Savory, with good backbone to the dried red currant and berry flavors. The trim finish features notes of forest floor and dried tarragon. Drink now through 2022.

This rich and ripe expression of chardonnay comes from Clark Ranch, located on the foothillsof the Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey County, Calif. It’s made in a fruity and flavourfulstyle, with yellow apple, tropical and peach fruit flavours that carry through to a satisfyingfinish. Old oak barrels were used for a small portion of the blend to build richness and texture,without adding any of the obvious vanilla or spice notes commonly associated with oak-agedchardonnay. The majority was fermented and aged in a stainless-steel tank to preserve thefresh, fruity character. Drink now to 2023.

Creamy, with hints of sandalwood and crushed stone to the dried red fruit flavors. Plush and well-spiced finish. Drink now.

A light-salmon color and abundant fruit flavors give this medium-bodied wine a very likeable expression and easy drinkability. It tastes fresh and well balanced.

This well-balanced and nicely fruity wine offers honeydew-melon flavors, lively acidity and a very fresh, palate-cleansing texture—a versatile wine for all seasons.

This wine is made in a light, fresh and minimal style, barrel-fermented in a small percentage of new French oak. High-toned, it offers focused layers of green apple and Meyer lemon.

This is bright and spicy, with cranberry fruit at the core. It’s more like a Northwest Gamay than most Willamette Valley Pinots, dark and lively with an astringent minerally finish.

Lots of fresh apple and a touch of lemon give this medium-bodied wine an appealing, fruity profile, while a touch of good acidity keeps it feeling fresh and well balanced.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2017 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) is soft, fruity and delicious. Sweet red cherry, raspberry and crushed rose petal are nicely pushed forward. Drink this easygoing Pinot over the next few years.

Santa Barbara: An In-Depth Look at the 2018sThe 2018 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is very aromatic and lifted in style, but it is also light in color, depth and structure. This is a decidedly fleeting, ethereal style. I would prefer to drink it over the next few years.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyAlong the same lines, the 2017 Pinot Noir Monterey County offers solid notes of spiced cherries, forest floor, and a touch of flowers in its medium-bodied, charming, balanced, nicely textured personality. Want a mid-week Pinot Noir that won't break the bank yet offers real character? Give this a whirl.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyThe 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands offers a touch more candied cherry, spice, and sappy flower notes in its medium-bodied, nicely textured, rounded profile. It too is a good value.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyReaders looking for a good value for weekly drinking should check out the 2018 Chardonnay Monterey, as you get a heck of a lot of wine for not much buck. From the cooler Monterey region, it has classic notes of buttered stone and peach fruits as well as medium-bodied richness, good overall balance, and a soft, charming, undeniably delicious style.

The 2018s from Santa Barbara CountyCambria Winery Chardonnay Katherine's VineyardThe 2018 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard is all Chardonnay that spent 8 months in 20% new barrels. It's a richer, buttery, classic California Chardonnay with plenty of orchard fruit, medium to full body, a creamy, round texture, and a clean, classy finish. It's well done in the style and worth drinking.

This is a well-balanced, well-rounded, dry wine that pairs ripe cherry and blackberry with moderate tannins and subtle oak flavors. It’s full bodied and will be great with comfort food.

Vintage Retrospective: The 2001 Napa Valley CabernetsGood medium-deep red. A bit wilder and more leathery on the nose than the Helena Dakota, with spice cake, mocha and meaty nuances dominating raspberry fruit. Larger-scaled, denser and plusher on the palate, showing more sweetness but also a slight barnyard impingement to its raspberry, milk chocolate and mocha flavors. Finishes with dusty, broad tannins that dry the tongue and palate. I wanted a bit more freshness and energy. Drink up.

Rustic cherry, star anise, smoke and damp earth aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The palate is full of earthy elements as well as darkcherry and cranberry flavors, with a penetrating acidity.

Tart cherry-pie aromas are quite prominent on the nose of this bottling, yet get leveled by turned soil and wet rocks. The palate is all about tart cherry as well, with more flavors still hidden in the young structure.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Coming mostly from Monterey County and just about all barrel fermented, the 2018 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve reveals a medium gold hue as well as a ripe, exotic bouquet of pineapple, melon, and a touch of caramelized peach. It's nicely balanced, has good acidity, and is a terrific, balanced Chardonnay that would be a great house white.

Ripe apple and pear tart flavors are matched to buttery notes in this juicy style. The spicy finish shows honeyed accents. Drink now.

Natalie MacLean's Wines of the Week - May 11, 2020A smoky, toasty California Chardonnay with bright green apple and white-fleshed stone fruit aromas on the nose. Full-bodied with bright tropical fruit, butterscotch, lemon curd and toasty oak spice flavours on the palate. Pair with roast chicken.

Light ruby color. Nose shows jammy raspberries, juicy black cherries, with cola, roses, and sage notes. Full-bodied on the palate with chewy tannins and moderate acidity, a ripe but lively feel. Dark cherries, super ripe plums, raspberry jam fruit, which is laced well with notes of tobacco, mint, earth and leaves. Touches of vanilla and cola. Fun and accessible style but it shows some solid depth and complexity for the price.

Zesty, with smoky pepper and raspberry flavors that finish with briary tannins. Drink now through 2024.

Siduri, known for their single-vineyard bottlings of Pinot Noir has expanded their portfolio to include ones from a variety of vineyards. In this case, the grapes come from throughout the Russian River Valley. Compared to its Willamette Valley bottling, their Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is broader and riper, with dark fruit flavors. There’s no bitterness in the finish in this plush suavely textured wine. The slight increase in stated-alcohol (14.5 vs 14.3%) is noticeable by a hint of heat in the finish. Overall, the greater power and ripeness reflects the warmer Russian River Valley sites compared to the Willamette.

Byron has a long-standing tradition of producing top-tier Pinot Noirs. Some of their single-vineyard offerings are highly sought after for their longevity and power. The Nielson Pinot Noir, although played in a slightly different tune from the Byron label, is still a single-vineyard Pinot but with a different audience in mind. It doesn't have the layers of flavors that the Byron wines are known for, but in its price-point, it has a lot more going on than most. The top layer is baked berry fruits, the mid-section of the wine is cooking spices and the finish is soft with mild acidity. This Pinot Noir would pair well with BBQ ribs or most red meats with a slightly sweet sauce.