The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyComing from multiple sites in Santa Barbara County and brought up in a mix of stainless steel and neutral oak, the 2018 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County offers a big, slightly buttery bouquet of orchard fruits, honeyed flowers, brioche, and spice. This rich, medium to full-bodied, textured Chardonnay delivers lots of pleasure and is ideal for drinking over the coming year or two. It's a terrific value.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyThe 2017 Chardonnay Arroyo Seco is also solid, with a rich, medium-bodied, mouthfilling style that carries plenty of buttery stone fruits and spice, good overall balance, and a clean finish. Drink this fleshy, textured Chardonnay over the coming year or three.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyBrought up mostly in barrel (10% was in tank), the 2018 Chardonnay Monterey offers lots of honeyed melon and tropical notes as well as a medium-bodied, juicy, nicely balanced style on the palate. It's another good value from this estate.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyPretty apricot, tangerines, peach, and floral notes emerge from the 2019 Viognier Tepusquet Vineyard, which is medium-bodied, has good purity, and delivers a clean, balanced style on the finish. It's a rock-solid example of Viognier to enjoy over the coming year or so.

Medium ruby red. Red fruit shows on the palate with herbal notes. A light bodied, easy drinking wine showing dried red cherry on the palate.

This light-yellow colored entry level Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson is very good. It opens with a faint pineapple and toasted coconut bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and easy to drink. The flavor profile is similar to the nose. It features pineapple, coconut, oak and mild lemon with notes of ginger. The finish is pleasant and lingers nicely. This vintage, like those of the past is a crowd pleaser and consistent. I would pair this Chard with coconut shrimp.

In a California cabernet price category full of overly soft and jammy wines this displays a bit more acidic edge and vibrancy than most. There is actually some cabernet blackcurrant and herbal lift as well. Some tension. The tannins are youthful but balanced; the length is very good.

COMMENTARY: The 2018 Carmel Road Chardonnay drinks fresh and crisp. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers pleasant aromas and flavors of apple and light chalkiness. Enjoy it with a crab salad.

Juicy, with hints of tangerine to the Gala apple and Bosc pear flavors. Spicy midpalate, offering a clean, fruity finish. Drink now.

Vintage Retrospective: The 2001 Napa Valley CabernetsGood medium-deep red. A whiff of Band-Aid on the rather bound-up, with aromas of raspberry, blueberry, spice cake, pepper and game. Supple and smooth on entry, then fully evolved in the middle palate, with flavors of raspberry, mocha and spice cake coming across as more savory than sweet. Finishes firm, with slightly dusty, peppery tannins and decent length. I wanted more sweetness and depth. Turned a bit drier with air, suggesting that it's not going anywhere positive at this point.

This almost clear colored Sauvignon Blanc from the Alexander Valley opens with a pleasant mild tropical bouquet featuring musk melon and papaya, along with hints of fresh cut grass and faint green pepper. On the palate, this wine is light bodied, balanced, clean and delicate. The flavor profile is a mild stony minerality and gentle white grapefruit blend with notes of minerality and lime zest. We also detected some hints of white pepper as well. The finish is dry and it drifts away nicely. The Panel suggested pairing this food friendly Sauvignon Blanc with a bay scallop casserole.

Look for an earthy wild strawberry, sweet tobacco nose, and definitely on the cool side. On the palate, the fruit is all Pinot Noir — cherries and plums, with an earthy, spicy undercurrent. The tannin is negligible and easily manages most Pinot menu choices: duck, mushrooms, root vegetables, soft cheeses and pork. La Crema Sonoma Coast is a well made, large production Pinot of estate and grower vineyards, but all within the cool, marine swept boundaries of Sonoma County.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018There are a whopping six Sauvignon Blanc releases from Matanzas Creek. Starting with the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County, this blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc, 14% Sauvignon Musque, and 10% Semillon has racy notes of white grapefruit, white peach, and pineapple to go with a medium-bodied, textured, sweetly fruited style on the palate that has loads to love. Beautifully balanced and pure, drink it over the coming 4-6 years.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Moving to the Chardonnay, the 2018 Chardonnay Sonoma County comes mostly from the Alexander Valley and was brought up in a mix of new, neutral, and stainless steel. Classic California Chardonnay notes of baked apples, spice, and brioche all emerge from the glass, and it's textured, medium-bodied, and balanced on the palate. It's a terrific house white and ideal for enjoying over the coming year or two.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Clean orchard fruits, peaches, and a touch of white flowers and green almonds all emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley. It’s nicely balanced, medium-bodied, and textured, with plenty to love.

This light golden straw-colored Chardonnay opens with an inviting citrus bouquet which includes lemon, lime and pineapple. I also picked up some light cantaloupe, coconut and vanilla. On the palate, it was full bodied, smooth, bright, clean and zesty. The flavor profile featured lemon, pear and a buttery oak with hints of vanilla and light tangerine. I also detected some pink grapefruit on the juicy finish that faded away nicely. I would pair this good value Chardonnay from Nielson with herb grilled salmon.

This dark red colored Chianti Classico Riserva opens with a musty saddle leather bouquet with hints of red cherry, oregano and tomato leaf. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and slightly acidic. The flavor profile is a mild graphite and oak influenced faint tart cherry blend. We also detected hints of cranberry and pomegranate. The finish is dry and its dusty tannins show nice length. The Panel thought this wine was a little tight and could benefit from some air and time. We suggested pairing it with a grilled skirt steak with garlic and herbs.

Vibrant ruby color. Aromas of crushed cherries, raspberries and wild strawberries with dried rose petals, potpourri, ripe but also airy and enticing aromas. Full but fresh on the palate with suave tannins and fresh acidity, a ripe but balanced mouthfeel. Raspberries, cherry preserves and dark plum fruit blend well with coconut, roasted chestnut and cola, but also these earthy, oregano and bay leaf vibes. Quite a lot going on here for the price.

Clean lines of tangerine peel and orange flesh meet with pear slices on the nose of this bottling. The wine lands with a rounded mouthfeel, carrying flavors of orange, lime and lemon as well as a more broad Gravenstein apple component in the midpalate.

The nose is a dense prune plum and chocolate. The palate entry is a sharp, elevated acid with a nervy red fruit in the core finishing with graphite and blue fruit. Drink 2020 - 2026.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir (Marin County) is bold, luscious and easy to like. In 2017, the Marin County Pinot has a lot more richness and body than is often the case. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and licorice all meld together here. I would prefer to drink this over the next few years, while the fruit remains juicy.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Truly Rita is a soft, easygoing wine to drink now and over the next few years. There is lovely forward fruit to play off the pretty aromatics, but not quite the complexity found in most of the other wines in the range. The Truly Rita is a blend of Drum Canyon and Mt. Carmel fruit

Napa Valley & California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015: Panel tasting results Juicy bramble and blackberry nose, with more crunchy fruit and ripe tannins on the palate. Light mocha finish.

Mild and quite fruity, this medium-bodied wine smells like fresh strawberries, tastes like raspberries and has a smooth easy texture.

Italy’s Incredible Year: About 6,400 Wines Rated Shows plenty of beans, blackcurrants and spices. Medium body, intense acidity and a slightly short finish. Drink now.