The 2014 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Appellation Series from Santa Maria is another fairly priced Chardonnay, as winemaker Randy Ullom has the Midas touch when it comes to this varietal. One hundred percent Chardonnay, 100% barrel-fermented, 50% of it spending time on its lees, this wine from the cool Santa Maria Valley offers up plenty of wet gravel, unbuttered popcorn, tangerine and nectarine notes along with some pineapple and lychee. There’s also a touch of wood smoke to it. It is a fruit-driven, exuberant style of Chardonnay and fairly priced. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Hailey’s Block (another Green Valley site) emerges from Dijon clones 114 and 777. Like its siblings, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered after spending 17 months in (in this case) 42% new French oak. An easygoing style of Pinot Noir, with lots of cocoa, sweet cherry and strawberry fruit, some fresh porcini mushrooms, and a round, juicy mouthfeel and finish, it should drink nicely over the next 5-6 years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters emanates from another Anderson Valley site and is sourced from four separate clones – Dijon clones 115, 666, 777 and the Pommard selection. This wine displays notes of baked apple skins, pomegranate, black cherry and a hint of raspberry, with some floral notes as well as forest floor. It is rich, ripe, medium to full-bodied, and best drunk over the next 5-7 years.

Chocolate, black raspberry and black cherry notes jump from the glass of the 2014 Journey Proprietary Red, which is a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Tipping the scales at 15% natural alcohol, the wine displays a touch of barrique and some mocha and coffee bean, but the dark raspberry and black cherry fruits dominate. This medium to full-bodied, luscious wine has an enticing texture and sweet, fine-grained tannins. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford is a 2,218-case cuvée made from a blend of 78.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.7% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Aged in 28% new French oak, this is another relatively tannic, backward wine, but it is 2013, which are now starting to close down ever so slightly. It is built for the long haul, with loads of cassis, black cherry fruit, a touch of allspice, and sweet, toasty oak. This is a big, chewy, dense, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon to drink between 2020 and 2035.

The 2015 Chardonnay is partially barrel-fermented and aged sur lie, but only about 15% new French oak is used. This wine is elegant, with good acidity and notes of baked apple pie intermixed with some white peach and pineapple in a crisp, medium to full-bodied style. Given its acid and concentration, this wine should age nicely for 7-8 years, possibly longer.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate from Monument Ridge is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 18 months in 37% new French oak. It is an outstanding wine, with the oak pushed to the background. Notes of crushed rocks, spring flowers, blackcurrants, plums, and Asian spice are followed by a rich, full-bodied, pure and impressive Cabernet. It should drink well for at least 15 or 20 years.

From the Sonoma Coast, the 2014 Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyard is outstanding. This wine comes from three clones – Dijon clone 115, the Pommard clone, and the so-called Jackson clone. With good depth of flavor, hints of black cherry and raspberry along with some underbrush and loamy soil nuances, this medium-bodied, appealing, fruit-forward Pinot Noir should drink nicely for 4-5 years.

A brilliant wine, the 2014 Pinot Noir Betty Ann Vineyard comes from the southern end of Santa Rosa and all from Dijon clone 828. This is a beauty, with dark raspberry and black cherry fruit moving toward blackcurrant, some spice box, licorice, underbrush and forest floor. It is long, juicy, round, succulent and ideal for drinking over the next 5-6 years.

The outstanding 2014 Pinot Noir Van Der Kamp Vineyard comes from high on Sonoma Mountain. It is an impressively concentrated Pinot Noir with notes of kirsch liqueur, some underbrush and roasted herbs, loamy soil nuances, and plenty of berry fruit in a medium to full-bodied, lush and voluptuous style,. This is sexy stuff to drink over the next 4-6 years.

The 2014 Zinfandel Limerick Lane is 100% Zinfandel. It reveals blackcurrant and black raspberry fruit, some licorice, underbrush and roasted Provençal herbs. It is peppery, spicy, ripe, medium to full-bodied, and another delicious Zinfandel for drinking over the near-term – four or so years.

A terrific value is the 2014 Zinfandel Russian River. This is the largest cuvée (639 cases) and it showcases the beautiful briary, black cherry, licorice-infused, slightly herbaceous fruit of Zinfandel. The wine has terrific body, a yummy texture that is medium to full-bodied, and a heady finish. This is best drunk over the next 2-3 years.

The 2014 Zinfandel Papera Ranch, from a vineyard planted in 1934, is 97% Zinfandel and the rest mixed blacks. Deep ruby-colored, with loads of raspberry and cherry fruit, some tart acids, in a medium to full-bodied, stylish and elegant Zinfandel. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

More tropical fruits, peach jam and marmalade are found in the 2014 Chardonnay Arroyo Seco. This also spent nine months in French oak, of which 25% was new. It comes from the Rued clone of Chardonnay and seems to be a more up-front, dramatic and tropical style of Chardonnay than the Saralee’s. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

The 2014 Merlot Jackson Estate Taylor Peak comes from Bennett Valley and is made from clone 181, which is believed to be the clone that dominates the Petrus vineyard in Pomerol. This 100% Merlot is outstanding, displaying mulberry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, some licorice, incense and Asian spice. It is ripe, full-bodied, opulent and a fairly hedonistic Merlot. Sadly, only 395 cases were produced. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.

The outstanding 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve is another Sonoma bottling (32,886 cases). It is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest the usual suspects in the Bordeaux grape variety category. Dense ruby/purple, with a big, sweet kiss of crème de cassis, licorice, graphite and new wood, the wine is full-bodied, dense, rich, nicely textured and quite long. This wine will actually age nicely for a decade or more.

The 2015 Chardonnay Grand Reserve is a coastal cuvée from the Jackson holdings in Monterey and Santa Barbara. A hundred percent barrel-fermented for eight months, this wine emerges primarily from Dijon and Rued Chardonnay clones. Loads of tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and guava are present in the aromatics of this rich, zesty, luxurious style of Chardonnay, which offers a boatload of fruit in a somewhat dramatic, in-your-face style. There’s plenty of it (153,000 cases) and the price is irresistible. Drink it over the next several years.

The 2014 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Camelot Highlands is 100% barrel-fermented and spends 12 months in wood prior to being bottled. This is a more Burgundian style of Chardonnay, with notes of roasted hazelnuts and smoky oak as well as some poached pear, white peach and apricot. Loads of fruit, medium to full body, and well-integrated wood make for a luscious and buttery style of Chardonnay to drink over the next 4-6 years.

The 2014 Chardonnay Sonoma is soft and round with notes of tangerine, citrus blossom, and some citrus oil in a pretty, medium-bodied, cleanly made style that keeps the oak at a minimum. Drink over the next 2-4 years.

The 2014 Chardonnay Bennett Valley displays more minerality, touches of white peach and pineapple, slightly more ripeness, and bigger, more dramatic fruit on the attack and mid-palate. Drink over the next 2-4 years.

Slightly darker, richer and more interesting, the 2014 Pinot Noir Shell Ridge offers pomegranate, black cherry and strawberry fruit, some loamy soil undertones and a hint of oak. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

The 2014 Chardonnay Saralee’s Vineyard is 100% barrel fermented, went through full malolactic, and spent nine months in 28% new French oak. It is a crisp, elegant wine with notes of honeysuckle, apple skin and poached pear in a medium-bodied, fresh style meant for drinking over the next 3 or so years.

With a savory mouthfeel and elegant strawberry and black cherry fruit, the 2014 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Seco Highlands is a more limited cuvée of 466 cases. One hundred percent Pinot Noir aged for 12 months, it is well-made and broad, with plenty of cherry fruit intermixed with Asian spice and some background oak. Drink it over the next 4-7 years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard is a more gamey style of Pinot Noir from Dijon clone 114. Spicy, with notes of smoked meat, sassafras and roasted herbs, this wine also comes from a cold site and is an elegant, pretty, lighter style of Pinot Noir, but complex and intriguing. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.

The 2014 Merlot Bosché Vineyard comes from the famous historic site in Rutherford. It is 100% Merlot aged 16 months in French oak. This is a delicious, darker fruited style of Merlot, with a broader, more expansive mouthfeel, medium to full body, and excellent ripeness, length and depth. It should drink nicely for 12-15 years at minimum.