Good full red-ruby. Aromas of raspberry, roasted meat and woodsmoke. Lush, smooth and sweet, with a pliant texture and good weight; could use a bit more verve. Ripe cherry and wild strawberry flavors with a complicating note of bacon. Finishes with ripe tannins and a nice interplay of red fruit and smoked meat flavors.

Complex, concentrated and well-structured, with a mix of ripe cherry, raspberry and blackberry. Firm, supple tannins and excellent length. Has more backbone and depth than most from this vintage. Drink now through 2007.

Red-ruby. Aromas of wild berries, cherry, earth & eucalyptus. Fat & full, with interesting flavors of wild berries & cherry. Offers a glyceral mouthfeel & a faint impression of heat. Finishes with firm dusty (oak-enhanced) tannins.

This rich, wholly accessible Pinot holds nothing in reserve, and it leads with concentrated aromas of ripe cherries and creamy oak that are paralleled in character by its deep but open and not-so-complicated flavors. Despite a trim of tannin at the very end, the wine is biased to softness throughout, and it will likely show its very best face as a near-term partner to savory veal dishes rather than being left to age for more than a year or two.

Fragrant, with floral and fruity aromas. Rich, with citrus, fig, melon and spice nuances, finishing with a crisp, clean aftertaste. Drink now through 2005.

This orangish pink colored wine is a little darker than most Rose offerings. It opens with a mango and peach like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium to full bodied, slightly acidic and round. The flavor profile is a mild mineral infused apricot and peach blend with hints of tangerine. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. This Rose is a little heavier than most Rose’s. I would pair it with a grilled Norwegian salmon sandwich. Very good.

This salmon-hued bottling from Pinot Noir shows cantaloupe, watermelon Jolly Rancher and pink rose petal scents on the nose. The palate delivers bright acidity, presenting more watermelon flavors, a compelling texture and a gunmetal finish.

Serves up lots of ripe, zesty flavor--an array of cranberry, cherry, anise and cedar. Finish shows a nice interplay of fruit and light oak shadings.

Serves up lots of ripe, zesty flavor---an array of cranberry, cherry, anise and cedar. Finish shows a nice interplay of fruit and light oak shadings.

Deep garnet. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extracted and tannic. Cinnamon, red cherries, vanilla. Well spiced and ripe fruited with an unusually assertive nose. Strikes a nice balance of fruit and oak, then finishes with a dry, mildly woody character.

Black fruits, oak, pepper, brown spice, very lush toasted oak with spicy notes dominates dark, cherry-berry fruit.

Ripe, rich and concentrated, with a firm core of earthy cherry, cola, spice, anise and tea notes, holding a tight focus, turning supple on the finish.

Young, tight and tannic, with a complex array of herb, spice, leather, mineral and cherry flavors. It all adds up to a distinctive style of Pinot Noir, with racy fruit and earthy tannins. Give it a year or so to soften; try in 1998 to 2000. (Also appeared 12/31/96).

Pleasantly fruity, offering herb and black cherry flavors. Firm tannins and a cola edge on the finish.

Bright ruby color. Nose boasts strawberries, raspberries, red cherries, fresh but ripe with some rhubarb, rose petals, eucalyptus and cedar. This is really refreshing on the palate with lovely brightness and a crisp feel, with light tannins. Plenty of juicy raspberries, cherries and strawberry fruit, not too rich or dark, which I love. Raspberry leaf, rose hips, nuanced cola and coffee. Fun and inexpensive, but also balanced and complex, so good for the price. Aged eight months in 30% new French oak.

Crowd-Pleasing Budget Wines The 2015 is beginning to exhibit some of the complexity of evolving secondary aromas that come with age, showing a leafy green tea note that complements its blue-fruit character. Hints of baking spice and softening tannins make for an attractive package at an attractive price.

Whiffs of menthol and cherry cough drop suffuse the spicy, cool and fresh essence of red raspberry and cherry scents. There is good energy to the nicely detailed and textured middle weight flavors that possess an attractively sleek mouth feel that contrasts somewhat with the slightly raspy finish where the only nit is a touch of warmth. While not perfect, I was impressed with the quality for the price and this is a good overall value that would make for a fine house red.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 4 is sleek, racy and expressive. Freshly cut flowers and bright, red-toned fruit, along with silky contours, give the wine its open-knit, expressive personality. Drink this attractive midweight Santa Maria Pinot over the next few years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 115 is a supple, spice-filled, elegant effort that has lots of red fruits, medium-bodied richness, light tannin and integrated acidity. It's a touch simple, but has plenty to love.

A good value in California Pinot Noir, the 2014 Pinot Noir Benchbreak offers clean, crisp notes of black cherries, underbrush and herbs in a charming, supple, beautifully fruited package. This cuvée is completely destemmed and saw 8 months in 26% new French oak. They make a boatload of it, and it’s solid.

Grown on an elevated bench above the Santa Maria River, next to Bien Nacido, this is rich, accessible and balanced. Its warm red-cherry flavor is soft at first but firms up in the end, the gravelly soils above the valley floor perhaps contributing the clean cherry-pit structure at the center of the wine.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is a pretty, racy wine with plenty of near-term appeal. Crushed flowers, mint and leather notes add nuance in a forward, delicate Pinot with good complexity. The flavors are a bit forward, so the 2012 is best enjoyed sooner rather than later.

This bottling is sourced from some of the higher-elevation benchland blocks of the Cambria estate. For all its heady ripeness and new oak polish, it’s got admirable energy: lithe, dark-fruited and persistent. Its concentration would match wild fowl.

Cambria's 2010 Julia's is an earthy Pinot that exhibits a nose of back truffle and cola, with aromas of red and black fruits, supple tannins and a long, persistent finish. Drink it now and over the next three to four years. Outstanding value in its price range.

Ruby-red.  Smoky, deeply pitched aromas of cherry and dark berries, with a spicy overtone.  Weighty, expansive blackberry and bitter cherry flavors pick up a hint of licorice with air and show good energy.  Finishes on a slightly warm note, with good cling and soft tannins.