Intense purple core to rim. A savoury nose of dry earth and stones over blue fruits. Drying tannins are the dominant factor, there's an earthy funk across the flow. Goes quite long and deep, but tannins never release their grip and linger long and angular.

Barrel fermented with wild yeast in seasoned oak, Yangarra’s 2007 Rousanne reveals a lovely honeyed lemon and white peach nose with hints of orange blossom, toast and cream. Dry and medium bodied, it has a good concentration of stone fruit flavors and balanced medium-high acidity, finishing long and yeasty. Drinking now, it should keep to 2013.

This yellow colored Roussanne opens with a honeyed pear bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, round and slightly sweet. The flavor profile is an apricot and ripe pear with notes of gentle oak. The finish is semi-dry and its flavors are nicely prolonged. This wine would pair well with five fruit chicken.

Honey and ripe line, briny, nectarine. Lightly toasty and honeyed, juicy lemon and fine acid cut, nice texture of gentle chalkiness, finishes with buttered lime marmalade on toast. Slight old butter character in the aftertaste.

The 2013 Viognier is a little neutral on the nose, giving subtle notes of pears, nectarines and honeydew melon with a touch of nutmeg. Medium-bodied and showing a pleasant suggestion of oiliness to the texture, it gives a good amount of pear and melon-laced flavors before finishing long and spicy. Drink it now to 2016.

Light straw colour. The bouquet is malty, vanillan, almond-mealy, ginger biscuit: there's a suspicion of oxidation. It's leaner and less in-your-face than many viogniers. The palate is understated and the alcohol is modest. The finish tapers off a bit, but it does have lovely drinkability. An odd but appealing style. (362 cases produced.)

Light straw colour. The aromas are of almond, straw and dried herbs: simple and savoury. The palate is delicate, restrained, and easy to drink, with a hint of almond. Good drinking, and possibly better in a year or so.

La Crema got its start as a pinot specialist in Sonoma but has recently started producing from Oregon as well. This is fairly deeply coloured and ripe with black cherry fruit/plummy fruit, subtle florality and considerable wood spice. It is medium weight, quite smooth with a hint of sweetness. Good flavour intensity and very good length, but lacking a bit of edge and dimension, especially at $50.

Smells like red cherries, molten milk chocolate, cinnamon, Ripe Raspberries. Juicy and kind of sweet to taste but fits the bill well, shows a decent spread of fine tannin, finishes juicy and fresh. Simple done well. It’s easy drinking season.

Here is one for fans of the no-additions wines. This 2016 Preservative Free (Pf) Shiraz has no added sulfur, acid or fining compounds. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is clean with youthful appeal, displaying crushed blackberry and blueberry notes plus earth and a mossy bark undercurrent. Medium-bodied, the palate offers crunchy, primary fruit flavors with lingering peppery notes on the chewy finish. I've erred on the side of caution for the drinking window here—drink it while it's this youthful and fresh!

Herbal aromas and blackcurrants on the nose lead into a dense core with inky tones. There's a graceful glide to the tannins and the wine carries itself very well on the palate.

Medium to light yellow hue. Lightly nutty and gently stone-fruity bouquet, lemon pie, the palate is rich and rounded, with slightly grippy phenolics and mouthfilling presence. Fairly straightforward. Good length and a clean, dry aftertaste.

Lithe and open in feel, with a gentle breeze of dried cherry and blood orange notes flecked with tea leaf and savory hints. Drink now.

Medium ruby color. The nose has a nice spicy-floral kick, with white pepper, rhubarb, cola and leather over top of raspberries and strawberries. Juicy and fresh on the palate with smooth, light tannins and vibrant acidity, making for a balances, refreshing wine. Tangy raspberry and spiced cranberry relish flavors play well with tones of white pepper, rhubarb and tomato leaf. Nuanced cola and light roast coffee tones. Accessible but complex, solid value.

Offers a core of violet, cassis and cherry pie, with a frankly toasted finish and a flicker of herbs at the very end. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2025.

Textured with sweet redcurrant fruit and a touch of raspberry. Nice weight: fruity and lively with cherries and plums and good balance.

A warm and really quite inviting pinot gris of a purpose that’s truly about fruit, raised in stainless steel, dry as can be and more than moderate of alcohol (13.7 per cent declared). Finding this to be more of a food pairing wine than it is a sipper, first because it’s not all that simple and second for reasons already mentioned. There is a candied feel, not sweet but like ginger or citrus peel, without the crunch of sugar. Grilled pork tenderloin me thinks, generously dry-rubbed.

Agglomerated stopper. Part of the Jackson Family Wines Empire and a common wine on grocery store shelves across the country. Despite that, it is pretty darned good. Medium color, translucent, nice nose of fresh cherry and boysenberry. The palate has good fruit up front, followed by a distinct tartness, and a fairly lengthy finish. For around twenty bucks at most locations? You certainly could do much worse than this La Crema Pinot Noir. Very Good.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County is a pleasure-bent beauty revealing lots of candied cherry and strawberry fruits, medium-bodied richness, a supple, elegant texture, and some herbal, spicy background nuance. It's ideal for enjoying over the coming 4-5 years.

Moving to the reds, the 2020 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard reveals a light ruby hue to go with solid aromatics of spiced raspberries, forest floor, exotic spices, and dried herbs. It's balanced, medium-bodied, has beautiful fruit, and would certainly compete with any number of appellation or village level Red Burgundies. It's a good value.

The 2020 Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County) is a gorgeous appellation-level wine. Crushed flowers, raspberry, mint and cinnamon are nicely pushed forward in this tasty, mid-weight Pinot from Siduri. Drink it over the next handful of years.

Flavors of dried savory herbs and celery root are crisp and well-balanced in this lively, aromatic style. Key lime pie accents show on the finish. Drink now through 2023.

Ripe and concentrated, with a fleshy core of steeped plum and blackberry preserve flavors wrapped in a singed vanilla note and backed by a tobacco hint on the finish. Drink now through 2025.

Solid, with a core of steeped plum and blackberry fruit lined with singed cocoa and tobacco accents. Modest in scale, but nicely balanced. Drink now through 2025.

Vivid green-apple and kiwi flavors complement the crisp balance of this deceptively full-bodied wine. Snappy acidity keeps it very fresh and lively on the palate.