Plump and ripe, this maintains balance and finesse, offering accents of blackberry and raspberry, with licorice, bittersweet chocolate and spice notes.

Australian winemaker Charlie Seppelt and American Chris Carpenter have combined their talents at Hickinbotham to produce what they term is the pinnacle of Clarendon cabernet. Elegance and intensity is the hallmark of this deliciously style red with perfectly crafted tannins to bring structure and frame but with no toughness or dryness. The fruit is a generous mix of bright black fruit flavours with a fleshy mid-palate and perfect acidity. Hand-picked from Clarendon high country at 220 metres the berries were on skins was eighteen days then basket pressed mixing free run and lightly pressed juiced. Three rack-and-returns over eighteen months fed the ageing in Bordeaux-coopered French barrels. At 13.5 percent alcohol this wine makes a serious statement for the New Australia. Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard was first planted by Alan Hickinbotham in 1971 in McLaren Vale, and over the years has been the source of fruit for some of Australia’s finest wines including Penfolds Grange and Hardy’s Eileen Hardy. it was purchased and refurbished by Jackson Family Farms beginning in 2000.

Lush fresh cherry nose; silky and ripe with bright cherry and tangy acidity; supple, balanced and juicy; long and lovely.

Lush and juicy with intense cherry and red currant fruit; racy acidity, lively style with good depth; smooth, savory and long; balanced and generous.

Silky and smooth with bright, intense raspberry and cherry fruit; juicy and generous with tangy, rich style; long and balanced.

Silky and elegant with ripe cherry and juicy black currant fruit; notes of earth, spice and bright acidity; smooth and long.

Aromatic nose; silky, spicy and savory with ripe berry fruit and lovely balance; deep, toasty and long.

Stonestreet's latest Sauvignon release bears a fair resemblance to Bordeaux blanc, which is a departure from more common and possibly more popular New Zealand style of Sauvignon that emphasizes pungency. That's probably a good thing considering the Stonestreet vineyards in the warm Alexander Valley produce grapes that are naturally oily and richer than those from cooler climates. The 2015 shows aromas of white peach, tropical fruit and citrus, with a note of spice. Though a hefty portion of the cuvee spends time in (neutral) oak, is has far less oak influence than the average white Bordeaux.

Smooth, lush and deep with classic flavors and lovely texture; ripe, juicy and long.

Bright and smooth with lush pear fruit and vanilla oak; fresh and graceful with silky texture and lovely balance; long and elegant.

Smooth and lush with notes of earth, spice and herbs; ripe blackberry, plum and dense style; long and balanced.

Spicy cherry nose; juicy and fresh with bright cherry and savory notes; complex and charming with notes of spice and earth; long and balanced.

Bright and spicy with cherry and pomegranate fruit; savory and toasty, long and complex.

Lush pear and oak nose; creamy and smooth with lush pear fruit and toasty oak; rich and ripe but not heavy; fresh, balanced and long.

Silky, juicy and ripe with clean, racy style; fresh and graceful with tangy acidity and precise fruit; bright and nicely balanced

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

The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard covers a steep cut of country from the ridgetops above the village of Clarendon to the Onkaparinga River in the gorge below. Planted since 1971 it is now owned by Jackson Family Farms and the wines are made by Australian Charlie Seppelt and American Chris Carpenter. The revivalist is crazy good merlot with intense Bing cherry aromas and dried figs. The attack is smooth and rich with more ripe cherry/fig flavour and a long savoury fruity finish. Elegance and class of which you rarely see in Australian reds. Three rack-and-returns were conducted over eighteen months as the wine seasoned in a mixture of Bordeaux-coopered barrels. Impressive New World merlot that ranks with best.

The fruit is grown at Kangarilla, McLaren Vale from 17-21-year-old shiraz vines that sit between 150-180m above sea level. The 100 hectares of vineyards at Yangarra are divided into 35 individual blocks spread amongst 70 hectares of creeks, native vegetation and native corridors. Each block is defined by different aspects and subtle variations of the sand and ironstone soils. This wine is grown primarily on the sandy sites. The PF shiraz blocks are among the first blocks to be picked and are said to often be low in sugar and high in natural acidity. Whole berries are double sorted, lightly broken and dumped into small open-top fermenters. No additives were used for the wine’s entire production. A few days of cold soak precedes a natural yeast fermentation and a careful regime of plunging and drain to return a perfect extraction. This wine is delicious, and soars far above its winemaking. Uncannily textural and dry with firm, round fruit that spills across the palate spreading dense soft tannins everywhere, supporting rather than affecting the finish. Pure is a perfect word to describe this wine. The PF Shiraz is made from grapes grown without herbicides, fungicides or synthetic chemicals. It is made without additions of any kind: sulphur (preservative), acid, tannin or finings. There is no barrel aging and the alcohol, at 14.5%, is natural. Wow.

Mendocino County’s vineyards are not as close to the coast as those in the West Sonoma Coast region, but because they are farther north, they are definitely cool-climate. And Mendocino grows some outstanding pinot noir, including this delicious blend. Copain has a reputation for elegant, balanced pinots and syrahs. I recently tasted the Tous Ensemble blends; others called Les Voisins are more widely available in the Washington area. The winery was recently purchased by Jackson Family Wines and is switching distributors, so availability should improve.

Sourced mainly from Mendocino’s High Rock Ranch and Hawks Butte vineyards, this is another beautiful example of a cool climate Mendocino County red. The good-value fuller-bodied syrah has medium tannins, nice acid and a serious sucker punch of taste. You’ll get some jammy red raspberry and herbs on the nose, but that makes way for a burst of black pepper, plum, dark cherry, boysenberry and a bit of that feeling of getting a mouthful of river stones after wiping out on the standup paddleboard face first. But in a good way. Just go with it.

This earthy syrah has plenty going on. It has flavors of black fruit, smoke and spice, with a savory note of anise in the mix. Tasty.

The La Jota Merlot is more linear and more refined. It’s a trimmer, less opulent Merlot than the Mt. Brave, but within its leaner frame it hits the classic Merlot descriptors of smoothness, softness and richness. Holding the wine in your mouth and swishing it around, you can feel the silkiness of texture within the wine’s firm tannin, and sense the impeccable balance of acid and tannin to fruit and alcohol. The fruit itself is outstanding, seeming to embody a perfect acid to sweet-ripeness ratio. Aromas and flavors are pure and precise, suggesting blackberry and plum mingled with mocha and a cool minerality. It is thoroughly enjoyable now for those who enjoy more subtle wines, and its balance argues for long potential.

A harmonious blend of four vineyards; silky texture and bright cherry fruit with subtle notes of oak; a tangy, elegant finish that invites another sip.

This is among the best under-$20 Pinot made anywhere in the world. By best, I most certainly don't mean biggest, but rather most delicate, integrated and pure. If I want a bigger wine, I'm perfectly capable of ordering Syrah or Cabernet. If I'm after Pinot, it is because I want a wine that won't fight with my fish or chicken. This fits the bill perfectly, showing light-medium body, appropriately pale color, significant (but not overbearing) aroma and flavor, and a finish that is fairly long and very fresh… without any awkward sweetness or hint of cheap oak-chip tricks. Delicious, and a triumph at this price.

The Mt. Brave Merlot is a wondrously rich and harmonious wine that is as smooth as it is big. As soon as the wine enters your mouth, its generosity becomes evident: the soft attack evolves into a full mid-palate that’s plump with ripe fruit, and segues into a characterful finish of concentrated fruit and age-worthy tannin. It’s a beauty of a wine but it’s in no way simple or vacuous. Aromas and flavors of dark cherry, chocolate, sweet spice and floral notes float in a frame of velvety tannin, interweaving with that tannin on the finish. This wine has a long life ahead of it, despite being delicious now.