Here, again, overt ripeness and juicy, blackberry-like fruit move ahead of underplayed notes of game and peppery spice, but the wine still manages to stay pointed in the right varietal direction and flirts with a touch of complexity. It is full-bodied and slightly viscous in feel before firming in the late-going, and, while those who are insensitive to tannin might find it to their liking now, we plan on waiting for at least another couple of years.

Sleek and trim, this has a gutsy heart of bold blackberry, licorice and smoky bacon flavors. Ripe tannins frame the finish.

Racy and full of layered fruit. Aromas of smoky boysenberry and anise lead to rich, zesty blueberry and roasted spice flavors that linger.

This tightly wound red shows some lovely boysenberry, toasty mocha and game flavors inside. Hands off for now.

A rich, exuberant wine, the 2014 Zinfandel Limerick Lane Vineyard captures all the darkness and savoriness that is typical of this Dry Creek vineyard. Tobacco, smoke, licorice and incense infuse a core of intense dark fruit in this juicy Zinfandel. I liked this a bit more from barrel.

Fantastically seductive in aromatics of brambly blackberry and chocolate, the flavors continue along the same theme, dotted in vanilla. Thick, dense and richly ripe, this wine packs a powerful punch and lingers in creamy texture on the finish.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2015 Syrah Ramal Road Vineyard is dark, rich and inviting, with lovely depth and plenty of persistence. Black cherry, smoke, cured meat, licorice and leather add character to this flavorful, mid-weight Syrah from vineyards in Carneros. The inclusion of whole clusters (40%) adds shades of nuance.

This dark red colored Zinfandel from Novy opens with a red raspberry and cola bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and juicy. The flavor profile is a cherry and cola blend with notes of cinnamon. We also detected hints of red raspberry, mild minerality and rhubarb. The finish is dry and its flavors fade away nicely. The Panel suggested pairing this Zin with a lamb burger or grilled Scottish salmon. 89 points. Very good.

Novy's 2015 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard is dark and intensely perfumed, with tons of Zinfandel character. Super-ripe plum, black cherry, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol and kirsch are all pushed forward. While an attractive wine, I feel there is perhaps a bit more site specific character that could be expressed here.

Well-made, with lots of apricot, caramelized citrus, honeysuckle and floral notes all emerging from the glass, the 2016 Viognier Saralee's Vineyard is clean, has plenty of texture, and nicely integrated acidity. It's a rock-solid expression of the variety to drink over the coming year or two.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is another very pretty appellation level Pinot from Nielson. The natural richness of the Sta. Rita Hills sites that inform the wine (Zotovich, John Sebastiano, La Encantada and Rita's Crown) comes through very nicely. Succulent red and blue berry fruit, spice and perfumed floral notes are all beautifully together in this plump, inviting Pinot. Drink it over the next few years.

The 2016 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills offers more obvious oak (even though it spent less time in oak) as well as notes of black raspberries, toasted spice, new leather, and dried earth. It's a rich, nicely concentrated Pinot Noir that shows the more savory, mineral side to this appellation. It will keep for 3-5 years.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One Nielson's 2016 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) is fleshy, open-knit and absolutely delicious. Red and purplish berry fruit, along with expressive spice notes, silky tannins and soft contours, all give the 2016 tons of appeal. Best of all, the Santa Maria Pinot is a tremendous value.

The value-priced 2016 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County sports a medium ruby color as well as a pretty perfume of ripe red cherries, underbrush and spice. It's medium-bodied, has remarkable typicity at this price point, is elegant, and nicely balanced. It's a steal and will dish out loads of pleasure over the coming 2-4 years.

The 2015 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) is a blend of fruit from five different sites. Dark red cherry, cola, spice and a touch of new oak are some of the signatures. Readers should expect an especially bold, racy expression of the Santa Maria Valley. Drink this tasty, fruit-driven Pinot Noir over the next few years. 89 points.

Also solid, with lots of cassis, black raspberry, spice and underbrush, the rich, concentrated 2014 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is medium-bodied, has solid mid-palate depth, fine tannin and a good finish. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

Luscious black cherries and touches of sultry smoked pork are deftly brightened with fresh hibiscus aromas on the nose of this bottling from the Byron family of wines. The hibiscus joins pomegranate on the palate, lifted by a pinch of lavender and candied lilacs and leveled by an elegant slate earthiness.

A more elegant nose consists of cool and admirably pure aromas of dark raspberry, currant and plum while also being nuanced by hints of spice and rose petal. There is a more refined mouth feel to the utterly delicious and seductively textured flavors that also possess better detail on the balanced and lingering finale. This isn't especially structured and a year or two of bottle age should see this at its best. Note that this too offers very fine value.

A new project by Byron Vineyards, here is a find in the locatable, budget-friendly California Pinot Noir category. It's in the food friendly, moderately extracted style, and features tart red fruit, oak spice and tea aromas and flavors. It finishes lively and clean, leaving a pleasant toasty note lingering with the red fruit. This is a fish or fowl pairing wine where the recipe uses a lighter touch with the spice and sauce.

A silky, medium-bodied Californian Pinot Noir has sweet cherry fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Pair with roast chicken or turkey. Pinot Noir food pairings: seared duck breast, roast pork loin, Cornish game hen, beef bourguignon.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is a gorgeous appellation-level wine from Santa Maria Valley, mostly estate fruit with a dollop of Bien Nacido fruit rounding out the blend. Orchard fruit, candied lemon and a hint of spice add lightly tropical overtones and nuance.

Apple blossoms, honeyed citrus and white flower notes emerge from the 2016 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County, another charming, rounded, undeniably delicious wine from winemaker Ryan Pace. Drink it over the coming year or two.

The 2015 Chardonnay Wente Clone offers up aromas of honeycomb and buttered orchard fruit. On the palate, it's nicely concentrated, with chalky grip, good depth and bright acidity. This is a ??avorful and nicely balanced Chardonnay for the near term, and it was my favorite of these releases from Nielson.

From Santa Barbara County’s first commercial vineyard, this bottling offers a clean line of lemon butter, toast and oak on the nose. A strong burst of acidity kicks off the sip, where warm brioche and fresh lemon-spray flavors ride a chalky texture. 89 points. Very good.

Soft and endearing, the 2016 Murphy-Goode Pinot Grigio strikes as an excellent user-friendly wine. Its ripe fruit and almost cotton candy-like flavors pair it nicely with Cantonese cold-boiled chicken accented with fresh ginger and scallions. 89 points.