For reasons unknown, this year's Shea designate does not have the same concentration as past vintages. The blackberry fruit is accented with orange peel and pekoe tea, and finishes with drying, astringent tannins. Ample aeration is recommended.

Though clearly aimed at a super reserve tier, the Pas de Nom doesn't quite deliver the goods. At first taste it's a stiff, earthy wine, with herbal flavors of seed and stem competing with its medium-bodied blackberry fruit. It was given just 10 months in roughly one-third new French oak. Ample aeration is recommended.

Lynn Penner-Ash's pinot noirs, typically plush and ample, gain their mineral edges from the shallow soils and wind barrage at Zena Crown. This wine starts off dark and velvety, with a purple core of fruit that lightens with air as the flavors become leaner, more mineral and more elegant. It still has some baby fat and could use some time in the cellar before serving with herbed pork loin.

Deep ruby color. Aromas of cool raspberries, black cherries, dusty earth, some rhubarb and rose petals. Medium-full-bodied with suave tannins and moderate acidity, the black cherry and sweet raspberry fruit is chewy but fresh. I get elements of eucalyptus, rose petal, sweet violets, hints of cedar and clove. Bold but vibrant, and a great intro this producer’s excellent Pinot Noirs.

The nose is an elderberry and fig/chocolate with shadings of sassafras and violet. The palate is precise in its entry. Dark fruits predominate with notes of spice and florals finishing with slightly waxy feel.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. This nose is entirely seductive over time, exhibiting aromas of black cherry, fertile soil and warm spices. A very forward and friendly wine featuring middleweight flavors of black cherry and blackberry fruits that have an expansive presence in the mouth and finish with stellar length. There is a significant tannic backbone and the right touch of nutty oak.

This dark red colored Pinot Noir from Oregon opens with a very inviting bouquet of plum with a hint of black raspberry and tea. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and nicely balanced between its acidity and fruit. The flavor profile is a tasty red plum with hints of red cherry, black pepper and milk chocolate. The finish is dry and its flavors and mild tannins drift away nicely. I would pair this very nice Pinot with a grilled salmon burger or a rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic.

Dark and spicy, this plush red reflects a warm site in a warm vintage. The flavors are round, grounded by a light dusting of tannins. Some cellar time should bring the wine a bit more gravitas.

Oregon: Pinot Still King Even In Hot 2015 and 2014 Vintages Rose petals, oranges, ivy, nutmeg, mocha and some forest floor. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now.

Firm and focused, with dense blackberry, mineral and pepper flavors that persist against prickly tannins as the finish lingers.

Firm and focused, with juicy blackberry and cherry fruit. Peppery tannins are sprinkled through the open-weave, deftly wrought finish.

Broad and spicy, with nutmeg and paprika overtones to the dark berry flavors, finishing with generosity but not excess weight.

Tightly wound raspberry fruit is the dominant flavor here, with slightly chalky, lemony acids wrapping up the finish. It's a pleasant, fresh wine, a bit lighter than the other designates, and best enjoyed over the next couple of years.

Bright violet. Primary black and blue fruit, peppery spice and floral scents show good clarity and pick up a smoky nuance with air. Juicy, focused and lively on the palate, offering gently sweet blueberry and cherry flavors and a palate-numbing suggestion of cracked pepper. Lingers nicely on the finish, which features dusty tannins and a hint of jammy blue fruit.

Medium purple color. Tart black cherries and plum aromas with some smoky, pepper, earthy notes along with tar, sweet violets and coffee. Silky on the palate but structured with medium acidity and tannins. Tangy black currants and crunchy plum fruit blends so well with pepper, black olive and tar, but I also flower pot and violet petals, some incense sticks. Good now but I’d cellar this for a few years or give it time because it really opens up and gets smooth and expressive.

Delicate and pretty with star fruit and lychee nut aromas and supple, oily apricot and lemon flavors that glide along the finish.

This pale straw colored Viognier from Oregon opens with an orange and lime bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and savory. The flavor profile is a saline and light lemon-lime blend with notes white pepper and a faint touch of apricot. The finish is dry and its flavors linger and last for quite a while. This Viognier is food friendly and would pair well with shrimp scampi. Very good+.

Retasted in Vancouver, fruit is a 61/25/14 mix of Crater View, RoxyAnn and Power Block vineyards. It's 100 percent viognier and entirely fermented and aged in stainless steel. The attack is fresh with honeysuckle, orange blossoms, apple and citrus. The fruit and acidity is perfectly matched along the spine of this vibrant white, with hints of jasmine, apple and citrus zest and a dash of peach pit bitterness in the finish. A perfect wine for halibut and a fruit salsa.

Light green-tinged yellow. Fresh citrus and pit fruits on the perfumed nose and in the mouth. Subtle floral and mineral nuances emerge as the wine opens up, as does a deeper suggestion of honey. Closes smooth and gently spicy, offering very good cling and echoing florality.

Medium yellow color. On the nose, this bursts with white peach, lemon zest, apricot, an oily note, honeycomb, new tennis ball, yellow flowers – lots going on here! The palate is medium-bodied with brisk, mouth-watering acidity, and the wine feels near bone dry but shows plenty of ripe fruit (orange, lime, peaches). Balanced with saline, minerals, tennis ball, orange marmalade, a long, lingering finish. Complex, delicious, beautiful stuff.

Youthful purple. Aromas of ripe dark berries, violet and licorice are lifted and sharpened by a peppery nuance. Smooth, broad and supple on the palate, offering appealingly sweet black and blue fruit flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Finishes sweet and broad, featuring an echo of candied flowers and even tannins.

Bottled in April of this year (as were all of these 2014s), the 2014 Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands is a smoking value that readers should snatch up. Jammy dark fruits, black pepper, wild herbs and black cherry notes all emerge from this beauty, and it's medium to full-bodied, nicely textured and balanced on the palate. It has tons of charm and will drink well for 4-5 years.

Lastly, the 2014 Syrah Susan's Hill is certainly outstanding, but is not one of the greatest vintages of the cuvee. Dried herbs, dried earth, sweet red and black fruits and a touch of that rock minerality that's common from this site all emerge from this medium-bodied, nicely balanced, charming and forward Syrah that's ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years.