This venerable wine producer can be counted on to make a consistently solid merlot, which is not something many California winemakers can declare. The producer's Jackson Park Vineyard merlot ($60) shows the depth and character the producer can get from this grape, but the Sonoma County merlot is more affordable. Classic cherry and plum flavors with a dash of chocolate.

This value sauvignon blanc is produced by Santa Rosa’s Kendall Jackson Winery, which has $100-plus brands. Avant is an approachable sauvignon blanc, with aromas and flavors of lime, lemongrass and passion fruit. Great minerality. A good quaffer.

A smoky, hickory note up front frames the core of lush blackberry and dark plum flavors, with spice, mineral and dried herb details and firm, chewy tannins.

Nicely done in an oaky style, with toast and smoke notes holding the upper hand over white peach and nectarine flavors. Drink now. 12,293 cases made.

Floral aromas, flavors of black cherries and spice, ripe tannins, mellow.

Bright and racy and crisp, with aromas and flavors of lemons and apples.

Terrific balance on this Californian Pinot Noir from very evidently a cool climate. Balanced, racy and exciting. No cherry fruit bomb here, thank-you, though it's generously flavoured. Pair with grilled or roasted chicken.

Attractive tropical fruit and freshly buttered bread on the nose of this full-bodied Californian Chardonnay. The palate of this rich white wine opens up with green apple and melon. Generous, layered and delicious! Pair this with roast turkey or chicken. Highly recommended.

A full-bodied and complex Californian red wine with aromas of wild tart blackberry and cedar brush. Finishes with a lick of dark spice. Pair with rare steak.

Supple, expressive, creamy and generous, with pear, toast and peppery caramel flavors, finishing with harmony and length. Drink now through 2022.

This wine is all about big cola and cinnamon on the nose and in the mouth, with black cherry, vanilla and faint rhubarb adding interest. It's very lively on the palate, delivering the cherry and spice in a big way, with a long spiced finish that brings some sweet oak to the front. Nice!

The “stone temple” at the corner of Highway 29 and Lodi Lane in the Napa Valley is the historic Freemark Abbey Winery. During my early wine years in the 1970s, the winery was venerated for great wines and an indomitable spirit. It was the only winery to have both a Chardonnay and Cabernet included in Steven Spurrier’s 1976 Judgement of Paris tastings. Drink this wine for its rich and spicy aromas, black fruits and toasty oak, and for its structure and balance on the palate.

This is Jackson Family Estate‘s first foray into South Africa – and what a debut by winemaker Graham Weerts and vineyard manager Rosa Kruger who sourced the fruit from exceptional sites in Stellenbosch, Overberg and Robertson. The wine carries the 55% new French oak with ease to reveal a profoundly complex Chardonnay with heft, depth and well-judged acidity. Stone fruits, pear, herbs, lees and hay notes and long saline finish, make this a very complete and complex effort. A star in the making. Drink:2016-2026

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.)

This is a tasty cab with flavors of cassis, plum and black pepper. Firm tannins. Supple texture. Aromatic, reeling you in with notes of blackberry and plum. Lingering finish. Lovely.

Medium bodied with understated black cherry and mocha flavors. Well balanced.

This blend leads with feisty black cherry, followed by raspberry and a kick of cracked black pepper. It's tasty, bold and approachable. Tangy finish. A nice, less expensive option.

Generous, open-textured and harmonious, layering the cherry and sweet spice flavors with hints of leather and pepper. Glides into a long, precise and deftly balanced finish.