More energetic, with better overall focus and definition, the 2012 Chardonnay Nielson offers impressive lychee nut, white flowers, mint and hints of brioche in its medium to full-bodied, layered and beautifully textured personality. Aged 15 months in 40% new French oak, it will shine for 4-5 years, if not longer.

Better, with a deeper, richer color, the 2012 Pinot Noir Bench Break offers a straightforward, subtle bouquet of black fruits, cherry blossom, underbrush and pretty floral notes to go with a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated profile. Aged 10 months in 40% new French oak, it can be enjoyed anytime over the coming 3-5 years.

The 2012 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley is a ripe, rich effort that gives up notions of golden apple, toast and vanilla cream to go with a medium-bodied, supple and textured mouthfeel. It’s a delicious, classy effort, as well as a good value, to drink over the coming year or two.

The most up-front and straightforward in the lineup, yet still an impressive effort, the 2012 Chardonnay Unwooded saw, as the name suggests, no wood and was vinified and aged all in stainless steel. Giving up notions of peach, apricot flowers and orange blossom, this medium-bodied, supple and soft white should be enjoyed over the coming 1-2 years.

The 2012 Pinot Blanc Santa Maria Valley (aged 7 months in 4- to 5-year-old French oak) sports a light gold color to go with notions of apple blossom, citrus and brioche on the nose. Medium-bodied, supple and soft, it’s an easy-drinking, yet very well-made white for enjoying over the coming year or so.

A wine that comes up a tad short on ripeness, the 2012 Pinot Noir Swan Clone has lots of mint, eucalyptus and dark berry fruit to go with grippy, chewy tannin on the finish. It’s still a solid wine, but lacks the texture and depth of the other releases.

Moving to the Pinot Noirs, the 2012 Pinot Noir Julia’s Vineyard was completely destemmed and aged just under 7 months in 19% new French oak. Medium-bodied, straightforward and slightly weedy, with notions of menthol, underbrush and berry fruit, it’s juicy and easy going, and should be consumed over the coming year or two.

Zinfandel is a great wine to serve with hamburgers, pulled pork and anything with a ketchup-based sauce. The Edmeades is a reliable producer and this year's zinfandel is loaded with blackberries, chocolate and cherry cola flavors.

A tropical pinot gris with aromas of pineapple, apricot and lemon zest. Bright acidity. Nice length. A refreshing summer pick.

Pinot gris is just another name for pinot grigio, but producers in the United States like to use the name to define a style of wine. We love the aromas of honeysuckle and pear. The palate has melon and apricot flavors — serve it with fruit!

This full-bodied white wine is notable for its creamy texture, but behind the silky feel is plenty of backbone. It displays a broad spectrum of flavors — not unlike its pinot gris cousins in Alsace. There's lemon, melon, orange, vanilla, almonds and a melange of spices. This is quite a complete wine suitable for a special dinner.

A syrah with a great concentration of fruit and an irresistible kick of spice. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, plum and cracked black pepper. Edgy.

Presents a tight, crisp, focused band of red berry and blueberry flavors, with gravelly earth, dried herb and cedar notes. Returning to the snappy berry elements on the finish. Drink now through 2021.

Oftentimes, viognier is all about aromatics — and only aromatics. But this gussied-up viognier from the cool Russian River Valley has great flavor with hints of apple, lime, orange and peach.

Smooth and lush with rich, creamy texture and ripe fruit; vanilla and dense tropical fruit; deep and long with balance and style.

Dark and smooth with earthy, dense flavors of blackberry and plum; notes of anise, spice and pepper; juicy, balanced and long.

Smooth and creamy with vanilla and lush style; rich, mellow and balanced with a long, ripe finish.

Smooth and creamy with ripe pear, vanilla, honey and citrus; elegant, toasty and long.

Fresh and juicy with generous spice and blackberry; tangy and balanced with spice and vibrant flavors; long and snappy.

Toasty nose; ripe, tropical fruit, vanilla oak; crisp, fresh and vibrant; long and balanced.

Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of nothing so much as sweet cherry fruit. In the mouth it is pleasingly bright and pure with cherry fruit backed by fantastic acidity. The sweet quality lingers, though aromatically rather than any true residual sugar, through a long finish.

This shows a bright and fresh character of blueberries and lemon. Full body and lively plus a long finish. Intense and fabulous. A tight and layered style that is exceptional for carignan. Better in 2016.

A 52/48% blend, 135 dozen made from the 41-year-old terraced vineyards of the Hickinbotham Vineyard, vinified separately, with 18 months in oak. The colour is magnificently deep, but vivid, purple-crimson, the bouquet exuding black fruits, the full-bodied palate with perfectly weighted fruit, oak and tannins, the length prodigious.

The first vintage made by Yangarra from the Hickinbotham Vineyard after its far larger parent company, Jackson Family Estate, purchased it in '11. Deeply coloured and unashamedly full-bodied, it has layer-upon-layer of black fruits, tannins and the French oak in which it was matured for 18 months; significantly, the decision was to not fine the tannins.

Eighteen months in Bordeaux-coopered oak. Good colour; has way above average texture, complexity and very good varietal character; cassis, black olive, spice, plum and good tannins all contribute.