Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) is an attractive, fruity wine to drink now and over the next few years. Bright raspberry, strawberry and floral notes are nicely pushed forward in this open-knit, perfumed Pinot. The 2017 is perhaps a bit light, but inviting nevertheless.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2017 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley comes from a mix of sites and spent 10 months in 20% new oak. It's another Burgundian style effort that has plenty of black cherries, leafy herbs, hints of flowers, and earth. Pretty, elegant, nicely textured, and delicious, drink it over the coming couple of years.

Offers a charming mix of juicy red and dark berry flavors, a fleshy texture and spicy, loamy earth notes. Should benefit from a year or so in the cellar.

This appellation blend is a straightforward take on Pinot Noir that's perfect for midweek enjoyment, starting with aromas of black cherry and cola. The mouthfeel is full and the palate is loaded with ripe flavors of bursting berries as well as baking spice.

Fresh and nicely varietal in its look at bright cherry fruit, this one checks the boxes for balance and restraint without giving up its Pinot Noir claims. It is medium-full in body and somewhat stiff at entry before a veneer of glycerin softens its palatal impacts. If a bit basic in approach, it is will nonetheless make a fine mate to dishes like Chicken Chasseur. 1 star.

This isn’t quite as fresh but it is more deeply pitched with its black cherry, poached plum and violet scents. The succulent, round and again nicely vibrant flavors possess reasonably good richness on the slightly more complex finish that also exhibits a hint of asperity. A qualitative choice.

Plump, generous plum, black cherry and wild berry flavors are fleshy and polished, making for an easy-drinking charmer.

Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose offers primarily grounded aromas of mulch and potpourri with only hints of black cherry and vanilla. Full-bodied flavors of blackberry, black raspberry and cassis in a fat, saucy, lush style with modest tannins, a silken texture, and well-integrated alcohol. A weighty wine that packs a wallop but lacks a bit of verve.

A ripe and fresh nose combines notes of plum, red and dark berries and a pretty hint of spice. The sleek, delicious and supple middle weight flavors possess good vibrancy along with pretty good detail before concluding in a moderately firm finish that reflects a hint of asperity. This should benefit from 2 to 4 years of cellaring first. I should also note that it carries its considerable alcohol relatively well.

A supple, graceful, easy-to-enjoy Pinot Noir, with fleshy cherry, red plum, spice and light loamy earth notes, finishing long and clean.

Sourced from three sites in the Sonoma Coast AVA, the 2016 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast offers more tart, medium-bodied notes of cherries, mulberries, dried herbs and earth. It’s fresh, lively, short, and easy-drinking, with solid overall balance. Aged 15 months in 40% new French oak, drink it over the coming 4-5 years.

Tight and firm, with a mix of taut berry, cedar, anise and underbrush flavors. Needs time to fill out.

Exhibits a firm, tasty mix of gravelly earth, dried berry, sage and underbrush flavors. A little cellar time should help the gripping tannins.

Marked by spicy berry and baked berry pie notes that are clean and zesty, this is likely to gain a little tenderness with time in the bottle.

Firm and spicy, with a mix of cola, pepper, dried berry and underbrush flavors, ending firm and loamy.

Our favorite wine in Siduri's expanding portfolio of Oregon Pinot Noirs, this one from the Eola-Amity Hills appellation may be a little youthfully withdrawn at the moment but conveys a good sense of fruity solidity all the same. It is firmly structured with a steady, ripe cherry bias of which it does not let go, and if it gets a bit chalky and fairly tough at the finish just now, we see positive things down the line even if a wait of some three to five years may be needed. 88 points. One star.

A tad young at this stage, with assertive, earth-driven berry and underbrush flavors. Muscular tannins fold in on the finish. Best to cellar.

Among the riper and weightier efforts in the new Siduri collection and a wine that is arguably the most extracted one of the bunch even though its initial aromas predict a Pinot of up-front, easy-to-access fruitiness, this one from Saralee’s Vineyard wears its youth on its sleeve and is yet to show any sense of layering or nuance. It is at once concentrated and still fairly tight, and its slightly chalky finishing tannins mandate a minimum of two to four years of additional age.

Among its maker's heftier Russian River Pinots and a wine that verges on being downright swarthy, this mouthfilling effort wants for nothing in the way of substance and mass but could do with more nuance and finesse. It may or may not find special polish in time, and, in fact, we suspect it may not, but it will turn the trick in washing down savory braised meats whether held for a few years or enjoyed early on. 88 points. One star.

Sporting an amplified sense of ripeness to its aromas of dark fruits and a fairly big and viscous Pinot on the palate, the Barbieri Pinot is the plushest of the current Siduri lot, but its riper traits ultimately take precedence over keen varietal precision, and it is governed by richness first and only secondarily by fruit. It is, however, never a victim of excess, and its surprisingly firm finish encourages a bit of optimism for age.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch is an attractive, mid-weight Pinot, but it also comes across as a bit light for the year, and lacking both the depth and persistence of the best wines in this range.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a subdued nose of tar, dusty earth and wet pebbles with hints of cranberries and pomegranate, plus a touch of white pepper. The palate is soft, straightforward and lively with good length. 88 points.

Light ruby red color in the glass. Leading off are bright aromas of cherry, cranberry and sandalwood. Juicy and pleasing on the palate with an oak-kissed cherry core. Silky, with balanced tannins, lively acidity, noticeable oak overlay and the slightest sense of alcoholic heat on the finish.

Offers an attractive mix of loamy earth, cedary oak, plump plum and red berry notes, supported by pebbly, fine-grained tannins. 88 points. Very good.

Intensely dark blackberry fruit meets with game and minty chocolate on the nose of this appellation blend by Adam Lee. The flavors are woody with forest undergrowth, and surround a core of mulberry. 88 points. Very good.