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.

Smooth and floral with creamy texture and lovely ripe fruit; rich, lush and deep with mineral notes.

Yellow-gold. Pungent scents of apple, pear skin and tangerine. Fleshy and broad, with nicely concentrated fruit flavors and a deeper note of bitter peach pit. I'd have liked more vibrancy but fans of powerful, lush chardonnay will go for this.

Fresh and fruity, with elements of peaches, melon and lemon meringue, this is an honest Chardonnay whose natural virtues are allowed to shine without being shrouded in massive oakiness or blowsy fruit. A nice crisp finish makes it a winning wine to accompany a variety of seafood and poultry dishes, and it's pretty good as well with a simple pan-grilled pork chop.

Very complete, with ripe, supple blackberry, cedar, plum, herb, sage and dill flavors that are focused and elegant. Finishes with well-integrated tannins. Drink now through 2006.

Taken to super-ripeness, this robust, prune-scented cabernet blend has the grip of black tannins and the grit of black pepper. It's more about structure than fruit at this early stage, emphasizing Indian spices, cumin and darker, richer cocoa. Cellar this to let the fruit emerge.

As for the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Intrada (94% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% Semillon), this wine exhibits copious notes of wet rocks, caramelized grapefruit and citrus oil in a medium-bodied, Pessac-Leognan-like style. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years.

Captûre's 2014 Sauvignon Tradition is laced with apricot pit, peach, wild flowers and chamomile. The expressive floral, aromatic top notes give the Tradition much of its distinctive, exotic personality. Best of all, the 2014 is a terrific value.

Well-balanced, with delicate dried cherry, anise and herb flavors that are concentrated and complex, finishing with a chocolate and light oak aftertaste. Drink now through 2006.