The 2019 Pinot Noir Triple Black Slopes opens with a darkly floral blend of wild herbs, cloves and dried black cherries. This begins with a pleasant inner sweetness contrasted by brisker acidity and tart wild berries, adding a lovely tension toward the close. A gentle coating of fine tannins amasses through the finish as the 2019 tapers off long and potent yet still remarkably fresh.
Dusty and floral, the 2021 Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard opens with an airy blend of wild strawberries, cola, menthol and grilled herbs. It’s soft and round with pretty red berry fruits, hints of cocoa and cool-toned acidity. A coating of find tannins resonates as the 2021 finishes long and structed with slowly fading hints of licorice. Patience will be required.
The 2021 Chardonnay Warrior Princess is expressive with a perfumed blend of gingery spices and dusty florals accentuating peach preserves. This is juicy and fresh in style, with vividly ripe orchard fruits and honeyed inner florals. The 2021 leaves the palate crisply refreshed with a subtle mineral tinge and hints of Asian pear.
This big, full-flavored wine blended from mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is scented with blackberries and black pepper, drenched in dried cherry, 100% cacao and espresso flavors that reflect good ripe grapes and the complexifying effect of new oak barrels for aging. Firm tannins and a full body make it quite mouth filling. Best from 2025–2035. —J.G.
The 2019 Pinot Noir Emery slowly evolves in the glass with sweet herbs and wild strawberries complicated by cedary spice. Racy and sleek, a stream of brisk acidity propels its tart wild berry fruits. Pleasantly chewy, potent and lightly tannic, this finishes with a thrust of crushed black cherries and mentholated herbs.
The 2021 Pinot Noir Gran Moraine Vineyard is dark and brooding, with hints of exotic spice and dried black cherries wafting up from the glass. It flows across the palate with pure silk textures and polished red and blue fruits that swirl over a stream of juicy acidity. This leaves a licorice tinge and hints of lavender to linger through the long and gently tannic finish.
The woodland-inspired 2021 Pinot Noir Warrior Princess Block opens with an intense burst of peppery rose and dried strawberries. This is a pure and lifted effort with juicy red berries and sweet inner florals swirling above a core of brisk acidity. It tapers off gently tannic and long, leaving a licorice tinge and hints of clove.
The 2019 Pinot Noir Estate Cuvee is dusty and floral with pretty wild berries and sweet spices. This soft, juicy effort shows crisp red berry fruits and rosy inner florals forming toward the close. It finishes fresh and with medium length, leaving hints of licorice.
The 2021 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is nuanced in the glass, mixing crushed yellow apples with chamomile and hints of vanilla custard. This is round and softly textured with pretty orchard fruits and inner florals that soothe the palate. It finishes crisp and fresh, yet a bit short.
The 2021 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley lifts from the glass with a spicy and savory blend of citrus-tinged strawberries and clove. It’s softly textured with juicy acidity and crisp wild berry fruits. This leaves a white pepper tinge and edgy tannins while maintaining a fresh persona.
The 2021 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is nuanced in the glass, mixing crushed yellow apples with chamomile and hints of vanilla custard. This is round and softly textured with pretty orchard fruits and inner florals that soothe the palate. It finishes crisp and fresh, yet a bit short.
The 2021 Chardonnay Willamette Valley lifts from the glass with a honeyed mix of florals and candied citrus. It’s lively and energetic, with vividly ripe orchard fruits and juicy acidity. This tapers off with zesty tension and lovely inner sweetness as hints of sour melon fade.
An aromatic bottling of Ironheart, this is plump and plummy, with notes of blueberry, earthy, savory spice, violets and chocolate. There’s a warmth and ease to this wine that doesn’t come from alcohol, overt ripeness or oak. It’s succulent and silky, and sits firmly in the medium-bodied spectrum despite the sturdy structure of the tannins. Drink now or cellar throughout the next decade. Sovereign Wine Imports. Cellar Selection. —C.P.
Rich, polished and immediately likable, this vintage of Brook’s Road is beautifully perfumed with succulent blueberries, thyme, florals and savory spice. The supple, silky primary fruit leads on the palate, but is structured within a frame of fine-grained tannins. Still a baby, this should evolve beautifully over the next several decades. Majestic Imports. Cellar Selection. —C.P.
Take a deep dive into the jammy, ripe depths of Zinfandel as you sniff the ultraripe blackberries and sip the plump red raspberries in this full-bodied, mouthcoating wine. Moderate tannins, intense fruit flavor and a broad but vibrant texture make it memorable. Editors’ Choice. —J.G.
Forget the heavy, chocolaty Zins you may have drunk before, this one is all freshness and lift without sacrificing the fabulous wild blackberries, sage and raspberries for which California’s heritage grape is famous. While full bodied, it feels vibrant, well balanced and ready to pair with most any meat or poultry entree. —J.G
A strong cedar and rosemary aroma gets you prepped for the concentrated, brilliant, dried cherry and fresh raspberry flavors that follow. This high-octane wine comes from 100-year-old vines. It is lively, flavorpacked and practically vibrating with vibrant oak and skin tannins. —J.G.
All smoothness and polish, this velvet-textured wine is scented with rose petals, cinnamon and black cherries, while lively fruit acidity boosts the deep cherry flavors in the mouth. The wine is so welcoming, yet also structured enough to create myriad food pairings and to improve with further age. Best from 2026. —J.G.
Mouth filling, generous but well balanced, this full-bodied wine wafts brown butter, toasted almond and baked apple aromas, followed by a rich palate of ripe fruits and subtle oak spices backed by gentle acidity. It is spot on for a Russian River Chard. —J.G.
This is a richly designed Pinot Noir, starting with aromas of black cherry, cola, root beer and anise-laced pie crust on the nose. The palate is juicy, ripe and bold, but with a more delicate mouthfeel, offering berry and cherry flavors that are dusted in fennel pollen. —M.K.
High-toned raspberry and fresh herb aromas give way to ripe but snappy red and black fruits in this well-balanced, full-bodied wine. Using grapes grown on headtrained vines, the wine was aged in French oak, with 64% being new barrels. —J.G.
This big and brawny wine wraps plenty of delicious black fruits in firm tannins for a hefty mouthfeel. It’s easy to appreciate the blueberries, cocoa, spearmint and oak-char flavors. Best from 2025–2035. —J.G.
Subtle vanilla, cedar and toast aromas lead to hearty, ripe and delicious berry flavors in this full-bodied, moderately tannic wine. Blackberries, raspberries and oak spices meld on the palate for a satisfying feast of fruits. —J.G.
Tart, slightly wild aromas of melon and Meyer lemon meet with a wet-slate minerality on the nose of this bottling from a historic Chenin vineyard. The palate is zesty and bright with lemon, lime and lychee flavors. —M.K.
Assertively oaky in aromas and flavors, this intense and spicy-tasting wine opens with ginger, toast and white pepper in the nose, followed by a vivid, toasty and slightly gripping palate that echoes a touch of pepper spice for a warm mouthfeel. Best from 2025. —J.G.