vanilla and baking spices. On the palate, taste black raspberry, cranberry, earth notes and silky tannins.

From the oldest part of the estate, planted in 1992, this excellent effort seems to have entered the phase where more aromatic complexity appears. It has lovely delineation of both scents and flavors, a matrix of fruit, soil and Pommard clone. Strong streaks of tobacco and chocolate annotate the core of raspberry puree. The concentration and length are impressive.

Firm, with fine tannins under a flowing beam of generous blueberry, currant and floral flavors. Comes together harmoniously on the complete and focused finish.

These days, I more look forward to tasting Grenache (and Mataro) based wines from McLaren Vale, rather than Shiraz. Though, of course, there’s still a lot of excellent Shiraz being made there (from the right sites, with the right treatment in the winery). Here’s a spicy and meaty rendition of McLaren Vale Shiraz. It almost has a soy sauce character, along with blueberry and plum, and a dab of vanilla oak perfume. Medium bodied, fleshy and savoury, thick tannin, even acidity, and a savoury thyme-laced finish of excellent length. Style and charisma. Terrific Shiraz.

Firm and peppery, with a sleek core of pomegranate-tinged red plum and floral flavors gliding seamlessly into a long and expressive finish. A graceful style, displaying presence.

From three Yorkville Highlands vineyards planted on schist, this is a compact syrah, its deep blue fruit juicy in its ripeness, with tannins as gripping as chokeberry skin. Hints of green olive and white-peppercorn spice place it with a lamb burger.

Perfectly differentiated from the winery's equally excellent Pinot Blanc, this is a bit fleshier, with fresh flavors of apple and pear. The texture, mouthfeel and mineral-drenched acids all flow into a mouthwatering finish.

This thoroughly delightful wine puts a polished sheen on this grape, that is so often lost in the shuffle between Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Here the clean and fresh flavors of grapefruit, white peach and melon mingle gracefully, with palate-pleasing texture and zippy acidity.

Taut, focused, sleek and inviting, with blueberry, currant, pepper and floral flavors, lingering easily on the lively finish.

Dark and fruity, this juicy wine is packed with black cherry and highlighted with tobacco and coffee. The tannins are substantial, and hint at clean earth. It's big and full through the middle, but tails off a bit in the finish.

A slightly bitter tobacco note frames black-cherry fruit. The tannins need more time to smooth out, and that bitter streak is a bit worrisome. But that said, this powerful deep compact wine may explode with flavor if you have the patience to cellar it.

This full-bodied wine comes charging ahead with spicy berries and Bing cherries. The tannins are granular, with strong flavors of tobacco, coffee grounds and dark chocolate in the foreground. It's a big-flavored wine from start to finish, with the power and polish to age.

Taut, focused and juicy, with mineral-accented black currant and blueberry flavors, finishing on a smoky note. Offers presence and a frame of fine tannins.

Fresh nose with some pepper and iodine notes. Floral cherry fruits too. Fresh, quite supple, slightly sappy and with some detail. There’s warm spiciness on the finish. Nice weight, finishes tannic.

This aromatic barrel selection employs multiple clones, from a winery which lays claim to farming more Pinot Noir clones than any in Oregon. Black cherry, cola and spice combine, leading into pinpoint tannins with a pleasing sweetness from the barrel aging.

This has a big burst of spicy, toasty oak right up front. That's often a sign of a young wine, and this is one with the fruit and depth to handle the extra toast. Cola, black cherry and a touch of clean earth come through, with a suggestion of tanned leather. It's got inviting complexity, coupled with forward, fruity flavor.

Firm, sleek and focused, layering currant, blueberry and cream flavors with hints of pepper and cedar. Finishes with point and length.

This is juicy, almost jammy, with forward flavors of strawberry candy that fill the mouth and hang tight. There's a light hint of pepper around a lingering, clean finish. It's full, forward and fruit-powered.

Focused, expressive and juicy, with cherry, raspberry and toasty, spicy flavors, coming together harmoniously against refined tannins and lingering effortlessly.

Rich and expressive with hints of almond, sour-sob, scented flowers and butter. The palate is beautifully sweet-fruited, with generous white peach and lemon zest. The wine has appealing texture and soft edges.

This entry level cuvée is finished with a screw cap, and pulled from a mix of barrels and clones from across the estate. It's forward, fruity and big, like an especially bold Beaujolais. Along with primary berry fruit there are light touches of pine needle and chocolate. It's full bodied and ready to go with your winter meal's roasted fowl.