USA, California, Northern California: Napa & Some Sonoma New Releases Aged in 25% new French oak for 12 months, the pale to medium ruby-purple colored 2016 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Seco Highlands features notions of baked raspberries, kirsch, rose hip tea and menthol with nuances of underbrush and pepper. Medium to full-bodied, firm and chewy, it has mouth-filling savory flavors and a stewed tea finish.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Shy, but pleasant aromas of black cherry and blueberry-pomegranate juice. Fuller bodied in style with copious amounts of boysenberry and blackberry fruit accented with notes of char and dark chocolate. More sap and structure than the Anderson Valley bottling, with good oak enhancement, yet this wine is rugged rather than suave. The high alcohol sends shivers up my spine, but even at this prodigious alcohol level, the wine does not taste over ripe or roasted, or alcoholic.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Outland Ridge shows a riper, more voluptuous side of Anderson Valley than the appellation wine. Black cherry, plum, spice, menthol, licorice and leather notes are front and center. Juicy and overt, the 2015 is built to deliver pleasure with minimal cellaring.

This Pinot Noir will suit fans of a bold, ripe, drink me now style. Anderson Valley shows through in the spicy cherry fruit, and the plush texture is sure to please as a cocktail red.

Dark red cherry, plum, spice, menthol, cloves and licorice flesh out in the 2014 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve. This dark, supple Pinot Noir will be at its best over the next few years, while the fruit remains pliant and giving.

With a savory mouthfeel and elegant strawberry and black cherry fruit, the 2014 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Seco Highlands is a more limited cuvée of 466 cases. One hundred percent Pinot Noir aged for 12 months, it is well-made and broad, with plenty of cherry fruit intermixed with Asian spice and some background oak. Drink it over the next 4-7 years.

Bright and energetic, the 2013 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Los Robles is quite expressive today. Crushed rocks, dark red cherries, mint and pine add nuance as this chiseled, Pinot shows off its considerable personality.

Well done, with a rich core of berry, plum, spice and light oak, building depth and dimension. Tapers off on the finish.

The darker, gamier side of Anderson Valley comes through in the 2013 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Outland Ridge. A deep, powerful wine, the 2013 possesses notable richness and intensity, but at the same time, it comes across as a bit heavy and rough around the edges.

Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Plenty of toasty oak engages the black cherry, ripe strawberry and underbrush aromas that hold up over time in the glass. The discreetly concentrated core of black cherry, dark raspberry and blueberry fruits are embellished with oak-driven notes of toast, spice and anise. The raspberry-imbued and spicy finish has noticeable persistence. Despite the 15.0% ABV, this wine is in balance.

Dark red cherries, spices, licorice and plum notes abound in Kendall Jackson's 2012 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve. Drink this soft, racy, beautifully textured Pinot over the next few years. This is another terrific showing.

Dark red. Sexy, floral red berry liqueur and cherry aromas are lifted by a note of white pepper. Offers sappy raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors and a tangy jolt of orange zest that adds lift to the back half. Mouthwatering acidity sharpens the persistent finish, which shows prolonged notes of raspberry and white pepper.

The winery has sourced this wine from their coastal vineyards, which accounts for its acidity and long hangtime raspberry, persimmon and sour-cherry candy flavors. With a silky texture, it’s lovely to drink now.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Outland Ridge blasts across the palate with dark red stone fruit, smoke, licorice and game. A big, broad-shouldered wine, the 2012 is a bit rough around the edges, but it certainly is not lacking in personality.

Bright ruby-red. Tightly focused aromas of red berries and rose pastille, lifted by a dusty mineral quality. Tangy red currant and bitter cherry flavors become sweeter and spicier with air. In an energetic, precise style, finishing with very good clarity and silky tannins that add shape.

Dark cherries, menthol, cloves, violets and sweet spices are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2011 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2011 impresses for its fabulous balance and sheer class. The juicy, forward style is best enjoyed over the next few years. Kendall-Jackson gave the 2011 ten months in French oak barrels, 43% new.

Kendall-Jackson's Highland Estates is also showcasing some very fine Pinot Noirs...The dark ruby-colored 2007 Highland Estates Pinot Noir Seco Highlands displays a cool climate, crisp minerality, steel black cherry and strawberry notes, and abundant structure.

A nice, lush and tart Pinot whose dryness comes as a welcome surprise, given the massive fruit. Cherries, raspberries, currants, cola and smoky cedar flood the mouth, yet the finish is crisp and balanced. With its silky texture, this deep end wine is best now and for a few years.

Kendall-Jackson's Highland Estates is also showcasing some very fine Pinot Noirs...The 2007 Highland Estates Pinot Noir Anderson Valley reveals the blueberry and raspberry characteristics that come from this area, along with a touch of spring flowers.

Medium-deep ruby color; earthy, stewed cherry aromas; ripe, earthy stewed cherry flavors, sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Nice, balanced Pinot with complex cherry flavors.

...Emerges from Monterey County vineyards planted with French clones, was barrel-aged for 12 months prior to bottling. This finesse-filled, complex Pinot exhibits plenty of smoky, plum, cherry, and mineral notes along with medium body, crisp acidity, and abundant sweet red and black fruits. Enjoy it over the next 4-5 years.

Ripe and smooth with a slightly syrupy, extracted quality, this black fruit-and-licorice pleasure ball delivers the goods. Full on the palate with dark chocolate flavors and plenty of toasty oak, it finishes dry, rich and flavorful; well-fruited to the end.

USA, California, Northern California: Napa & Some Sonoma New Releases The 2016 Jackson Estate Alisos Hills Syrah aged in 20% new French and 8% new American oak for 11 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with exuberant black cherries, charcuterie, bacon fat, garrigue and mulberries scents with hints of tar, chargrill and black soil. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, chewy texture framing the savory/earthy flavors, finishing long and peppery.

Coming from the Neely and Barham vineyards in Santa Barbara County, the 2016 Syrah Jackson Estate Alisos Hills offers a classic bouquet of black fruits, scorched earth, camphor, and charred meats. Nicely balanced on the palate, with medium body, integrated acidity, and some smoke, meaty characteristics, it’s a rock-solid Syrah that has real character. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

There is nothing particularly flashy going on here, instead this is a straightforward, comforting, dependable wine. Reasonably dense and layered, it offers notes of dark berries with underpinnings of spice, vanilla, and gradations of oak.