Cadenzia is a name coined by the McLaren Vale wineries to describe their blended red wines; Yangarra's 2006 version is 68% Grenache, 27% Shiraz and 5% Mourvèdre. The ripe plumminess verges on pruniness, accented by hints of cola and toasty, vanillin oak. This full-bodied but relatively unstructured wine should be consumed over the near term.

Inky ruby. Cassis and boysenberry on the nose, with a vanilla bean quality gaining strength. Cherry-vanilla and dark berry liqueur flavors are broad and soft, turning sweeter with air. A real fruit bomb, with the material to support its fairly strong oak component. Finishes soft and broad, but with good cling. This won't make any converts among those averse to Aussie shiraz.

Not overpowering on the nose but fragrant with blackberry, cassis, plum, anise, cedar and vanilla cream notes. Charming palate of dark fruit with some tannic backbone and correct acidity. There is a pleasant sweetness that runs like a seam through the wine.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale Honey-drizzled pineapple marks the nose of the 2017 Roussanne. It's less rich and decadent on the palate, where the fruit is crisp, even a bit lean. More underripe melon than tropical, if you will. It's medium-bodied, with a silky texture from barrel fermentation and aging on the lees. I'd opt for drinking this over the next few years.

Ripe and broad, with pineapple and pear notes at the core, layered with exotic spice details as the finish lingers. Drink now

Vanilla and fresh lumber notes lead the way, but gardenia and stone fruits emerge in the mouth and lead to a long, creamy finish reminiscent of a peach milkshake. A final kick of acidity keeps the whole thing balanced.

Lively and generous, a juicy mouthful of pineapple, nectarine and cream flavors, finishing with a distinctive balance between crisp acidity and polished texture.

Or try Yangarra Park..., with distinctive balance between crisp acidity and polished texture; it's the first wine from the new Australian venture of California winery Kendall-Jackson.

Far more interesting is the 2011 Pinot Noir Russian River, which displays dense pomegranate and black cherry fruit intermixed with a hint of cola. Medium-bodied with good ripeness and sweet tannin, this lovely, round, seductive Pinot should drink well for several years.

Slightly more concentrated, with hints of pineapple, hazelnut and orange blossom, the 2013 Chardonnay Russian River is a slightly bigger cuvée, and the wine also elegant, but offering more flavor, concentration and intensity. Both of these were aged nine months in about 50%-60% new French oak and another year in older barrels prior to being bottled.

Aged 14 months on the lees with frequent stirring in French oak barrels, 26% new. · Moderate golden yellow color and clear in the glass. The nose opens with some reductive aromas of sulfur and flint, improving over time in the glass although no fruit shows up. Better on the palate, with flavors of lemon, peach, caramel and crème brûlée. Soft and slightly viscous, with a moderately long and chalky-textured finish.

Bright yellow-gold. Pineapple, nectarine and orange zest on the nose, with notes of honey and sweet butter adding depth. Fleshy, palate-coating tropical and pit fruit flavors are firmed by juicy acidity, with a smoky nuance emerging with aeration. Shows a slightly hard edge on the finish, the orange and smoke notes repeating.

From a cool site in Anderson Valley, the 2011 Chardonnay Edmeades Estate displays a noticeable wet gravel-like minerality along with delicate honeyed citrus, white peach and white currant notes. Medium-bodied and fresh, its 14-month sojourn in French wood is barely noticeable in its elegant, understated personality. Consume it over the next several years.

The 2017 WillaKenzie Estate Rosé delivers serious pureness on the nose, which I completely dug, though the palate seems a bit disjointed at this stage and may need a few months in bottle to merge. It has a nose of bright crushed strawberry, cantaloupe, crushed limestone and coriander. It’s on the fuller side of the rose spectrum, and quite lush. The acid is kicking. The fruit zeros in on strawberry, cranberry and salmon berry, while there are touches of nutmeg and parsley that seem out of place. 88 points, value C.

Light yellow. Ripe orchard and pit fruit aromas and flavors, along with a subtle herbal nuance. Smooth, warm and seamless in texture; a candied ginger note adds spicy bite. Closes with good length, repeating florality and a hint of bitter peach pit.

This pale straw colored Pinot Gris from Oregon opens with a fragrant honeysuckle and lemon verbena bouquet with a hint of pineapple. On the palate, this wine is light to medium bodied, pleasantly acidic and fresh. The flavor profile is a mineral infused tart green apple with hints of grapefruit and nectarine. The finish is dry and its acidity and flavors are nicely prolonged. This Pinot Gris would pair well swordfish skewers. 88 points. Very good.

Tasting 2008 Oregon Pinot Noirs at Age 10 Firm in texture, with gritty tannins around a juicy core of blueberry, plum and savory flavors. 88 points.

Tenuta di Arceno is spread across 1000-hectares of classic rolling hillside containing vineyards, forests and medieval stone castles. The vineyards have been replanted and expanded into a series of micro-crus relating to the property’s 12 distinct meso-climates over the last 20 years vastly improving the fruit that gets to the winery. It’s cooler year and the aromatics are front and center along with the red fruit and garrigue notes. The texture is supple with more liquorice and savoury, dried herb nuances. Wild boar pappardelle or pecorino cheese are fine matches. The mix is 85/15 sangiovese/merlot.

The Tenuta di Arceno 2012 Chianti Classico opens to a pretty garnet hue and medium color intensity. The wine is streamlined and tight with ample fruit definition that comes across as dried cherry and wild berry. I enjoyed the wine's crisp definition and the steady focus it shows in the mouth.

Shows the rustic side of Chianti Classico, with aromas of forest and underbrush, tobacco and leather, supported by beefy tannins. Needs a hearty dish with ragù.

This smooth wine has a peppery sangiovese rasp rounded by light, honeyed sweetness. It’s dark and juicy, with a lasting spice for roast lamb.

Richly extracted and polished to a sleek gloss, this is a generously textured wine. The fruit is ripened to raisin and prune, suggesting early enjoyment, suited to steak.

Kendall-Jackson's super Tuscan is Cab-based and very ripe. It's black as coal, with leather, earth and dark-fruit aromas. It's more soft than steely, with blackberry and plum flavors softened by molasses and licorice. A real beast of a wine that includes 15% Merlot and Syrah.

Smooth, black, herbal cabernet sauvignon dominates this blend with small amounts of merlot (10 percent) and syrah (5 percent). It's rich and simple, the flavors of new oak and blackened fruit lasting in the end. For chopped sirloin with a char off the grill.