Medium-deep ruby color; deep, spicy cherry aromas with earthy notes; rich, ripe cherry flavors with some oak and earth notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Ripe, spicy Pinot that needs a little air to open up.

Deep red hue, aromas and flavors of black plums and herbs, rich and hearty, soft tannins.

Hint of toasty oak, rich and full-bodied, with flavors of butter, caramel and tropical fruit.

Best known as a top producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Hartford Family also turns out a few very good Zinfandels, including this bright and supple wine. With its lively acidity and a comparatively modest alcohol level, this bottle might be best called a “Zinonoir.”

2011 La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley: toasty oak aroma, flavors of blackberries, herbs and licorice, bold and full-bodied, long, smooth finish.

Highly distinctive, deliciously rich and focused, with flavors of anise, blackberry, cedar, pencil lead, graphite and black licorice. Deftly balanced, this maintains a tight focus and emphasis on pure flavors.

Hint of smoky oak, flavors of blueberries, black cherries and dark-roast coffee, long finish.

The 2013 Le Désir is a 2,500-case blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. It exhibits nearly surreal notes of blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, graphite, vanilla and spring flowers. Deep, dense and velvety textured, it combines great intellectual interest with sensational hedonism in a full-bodied, voluptuously textured style. All three 2013s appear to have incredible potential. I look forward to tasting them out of bottle.

The 2013 La Muse (a 3,800-case blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec) boasts an inky, opaque purple color as well as abundant aromas of pen ink, chocolate, mocha, black cherry jam, mulberries and a touch of oak. Opulent and full-bodied with terrific acidity and richness as well as a 50-second finish, this is the most forward of the three 2013 cuvées. It should drink well for 25-35 years. All three 2013s appear to have incredible potential. I look forward to tasting them out of bottle.

The 2013 La Joie (4,400 cases produced) is composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Aromas of forest floor, camphor, graphite, blackcurrants, coffee beans and spice box emerge from this wine. With full body, great purity and depth, a multidimensional mouthfeel and a finish that lasts nearly a minute, this sensational wine possesses terrific delineation and focus. It should drink well for 3-4 decades. All three 2013s appear to have incredible potential. I look forward to tasting them out of bottle.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from Cardinale is totally seamless and textured on the palate, with layers of ripe, racy fruit, tons of intensity and an opulent, voluptuous finish that captures the essence of this style to the T. Dark red stone fruits, cinnamon, cedar, tobacco and new leather linger on the creamy finish. Winemaker Chris Carpenter draws across the entire range of Kendall Jackson's Napa Valley properties to craft Cardinale. In 2012, the blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot from nine vineyards in a total of seven AVA's (Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain, Spring Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Stags' Leap, Yountville and St. Helena).

Lokoya's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain is gorgeous. Here, the richness of the year is wonderfully balanced by the wine's structural frame. Dark blue and black fruit, menthol, leather, graphite, cassis and lavender meld together beautifully in the glass. An effortless wine, the 2012 captures the personality of the year in spades. Hints of vanilla, white flowers, lavender and a hint of French oak add the final layers of complexity. This is the most polished of the four Lokoya Cabernets.

Lokoya's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder presents a more linear and less voluptuous expression of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon than the Howell Mountain bottling tasted alongside it. Energy, tension and pulsating vibrancy are the signatures. Dark blue and purplish fruit, menthol, cedar and licorice meld together in an ample, broad Cabernet Sauvignon supported by huge beams of tannin. Beautifully balanced and harmonious throughout, the 2012 should drink beautifully for many years to come.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a classic Howell Mountain wine built on beams of firm mountain tannins. Purplish fruit, floral notes, mocha, licorice and espresso open up over time. The 2012 is explosive and burly, but it is also at times a bit alcoholic. Still, this is a vivid, expressive wine that speaks to the unique personality of Howell Mountain as seen in the 2012 vintage. I imagine the 2012 will enjoy a long and broad drinking window starting pretty much upon release.

A winner in a difficult year; luscious deep cassis, black cherry and plum with vanilla-inflected oak and spice; drinkable now but showing fine aging potential.

Berry fruit leather, raspberry iced tea and dark spices weave together on the intriguing nose of this wine, which is as good if not better than similar wines from the appellation charging twice the price. Roasted figs and black cardamom rise on the palate, yet the wine remains light on its feet.

Uriel Nielson developed Santa Barbara's first modern commercial vineyard in 1964, sourcing chardonnay cuttings from Wente and planting them on their own roots in the loose, sandy soil of this benchland site. The block that grew this wine was propagated from that original vine material in 1999. This 2012 practically bursts at the seams with a juicy purity of fruit, the flavors ripe and round as a nectarine yet completely dry, the fruit dusted by a bold, earthy complexity, supported by the toastiness of lees and oak but not dominated by them. Deep and refreshing, it's a compelling chardonnay for lobster.

My favorite is the 2012 Pinot Noir Afleet, which is made from the Pommard selection, and comes across as a French Pommard, with its meaty, muscular, rather masculine style. With lots of damp earth, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit and plenty of muscle, density and structure, it’s the biggest and richest of the Pinot Noirs, but also the most limited in availability (156 cases).

Iron, tobacco, incense, graphite and smoke all open up in the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain. Rich, ample and layered on the palate, the 2012 boasts tons of depth and plenty of personality. This is the most intensely mineral and savory of the four Lokoya Cabernets. It is also one of the more open wines in this range today. With time in the glass, the fruit takes on distinctly more red-hued tones of expression, along with distinctive floral and spice nuances that add complexity.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is the most overt and structured of these wines from Mt. Brave. Dark red and black stone fruits, spices, menthol, leather and cedar meld together in the glass. Powerful and ample in the glass, the 2012 possesses remarkable intensity. Big, chewy tannins support the ample finish. Today the tannins are a bit more dominant than the fruit, but the 2012 should find a bit better balance with more time in bottle. Dollops of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec round out the blend. This is the first vintage in which Malbec has been included.

A muskiness is present on the nose of this wine from Santa Barbara County’s first commercial vineyard, along with fruitier aspects of strawberry-boysenberry tart. It’s fruit-forward on the palate, yet cinnamon toast and cedar give it a more serious edge as well.

The 2011 Le Désir, a St.-Emilion-inspired offering, is a blend of 54% Cabernet Franc, 36% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. My favorite of the 2011s, it displays lots of mulberry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit intertwined with hints of underbrush as well as a subtle herbaceousness, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, beautiful density and sweet tannin. There are 2,500 cases of this 2011. Drink now-2025.