The pick of these two Pinot Noirs is the largest cuvée of 4,194 cases, the 2014 Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. It is made from Dijon clones 667, 777 and 115. It spent ten months in 29% new French oak. This wine has the raspberry, blueberry and rose petal fragrance of Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs, with medium body, elegance, and lush, delicate fruitiness.

The 2013 Pinot Noir from Champ de Reves is forward, supple and juicy, all qualities that make it a good drink over the next few years. Although the 2013 is an attractive wine, my impression is that something more is possible in this Anderson Valley site. It will be interesting to see what the winemaking team strives for in the coming years. These vines were planted only in 2006.

Moderate ruby red color in the glass. Aromas of cherry, rose and complimentary oak lead to a concentrated presence on the palate of darker fruits, prominent oak notes, some drying tannins, and a sweet fruited finish. 88 points.

A new project from Jackson Family Wines from the Boone Ridge Vineyard, this is a voluptuous Pinot delivers a substantial mouthfeel of dark blueberry fruit and mushroomy earth. Textured and grippy, its acidity is on the mark, a good go-to for family meals, especially a quiche Lorraine brimming with bacon.

The 2010 Pinot Noir is an attractive wine laced with sweet red fruit, flowers, licorice, mint and spices. Sweet floral notes reappear on the finish, adding lift and brightness. This mid-weight, feminine Pinot is best suited for drinking over the next 1-3 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2015.

This pale pink colored Rose made from Cabernet Franc opens with a unique light orange and watermelon like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a gentle mineral infused light strawberry and almond blend with a hint of German pilsner beer towards to end. The finish is dry and its flavors fade away nicely. This Rose would pair nicely with oysters. 88 points. Very good.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Shy aromas of ripe dark berries, prune, marzipan and fertile earth. Full-bodied, with a virile core of dark red and black cherry fruit flavors that veer to the very ripe side. Nicely balanced with immersed tannins and some finishing generosity. Re-tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle, when the wine continued to show a compote character. Score: 88

Moderately light ruby red color in the glass. The nose opens nicely over time in the glass, offering fresh aromas of dark red cherry, spice and dusty oak. Light weighted and easy going, with bright flavors of cherry, strawberry and mocha. Lacy in texture with silky tannins and a cherry-fueled finish. A simple but redeeming wine. Score: 88

Light ruby red color in the glass. Slight reduction upon opening, transitioning to aromas of cherry and fertile earth. Light to mid weight in style, with a tasty core of red cherry and red berry fruits with a touch of spice. Good brightness and vibrancy, with silky tannins and a modest but satisfying finish. Not too serious, but that’s the point. Score: 88

Firm and zesty, with a lively mix of spicy wild berry and subtle floral and earth notes that linger pleasantly on the aftertaste, gaining a smokiness.

California Pinot Noir Bright ruby color. Aromas of chilled strawberries and raspberries, bright but juicy, with elements of cola and rhubarb pie. Full-bodied, medium acidity, fleshy tannins, a seriously fun wine but it is also balanced nicely. Red and black cherries, pomegranate, raspberry jam, along with cola, rose, rhubarb. Notes of coconut and coffee woven in well. Delicious but shows some good depth, too. Aged 13 months in ¼ new French oak. 88 points.

Notes of menthol, red cherry and raspberry introduce round, rich and plump medium weight flavors that possess a lovely mouth feel, all wrapped in a persistent, clean and softly dry finish where a hint of acid tang arises. This should drink well young but reward a few years of cellaring too.

This wine is somewhat shy in aroma, with rust, light raspberry, cherry, gravel, dust and a slight cola element arising with patience. Bright red-cherry fruit and hibiscus shows on the sip, yet it's a tad dried out. Slate and riverstone touches add minerality, and the structure is defined by a rocky grip.

Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. Very moody nose offering shy scents of dark fruits and wine cave. A mid weight assortment of well-ripened dark fruits are at the wine’s core, framed by matched tannins and proper acidity. The high alcohol is well integrated, the oak seasoning is spot on, but the wine is singing monotone offering nothing more than a sullen load of fruit.

This is really quite pretty with its perfumed array of various red berry fruit, spice and a hint of tea. There is good vibrancy to the attractively detailed medium weight flavors that manage to carry the elevated level of reported alcohol fairly well as there is less obvious warmth than one might suppose. With that said, it’s not invisible and I would suggest serving this on the cooler than normal side.

As clean and fresh as it is irrepressibly fruity and a wine that is as accessible as accessible gets, Carmel Road’s outgoing Pinot may not convey a great sense of reserve, but it is downright delectable right now. Its easy gait and carefully scrubbed style in no way detract from its ample, well-defined varietal fruit, and if not at all fragile, it will not get a lot better, and it wants to be enjoyed while still in the full flush of youth. Good value.

The most promising Pinots come from this central Monterey County appellation, and this is definitely one of them, continue to show its promise. This is one of the few that goes beyond simple fruit and acidity into complexity. It's not an ager, but the raspberries and cherries, accented with acidity and oak, make it a fine partner now for steak, lamb, tuna or an elaborate mushroom risotto.

If a tad tight at first sniff, this wine opens up quickly with aromas of ripe cherries, a touch of sarsaparilla spice and a light but evident note of toasted oak. The wine is full-bodied on the palate with a rich, supple, somewhat coating texture and a soft underbelly that finds a bare modicum of grip as it finishes. Still, this is a wine that will serve well in the very near term and asks little of cellar aging.

A sweet Pinot Noir, soft and rich in pie-filling raspberry and cherry fruit flavors, with a coating of smoky oak. It's clean and precise and delicious, a wine to drink now with a nice steak or chop.

It's hard to find a decent Pinot at this price, and Carmel Road's is quite decent indeed. While not as deep and complex as the same producer's Arroyo Seco Pinot (a much costlier wine), it nonetheless offers offers plenty of pleasure with its powerful hints of cherry and other red fruits, plus notes of carpaccio and a little smokiness.

Actually from a smallish block of a large vineyard in this rocky, cool part of Salinas Valley, this Pinot shows a silky structure, velvety tannins and crisp acids. The flavors are rich and savory, suggesting cherries, cola, vanilla, smoke and mint.

This has a subdued nose for a Riesling, with elements of squeezed lime, orange cake and stone fruit. There is decent tension on the palate, hovering between ripe nectarine and bitter grapefruit peel.

Racy and fresh with some nice sweetness and ripe citrus; juicy and round with tangy acidity and lots of crisp charm; long and silky.

Smooth and bright with vanilla, lime and peach flavors; clean, snappy and nervy with a long, tangy finish; fresh and juicy.

…exhibits excellent orange rind, leesy, smoky, tropical fruit aromas, as well as a honeyed, medium-bodied texture with sweet apple/pineapple fruit flavors. Pure and ripe, with a subtle dosage of wood.