Deep nectar on the nose with honey and Teddy Graham cookies. Bold, plump texture but vibrant acidity. Honey, graham crackers and orange marmalade, lots of flavor but it’s tied together well. 88 points.

Offers lots of fruit and a bit of muscle, with aromas of boysenberry and toasty mocha, presenting zesty flavors of plum and roasted herb.

Fruity in wild strawberry and cherry, this is a straightforward, lightly spiced wine from a marquee old-vine site, complete with dusty tannin and softly integrated oak.

The 2014 Zinfandel Papera Ranch Vineyard is round, supple and nicely textured. There is just enough brightness to balance the intense darkness of the fruit. Novy's Papera is mostly Zinfandel, with about 3% Carignane.

The 2015 Viognier Saralee’s Vineyard (a site made famous by Dick Arrowood for Pinot Blanc, Viognier and possibly some Syrah) is a 100% Viognier and shows the flowery, apricot marmalade and tropical fruits of this varietal without becoming too cloying and unctuous. It has good acidity, a big fragrance of crushed fruit cocktail, and a medium-bodied, zesty mouthfeel. It was fermented and aged in stainless steel and older oak. Drink it over the next year.

2016 SYRAH The nose is solid licorice and sweet blackberry. The palate offers smoky black plum with a textured core of firm dried prune and angular tannins. Needs time.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Blanc (Santa Maria Valley) is a very pretty, bright wine with lovely orchard fruit and floral character. Drink this delicious, affordable white over the next year or two.

The 2016 Pinot Blanc is a solid, deliciously drinkable white that has plenty of white peach and citrus fruit, a balanced, charming style, and a good finish. It's going to be versatile on the dinner table and could even handle some spicy food.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part One The 2016 Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County) is a very pleasant, fruity wine to drink now and over the next few years. Dark red and purplish berry fruit, spice and floral, notes grace this delicate, translucent Pinot from Nielson. There is plenty to like in this refreshing Pinot that draws from sites in Los Alamos, Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is scented of red currants, cranberries and red cherries with an earthy undercurrent and a touch of spice box. Softly textured, medium-bodied and with a pleasant savoriness in the mouth, it finishes with good length. 88 points.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley has a medium ruby-purple color and nose of black cherries, red and black plums, tar and underbrush with a waft of herbs. Medium-bodied, with a chewy texture, it has plenty of earthy-laced fruit and decent length. 88 points.

2015 PINOR NOIR, SANTA MARIA VALLEY The nose is a light berry and mint with notes of cherry and spice. The palate entry is juicy and fresh with good texture to the core of tomato, plum and spice.

By Byron. Fairly intense and very steady red cherry fruit takes the immediate lead in this one’s carefully oaked aromas and never relinquishes the reins, but, from beginning to end, richness and ripeness, rather than finesse are the main messages of this full-bodied offering. An undisguised bit of heat manages to creep into its finish, yet it is far from being a disqualifier, and the wine will show at its substantial best if saved for service with savory, appropriately flavorful foods. 88 points.

A notably ripe if attractively spicy array features notes of menthol, red cherry cola and plum. The rounded and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess reasonably good energy while exhibiting noticeable warmth on the dusty, moderately firm and sappy finish. I like the depth and mouth feel though the warmth isn’t subtle though with that said, it’s less than one might think given the elevated reported level.

Lightly aromatic and medium weight in intensity and flavor, with supple plum and raspberry amid fresh-turned earth and floral scents.

Nielson is another in the growing field of pinot producers crafting a respectable pinot noir that is both tasty and easily affordable. The second label for the well-respected Byron winery, Nielson's 2014 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir delivers solid pinot aromas of cherry and strawberry, with an earthy essence on the finish. This vintage shows some grip on the finish that should mellow in another year or so.

A fresh, cool and complex nose offers up notes of both red and dark cherries long with subtle spice and floral nuances. There is both good volume and texture to the caressing flavors that culminate in a dusty finale. This is really quite supple, indeed this could easily be enjoyed now though one year of bottle age should help to develop a bit more depth. Fine value.

The 2015 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County offers notes of ripe apples, fresh peaches and cream with a hint of almonds. Medium-bodied, this is a delicate and refreshing expression with appealing purity and good intensity. 88 points.

This pale straw colored Chardonnay from Nielson opens with a lively fruity bouquet featuring apricots and pear with hints of honey and wet stone. The medium bodied palate was smooth with featuring apricots, lemon and pear. I also detected some hints of ginger and a light touch of oak. Finally, I enjoyed its balanced minerality throughout. Its fine citrus finish fades away nicely. I would recommend serving this Chard with scallops wrapped in bacon that were drizzled with some pure maple syrup. Very good.

Pure baking spice and light hazelnut notes stand out, fading into light citrus and oak shadings, making this an elegant rendering.

Fleshy fruits of white peach and guava and fragrant white flowers trend tropical on the nose of this bottling, but are cut by green apple and citrus skin flavors. The palate is broad with guava cream, apple blossoms, mango and lime chiffon flavors. Quite tasty, but very tropical.

Flavorful and unusually gutsy for the varietal, this wine has almost meaty aromas, lots of grape-skin and grapefruit flavors on the palate and a sense of density the comes from a little tannin in the texture.

Ripe and dense but with surprising brightness and assertiveness.

Smooth and silky with juicy cherry and plum fruit; tangy and balanced with a long, lively finish.

Smooth, crisp and silky with tangy acidity and fresh cherry fruit; clean and decent.