Drinks easy, yet offers substance and depth. An elegant style.

Well-built and focused, with aromas of currant and dusty tomato leaf and trim flavors of red plum, sage and cedar.

Sleek, with appealing notes of black cherry, spicy toast and herb.

A century ago, when the vineyards used in this wine were planted, immigrant farmers tried to replicate the hearty reds of home. They planted grapes they could ferment together: Zinfandel, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah and Carignan. Don and Jennifer Hartford were only looking for a house when they bought this property in 1991, but they fell in love with old-vine Zin. Winemaker Jeff Stewart made this red from lots not used in the winery's single-vineyard Zins: Hartford, Dina's and Highwire. Stewart used indigenous yeast in small open-top fermentors and aged the wine nine months in French oak, about 40 percent new. Plump and fleshy, with a dense core of focused tannins and lively acidity. Aromas of ripe black raspberry, anise and licorice open to layered, slightly jammy flavors of black cherry, blueberry pie and smoky cracked pepper.

Dark, deep and concentrated with ripe plum, cassis and spice; lush and long, balanced and rich.

Vibrant red cranberry and cherry fruit coupled with bright acid. A palatable price and a crowd pleaser. Smart.

The Vintner’s Reserve has bright acidity and tropical notes of mango and pineapple. It also has toasty oak and a hint of butter. The chardonnay has broad appeal because it’s a slightly sweeter version of the varietal.

The grapes for this full-bodied red wine are grown in Sonoma's Russian River Valley appellation, a cool climate that adds a racy, nervy edge to the wine. This classic Californian red wine is pure liquid satin in the glass! Black cherry seduction with mouth-watering yearning for more. Complex with layered of dark berries that intermingle with a judicious use of oak. Cherry and raspberry jam on the midpalate: rich and delicious. Only about 12,000 cases were produced of the 2014 vintage of this Californian Pinot Noir from the Russian River. Drink now or save for a few years: you have the luxury of that choice with this wine. Pair with holiday turkey. Highly recommended.

The 2013 vintage of this robust Californian Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana features mocha, black fruit and smoke on the nose and palate. Pair with steak.

This is a pretty pinot noir that’s also edgy. It has bright raspberry fruit and crisp acid. It also has savory flavors of mushroom and smoke. All of this makes it a smart pick for your feast. Well crafted.

“Slope” ($100) is a rich, lushly fruity wine with soft, caressing tannins. Aromas and flavors suggest dark berries, leather and dried porcini mushrooms. The texture is velvety and the finish shows grip. I find it impressive that a wine with such ripeness of fruit expression could have such a restrained, controlled structure as this wine does. C learly it is a wine to age. Its grapes come from two vineyard blocks that stretch from the highest point of the vineyard down to the lowest point, together forming a southward facing slope; the wine represents a single Pinot Noir clone (667).

On the label of this wine you will not find those two words, but instead a simple sigma (S), the mathematical sign for a sum. As its name suggests, this Pinot Noir comes from a wider range of vineyard blocks than the other two wines, and from three clones (667, 777 & Pommard). It has a perfumed aroma of cherry, dark plum, spice and herbal notes; forest-like hints here suggest dry leaves rather than pine. The palate is fuller than Conifer’s, as well as softer and more flavorful, but at the core of the wine is pure, precise and concentrated fruit character. Despite its richness and forwardness, this wine has a racy edge, some of which derives from the wine’s energetic tannins. Whole clusters accounted for 40 percent of the fermentation.

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve selected twenty great value wines from our latest Wine Advocate issue – Issue 227. Each of these wines usually retails for US$25 or less and all of them represent “outstanding” quality, meaning they have been rated by our experts at 90 points or above. So, whether you’re in the mood for a sparkling, white, rosé, red, sweet or fortified wine, we’ve got you covered this Holiday Season at the Wine Advocate.

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve selected twenty great value wines from our latest Wine Advocate issue – Issue 227. Each of these wines usually retails for US$25 or less and all of them represent “outstanding” quality, meaning they have been rated by our experts at 90 points or above. So, whether you’re in the mood for a sparkling, white, rosé, red, sweet or fortified wine, we’ve got you covered this Holiday Season at the Wine Advocate.

Straightforward citrus flavors are rich yet focused in this tasty KJ white.

Selected from a bumper crop in the latest Robert Parker Wine Advocate Issue, we’re pleased to reveal this list of twenty of our most “extraordinary” white wines (those rated 96-100 points) featured in our End of October Issue of the Wine Advocate - Issue 227.

Dark berry fruits that need a full day open to expand. Tightly wound, best in two more years.

Copain Wines celebrates the earthiness and density of Anderson Valley in their wines from the region, as well as their Tous Ensemble from Mendocino County melding fruit from throughout the region. With rose petal, red cherry, and berry notes, and 13.5% alcohol (low for some California wines), this is an easy option for the holiday meal.

Racy herbal notes amid dark berry fruit. After being open for two days, the wine reveals a fascinating earthy-leafy-ness that works well with grilled meats.

Lean, precise varietal, and more delicate than most. The oak is extremely subtle, and the flavors spot-on. Don’t serve too cold. Best after decanting.

If you're looking to celebrate with something special, try this wonderful offering from Oregon. Aromas of strawberry, anise and tea spice with flavors of fresh raspberry, plums and a hint of cedar. Will pair magically with ham and will work with the bird.

Aromas of tar and asphalt with strawberry and cherry character. Smokey. Full-bodied, chewy and polished with beautiful tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Complex.

A ripe and fresh wine with dried-berry, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body, a solid core of fruit and a crisp finish.