Light and lacy, with a delicate filigree of red fruit flavors (notably cherries) this is an exceedingly appealing wine for Pinot Noir fans who value wines that whisper rather than shout. It has just enough oak to add an extra subtle note of complexity, but that oak never calls attention to itself in a showy way. If you want an affordable food-friendly Pinot Noir this one from Byron is for you.

Mid-yellow; bright hue. Talcum powder perfume, a hint of mandarin, very fragrant and unusually scented, while the palate is full-bodied and dense with a tannin grip that adds to the weight and density and texture but is not bitter. Interesting, highly structured dry white wine. (68 cases produced. Fermented in ceramic eggs; 60% fermented on skins, 40% not)

Hint of oak, aromas and flavors of black cherries and black pepper, full body, firm tannins.

Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cranberry and raspberry fruit. In the mouth, bright raspberry and cranberry fruit has a nice purity and length. Simple, straightforward and quite delicious. A blend of Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma Coast, and Russian River fruit.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cranberry and raspberry fruit. In the mouth the wine all but bursts with bright raspberry fruit. Gorgeous, mouthwatering acidity and great length. Faint tannins buff the edges of the mouth. Touches of herbal notes linger in the finish.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of raspberry and bright cherry fruit with a hint of green wood that wafts up unexpectedly. In the mouth, juicy raspberry and boysenberry fruit has a wonderful, zippy acidity underneath it. Juicy and long. Very soft, barely perceptible tannins. A blend of all five vineyards owned by Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of forest floor and cranberry. In the mouth, cranberry and raspberry fruit has a nice velvety silkiness and perky acidity. Faint but plush tannins and a nice hint of herbs on the finish.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of bright raspberry and floral notes caked with green herbs. In the mouth plush cherry and raspberry fruit has a nice stony quality to it, a fresh brightness that lingers with fine grained, tannins in the finish. Delicious. Good length and balance.

Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of raspberry and cherry and a hint of green herbal overtone. in the mouth, luscious juicy cherry fruit has a mouthwatering brightness thanks to fantastic acidity. Perfectly poised and balanced with great length.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass this wine smells of rich cherry and raspberry fruit with a hint of cedar underneath. In the mouth juicy cherry and raspberry fruit walks a well poised and graceful line across the palate. Excellent acidity and length is a sharp counterpoint to a silky texture and very faint tannic structure. Smooth and with a nice sweetness.

Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of gorgeous floral berry fruit and wet chalkboard. In the mouth bright raspberry and floral cherry flavors mix with the faintest whiff of new oak that all conspire to create a sweet, delectable complexion for the wine. Faint, barely perceptible tannins add some texture to the wine, but this is mostly an expression of fruit.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of rich, ripe cherry fruit. In the mouth lush cherry and raspberry fruit is held firmly in the grasp of fine grained tannins. Nice acidity and length. Very pretty and balanced.

Inky garnet in the glass, this wine smells of smoked meats, wet dirt, and white pepper layered over cassis and blackberry, In the mouth, rich blackberry and cassis fruit is draped in peanut-butter-thick tannins that linger for a long time in the finish. Excellent acidity keeps the wine leaning towards the fresh side of the spectrum, but there's no doubt that this is a massive hunk of fruit in the mouth.

Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberry and cherry fruit backed with some cinnamon and cloves. in the mouth the wine has an aggressive acidity that lifts the blackberry and cherry flavors to the front of the mouth, and makes for an airy finish.

Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of pears and apple and a hint of citrus. In the mouth bright apple and grapefruit flavors are mouthwatering and delicious. Not amazing complex, but very juicy and delicious, especially for the money. A blend of Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris.

This is a project of Drew Barrymore, the actress, and Jackson Family Wines. It offers apricot and pear fruit aromas and flavors, and a medium texture and suppleness.

Rich, warm and ripe, this Pinot Noir packs power with black cherry and raspberry flavors and a lovely floral note that seems to lift it right out of the glass.

The 2012 vintage is rated the best vintage of the new millennium, and the wine is made by Jackson Family Wines, which has a tether on some of the best North Coast (California) vineyards. Fruit is opulent; tannins are round and firm; texture is silken. Think blackberry, cassis, dark cherry, plum, black licorice and spice. It’s 82 percent Cabernet Sauvignon filled in with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Alcohol is 13.7 percent. It’s such a gem for the price. Do let the wine breathe in the bottle or glass to help it relax and unfurl its flavors.

This pretty wine from Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino vineyards is delicately styled with tones of apple and pear, white stone fruit, and a charming flinty streak in the finish. It’s a natural with seafood, chicken and entree salads. Alcohol is 13.9 percent so it’s not too shy in that department.

Born from an egg on a mountain top.
68 cases made with 50% popped into a 675 litre ceramic egg and fermented on skins and left for 120 days and 120 nights. The other half fermented off skins in a ceramic egg of the same size. The final blend was 60% skin and 40% non-skin, so you’d have to say Yangarra have a fair bit of skin in the game. Great to see the spirit of adventure happening in the McLaren Vale at the moment, at least in some quarters. Bottled September 2014.
Almond and honeyed florals, light pineapple and ripe lemon, aniseed. Velour tannin and milky texture, fresh pineapple acid tang, savoury chicken and nutty flavour in there too, but it presents as fresh and clean with an extra dimension of interest. Light grip on the finish and sour/savoury twang in the aftertaste. Fascinating wine.

Dry, refreshing, sturdy acidity — this is the white to pour with broiled seafood or roasted chicken dishes. Think crisp lemon, tart grapefruit, white stone fruit and pear with an herbal streak in the finish.

If you wonder what all the interest in Pinot Noir is about, start here. Murphy-Goode delivers incredible quality for the price. This Pinot is sourced off cool vineyards up and down the Cali coast from areas including Monterey, Santa Barbara and Mendocino. It’s juicy and packed with Pinot character: black cherry, strawberry, spice, cola and vanilla. It’s aged in French and American oak. It’s an intense dark color with good texture on the palate and bracing acidity for structure.

Winemaker David Ready Jr. calls it the “perfect after-work cocktail.” No disputing that. It’s got that steely acidity tempered with tropical fruit complemented by the spice and mouthfeel of just a little oak. Grapes are from Santa Barbara, Mendocino, Lake County and Arroyo Seco.

This Merlot holds estate fruit as well as sourced grapes from several sites, creating a well-blended wine with tiny percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Aged in both French and American oak, the wine is balanced in cranberry and blackberry, with an herbaceous underbelly.

Light in weight and texture, this wine was aged in both French and American oak. Smokiness surrounds the otherwise restrained offerings of plum, dark cherry and herb.